Fitbit Charge 5 presented: With color display and ECG meter

Fitbit has officially unveiled the successor of the popular Charge 4 fitness tracker. The Fitbit Charge 5 finally relies on a color AMOLED display and comes up with an ECG meter as well as a recovery function.

Charge finally in color

Probably the most exciting innovation of the Fitbit Charge 5 is the color AMOLED display, which replaces the grayscale LED display of the predecessor. In addition, Fitbit has installed an always-on display for the first time, for which around 20 watch faces are available. In general, the new edition is based on a refreshed design with rounder shapes, while the fitness tracker is supposed to be about 10% thinner than its predecessor.

The Fitbit Charge 5 also comes in a wide variety of wristbands: there is a choice of Infinity bands made of silicone, breathable sports bands, nylon bands with Velcro and also variants made of leather. The battery life of the tracker is said to be around 7 days and would thus be superior to its predecessor by around 2 days.

EKG function and relaxation features

In terms of sensors, the Fitbit Charge 5 also has a few exciting new features on board. From daily health data such as heart rate or blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), Fitbit determines a daily shape index that informs premium members whether one is fit enough for a workout.

The Charge 5 inherits the ECG app from the Fitbit Sense. This can be used to detect signs of atrial fibrillation so that the user can react if necessary. The EDA sensor is also part of the game: it scans electrodermal activity on the skin to deduce the user’s stress level.

To reduce stress, Fitbit will be working with the popular Calm app on the Charge 5. This is supposed to provide meditation and improved sleep. The only downer: the day shape index and the Calm features are only available to paying Fitbit Premium subscribers – after all, there is a 6-month membership with the purchase.

Price and Availability

The Fitbit Charge 5 is available for pre-order now on the manufacturer’s website for an MSRP of 179.95 euros. The colors available are black / stainless steel graphite, moon white / stainless steel soft gold and gray blue / stainless steel platinum. Delivery will take place in fall 2021, by the end of September 2021. There is no concrete date so far.