Fitbit Luxe review: This solid tracker’s deluxe price delivers on looks, not features

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The Fitbit Luxe has the look you’d count on from its identify. Encased in chrome steel, out there in black, gold, and silver, and backed with a line of modern accent bands, it blends readily with fashionable outfits. Its slender, thinner profile can be discreet in your wrist—of Fitbit’s lineup, it’s the smallest and least obtrusive mannequin.

But a refined look is generally what you get on this posh (and costlier) tackle Fitbit’s cheaper Inspire 2 tracker. You’re a bump up in glamour somewhat than characteristic set, which doesn’t profit health fans. A few key {hardware} upgrades even compromise efficiency in comparison with the Inspire 2.

Good seems to be, constrained premium options

You’ll discover one of many Fitbit Luxe’s fundamental upgrades at first look—the 0.76-inch colour AMOLED show, which is roughly the identical measurement because the Inspire 2’s monochrome PMOLED display, however on a thinner physique. (The Luxe measures 1.43 x 0.69 x 0.4 inches, or 36.3 x 17.5 x 10.1 mm, which makes it a contact shorter, wider, and skinnier than the Inspire 2.) And at first look, the display is crisp and brilliant, making it straightforward to learn…in idea. 

Unfortunately, the Luxe’s interface bungles the attraction of the show. (Disappointment over the interface is a recurring theme with the Luxe; extra on that under.) The measurement and textual content wrapping is at instances comically unhealthy. You’ll discover this most when skimming via message notifications, the place you usually get only one phrase per line. Trying to maintain up with chats or e mail truly started to check my persistence, in contrast to with different Fitbit trackers with restricted display actual property. Having an choice for a smaller font or tighter line spacing would have been helpful.

Alaina Yee / IDG

The Luxe’s touch-only controls are additionally problematic. On paper, the nixing of aspect buttons seems like a step up, however in apply, it makes menu navigation much less gratifying. To return in a menu, it’s essential to double-tap on the display, which typically leads to deciding on the choice on-screen as an alternative. Taps and swipes don’t at all times register on the primary attempt, both. Interaction with a tracker is one thing you’ll do every day, and prioritizing type over operate is wholly impractical right here. Having to repeat motions to make use of the gadget retains it from being a seamless a part of your routine.

The one Luxe enhancement that satisfies is the SpO2 sensor. For most individuals, the readings of blood oxygen ranges will probably be ok for a common thought of your well being and subsequent adjustments to it. It doesn’t match a pulse oximeter in accuracy, although. The Luxe underreported my oxygen saturation by two to a few share factors in comparison with a pulse oximeter. The Luxe has the benefit when it comes to type for certain, although. You don’t have to take away your nail polish for a correct studying, as you do with pulse oximeters.

Solid health monitoring and respectable battery life

While its fancier {hardware} options fail to dazzle, the Luxe does a very good job at protecting tabs in your bodily exercise and wellness. Fitness trackers and smartwatches nonetheless aren’t exact instruments for measuring distance traveled, coronary heart price, sleep, and the like, however the expertise has improved sufficient to point how nicely you’re faring.

The Luxe tracks steps, coronary heart price, sleep length and levels, menstrual well being, Active Zone minutes (instances when your coronary heart price climbs excessive sufficient to your exercise to rely as average or excessive depth), and train. Some workouts will be tracked mechanically, like strolling and operating, however don’t rely on correct assessments. My energy coaching classes didn’t register, and dance confounded the Luxe simply because it has each different tracker I’ve used prior to now eight years. One session was recorded as “Sport,” whereas one other was damaged up half into “Swim” and half into “Aerobic Workout.”

Speaking of swimming, the Luxe has an IPX8 ranking, with water resistance as much as 50 meters. This tracker handles submersion in water simply nice, although your pores and skin afterward won’t. (It’s extremely really useful to dry off the tracker and let your pores and skin air out earlier than persevering with to put on the Luxe.)

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As for GPS monitoring, the Luxe depends on phone-based GPS to map your route and calculate your tempo. To toggle it on and off for walks, runs, and bike rides, faucet on the train within the Exercise menu and scroll down.

You’ll have the ability to energy all of this stat recording for as much as 5 days, which is respectable however not as spectacular because the less-expensive Inspire 2, which is rated for as much as 10 days. Going as much as a colour show hits battery life exhausting. You can stretch that point longer when not lively—within the two months* that I examined the Luxe, I may go as many as 9 or 10 days throughout slothy durations (simply every day walks). But you may usually get extra battery life on Fitbit trackers with low exercise, in order that’s not a top quality distinctive to the Luxe.

