Fitbit is quite popular among fitness enthusiasts. The Fitbit Charge 5, in particular, is a well-rounded tracker for health and fitness tracking and its best offering to date.
However, with the release of the Charge 6, Fitbit took things up a notch. The Charge 6 packs a handful of useful features and, most importantly, reintroduces a side button that the company ditched years ago in favor of a seamless design.
If you’re already a Fitbit Charge 5 user, this begs the question: What’s really changed on the Charge 6, and do those changes warrant an upgrade? Let’s find out.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Design
At first look, the Charge 6 looks identical to the Charge 5. It uses aluminum and stainless steel in its construction and comes with a silicone band, just like its predecessor.
However, it’s upon looking closely that you notice a difference, albeit small, but of great significance. Fitbit has finally listened to its customers and reintroduced a side button on the Charge 6.
It’s a tiny button located along the left edge of the device. Mind you, it isn’tthe physical button we wanted Fitbit to reintroduceon its Charge lineup. Instead, it’s an inductive one that relies on haptics for feedback.
Nevertheless, it’s a valuable addition that gives you a faster and more interactive way to use the device, even when you’re working out, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of swiping on the screen with your wet or greasy fingers to navigate the interface.
Lastly, the Charge 6 retains the standard5 ATM water resistance ratingas seen on the Charge 5. And you can get it in three colors: black, silver, and champagne gold.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Display
Moving on to the display, there’s no difference in the specs between these Fitbit models. The Charge 6 sports the same 1.04-inch full-color AMOLED screen as the Charge 5. Being AMOLED, the display should be sufficiently bright and have good outdoor visibility, so you shouldn’t have any problem wearing the tracker for outdoor runs, treks, or other activities.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Health and Fitness Tracking
While the differences between Charge 6 and Charge 5 aren’t very apparent in other areas, it’s a different story in the health and fitness tracking department.
Sure, Fitbit is bundling the same set of features, likeSpO2 tracking, heart rate monitoring, and skin temperature readings, on the Charge 6 as it did on the Charge 5. But this time around, the company claims its tracking accuracy is up to 60 percent better.
Fitbit credits this improvement on the Charge 6 to the improved machine learning algorithm. It says this improvement in the algorithm should also give more precise readings when it comes to tracking calories, active zone minutes, daily readiness score, and sleep score.
The rest of the features on the Charge 5, like ECG and high and low heart rate notifications, are also available on the Charge 6.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Software and Apps
Fitbit uses its custom software across all its trackers, and it’s the same on both Charge models. However, there are some notable differences on the Charge 6, both in terms of features and apps.
To begin with, the Charge 6 packs in a bunch of new exercise modes. While its predecessor was limited to just 20 modes, the Charge 6 gives you the ability to track twice as many exercises as before.
Another useful feature available on the Fitbit Charge 6 is support for third-party gym equipment pairing. With this, you can connect your Charge 6 with equipment from Peloton, NordicTrack, and Tonal to get a better idea of your workout or activity. Fitbit says it’ll be adding support for more equipment manufacturers over time.
Charge 6 also comes with an accessibility feature, which happens to be the first for Fitbit. It’s called Zoom + Magnification, and it allows you to double-tap anywhere on the screen to quickly magnify on-screen words you find too small or difficult to read.
Meanwhile, Fitbit added a few new apps to the Charge 6. This includes Google Maps and Google Pay. With Maps, you can easily find your way during outdoor runs or treks, while Google Pay enables you to make payments from your wrist.
What’s more, Fitbit is providing Charge 6 users the ability to control YouTube music playback right from their wrist. Thanks to this feature, you can conveniently start, stop, and skip tracks without having to pull out your smartphone. You’ll need a YouTube Premium subscription to use this feature.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Battery Life
Fitbit claims a 7-day battery life on the Charge 6, the same as it promised with the Charge 5. Of course, features like GPS and sleep tracking can consume more battery and affect the battery life. But if you go by the Charge 5’s performance in terms of battery life, the Charge 6 should hold up well with what the company claims.
Fitbit Charge 6 vs. Fitbit Charge 5: Price
Finally, talking about price, the Fitbit Charge 6 costs $159.95 in the US. This is $20 cheaper than what the company priced the Charge 5 when it launched in 2021.
Taking into account all the improvements and the new features the Charge 6 brings over Charge 5, coupled with a reduced price tag, the Charge 6 naturally becomes a very good option for someone looking to buy a fitness tracker.
Should You Buy the Fitbit Charge 6?
If you’re a Fitbit Charge 5 user and satisfied with what it offers, the Charge 6 isn’t going to bring much value. Sure, it’s got a side button that eases operation, a couple of useful apps and features, and improved tracking capabilities. But these changes don’t really warrant an upgrade, and the Charge 5 should serve you well for at least one more year.
That said, if you own an older Fitbit Charge device or any other tracker and are looking to get a new one, the Charge 6 is a good offering for its price. In fact, it’s the only latest Charge offering you can get right now in many countries, as Fitbit is beginning to discontinue older models in many regions.
For those interested, the only way to get the Charge 5 is from third-party resellers, in which case you may get it at a discounted price during sale season. This could make it a good buy if your budget is tight and you don’t want to spend $160 on a tracker.
The Fitbit Charge 6 Is a Solid Upgrade
Fitbit Charge 5 owners might not be strongly tempted by the feature differences of the new model. But the Fitbit Charge 6 is a worthwhile upgrade for many customers, and its new capabilities and slightly lower price tag add to its overall value.
