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The Fitbit Charge 2 is the successor to the Charge HR activity tracking wristband. The Charge HR is still Fitbit’s best seller even after 18 months since the launch. The Charge 2 aims at performing all the functions of Charge HR plus more, and for the same price. The Fitbit Charge 2 automatically tracks the calories you burned, distance traveled, heart rate, steps, and sleep.

Better Display and Elegant Design

The Charge 2 is pretty similar to FitBit Alta when it comes to the design. It’s a silicon band with a rectangular OLED display in the middle. It has a button on the left side and a built-in optical heart rate monitor that keeps a check on your heart rate continuously. The modular design makes it easy for you to swap it into different leather and silicon bands. On the display, there are five screens you can shift between: Time of Day, Heart Rate, Activities, Stopwatch, and Relax.

Some Really Great Features of Fitbit Charge 2

PurePulse Heart Rate: Charge 2 helps you track your heart rate continuously to maximize workouts and better track calorie burn to get a clear picture of your health. All-Day Activity Tracking: With the help of Charge 2, you can track the number of steps you take, the distance you travel, floors climbed, and hourly activity. Reminders to Move: For keeping you active, Charge 2 sends reminders to move that would encourage you to take 250 steps every hour. Auto Sleep Tracking: It automatically tracks how long you sleep and helps in knowing the number of hours of sleep required. Multi-Sport Tracking: Using Fitbit Charge 2, you can keep a check on the exercises that you perform, be it- running, weights or yoga, Then you can see your workout stats on the display. GPS Connectivity: You can connect Charge 2 to your phone’s GPS to see stats like pace and distance on your wrist, and a map of your route. SmartTrack: Charge 2 automatically records exercises like hiking, biking, weights, yoga etc. Alerts: You can see a call, text and calendar alerts on your FitBit Charge 2.

About the Performance

With FitBit Charge 2, there has been an improvement over the original charge in the form of multi-sport tracking. You don’t always need to remember to press buttons while exercising because FitBit Charge 2 will track your exercise automatically. The main highlight of this device is PurePulse Heart Rate tracking technology which constantly takes a reading of your heartbeat.

The FitBit App

In the Fitbit app, you can see your steps for the day, snapshots of floors climbed, miles traveled, calories burned, and minutes of exercise. It also shows your heart rate, sleep data, and even how much water you consumed throughout the day. The FitBit app has a user-friendly interface.

Charging & Long Battery Life

Fitbit claims that the device will last you up to 5 days from a single charge, and can be fully recharged in less than 2 hours. It comes with a propriety charger in the box. You’ll receive a notification and an e-mail to let you know the Charge 2 is running low on battery.

FitBit Charge 2 lacks

It has no GPS. It is not waterproof, so there is no way you can enter the pool with the band on. It has very limited phone notifications. The straps are really expensive. There is no pause function available in the device. Also, the distance tracking can be inaccurate at times.

Price and Variations

The FitBit Charge 2 with a stainless steel frame and a silicon band in black, blue, plum, or teal come at $149.95. You can buy a Special Edition model with a gunmetal frame and a black band, or rose gold frame and a lavender band at $179.95. Additional bands come at $29.95. You can also buy leather straps at $69.95 in colors like brown, pink, and indigo.

Conclusion

FitBit Charge 2 has a solid built quality, a larger OLED display, and interchangeable straps. It is definitely an improvement over the original.