Both the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Fitbit Edge are designed to do more than just count your steps, calories and sleep. They can both track multiple sports, but which one comes out on top in the water? I swam 1400 metres with both devices, using my Speedo smart goggles as the control — read on to find out more.

Before we dive into the data, check out our Apple Watch Series 12 review and Fitbit Edge review on Tom’s Guide here.

I swam 1400m with the Apple Watch 12 and Fitbit Edge: Here’s which fitness tracker came out on top

Let’s start with how these trackers measure your swimming workouts. Both use an internal accelerometer and gyroscope to recognise arm pulls and calculate how many strokes you take per length, as well as your stroke rate (strokes per minute). That said, there is a slight difference between the two trackers.

Before starting a swim workout, the Apple Watch Series 12 asks you to confirm the length of the pool you’re swimming in. This means during the workout, you’re able to see at a glance how many lengths you’ve swum. The Fitbit Edge doesn’t have a similar feature. When you get out of the pool, the Apple Watch will also give you a breakdown of how far you swam in each stroke, whereas the Fitbit Edge doesn’t.

As a control, I used my Speedo iQ Vanisher 3.0 goggles. These smart goggles give you a wealth of data when you’re back on dry land. As well as your pace, distance, and how long you spent resting at the side of the pool, you’ll also be able to see your head position, breath time and distance per stroke for each stroke.

Here’s what the Apple Watch Series 12 and Fitbit Edge recorded:

As you can see from the data, the Apple Watch Series 12 was pretty perfect in the pool, measuring exactly what my goggles did. While the goggles don’t record heart rate, according to my Oura Ring 5, my average over the course of the swim was 129 beats per minute.

The Fitbit Edge, on the other hand, recorded a longer swim, and therefore a few more lengths. It would be nice to see stroke data on the fitness tracker, but again, I’d argue that the Edge is designed for the casual swimmer, not someone looking for a wealth of data.

Either way, I was impressed with the accuracy of the Apple Watch in the water. Being able to input the length of the pool and see at a glance how many lengths I’d covered allowed me to listen to my podcast (the Shokz OpenSwim Pro headphones are still my go-to) without having to keep count. During most swim workouts, I typically switch strokes every 10 lengths, so it’s a good addition to have.

I’ll be continuing to test wearables in the pool, but which of these devices would you be more interested in? Let us know in the poll below.

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The Fitbit Edge is Google’s latest launch, and it sits between the $99 Fitbit Air that was released earlier this year and the Pixel Watch 5, Google’s top-tier smartwatch. It’s $180, with a bright screen, built-in GPS, and a comfortable, compact design.

One of the things we do with every new device that lands on our desk here at Tom’s Guide is look at how well it does the basics. We look at how good the auto-detection is at picking up a workout, whether the sleep tracking seems about right, and how well it counts our steps.

To do this, we do one of our infamous walk tests, where we strap a device to each wrist and manually count every step using the kind of clicker tool you’d spot a bouncer at a nightclub holding. Sure, our neighbours wonder what we’re up to, but it’s all in the name of good content.

This week, I decided to see how the $180 Fitbit Edge compared to Apple’s smartest smartwatch — the $800 Apple Watch Ultra 4. Read on to find out which device came out on top, and check out our Fitbit Edge review and Apple Watch Ultra 4 review here.

I walked 4,500 steps with the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and the Fitbit Edge

As always, let's start with how these devices count your steps. Both trackers count steps using an internal accelerometer that measures arm swing. Each swing counts for two steps, and it doesn’t matter whether you wear your watch on your dominant or non-dominant hand. Whether you walk with your hands in your pockets or holding a cup of coffee, the accelerometer should still measure your body’s movement.

As with all the best Apple Watches, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 still doesn’t tell you the number of steps you’ve taken during a specific workout; instead, you see an overall number of steps throughout the day, which you can now pin to your home screen. This is probably because steps aren’t actually that useful a metric beyond a certain point, but annoying for me when writing these articles. For this comparison, I downloaded a third-party Pedometer+ app onto my Apple Watch.

Here are the results:

As you can see from the results, the Fitbit Edge was astonishingly close to the actual number of steps I took, only counting an extra eight over the course of my walk. The Apple Watch Ultra 4, on the other hand, overcounted by 51 steps.

It’s important to point out here that 51 steps don’t make the Apple Watch Ultra 4 inaccurate in any way. The average person takes 2,000 steps a mile, so an extra 51 steps is nothing.

Likewise, it's worth noting that these are two very different devices, and probably not options most people would be deciding between. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is like having an extension of your iPhone on your wrist, with an abundance of apps to choose from. It’s designed to be a rugged smartwatch, designed for extreme sports, whereas the Fitbit Edge is a slim fitness tracker, with a focus on daily health tracking.

We’ll continue testing the Fitbit Edge, but it’s impressive to see how accurate its step counting is in this test. Which device would you choose? Let us know in the poll below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
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I really wanted to love the Fitbit Edge, especially when I unboxed the cute pink version of Google’s latest tracker. I’m a huge fan of the $99 Fitbit Air, which launched earlier this year and immediately became one of the best screenless trackers on the market. Yet after two weeks of wearing the Fitbit Edge, I’m not convinced — here are three things I wish Google had done differently.

Before we dive in, you can read my colleague Dan’s extensive Fitbit Edge review here, as well as our Fitbit Air review on Tom’s Guide.

Fitbit Edge: The good bits

Let’s start with what I do like about the $180 Fitbit Edge. Firstly, I’m a fan of the design and fit of the tracker: it’s comfortable and unobtrusive on my wrist, especially compared to the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra 4 or Fenix 9 Pro, which I’ve recently been reviewing.

It’s dainty, and Google has done a fantastic job of releasing a huge range of swappable straps to suit every style. If you want a fitness tracker that’ll disappear, this isn’t quite as tiny as the Fitbit Air, but it still ticks that box.

I also think this device is pretty well priced. It’s $80 more than the Fitbit Air, but you’re getting a screen and built-in GPS. If you’re after a sports watch, I’d still recommend looking at something like the Coros Pace 4, which comes in at a similar price point, but for a fitness tracker, you’re getting a decent amount for your money with the Fitbit Edge.

Now onto the not-so-good bits.

1. The button

Sure, it’s great to have a physical button on a fitness tracker, and this one is better than the haptic buttons we saw on the Fitbit Charge 6, but I’m a little frustrated by how little the Fitbit Edge’s button actually does.

For example, you’d expect the button to start a run, not just stop it; instead, you still need to tap the screen before you start moving. Any runner knows nothing’s more frustrating than trying to swipe a touchscreen with sweaty fingers, especially on the start or finish line of a race.

The same applies to the stopwatch feature — you’d expect pressing the button would allow you to start the stopwatch, but instead it takes you back to the home screen. I’m never one to complain about a button on a wearable; in fact, the more buttons, the better, but I’m confused why the Fitbit Edge’s button doesn’t do an awful lot.

2. No NFC payments

One thing missing from the Fitbit Edge compared to its predecessor, the Fitbit Charge 6, is contactless payments. Google says only 1% of Fitbit Charge 6 users utilized this feature, which is why they decided to remove it from the Fitbit Edge, but it still feels like a slightly odd decision in 2026.

3. Not a lot of customization in workout modes

Most people will be buying a fitness tracker to track their workouts, and I found a few things missing during my testing. Firstly, you can’t customize the data fields in workout modes or reorder them to see the ones most important to you. Again, this isn’t a deal breaker, but when the screen is that small, it would be nice to prioritize the data fields you care about most.

Secondly, I really wish you could do more when you’re on a walk or run. For example, you can’t use Google Maps navigation in workout modes, which is something I used pretty frequently when running or hiking around a new neighborhood. You also can’t control your music from the Fitbit Edge once you’re in a workout mode, which again, is something I didn’t realize I relied on until it was gone.

It’s also worth flagging that the GPS on the device is automatically set to dynamic, which means it switches between using your phone’s GPS and the built-in GPS. When you switch the tracker to using the built-in GPS, I found it takes a hit on battery life, using around 11% for an hour-long run.

It’s worth noting here that I’m probably not the target audience for the Fitbit Edge. The majority of people who buy this tracker won’t be using it for everyday runs or super-accurate GPS maps.

It’s designed for the casual fitness enthusiast who wants to keep an eye on their daily health metrics, and for that user, it does a great job. If you’re an endurance athlete or a serious runner, there are better devices on the market for you. Plus, if you’re not, a lot of these problems can be solved with a firmware update, so I wouldn’t let it put you off entirely.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
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The new Fitbit Edge features onboard GPS, which is a very good thing for folks who enjoy outdoor workouts, and also just one of the many reasons it's one of the best fitness trackers you can buy.

Unlike the more entry-level Fitbit Air, you can accurately log location, distance, speed, pace, climb, and more with the Edge without needing to carry a paired smartphone.

The Fitbit Edge’s onboard GPS is a battery hog

There is one downside to the Fitbit Edge's onboard GPS though: it uses a lot of battery. Just to be clear, the wearable's overall battery life is pretty solid; I averaged about a week of use per charge while writing the Fitbit Edge review.

However, when using the Edge's onboard GPS for location tracking, it burns through roughly 12% battery per hour. This translates to just over eight hours of use before it's lights out.

But it's not your only option for logging outdoor workouts

Fortunately, there are a few ways to minimize battery drain without sacrificing location tracking insights. Both can be found in the Google Health app under Devices > Fitbit Edge > Device preferences > GPS settings.

Here you can switch location tracking from built-in to either dynamic — which uses both your smartphone and the onboard antenna — or smartphone-only.

The disadvantage of switching off the onboard GPS, of course, is that you now need to haul your smartphone along. But then again, if you're logging an eight-plus-hour workout, it may not be a bad idea to carry a means of communication just in case of emergencies.

More crucially, the non-onboard GPS options significantly reduce battery consumption in my testing. For example, switching to dynamic GPS increases battery life from around eight hours to closer to 25 hours for outdoor workouts.

But does turning off the onboard GPS negatively impact tracking accuracy? The Google Health app seems to suggest that it might, noting that the built-in option offers "high accuracy" while the dynamic one "automatically switches between devices to optimize battery and accuracy." Hmmm..

But are the Edge's other GPS modes as accurate?

To find out if there's really a difference in tracking accuracy between the three GPS modes, I logged three 30-minute walking workouts using each one. As a control, I also logged the walks using my reliable Garmin Forerunner 170 Music, worn on the opposite wrist.

Find the results below:

In my first test using only onboard GPS, the Fitbit Edge delivered impressively similar data to the control, including a step count total that's off by only one.

Next up, the dynamic GPS test.

Test 2: Onboard GPS + phone GPS

When using the Fitbit Edge's dynamic GPS mode, which switches between the onboard and smartphone-based antennas, the Edge once again logged data that falls remarkably well in line with the control across the board.

Finally, let's see how the Fitbit Edge performs in smartphone GPS-only mode.

With the exception of somewhat sluggish pace data, the Fitbit Edge's smartphone-only GPS tracking mode is also right on the money in terms of step count, distance, and climb data.

Which Fitbit Edge GPS mode is best?

Ultimately, all three Fitbit Edge GPS modes delivered accurate-enough results that I'd confidently rely on any of them going forward, but is one definitively the best? That's going to truly come down to the user.

For example, I plan to set and leave the Edge's built-in tracking switched on unless a particularly long hike or multi-day trek is in my future, in which case, dynamic mode will be my preference. Actually, in that scenario, I'd probably opt for something more rugged, like the Garmin Instinct 3, to log my efforts instead.

But for everyday jogs, bike rides, dog walks, urban hikes, and other casual, quick workouts where I don't want the bulk of a smartphone weighing me down, you can bet I'll be sticking with the onboard GPS.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,000 steps with the Apple Watch SE 3 vs Fitbit Edge — and the results are impressive
• I was having issues with Fitbit’s auto workout detection — until I changed this one setting
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I recently tested the fitness tracking performance of the Fitbit Edge vs. Apple Watch 12, and much to my surprise, the more affordable Fitbit came out on top against one of the best smartwatches in 2026.

But can the Fitbit Edge pull a repeat win against the Apple Watch SE 3? It is, after all, a more direct competitor to the Edge, both in terms of price and features, compared to the Series 12.

To find out, I walked exactly 5,005 steps (manually counted) with the Fitbit Edge logging my efforts from my left wrist and the Apple Watch SE 3 recording the workout from my right wrist. As a control for distance, climb, and pace, I also recorded the walk in the Strava app on my iPhone 16 Plus.

You can find the results of my Fitbit Edge versus Apple Watch SE 3 walk test below, along with the five biggest takeaways from the data, including an overall winner declared at the end.

