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[pilv13]

Reviews are starting to come in:

CNET preliminary review:

https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/fitbit-charge-3-has-arrived-heres-whats-different-vs-versa/

Unboxing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYCmZrEby2o

Tom's guide review:

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/fitbit-charge-3,review-5818.html

[SunsetRunner]

Can someone do a hiit workout and let us know if the hr accuracy is any good, it was terrible on the charge 2

[pilv13]

@famasfilms wrote:

Can someone do a hiit workout and let us know if the hr accuracy is any good, it was terrible on the charge 2

There was one review on the youtube which said the heart rate accuracy was way off.

Unboxing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYCmZrEby2o

Moderator edit: merged reply

[SunsetRunner]

do you have a link for that one please?

[pilv13]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

do you have a link for that one please?

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Sorry, I remembered it wrong. It was the CNET review, not Youtube. The link is in the first post.

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, I am waiting for my Fitbit to be delivered (16th of October) and in the meantime reading all the posts here. However I haven’t seen any positive news yet. So is there anyone out there who is happy with the Charge 3? Hope to hear some good news!

[pilv13]

Seems like Charge 3 was released some months too early with all the missing software functionality:

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/fitbit-charge-3,review-5818.html

[BobM2]

Well, I had hoped that Fitbit would finally make a product with an HR sensor that's accurate during intense exercise, but it appears it's not even accurate while NOT exercising.  Apple can build an accurate HR sensor. So can Polar. Why can't Fitbit?

From CNET:

https://www.cnet.com/news/fitbit-charge-3-has-arrived-heres-whats-different-vs-versa/

Heart rate's been a little weird on my review unit so far. As always, getting always-on heart rate stats is helpful... but so far the readings run high. I love Fitbit's instant heart rate readings. But my resting heart rate is reading a lot higher so far than my actual physical pulse, or what the Apple Watch on my other wrist tells me. 

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[Glowtape]

It's weird that heart rate accuracy seems to vary so much over all the devices. My old Charge HR doesn't seem to have much issues at all for myself, resting HRs are fine and the elevated HR during running seems to track pretty close to the chest HR, too. Hope the new one doesn't change that for me.

[SunsetRunner]

I have the Charge 3 and will be testing it on HIIT treadmill sprints tomorrow.  Would have done it today but I've been carb loading.

I have my Charge 2 on the other wrist so will compare both, and then compare vs similar workouts on my old Garmin device

[BobM2]

I'm hoping someone will be able to compare it to a decent chest strap HR device during HIIT.

[sheilab3]

It is nice looking

It feels lighter than my Alta HR

I like the swip screen coming from Alta having more info visible is nice.

However it’s number one purpose is step tracker and it has failed at this with the iphone

I have gone back to my Alta and await a update correcting the step accuracy.

If it happens within return policy date perfect otherwise it will be returned.

Not keen on watch face but would be willing to wait for more choices. Biggest complaint is font size for steps

Can’t get weather ap to work.

I like the exercise ap used today for yoga. Would like more choices to set up like kayaking but could use generic ‘workoit’ For this.

Much better reminders to move over Alta appreciated

fox the disappearing steps and its a winner

[fernidu]

Just bought it this afternoon 

not that impressed 

it appears that you can’t delete the “tiles” on the watch

eg active minutes & time etc 

also it seems the apps cannot be deleted 

i don’t need a weather app or the relax app

also there is no date on watch face

probably going to go back to the charge 2 as it is inherently customizable and works for me

i was so looking forward to the 3

[SunsetRunner]

Just woke up and slept with Charge 2 and Charge 3 on - there was a discrepancy in amount of sleep tracked.  Charge 2 said i fell asleep earlier by 75 minutes!

There is 26 difference in steps so far, but they are on different wrists.

HIIT workout comparison will be up later

[pilv13]

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@Glowtape wrote:

It's weird that heart rate accuracy seems to vary so much over all the devices.

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It's not really weird. It's caused by the fact that wrist pulse measurement = toy. For perfectly reliable readings you have to measure the pulse from neck by hand. For reliable readings you need to use a chest strap. Wrist pulse measurements are read optically with a bunch of LED lights. The more LEDs the more accurate the readings you can get in theory, but you also need to compensate with an algorithm because pulse is hard to read at the wrist and you also get delays. It's not really showing what your pulse is right now it's rather showing a compensated average from a while ago.

