My priorities for wearable technology have shifted significantly in recent months. I now seek a device that is comfortable, offers extended battery life, and provides a reliable suite of health and fitness tracking features, rather than advanced smartwatch functionalities like voice assistants or extensive app ecosystems.
This renewed focus made me eagerly anticipate the Fitbit Edge, which promised to integrate the Fitbit Air's week-long battery life with a full touchscreen, all while maintaining a compact and lightweight design. While some aspects of the device deliver on this promise, my overall experience after more than a week of use has been largely disappointing. Despite some commendable features, a surprising number of omissions and a less-than-ideal fitness tracking experience make the Fitbit Edge a challenging recommendation.
The Fitbit Edge excels in several core areas, providing a remarkably comfortable and lightweight design, a clear and responsive display, and exceptional battery endurance. It features a 1.3-inch AMOLED panel protected by Gorilla Glass 3, which offers excellent readability even in bright outdoor conditions, and its touchscreen is highly responsive. Battery life lives up to Google's claim of seven days, even with frequent workout tracking and continuous sleep monitoring, and the user-replaceable battery and compatibility with the Fitbit Air charger are welcome additions. However, the device's hardware design isn't without flaws; it features only a single physical button, forcing most interactions to rely on the touchscreen, which can be inconvenient during workouts. Furthermore, the proprietary watch band system is a significant drawback, as the included bands have quality issues, and expensive first-party options are the only immediate choice.
Despite a smooth and intuitive operating system, the Fitbit Edge is severely lacking in fundamental 'smart' features and comprehensive fitness tracking capabilities. The custom OS, while sharing some interface similarities with Wear OS, is snappy and responsive for basic navigation and notifications. However, it notably lacks an NFC chip for Google Wallet payments, a microphone or speaker for voice commands or calls, and a calendar app. Customization options for watch faces and tiles are cumbersome, requiring reliance on the Google Health app, and many settings are inexplicably inaccessible directly on the device. From a fitness tracking perspective, while it covers essential health metrics like heart rate, SpO2, and sleep, and boasts IP68 and 5ATM waterproofing, its performance in manual workout tracking is subpar. Running experiences are hampered by a lack of vibration alerts for mile splits or goal progress, non-customizable workout screens, and disappointing GPS accuracy. The absence of detailed set, rep, and weight tracking for strength training further limits its utility for serious athletes, especially when comparing it to other wearables that offer these features.
While the Google Health app has seen improvements since its launch, making it a more user-friendly platform for viewing health data, the overall package of the Fitbit Edge struggles to justify its $180 price point. The app now features a more refined interface, improved AI summaries, and addressed some initial bugs, enhancing the experience of managing tracked data. Nevertheless, when considering the competitive landscape, alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 or the Amazfit Active 3 offer comparable or superior features at a lower or similar price, including better workout tracking, more comprehensive smart functionalities, and even longer battery life in some cases. Ultimately, the Fitbit Edge occupies an awkward middle ground, failing to distinguish itself enough from either more affordable casual trackers or more feature-rich smartwatches. For those committed to the Google Health ecosystem, it might be an option, but even then, other Google-owned devices like the Fitbit Air or Pixel Watches present more compelling value propositions. The Fitbit Edge, despite its potential, feels underdeveloped and struggles to make a strong case for itself against its rivals.