Fitbit Edge vs. Apple Watch SE 3

But first, here's a quick rundown of the key differences between these two popular wearables. The Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $249, is iOS-only, and balances impressive health and fitness features with smart features galore.

The Fitbit Edge starts at $179, works with Android and iOS devices, and also boasts comprehensive holistic and workout-logging chops, but few smart features. That said, the more petite Fitbit Edge gets roughly a week of battery compared to about a day for the Apple Watch SE 3.

When it comes to logging a basic walking workout, both devices are evenly matched with onboard GPS and barometric altimeters for precise location and elevation tracking, along with continuous heart rate monitoring.

Now, for the results:

I walked 5,000 steps with the Fitbit Edge vs Apple Watch SE 3

1. Fitbit's step count is closer than Apple's

The Fitbit Edge logged 5,016 steps during my roughly 45-minute walk, just eleven steps off from my actual total. The Apple Watch SE 3 didn't do too shabby either, logging 109 step fewer than my manual count.

As always, my rule of thumb for these tests is that any step count within roughly 100 steps of my actual total is considered excellent and well within a reasonable margin for error. While the SE 3 is just a hair outside this threshold, this is still a solid result for the entry-level Apple Watch.

2. Fitbit's climb data is also a near match with the control

One of the biggest differences between the Fitbit Edge and its predecessor, the Fitbit Charge 6, is that the newer model has an altimeter for logging climb data; the older model doesn't. More importantly, the Edge logs uphill efforts with proven accuracy, from my testing, and this demo only adds to that conclusion.

The Apple Watch SE 3, meanwhile, inflated my climb by a similar margin to the Apple Watch 12 in my previous walk test versus the Edge.

3. Fitbit noted more calories burned; Apple record a higher max heart rate

The Apple Watch SE 3 (worn on my right wrist) logged higher heart rate data than the Fitbit Edge; however, the Fitbit Edge calculated more calories burned during the walk.

Could this discrepancy in heart rate be a result of the devices tracking my workout from different wrists? Probably not. After all, the best Apple Watches and best fitness trackers, including the Edge, are designed to be worn on the wrist of your choice.

That said, it's up to you to set your chosen wrist preference in the settings/companion app, as I did for this test, to ensure the best possible data.

4. Both wearables burned through similar amounts of battery

The Fitbit Edge has the Apple Watch SE 3 easily beat when it comes to overall battery performance; the former lasts up to a week per charge compared to 18-24 hours per charge for the latter.

However, when it comes to GPS battery life, the two are apparently quite evenly matched. Both devices burned through 6% battery during my ~45-minute walk, an outcome I wasn't expecting.

5. The Fitbit Edge wins

Ultimately, the Fitbit Edge outperformed the Apple Watch SE 3 in this 5,005-step comparison of fitness tracking performance.

The Edge calculated nearly the same amount of steps taken as the manual tally and nearly identical elevation gain data too. That said, the SE 3 was a tiny bit closer to the control distance-wise.

However, even with the Edge coming out on top, I'd still happily use either of these modern wearables as my go-to health and fitness tracker, which begs the question: which do you prefer, the Apple Watch SE 3 or the Fitbit Edge? Let me know in the poll below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
• Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4: Which new Apple Watch should you buy?
• I’ve tested over 100 fitness trackers head-to-head — 3 workout stats I trust the least

I just reviewed the Fitbit Edge and the Fitbit Air, and they are easily two of the best fitness trackers of 2026, and devices I’ll likely be recommending for the foreseeable future.

However, one key criticism I had for both: Unreliable auto workout detection. Less of an issue for the screen-sporting Fitbit Edge than the screen-free Fitbit Air, I was hopeful Google would be quick to address this complaint with a firmware update.

And sure enough, the Mountain View Mammoth did just that, announcing improvements to Automatic Activity Detection not just for the latest Fitbits but also the Pixel Watch 5 and older Pixel Watch models.

The update expands the list of trackable activities from just a handful, like walking and bike riding, to over 100, with lots of popular and nuanced exercises covered.

However, even without the latest firmware, there's a quick and easy way to improve auto activity tracking on the Fitbit Air and Fitbit Edge that's buried within the menus of the Google Health app.

This fix addresses one of the two key conditions needed for workout tracking to kick in. You see, Google wearables, by default, require a sustained heart rate and a minimum workout duration of 15 minutes for auto-detection to work.

However, users can manually lower the minimum duration to ten minutes, a change I've found tends to make auto-detection more reliable than the default settings. Here's how to change it.

How to improve auto activity tracking on the Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Air

1. Open the Google Health app and tap on your profile picture in the top right corner
2. Scroll down and tap on ‘Google Health settings.’ Then scroll down and tap on ‘Activity’ under the ‘Preferences’ banner
3. On the ‘Activity’ page, scroll down and tap on ‘Activity Detection’ near the bottom under the 'Feature settings' banner
4. Tap on one of the listed activities and then tap on ‘Minimum duration’
5. Change the minimum duration threshold from the default to 10 minutes by swiping up/down
6. Tap ‘Save’ and then the back button to change the duration for other activities

Read on to see full illustrated instructions for each step.

I recommend changing the workout duration to ten minutes — the minimum — for all of the activities listed, including walking, biking, and “All other workouts.” Unfortunately, when it comes to “Sports” workouts, the default duration of 15 minutes is the shortest option.

It’s also worth noting that users can revisit a mislabeled activity in the Google Health app and manually correct the workout type. Moreover, the more activities you log on your Fitbit or Pixel Watch, the better your device should get at auto-detecting your favorites.

Finally, keep in mind that auto-detected activities can take up to 30 minutes before appearing in the Google Health app.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 6,000 steps with the Fitbit Edge vs Apple Watch 12 — and I'm shocked by the results
• 3 reasons why I’m glad Google didn’t give the Fitbit Edge NFC
• 3 reasons why the new Fitbit Edge beats the Fitbit Charge 6 — and 1 reason it doesn’t

While the recent Fitbit Edge and screen-less Fitbit Air are the hottest fitness trackers of 2026, Samsung appears set to launch a direct competitor to the former in the near-ish future.

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 4 would replace 2024’s Samsung Galaxy Fit 3, a small tracker with a large display and support for some of Samsung’s best holistic tools, borrowed from the higher-end Galaxy Watch line.

What might the Galaxy Fit 4 bring to the table, and will it be enough to beat the Fitbit Edge, arguably the best fitness tracker for most people on the market today? Here’s everything we know (and think we know) about the Galaxy Fit 4 based on recent rumors and leaks.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 4: Price prediction

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 debuted globally in 2024 but wasn’t available in the U.S. until winter 2025. A launch price of $59 made the Galaxy Fit 3 one of the best bang-for-your-buck fitness trackers on the market at the time, undercutting even the popular Fitbit Inspire 3.

I’ve yet to see any pricing rumors for the Galaxy Fit 4, but based on its predecessor's cost and Samsung’s history of beating the competition, price-wise, I’d be willing to bet that the Galaxy Fit 4 is a little more than the Galaxy Fit 3 (to account for inflation, at least) but still less than the $99 Fitbit Air.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 4: Design and display rumors

Based on leaked blueprints of the device from earlier this year, first shared by Android Authority, the Galaxy Fit 4 is tipped to feature a rectangular case with a decently sized AMOLED touchscreen and a single physical button on the side, just like its predecessor and the Fitbit Edge.

In terms of display specs, the older model features a rectangular 1.6-inch AMOLED panel with 256 x 402 pixels of resolution and a max brightness of around 600 nits. What might the Galaxy Fit 4 feature?

My guess is that the screen size will stay the same. However, according to a recently published report from SammyGuru — which allegedly previewed an unreleased version of the companion app — the new model will have a slightly higher-res 258 × 428-pixel display than its predecessor.

In terms of brightness, given advancements in display technology over the past few years, there’s a good chance the Galaxy Fit 4 will also offer a higher maximum brightness than its predecessor for better readability in bright daylight.

What about the overall aesthetic of the wearable? A mostly aluminum case is likely, and you can also probably expect at least three color options, including black and white, with either blue or green replacing the Galaxy Fit 3's pink model.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 4: Possible features

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 4 is slated to have the brand’s GH3036 health sensor array for continuous heart rate monitoring and other holistic tracking capabilities. This information comes from Samsung’s own documents, first reported on by Android Authority.

New stress tracking and management tools could be in the cards, based on more recent insider reports; automatic workout detection is also rumored.

But beyond basic health, sleep, and fitness tracking, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the Galaxy Fit 4, feature-wise. For example, will it gain GPS for location tracking without a paired phone or NFC for contactless payments? Its predecessor lacks both, and either would be a welcome upgrade.

Like the Galaxy Fit 3, I fully expect the new model to offer safety tools like fall detection and emergency SOS, along with important health monitoring features like instant blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings, daily sleep scores, high/low pulse notifications, and snore detection.

Another upgrade I’d like to see is the addition of sleep apnea detection, something you’ll find on the best Samsung watches but not the Galaxy Fit 3.

Finally, the Galaxy Fit 3 is rated at an impressive 13 days of battery per charge. With the Galaxy Fit 4, battery life will likely be comparable, that is, unless Samsung outfits the wearable with a power-hungry GPS antenna.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 4: Outlook

Even if the Samsung Galaxy Fit 4 gains GPS and NFC and sells for a lower price than the competition, namely Fitbit, one major factor could ultimately limit its popularity: lack of iOS support.

While Google’s top-of-the-line wearables like the Pixel Watch 5 are Android-only, the brand’s line of Fitbit fitness trackers all play nicely with both Android and iOS devices.

This is to say, if Samsung is serious about making a dent in Google’s dominance in the wallet-friendly fitness tracker market, making the Galaxy Fit 4 multi-platform would be a wise first step.

What are your thoughts on a potential Samsung Galaxy Fit 4 fitness tracker? Which new features would you most like to see? Let me know below.

More from Tom's Guide

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Earlier this week, my colleague Dan walked 6,000 steps with the new Fitbit Edge and the Apple Watch Series 12 to test which was more accurate when it comes to one of the most basic smartwatch requirements: step counting. Dan found that the $179 Fitbit Edge came out on top of the $399 Apple Watch Series 12. Keen to find out more, I strapped both to my wrist and repeated the test.

Sure, both of these trackers will do a lot more than just count your steps. The Apple Watch Series 12 is like having an extension of your iPhone on your wrist, and is the best smartwatch on the market for most people. The Fitbit Edge seems to toe the line between the $99 screenless Fitbit Air and the Google Pixel Watch 5 — a bright screen, built-in GPS, and a continuous heart rate monitor.

Like all these walk tests, I strapped one watch to each wrist and used a $5 clicker tool from Amazon to count my steps as I walked manually. Both trackers count steps using an internal accelerometer, which measures the swing of your arms. Each swing counts for two steps, and it doesn’t matter whether you wear your watch on your dominant or non-dominant hand. It doesn’t matter if you walk with your hands in your pockets or holding a cup of coffee; the accelerometer should still measure your body’s movement.

Read on to find out which came out on top. You can also read our Apple Watch Series 12 review and our Fitbit Edge review here on Tom’s Guide.

I walked another 8,000 steps with the Apple Watch 12 and Fitbit Edge: Here’s which came out on top

As with all of the best Apple Watches, the Apple Watch Series 12 still doesn’t tell you the number of steps you’ve taken during a specific workout; instead, you see an overall number of steps throughout the day, which you can now pin to your home screen. This is probably because steps aren’t actually that useful a metric beyond a certain point, but annoying for me when writing these articles. For this comparison, I downloaded a third-party Pedometer+ app onto my Apple Watch.

I split this walk up into three different walks, manually clicking each time I took a step. When I got home, I downloaded my data.

Walk one

Walk two

Walk three

Results

As you can see from the results, this one is incredibly close. The Apple Watch Series 12 overcounted by 23 steps; the Fitbit Edge missed 71 steps. With only 50 steps between them, it’s a tough one to call, but unlike Dan, I can say the Apple Watch Series 12 was slightly ahead here.

It’s worth noting that 50-70 steps is pretty much spot on. The average person takes 2,000 steps a mile, so an extra 23 steps is nothing.

To really compare these two watches head-to-head, you’d need to look at more than just how well they count steps. Both are designed to be worn 24/7 and help you track more than just walking workouts.

However, there are some big differences: as mentioned above, the Apple Watch Series 12 is designed to be an extension of your iPhone on your wrist, with plenty of apps at your disposal. The Fitbit Edge, on the other hand, is definitely more of a basic fitness tracker than a smartwatch.

We’ll continue to test and compare the two watches, but which would you buy?

