A Google IQ replace
Fitbit and Google did not see any must deviate from the Charge 5’s design, given its recognition. Instead, it packed in new smarts to make the Charge 6 a Google Pixel Band in every part however identify. If having Google Maps or YouTube Music controls in your wrist is interesting, or when you weren’t pleased with the guts price accuracy on the Charge 5, chances are you’ll wish to improve.
ForUseful haptic facet buttonBetter HR information throughout “vigorous” workoutsDouble the sports activities modesGoogle Maps/ Wallet & YouTube MusicNonetheless has 7-day battery life regardless of further smartsAgainstNo updates to show, GPS accuracyGoogle account requiredNo common music controls
Our former #1 health tracker
The Charge 5 was forward of its time. No different petite health tracker since has given you built-in GPS, an ECG for AFib detection, or pores and skin temperature readings at night time. Given that the Charge 5 has the identical show and battery life because the Charge 6, chances are you’ll not really feel any must improve simply but. Don’t anticipate it to get any of its successor’s new apps or algorithm updates, although.
ForSame show high quality and comfortBuilt-in GPS and tons of well being sensorsCompatible w/ Charge 6 bandsStill works with Fitbit account (kind of)AgainstFully touchscreen reliantNo Google appsNo HR broadcastingOnly six train profiles on system
The Fitbit Charge 6 and Charge 5 had been launched two years aside, and for all the adjustments introduced by Google’s Fitbit acquisition, not a lot modified between the 2 health trackers themselves. They’re almost similar bodily, have the identical well being sensors, and provide the identical app expertise.That’s to not say Fitbit sat on its arms. It squeezed in new Google apps, revamped coronary heart price information, and a extremely helpful new haptic button. If you are shopping for a brand new Fitbit tracker, the Charge 6 is the one logical alternative, until you favor the petite Inspire 3.If you already personal the last-gen band, the Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Charge 5 variations will not be sufficient to justify the improve. Not to fret, although: We’ll assist you to determine!Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Charge 5: What’s the identical?Why you’ll be able to belief Android Central
Our professional reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you’ll be able to select one of the best for you. Find out extra about how we take a look at.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryFitbit Charge 6Fitbit Charge 5Display1.04-inch AMOLED (326 ppi); 450 nits brightness, Gorilla Glass1.04-inch AMOLED (326 ppi); 450 nits brightness, Gorilla GlassMaterialsRecycled aluminum case; silicone band with aluminum buckleRecycled aluminum case; silicone band with aluminum buckleBattery life7 days; about 5–6 hours GPS7 days; about 5–6 hours GPSCharge time2 hours (proprietary cable)2 hours (proprietary cable)Sensors and locationHRM, SpO2, ECG, EDA, pores and skin temperature, ambient gentle, accelerometer, vibration, NFCHRM, SpO2, ECG, EDA, pores and skin temperature, ambient gentle, accelerometer, vibration, NFCConnectivityBluetooth 5.0; HR broadcast on fitness center gearBluetooth 5.0Tap-to-payGoogle WalletFitbit PayMusic playbackYouTube Music solely (w/ sub)NoneNavigationGoogle Maps (w/ related cellphone)NoneSports modes4020 (solely 6 directly)Water resistanceUp to 50 metersUp to 50 metersDimensions1.52 x 0.73 x 0.46 inches1.45 x 0.9 x 0.44 inchesWeight15g (pebble solely); ~30g (pebble + band)15g (pebble solely); ~30g (pebble + band)If you have a look at a Fitbit Charge 6 and Charge 5 facet by facet, you’d have bother telling them aside. The dimensions are barely completely different — the Charge 6 is 1.8mm taller, 4.3mm skinnier, and 0.5mm thicker than the Charge 5, primarily based on the official measurements — nevertheless it’s primarily the identical design and really feel as earlier than (with one exception).That’s most evident in all the above Fitbit Charge 6 specs which can be copied and pasted over from its predecessor: You get a 1.04-inch AMOLED show with 450 nits of brightness, a 7-day battery life, a proprietary charging connector with a two-hour recharge time, 5ATM water resistance, and Gorilla Glass scratch resistance.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Our Charge 6 reviewer famous that he wished the tracker had gotten a much bigger or brighter show than the Charge 5, as different manufacturers now provide sizes nicely above 1 inch. But he additionally acknowledged that protecting this measurement helped Fitbit maintain the Charge 6 as gentle and comfy because the Charge 5.Both trackers weigh 15g with out the band connected, utilizing the identical aluminum, glass, and resin supplies in every Charge capsule. They make use of the identical proprietary band connector, too, which means whichever of one of the best Fitbit Charge 6 bands you favor, they’re additionally backwards appropriate with the Charge 5.(Image credit score: Christine Persaud / Android Central)You’ll additionally discover the identical tech inside the Fitbit Charge 6 and Charge 5.Each has an antenna for GPS or GLONASS monitoring with out your cellphone close by — although they default to your cellphone’s GPS when it is close by. The built-in GPS has its points for each the Charge 6 and Charge 5: it might not join correctly while you put on the tracker too tightly, and it isn’t particularly correct. So you will in all probability wish to maintain your smartphone on you throughout out of doors exercises, no matter which Charge you utilize.They every measure steady coronary heart price information throughout the day; at night time, they verify blood oxygen ranges (SpO2), coronary heart price variance (HRV), passive AFib detection, respiration price, and pores and skin temperature ranges. You may also take energetic EDA stress readings by sitting nonetheless for 3 minutes; we solely want both tracker had the passive cEDA sensor discovered on the Fitbit Sense 2, which is way more handy.On the destructive facet, neither tracker has an altimeter to evaluate effort at elevation, one thing the Fitbit Charge 4 provided.Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Charge 5: What’s completely different?(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)We talked about “one exception” to the Fitbit Charge 6 and 5’s twin designs: a haptic button on the Charge 6’s left facet that you just squeeze to return to the house web page, set off a shortcut, or change between completely different views throughout an exercise.The Charge 5 is touch-only, and our reviewer referred to as the expertise “very hit or miss,” noting that it’s essential to be “intentional” to set off actions. By distinction, our Charge 6 reviewer praised the haptic button, saying it “works as it should, without being prone to accidental presses like a physical button.” It’s way more handy than having to double-tap the show, too.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Beyond that one distinction, each different Fitbit Charge 6 improve is discovered beneath the floor, probably because of a brand new processor that may deal with extra Google smarts than the Charge 5.First, Fitbit claims that the Charge 6 delivers “60% more accurate readings during vigorous activities like HIIT, spinning, and rowing” in comparison with the Charge 5. Essentially, if the Charge 6 is not resting correctly in your wrist throughout arm-active sports activities, Fitbit makes use of “machine learning” algorithms lifted from the Google Pixel Watch to determine your HR information with much less info.This Charge 6 algorithm apparently requires an “added compute load,” however Fitbit and Google ensured that this did not reduce the unique one-week battery life estimate from the Charge 5.The Charge 6’s further smarts manifest in different small however very important methods. The Charge 5 may solely maintain six sports activities modes on it directly, out of 20 obtainable; with the Charge 6, you get all 40 of Fitbit’s actions on-device directly, matching the Sense 2 and Versa 4.One different cool improve for fitness center lovers or athletes with at-home gear: the Charge 6 can join by way of Bluetooth to fitness center gear like Nordic, Peloton, Concept2, or Tonal to broadcast your coronary heart price. That’s not one thing the Charge 5 can do.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Fitbit Charge 6 house owners additionally profit from three new Google apps the Charge 5 lacks: Google Wallet, Google Maps, and YouTube Music.Google Wallet does not do something that the Charge 5’s Fitbit Pay does not; they’re each there for tap-to-pay transactions, and nothing else. The distinction is that you will pull out of your Google Pay playing cards as a substitute of getting to retailer and replace your info in a number of apps. Plus, any transactions will seem in your Google fee historical past, which you will desire.The Fitbit Charge 5 does not help Bluetooth playback controls, a fundamental function discovered on virtually each health tracker or watch. That’s additionally true on the Charge 6, with one Google-biased exception: YouTube Music subscribers get a Play/Pause button, Skip Forward/Back buttons, and Volume Up/Down buttons cut up throughout three screens. The Charge 6’s small show makes these controls considerably inconvenient, however Google superusers will nonetheless admire them.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)The one can’t-miss Charge 6 replace, in our minds, is Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation. Enter a vacation spot in your related cellphone, and you may see a time to vacation spot and an arrow in your wrist pointing you the precise method, so you’ll be able to maintain your cellphone in your pocket. It’s handy for day-to-day walks, and even for out of doors runs.The draw back to all of this Google goodness is that it gave Fitbit a pretense to transition everybody from Fitbit accounts to Google accounts. You need to create a Google account to make use of the Charge 6, whereas Charge 5 house owners might have managed to keep away from transitioning from their outdated Fitbit account. You cannot use any Fitbit with no Google account beginning in 2025, but when that is a deal-breaker for you, you must stick together with your Charge 5 for now.Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Charge 5: Should you improve?It’s clear that the Fitbit Charge 6 is an iterative replace, protecting the system that made the Charge 5 our greatest health tracker decide for 2 years.To summarize the important thing Charge 6 upgrades once more, that is what you get:A haptic buttonMore correct HR dataHR broadcast on fitness center gearGoogle Maps, Google Wallet, and YouTube Music40 on-device train modes as a substitute of sixOf these, the haptic button, improved well being information from exercises, train gear connectivity, and Google Maps help are all very helpful. We definitely would not advocate you purchase the Charge 5 right this moment, because the smarter 6 is extra more likely to get help and new software program updates within the subsequent couple of years.Are these adjustments sufficient so that you can spend one other $160 on the Charge 6? That in all probability will depend on whether or not or not you favored the Charge 5, and when you like adjustments carried out throughout Google’s Fitbit possession just like the Fitbit app redesign and Google account migration.If not, there isn’t any level in shopping for in additional, as Google’s Fitbit technique is all about aligning the health model with Google and Pixel {hardware}. Get used to the Google method of doing issues, or look elsewhere!
Google apps and haptic button
Choose the Fitbit Charge 6 when you’re actually excited for Google apps, you are annoyed by the Charge 5’s all-touch controls, or when you’re upgrading from an older Fitbit just like the Charge 4. Don’t improve to the Charge 6 when you do not just like the (very comparable) Charge 5, or when you’re not a Google fan.
Last-gen traditional
Don’t purchase a brand new Fitbit Charge 5 until you are saving a ton of cash on one in comparison with the Charge 6. But you’ll be able to and may stick to the Charge 5 if the Charge 6 upgrades do not sound like sufficient to tempt you.