Google Fitbit Edge assessment: The anti-smartwatch candy spot

I’m a longtime Apple Watch person who just lately turned to Fitbit and Garmin wearables for a extra simplified, fitness-focused expertise. I did not want a smartphone on my wrist, which is what current Apple Watch fashions began to really feel like. Google’s Fitbit Air appeared like the proper answer, however as I used it, the screenless band grew to become more of a dedicated sleep monitor than a do-it-all health tracker.

After practically two weeks with the new Fitbit Edge on my wrist, I’m assured that is the Google health tracker to purchase. It addresses the principle ache factors I skilled whereas utilizing the Fitbit Air by including onboard GPS, a small touchscreen, and extra sensors. All the whereas, it is solely $80 dearer and nonetheless fantastically easy.

Make no mistake, there are nonetheless causes to leap right down to the Fitbit Air or step as much as the Pixel Watch 5, however the Fitbit Edge is the candy spot.

Google despatched us the Fitbit Edge for assessment. It had no enter on the contents of this text, and did not see it earlier than publishing.

8.5/10

Heart Rate Monitor

Yes, optical PPG

Battery Life

Up to 7 days (AOD off)

Integrations

Google Health

The Google Fitbit Edge is a light-weight health band with a easy 1.3-inch AMOLED display screen and a flexible set of sensors. It has GPS for correct exercise monitoring, plus a slew of optical and electrical well being sensors. With the always-on show off, it’s going to keep powered for per week on a single cost.

Pros & Cons

• GPS, ECG, and optical HR sensor onboard
• Slim design continues to be snug for sleep and exercises
• No subscription required to be used

• No NFC for Google Wallet funds
• Lacks devoted app for system administration
• Most customization options require a cellphone

Google Fitbit Edge pricing and availability

Google’s Fitbit Edge hits retailer cabinets on Oct. 27, 2026 with a retail worth of $179.99. Buyers get a three-month trial of Google Health Premium with their buy. There’s additionally a Fitbit Edge Stephen Curry Special Edition, which prices $219.99 and comes with a novel Rye-colored strap.

The Fitbit Edge comes with a fundamental Active Band within the field, until you go for the Stephen Curry Special Edition. In that case, you may get the fancier Performance Loop within the field. You should buy further Active Sport ($39.99), Performance Loop ($49.99), Magnet ($59.99), and Metal Links ($149.99) bands individually. The Performance Loop band for the Fitbit Edge is not out there at launch, however is “coming quickly.”

In the broader context of Google’s wearable lineup, the Fitbit Edge sits between the $100 Fitbit Air and the $400 Pixel Watch 5. It’s a religious successor to the Fitbit Charge 6, which retailed for $160.

The Fitbit Edge is slim, with simply sufficient display screen

It feels surprisingly comparable on the wrist to the smaller Fitbit Air

The Fitbit Edge is an evolution of the Fitbit Charge 6, however it’s higher in virtually each means. The pill-shaped design of the Fitbit Edge is modern on the wrist, and packs a much bigger 1.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen. With the proper strap, the brand new tracker appears to be like extra like a vogue accent than a health band. That’s a significant enchancment in comparison with the Charge 6, which seemed misplaced wherever however the gymnasium or observe.

This is the second Fitbit tracker we have seen this 12 months, and the Edge will naturally be in comparison with the one which got here first: the Fitbit Air. Without straps connected, the Fitbit Edge is significantly smaller and lighter than the Fitbit Air.

However, since Fitbit Air bands and straps cowl the monitoring puck and add thickness to your entire bundle, the Edge has the same profile on the wrist. I assumed the Fitbit Edge would really feel much less snug on my wrist after half a 12 months with the Fitbit Air, however it did not.

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

The health tracker solely weighs 17.7 grams with out a band. The barely bigger sensor space on the underside makes higher contact with my wrist than the Fitbit Air, which had a bent to slip round all through the day.

I’m not an enormous fan of Google’s Active Band, although. I do not discover it as snug as Apple’s Sport Band, and like the Magnet Band. For exercises, I’d possible select the Performance Loop when it turns into out there.

The Fitbit Edge is improbable for runs and exercises

It did not miss a beat, and was proper consistent with my Apple Watch Ultra 4

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

I spent the majority of my Fitbit Edge testing interval sporting it on one wrist and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 on one other. I combined within the Fitbit Air and Google Pixel Watch 5 alongside the best way, however I actually wished to see if the Edge got here with main compromises in comparison with higher-priced smartwatches and trackers. Wearing the Fitbit Air for walks, runs, and hikes made me miss my smartwatch, however the Fitbit Edge did not.