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
• Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4: Which new Apple Watch should you buy?
• I’ve tested over 100 fitness trackers head-to-head — 3 workout stats I trust the least

Another day, another walk test on the Tom’s Guide fitness desk, and this time it’s the new Fitbit Edge on test against the Garmin Forerunner 70 — Garmin’s most affordable Forerunner running watch. If you’ve been around here long enough, you’ll know one of the first things we do when a new device is released is look at how well it does the basics, and in this case, that’s counting steps.

Sure, both of these trackers will do a lot more than just count your steps. The Fitbit Edge seems to toe the line between the $99 screenless Fitbit Air and the Google Pixel Watch 5 — a bright screen, built-in GPS, and continuous heart rate monitor. The Garmin Forerunner 70 is Garmin’s $249 beginner-level running watch, with plenty of training tools on board and a bright AMOLED screen.

But which came out on top? Read on to find out more, and check out our Fitbit Edge review and Garmin Forerunner 70 review here on Tom’s Guide.

I walked 12,000 steps with the Fitbit Edge and the Garmin Forerunner 70: Here’s which tracker won

As with all these tests, I wore one device on each wrist and used an Amazon clicker to count every step I took manually. Both trackers count your steps using an internal accelerometer, which measures the swing of your arms.

Each swing counts for two steps, and it doesn’t matter whether you wear your watch on your dominant or non-dominant hand. It doesn’t matter if you walk with your hands in your pockets or holding a cup of coffee; the accelerometer should still measure your body’s movement.

I split the steps over four different walks, and when I got home, I downloaded all the data. Here are my results:

Walk one

Walk two

Walk three

Walk four

Results

As you can see from the results, the Fitbit Edge beat the Garmin Forerunner 70 during this walk test, only overcounting by 56 steps. That’s not to say the Garmin was inaccurate; however, it only overcounted 89 steps over the 12,500 I actually took.

It’s worth noting that 50-90 steps is pretty much spot on. The average person takes 2,000 steps a mile, so an extra 56-89 steps is nothing.

To really compare these two watches head-to-head, you’d need to look at more than just how well they count steps. Both are designed to be worn 24/7 and help you track more than just walking workouts.

The Fitbit Edge is largely designed to be worn as an overall fitness tracker, with a slim design, an ECG monitor and skin temperature reader, and basic built-in GPS. The Forerunner 70, on the other hand, is largely designed for runners, with more buttons to make it easier to navigate around the watch with sweaty fingers, a heart rate sensor and advanced metrics like running cadence, and highly consistent built-in GPS.

There are no ECG or skin temperature sensors on the budget Garmin; however, it’ll last 13 days between charges compared to the seven-day battery life of the Fitbit Edge.

Both are at a similar price point: $179 for the Fitbit Edge and $249 for the Garmin Forerunner. Which you choose largely depends on what you’re planning on using it for. If you’re looking for a tracker to wear 24/7 and give you a better understanding of your overall health, you’ll get a lot from the Fitbit Edge. If you’re training for your first 10k or half marathon, the Garmin Forerunner 70 is the better choice.

But which would you pick? Let us know in the poll below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
• Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4: Which new Apple Watch should you buy?
• I’ve tested over 100 fitness trackers head-to-head — 3 workout stats I trust the least

With the Oura Ring 5, Fitbit Edge, and Garmin Cirqa dominating this year’s fitness tracker new releases, I was extremely excited to test out the lesser-known Luna Band. A screen-free, subscription-free fitness tracker, the Luna Band certainly looks the part.

But is looking the part enough to make it one of the best fitness trackers? The TL;DR is this: at some point in the future, yes. 100%. The Luna Band has so much potential. But right now? It doesn’t feel finished. There are tons of “Coming Soon” banners in the app, and you can’t customize any personal targets — which is such a shame, because I genuinely adored testing it. I would recommend buying it, but not for a few months.

I’ll get into all the gnarly details in this Luna Band review.

Luna Band review: Specs

Luna Band review: Price & availability

The Luna Band is $149 from Amazon U.S. and £129 direct from Luna in the U.K. This is $50 cheaper than the Garmin Cirqa and $50 cheaper than the Whoop 5.0 (from $199 to $369 per year).

However, the Fitbit Air ($99) and Amazfit Helio Strap ($99) both undercut the Luna Band by $50. The Luna Band looks much more appealing — and feels nicer on the skin — than the Amazfit Helio Strap and the silicone-y Fitbit Air strap (unless you pay extra for the upgraded knit option).

Luna Band review: Design

The Luna Band looks fantastic. I have nothing bad to say about its appearance. I tested the beige option, but it also comes in black and green. You get two straps, S-M and M-L, which are between 240mm and 295mm long. There’s a decent amount of Velcro at one end, so you can tighten the strap to your preference. I have wrists that can only be described as “Victorian child”, and it fit me perfectly without looking weird.

The Luna Band is also 5 ATM rated, which means you can wear it while swimming, but avoid high-impact water sports or scuba diving with it. I wore it in the ocean, and it both stayed put and didn’t get damaged.

The fabric not only looks good, but it doesn’t trap heat or sweat, unlike the silicone wristband on my Apple Watch SE 3.

Luna Band review: Fitness features

The Luna Band offers a huge range of fitness tracking functions. However, you have to go into the “Health and Activity” tab of the Luna app to start a workout — it’s not on the home page (even though surely it should be?).

Once I found the fitness section, I could scroll through 57 activities, although one of these is “Steam and Sauna Room,” not sure how “active” that one is. (To its credit, it does have a “Recovery” label next to it.)

There’s no onboard GPS, so when you go for hikes, cycles, or runs, it won’t generate a nice map like Amazfit Helio Strap or Garmin Cirqa — even if you take your phone with you. This band feels more suited to general lifestyle use rather than conscious training programs.

Automatic workout detection is a little blurry: I went for a run, but I clearly wasn’t running fast enough or long enough, as the Luna Band auto-detected a 4-minute run. This is a huge shame because my heart rate was between 144 and 162 BPM for thirty minutes on that day, but the band didn’t classify that as a run. There isn’t a huge amount of post-run analysis other than heart rate, so if you’re a serious runner, I’d recommend the Amazfit Helio Strap, Garmin Cirqa, or Fitbit Air instead.

However, this is also an issue on the Amazfit Helio Strap. After these hiccups, I learned my lesson — and started a workout manually from the app every time. After workouts, you get a nice heart rate zone bar chart and cardio versus strength efficiency.

I found the HRV to be somewhat unreliable. For a portion of my testing, I wore the Luna Band with my Amazfit Helio Strap, and the latter tracked my HRV at around 20 ms higher than the Luna Band. Of course, I can’t say for certain which was correct, but it’s worth mentioning.

Some features, like blood oxygen, are grayed out with a “Coming Soon” badge. There are tons of “Coming Soon” graphics in the app — I joked to my colleagues that it looks like a “Coming Soon” wasteland.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t test these “Coming Soon” areas. Does the blood oxygen saturation feature work? Who knows! For now, the Garmin Cirqa and Fitbit Air pip the Luna Band to the post here.

Luna Band review: Extra features

The Luna app is replete with cool, lifestyle-oriented features. The home page has your ideal daily plan (but you can’t change it — more on that) and your peak score. Everything else shows up in the “Health” tab.

Sleep tracking

Sleep tracking on the Luna Band is one of its standout features. It tracks from the moment you lie down rather than when you fall asleep, so you can see your precise sleep latency. You don’t have to do math, like with the Amazfit Helio Strap, which tracks from the moment you fall asleep. Remembering what time I put my phone down when I’m groggy in the morning is always a challenge.

Here’s a screenshot of an example night.

I love seeing the stratification of my sleep quality and my body’s response during the night. Tracking HRV is one of the most important things I look for in a fitness tracker.

However — and I’ll get into this in more detail in the “App” section — you can’t adjust your sleep targets. I don’t want my sleep target to be 7 hours; I want it to be 8 hours. You can’t change this because the band works out how much sleep it thinks I need. But I don’t care how much sleep the fitness tracker thinks I need — I want my target to be how much sleep I think I need. I checked with the built-in chatbot, and it told me you can’t customize these targets manually.

Peak score

At first, I hoped Peak Score would be more like Amazfit’s BioCharge feature, but it doesn’t really work like that. While BioCharge goes down during the day and resets at night, Peak Score uses your workout data, sleep data, and general wellbeing data to generate a set daily number. This means if you run a marathon, your peak score won’t change.

While this isn’t inherently wrong or bad, it’s worth noting if you’d like a dynamic number that reflects your activity for the day. For example, if you run in the morning and go to a boxing class in the evening and want to know how hard you can push yourself.

I like Peak Score, and I like Amazfit’s BioCharge. Both have their merits.

Luna Band review: App

The Luna app is less fitness-focused and more lifestyle-oriented. While it does still offer insights into energy, readiness, and so on, it also features tons of suggestions for eating, walking, and sleeping,

My prevailing thought regarding the app is that I wish Luna hadn’t released it unfinished. Because that’s what it is — unfinished. The app wants you to sleep for seven hours; walk 5,000 steps; burn 410 active calories; walk/run 8km a day. There’s no option to change any of these targets, or, if there is, it’s incredibly well-hidden — and the built-in AI chatbot doesn’t know how to change it either.

That brings me to my next point: there is, however, an AI chatbot in the app, because of course there is! I wish the Luna team had spent more time finishing the app — allowing you to actually set personal targets — rather than polishing said AI chatbot.

I don’t want to sleep for seven hours; I want to sleep for eight. I don’t want to walk 5,000 steps; I want to walk 10,000. Sure, you can do this manually, but I want the dopamine release of the app itself congratulating me for reaching my more difficult target.

It’s really unfortunate, because the app itself is beautifully laid out. The design team has done a great job. Everything is sleek, well-designed, and easy to understand. At first, I wondered if the app could do with more easily navigable customization tabs, but then I realised there were none. Again — a huge shame, because the Luna Band has serious potential.

However, there’s no subscription, which is a huge plus over Whoop, which requires a subscription, and the Fitbit Air and Garmin Cirqa, which lock some features behind a monthly paywall. Even so, I would recommend waiting for these “Coming Soon” features to actually arrive.

Luna Band review: Battery life

The Luna Band is rated for around 10 days. I found this accurate during testing — I charged it four times over a five-week period.

This battery life isn’t as good as the Whoop 5.0 (14 days) or Amazfit Helio Strap (14 days), but it’s better than the Fitbit Air (one week) and equals the Garmin Cirqa. I’m extremely happy with this battery life.

Should you buy the Luna Band?

Right now? No. I’d recommend waiting until the app is actually finished. There’s little point in investing in a new fitness tracker and learning the app when there’s actually not that much to learn right now.

This is such a shame, because I really enjoyed using the Luna Band. It’s sleek, pretty, inconspicuous. It’s much smaller and more feminine than the Amazfit Helio Strap, and cheaper than the Garmin Cirqa. On top of that, there’s no subscription, which is amazing.

Choosing the Luna Band’s rating was incredibly hard because I genuinely loved wearing this fitness tracker. Sleep tracking is fantastic. The app design is gorgeous. It’s just a shame Luna released it before it was ready.

When Ultrahuman first announced its new flagship Ring Pro last February, we didn’t know whether the wearable would ultimately go on sale in the U.S. because of ongoing litigation with U.S.-based rival Oura.

Then, in March, Ultrahuman opened preorders for the Ring Pro to U.S. customers. Now, in the final week of October, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro has officially hit U.S. store shelves at major retailers like Best Buy and Amazon for $479.

But is the Ultrahuman Ring Pro worth the hype? I’ve been wearing one for a few days — full review coming soon — and I already think it’s a seriously strong competitor to the Oura Ring 5, the best smart ring in 2026.

With that in mind, here are the seven most important things you need to know about the Ultrahuman Ring Pro.

1. It's been completely redesigned to avoid Oura's (legal) wrath

The Ultrahuman Ring Pro features a unique unibody design that's purpose-built not only to withstand daily wear but also to avoid infringing on any of Oura's existing patents. As a reminder, Oura successfully litigated to keep the Ultrahuman Ring Air, the Pro's predecessor, off U.S. store shelves in 2025 for patent infringements.

However, when I spoke with Mohit Kumar, the founder and CEO of Ultrahuman, earlier this year, he seemed confident in his team's reworked design for the newer model.

"We went through the [U.S.] Customs procedure 177 to get the device approved, noted Kumar. " We took the right path to make sure that the design is approved by (U.S.) Customs, and they officially issue an order that says, 'This is a design which is unique and non-infringing, for the patent which Oura holds.'"

