Charge 3 - B&W vs Gray Scale (Brightness Issue)

[Cyric]

Right now, The "gray scaled" text isn't visible in the sunlight and forget about it if I'm wearing sun glasses. We should be able to either chose between simple B&W display (eliminating the gray scale) or the ability to adjust the brightness even higher then it  is currently.

[KD972]

The Charge 2 had the perfect clock face, and the dimmer gray is one of the issues that reduces the usefulness of the Charge 3 clock faces. 

[Cyric]

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@Cyric wrote:

Right now, The "gray scaled" text isn't visible in the sunlight and forget about it if I'm wearing sun glasses. We should be able to either chose between simple B&W display (eliminating the gray scale) or the ability to adjust the brightness even higher then it  is currently.

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Agreed!

[Sigragalli]

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@Cyric wrote:

Right now, The "gray scaled" text isn't visible in the sunlight and forget about it if I'm wearing sun glasses. We should be able to either chose between simple B&W display (eliminating the gray scale) or the ability to adjust the brightness even higher then it  is currently.

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I agree - this issue in addition to the very poor clock face selection are drawbacks for me. I’m beginning to miss my 2.

[AlexandraFitbit]

That’s an interesting idea and could be useful, thanks for sharing this suggestion @Cyric! 

[Cyric]

Just an update, I went for another walk today... it's pretty overcast and I could barely see the distance and time text. I could see the dynamic field text but that was pure white but the other two were the grey color that I couldn't see at all.

[cyinyde]

This could even be implemented as a brightness option setting, where a Sunlight/Outdoor setting would automatically render any of the grey text in bright white.  Because I agree, out for my walk today in very sunny Florida, I was completely unable to read the grey text, even when trying to shade the face with my hand.

[Mike_M1]

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@Cyric wrote:

Right now, The "gray scaled" text isn't visible in the sunlight and forget about it if I'm wearing sun glasses. We should be able to either chose between simple B&W display (eliminating the gray scale) or the ability to adjust the brightness even higher then it  is currently.

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^^^^ Agreed!!

[ConnieL429]

Guess I'm agreeing with everyone else here. I just got my Charge 3 today and I'm returning it. The dim gray is hard to see, the type is to small, and watch faces to limited. Sorry but at my age, I need brightness at the very least. Was this watch created by a bunch of 18 year olds? The watch itself is very comfortable but I can't use this. Very disappointed but at least I have my Ionic which is plenty bright. P.S, Charge HR was even better than this 😢

[svidas]

I was about to pull the trigger and order a Charge 3 to replace my Charge 2 but until and unless they fix the gray text and add a date option it sounds like a downgrade.  I am really surprised that you drop features like date and don't recognize that older users can't read gray text.

[ConnieL429]

I stick by what I've always said, the Charge 2 is and remains the best tracker that Fitbit makes.  The Ionic would be #1 but not until they fix that mess of how you put music on the thing.  In this day and age there is NO reason they should be involving a computer to do that.  Most other devices just let you download from your phone. Come On Fitbit!  P.S. Your scales are great 🙂

[spamment]

Being an OAP I  find it extremely hard to read the grey scale on the Charge 3 but had no problem with the Charge 2. Definitely needs the option to enable the grey scale to be brighter for the 'older' user

[Navywife66]

 I agree .Charge 2 has much brighter,user friendly face . May return for new Charge 2 as my screen cracked on my original. Come on Fitbit!

[ggrant3876]

Same issue here, coming from Charge 2 to Charge 3.  Gray scale is impossible to see in any kind of sun light and a clock face with out day in date is unacceptable.  Thinking about returning mine and going with something that's been thought out a little better before bringing it public.

[ConnieL429]

I'm with you NavyWife66. The Charge 2 is an excellent device. I may just get a new one of those.  🙂

[SunsetRunner]

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@Cyric wrote:

Right now, The "gray scaled" text isn't visible in the sunlight and forget about it if I'm wearing sun glasses. We should be able to either chose between simple B&W display (eliminating the gray scale) or the ability to adjust the brightness even higher then it  is currently.

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I can absolutly agree! I got my charge 3 yesterday and go out today the first time in normal sunlight with the charge 3:

It is impossible to read gray numbers or text!! Only the white text is quite readable. 😞

My old Charge 2 has a much better readable and brighter display!

I whish there were a "brighter" setting for the display (not only "normal", "auto" and "dimmed") or the clock faces must be without gray text and only white.

[SunsetRunner]

100% agree. I would definitely forego battery life to get a brighter face. A “high” brightness option would be ideal. Switching from grey to white text also seems like a quick win . Right now it’s close to impossible to see step count and heart rate while outside. It’s just about possible to see the time but this is the thing I care least about! Thanks

[SunsetRunner]

I agree!  And I think better clock face options are very much needed.  Some ideas I came up with.  I also would like to see a silver body with a true gray band.  Much better than the weird blue gray color that doesn't really go with anything.

[JaxRaff]

Echoing posts above. I wear varifocals that have transition lenses which means they go dark in the sunlight. Impossible to read the Charge 3 with them on and impossible if I take my glasses off as the fonts are so small. More pure white and bright please.

[XCSteve]

The  Charge 3 exercise screens are incredibly hard to see while working out. For instance while using the “run” screen it’s almost impossible to read the elapsed time and distance because it is a small gray font. It was cloudy during my workout and I still could not read them! The clock face is the same way. Please update these screens so that all the fonts are bright. Also please make elapsed clock the main feature of the run screen.

Moderator edit: Updated subject for clarity.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hello @XCSteve, great suggestion. Having this option in our trackers would be awesome. We look forward to hearing what other community members think.

[HedgieTwiggles]

Good gravy, yes!!!!!

I've been looking for a way to adjust the brightness! It was going to be my next suggestion!

I'm farsighted, meaning I've been wearing reading glasses since I was 7 years old. Now I'm in my forties and presbyopia is setting in, making my ability to read small, dim text even worse.

I walk/jog for exercise, nearly always wearing sunglasses. I prefer the analog watch face, but gave it up and switched to the HR watch face so I could see my heart rate while exercising. The double whammy of the dimness/size of the heart rate on any watch face other than the HR watch face paired with the short screen timeout (yes, I've also upvoted suggestions to customize the screen timeout) significantly limit the usefulness of the Charge 3 for a number of folks with less-than-ideal eyesight.

[JaneenC]

This 1000%!!

The font is way too small and light grey is a really bad design flaw.

[ConnieL429]

I guess that's what I do like about the Ionic, that it's bright and you can adjust everything.  I can't say about the Versa but I would suggest everyone just look at one of these two as the Charge 3 is pretty much useless to many of us in it's present form.

[pdperry23]

Totally agree here. The dim gray scale display has to go. Definitely not useful if you can’t see it! Full bright please!  

[Abbyserd]

I thought it was me....no good clock faces offered. Missing the date, font and brightness are inferior. Trebor115 has some good suggested layouts and clear enough to see!