Fitbit Air appears to be like like a small product, nevertheless it asks a reasonably large query for Fitbit customers. Do you continue to desire a tracker you work together with all day, or would you somewhat go away most of that to your telephone?
In contrast with Cost 6, the lacking display is just the apparent distinction. Fitbit Air additionally adjustments the match, the sensors, the exercise expertise and the way a lot management you will have from the wrist.
Test Fitbit Air on Amazon and Fitbit Cost 6 on Amazon for the most recent costs.
The display adjustments the whole lot
However let’s roll again.
The obvious distinction can also be the one that can resolve the acquisition for many individuals. Fitbit Air has no display. Meaning you can’t look at your wrist to verify coronary heart price, steps, tempo, exercise time or battery stage. You additionally lose the small day by day nudges that make a tracker really feel alive throughout the day.
Fitbit Air
Cost 6 nonetheless behaves like a standard Fitbit. You can begin exercises from the wrist, verify stats mid-session, see notifications, use timers and work together with Google providers. That sounds primary, however it’s precisely what many Fitbit customers nonetheless need. A tracker with out a display can really feel cleaner, however it might additionally really feel unusually invisible.
That invisibility might go well with some individuals. Air appears to be like higher for sleep, restoration monitoring and all-day put on beneath clothes. It weighs solely 12 grams with the band and the pebble itself is 5.2 grams. Cost 6 is available in at round 30 grams, which continues to be gentle, however not in the identical barely-there class.
Google has additionally gone with a two-part setup. The principle pod, which Fitbit calls the pebble, slots into interchangeable bands. Consumers can select between Energetic, Elevated and Efficiency types relying on materials and look. The restricted version model is particularly good wanting, even when it prices additional.
Fitbit Air
Fitbit Air is easier, however not clearly stronger
Google says Fitbit Air brings a 15 % enchancment in sensor accuracy over the earlier technology Fitbit. That could be a helpful declare, particularly if Air improves day-to-day coronary heart price, sleep and exercise monitoring. It additionally has computerized exercise detection, so customers don’t want to begin each session manually.
Nonetheless, there’s a catch. Fitbit Air doesn’t seem to make use of the newer sensor method present in Pixel Watch 4, which features a multipath optical coronary heart price sensor and a far-field temperature sensor. Air sticks with a extra conventional setup, together with optical coronary heart price, pink and infrared SpO2 sensors, pores and skin temperature variation, accelerometer and gyroscope.
That doesn’t make it weak. It does imply expectations ought to keep grounded. Wrist-based optical sensors typically wrestle most throughout high-intensity intervals, fast coronary heart price adjustments and actions with a number of wrist motion. If Google desires Air to behave like a passive restoration band, the sensor package deal could also be sufficient. If consumers anticipate Pixel Watch 4-level monitoring efficiency, that’s in all probability the improper comparability.
Fitbit Cost 6
Cost 6 has its personal benefit right here. It consists of ECG {hardware} and EDA sensors, neither of which seem on Fitbit Air. That offers Cost 6 a broader well being function set, particularly for customers who worth on-demand ECG readings or Fitbit’s stress scan instruments.
Air does nonetheless embody FDA-cleared background AFib detection, which suggests it might look ahead to indicators of irregular rhythm passively within the background. What it can not do is supply handbook ECG spot checks straight from the wrist like Cost 6.
The identical logic applies to menstrual cycle monitoring and extra superior well being insights. Fitbit Air can observe pores and skin temperature variation, however its older sensor setup might restrict how far Google can push a few of the extra superior interpretation. Google Well being Coach should add worth via context and pattern evaluation, however teaching can solely work with the indicators the {hardware} collects.
Battery life is just not an improve
Fitbit Air lasts as much as seven days. Fitbit Cost 6 additionally lasts as much as seven days. That makes the battery story a bit awkward for Air, as a result of dropping the display doesn’t carry an extended marketed runtime.
Air does cost quicker, although. Google quotes 90 minutes for a full cost and round someday of use from 5 minutes on the charger. The charger additionally doesn’t should be oriented in a particular path when attaching to the gadget, which is a small however helpful comfort.
The screenless design additionally adjustments how alerts work. Air features a vibration motor for Good Wake alarms, common alarms and low battery notifications. There may be additionally a small LED used for battery standing and pairing suggestions.
