The fitness trackers I’d recommend to beginners, athletes, and kids.
There are some familiar fitness tracker sensors in place, including an optical heart rate monitor and motion sensors to track movement, though Fitbit has ditched the sleep-tracking support that was available on the original Ace. It has LTE connectivity so parents and children can make calls to each other, and it also taps into Google Maps to give it location-tracking smarts. Payments are on the way for the watch, too.
There are also games to play, including a very Fitbit take on a Tamagotchi that’s sure to appeal. There is the matter of a $10 per month subscription fee to get the complete Ace experience; it isn’t a cheap kids’ smartwatch either. But it’s easy to use, and it gets the balance of fun and fitness just right to make it a good fit for kids. —Michael Sawh
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Case Size | 41.04 x 44.89 x 13.35 mm |
| Case Material | Plastic, stainless steel, glass, and recycled materials |
| Battery Life | Up to 16 hours |
| Colors | Spicy Pebble/Moovin’ Band, Mild Pebble/Strange Arcade Band |
Now that the Google Pixel Watch 4 actually exists, the fate of Fitbit’s own smartwatches feels up in the air. But if the idea of owning a Pixel Watch doesn’t appeal and you’re interested in a more Fitbit-centric experience with better battery life, the Versa 4 is the one to go for. You get a smartwatch with a gently curved design; it’s almost identical to the original Versa, but with the welcome return of a physical button. There’s a large, vibrant, 1.5-inch AMOLED display touchscreen and a battery performance that can really stretch over the promised six days if you don’t leave the screen on 24/7.
As for sports, the Versa 4 is designed with a built-in GPS to track outdoor runs and rides and motion sensors to track indoor swims, though not with sports-watch-rivaling accuracy. Fitbit’s PurePulse heart rate sensor is a better fit for day-to-day heart rate stats than it is for a CrossFit class. And third-party app support has been replaced by native Google apps, like Maps, with Google Assistant joining Amazon’s Alexa. As a device that lets you check your phone notifications, keep an eye on step counts and sleep, and forget about constantly charging it, the Versa 4 has plenty to like. —Michael Sawh
