Fitbit Charge 5 comes with an ECG, EDA and many more sensors, brighter Always On display
The Fitbit Charge 5 was unveiled today with an impressive array of sensors. This is the company’s first band-style fitness tracker with an ECG feature. Just touch your finger to the metal frame and hold for 30 seconds – the band will be able to detect Atrial Fibrilation (AFib). Note that this feature will be enabled some time after launch.
Fitbit Charge 5 in Black/Graphite, Lunar White/Soft Gold and Steel Blue/Platinum
The Charge 5 also has a skin temperature sensor as well an an EDA sensor (ElectorDermal Activity, aka galvanic skin response), which allows it to track your stress levels. And should they get too high, you can use one of the over 200 mindfulness sessions available on the band (including Deepak Chopra’s Mindful Method, Aaptiv, Aura, Breethe, and Ten Percent Happier).
Moving on, there is also a heart rate sensor that calculate Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Resting Heart Rate (RHR). There’s a blood oxygen saturation sensor (SpO2) as well.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is swim-proof (water resistant up to 50m) and has a GPS (+GLONASS) receiver to accurately track outdoor activities. If you are into High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) there are pre-programed workouts from BODYPUMP BODYCOMBAT and LES MILLS GRIT.
The first ECG sensor on a Fitbit smart band • Stress tracking with the EDA sensor • Breathing rate tracking
As for the device itself, the Charge 5 is 10% slimmer than version 4 and now comes with Infinity Bands, which the company says are more comfortable for workouts than the watch-style bands of earlier models.
Also, the new display is twice as bright as the one on the Charge 4. The display measures 1.04” in diagonal and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. A new addition this year is the Always-On Display function. Without AOD and the SpO2 sensor active, battery life is up to 7 days, continuous GPS tracking will deplete the battery in 5 hours. A full charge takes two hours.
Besides exercises, the Charge has some smart band features like Fitbit Pay. If you have an Android phone you can even respond to notifications from the band itself.
The Fitbit Charge 5 is up for pre-order today starting at $180. You can find it on fitbit.com where you will also find a number of alternative wrist bands. Besides the US, you can also pre-order in Canada (CAD 230), the UK (£170), Germany (€180), France (€180), Australia (AUD 270), New Zealand (NZD 300) and other countries, it is coming soon to India. The Charge comes with a free 6-month membership to Fitbit Premium (normally $10 a month).
