• Source: Fitbit

  Fitbit Charge 6
  

  Our pick

  The Fitbit Charge 6 builds off the successes of the Fitbit Charge 5, offering the same trusted battery life and access to even more of Google’s premium fitness features. Find your way around seamlessly using Google Maps while also keeping track of your heart rate with Fitbit’s most accurate tracker yet.

  Pros

  • Google Maps and Wallet available
  • Fantastic battery life
  • Premium build

  Cons

  • Pricey
  • Still have to pay for subscription

• Source: Fitbit

  Fitbit Inspire 3
  

  Small and simple

  The Fitbit Inspire 3 offers fantastic battery life with lots of tracking sensors. It can keep track of blood oxygen, heart rate, sleep, and skin temperature variations. Even though it doesn’t have built-in GPS, it can still be used for runs and hikes when paired with your smartphone. The Fitbit app runs well and gives important tips on how to improve your health values. 

  Pros

  • Light weight and sleek
  • Lots of tracking sensors
  • Great battery life

  Cons

  • Smaller display
  • Must pay for Fitbit subscription

If you want to update your fitness tracker, Fitbit has some enticing options, especially with the newly announced Fitbit Charge 6. While the Charge 6 doesn’t represent a huge design change over the Charge 5, there are still some important internal improvements to this year’s model.

Compared to the Inspire 3, the Charge 6 has a few extra features and a better build quality, but is it worth the additional money you’ll pay?

Price and availability

The Fitbit Charge 6 is available through Fitbit and Google for $160. It is offered in three case colors: Obsidian, Porcelain, and Rose Gold, with different band options for an additional cost.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is available through the same outlets for $100. It comes in one color, black, and also has additional interchangeable bands for purchase.

• 	Fitbit Charge 6	Fitbit Inspire 3
  Battery Life	Up to 7 Days	Up to 10 days
  Health sensors	Heart rate, SPO2, GPS, Device temperature sensor	Heart rate, SpO2, skin temperature, accelerometer
  Colors	Black, Silver, Champagne Gold	Midnight Zen, Lilac Bliss, Morning Glow
  Price	$160	$100

Design and display

Source: Fitbit

Like its predecessor, the Charge 6 has a premium look and feel. The aluminum case is light against the wrist, with an aesthetic you’d expect from its higher price point. While the Charge 5 did not feature a physical button, Fitbit returned it for the Charge 6. Touch-sensitive controls work well enough, but if you’re in the middle of a run or physical activity, it helps to be able to push a physical button. Corning Gorilla Glass protects the display of the Charge 6, providing peace of mind that your screen won’t chip or crack if you bump your wrist against a hard surface.

Even though it’s not made from aluminum, the Inspire 3’s matte plastic case still feels solid and durable. Despite the different case material, it’s still protected by Corning Gorilla Glass on the display. For navigation, the Inspire 3 uses touch-sensitive buttons on either side of the case. At only 19g, the Inspire 3 is smaller and lighter than its big brother, similar to older fitness trackers. Fitbit isn’t trying to replace your smartwatch with the Inspire 3, while the Charge 6 could probably fill that role.

Both devices have sharp color OLED touch displays that are perfectly visible in sunlight (for those of you running outdoors). As you’d expect, the Inspire 3’s display is slightly more compact, while the Charge 6 features a wider frame and display for easier viewing, but both maintain a high quality.

Health and fitness tracking

While the Charge 6 and Inspire 3 sport impressive tracking and health sensors, there are a few important differences. Unlike the Inspire 3, the Charge 6 is capable of ECG tracking, which monitors your heart for irregular beats as a potential sign of AFib. Your Inspire 3 will notify you of an irregular rhythm, but it can’t use the ECG to show all the data. The Charge 6 can also use an EDA scan to help with your stress management during the day, a feature not available on the Inspire 3.

In addition, the Inspire 3 doesn’t feature standalone GPS. For the most part, your Fitbit will borrow the GPS data from your phone, but if you don’t like taking your large smartphone on hikes or bike rides, it might be an issue.

