One of the best fitness trackers you can buy is on sale for $99 for Cyber ​​Monday

What’s up?

The Fitbit Charge 6 is on sale for $99 on Cyber ​​Monday; That’s 38% off the usual price of $160.

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Why this deal is recommended by ZDNET

Smartwatches need to be charged at least every other day, and millions don’t want to have another device on their wrist with third-party apps and constant distractions. The Fitbit Charge 6 offers a powerful wearable in a slim form factor with a battery life that only needs to be charged once a week.

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Since Google owns Fitbit, I see more Google integration in Fitbit devices. The Charge 6 adds support for Google Music playback controls, Google Maps prompts on the tracker, and support for Google Wallet payments. These features are in addition to useful Fitbit features including detailed sleep tracking, EDA scans, Daily Readiness Score, ECG measurements, step tracking and a built-in GPS receiver for detailed outdoor tracking.

I wore a silver aluminum Fitbit Charge 6 with a porcelain band for a few weeks of testing, but the Charge 6 is also available in Obsidian/Black Aluminum and Coral/Champagne Gold Aluminum $99.

As for the hardware, Fitbit offers a nice 26 x 21.8 mm AMOLED color touchscreen display. It’s made of Corning Gorilla Glass, which looks great and responds flawlessly to swipes and taps. The aluminum housing surrounds the display and extends to the rear heart rate sensor with beautiful curves and attractive aesthetics. The tracker is waterproof up to 50 m, so you can wear it around the clock without worry.

The heart rate sensor on the back has been greatly improved. Fitbit claims it is 60% more accurate during vigorous activity than older Fitbit devices. The sensor also supports ECG and EDA measurements to detect heart rate irregularities and monitor stress.

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The Fitbit Charge 6 also supports sharing your heart rate readings with some supported fitness devices, including treadmills, rowing machines, and bikes. Check this Fitbit support page to see if this functionality supports your device. Although the Fitbit Charge 6 isn’t on the official list, I tested it with my Hydrow rowing machine, which connected in seconds. With improved accuracy during activities and a lot of movement, this is a nice feature if you don’t have an HR chest strap.

There is a haptic button on the left side of the Charge 6. There’s a designated aiming area on this model to help you improve your hitting accuracy, and that’s better than no button, which we saw on the Charge 5. I’m still more of a fan of a physical button, but I understand that it’s preferable to use a haptic button for construction and water resistance reasons.

The Fitbit Charge 6 has an Infinity silicone band, but there are plenty of other options including sport bands, Horween leather bands, woven bands, Velcro bands, and vegan leather bands ranging in price from $30 to $50. The Charge 5’s bands will still work on the Charge 6, so if you’re looking to upgrade after a few years, the Charge 6 is worth considering.

The software on the watch is easy to navigate. Swipe and tap to access important data and utilities. Google Maps works in combination with the app on your connected phone, so turn-by-turn directions and other important information appear on the Charge 6 while your phone stays in your backpack. YouTube Premium subscribers support YouTube Music playback controls, so you can put your phone away while you workout and still have control over your music.

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Google Wallet supports payments directly from your wrist, but entering the PIN by scrolling up and down digit by digit is a bit tedious. There’s still work to be done to make this easier or I’ll never use Google Wallet on the device.

Unlike a smartwatch and some previous Fitbit devices, the Charge 6 doesn’t have third-party apps available. However, key Google, Fitbit, and basic watch utilities are available on the watch and in the Fitbit app, so you can control whether or not the apps appear on the Charge 6 as you navigate the tracker. You can also customize almost 30 watch faces.

The Charge 6 has a built-in GPS receiver so you can run, walk, hike and exercise outdoors without your phone. I tested it while running and walking with an Apple Watch Ultra 2 on my other wrist and was very happy with the accuracy of the Charge 6’s GPS. The Charge 6 supports GPS and GLONASS, while other watches typically support at least five global GPS navigation satellite systems, so they will never be as accurate as dedicated GPS sports watches in demanding environments.

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Google is offering six months of free Fitbit Premium service with the purchase of a Charge 6. Fitbit Premium is required for Daily Readiness Score and other advanced features in the Fitbit application.

Compared to the Charge 5, I’m really pleased with the return of the incline metric, improved heart rate sensor performance, side haptic button, and Google extras (Wallet, Maps, and YouTube Music). The Charge 6 is also $20 less than the launch price of the Charge 5. The Fitbit Charge 6 sleeps much better than my larger smartwatches. When using the Charge 6, I’m wondering whether I need to wear a full-fledged watch on my wrist all the time.

ZDNET’s buying guide

While smartwatches are popular and often heavily advertised, having another device on your body that requires your attention may not be best for you and your mental health.

Google offers this Fitbit Charge 6 as a device that conveniently tracks important health and wellness data while minimizing the distractions of third-party apps and constant notifications. Sleeping with it on your wrist is very comfortable and the data collected can be used to improve your health and lifestyle.