Fitbit Versa 4 review: Fitness tracker disguised as a smartwatch

The Fitbit Versa 4 in a nutshell

The fourth era of Fitbit’s Versa collection prompted blended emotions within the assessment. {Hardware} and workmanship in addition to its clean operation and companion app are nice. The monitoring characteristic additionally labored very reliably each time I used it. Thus, the Versa 4 is an effective health tracker, albeit being held again by its subscription mannequin.

Nevertheless, the $230 wearable does with out music management, has no app retailer to talk of, and has a restricted vary of capabilities that ensures it could possibly by no means enter the smartwatch territory. If that does not scare you away, it can save you a bit of in your buy of the Versa 4 a number of months after its launch.

Design and operation

Tipping the scales at 25 grams and measuring simply 11.2 millimeters skinny, the Versa 4 is a very slim smartwatch. It’s primarily based on the rounder design of Fitbit’s newer wearables. Not like its predecessor, the smartwatch is operated through a button on the left facet and the OLED touchscreen. In case you love swimming, it’s good to know that the Versa 4 is protected towards water and submersion with a 5 ATM score.

What I favored:

• Lastly incorporates a bodily button once more.
• Easy design with high-quality workmanship.
• Crisp vibration motor.

What I disliked:

• At all times-on Show is just too vibrant when sleeping.

Enjoyable Reality: Certainly one of my first evaluations as a NextPit volunteer was the primary Fitbit Versa! As compared, so much has modified within the design of the smartwatch over the course of 4 years. Fitbit has considerably moved towards a rounder design for its entry-level mannequin, depends on higher-quality supplies with extra exact manufacturing, and makes use of a vibrant OLED display. Thus, the smartwatch, which prices simply $230, can undoubtedly be referred to as a wrist-flatterer.

Because of the light-weight nature of this timepiece, you’ll not really feel as if you’re sporting it after a while. At the least, till the crisp vibration motor alerts you of incoming notifications or reminds you to maneuver round after being seated for too lengthy at your desk. In case you would wish to scroll by means of the menus after that, you possibly can activate the smartwatch through a button on the left fringe of the case and through the responsive contact show.

It’s vibrant sufficient to be legible in vibrant environments. On the similar time, you’ll profit from the superb black ranges that solely OLED shows can obtain. The expertise additionally lastly permits Fitbit to combine an At all times-on Show into the Versa 4. Whereas I believe the characteristic is great in principle, I discovered the Versa 4’s AoD to be too vibrant. With the intention to not be disturbed by it, I needed to disable the characteristic each night and switch it again on each morning. A timer perform can be fascinating to have within the subsequent mannequin.

It ought to be emphasised very positively that Fitbit listens to the suggestions of the customers. As a result of within the review of the Versa 3, Stefan knowledgeable you that the “squeeze gesture” causes faulty entries in on a regular basis life. Each the Fitbit Sense 2 (hands-on) and the newest Versa mannequin have an actual, bodily button as soon as once more to keep away from such a connundrum.

Total, each the design and the working idea of the Versa 4 are convincing and there’s not a lot to complain about.

Working system & app

The acquisition by Google bears additional fruit within the Versa 4. Each Google Pockets and turn-by-turn navigation through Google Maps have been deliberate to be included sooner or later. Nevertheless, the working system stays a proprietary one, and the Fitbit app additionally stays unchanged. Sadly, nonetheless, each Fitbit and Google depend on a premium subscription mannequin for this system.

What I favored:

• Google acquisition offers a number of benefits.
• Easy operation.

What I disliked:

• Full characteristic set is barely out there through subscription.
• Google options are unavailable even lengthy after its launch.

As within the assessment of the Encourage 3, the Versa 4 left me a bit of bit offended. That is as a result of, as soon as once more, the producer locked many options behind a premium subscription, together with your every day kind index, detailed well being and health stats, mindfulness workout routines, and detailed sleep monitoring. An in depth listing of Premium-exclusive options will be seen beneath:

It is also potential that these limitations trouble me a lot as a result of Fitbit’s companion app and in addition the Versa 4’s software program are so intuitive and fairly. The truth is, I discovered it enjoyable to set a timer on the Versa 4 because of its intuitive operation, snazzy menus, and due to the crisp vibration motor. The Fitbit app as an info hub to your health knowledge can be intuitive and fairly, although it lags far behind Garmin by way of info content material.

On the launch of the Versa 4, Fitbit promised that it could lastly supply advantages from its acquisition by Google in 2019. Thus, Google Pockets, turn-by-turn navigation through Google Maps in addition to calendar synchronization and app notifications would discover their manner onto the smartwatch. Nevertheless, about two months after the discharge of the wearable, none of these aforementioned options will be discovered. Overpromising and underdelivering but once more! This actually will get my goat.

Sensors & Health

Fitbit geared up its Versa 4 with plenty of sensors to trace your every day sports activities routine. Along with GPS for positioning, there’s a coronary heart fee monitor, a pulse oximeter, and a gyrometer, and accelerometer for recording steps and swimming strokes. Knowledge is logged into the interior reminiscence for seven days even and not using a smartphone.

What I favored:

• Exact GPS makes you impartial of the smartphone.
• Dependable auto-recording of exercises or walks.

What I favored:

• Pulse oximeter knowledge can’t be seen.
• No ECG perform.