Another benefit of the updated design: It features Ultrahuman's "ProRelease Technology," a safety feature that makes it relatively easy for emergency responders or medical professionals to cut the ring off for any reason (like a faulty, swollen battery).

2. It’s pricier than the Oura Ring 5, but…

The Ultrahuman Ring starts at $479, which is $79 more than the starting cost of the Oura Ring 5 (more on that in a second). It's available in four finishes, including gold, silver, black, and titanium, with sizes ranging from five to 14.

The $479 covers not only the ring but also the cost of Ultrahuman's swanky/handy Pro Charging case (further details on that too, below).

3. Core features are subscription-free

Despite a higher up-front cost compared to the Oura Ring 5, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro is a better value after the first ~14 months of ownership. This is because Oura requires users to sign up for a subscription to use their smart ring for $5.99 a month or $69.99 a year.

Ultrahuman, on the other hand/finger, takes a more wallet-friendly, subscription-free approach to wellness tracking, which is perhaps the most notable difference between the two brands.

4. It’s thicker and heavier than other smart rings

The Ultrahuman Ring Pro is noticeably heavier than the Oura Ring 5. My size 11 silver Ultrahuman Ring Pro weighs 4.52 g versus ~2.5 g for the comparable Oura Ring 5. The latest Ultrahuman flagship is also thicker than its rival...then again, Oura's latest is one of the smallest, lightest smart rings in the world.

The Ultrahuman Ring Pro has a thickness of 2.6mm around the band and ~4.8mm at the sensors, making it thicker (and heavier) than other popular smart rings I've tested/demoed, too, like the RingConn Gen 2 Air.

That said, after 24 hours of wearing the Ring Pro, I hardly notice it on my left index finger, and this is coming from someone who doesn't usually rock rings. That said, let's see if my tune changes over the coming weeks.

5. Ultrahuman reworked the heart rate sensor for better accuracy

In addition to a redesigned body, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro features an overhauled heart rate sensor with added processing power for more accurate cardiovascular, sleep, and recovery insights. The updated processor additionally supports on-device machine learning capabilities.

But how does the heart rate accuracy of the Ultrahuman Ring Pro compare to the competition? I intend to find out, not just versus the best smart rings but some of the best fitness trackers too.

6. It gets up to 15 days of battery per charge

The Oura Ring 5 promises up to a respectable nine days of battery per charge, even if in reality, that number is closer to seven or eight. Meanwhile, the Ultrahuman Ring Pro blows its Oura rival away with claims of up to 15 days of battery life per charge.

Will it really last that long? You can also count on me finding that out! But given its heftier-by-comparison footprint, there's a good shot the new Ultrahuman has a larger-capacity battery than the 22 mAh one in the latest Oura Ring.

7. The Pro case extends battery life to 45 days

Finally, remember that free charging case I mentioned earlier? It's perhaps the nicest smart ring case I've encountered. The exterior shell is all-metal with a no-slip silicone bottom. It opens and closes clam-shell-style with a seriously satisfying snap.

LEDs on the side reflect the remaining battery capacity of the case, which can fully recharge the Ultrahuman Ring Pro two times, pushing its battery life to a max of 45 days without needing to hit a wall outlet.

But wait, there's more. The Pro Case doubles as a connection point for updating the Ultrahuman Ring Pro's firmware, and it supports haptic feedback and audible alerts for things like a fully charged battery.

What are your thoughts on the newly available (in the U.S.) Ultrahuman Ring Pro? Would you consider it over the Oura Ring 5, knowing that it's subscription-free? And besides the latest Oura Ring, what should I test the Ultrahuman Ring Pro against? Shout out your thoughts below!

More from Tom's Guide

• I ditched alcohol for 30 days — and my Oura Ring 5 showed one surprising change
• I just went hands-on with the new Circular Ring 3 — and it beats the Oura Ring 5 in 3 big ways
• Garmin looks to be developing a smart ring: Here’s what we know so far

I just reviewed the Fitbit Edge, Google's long-awaited follow-up to 2023's Fitbit Charge 6, and it's better than its predecessor in nearly every single way, making it one of the best fitness trackers in 2026.

However, some folks seem particularly irked by Google's decision to nix the NFC antenna — found in the Charge 6 and used for contactless payments — from the Fitbit Edge. This is a criticism I don't agree with.

With that in mind, here are the three biggest reasons I'm genuinely glad Google didn't give the new Fitbit Edge NFC.

1. Google gave the Edge an altimeter instead

The main reason I'm glad Google nixed the NFC antenna on the Fitbit Edge is that the tech giant replaced it with something far more useful: a barometric altimeter for tracking elevation during outdoor workouts.

The Fitbit Charge 6 lacks this piece of tech, and as a result, it doesn't provide climb data, even for activities like bike rides and hikes.

More importantly, the Fitbit Edge has already proven to be an extremely reliable fitness tracker for logging uphill efforts based on test results from my Fitbit Edge review and an even more recent head-to-head comparison versus the Apple Watch 12 (which the Edge won).

2. Less than 1% of Fitbit Charge 6 users used NFC

Another reason I don't miss NFC on the Fitbit Edge — as recently confirmed via an email from Google — is the fact that less than 1% of Fitbit Charge 6 owners actually use NFC for contactless payments. So, for the Fitbit Edge, the brand instead "prioritized other top features such as adding an altimeter and requested improvements," according to that same email.

As noted in the Fitbit Edge conclusion of my review — written before receiving Google's note about Fitbit Charge 6 NFC usage — I suspected that most folks would rather have accurate elevation data for outdoor workouts than the ability to pay for their coffee from the wrist. And Google's note only confirms that hunch.

3. The lack of NFC keeps the cost of the Edge down

Finally, why pay more for features you're unlikely to use? After all, the $179 Fitbit Edge costs roughly the same as its three-year-old $159 predecessor when you account for inflation. Not only might adding NFC potentially increase the device's launch price, but it could also result in a larger case size, two things that would definitely detract from the Edge's overall appeal.

What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Edge? Do you agree with me that Google was wise to swap the NFC antenna for an altimeter? And which Google wearable would you be most likely to rock in 2026 and beyond? Let me know in the poll below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 6,000 steps with the Fitbit Edge vs Apple Watch 12 — and I'm shocked by the results
• 3 reasons why the new Fitbit Edge beats the Fitbit Charge 6 — and 1 reason it doesn’t
• Google Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air: Which should you choose?

I walked exactly 6,094 steps wearing the Fitbit Edge on my left wrist and the Apple Watch Series 12 on my right wrist to find out which is the more accurate fitness tracker.

My 55-minute walk also included just under 500 feet of elevation gain with roughly three miles of ground covered. As a control, I separately logged my walk using the Strava app on my iPhone 16 Plus.

Find the results of my Fitbit Edge versus Apple Watch Series 12 head-to-head fitness tracking performance test below, along with the five biggest takeaways from the data.

Fitbit Edge vs. Apple Watch 12

But first, it's worth calling out key differences in terms of cost, features, and intended user between these two modern devices. For instance, when it comes to full-featured wearables, the Apple Watch 12 is one of the best smartwatches you can buy.

The Fitbit Edge, meanwhile, has essentially zero smart features, but is still among the best fitness trackers on the market because it offers reliable, distraction-free holistic insights. Cost-wise, the Fitbit Edge starts at $179, and the Apple Watch 12 starts at $399.

While the Apple Watch 12 is for iOS users only, the Fitbit Edge brings Google's best health and fitness features to both Android and iOS devices.

Ultimately, when it comes to onboard holistic and tracking tech, the two are fairly evenly matched: Both models have GPS, barometric altimeters, and continuous heart rate monitors.

With that out of the way, on to the test results!

I walked 6,000 steps with the Fitbit Edge vs Apple Watch 12

1. Fitbit's step count is closer to the control

I walked precisely 6,094 steps during my 55-minute outing, according to the control data logged by Strava, a tally that the Fitbit Edge came ridiculously close to matching.

In terms of accuracy in these comparisons, my rule of thumb is that any step count within 100 steps of the control is excellent and well within a reasonable margin of error. With that in mind, Apple and Fitbit each performed seriously well. But while Apple undercounted by only 41 steps, the Fitbit Edge came within 15 steps of my actual total.

2. But Apple's total distance is more accurate

On the flip side, when it came to correctly logging my total distance, the Apple Watch Series 12 proved more accurate than the Fitbit Edge, with a tally that's just 0.06 miles off from Strava's measure.

The Fitbit Edge didn't do too badly, though, coming within 0.13 miles of the control data, a result I still deem more than acceptable.

3. Fitbit's climb data is spot-on

I just published my Fitbit Edge review, and one of the upgrades I'm most excited for is the onboard barometric altimeter for precise elevation tracking. The Edge's predecessor, 2023's Fitbit Charge 6, lacked this important piece of tech. While some wearables try to roughly calculate climb using GPS data, the Charge 6 never did.

The upgrade definitely paid off, because the Fitbit Edge logs uphill efforts with impressive reliability. For this test, the Edge's climb data is within four feet of the control. The Apple Watch 12, meanwhile, proved a little more generous with its climb data, a trend I've noted several times before in similar head-to-heads.

4. Apple's average heart rate is slightly higher than expected

I'm not sure if the Apple Watch 12 wasn't worn tightly enough (or maybe too tightly), but the logged average heart rate of 133 bpm for this brisk yet not overly demanding walk is slightly higher than I expected, especially when compared to heart rate data from walks of similar effort (~120 bpm tends to be my average).

That said, the Fitbit Edge's average heart rate is slightly lower than anticipated, though the max pace is much more aligned with what I've come to expect from such a workout.

5. Apple's pace is closer to the control, but Fitbit wins overall

Finally, Apple's average pace data is much more closely aligned with Strava's. Fitbit's tally, meanwhile, I'd label as "slower than expected," especially given the fact that I was moving briskly and barely paused at any point during the walk.

That said, the Edge logged several additional minutes of workout time compared to Strava and Apple (it was the last device I ended my workout on), which might be the reason for the sluggishness.

Ultimately, pace aside, I'm calling the Fitbit Edge the winner for this head-to-head fitness tracking showdown versus the Apple Watch Series 12. Not only did the Edge log a more accurate step count, but it also beat Apple at logging my climb and heart rate (even if the Apple Watch was closer in terms of distance and pace).

Of course, I'd happily trust either device as my daily fitness tracker. Which begs the question: Which of these two 2026 wearables would you rather own? Let me know in the poll below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
• Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4: Which new Apple Watch should you buy?
• I’ve tested over 100 fitness trackers head-to-head — 3 workout stats I trust the least

The Fitbit Charge 6 is one of the fitness trackers I've recommended the most over the past three years. Originally launched in 2023, a replacement has been long overdue, and for a while, I had my doubts we'd ever get one.

After all, when Google acquired Fitbit in 2021, it wasn't crystal clear what the tech giant's plans were for the brand. Would the Fitbit name live on, or would the best bits of Fitbit be chopped up for parts and fed to the more advanced Pixel Watch line?

Now we have our answer. The Fitbit line truly lives on with the launch of the 2026 Fitbit Edge, which I've been wearing for the past ten days.

A worthy replacement for the Fitbit Charge 6, the Fitbit Edge is better than its predecessor in nearly every way. Moreover, the Fitbit Edge feels like just the right amount of fitness tracker for most folks, which is why I highly recommend it.

Fitbit Edge: Specs compared

Fitbit Edge value: 4/5

• The Fitbit Edge costs roughly the same as its 2023 predecessor, accounting for inflation
• The optional Google Health Premium subscription is $9.99 a month or $99 a year and includes personalized AI-backed holistic trend reports, training tips, custom workout plans, and more

The Fitbit Edge is priced at $179 via Amazon and other major retailers, which is pretty close to the $159 launch price of its 2023 predecessor, accounting for inflation. It's also $79 more than the screen-free Fitbit Air, which also arrived this year.

Google offers the Fitbit Edge in an impressive range of case designs. Options include a Matte Black case with an Obsidian strap (shown here), a Satin Silver case with a "Fog" strap, a Satin Pyrite case with an Olive strap, a Champagne Gold case with a "Canyon" strap, and a Satin Pyrite case with a limited edition Stephen Curry band ($219).

There are also plenty of accessory straps in all styles and materials, including metal, silicone, and woven cloth to choose from for added personalization.

Fitbit Edge value: 4/5

Fitbit Edge design and display: 4.5/5

• Comfortable, highly customizable design with lots of strap options to choose from
• Aluminum case with 50 meters of water resistance
• Larger, brighter display than its predecessor, despite a similarly sized case design
• Google ditched the haptic button of the Fitbit Charge 6 for a more responsive physical button on the Fitbit Edge

The Fitbit Edge case is a tad larger and heavier than its predecessor to accommodate a bigger display. That said, the two feel pretty much indistinguishable once on the wrist.

