How is the Fitbit Charge 5?

[terrence278]

I need a smartwatch for work so I don't have to keep pulling out my phone to check notifications, alarms, and the time/date. That's basically all I'll use it for if I get one and I noticed the Fitbit Charge 5 seems pretty good based on reviews, and is relatively cheap. I can get it for like $60 used on eBay. I'd pretty much only use it for the time/date, notifications, and alarms, so all of the fitness stuff will go entirely unused by me. So how is it holding up for y'all that have one? How is the battery life, watch faces, etc? Are there better options out there? Thanks in advance!

[MAH62]

Worked well until fitbit update trashed it one month out of warranty and said nothing they can do...

Stay away from fitbit!

[McKayS_NF]

Stay away from Fitbit!

They have lost their credibility and reputation from their loyal customers like us.

My wife and I have moved on to another fitness tracker brand!

[RiekoC]

Hello & welcome @terrence278 

As much as I like my Charge 5, I don't think this would the right device based on your requirements.

Although you can get notifications on the Charge 5, it is a challenge to read a long email or text on it. You can send a response back, but the list of canned responses & emojis is very limited. 

The Charge 5 can do alarms, but I suspect the limited alarm capability could frustrate you. 

Lastly, the number of different clock faces is limited and very much geared towards tracking health metrics. 

Personally, I would recommend looking for a device that is primarily a smartwatch & not a health tracker.