Even though both devices track your heart rate, the Charge 6 can link with certain gym equipment to send real-time data on your BPM. Fitbit also claims the heart rate sensor on the Charge 6 is more accurate, providing better data about calories burned and zone minutes.

With that in mind, both trackers still offer an impressive suite of sensors. Blood oxygen tracking is available on both devices, as well as skin temperature variation tracking overnight. You will be able to get sleep scores and data to help improve your slumber, with breathing rate information for tracking energy levels. You can log glucose levels in the app and overlay activity and heart rate levels to see how they affect scores.

With 40+ exercises supported, the Charge 6 also tracks a wider range of activities than the more limited Inspire.

Software

Source: Fitbit

As Google takes more of a hand in Fitbit devices, more Google integration and apps are finding their way to trackers like the Charge 6. Unlike previous years, Google Wallet and Google Maps are available on the Charge 6, a big advantage over the Inspire 3. If you’re used to tap-to-pay on your smartwatch, the Charge 6 becomes a legitimate option to be your only device.

YouTube music controls are also available to customize playlists for different workouts. Need something more upbeat for cardio? You can now pull up your favorite running playlist with the ability to change the volume right on your wrist if you need to crank it up.

Google Maps is a useful addition to the Charge 6. If you’re used to turn-by-turn navigation on your wrist, you won’t miss a beat. Paired with the internal GPS, if you get lost on a hike, or you’re trying to locate a new trail, it becomes easier to pinpoint your location without using your phone. While it might not be the best idea to rely solely on the Charge 6 for navigation, it’s a good backup in case something happens during a workout or on a bike.

As you’d expect, both devices use the Fitbit app to keep track of all the data points. It works well and has a comprehensive feature set. Information is clearly presented, and Fitbit includes actionable items. Many fitness apps merely display the information, but without tips or goals to improve, the information doesn’t contain as much value. The app will give you ideas for improving your sleep or reducing stress if it shows that your data is skewed from normal. While we appreciate all the smartwatch extras that the Charge 6 includes, both devices, at their core, do a good job of tracking health and offering ways to improve.

With a purchase of either the Charge 6 or Inspire 3, you’ll receive 6 months of free Fitbit Premium membership. After that, it will cost you $10 a month. While it’s frustrating having to pay to use features of a device you already paid for, it seems to be par for the course for most companies at this point – and fortunately all of the basic tracking is available even without a subscription.

Battery

The Charge 6 maintains the 7-day battery life of its predecessor. Considering the extra functionality, it’s impressive it can go a full week without needing a charge. Despite its smaller size, the Inspire 3 can go even longer, with Fitbit claiming up to 10 days on a single charge. Even though these figures can vary based on GPS use and activity levels, Fitbit battery claims usually hold up in testing.

Which is right for you?

Even though it’s more expensive, the additional features and better build quality of the Charge 6 make it a top choice. It can replace your smartwatch and not look like an eyesore in the process. If you want to upgrade your fitness tracking but don’t want a bulky smartwatch, the Charge 6 is an enjoyable blend.

Source: Fitbit

Fitbit Charge 6

Our pick

Fitbit’s best tracker

The Fitbit Charge 6 builds off the successes of the Fitbit Charge 5, offering the same trusted battery life and access to even more of Google’s premium fitness features. Find your way around seamlessly using Google Maps while also keeping track of your heart rate with Fitbit’s most accurate tracker yet.

If you’re interested in a light and sleek fitness tracker, the Inspire 3 is worth a look. It may lack some higher-end tracking features, but it’s not looking to replace your smartwatch. Ultimately, the features might be enough, and you save $60.

Source: Fitbit

Fitbit Inspire 3

Good fitness tracker alternative

Cheap(er) and cheerful

The Fitbit Inspire 3 offers fantastic battery life with lots of tracking sensors. It can keep track of blood oxygen, heart rate, sleep, and skin temperature variations. Even though it doesn’t have built-in GPS, it can still be used for runs and hikes when paired with your smartphone. The Fitbit app runs well and gives important tips on how to improve your health values.