Ultimately, I prefer the design of the newer model for one important reason. While both the Fitbit Charge 6 and Fitbit Edge feature solid-built aluminum cases, the Edge boasts a 1.34-inch AMOLED screen with 1,000 nits of max brightness, far roomier and easier to view in direct sunlight than the Charge 6's 1.04-inch touchscreen with roughly 450 nits of max brightness.

The Edge boasts a water resistance rating of 50 meters, the same as its predecessor and enough for surface-level swims, hand-washing, etc.

Just to be sure, I put the Fitbit Edge through our official Tom's Guide Smartwatch Waterproof Test (the name is a work in progress). In this very scientific assessment, the Edge spent 30 minutes submerged in one foot of water before I fished it out; the outcome: No damage to report.

In terms of controls, the Fitbit Charge 6 has a single haptic-style button on the side of the case that vibrates slightly when you press it. I've never been a huge fan, and I'm thankful that Google reverted to a physical, clickable button on the Edge's case.

Fitbit Edge design and display: 4.5/5

Fitbit Edge Health tracking: 4.5/5

• Detailed nightly sleep reports are on par with the best fitness trackers I've tested
• The Fitbit Edge supports Google's latest Health Guardian features, including breathing emergency alerts and loss of pulse detection
• The companion Google Health app is easy to navigate, with key vitals and metrics presented front and center, including your heart rate, HRV, breathing rate and quality, skin temperature, and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)
• Some health tracking features require a Google Health Premium subscription, like insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports

The Fitbit Edge is packed with all sorts of holistic tech to keep tabs on your heart health, sleep quality, body temperature fluctuations, breathing rate and quality, stress, women's health, and more.

I'm a particularly big fan of Google's detail-rich daily sleep reports, which include a numeric score out of 100 along with a rating, plus insights into time spent in various sleep stages, sleep interruptions, "sound sleep," and restlessness.

I also love Google's dynamic Readiness Score, also out of 100; it reflects how much effort you should put into physical fitness daily and is based on your resting heart rate, heart rate variability trends, and recent sleep quality. A low Readiness Score might also reflect an oncoming illness or general fatigue.

For example, my Readiness Score this morning was 65/100, which Google considers high. This means that I got solid recovery over the weekend, and I'm cleared for a hardcore workout this afternoon.

The Google Health app, which replaces the old Fitbit app, puts all your most important insights and metrics front and center on the main "Today" tab. That said, users can fully customize what appears. By default, the Today tab shows your current step count for the day, Readiness Score, sleep duration and score, and progress toward your weekly cardio goals.

Meanwhile, the Vitals tab is where you'll find your real-time cardiovascular insights beyond heart rate, including your heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate trends, blood oxygen saturation levels, and VO2 max, a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen your body uses during peak exercise.

The Edge also supports all of Google's Health Guardian features, like high and low heart rate alerts, breathing emergency alerts, and loss of pulse detection.

Finally, Google Health Premium subscribers get access to Google's new insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports, something older Fitbit models don't support. The subscription also unlocks Google's AI-powered health concierge called "The Coach," which can help you set goals and better understand your real-time and long-term health data.

Fitbit Edge Health tracking: 4.5/5

Fitbit Edge fitness tracking: 4.5/5

• The Fitbit Edge has onboard GPS (unlike the Fitbit Air) and a barometric altimeter (unlike the Fitbit Charge 6) for precise location and elevation data
• The Fitbit Edge proved just as accurate at tracking a basic walking workout as an iPhone Series 12 or the Strava app on a smartphone
• 50+ common workout types are supported, but auto-workout detection isn't always reliable
• Highly-personalized training plans, recovery advice, and more are available via the Google Health Premium subscription; the Edge ships with a trial to try before you buy

The Fitbit Edge has one clear advantage over its predecessor when it comes to fitness tracking: the inclusion of a barometric altimeter. This handy piece of tech is used to precisely log changes in elevation when tracking an outdoor workout. Not only does the Charge 6 lack an altimeter, but it also doesn't even report climb data.

In terms of accuracy, I tested the Fitbit Edge's outdoor workout tracking performance against the Strava app running on my iPhone 16 Plus during a particularly hilly ~2.5-mile walk around Seattle, Washington. Check out the results below.

The Edge logged nearly the exact same number of steps taken during the workout, along with remarkably similar elevation gain data. Distance data aligns slightly less well; the same goes for pace. Then again, Strava almost always logs a quicker pace than other tracking methods I've tested.

I additionally tested the Fitbit Edge's fitness tracking accuracy head-to-head versus the Apple Watch 12 and Strava during a separate hilly, multi-mile walk. And again, the Edge impressed, besting the Apple Watch in step count and elevation accuracy, while coming close in distance. That said, the Edge's average pace for the workout was slower than expected, similar to the results above.

Beyond outdoor walks, the Fitbit Edge supports 50+ common workout types and can even auto-detect certain favorites, like runs and bike rides, with hit-or-miss reliability. I say that because you generally need to do one of these workouts for at least 15 straight minutes for the auto-detection to kick in.

This stipulation means that, as a newbie runner who tends to interval train with a mix of running and walking, I can't really rely on the Edge's auto-detection to log my training efforts.

Some of the Fitbit Edge's most impressive training tools and insights require a Google Health Premium subscription. Fortunately, the tracker ships with a three-month free trial.

Premium subscribers get personalized, adaptive training plans via Google's AI-powered "Coach," custom-tailored daily recommendations to build better workout and recovery habits, and access to Google's large library of fitness and mindfulness video content.

Fitbit Edge fitness tracking: 4.5/5

Fitbit Edge smart features: 2/5

• The Fitbit Edge isn't the wearable to get if you want smart features
• The Edge does support mirrored notifications and music control for paired Android and iOS devices
• Unlike the Fitbit Charge 6, the new Fitbit Edge lacks NFC for contactless payments

If you want smart features, the Fitbit Edge probably isn't the wearable for you. Instead, consider the Google Pixel Watch 5, one of the best smartwatches of 2026.

That said, the Fitbit Edge does work with both Android and iOS devices (unlike the Pixel Watch 5), with support for mirrored notifications and music/media control.

Unfortunately, unlike 2023's Fitbit Charge 6, the Fitbit Edge lacks onboard NFC for contactless payments.

Fitbit Edge smart features: 2/5

Fitbit Edge battery life: 4.5/5

• In my testing, the Edge surpassed its advertised battery life rating of seven days per charge
• That includes logging one ~45-minute workout per day during the test period
• The Fitbit Edge recharges from 0 to 100% in about 90 minutes, compared to a two-hour recharge time for the Fitbit Charge 6

Google rates the Fitbit Edge's battery life at seven days per charge with normal use, the same as its predecessor. However, in reality, the Fitbit Charge 6 lasts closer to five or six days per charge.

Fortunately, in my testing, the Fitbit Edge not only met the advertised rating, but surpassed it by a cool 24 hours. During the eight days of battery testing, the Edge rarely left my wrist, and I logged a roughly 45-minute outdoor workout using GPS each day of the test period.

The Fitbit Edge also recharges faster than its predecessor. Google claims a 90-minute recharge time from 0 to 100%. In my testing, it took the Edge roughly 90 minutes to go from 5% to 100%. By comparison, the Fitbit Charge 6 needs closer to two hours for a full recharge.

Fitbit Edge battery life: 4.5/5

Fitbit Edge review: Verdict

The Fitbit Edge is, in most regards, the perfect successor to the Fitbit Charge 6, with a bigger, brighter display, easier-to-use controls, more accurate elevation tracking, access to Google's latest/greatest health and safety features, and better battery performance, in an equally comfortable, similarly priced package.

Put another way, the Fitbit Edge offers nearly all of the best health and fitness features found in the latest Google Pixel Watch 5, for a fraction of the price (and in a smaller form factor).

But what about the lack of NFC for contactless payments? My theory — since confirmed by Google — is that the engineers needed to free up space for the barometric altimeter (used to track elevation), so they nixed the rarely-used NFC antenna, a tradeoff I fully support.

After all, as an amateur mountain adventurer (and someone who also likes to stroll in hilly environments), while paying for a coffee with my Fitbit sounds nice, accurate climb data is a whole lot nicer.

What are your thoughts on the new Fitbit Edge? Are you considering buying one? Do you have further questions based on my review? Let me know below.

A glance at the people around you on the train, walking down a busy street, or in the grocery store will tell you that the gym isn’t the only place people are wearing fitness trackers these days.

Devices like the Apple Watch Series 12, Oura Ring 4, or Whoop 5.0 have become more of a fashion accessory than strictly for tracking workouts. They’re a great way of tracking your training and seeing tangible evidence of your progress, but does everyone need one? I’m not so sure.

There’s a dark side to the tracking. Viewing burned calories so easily in an app can be an extremely triggering experience for some users, and it may even begin unhealthy habits like calorie counting and overexercising. So, let's go over the perks of these devices and discuss the science behind why they can also become harmful.

Fitness tracker or calorie counter

The majority of these smartwatches and smart rings track your health using metrics including sleep and activity. I’ve used these devices myself, and having a consistent way to make sure I’m getting enough rest as well as hitting my activity goals has been very helpful in my own fitness journey.

Recently, while testing these devices, I’ve noticed the introduction of calorie counting and ways to monitor food intake. This raises alarm bells for me, as while it’s important to track protein and nutrient intake for intense training, it’s not a feature every individual will need.

So now, with more people focusing on their food consumption alongside their training, could this lead to unhealthy eating habits taking hold? I spoke to leading sports dietician Renee McGregor to find out about the effect it may have.

She said, “A lot of these apps are built on the archaic equation and reduce a human to calories in versus calories out. Humans are much more complex than this, and so this setup often leads to underfuelling, especially in those individuals who are highly active.”

A healthy lifestyle or an obsession

Although there’s some inaccuracy, these activity and food tracking features are excellent if you want to track your weight loss. Having a visual measure of calories burned and/or the number of steps you’ve completed can be a good indicator to inform a calorie deficit.

But what about people who are struggling with eating disorders? Is this just another way to reinforce the resurgence of diet culture we’re seeing in the wider media?

For some people, seeing calories burned rise and calories consumed fall can become intoxicating. It won’t come as a surprise to you that right now we’re entering into a “skinny epidemic.”

This cultural term was popularized in the 2010s, marking a resurgence of the ‘90s diet culture that was coined as “heroin chic”. It’s a pendulum we see swing from celebrating larger bodies and then smaller bodies over time. It’s all directly impacted by the media we consume.

Wearables now come with software that can evaluate meals. Oura has Meals, and Garmin has its own nutrition tracking in the app. I asked Renee about how wearables could contribute to this, especially for people who have previously lived with eating disorders. She told me, “The main concern is that it keeps people ‘contained,’ and they don't rebuild the relationship with their bodies. Instead of listening and responding to their bodies, they follow an external cue which keeps them stuck. While they may believe it helps them to be ‘in control’ in reality, they are being controlled.”

The Alliance For Eating Disorders advises, “For individuals struggling with eating disorders, fitness trackers can act as a form of control, feeding into the disordered mindset that one’s worth is tied to their physical appearance, weight, and level of activity. The numbers on the screen can become a constant source of validation or anxiety. These numbers may be used to justify extreme exercise regimens or changes in eating behaviors.”

Where does AI come into this?

It’s not just companion apps for fitness trackers that are enabling these behaviours. People are taking pictures of their food and uploading them to AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, and asking how many calories are in their food. This can be damaging and lead to fueling the body improperly, meaning cutting down on more calories than you need.

Renee says using AI this way is highly inaccurate. “It’s only as good as the information that has actually been put into these AI apps. The other key problem is that not all calories are equal… a calorie is an arbitrary unit of energy.

“It’s based on the energy yielded when you burn a food in a calorimeter. Humans are not calorimeters. So while a calorimeter may say a carrot provides 10 calories, a human cannot absorb all of those calories because most of it is indigestible due to the high fibre content.”

This means that when we’re told something is X calories, we’re not actually taking all of that in. So if we burn more to remain in a deficit for weight loss, it could be more dramatic than intended.

With all of this said, wearable technology can also aid in food and exercise tracking when done properly. Renee says, “In the same way that tracking food and exercise can be problematic, if done in the right way — maybe by ensuring an appropriate app or working alongside a coach — the data being collected can provide key information to demonstrate that you may be lacking sufficient recovery or not fuelling appropriately, particularly carbohydrates, which are the most important macros required for optimal health and performance.”