Fitbit’s strategy to analyzing very important knowledge is sort of attention-grabbing. I’ve the impression that the corporate doesn’t wish to annoy you with actual info, however fairly push you in the proper course with processed info. For instance, knowledge from the heartbeat oximeter and the temperature sensor should not immediately out there. As a substitute, they’re used to offer you details about the every day form in addition to for sleep evaluation. You can too see deviations in temperature, which will be helpful for early detection of illnesses.

The truth that you do not have to fret a lot concerning the smartwatch in on a regular basis life works out properly. That is supported by a dependable auto-recording of exercises or walks. Of all of the smartwatches I’ve reviewed lately, the Versa 4 has essentially the most standalone exercises proper from the get go. Whether or not that is smart or not is actually a matter of style – however I discovered it to be fairly sensible when walks and bike rides are logged as properly.

Whether or not it’s on auto-recording or handbook enabling, the Versa 4 is provided with exact GPS to find out the place. The gap lined was an identical to what my iPhone 13 mini recorded. This provides you extra independence for those who prefer to take pleasure in sports activities and not using a smartphone in your pocket.

In comparison with different smartwatches, nonetheless, I really feel the Versa 4 is underpowered. The producer saved on built-in electrodes for recording your ECG studying for the premium mannequin, the Fitbit Sense 2, as a way to use that as a novel promoting level. Different fashions even include choices to measure your blood stress, such because the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (review). Fitbit thus determined to pay attention on the necessities with the Versa 4.

Good options

Within the title of my assessment, I referred to as the Versa 4 a “health tracker” as a result of lots of the smartwatch capabilities are nowhere to be discovered in November 2022. Aside from the promise to ship some Google apps and Bluetooth telephony, music can’t be saved or managed on the smartwatch. Right here, even the primary Versa from 2018 was extra succesful.

What I favored:

• Some smartwatch options shall be subsequently delivered.

What I disliked:

• No music playback or music management.
• No response choices for notifications.
• No third-party apps to increase its characteristic set.

Whereas producers are getting an increasing number of inventive with regards to smartwatch options, Fitbit left this subject unaddressed. The Versa 4 will present you notifications on demand, however you can’t reply to them. To take heed to music or podcasts whereas jogging, it’s important to take your smartphone with you. And there’s no app retailer to supply numerous apps, too.

Right here, the Versa collection itself takes a step backward in comparison with the primary era from 2018. Even when in comparison with different fashions, the Versa 4 doesn’t fairly appear to be a smartwatch. A weather app, a sleep zone alarm, and mindfulness workout routines which can be solely out there within the premium subscription are merely insufficient in 2022.

If Fitbit and Google add a number of extra capabilities, I’ll gladly rephrase this paragraph once more. Nevertheless, navigation directions through Google Maps, the addition of Google Pockets, and some prolonged options for synchronization do not likely handle to put it aside from its predicament.

Battery & Charging

Fitbit said that the battery lifetime of the Versa 4 will final for at the least six days. This can be a worth that I can’t fairly affirm in on a regular basis use with out utilizing the power-hungry At all times-on Show. The Versa 4 is recharged through a proprietary charging cable that ends in USB-A. Quick-charging will get you 24 hours of use in twelve minutes, whereas a full cost takes two hours.

What I favored:

• Nice battery life for a smartwatch.
• Magnetic charging cable.
• Fast-Charging functionality.

What I disliked:

• Lengthy charging time to hit 100%.
• USB-A cable.

The battery lifetime of the Versa 4 is de facto excellent contemplating its measurement. Whereas Apple affords a most of 36 hours in a comparable format with energy-saving modes, Fitbit is trying about at the least six days. Nevertheless, after a number of days of reviewing it, I don’t take into account this declare to be solely practical. With out the At all times-on Show, a recognized power-hungry characteristic, I managed to attain roughly 4 days on a full battery cost.

All through the method, I used the watch to trace my sleep every day and I additionally went biking or strolling at the least as soon as a day. Energetic exercises included two one-hour jogs with GPS monitoring enabled. Thus, those that lead an energetic way of life and wish to use all options ought to fairly count on a battery lifetime of three to 4 days. That is nonetheless an excellent worth for an entire report of your every day routine.

I don’t just like the charging time of the smartwatch as a lot, although. Fitbit specified a charging time of two hours, and I can affirm this worth from my every day routine. If you wish to shortly recharge your batteries earlier than a exercise, you should use the quick-charge perform. Inside twelve minutes, you will get a day’s price of utilization time. That’s tremendous handy, however it is going to be a part of the usual repertoire of a smartwatch in 2022.

Closing verdict

Let’s summarize our assessment: Fitbit affords a very nice wearable with the Versa 4, which is de facto high-quality in its construct. The GPS monitoring and the monitoring of important indicators are additionally convincing in on a regular basis use. This additionally applies to the lengthy battery lifetime of at the least 4 days all through the eview. However, those who are looking for an independent and powerful smartwatch are properly suggested to look elsewhere as an alternative of the Fitbit Versa 4.

It’s because the fourth era clearly lacks any notable sensible options. Controlling and even listening to music is just not potential. You’ll look in useless for a various app catalog to increase the vary of capabilities. And on account of Fitbit’s premium subscription, the prices of the smartwatch maintain rising after a number of months of use. As you possibly can learn in our best smartwatch list, there are extra highly effective fashions just like the Galaxy Watch 5 or the Apple Watch SE for Apple customers on the similar worth.