Is Charge 5 still a good option?

[vijay001]

I want to buy a smartwatch/fitness tracker and am struggling to choose a brand. Fitbit in general and for the charge 5 in particular has overwhelming representation at the top of many articles and review lists as one of the best. However, when I read lots of I dividual subjective reviews (on here, or Google, or Amazon or wherever) there are alot of people talking about Fitbits breaking, poor customer support, and generally being designed to break. So is it worth chancing buying a Fitbit? Should I opt for a more expensive brand (like Garmin or polar)? What are you wearing? And if you've switched to or from Fitbit, let me know why!

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Talahthas]

Welcome to the Fitbit community, @vijay001!

I've used a Charge 5 for a while and have "sold" several among friends and family.
Charge 5 is a sleek unobtrusive device and maybe one of the best devices in the fitness tracker category. As a plus in comparison to fitness trackers, it has a one phase ECG to give you better insights on heart health. So, if you like this small form factor, I think you won't regret getting one.

Considering reports of defective devices, please keep in mind that community forums like this one often have to be considered hospitals as none of those thousands and thousands users would post anything about how wonderful her/his experiences are, but only those dozens spend their time for posting her/his problems to hopefully get help.

Besides some Fitbit devices I've used several other devices over the years by Jawbone, Misfit, Polar, Basis, Garmin and two Wear OS Smartwatches. The reason why I've always returned to Fitbit is this overall experience I cannot describe in detail. It's just feeling well and comfortable.