My experience with Charge 4

[GeeKay19]

On vacation and my Charge 4 has been doing great keeping track of steps and distance and then it went kaput. Just died. I charged it overnight and it seemed to be working again but now that I have it on I am watching the battery die about 10% every 5 minutes and I haven't gotten out of bed yet. 

Reading other comments I see that these watches aren't built to last more than a year and a half which really sucks. I'll probably be done with fitbit after this as I don't want to replace a watch every 18 months. These things are design flaws but just planned terminations for technology. It's a shame because Fitbit stuff should be better than this but I guess it's easier making a crappy product that needs to be replaced in less than two years than to actually make a product that lasts. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Pixey]

If this is the case then we / I had better start looking at another watch brand, I cannot afford replacing these every 2 years. My charge 2 lasted 5 years, and I loved it. 

[RodrigoMFitbit · Accepted solution]

@GeeKay19 Welcome to the forums. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the Fitbit Charge 4. Please note that many factors can affect the battery life of an electronic device. 

First I recommend you take a look at what Fitbit recommends for this scenario: Can I extend my Fitbit device's battery life?. Note every rechargeable battery has a finite amount of charging cycles. These will depend on several factors. How often we charge them, for how long. Batteries nowadays are different than batteries 10 years ago. Meaning that the charging practices have changed. This is what I could find online, so that you get an idea. These are tips for the battery's maximum longevity. More tips you can definitely find online. 

"When your battery is discharging, Battery University recommends that you only let it reach 50 percent before topping it up again. While you're charging it back up, you should also avoid pushing a lithium-ion battery all the way to 100 percent."

@Pixey Welcome to the forums. Glad to have you here. Thanks for sharing your experience with your Fitbit Charge 2. Mine is still running and it has been almost 6 years so far. I love it too, simple and effective. I also had the Charge 4 and recently gave it away since I got a newer model. You have to know that products made in series or in bulk are not always perfect. That is the reason there is a warranty for these products. Different factors come into play and all things should be considered. Do not give up on Fitbit just yet, I am sure you can find a device suitable for you and you will love it as much as your Charge 2.