Fitbit Charge 4 (Sleep Tracker)

Description

Released on April 15, 2020, the Fitbit Charge 4 is the newest of the Fitbit Charge models. And by far, it’s definitely the best model if you’re looking for a high quality sleep tracker – the best sleep tracker on the wearable tech market – at an affordable price. At $149 for the standard version and $169 for the special edition, the Fitbit Charge 4 is impressive due to its many new features and competitive pricing.

On top of these cutting-edge sleep metrics, the Fitbit Charge 4 also includes Fitbit Pay; a new and improved way to track your target active zone minutes and heart rate zones during workouts; and updated weather and agenda widgets.

So, if you’ve been wondering if there’s that big of a difference between the Fitbit Charge 3 and the Fitbit Charge 4, our answer is a big resounding YES! But as usual, let’s get into all the details below!

Sleep Tracker

The best part about having a Fitbit Charge 4 is the top-notch sleep tracker. Each morning, you’ll receive a score of 0 – 100 based on the quality of sleep you got the night before; with 0 being basically no sleep at all, and 100 being a textbook perfect night of sleep.

But more than just judging the quality of your sleep, you can also track each stage of sleep and how long it lasted. Those stages being: awake, REM cycle, light sleep, and deep sleep.

Additionally, Fitbit has announced that “coming soon” they will be able to combine this metric with your most ideal wake up time, so that groggy mornings are a thing of the past. For example, if you needed to wake up at 7:30 am, you would set your Fitbit alarm for that time. Then, in the morning, Fitbit would actually wake you up sometime between 7 am and 7:30 am when your sleep is the lightest so that you can enjoy the most pleasant wake-up experience possible… Definitely, an update we’re looking forward to!

Probably the best thing about the sleep tracker though, aside from how accurate and detailed it is, is that it doesn’t zap your Fitbit’s battery life. Even operating 24/7, your Fitbit can last an entire week on 1 charge! But, we’ll get more into the details of battery life later.

New Features – Fitbit Charge 4 vs Fitbit Charge 3

So, what really sets the new Fitbit Charge 4 apart from the previous model?

1) BUILT-IN GPS

The days of lugging around your smartphone while working out are over. The Fitbit Charge 4 has a new built-in GPS feature that will be able to track your location, speed, and distance all on its own, without needing to pull any data from your smartphone. And while this feature does eat up a bit more battery life, the Fitbit Charge 4 can last 5 hours with GPS tracking on – plenty of time for a warm-up, intense workout, cool down, and even a meal afterward!

If you haven’t owned a Fitbit before, this is vastly different from the previous Charge models that required your smartphone to be in close proximity for the GPS to function.

2) FITBIT PAY

Speaking of no longer lugging things around, the Fitbit Charge 4 is the first wearable technology to allow you to make payments without your phone or wallet in tow. Once you set up your credit card, you can pay at any touchpoint system with no further technology needed.

The only catch here is to make sure Fitbit Pay supports the bank that issues your credit card here: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/technology/fitbit-pay/banks

Do keep in mind, this is a little more complicated than just knowing you have a “Visa Card” or “Master Card.” You will actually have to go to the list above and locate your credit or debit card’s “issuing bank,” which may take a call to your card company to figure out. Either way though, the research is worth doing to know ahead of time whether your preferred credit card can be used with Fitbit Pay – one of the Fitbit Charge 4’s best features.

3) SPOTIFY CONTROL

Just like a remote control, your Fitbit Charge 4 can be used to control your Spotify app while music plays through your phone, computer, or other Bluetooth devices. Change songs, a playlist, or like a song all from your wrist!

So, while you still can’t play music directly from your Fitbit Charge 4 to your headphones, “Spotify Control” is technically an update as far as music app compatibility is concerned, and a step in the right direction. Who knows? Maybe in the Fitbit Charge 5, your music can finally go from your Fitbit to your headphones without a middleman!

4) PERSONALIZED CLOCK FACE

While previous Fitbit versions were quite limited in their watch face display options, the Fitbit Charge 4 is anything but. Enjoy an array of designs and personalize what information you want displaying on your watch face, whether that’s the time, your heart rate, the weather…or really anything else! All clock face selections and personalizations can be done through the Fitbit app on your smartphone.

5) ACTIVE ZONE MINUTES

Unlike previous models, the Fitbit Charge 4 is a little bit smarter when it comes to tracking, and rewarding you, for active zone minutes. The Fitbit Charge 4 is now able to sense how hard your workout is and reward your active zone minutes accordingly.

For example, if for 20 minutes of your run, you ran double your usual pace, Fitbit will reward you with 40 active zone minutes, or double the amount, to account for your extra effort. This is extra motivating, especially when you consider that the watch itself even buzzes to congratulate you on all the heart rate targets you reach!

6) AUTOMATIC SYNCING

“Wait, did I backup my workout today to my smartphone?” is a question you’ll no longer find yourself asking with the Fitbit Charge 4, thanks to automatic syncing. Every 15 minutes, your Fitbit will send new data to your phone without you having to lift a finger, so you can spend more time doing and less time syncing.

Fitbit Charge 4 vs Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition

When it comes to the Fitbit Charge 4, the “Special Edition” version is really more about style than anything else. Whereas previous “Special Edition” versions of Fitbit Charges came with special features or different technology, that is not the case with the Fitbit Charge 4.

