Versa has trouble picking up exercising HR compared to the Charge 3.

[sm753]

Some background for context: I got a Charge 3 more or less for free with my work's health and wellness program. I liked it, my workouts mainly consists of weight training and HIIT. I had a gift card to Best Buy that I needed to burn, there wasn't really anything I wanted/needed that I would actually use so I ended up using it on a Versa while it was on sale for Independence Day.

I've noticed that the Versa has more trouble picking up my HR than the Charge 3. Even something simple like walking, the HR readings on the Versa takes a LOT longer to "catch up" than my Charge 3 does. And even when it finally does, it's often 5-10 BPM off from what the treadmill (etc cardio machines) reads. Whereas my Charge 3 was amazingly accurate, if it didn't match what the cardio machine was reporting - it was often within 2-3 BPM.

While weight lifting (heavy compound lifts), yes I realize it takes a while for these optical HR monitors to "catch up" in these types of exercises, my Charge 3 lagged behind but eventually it would report my HR in the 150s-160 BPM after a set, which seems accurate because I'll be out of breath or almost to that point. The Versa barely ever gives HR readings anything above the 130s and would often fall below 100 BPM while I'm working out. I've found wearing it higher...like almost mid-forearm helps a bit but still not close to what the Charge 3 was reporting.

According to Fitbit, both the Versa and the Charge 3 use the "same" HR technology but that just doesn't seem like the case... I've factory reset my Versa to see if that would help but it's still pretty much the same. Frustrating because I like the additional "smartwatch-like" features on the Versa.

Does anyone have both devices and experience anything similar?

[NellyG]

Hi @sm753 I did have both devices- the Charge 3 is now living with my nephew. I found the Versa Heart Rate more accurate than the Charge 3, especially when measuring exercising heart rate. Which probably isnt very helpful, but for me the Versa is a superior tracker in most ways. I think individual phisiology probably makes a difference for recording heart rate as the monitors are slightly different shapes.

[sm753]

Yeah, thanks for reply. Working out yesterday (weight lifting), the Versa struggled to report the higher HR ranges when I was deadlifting (should be high). When I was doing bicep curls (should be lower) at the end of my workout and suddenly my HR jumped to over 200 BPM... This thing is all over the place.

[NellyG]

I guess your only option then is to contact Support (link in my signature) and see what they say