Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Fitbit Charge 5 adds sweat-based stress sensor, rounded design

Kelly Hodgkins
By

Following a high-profile leak that spilled most of the beans, Google-owned Fitbit today announced the Charge 5, an upcoming addition to the company’s lineup of fitness trackers. On the outside, the Charge 5 borrows heavily from the Fitbit Luxe, with a sleek, rounded, colorful display. Under the hood, though, is where you can find all the goodness.

Vibrant always-on display

The most noticeable change in the Charge 5 is the always-on display that lets you check your health stats instantly and curves to fit the wristband. The always-on feature can be turned off to help you eke more battery life from the device. If you want to wake the display, all you need to do is raise your wrist.

Fitbit Charge 5 on wrist while working out.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Built-in GPS

Similar to the Charge 4, the new Charge 5 will ship with built-in GPS to track your outdoor activities. Not only will you be able to view your activity on a map, but the Charge 5 will also display your workout intensity along the GPS track. You’ll be able to see at a glance where you were pushing yourself to your limit and where you were taking it easy.

Related

New stress-monitoring sensor

The Charge 5 joins the Fitbit Sense as Fitbit’s first trackers to feature an EDA sensor, which measures your sweat to monitor your stress levels. The sensor is used to generate a Stress Management Score to help you manage your daily stress levels.

Recommended Videos

Daily Readiness

Daily Readiness is a new metric added to Fitbit’s Premium service. Like Garmin’s body battery, the Daily Readiness Score takes heart rate variability, sleep, and activity into account to calculate your overall energy level. This new metric determines whether you are ready for a crushing workout or an extra-long nap. Daily Readiness helps athletes manage their exercise and recovery schedule so they can get the most out of their activities.

The Fitbit Charge 5 leaks in black and blue.
Snoopy Text

Premium membership

The Fitbit Charge 5 ties into Fitbit’s premium membership, which provides access to features like Daily Readiness and exclusive content. With premium, Charge 5 owners can choose from more than 200 audio and video workouts led by professional trainers. The Charge 5 ships with a free six-month membership to this Premium content. After this free trial expires, Charge 5 owners can use the device without the premium features or choose to subscribe for $10 per month or $80 per year.

Availability

The Fitbit Charge 5  costs $179, which is $50 more than the existing Charge 4, and will be available this fall. The fitness tracker will come in three colors: Steel blue/platinum, black/graphite, and lunar white/gold. Those who want more than the stock sports band can purchase leather or hook-and-loop bands for a more classy look. Fitbit also is selling replacement sports bands in a wide range of colors.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly Hodgkins
Contributor
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
Fitbit Charge 5 leaks show off a sleek fitness wearable
The Fitbit Charge 5 leaks in black and blue.

Fitbit is reportedly working on a new Fitbit Charge 5, and new renders surfacing this week give a good look at what we can expect. The report comes from leaker Snoopy on Twitter, and it features an attached video showing off the promotional material for the successor to the Charge 4.

According to the report, the upcoming 5 Charge 5 will cost $179, a $40 boost justified by a few quality-of-life changes. These could include swapping out the monochrome screen for a full-color one and adding in new sensors. Based on the video, sensors include built-in GPS, an EDA for stress-tracking management, an electrocardiogram (ECG) for heart tracking, an optical heart rate sensor, and an SpO2 sensor for tracking your blood oxygenation.  The biggest takeaway from the renders is a redesign of the previous model. The old design featuring sharp angles gives way to what appears to be a smooth, softer overall design with rounder corners. It could also come in different colors: Black, silver, and gold.

Read more
The Fitbit Luxe helps you manage your stress levels — and look good doing so
fitbit luxe tracks stress other metrics lifestyle photo of

Fitbit Luxe Fitness & Wellness Tracker: Style That Moves With You

Spring is here, and with the warmer temperatures comes more opportunity to get outside and get in shape. In that spirit, Fitbit has announced the Luxe, a fashion-focused fitness tracker that will help you reach your weight loss and fitness goals -- all while looking stylish in the process.

Read more
Fitbit Versa 2 vs. Fitbit Versa
Fitbit Versa 2

Fitbit has a commanding share of the pricier end of the fitness wearables market with some of the best fitness trackers you can buy. The original Fitbit Versa marked a move into smartwatch territory, with a much larger, squared-off screen and a few extra features beyond health and fitness tracking. The Fitbit Versa 2 improved on its predecessor with a raft of new features including Alexa support, better sleep tracking, and Fitbit Pay in all models. Let's take a closer look at how these smartwatches compare.

Balking at the price tags? If so, be sure to delve into the best Fitbit deals and the best smartwatch sales available now.
Specs

Read more