I switched to the Fibit Charge 2 today leaving the Garmin Vivosmart HR behind. I liked the Vivosmart HR for what it was but there are aspects of the Fitbit Charge 2 which I appreciate more.
The Hardware
The band itself is smaller, thinner and lighter than the Vivosmart HR. It is wider but additional width is fine. It’s not my ideal thickness yet — it can afford to lose half a centimetre — but it’s close.
While the smaller physical dimensions are quantitative positives, the touch of silver metal finishes gives the band a qualitative edge over the Garmin. The ability to swap bands gives the Fitbit an additional fashion bonus as well which is a very nice touch.
I will miss the Vivosmart’s touchscreen which recognized swipes and gentle taps. The Fibit’s touchscreen requires more force to activate and doesn’t recognize swipes whatsoever which means I have to repeatedly tap to cycle around the various types of info available.
The Software
The inner beauty of Fibit’s bands is ultimately why I decided to switch. The Charge 2 cannot review e-mail notifications or the weather like the Vivosmart HR but it does present the basic info very well. But the clear and decisive superiority is the manner in which they display info in their app, it also updates information to the app in near realtime. I rarely update the Vivosmart HR with the app because it’s a cumbersome process. But the Fibit? It’s as seamless as one would hope.
Will This Be It?
Will this be the band that I stick with for the long haul? Maybe. My gripes with the Vivosmart HR were addressed with the Charge 2 so technically, I should be happy with this. But as you may recall, I was pretty happy with the Vivosmart HR as well before seeing the Fitbit in action. Who knows if something else will emerge in 6 months time to woo me away.
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Making good progress through Dragon Quest VII and started to mop up Trophies for TitanFall 2. That campaign is still very enjoyable even at Master difficulty.
My brother started Final Fantasy XV which is a very impressive looking piece of software. I still cannot believe it isn’t a piping hot mess of a game.
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