There are two fundamental causes for that: onboard GPS and the touchscreen. The Fitbit Air’s screenless design relied totally on cellphone app management or computerized exercise monitoring to document exercises. It additionally did not have onboard GPS. I did not discover computerized exercise monitoring to be very dependable or correct on the Fitbit Air, and with out GPS, I needed to carry my cellphone to face an opportunity at getting the proper exercise stats.

The Fitbit Edge has GPS built-in, so I might depart my cellphone at residence throughout runs. The health tracker roughly matched the gap accuracy of the Pixel Watch 5, which is a formidable feat. On a four-mile run, the Fitbit Edge tracked solely 0.05 miles lower than my Apple Watch Ultra 4. It was a minor distinction, and I normally see the identical discrepancy between the Pixel Watch 5 and my Apple Watch Ultra 4.

The distance and tempo accuracy was much better than I anticipated from a $180 wearable. While the small display screen can solely match just a few metrics without delay, you may swipe on the display screen to see extra. Crucially, it remembers which display screen you final used. If I swipe right down to the tempo exercise view, it’s going to keep there till I swipe again — even when I decrease my wrist. I do suggest enabling the always-on show for exercises, because it’s a lot better for fast glances at stats throughout intense runs.

It’s loaded with well being sensors, together with electrical sensors, temperature sensors, crimson and infrared sensors, and an optical coronary heart fee sensor. You get options like ECG and blood-oxygen sensing, which are sometimes discovered on dearer wearables. There’s an altimeter, accelerometer, and gyroscope, too. In my testing, the Fitbit Edge’s coronary heart fee sensing was in lockstep with my Apple Watch Ultra 4 throughout runs.

As for battery life and charging, the Fitbit Edge lasts per week on a single cost, so long as you retain the always-on show off. I did not have to consider charging it, as a result of I threw it on the charger whereas I used to be within the bathe every day.

The software program is the apparent weak hyperlink

You’ll want to tug out your cellphone rather a lot, and the Health app is crowded

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

The software program on the Google Fitbit Edge is unimaginable. It’s not fairly Wear OS, however it has the identical design language because the Pixel Watch 5’s software program. You can swipe left or proper to view tiles, swipe right down to entry fast settings, or swipe as much as view notifications. Pressing the aspect button exhibits the checklist of pre-installed apps.

The software program continues to be the weakest a part of the Fitbit Edge, although. The Google Health app redesign and AI-focused Google Health Coach is not for everybody. Crucially, a subscription is not required for fundamental options, however the Health app would possibly really feel barren with out one. More importantly, most customization settings require the Google Health app on a linked cellphone.

I want I might change extra settings immediately on the Fitbit Edge. Additionally, it might be good if Fitbit gadgets had their very own app for normal administration. Needing to dig via Health app menus so as to add watch faces is a chore — the devoted Pixel Watch app does it higher.

Should you purchase the Google Fitbit Edge?

You should purchase the Google Fitbit Edge if:

• You desire a health band with a strong sensor suite
• You worth fundamental cellphone integration, however do not want smartwatch options
• You want a health band that is snug, skinny, and lightweight

You ought to NOT purchase the Google Fitbit Edge if:

• You desire a passive health tracker to put on alongside a smartwatch
• You desire a system with NFC that may exchange your smartwatch
• You’re not a fan of the Google Health app

The Fitbit Edge is an fascinating health band, and if you’d like a health tracker that is good at a whole lot of issues, you can purchase it. There’s additionally a case for getting the Fitbit Edge and the Fitbit Air collectively. That whole bundle is simply $280, you may pair each to the identical cellphone, and the Air continues to be higher for sleep monitoring and a minimal wrist profile.

If you are a smartwatch person already, the choice will get difficult. The Fitbit Edge is not fairly a smartwatch substitute, as a result of it lacks NFC, a speaker, and a microphone. That eliminates fundamental smartwatch performance, like digital funds, calls, and customized replies. This makes the Fitbit Edge a way more targeted wearable than a smartwatch, and that is a superb factor.

However, because the Fitbit Edge nonetheless has a display screen, it appears to be like odd to put on it on one wrist and a smartwatch on the opposite. With that in thoughts, the Fitbit Edge is greatest for customers that desire a health band to be the one display screen on their wrist. Use the Fitbit Edge on one wrist and an analog watch on the opposite, and you will have a blast. Try to switch your smartwatch with it, and it’s possible you’ll be left disenchanted.

Heart Rate Monitor

Yes, optical PPG

Battery Life

Up to 7 days (AOD off)

Integrations

Google Health

Display

1.3-inch AMOLED

Notification Support

Yes

Health sensors

Electrical, temperature, crimson and infrared

The Google Fitbit Edge is a slim health tracker with Google Health integration. It packs a 1.3-inch display screen, week-long battery life, and an assortment of well being sensors.