Cost 6 takes round two hours to totally cost. It additionally loses battery quicker when options similar to always-on show and SpO2 monitoring come into play. So Air might really feel extra environment friendly in actual life, even when the headline battery quantity stays the identical.
Cost 6 nonetheless wins for health
For exercises, Cost 6 stays the stronger gadget. It has built-in GPS and GLONASS, greater than 40 train modes, coronary heart price broadcasting to suitable gymnasium tools and wrist-based exercise controls. You possibly can run with out carrying your telephone and nonetheless see your stats as you go.
Fitbit Air depends on linked GPS via the telephone. That’s high-quality for informal customers who already take their telephone on walks or runs. It’s much less interesting for anybody who desires the tracker to function independently outdoor.
The dearth of display additionally adjustments the exercise expertise. Air can log exercise robotically and report app-started exercises, nevertheless it can not present tempo, coronary heart price zones or elapsed time on the wrist. That pushes it nearer to WHOOP-style passive monitoring than a basic Fitbit health band.
Nonetheless, Air is just not utterly stripped again. It helps Cardio Load, Every day Readiness and coronary heart price broadcasting to sure suitable units and gymnasium tools. Coronary heart price can also be saved at 2-second intervals, which ought to assist protect exercise element moderately properly for a screenless tracker.
One odd limitation is offline storage. Air can maintain seven days of detailed movement information, however solely someday of exercise information earlier than syncing. That feels barely restrictive for a tool constructed round passive monitoring.
Which one ought to Cost 6 homeowners purchase
Cost 6 homeowners mustn’t deal with Fitbit Air as a straight improve. Air is lighter, cleaner wanting and cheaper. It additionally brings computerized exercise logging and improved sensor accuracy in contrast with Fitbit’s earlier tracker technology.
However the trade-offs are huge. You lose the display, built-in GPS, ECG, EDA, NFC funds, Google Maps, YouTube Music controls and on-wrist exercise stats. You additionally don’t achieve longer battery life. For a lot of Cost 6 customers, that makes Air really feel extra like a second gadget than a alternative.
Fitbit Air makes extra sense for individuals who desire a low-profile well being tracker to put on all day and all evening. It might additionally work properly for Pixel Watch customers who need one thing lighter for sleep monitoring whereas holding a smartwatch for daytime use. Google is clearly leaning into that concept, with Air positioned as a background tracker somewhat than a mini smartwatch.
Cost 6 stays the higher all-rounder. Fitbit Air is the extra fascinating product, however Cost 6 continues to be the safer purchase for most individuals who need one Fitbit to deal with exercises, well being checks and day by day wrist interplay. Air is for individuals who need much less on the wrist, no more.
Test Fitbit Air on Amazon and Fitbit Cost 6 on Amazon for the most recent costs.
Function
Fitbit Air
Fitbit Cost 6
Launch value
$99.99
$159.95
Show and controls
No show or buttons, vibration alerts solely
AMOLED touchscreen, haptic aspect button, always-on show possibility
Dimensions and weight
34.9 x 17 x 8.3mm, 5.2g with out band, 12g with band
36.73 x 23.09 x 11.20mm, round 30g
Supplies
Recycled polycarbonate and PBT plastics, textile band with chrome steel buckle
Aluminum case, silicone Infinity band
Battery and charging
As much as 7 days, 90 minute full cost, 5 minutes provides 1 day
As much as 7 days, round 2 hour full cost
Water resistance
5 ATM
5 ATM
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.0, as much as 30 ft sync vary
Bluetooth, as much as 30 ft sync vary
GPS
Related GPS by way of telephone
Constructed-in GPS and GLONASS
Core sensors
Optical coronary heart price, pink and infrared SpO2 sensors, pores and skin temperature variation sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, vibration motor
Optical coronary heart price, pink and infrared SpO2 sensors, pores and skin temperature variation sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, vibration motor, ambient gentle sensor
Superior well being sensors
Not included: ECG, EDA, NFC
ECG, EDA, NFC
Good options
Notification-free design, no Google Pockets, no Maps, no music controls
Notifications, Google Pockets, Google Maps, YouTube Music controls, timers, alarms, Discover My Telephone
On-device storage
7 days of detailed movement information, 1 day of exercise information, 30 days of day by day totals
7 days of detailed movement information, 30 days of day by day totals
