We’re on Day three of the 12 Days of Christmas and we can focus on health and fitness with Fitbit’s lineup of products as a good starting point. Fitbit had a busy 2022 launching no less than three devices, two of them smartwatches, plus one activity tracker fitness band.
Which one do you get as a gift for a loved one? The Fitbit Sense 2 is the company’s most advanced smartwatch, with a stronger focus on health tracking, whereas the Versa 4 is a very capable smartwatch with plenty of fitness features. Rounding out the trio is the Fitbit Inspire 3, a more affordable tracker for those who don’t need everything. All of them are good choices to gift this Christmas.
Check out all 12 Days of Christmas gifts
Why choose Fitbit as a gift?
Fitbit has established itself as a trusted health and fitness brand over the last 10 years. With dozens of devices over that period, plus much improved software and a subscription service (Fitbit Premium), the overall product feels polished and effective. Google acquired the company in 2021 and its presence is slowly growing on Fitbit’s products as well.
Not that Fitbit lost any of its own flavour thus far. Its devices have way more features today than they did as recently as four years ago. Heart rate monitors have gone on to include ECGs (electrocardiograms), while SpO2 sensors for blood oxygen also complement skin temperature readings. More accurate step tracking and heart rate monitoring helps deliver more precise information each and every day.
The Fitbit app collects all the data for insight into what you’ve done, or to indicate if you haven’t been active enough. Active Zone Minutes are a good example, highlighting when you’re burning fat or in high intensity cardio, for instance. There are even metrics for mindfulness and managing stress.
All of these products offer good personalization. They not only come in different colours, but you can also swap out the straps. They also are available in various materials, be it silicone, leather, fabric or metal. That helps them fit in for any occasion when you need to keep it casual or dress it up.
In my review and video of the Fitbit Versa 2, I covered setup and performance in detail, noting the reasons why I felt it was a worthwhile pickup if you were in the market for a smartwatch.
Differences between Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa
The Fitbit Sense 2 has a Body Response sensor that works through the electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor to keep track of stress throughout any given day. To do this, it takes the data from the heart rate monitor, including heart rate variability and skin temperature to better understand how your body reacts to situations. You see it scored under the Stress Management section in the app, though you can only get the full details when you subscribe to Fitbit Premium.
This is also the only watch to have a photoplethysmography (PPG) algorithm that can detect any sign of atrial fibrillation (AFib) while asleep or laying down. These features are different from the previous Sense in that they continuously track for stress rather than when you activate the feature manually.
The Versa 4 doesn’t have the ECG and EDA sensors, so you won’t get the same level of tracking in those areas. It’s also not the watch to choose if AFib tracking is of interest to you. Instead, the Versa’s focus is on fitness and activity, though you do get an SpO2 sensor to track blood oxygen with this watch as well.
Beyond that, the two watches share a lot of similarities. Both have the same screen size, battery life and run on the same software. They also use the same mechanism for the straps, so they are interchangeable. Google’s presence isn’t extensive, and what’s odd is Google Assistant no longer works either way. You can get Google Maps and Google Wallet. Several features are currently missing, set to come to the watches via future firmware updates. That includes the Google integrations.
Why Fitbit Inspire 3 makes a great gift
This is an entry-level tracker perfect for beginners or leisure users who don’t need all features. The colour AMOLED display is a first for this line, and makes stats and details look more vibrant. It’s not without its share of capabilities, mind you. It actually has an SpO2 sensor, plus the EDA and AFib tracking. You can measure and find your Stress Management Score much the same way with this nifty device.
Its smaller form factor is also ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to wear something bigger on their wrist. You can swap out the straps for any other compatible ones, of which there are many already available. It offers superior battery life at up to 10 days per charge, but you will see that number change based on how much you use it to track movement.
Fitbit is a solid choice as a holiday gift
Getting a Fitbit device for someone is a good way to help spur or continue a more active lifestyle. These three fitness tracker models demonstrate that in ways that are both effective and elective. How much you move, how you choose to do it—all of it is easier with any one of them. A Premium account isn’t a necessity, but you can decide that for yourself as any one of these devices come with a free six-month trial to give it a try.
There’s plenty more good stuff in our 12 Days of Christmas series, and Fitbit is a good place to start. The Fitbit Sense 2 is available now in shadow grey, blue mist and lunar white. For the Fitbit Versa 4, you have black, waterfall blue and pink sand. And finally, the Inspire 3 comes in midnight zen, morning glow and lilac bliss. If you’re looking for more, check out Fitbit’s lineup to see what else might be a good fit.
Take a look at our 12 days of Christmas posts
- Day 1 – a new KitchenAid mixer
- Day 2 – Epson EcoTank printer
- Day 3 – Everything Fitbit
- Day 4 – Samsung Neo QLED TV
- Day 5 – Lego
- Day 6 – BenQ projector
- Day 7 – KitchenAid coffee maker
- Day 8 – Arlo cameras
- Day 9 – New smartphone
- Day 10 – Ebikes
- Day 11 – Sennheiser headphones
- Day 12 – Video games
Can’t Go Wrong Getting in Ship Shape with this lovely Gift. Thank You Best Buy .