So, how did we get to a point where we need a wearable to tell us what to eat? The only way to get reliable nutritional information tailored to you is by talking to a nutritionist or reaching out to a medical professional.

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I'm reviewing the new Fitbit Edge, Google's follow-up to the 2023 Fitbit Charge 6, one of the best fitness trackers we've tested.

In terms of upgrades, the Edge has a lot going for it, including several important new health and safety features, welcomed design improvements, and enhanced outdoor tracking capabilities.

It's not all lollipops and ice cream, though. The Fitbit Edge comes up short in one key area versus the Fitbit Charge 6; read on to find out which one that is. But first, here are the three biggest reasons why the Fitbit Edge beats the Fitbit Charge 6.

1. A bigger, better screen

The Fitbit Charge 6's 1.04-inch AMOLED touchscreen isn't the smallest I've encountered on a modern fitness tracker, but it's far from the biggest. Translation: interacting with it can be a tad fumbly for those with big fingers, and squint-inducing for farsighted folks.

This is much less the case with the Fitbit Edge, which features a noticeably roomier 1.34-inch AMOLED screen. Roughly twice the maximum brightness output means the Fitbit Edge is also easier to read than the Fitbit Charge 6 in direct sunlight.

2. More advanced health features

Both the 2023 Fitbit Charge 6 and 2026 Fitbit Edge work with Google's recently overhauled Google Health app, which replaces the old Fitbit app. Regardless of which tracker you wear, you'll be greeted with daily insights into your sleep quality, energy levels, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), body temperature trends, and more.

You can also perform ECG readings using either Fitbit, but only the Fitbit Edge supports Google's new insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports. The Edge additionally has important health safety tools absent from the Charge 6, including Loss of Pulse Detection and Breathing Emergency Alerts.

3. Onboard altimeter for elevation tracking

As a lover of outdoor mountain adventures, including hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, and more, I'm thrilled that Google added a barometric altimeter to the Fitbit Edge, something that was noticeably lacking in the Fitbit Charge 6.

While some fitness trackers without onboard altimeters try to guess elevation gain using GPS insights, this method is far from precise, which is probably why the Fitbit Charge 6 doesn't bother to share the metric at all.

Thankfully, the Fitbit Edge does, but how accurate is the new model's elevation tracking performance? You'll have to wait a few more days until I publish the full review to find out!

But only the Fitbit Charge 6 has NFC

While the new Fitbit Edge handily beats its predecessor when it comes to health and fitness tracking chops as well as overall usability and design, the newer model omits one key piece of tech: NFC for contactless payments.

It's ultimately a bit ironic that the 2023 model supports tap-to-pay but the 2026 model doesn't. On the flip side, perhaps Google needed to nix something from the design to make room for the altimeter. If that's the case, I gladly take precise elevation tracking over the ability to pay for things from the wrist.

What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6? Let me know below.

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The Fitbit Inspire 3 is Google's four-year-old, entry-level fitness tracker. Originally priced at $99, you can easily pick one up on sale for much less... but should you, especially when newer models like the Fitbit Edge exist?

Howdy, I'm Dan, and I lead our wearable tech coverage at Tom's Guide. Not only am I in the process of reviewing the new Fitbit Edge — which seems potentially destined for our best fitness tracker list — but I'm also a long-time owner of the Fitbit Inspire 3. This is to say, I know both wearables reasonably well.

So how do they stack up? Here's a breakdown of the Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3 across six categories, including price, design, display, health and fitness, smart features, and battery life.

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Cost

Even at full price, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a bargain compared to the Fitbit Edge. Of course, since it's also four years old, you're unlikely to pay anywhere near the $99 launch price. For instance, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is just $88 on Amazon right now.

The Fitbit Edge, meanwhile, is a brand new fitness tracker for 2026 and still in the preorder phase of its launch. With units expected to ship at the end of October, the Fitbit will run you $179 at Amazon and at other major retailers.

Winner: Fitbit Inspire 3

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Design

The Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Inspire 3 look surprisingly similar; the cases are almost identical in height and thickness, though the Edge is taller. The newer model is also nearly double the weight of the Inspire 3. However, it by no means feels bulky or uncomfortable on the wrist (I've been wearing one for nearly a week).

In addition to touch displays — more on that below — each tracker has a single button on the side of the case for navigation. Similar to 2023's Fitbit Charge 6, the Fitbit Inspire 3 sports a haptic button that vibrates slightly (sometimes) when you press it. I'm not a huge fan of this type of control, and much prefer the Fitbit Edge's physical button with actual tactile feedback.

Material-wise, the Fitbit Inspire 3 case is primarily plastic, while the Edge case is recycled aluminum and plastic. Both have 50 meters of water resistance, enough protection for showers and surface-level swims.

Winner: Fitbit Edge

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Display

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has a modest 0.76-inch AMOLED screen that's decently bright and well-saturated, though the touch functionality can occasionally feel clunky/unresponsive. By comparison, the Fitbit Edge offers far more screen real estate, despite a somewhat similarly-sized case.

The Edge's 1.34-inch display is crisp, easy-to-read, and responsive. With greater maximum output than its predecessor, the Edge's screen is bright enough to view in direct sunlight without straining your eyes.

Winner: Fitbit Edge

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Specs compared

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Health and fitness

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a four-year-old entry-level fitness tracker, and even though it covers the basics well, like logging common workouts, daily movement, sleep quality, and overall health, it lacks many of Google's latest and greatest holistic tools.

These include the new insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports, breathing emergency alerts, and loss of pulse detection. The Inspire 3 additionally lacks the hardware to perform ECG readings. On the flip side, the Edge supports all of these features, and more.

The Inspire 3 also lacks onboard GPS and an altimeter, so users have to carry a paired smartphone for accurate location- and elevation-based metrics when logging an outdoor workout like a run, hike, or bike ride. The Fitbit Edge, meanwhile, has both.

Finally, the Edge supports a ton of additional AI-powered health features courtesy of the Google Health Premium (formerly Fitbit Premium) subscription, which is $9.99 a month or $99 a year. These include personalized training plans, nutrition insights, and even deeper dives into sleep and workout recovery.

Winner: Fitbit Edge

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Smart features

Both the Fitbit Edge and four-year-old Fitbit Inspire 3 work with Android and iOS, with the ability to mirror notifications and control media playback. But that pretty much rounds out the list of smart features on either.

Sadly, unlike the Edge's predecessor, the Fitbit Charge 6, the newer model lacks NFC for contactless payments. That said, it does play nicely with some other Google apps. For example, the Edge will display Google Maps turn-by-turn directions when using the app on your paired smartphone.

Winner: draw

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Battery life

Google says that the Fitbit Inspire 3 should last up to ten days per charge, and the Fitbit Edge should cruise for up to seven days. In reality, the Fitbit Inspire 3 averages closer to seven or eight days per charge, assuming you're recording one ~45-minute workout a day.

I'm still testing the Fitbit Edge, but if battery performance is anything like the Fitbit Charge 6 — which is also rated at seven days per charge — I expect the Edge to last a little closer to five or six days.

That said, one clear advantage the newer model has is a faster recharge time: 90 minutes for the Fitbit Edge compared to two hours for the Fitbit Inspire 3 (and Fitbit Charge 6).

Winner: Fitbit Inspire 3

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Inspire 3: Outlook

Ultimately, while the Fitbit Inspire 3 remains a fairly competent budget fitness tracker in 2026 for keeping tabs on basic workouts, well-being, and sleep quality, the Fitbit Edge is in numerous ways a more capable device in a similar-sized package with a bigger screen and better overall usability.

But if you're still not sold on the Fitbit Edge over the Fitbit Inspire 3, I reccomend taking a look at my Fitbit Air vs Fitbit Inspire 3 comparison. Not only does the Fitbit Air support a lot of the same groundbreaking Google health features as the Edge, but it's also just $99 and even smaller/lighter than the Inspire 3 (though it lacks a screen)

Overall winner: Fitbit Edge

More from Tom's Guide

• Fitbit Edge vs Fitbit Air: Which should you choose?
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• Fitbit Air vs Fitbit Charge 6 — which top-performing Fitness tracker wins?

The new Fitbit Edge is a follow-up to 2023’s Fitbit Charge 6, one of my favorite wearables and one of the best fitness trackers of all time. But is the Edge actually a worthy successor?

I’ve been wearing the Fitbit Edge for just over 24 hours, and three things are immediately clear. While I’ll save my hardcore test results and comparisons to the competition for the forthcoming review, here’s why the Fitbit Edge already has me impressed.

1. It borrows the Pixel Watch 5’s best health features

Google's Pixel Watch 5 is one of the best smartwatches for health and safety features thanks to groundbreaking tools like Loss of Pulse Detection, Breathing Emergency Alerts, and monthly insulin resistance/blood pressure trend reports.

Fortunately, you don't need to spend $399+ to unlock them. The new Fitbit Edge offers all these same features in a smaller, lighter, and perhaps most importantly, more wallet-friendly $179 package.

These features are in addition to other essentials, like continuous heart rate and body temperature monitoring, dynamic sleep and readiness scores, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and ECG readings, heart rate variability insights, and breathing rate/quality tracking.

The Edge also supports Google's AI-powered Health Coach for personalized training plans, nutrition insights, and deeper dives into sleep and workout recovery. It's part of the brand's Google Health Premium subscription, which will run $9.99 a month or $99 for the year.

Not sure if Google Health Premium is worth it for you? The Fitbit Edge comes with a three-month free trial, so you can try before you buy.

2. It’s just as comfy as its predecessor, dimensions be damned

Sometimes, specs can be deceiving. For example, on paper, the Fitbit Edge is taller, wider, thicker, and even a bit heavier than the Fitbit Charge 6. But on the wrist, you'd be hard-pressed to tell.

Despite a slight increase in case real estate, the Fitbit Edge is incredibly comfortable, just like its predecessor, and this is coming from a guy who strongly dislikes wearing any wrist-based wearable to bed. (Thank goodness for the best smart rings)!

There's also a good reason for the bigger case: the Fitbit Edge sports a 1.34-inch AMOLED screen, which is noticeably roomier and easier to interact with than the 1.04-inch display on the Charge 6.

3. Physical buttons > haptic buttons

While the Fitbit Charge 6 is one of my fitness trackers of the past three years, there's one design element I still loathe: the haptic button on the side of the case that vibrates (sometimes) when you press it.

Clearly, I'm not the only one who's anti-haptics, because Google ditched it for a proper clickable physical button on the Fitbit Edge, a small but meaningful user interface improvement I'm thrilled to see.

What are your thoughts on the new Fitbit Edge? Do you think it's a worthy replacement for the Fitbit Charge 6? Let me know below.

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Fitbit Edge or Fitbit Charge 6: which fitness tracker should you buy? While the choice may seem obvious to go with the newer model, several key factors may make the older option the better choice for you.

After all, the Fitbit Charge 6 is arguably one of the best fitness trackers ever made. How much better could the newer model be? We've barely gotten acquainted with the Fitbit Edge, but there's a lot to like, including support for Google's latest health and safety features and a comfortable, familiar design. Translation: It might well nab its predecessor's "best ever" crown.

To better understand the key differences between 2023's Fitbit Charge 6 and 2026's Fitbit Edge, here's a head-to-head breakdown of price, design, display, health and fitness, smart features, and battery life.

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Cost

The Fitbit Edge costs $179 via Amazon and other major retailers, just $20 more than the Fitbit Charge 6's $159 launch price. For what it's worth, $159 in 2023, adjusted for inflation in 2026, is roughly $176.

Of course, you're unlikely to pay $159 for the Fitbit Charge 6 in 2026, especially with the arrival of its replacement. For example, you can buy the Charge 6 right now for just $124 at Walmart. Note: The Fitbit Edge is still in preorder, with units expected to ship at the end of October.

Winner: Fitbit Charge 6

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Design

The Fitbit Charge 6 case weighs 15 g, compared to 17.7 g for the Fitbit Edge case. The newer model is also a bit larger and thicker than its predecessor (see exact dimensions in the table above).

Both devices sport a single button on the side of the case; however, they were not created equally. The Fitbit Charge 6 has a haptic button that vibrates when pressed, while the Fitbit Edge has a physical, clickable button, which I much prefer.

Ultimately, while the Fitbit Edge has more presence on the wrist than the Fitbit Charge 6, it still feels comfortable and uncumbersome. As a result, this one is a draw.

Winner: draw

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Display

This one is easy: the Fitbit Edge has a 1.34-inch display compared to a 1.04-inch display on the Fitbit Charge 6. Both are reasonably bright AMOLED affairs, though the Edge's display appears to offer a higher maximum output, making it easier to view in daylight. This, coupled with the additional screen real estate, makes the Fitbit Edge easier to interact with (less squinting) than its predecessor.

