Fitbit Blaze review

Fitbit has turn into a family identify relating to health trackers and wearables basically – and never all the time for the precise causes. With reasonably priced value factors, the corporate behind a few of the earliest health trackers to hit the market has constantly launched well-received merchandise.

Nevertheless, there was additionally the kerfuffle over the Fitbit Force inflicting rashes, and later stories of the identical points in small portions with the Charge and Surge iterations.

In 2016 the corporate determined it was time to hit the smartwatch market, taking up the Motorola Moto 360 and the Huawei Watch with the Blaze. Since then we have seen them take larger smartwatch stride ahead with the Fitbit Ioinc and in 2018, all rumours level in the direction of the arrival of a the next-gen Fitbit Blaze 2.

Nevertheless it has determined to take action with out working Android Put on software program. That makes it decidedly completely different from every little thing else on the market, besides the Samsung Gear Match 2, which additionally straddles that health monitoring and smartwatch line.

Nevertheless, should you’re on the lookout for a health tracker with a heavy, however not-too-heavy lean towards being a smartwatch, the Fitbit Blaze is a reliable alternative which you could now purchase for cheaper than ever.

Regardless of being outdated by the Fitbit Ionic, which is principally a real smartwatch, the Blaze is totally featured and comes really helpful sufficient to earn a spot on our checklist of the best fitness trackers.)

Fitbit Blaze value and launch date

• Introduced in January 2016 at CES and launched a couple of weeks later
• Simply out there now for $199 (£159.99, AU$329.95)

At launch you could possibly purchase the Fitbit Blaze for $199 (£159.99, AU$329.95). That value has dropped down quite a bit so now you can get it for round $150 or £139 from some retailers and we count on to see the worth drop even additional round Black Friday and Christmas gross sales.

That is nonetheless one of many dearer Fitbit merchandise although with the worth solely being crushed by the $250 (£200, AU$350) fitness-focused Fitbit Surge and the brand new totally fledged smartwatch the Fitbit Ionic at $299.95 (£299.95, AU$449.95).

Show

• Coloration LCD show, first time for a Fitbit product
• Bigger display screen than on another Fitbit

Not like most different Fitbit units, the Blaze features a show, blurring the road between smartwatch and health tracker. The show itself is vivid and jumps out at you, particularly should you’re utilizing the precise watch face.

Every part is evident on the show, and I really feel that is the precise measurement for a smartwatch. From a distance it appears to be like rather more like a conventional watch than another smartwatches on the market.

For some cause, Fitbit has determined to go for a sq. display screen right here although – I really feel it might have been higher if Fitbit had used a spherical show, like on the Moto 360.

And that show is not going to provide you that a lot data – it isn’t going to be flush with notifications just like the Apple Watch, displaying simply primary health stats equivalent to your coronary heart fee and steps.

My different downside with the sq. show is the big bezels across the sides. Fitbit has included a few of the thickest bezels I’ve seen on a smartwatch, and there is a whole lot of wasted area right here; the display screen may have been a lot larger, or the machine may have been a lot smaller if extra thought had been put in right here.

So as to add insult to harm, the Fitbit brand even sits under the principle show, which I discover irritating each time I have a look at it, because it highlights the wasted area – you do not see the Apple brand sitting on the backside of the display screen on the Apple Watch.

That mentioned, the display screen on the Fitbit Blaze does the job. It is vibrant and vivid, and you do not want a excessive decision on this machine, because it’s solely displaying the odd notification.

One in every of my largest bugbears with the Fitbit Blaze, although, is that the display screen is usually unresponsive. There have been a number of occasions the place I would faucet on the display screen and nothing would occur. It could wake simply with a flick the wrist, however then I would sit there swiping left and proper for fairly a while, attempting to get the display screen to fireplace up.

When I’ve a smartwatch on my wrist, it is normally in order that I can get to my data as rapidly as attainable. However with the Fitbit Blaze I discovered myself tapping on the display screen much more usually than I’ve to with different wearable units.

Design and luxury

• Snug match, however some might discover this to be too giant for his or her wrist
• Seems like a smartwatch, however not as trendy as a whole lot of different selections

The Fitbit Blaze is not the best-looking smartwatch you will ever see. It feels a little bit like Fitbit determined it needed to make an Apple Watch-like machine, however then did not go the entire method.

The Blaze was the primary Fitbit product with a colour touchscreen, and it appears to be like rather more interesting than the Surge – and functionality-wise, it does extra.

Nevertheless, what is not sure is whether or not it is truly a smartwatch, it is definitely not as a lot smartwatch because it’s newer stablemate the Ionic. The Samsung Gear Fit 2 runs into the exact same problem. It is definitely less complicated than different smartwatches I’ve seen earlier than.

There is a button on the left aspect that serves as a house and again command, with two on the precise that can be utilized for quantity controls for music.

The best-side buttons additionally present another method so that you can choose train choices, in case your arms are moist or gloved and are not registering on the touchscreen. These are the one buttons on the machine, and every little thing else is managed by way of the display screen.

As talked about, the design has proved divisive. It is definitely a different-looking smartwatch, with an outer steel rim for the strap, and people aforementioned bezels.

It does look odd, and I believe it is a mistake by Fitbit. I would a lot want this machine if Fitbit had made full use of the area it occupies on my wrist, moderately than losing it.

The watch physique of the Blaze may be popped out and positioned into one other band and body simply sufficient. I preferred the flatness in opposition to my wrist, and it suits properly. I’ve bought moderately giant wrists, but it surely appears like it might match most individuals comfortably, even should you’re used to smaller units.

Popping the machine again into its body could be a little complicated although. It suits into the body both method up, so it is easy to place it within the mistaken method up, and never realise till you set the watch on.

And that hexagonal form is bound to be polarizing for a lot of. On the one hand it is definitely completely different, however on the opposite the design feels a bit outdated, though I did not discover this as a lot when it is on my wrist as a result of general flat look of the physique.

I do not assume the steel holder across the display screen works all that effectively. The straps themselves really feel good on the wrist, and that is one thing that Fitbit has managed to nail down after its issues with the irritable Surge straps a couple of years in the past.

The strap is the one possibility you actually have for personalizing your Fitbit Blaze. With a ton of Android Put on and Apple Watch bands out there, it is no shock that Fitbit has determined to supply its personal collection of bands and frames.

You should buy plenty of completely different bands from Fitbit instantly. For ‘formal’ events Fitbit has created the Luxe band, which is available in black, camel or mist gray leather-based. There’s additionally a stainless-steel model, however sadly we did not get to play with any of those.

Customising your Fitbit would not come low cost, although. The leather-based bands will value you $99.95 (£59.99, AU$169.95), whereas the stainless-steel possibility will value a little bit additional, at $129.95 (£89.99, AU$219.95).

Fitbit can also be providing the ‘traditional’ elastomer bands, which are available black, blue and plum for $29.95 (£19.95, AU$49.95). These are all comfy to put on – and crucially, as talked about, they did not irritate my wrist.

I had time with each the blue and black ‘traditional’ editions; I have never seen the purple model, however I am instructed it is the identical shade of plum as different Fitbit merchandise, so it must be a beautiful alternative.

Since launch extra strap colours and supplies have turn into out there although in order for you a drawer full of various model choices – it might get a little bit costly.