While we’re all waiting for the first tracker to emerge with Wear OS support and Google Assistant integration, Fitbit isn’t resting on its laurels. Barely 18 months after the debut of the redesigned Charge 3, Fitbit has launched the Charge 4, bringing new chips, new features, and a new color. Here’s how it compares to last year’s model:
Display and design
To the untrained eye, the Charge 4 is a carbon copy of the Charge 3, but when you put them side by side, you’ll notice a few slight differences. The Charge 4 seems a lot larger on paper, but the tapered design gives it a very similar feel to the Charge 3.
Charge 3 Dimensions: 35.8 x 22.7 x 11.8mm Weight: 29 grams
Charge 4 Dimensions: 28.8 x 42.7 x 12.5mm Weight: 30 grams
Michael Simon/IDGEven with larger dimensions, the Fitbit Charge 4 won’t look or feel much bigger than the Charge 3.
With a very similar body, the Charge 4 also has the exact same high-resolution (100×160) 1-inch greyscale OLED display with the Fitbit logo underneath. However, the Charge 4’s screen is slightly more advanced due to better backlighting that adjusts to different lighting conditions.
Navigation
Fitbit introduced a whole new navigation with the Charge 3, and nothing has changed on the Charge 4. The screen is fully touch-enabled for taps and swipes, and the divot on the left side is actually a haptic inductive button that acts as a shortcut to the settings, dismisses alarms, and activates Fitbit Pay. If you’re coming from a Charge 2, it’ll take some getting used to, but it’s vastly improved over the physical button and tap-screen on the Charge 2.
Sensors
The Charge 3 already had an array of powerful sensors, and the Charge 4 only builds on it. The Charge 4 makes NFC standard for Fitbit Pay (previously it was limited to the SE model) and also adds built-in GPS, a first for a Fitbit tracker. Both models are also swimproof up to 50 meters.
Charge 3 3-axis accelerometer Optical heart rate monitor Altimeter Vibration motor Relative SpO2 sensor NFC (in special editions only)
Charge 4 GPS 3-axis accelerometer Optical heart rate monitor Altimeter Vibration motor Relative SpO2 sensor NFC
FitbitAll Fitbit Charge 4 models now come with NFC for Fitbit Pay purchase.
Apps and notifications
While the Charge doesn’t run anywhere near the number of apps that the Versa does, its library more than covers the basics. And on the Charge 4, you get two new ones: Agenda, which is basically a mini calendar, and Spotify, which lets you control what’s playing on your phone if you have a Spotify Premium account.
Charge 3 Exercise Relax Timers Alarms Weather Settings
Charge 4 Agenda Spotify Exercise Relax Timers Alarms Weather Settings
The Charge 3 and Charge 4 can also receive notifications from your phone, and if you’re using an Android phone, you can set custom quick replies for responding to text messages.
Fitness, sleep, and health
The main features of the Fitbit Charge obviously revolve around heath and fitness tracking, and both versions bring an array of apps and features to help you get and stay fit.
Charge 3 24/7 heart rate monitoring Cardio fitness score Sleep Stages Real-time pace and distance Goal-based exercise modes Guided breathing Automatic exercise recognition Swim tracking All-day calorie burn Female health
Charge 4 Active Zone Minutes Workout Intensity Map 24/7 heart rate monitoring Cardio fitness score Sleep Stages Real-time pace and distance Goal-based exercise modes Guided breathing Automatic exercise recognition Swim tracking All-day calorie burn Female health
FitbitThe Fitbit Charge 4 includes a few new fitness features that the Charge 3 won’t be getting.
The biggest new health feature on the Charge 4 is Active Zone Minutes, which will also be coming to the Versa and Ionic smartwatches, but not the Charge 3. To get more personalized workout results, Fitbit will establish heart rate zones using personalized fat burn, cardio, and peak heart rate metrics to optimize your effort during workouts. Then your Charge 4 will alert you when you’ve reached your target heart rate zone and record it on a Workout Intensity Map available in the Fitbit app.
You’ll also be able to track your Sleep Score on the Charge 4 and use Smart Wake to gradually wake up at a set time rather than being jolted out of deep sleep.
Battery life and charging
Both the Charge 3 and Charge 4 offer full 7-day battery life including sleep and normal exercise tracking. However, if you turn on GPS on your Charge 4, it will be significantly lessened. Fitbit estimates that GPS use will drop the battery life to five hours due to the battery-gobbling GPS chip constantly sending and receiving a signal. Runners and cyclists will want to turn it on before a workout, but for the most part, it’ll stay turned off.
Colors and bands
Like the Charge 3, the new Charge 4 is available in two colors with a few different band options.
Charge 3 Black/Graphite Blue gray/Rose gold White/Graphite (SE) Lavender/Rose gold (SE)
Charge 4 Black/Black Storm Blue/Black Rosewood/Rosewood Granite Reflective Woven/Black (SE)
While the black option is very similar to last year’s graphite color, the rosewood model is closer to the Versa Lite’s mulberry shade of purple than rose gold. Fitbit has also made new bands to match the Charge 4’s colors, though any of the Charge 3 bands will fit as well.
FitbitThe Fitbit Charge 4 SE includes an exclusive reflective woven band.
Price
The price of the Charge 4 is the same as the Charge 3: $150 for the standard model and $170 for the special edition. The only difference is that the Charge 4 SE has the same functionality as the Charge 4, where the Charge 3 SE added NFC. The extra $20 buys you an extra exclusive woven band that would normally sell for $35.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He's still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.