Winner: Fitbit Edge

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Specs compared

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Health and fitness

The Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Charge 6 support a lot of the same basic health tracking features, like continuous heart rate and skin temperature monitoring, ECG and Sp02 readings, cycle tracking, and daily sleep reports.

However, the newer model has several key advantages over its predecessor, including support for Google's newer insulin resistance and blood pressure trend reports. It also supports important health safety tools like breathing emergency alerts and loss of pulse detection.

Finally, when it comes to logging outdoor workouts, the Fitbit Edge has one more advantage over the Charge 6: an onboard barometric altimeter for precise elevation loss/gain tracking.

Winner: Fitbit Edge

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Smart features

This may come as somewhat of a surprise, but the 2023 Fitbit model actually has more smart features than the 2026 model.

Sure, both the Edge and Charge 6 are capable of mirroring smartphone notifications from paired Android and iOS devices. You can also control media playback from a paired smartphone with either wearable.

However, only the Fitbit Charge 6 has NFC and support for Google Wallet, allowing on-wrist contactless payments. Why Google removed this useful tech on the Edge, I cannot say, but it is a bummer.

Winner: Fitbit Charge 6

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Battery life

Both the Fitbit Charge 6 and Fitbit Edge promise up to seven days of battery life per charge. In reality, the former lasts for close to five or six days. I've yet to test the battery performance of the Edge, but it will be interesting to see whether or not it lives up to its advertised longevity better than its sibling.

A full battery recharge on the Fitbit Charge 6 takes roughly two hours compared to 90 minutes for the Fitbit Edge.

Winner: draw

Fitbit Edge vs. Fitbit Charge 6: Outlook

While the older Fitbit Charge 6 is more affordable and a little sleeker than the newer Fitbit Edge, it lacks support for many of Google's most exciting new health and safety features, like loss of pulse detection, breathing emergency alerts, and blood pressure trend reports.

The Edge also boasts a larger, brighter display than its predecessor, more user-friendly controls, and potentially improved performance when tracking outdoor workouts. Ultimately, the only major advantage the Charge 6 has over the Edge is support for NFC.

Overall winner: Fitbit Edge

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Screen-less fitness trackers like Oura Ring, Whoop 5.0, and Garmin Cirqa may be the hot accessory in 2026, but I, for one, am thrilled to see Google finally add a new, petite screen-sporting wearable, the Fitbit Edge, to its portfolio.

The Fitbit Edge is a $179 follow-up to 2023’s Fitbit Charge 6, one of the best fitness trackers of all time, and a contemporary sibling to the screen-free Fitbit Air, another top-performing tracker. More advanced than the Air, the Fitbit Edge sits below the Google Pixel Watch 5, which is, you guessed it, one of the best smartwatches in 2026.

I lead TG’s wearable tech coverage, and I’ve been hoping for a Fitbit Charge 6 replacement for years. Now that it’s finally here, it’s time to decide whether or not it truly lives up to my expectations. With that in mind, here are the five biggest reasons to buy the new Fitbit Edge and the two biggest reasons to skip it, based on my initial impressions.

Buy: Onboard GPS

Two major design factors set the new $179 Fitbit Edge apart from the $99 Fitbit Air; the first is onboard GPS. Do you frequently log outdoor workouts, like walks, hikes, runs, and bike rides? If so, the Fitbit Edge will likely be a better choice for you than the Air. Why?

Because the Fitbit Air lacks onboard GPS, users have to carry a paired smartphone when recording outdoor activities if they want accurate location-based data for metrics like distance, pace, and climb. On the flip side, the Fitbit Edge has a built-in GPS antenna, allowing you to log that same data without the extra bulk of your smartphone.

The Edge even sports an onboard altimeter for on-device elevation tracking. As an avid mountain sports enthusiast, this is something I seriously appreciate.

Buy: 1.34-inch display

The second, perhaps more obvious difference between the Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Air is that the former has a display; the latter does not. The Edge’s 1.34-inch AMOLED touchscreen may not be enormous, but it represents a decent upgrade over the Fitbit Charge 6’s 1.04-inch display.

Unlike the Fitbit Air, users can start and stop workouts on the Edge without needing to open the companion Google Health app on their phone. You can also view your post-workout stats, recent sleep reports, current heart rate, mirrored smartphone notifications, and more.

Buy: Comprehensive holistic insights

Speaking of wellness, the Fitbit Edge is positively brimming with state-of-the-art holistic features, including heart rate variability monitoring, AFib detection, blood oxygen saturation measurements, continuous heart rate, breath rate, and skin temperature monitoring while you sleep, women’s health tracking, Loss of Pulse Detection, and even Breathing Emergency alerts.

Buy: Petite case design

I’m positively allergic to bulky wearables, which is why I’m such a big fan of the Fitbit Air. Not only is it one of the smallest, lightest fitness trackers on the market today and super comfy on the wrist, but it barely even looks like a piece of wearable tech.

The Fitbit Edge is a little less discreet, thanks to its 1.34-inch AMOLED screen. It’s also a bit larger and heavier than its stripped-back sibling. That said, the Fitbit Edge is roughly the same size as its easy-wearing, sleek-ish predecessor, the Fitbit Charge 6, and also a little lighter.

Buy: Compatibility with Android and iOS

Unlike the latest Pixel Watch series, the Fitbit Edge (like the Air) plays nicely with both Android and iOS smartphones. Better yet, the Edge supports mirrored smartphone notifications regardless of which OS you use. There are even a handful of basic pre-written quick replies you can use to quickly respond to texts.

Additionally, the Edge supports universal music control from any Bluetooth-connected device.

Skip: Some features are paywalled

While Google offers a lot of impressive wellness features for free, some of the more advanced, personalized insights and tools require a Google Health Premium subscription for $9.99 a month or $99 annually.

Paywalled features include adaptive fitness plans, sleep coaching tips, blood pressure and insulin resistance trend reports, and personalized metabolic recommendations.

Skip: Lacks NFC for contactless payments

All in all, the Fitbit Edge feels like a proper upgrade to the beloved Fitbit Charge 6 in all but one key way: it lacks NFC. So, while 2023’s Charge 6 supports Google Wallet for contactless payments, Fitbit Edge owners will have to carry a credit card or smartphone to pay for their post-hike pint or after-run pick-me-up.

What are your thoughts on the new Fitbit Edge? Let me know below. And stay tuned for my full review, coming soon.

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I logged a 5,000-step walking workout with the Apple Watch Series 12 on my left wrist and the Garmin Forerunner 170 on my right wrist to find out which of these new smartwatches is the better fitness tracker.

The Apple Watch Series 12 is one of the best full-featured smartwatches of 2026, and the Garmin Forerunner 170 is one of the best budget-friendly running watches.

However, cost-wise, the Garmin is $349. The Apple Watch 12, meanwhile, starts at $399 and goes up to $549.

Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Forerunner 170

Both smartwatches offer comparable onboard heart rate, location (GPS), and elevation tracking (altimeter) tech, plus bright, touch-sensitive displays and sleek cases. Safety- and wellness-focused features are plentiful too. But the Apple Watch supports way more apps and smart features, while the Forerunner has better training and recovery tools for runners.

Design-wise, the Forerunner 170 Music comes in a wider range of colorful, sporty options, but features a plastic case. The Series 12, by comparison, boasts an aluminum case. That said, it also weighs more. The 46mm Apple Watch 12 case is roughly 39 g compared to 26 g for the Forerunner 170 Music case.

I already tested the Apple Watch Series 12 versus the Garmin Venu 4, a higher-end ($549) sibling of the Forerunner 170. In that showdown, both devices impressed across the board, but the Venu 4 proved slightly more accurate. Will Garmin pull a repeat win? There’s only one way to know.

I walked 5,000 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Forerunner 170

As a primary control, I manually counted all 5,014 steps, using a tally counter to record every hundred. As a control for distance, climb, and pace, I turned to ol’ reliable, the Strava app.

Find the results of my Apple Watch 12 vs. Garmin Forerunner 170 Music walk test below, along with the five biggest takeaways from the data.

1. Both watches came remarkably close to my actual step count total

I've done dozens of these smartwatch walk tests, and my general rule of thumb is that any step count total within 100 steps of my actual tally is considered a solid result and within an acceptable margin of error. With that in mind, the Apple Watch 12 and Garmin Forerunner 170 each performed exceptionally well here.

The Series 12 undercounted by a mere 11 steps, while the Forerunner 170 was over by just six steps. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch and Garmin noted exactly the same amount of distance covered. More importantly, the tallies are also less than a tenth of a mile off from the control.

2. Garmin's climb data is slightly closer to the control

In my experience, even the best Apple Watch models sometimes inflate elevation gain data during outdoor workouts by a noticeable, albeit not outrageous, margin. That's again the case here.

The Apple Watch Series 12 noted 28 additional feet of climb compared to the control. The Forerunner 170, meanwhile, was off by just six feet, an impressive result.

3. Apple doesn't provide an average moving pace metric

Both the Strava app and Garmin provide average moving and elapsed pace metrics for outdoor workouts, like walks. Of the two, the former tends to be the more useful, as it more accurately reflects your overall speed.

Apple only provides one post-workout pace metric, and it's almost certainly elapsed pace, which is what I've recorded in the table above. That being said, Apple's average elapsed pace metric is closer to the control than Garmin's.

Meanwhile, Strava noted a moving pace of 18:07 per mile compared to 18:39 per mile for the Garmin.

4. Apple and Garmin's heart rate data is a perfect match

Both Apple and Garmin allow users to specify which wrist their smartwatch is on via the companion app. So, assuming those details are correctly entered, there should be zero difference in heart rate tracking accuracy between your right and left wrists. But is that actually the case?

The results of this walk test suggest that the answer is yes, seeing as both wearables noted identical average and max heart rates for my ~50-minute walk.

5. Garmin burned through more battery, but overall, proved more accurate

One might assume Garmin smartwatches always beat Apple Watches when it comes to battery performance, but this showdown proves that isn't always true. While the Garmin Forerunner 170 Music can far outlast the Apple Watch Series 12 in standard smartwatch mode, when using continuous GPS and heart rate tracking, the Apple Watch Series 12 actually has the advantage.

That said, when it comes to comparing the fitness tracking performance of the Apple Watch Series 12 vs. the Garmin Forerunner 170 Music, the latter slightly outperforms the former... in this test, at least. The Forerunner 170 produced an ever-so-slightly more accurate step count and climb total, while the Series 12 was closer in terms of pace.

Which of these two smartwatches would you rather use to keep tabs on your health and fitness? Let me know in the poll below.

More from Tom's Guide

• I walked 5,500 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Venu 4 — here's the winner
• Apple Watch Series 12 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4: Which new Apple Watch should you buy?
• I’ve tested over 100 fitness trackers head-to-head — 3 workout stats I trust the least

I’ll let you in on a secret — I never really liked the Fitbit Charge 6. Sure, it’s been one of the most popular fitness trackers on the market for years, and when someone asked me for a Fitbit recommendation (pre-the launch of the Fitbit Air earlier this year), the Charge 6 was the one I’d recommend. But between the slightly boxy look and the tiny screen that was impossible to use with sweaty fingers, I didn’t love it.

Yesterday, Google announced the launch of the $180 Fitbit Edge, coming October 27, and it looks to be replacing the Charge 6 in the brand’s lineup, sitting between the $99 Fitbit Edge and the $399 Google Pixel Watch 5.

Here’s why I’m excited about the new fitness tracker:

1. There's loads of different band options

At launch, Google has shown us tons of different band options coming with the Fitbit Edge. There’s everything from plastic active bands to sleek metal options, and like the Fitbit Air, it looks to be super easy to swap between them.

This makes it easy to upgrade the look of your fitness tracker at the click of two buttons, making it much more versatile. We’re not sure yet how much these extra bands will cost, and at the time of writing, you can only choose between the active band and the Stephen Curry looped band when pre-ordering.

2. It's larger than the Charge 6

While this won’t be a selling point for everyone, I’m pleased that the Fitbit Edge is slightly larger than the Fitbit Charge 6. The dimensions aren’t hugely different: 39.2 x 25.6 mm, compared to 36.7 x 23.1 mm on the Fitbit Charge 6, yet the screen is much bigger.

As mentioned above, I found the screen of the Fitbit Charge 6 difficult to use, especially with sweaty or wet fingers, so the larger, brighter screen is a welcome addition.

