Fitbit Charge 6 Review: Affordable Fitness Tracking at Its Finest

Lightweight and comfortable construction paired with powerful fitness tracking features make the Fitbit Charge 6 one of the best fitness trackers on the market. With capabilities including heart rate monitoring and Google integration, which provides access to YouTube and Google Maps, this fitness tracker is difficult to beat!

Fitbit Charge 6

Experience advanced fitness and sleep insights for a fraction of the cost compared to the latest smartwatches with the Fitbit Charge 6, and make your daily sleep as important to your routine as your daily exercise.

Pros

• Google integration
• Incredibly lightweight
• Low price for the value

Cons

• Not waterproof
• Slow recharging time

Price and Availability

The Charge 6 can be purchased through the Fitbit website and many popular retailers, such as Amazon, at a price point of $159.95.

What Comes in the Box

The Fitbit Charge 6 is available in three color combinations: Obsidian/Black Aluminum, Porcelain/ Silver Aluminum, and Coral/Champagne Gold Aluminum. Each of these color choices comes with the same accessories in the box. You can expect the following to hit the ground running with the Fitbit Charge 6:

• Fitbit Charge 6
• Medium wristband
• Large wristband
• Charging cord
• User manual

The color of the hardware and wristband in each box will differ based on selection.

Standout Features

Overall, the Fitbit Charge 6 covers all the basics you may want in a fitness tracker. It provides health-centric features such as:

In addition to the abundance of fitness tracking features listed above, the Fitbit Charge 6 also provides non-health-related features that help round out this device’s incredible usefulness. They include:

• Sleep and do not disturb settings
• YouTube music controls
• Google Wallet and Google Maps
• Phone notifications such as call or text
• Find my phone

The Fitbit Charge 6 is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. While past iterations of the Fitbit were also able to connect to smart devices, comparatively this edition is quick and easy to set up and get started. This is particularly true for Android users, as you can use Google’s Fast Pair to seamlessly pair and set up your new fitness device in record time.

User Experience

The Fitbit Charge 6 outshines competitors on the market by far. As a device with the primary goal of fitness tracking, it provides the necessities, with a few additional perks, while not adding significant bulk or weight. By limiting the device to what is actually helpful for the athletically inclined—with no extra frills—the Fitbit remains sleek, lightweight, and comfortable for all-day wear.

The seven-day average lifespan of one charge made it easy to keep up with my fitness tracking and goals as I was not removing the device daily for charging purposes. Combined with its very lightweight composition of only 1.3oz, I found it easy to forget about and go on about my day.

Google’s acquisition of Fitbit in 2021 opened the door to new integrations with the device. The Fitbit Charge 6 supports the use of Google Pay and Google Maps. This capability has a huge impact on the usefulness of the device. Not only can you go cycling with your Fitbit to track your fitness goals, heart rate, etc., but you can also access Google Maps to plan a route or Google Pay to avoid taking your wallet on the trip. You can even connect to YouTube and enjoy Music—all controlled right on your Fitbit.

The color touch screen and editable clock faces make for a vibrant experience during use. It is also compatible with interchangeable watch bands, which make for a multitude of customizable combinations. The ability to quickly and easily swap my watchband to suit my different outfits was an added perk to an already excellent experience.

Drawbacks to Consider

The Fitbit Charge 6 is water-resistant to 50 meters but not waterproof. For this reason, you will need to take extra steps to safeguard its functionality during activities such as swimming. Fitbit does not recommend utilizing the Charge 6 in water if it is improperly maintained. This is particularly important if you are hard on your devices and often drop them.

For optimal performance, consider following best practices that will make your Fitbit last. A great way to do so is to use the Water Lock feature while swimming to turn off normal screen functionality. Additionally, be sure not to wear your Fitbit in hot tubs, saunas, or showers, as exposure to substances such as soaps is detrimental to the device.

While I found the battery life to last me around the seven-day mark, if I did allow the battery to deplete completely, it took over two hours to recharge. I would have expected it to be about half that amount of time. While this is not an issue if I remember to charge it at night, since the battery lasts so long, I didn’t notice until it was completely depleted, which occurred in the middle of my day. For this reason, I was without activity tracking for some of my more active hours and found that disappointing.

Lastly, consider your wrist size when selecting the best fitness tracker for you. While the medium and large bands included in the package will work for most, it is not always a perfect fit for all. Also, the face of the device itself is not the slimmest option Fitbit has created. For those who prefer a more minimal design, this edition of the fitness tracker may not be the best for you. On a positive note, however, it is still incredibly lightweight, even with the face size.

Should You Buy the Fitbit Charge 6?

Overall, the Fitbit Charge 6 is an outstanding fitness tracker as we have all come to expect from Fitbit. It covers all the bases and makes for a well-rounded device. I enjoyed using it, checked in on my progress, and found it comfortable enough for all-day wear. Additionally, if you are an Android user, its Google integration makes this purchase an easy recommendation for me to make!

Fitbit Charge 6

Experience advanced fitness and sleep insights for a fraction of the cost compared to the latest smartwatches with the Fitbit Charge 6, and make your daily sleep as important to your routine as your daily exercise.