For 20 extra dollars, your Fitbit Charge 4 will come with two extra wristbands made of reflective woven material. So, if having the newest, shiniest band is your thing, then splurge on the Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition. Otherwise, you won’t be missing out on much by sticking with the regular Fitbit Charge 4. Especially since a wide selection of Fitbit Charge bands are available for sale at most places where technology is sold.

Battery Life

One of the biggest gripes consumers have with the Apple Watch is the fact that it must be charged pretty much every day. And this is extremely inconvenient when you want to use your wearable as a sleep tracker, as it’s difficult to find a time to charge your watch around your normal daily activities that you want tracked.

Luckily though, none of this is an issue with the Fitbit Charge 4. Without the GPS turned on, your Fitbit Charge 4 can last 7 days on one charge! And that’s 7 days around the clock, including accurate sleep tracking.

The only thing that will affect battery life dramatically is the use of the GPS, which can be supported for 5 hours. Therefore, if you were to use the GPS for about an hour each day during your workout, likely one charge will last you about 4 days or so – still much better than the Apple Watch’s 24 hours, without GPS capabilities!

Reliability and Unboxing

With the first-ever Fitbit being released in 2009, you can certainly count on the durability and reliability of Fitbit products. They were the first widespread tech wearables out on the market, after all, beating the Apple Watch to the market by 6 years!

As far as setting up your Fitbit, you’ll want to have your smartphone nearby, as the Fitbit app will be very important in this process. Once you have the Fitbit app downloaded, make sure you press “OK” when asked if the app is allowed to access Bluetooth. If not, you’ll have to go back into your phone settings and allow this app to access Bluetooth at a later time, since Bluetooth is what allows your phone and the Fitbit Charge 4 to stay connected and seamlessly exchange data.

Once the app is open, you’ll be able to select “Log in” or “Create Account.” Select whatever is appropriate for your needs. Next, you can click on your profile icon and then “Add a new device” to connect your new Fitbit Charge 4 to the app.

You’ll then be directed to select your device type (Fitbit Charge 4), accept some Terms and Conditions, and set your Fitbit up to charge. Continue through the prompts to pair your Fitbit Charge 4 with your app, where eventually you’ll be asked to place the Fitbit on your wrist and walk through a tutorial if you would like.

But basically, so long as you’re comfortable installing apps and utilizing Bluetooth, you’ll find that your Fitbit Charge 4 setup takes 10 minutes or less.

And finally, in the box itself, you’ll find your Fitbit Charge 4 already installed on a standard band (or reflective band, if you purchased the special edition), charger with watch face cradle, and instruction manual/warranty information.

Accuracy

Of all the metrics available on the Fitbit Charge 4, the sleep tracker is by far the most accurate. You get minute by minute reports which track what phase of sleep you were in, and an overall breakdown of how long you were in each phase of sleep for the night as a whole.

And, since Fitbit has been in the business of tracking personal fitness for over ten years now, its heart rate monitor and step tracking is quite accurate as well.

The independent GPS, the Fitbit Charge 4’s newest feature, is perhaps less accurate, but pretty reliable overall. Users notice as they run on paths that are not straight, or tend to curve often, the GPS tends to “cut corners,” so keep that in mind when choosing what paths to run as the Fitbit may short you on some distance.

Style

One of our favorite things about wearables is that their style can easily be changed to fit whatever occasion you need. The woven, reflective band included in the special edition Fitbit Charge 4 box might be best for those who enjoy working out before or after the sun. While the standard band allows for more of a discrete, non-attention grabbing, everyday look.

And, in fact, the Fitbit Charge 4 is so slim, you don’t have to worry about it cramping your usual style. You can even wear it along with another watch or bracelet as well if you would like.

The ability to customize your band also allows the Fitbit Charge 4 to be unisex, as the face itself is black, and additional bands can be purchased to reflect your own personal style preferences.

Water Resistance vs Waterproof

On Fitbit.com, they say that the Fitbit Charge 4 is “Water Resistant to 50 meters.” But, what exactly does that mean?

Well, keep in mind that water resistance is different from being completely waterproof. Water-resistance is appropriate for activities that temporarily expose your Fitbit to water, like swimming, kayaking, running in the rain, etc. However, it’s not mean to be submerged in water indefinitely.

Fitbit.com also warns that the Fitbit Charge 4 is not recommended to be worn in a “hot tub or sauna.” This leads us to believe that high humidity or high heat plus moisture is not ideal for the functionality of your Fitbit Charge 4.

Can the Fitbit Charge 4 Make my Life Better?

At Dilemmas.co we love nothing more than helping people find products that will improve their lives. And, we truly believe that the Fitbit Charge 4, when used consistently, can make your life better.

How?  Well, it allows you to set workout goals so you can personalize your fitness routine and be rewarded for hitting the targets that make the most sense for you.

Additionally, by tracking your heart rate throughout the day, Fitbit Charge 4 can help you see what daily activities may be causing you undue stress and should therefore be eliminated from your routine to promote better long-term health.

And of course, with its high-quality sleep tracker, the Fitbit Charge 4 can help you identify what is getting in the way of a good night’s rest, so you can remedy it and enjoy more restful nights.

Overall, the data the Fitbit Charge 4 gives you is powerful, if you take appropriate action with it. And, it is those informed changes to your lifestyle that can lead to a better quality of life.