But that being said they are pretty accurate in the sense that you get the general gist of things what your averages are over time - you get an idea of your fitness. But it's not accurate and reliable in the medical sense. So it's a toy. There you have it.

@famasfilms wrote:

Just woke up and slept with Charge 2 and Charge 3 on - there was a discrepancy in amount of sleep tracked.  Charge 2 said i fell asleep earlier by 75 minutes!

Are you able to say which reading you trust more?

Moderator edit: merged reply

[SunsetRunner]

well I've worn the charge 2 virtually every day since December 16, there's been like 2 days total where I forgot to wear it.  I've had the Charge 3 for less than 24 hours, so one day vs over 750+ days - it's not a fair comparison.

I definitely fell asleep earlier than the Charge 3 said I did.

I'm doing a light weight workout to get a pump later today (at the end of a cut so am taking photos), hence the carb loading, then after I'll do a HIIT workout.  Will report back on the differences.

And by HIIT I mean genuine max effort/intensity for 30s followed by rest, repeat.

For me the sole reason to upgrade from 2 to 3 will if they've improved HIIT HR accuracy/tracking - the Charge 2 was absolutely fine apart from that

[pthree]

For me, the biggest positive is the size and comfort of the Charge 3.  I can actually wear it to bed and track my sleep - which I couldn't with the Charge 2.  

I can see the advantages of the swipe and the haptic button, but definitely some improvement is needed on how and what available info is shown.  The use and display is so very different from the Charge 2 that maybe we need to stop comparing it to the Charge 2?

I appreciate the increased buzz alarm for steps and notifications.

Using my Android LG G6, I've so far had no problems with syncing, updates, and step counting. (I did disconnect the Charge 2 from my app, for now).

[Lilicas]

I just got mine 2 days ago. Not that impressed.

Features are not that different from HR 2 and actually more complicated to navigate. You have to press the back button several times to go back to the time, Otherwise, it will stay where you left off. 

I set it up on Friday night, which took almost an hour to update the fitbit and on Saturday morning, it asked me again to download updates, which took another hour. Today Sunday morning, it's showing a sync error and won't allow me to sync.

I don't like that I can't deactivate breathing sessions or weather info from the menu. It doesn't offer a clock face with a date in it.

So far, charge 2 was working better for my needs.

[BobM2]

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While what you wrote is true, it's also true that Apple and Polar (even their smartwatch) are far more accurate than most of the others. The Charge 2, in controlled testing, has been shown to vary by as much as -20 / +30 from actual during exercise, which can be physically dangerous if you try to rely on it. The Apple watch is much less variable. And no, I'm not an Apple fan, and don't own a single piece of Apple gear.

@pilv13 wrote:

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@Glowtape wrote:

It's weird that heart rate accuracy seems to vary so much over all the devices.

---

It's not really weird. It's caused by the fact that wrist pulse measurement = toy. For perfectly reliable readings you have to measure the pulse from neck by hand. For reliable readings you need to use a chest strap. Wrist pulse measurements are read optically with a bunch of LED lights. The more LEDs the more accurate the readings you can get in theory, but you also need to compensate with an algorithm because pulse is hard to read at the wrist and you also get delays. It's not really showing what your pulse is right now it's rather showing a compensated average from a while ago.

But that being said they are pretty accurate in the sense that you get the general gist of things what your averages are over time - you get an idea of your fitness. But it's not accurate and reliable in the medical sense. So it's a toy. There you have it.

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[kostax]

My honest first impression of the Charge 3 from someone who's owned (and loved) the Alta HR & Charge 2. Purchased on release date in the USA.

The Good
• the physical design is beautiful
• very comfortable, low profile
• has a larger screen, very responsive to touch
• water resistant to 50m
• vibration is strong
• long battery life
• includes both small/large strap options

Not So Good
• user interface design feels half-baked
• limited clock faces (should have the best of Charge 2, Alta HR + more. Definitely needs date & day of week options). Vote here to get more options!
• can't rearrange or remove things (except for exercises)
• battery percentage is in a weird place
• would be nice to be able to swipe right from the "home screen" (imagine endless swiping in either direction to cycle through menu items) Vote here to implement this!

[theultrahvybeat]

It feels nice physically.

Software wise you can tell this was rushed. 

Personally I’d urge anyone who hasn’t purchased yet to wait— I wish I had.