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We can now suggest the Fitbit Versa 3 as an excellent purchase because it has finally addressed our main complaint about the Versa line of smartwatches. Depending on pricing, we’ve even placed it first among the Best Fitbits apps, surpassing the Fitbit Sense. If you decide to leave your phone behind, the Versa 3 now has embedded GPS to measure the speed and distance of your walks, runs, bike rides, or hikes in real time. We’re here with our Fitbit Versa 3 review.
Although that and the larger, absolutely lovely display are obviously improvements over the Versa 2, there are still a few small details about the Versa 3 that keep it from being one of the greatest wearables on the market. Don’t misunderstand us; the Versa 3 is a strong contender for the title of best fitness tracker on the market, particularly given its reasonably low price and the many fitness monitoring features it offers, including a SpO2 sensor to assess blood oxygen levels while you sleep.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: Design
The Versa 3 still has the same metal case and somewhat square-shaped watch body as the Versa 2, but it now sports a 1.58-inch AMOLED screen that is larger and has fewer bezels. In direct sunshine, it is clear, bright, and simple to see. It can be set to always-on mode so you can quickly see the time without having to move your wrist (in a scaled-down version with fewer metrics displayed).
You can choose from a huge variety of watch faces because Fitbit supports third-party watch faces. The Fitbit interface and touchscreen, despite aesthetic enhancements, are still less snappy than those on an Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch 5, which also have AMOLED screens. The Versa 3 takes a while to load apps and display information, and there is some lag between swipes.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: Display
Although that and the larger, absolutely lovely display are obviously improvements over the Versa 2, there are still a few small details about the Versa 3 that keep it from being one of the greatest wearables on the market.
Don’t misunderstand us; the Versa 3 is a strong contender for the title of best fitness tracker on the market, particularly given its reasonably low price and the many fitness monitoring features it offers, including a SpO2 sensor to assess blood oxygen levels while you sleep. The redesign of the side button has made it difficult to use, and much more helpful content is hidden behind the Fitbit Premium barrier.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: Tracking
That also applies to Alexa being on your wrist. By using a shortcut to launch the Alexa app, you can ask the virtual assistant a question, and she will respond in text on the screen. It should come as no surprise that Google Assistant is also an option, given that the business is now in the process of purchasing Fitbit.
However, Google Assistant isn’t quite ready for prime time yet; the firm has promised support for later this year. Improved heart rate monitoring, Active Zone minutes, and of course built-in GPS are also included. So there are general improvements, at least on paper.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: Performance
Despite some peculiarities in the capacitive button, using the Fitbit Versa 3 is a pleasure. While there aren’t quite as many apps as the Apple Watch, the default selection includes a calendar, the weather, and Spotify, which together account for 90% of what most users would want (or Deezer, if you insist on supporting the underdog). A Starbucks card, an Uber voucher, and a Couch to 5K trainer are among the select extras that are available on the store.
Fitbit Pay is still a little underdeveloped, at least in the UK. Yes, you can use a contactless payment to purchase items from your wrist, although it’s unlikely that you will. Why? Considering that the list of supported banks is still rather short. Except for Santander, your other options are quite specialized. You can buy this smart watch from its official website.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: Battery Life
In comparison to the Versa 2, which had a battery life of 4 to 5 days, Fitbit claims that the Versa 3 has a battery life of 6. Of course, utilizing GPS and turning on the Versa’s always-on display would drain its battery. Even so, the Versa 2’s battery life, when it’s actively tracking your location, should be roughly 12 hours. That gives it a significant advantage over the high-end Apple Watch Series 6 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, as well as the midrange Apple Watch SE.
I was able to stretch the Versa 3’s battery life to over 7 days, but I normally charged it when it fell below 20% after 5–6 days. What’s best? With the fast-charging, magnetic charger from Fitbit, it was fully charged in just 60 minutes.
Fitbit Versa 3 review: Configurations Options
The Fitbit Versa 3’s value is made abundantly evident when you stop contrasting it with the Fitbit Sense and instead evaluate it against the competitors. Originally retailing for $229, the Versa 3 is now available for much less. Since then, Fitbit has released the Sense 2 ($299) and Versa 4 ($229), however despite their recent releases, they are deficient in several capabilities seen on the Versa 3.
This excludes the Google Assistant and all outside applications. For the finest Fitbit smartwatch experience without breaking the bank, we still advise purchasing the Versa 3. The Google Pixel Watch ($349) is an expensive but worthwhile investment if you really want a full-featured smartwatch with Fitbit health advantages.
Conclusion
Overall, the Fitbit Versa 3 represents a significant improvement over the company’s most well-liked wearable. Even while GPS isn’t as precise as my dependable Garmin Forerunner 245, it’s still a world away from relying just on your phone. GPS was undoubtedly at the top of everyone’s wish list. It is simply fantastic news that Fitbit is adding the feature without raising the price in any way.
If the corporation hadn’t abandoned a true, physical button in favor of this pressure-sensitive substitute, it would have my full support. Yes, it looks (somewhat) prettier, but offer me a solution that always operates reliably and smoothly. Because of this, the Fitbit Versa 3 maintains its predecessor’s four-star rating.