What Fitness Tracker Should I Buy?

With so many options available for monitoring your day to day health and activity levels, picking what is best for you can be a difficult task. From fitness trackers, to smart watches, to fitness rings, the possibilities for this wearable tech is endless. But what is the best choice? Our guide is here to help you reach your best decision. 

For anyone who doesn't have time to read the whole post, simply click here to go to our quick comparison table. 

Undoubtedly, public health is at the forefront of concerns not only in Ireland, but across the whole world. And with various restrictions in place, getting recommended daily activity is of huge importance for the physical and mental well-being. So, without any further ado, lets get into the comparison. 

The Fitbit Charge 4

So, let’s start with the most popular option, The Fitbit. Since its release in 2009, the popularity, product range, and customizability has dramatically increased, with their most recent release of January 2021 being the Charge 4.

This huge increase led to Fitbit being arguably the most well-known fitness tracker brand, with all fitness trackers colloquially being refereed to as ‘Fitbits’. Fitbit are also one of the few brands that target and cater their product towards health and fitness enthusiasts.

Main features

The Fitbit Charge 4 is a great option for people looking for a robust fitness and health tracker, smaller screen size and more durable design means less chance the screen breaking. Comes in at a good price point relative to other competitors. importantly, the features are all supported through an android operating system. Unfortunately for Apple users, a Fitbit won’t be able to be fully integrated into an iPhone and some features will be missing, such as using Siri. However, it is still supported on the iPhone, just the integration will be superior on android devices.

The Fitbit Charge 4 arrives at the lowest price point from the trackers we will cover, and they also provide a further budget friendly option, the ‘Inspire’. These cost just under €100!

So, who should get a Fitbit?

• A Fitbit would be ideal for the budget conscious consumer, who doesn’t mind on missing out on some additional features that the competition adds. Ideally an android user or an apple user who doesn’t require the full integration.
• Also, a great option for someone looking to get a fitness tracker at a lower price point.

A link to the official site can be found here 

The Apple Watch

The Apple Watch, a smartwatch with the premium feel and price you expect from Apple. This is apples entry into the wearable tech and fitness tech market, with the first smartwatch releasing in April of 2015. Notably, the apple watch is classified as a smart watch and not as a fitness tracker and is more of an extension of your phone instead of a designated fitness tracker. However, this does not mean that smartwatches cannot be used as fitness trackers, as they tend to have many of the same features of leading fitness trackers. Currently the apple watch is also the most expensive of the other fitness trackers mentioned, costing €422.

Another thing to consider when looking at purchasing an Apple Watch over other fitness trackers is the battery life, this is where a huge difference lies. with most fitness trackers having up to 7 days of battery life whereas the Apple watch has an estimated life of 18 Hours. This highlights the cost of having an extension of your smartphone over other fitness trackers, as you will have to treat your watch like a phone when it comes to frequency of charging. 

Main Features 

So, who should get an Apple watch?

• The Apple watch is ideally aimed at a consumer who is integrated into the Apple ecosystem and wants smartwatch integration and features as well as fitness tracker features and is willing to pay the premium price for the product.
• The Apple Watch is not recommended for android users as the watch will not connect or transfer any data recorded to the phone.

If the Apple watch is out of your price range, or you simply don’t require the added connectivity and smartphone control, and still want a wearable tech watch, then a Fitbit is the way to go!

A link to the official site can be found here. 

The Oura ring

The Oura Ring is one of the only ways to be wearing a fitness tracker, without looking like you are wearing a fitness tracker. With its unique design, the Oura ring takes a step towards jewelry as a fitness tracker instead the typical wearable tech watches you see every day.

This is the sleekest, and the only crowdfunded addition to the fitness tracker market. This is the smallest option available, but don’t let its size deceive you, the Oura Ring is packed with cutting edge technology. Its design itself does limit the features it can provide, as it Lacks the extra features and control other fitness trackers and smartwatches offer. This is due to the lack of screen. For instance, Spotify and notifications cannot be controlled.

With the aesthetic of the Oura ring, its widespread appeal reaches beyond tech and fitness enthusiasts as it can be seamlessly integrated into all tastes and preferences due to its ability to blend in with everyday jewelry.

Main Features 

So, who should get the Oura Ring?

The Oura ring is best suited for a consumer who is looking for a sleek and subtle fitness tracker, or someone who does not require the other touch screen and smartphone control features offered by other fitness trackers.

A link to the official site can be found here.

For any of the TLDR folks out there, here is a quick comparison table...

Quick links 

• The Fitbit can be found here.
• The Apple Watch can be found here.
• The Oura Ring can be found here. 

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Happy tracking!