The shiny new Fitbit Charge 5 is touted as the company’s most advanced fitness tracker to date. Although the slightly older Luxe might not have as many features as the Charge 5, it makes up for that in quality and perhaps even durability. Fitbit has actively been making wristband trackers as far back as 2013, with the latest model being announced just this month.
Within the past year, the company had already released a handful of standout models such as the fitness-focused Fitbit Versa 3, Charge 4 and the FDA-approved Sense smartwatch, to name a few. Unlike its previous wearables, however, its fashion-focused Luxe model placed more emphasis on merging fitness technology with luxurious build quality when it first released back in April. Now that the more feature-rich Charge 5 has finally been unveiled, will the Luxe still be worth considering despite its notable inadequacies?
Based on its specs alone, the Charge 5 clearly packs several features not found in the Luxe model, namely a built-in GPS, Electrocardiogram (ECG), Electrodermal activity (EDA) and Near Field Communication (NFC) sensors. The Charge 5’s estimated 7-day battery life is also longer than the Luxe’s 5-day run time. Both models do share certain characteristics such as a vibrant colored AMOLED display, vibration functionality, oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring, optical heart rate sensors, Bluetooth, stress management, sleep monitoring and fitness apps, and up to 50 meters water resistance.
Fitbit Charge 5 vs Fitbit Luxe: Pros And Cons
The Fitbit Charge 5 starts at $180 while the Luxe normally costs about $30 less at $150, and is currently at a discount at $129 via Fitbit’s official site. However, the Charge 5’s various improvements over its predecessor certainly justify its sizable price difference. Those looking for a more comprehensive health and fitness tracker will likely find the Charge 5 as the better option, especially given its wealth of additional features like convenient wireless payments via NFC, Geolocation services via its GPS and the potentially life-saving functionalities its ECG and EDA sensors can provide.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the Luxe isn’t still a solid choice, as its stainless steel construction not only looks more premium than the Charge 5’s aluminum housing, it’s also more durable. The Luxe is more aesthetically pleasing given its sleek contours and slimmer bezel, which is quite a contrast to the Charge 5’s more rugged and sporty exterior. If users prefer a more fashionable wearable and don’t mind having lesser health monitoring features, then the Luxe is certainly worth considering, otherwise, the Charge 5 has all the bells and whistles for everyone else.
