id=”article-body” class=”row” section=”article-body”>
Fitbit Sense
Like
- Always-on screen is bright and easy to see
- Detailed sleep analysis
- ECG is easy to use
- Built-in GPS
- Google Assistant is versatile
Don’t Like
- Stress tracking doesn’t tell you much yet
- No onboard music storage
- Not as responsive or fast as other smartwatches
The Fitbit Sense adds a whole slew of sensors to the Fitbit lineup to track everything from stress to blood oxygen levels, temperature, sleep and even has an FDA-cleared electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). On top of all that, the $329 (£299, AU$499) Sense also doubles as a regular smartwatch and fitness tracker. And while the Sense still has fitness at its core, it wants to be your daily wellness coach now, too.
Fitbit is trying to bridge the gap between <a website and wellness with the Sense, a zone most wearables were already navigating even before the current <a website health crisis. The Apple Watch has been leaning to wellness and health over the last few years, with a new blood oxygen feature, ECG app and fall detection feature. <a website newer <a website Watches include these metrics, as well as a stress test of its own, while the <a website ring also collects temperature data like the Sense. The end goal for most of these is that all this data may someday help identify the onset diseases before the user experiences any symptoms. But in the meantime all those charts, numbers and scores from the Sense can feel overwhelming, especially for someone with no medical training.
<div class="shortcode video v2" data-video-playlist='["id":"5f7d407f-9c7c-43f0-9bdb-80f713c19ef9","title":"Fitbit Sense: A puzzle of data from your wrist","description":"The Fitbit Sense promises a lot of new, potentially helpful data such as stress tracking, blood oxygen readings and even being able to show skin temperature. But knowing what to do with all this can be confusing if youu0027re not a medical professional. This review covers health and fitness tracking, battery life and smartwatch features on the Fitbit Sense.","slug":"fitbit-sense-a-puzzle-of-data-from-your-wrist","chapters":"data":[],"paging":"total":0,"limit":15,"offset":0,"datePublished":"2020-09-30 11:00:11","duration":747,"mpxRefId":"nJm8OEnGaUqvjlVBi1ZKpWKRB8S3kwmx","ratingVChip":"TV-14","primaryTopic":"id":"50838081-4277-4785-9963-d0a540c5f9c8","author":"id":"7cbbe78d-a591-11e2-8a8e-0291187978f3","firstName":"Lexy","lastName":"Savvides","primaryCollection":"id":"2adf6930-fe69-4423-ab9c-9aae7f4f1fc2","title":"CNET First website
Watch this:
Fitbit Sense: A puzzle of data from your wrist
After two months with the Sense, we have mixed feelings about it. In short, if you want a health device to monitor your daily stats, and also wanted ECG on a Fitbit, this is your watch. But otherwise, the lower-priced Fitbit Versa 3 (which has the same general features of the Sense, without ECG and stress sensing) would be plenty.
CNET’s Lexy Savvides and Scott Stein both wore the Fitbit Sense for this review.
A familiar design if you’re upgrading your Fitbit
The Sense has a similar design to the Versa, except with a stainless steel edge around the square watch face instead of aluminum and a host of new sensors inside, which does make it a tiny bit thicker. Along with the touchscreen, you interact with the Sense through an indented haptic side button, which can do everything from launching Alexa (or the Google Assistant) to starting a workout. It feels more comfortable than the <a website 2, especially during workouts and at bedtime, thanks to its more rounded finish. Those fiddly toggles used to switch out straps on earlier Fitbits are gone, thank goodness. They’ve been replaced with quick release buttons to make swapping bands out a lot easier on the Sense.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
The Fitbit Sense also has a faster processor than the Versa 2, which makes interactions with the watch feel snappier, but we still noticed some lag when opening apps, raising the watch to wake the screen or swiping up to see daily stats. It also takes about 30 seconds to sync new watch faces like with earlier Fitbits.
What it has improved is its charging station. Instead of the alligator-style clips from earlier Fitbits, the Sense uses a new magnetic charger that easily attaches to the back of the watch.
The ECG feature is easy to use
The Sense is the first Fitbit to include an onboard ECG app capable of producing a single-lead electrocardiogram read in 30 seconds. Fitbit says that the ECG on the watch will also screen for possible arrhythmias that could indicate atrial fibrillation, or aFib, but it can’t detect heart attacks or other cardiac conditions. It recently received FDA clearance in the US and it’s now available for use in the US and US territories, Canada, New Zealand, some European countries and Hong Kong. You can find a full list here.
To take an ECG, you first need to go through a quick Heart Rhythm Assessment briefing in the Fitbit app (go to Discover > Assessments & Reports). Once complete, the ECG app should appear on the Sense. Take a seat and place your thumb and index finger on opposite corners of the watch and you’ll see one of three results after your scan is complete, depending on the heart rhythm: normal sinus, signs of atrial fibrillation or inconclusive. You can also review the results in the Fitbit app and LiterEbi share with your doctor.
Lexy Savvides/CNET
Samsung has received a similar clearance for the feature on its two newer Galaxy Watches, while <a website ECG app has been active on the Apple Watch since the company launched the Series 4 in 2018. It also notifies you of irregular heart rhythms indicative of aFib, plus high and low heart rate alerts, as does the Sense. The ECG and heart rate notifications work in a similar way between the Sense and Apple Watch, although to take an ECG on the Apple Watch you place one finger on the digital crown rather than the two fingers on the rim of the Sense.
