REVIEW | Fitbit Versa

Staying fit has become a bit of a national obsession, and in this digital age, if you can’t record it, you can’t track it.

Fitbit is regarded as the leader in fitness monitoring wearables, and with the release of the Versa, their latest device, Fitbit is hoping that the Versa may be the one that cracks the smartwatch code.

Steven Ambrose stays fit and puts the Versa through its paces.

Wearables from Fitbit have long set the standard for accurate and affordable activity trackers. Fitbit has done a great job with standalone trackers but not so well with smartwatches that incorporate tracking. The Fitbit Blaze was capable but large and angular, their next watch the ionic was a premium device with everything thrown in yet ultimately it was masculine and not to everyone’s taste.

Hardware

The Fitbit Versa is an entirely new lightweight design. The design language is completely different, in a good way than any other watch-style wearable that Fitbit has produced. The Versa is a simple square watch with rounded edges and a bright, sharp screen. The Versa is available in three colours black silver and rose gold.

The overall size shape and finish make this the most attractive Fitbit watch yet, and it will look equally good on men or woman’s wrists. The Versa is also simple very understated looking. The Versa is the most comfortable smartwatch I  have worn due to partly its light weight and also its intelligent design. You can run swim and sleep with the Versa and forget that you are wearing it.

There are three buttons on the Versa one on the left and two on the right. The left side central button wakes the device and takes you home if you are lost in the menu. The right-side buttons are smaller and are used for starting, pausing, and finishing workouts, they also call up the activity menu.

Fitbit supply both a short and long strap in the box and this is the only disappointing element of the Versa. The black strap supplied with the black Versa looked and felt like cheap plastic, although it was easy to wear and does not look too bad on. The good news is that there is a range of very good looking additional bands and straps which clip on and off very quickly.

The Versa display is excellent with great colour and very good brightness of up to 1000 nits. This is useful when you are outdoors running as many watches, and previous Fitbit trackers cannot be read in full sunlight. The screen is also touch sensitive, and there was no lag or hesitation. In many ways, this screen is better than the more expensive ionic.

The Versa also features four days of battery life, and I found this could stretch to 5 days if you don’t keep watching the screen. Charging every day has been my default for smartwatches, so four days between charges is perfect for a smartwatch.

The only omission compared to its more expensive brother is there is no built-in GPS, you can use your linked phone for GPS if you wish.

Software and fitness

There are dedicated fitness modes for almost all types of activities from running cycling swimming treadmill and gym. Tracking your workout is simple and effective and in conjunction with the app records all the relevant stats. The Versa will display all the key metrics of your workout as you train.

Once you have finished your session, a simple tap stops the tracking, and the Versa displays a full summary of your activity.

The Versa is also waterproof to 50 metres, and even in the pool, it was easy to see the screen and get all the info of your swim. The touchscreen does not work underwater, but a shake and wipe will bring it back to life.

There is also a smart run detect feature so if you stop for a break and interrupt your swim the Versa will pause and continue when you do.

The Versa also syncs quickly with the Fitbit App for Android and IOS, the app itself is one of the best I have used for fitness trackers. Activity, sleep, food, you name it it can be entered, and the dashboard can be customised to suit your needs. Tapping on a dashboard tile takes you to far more detailed information and tips.

The Fitbit app also allows you to customise the display and notifications on the Versa and load the apps currently available. The options for screen display are decent, and many more have been promised.

Overall the performance of the Versa is good, swiping through screens is fast and waking the Versa  by lifting your arm or turning your wrist works well

Conclusion

The Fitbit Versa is a brilliant set of compromises and steps forward. The Versa lacks a few features of the ionic, though none that really matter, it also is the most friendly looking and comfortable Fitbit I have worn. The look and feel is classic and simple. The smartwatch features do not match an Apple Watch or Samsung Gear; they are however comprehensive enough that most won’t miss much.

In use, the Fitbit Versa is a pleasure with a bright clear and fast interface, excellent apps and activity tracking that is accurate and easy to use and understand. The heart rate monitor and sleep tracking are useful. The Fitbit Versa tied to the Fitbit app is the most complete activity health tracking smart device I have used to date.

The Versa is the best smartwatch and general activity tracker Fitbit have made and may well be the one that finally cracks the smartwatch market for Fitbit.

The compromises are few and the features of the Versa are intelligent and complete. The price compared to other smartwatches is also excellent coming in at around 50% of its nearest competitors, though you do need to add a decent strap.

The Fitbit Vesa is available at a recommended retail price of R2,995.00 from dealers countrywide.

For more info www.fitbit.com |