_{*I’ve by no means had a Fitbit tracker with out some form of quirk once I first received it—all have had crashes, clean screens, exhausting resets, and the like at the beginning. When my Fitbit Luxe pattern confirmed a lifeless display twice in the identical night, I made a decision to increase my time with it to make sure I used to be evaluating it pretty. Since making use of a firmware replace, I haven’t run into the identical wonkiness, a lot much less wanted to do a handbook reboot or reset.}

An interface that feels too primary

With a reputation like Luxe, you’d count on its interface to be as slick as its bodily physique. But the UI on Fitbit’s trackers have at all times had a bare-bones vibe, and the Luxe is unfortunately no exception. 

Menus are snappy when the show registers your contact, in addition to primary sufficient to determine with out the handbook. You merely swipe up, down, or aspect to aspect for entry to totally different stats, settings, and apps. Unfortunately, not one of the interface is customizable. For instance, simply six apps can be found for the Luxe—Notifications, Exercise, Relax, Alarms, Timers, and SpO2—however you may solely take away SpO2 from the lineup to cut back swiping. You can’t reorder them both, so that you’re caught with what seems first when swiping left or proper.

Fitbit additionally doesn’t provide common clock faces, which means the Luxe’s choices don’t embrace any of the superb ones from different trackers. Instead you may solely select from faces that prioritize aesthetics over operate—and most clocks present only a single stat. You must faucet to see something of additional use. I’ve taken to altering the clock face based mostly on what I’m doing, which is very inconvenient. It’s not a quick course of.

Alaina Yee / IDG

It is smart that trackers would have fewer apps and menu choices—for instance, I don’t count on to have the ability to write customized textual content messages. But not permitting a smidge of customization inside these limits on a mannequin with a premium vibe is baffling. 

Equally puzzling are the somewhat plain animations you get on the Luxe. On older Fitbits, you’d see totally different ones upon assembly your step objective, doubling it, tripling it, and so forth. Some have been downright cute too, like birds flying by with a banner displaying the quantity reached. But on the Luxe? Just a sneaker inside a circle.

Value

Compared to the $180 Charge 5 and $100 Inspire 2, the $150 Fitbit Luxe may appear moderately priced within the center with its chrome steel physique, colour display, and touch-only controls. But let’s discuss what $150 purchased you simply a few months in the past.

The Luxe lacks key options that the now-discontinued Charge 4 had for a similar value. It doesn’t have on-board GPS, an NFC chip (and thus Fitbit Pay assist), an altimeter to trace elevation adjustments or steps climbed, nor one or two extra apps like Weather and Spotify that might be very helpful.

Yes, your cash is shopping for you a modern, extra enticing tracker. The Charge 4 was plastic and would by no means be mistaken for something however a slab of utilitarian tech in your wrist. Even the Charge 5 with its aluminum physique is just too cumbersome to mix in with jewellery the way in which the Luxe can (particularly if you happen to pair the latter with the non-obligatory and somewhat beautiful hyperlink bracelet band or double-wrap leather-based band). 

Alaina Yee / IDG

Don’t get me unsuitable. I would favor extra fashionable trackers to select from. But it looks like Fitbit has missed out on a chance right here to decorate up the Luxe in a trendy and pragmatic manner. Even together with an altimeter and some extra apps would assist, if not additionally on-board GPS. Drop the contact controls in commerce.

More puzzling is the truth that the Inspire 2 features a full 12 months subscription to Fitbit Premium ($80), whereas the Luxe solely throws in six months. (The Charge 5 additionally solely presents six months.) Pay much less for a tracker and also you get extra time with the corporate’s paid service, free of charge. Fitbit seemingly is aiming to get extra money out of Inspire 2 customers by hooking them on the additional health challenges and video games, extra detailed wellness stats, long-term development information, and included exercises, however on the face of issues, that distinction certain makes the Luxe really feel much less deluxe.

Should you purchase a Fitbit Luxe?

Spending an additional $50 for the Luxe doesn’t put you fairly between the Inspire 2 and Charge 5 when it comes to higher, extra detailed monitoring. You’re primarily paying for upgraded aesthetics, even in relation to {hardware} upgrades.

That mentioned, the monitoring the Luxe offers is solidly on par with Fitbit’s different choices, and its look is interesting, particularly if you happen to (like me) favor to maintain it on even when going locations the place type issues. It’s actually a disgrace that its luxurious focuses on skin-deep glamour and ignores upgrades that improve the standard of the expertise.