3. There's a physical button on the side

If you’ve read any of my articles on Tom’s Guide before, you’ll know that I hate a fitness tracker without any buttons. As well as a bigger, brighter screen, there’s also a physical button on the side of the Fitbit Edge, which seems to be an actual button you can click, rather than the haptic button on the Fitbit Charge 6.

4. Unlike the Fitbit Air, it has an ECG sensor

If you flip the Fitbit Edge over, you’ll see that you’re getting quite a few sensors for $180. The heart rate sensor looks pretty similar to that used in the Fitbit Air, which I’ve found to be extremely accurate. It takes a reading every two seconds, giving you accurate heart rate readings, but the Fitbit Edge takes this further with an ECG sensor, which can detect signs of A-Fib.

There’s also a skin temperature sensor, which can help give you menstrual cycle insights, HRV tracking, and an SpO2 sensor to track blood oxygen saturation. All of these are pretty standard on fitness trackers these days, but you’re getting a lot for your money here.

5. There's built-in GPS

As well as the screen, one of the main selling points of this tracker over the Fitbit Air is the built-in GPS, allowing you to track your runs and rides outside without having to have your phone with you.

Plus, at launch, Google really highlighted the updated automatic activity tracking coming later this month on the Fitbit Edge and Fitbit Air, saying it will be able to recognise exercises like stand-up paddleboarding and yoga, as well as more typical ones like bike rides, walks, and runs.

Of course, with the Edge, you have the option of easily starting a workout from your wrist, but I’m excited to try the new feature, as I’ve never found automatic activity tracking to be all that great.

6. Tracking gets a big upgrade from the Fitbit Charge 6

Finally, if we’re comparing this to the Fitbit Charge 6, it’s a much better fitness tracker in general. You’ve got all of the new features released that were released with the Fitbit Air, including cardio load, VO2 max, and the readiness feature, which tells you how ‘ready’ you are to push yourself.

There’s also Google’s Gemini-powered health coach for Google Health Premium subscribers, which I’ve found one of the best out there. In my testing, rather than just regurgitating your own stats back to you, it’ll give you actionable insights into how to recover smarter.

I’ll be putting the Google Edge to the test once I get my hands on a device in the next few weeks, but it’s shaping up to be a decent option if you’re not after a smartwatch, or you love the sound of the Fitbit Air, but aren’t quite sure if a screenless device is for you.

More from Tom's Guide

• Can the $99 Fitbit Air beat the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 at fitness tracking? I manually counted 4,500 steps to find out
• I walked 4,000 steps with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and the winning margin was razor-thin
• Oura vs Whoop vs Fitbit Air — 5 questions to ask yourself before buying a screen-free fitness tracker

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again — the Fitbit Air is one of my favorite fitness trackers to launch this year. At $99, it’s super affordable, it’s extremely comfortable to wear, and the Google Health app is excellent. Yet my one gripe has been that, while it looks a lot more discreet than a Whoop or Garmin Cirqa, I’d still take it off if I was going out with friends.

That is, until now — along with the Fitbit Edge, Google quietly released some new premium metal bands for the Fitbit Air, and they look beautiful. Move over, Oura; there’s a new device that looks like jewelry — read on to find out more.

Fitbit Air Metal Mesh band: when is it coming and what will it cost?

The Metal Mesh band is made from stainless steel and will be available in champagne gold or polished silver. On its own, it’ll cost $70, but you can also buy one that is paired with an Obsidian Fitbit Air for $149. This gives users the option to buy a more expensive-looking version of the tracker, but even with just the band itself, you won’t be able to see the little pebble when it’s on your wrist.

Of course, I’m yet to see the band up close, but they definitely give the Fitbit Air a premium facelift. The finely woven metal bands allow the device to disappear onto the wrist and look more like jewelry than any of the bands it launched with. At first glance, you probably wouldn’t even notice the tracker, making it more like the Oura Ring in terms of discreet fitness tracking.

The new bands will be available on October 27, when the Fitbit Edge launches. I, personally, can’t wait to get my hands on the Champagne gold band, but let me know what you think of the new launches in the comments below, and whether $70 is too much to spend when the tracker itself only costs $99.

Until then, I’ll sit here patiently waiting for Google to release the armband we’ve all been asking for.

More from Tom's Guide

• Can the $99 Fitbit Air beat the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 at fitness tracking? I manually counted 4,500 steps to find out
• I walked 4,000 steps with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and the winning margin was razor-thin
• Oura vs Whoop vs Fitbit Air — 5 questions to ask yourself before buying a screen-free fitness tracker

Fans of the Fitbit Charge 6, listen up—Google just launched the new $179 Fitbit Edge, and it replaces the Charge in the brand’s fitness-tracker lineup.

But where does it fit in Google’s smartwatch lineup? And should you choose the Fitbit Edge or the $99 Fitbit Air? Read on to find out more

What is the Fitbit Edge?

Google hasn’t released a Fitbit Charge since 2023, and at a glance, the Fitbit Edge seems to be replacing the budget fitness tracker.

On paper, it has a lot of the same features as the Charge: a small display, a week of battery life, built-in GPS, and the ability to track your workouts, sleep, and stress from your wrist. It won’t give you as many apps or notifications as a smartwatch, but it will do all the basics when it comes to keeping an eye on your health and fitness goals.

Design-wise, it looks more modern, with rounded edges compared to the Fitbit Charge 6’s boxier look. It’s also slightly bigger at 39.2 x 25.6 mm, compared to 36.7 x 23.1 mm on the Fitbit Charge 6.

The Fitbit Edge costs $180/£160 and comes in four different colors in the active band option: olive green, black, white, or pink.

The olive version has an olive aluminum casing, and the pink Fitbit Edge has a champagne gold casing. Like the Fitbit Air, there’s also a special edition Stephen Curry band, which is more expensive. Like the Fitbit Air, it’s easy to swap between bands, and from the looks of things, there are plenty more options coming soon.

Like the Fitbit Air, if you want to unlock the Gemini-powered health coach, or some of the more advanced sleep features, you’ll need to pay for a Google Health Premium membership.

This is an extra expense, but in my testing, the Fitbit Air has the best AI-powered health coach out there, so if you use it, it’s worth it.

You can pre-order the Fitbit Edge now, for release on October 27.

Should you buy the Fitbit Edge or the Fitbit Air?

Here’s the big question, though: should you buy the Fitbit Edge or the $99 Fitbit Air? The answer really depends on how much you want your fitness tracker to have a screen.

I’m yet to test the Fitbit Edge, but will, of course, be following up with a full review once I get my hands on one. The Fitbit Air, on the other hand, is one of my favorite fitness trackers of 2026.

Part of the appeal when it comes to the Fitbit Air is its low cost and its comfortable design. For $99, you’re getting an excellent fitness tracker that’s seriously comfortable. However, you obviously can’t see any live feedback during your workouts.

The Fitbit Edge seems to be in the middle. It won’t give you all the notifications and apps as the Pixel Watch 5, but it will give you more than the Fitbit Air, which doesn’t have a screen, an ECG app, or built-in GPS.

Unlike the Google Pixel Watch 5, the Fitbit Edge will work with Android and iOS.

We’ll be testing the Fitbit Edge soon, so keep an eye on Tom’s Guide!

More from Tom's Guide

• Can the $99 Fitbit Air beat the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 at fitness tracking? I manually counted 4,500 steps to find out
• I walked 4,000 steps with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and the winning margin was razor-thin
• Oura vs Whoop vs Fitbit Air — 5 questions to ask yourself before buying a screen-free fitness tracker

Despite debuting back in 2023, the Fitbit Charge 6 remains one of my favorite fitness trackers on the market today because of its onboard GPS, reliable tracking performance, small but bright display, comfy design, impressive battery life, and support for several handy Google apps.

While 2026’s Fitbit Air is in some ways the spiritual successor to the Fitbit Charge 6, the lack of a screen, smart features, and onboard GPS means it doesn’t quite fill the same shoes as its older sibling.

So, will Google ever launch a Charge 6 replacement, or is the brand too concerned about sales potentially cannibalizing interest in the Pixel Watch 5? Based on a host of recent rumors and links, the former now seems likely.

That’s right, a true-blue Fitbit Charge 6 replacement could debut as early as this year. Better yet, it may combine all the best bits of the Fitbit Charge 6 in a smaller, more Fitbit Air-like package.

Here are the five biggest things you should know about the rumored Fitbit Edge.

1. Unlike the Fitbit Air, the Edge is rumored to have a screen

Screen-free fitness trackers are clearly in vogue at the moment. 2026 gave us the Fitbit Air, Garmin Cirqa, Luna Band, and more. While I’m a fan of the distraction-free promise of these devices, sometimes it’s nice to interact with your gadget without having to open an app on your phone.

Google seems to agree, because the Fitbit Edge is rumored to incorporate a 1.34-inch display that’s likely touch-sensitive, according to a report by Forbes. Leaked images, shared by Android Headlines, also suggest that the device will have at least one physical button on the side of the case.

2. Onboard GPS also seems likely

My biggest gripe about the Fitbit Air is that it lacks onboard GPS, which means you need to carry your paired phone with you for outdoor workouts if you want accurate location-based data.

As someone who frequently makes use of the great outdoors for my recreational enjoyment, I much prefer not being forced to bring my bulky iPhone 16 Plus along for the excursion, especially when going for a run or bike ride.

Fortunately, the Fitbit Edge is rumored to include onboard GPS, just like the Fitbit Charge 6. On the flip side, this probably means that battery life won’t be quite as good as the Fitbit Air, which lasts roughly a week per charge. More likely, it will be closer to five days, similar to the Charge 6.

3. The Edge will probably support basic Google apps

Don’t expect the Fitbit Edge to be jam-packed with smart features; that’s what the Pixel Watch line is for, but you can likely expect it to support some basic Google apps, like Google Maps, Google Music, and Google Wallet.

4. Expect a petite, lightweight design

Again, going by leaked images, the Fitbit Edge appears to be slightly smaller than the Fitbit Charge 6, with a more pebble-like case design. The strap shown appears similar in design to the silicone straps that ship with the Pixel Watch 5.

While I don’t have any concrete specs, I suspect the Edge will weigh less than the ~30 g Fitbit Charge 6 but a little more than the ~13 g Fitbit Air.

With only one physical button shown on the right side of the case, it seems likely that the screen on the tracker will be touch-sensitive. Design-wise, I expect Google to launch the Fitbit Edge with a decent selection of eye-catching color combinations to choose from.

5. It will likely cost between $150 and $200

The Fitbit Air is $99, while the Fitbit Charge 6 launched at $159. How much can we expect the Fitbit Edge to go for? Given the rate of inflation over the past three years, it seems likely that the Edge will cost a little bit more than its predecessor, but I highly doubt it will surpass $200.

What are your thoughts on the Fitbit Edge? Does it sound like a proper replacement for the Fitbit Charge 6? Moreover, cost aside, which fitness tracker would you rather own, the screen-free Fitbit Air or a screen- and GPS-equipped Fitbit Edge? Let me know below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fitbit Air vs Fitbit Charge 6 — which top-performing Fitness tracker wins?
• Fitbit Air vs Fitbit Inspire 3 — which $99 fitness tracker wins?
• I've been using the Fitbit Air for over a week, and my favorite feature has completely changed the way I wake up

2026 is the year of the screenless tracker, and as a health editor, I’m here for it. These discreet devices are designed to sit unnoticed on your pulse points and track your steps, stress, workouts, and cycle, without the constant buzz of WhatsApp notifications or emails.

Two big releases this year are the $99 Fitbit Air, an excellent, affordable tracker that’s comfortable to wear, and the $399 Oura Ring 5, which is the smallest and lightest smart ring on the market. I’ve been wearing both for five months, and below, I’ve broken down which I’d pick based on all my testing.

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Counting calories

One of the main reasons people buy a fitness tracker is to keep track of their health goals. If losing weight is your goal, you’ll know that the best way to do this is to be in a calorie deficit — in other words, burning more calories than you consume.

As a health writer, I’m here to tell you that none of the best fitness trackers are particularly good at this. No wearable can directly measure your metabolic activity, oxygen uptake, or heat production to fully understand your true calorie burn; instead, they take a fairly educated guess.

A lot of the algorithms are based on your age, sex, weight and height, but won’t account for biological differences like your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and body composition (muscle burns more energy at rest than fat).

I’d take all readings with a pinch of salt and instead look at how active you were week on week, how many workouts you fit in, or whether you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet to fuel the movement you’re tracking.

Winner: It’s a tie

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Counting steps

Again, steps aren’t the best metric for how healthy we are, but they are a good place to start and something a lot of people care about. After five months of testing, I’d say the Fitbit Air is more accurate for my daily step count compared to the Oura Ring.

Ways to make the Oura Ring more accurate in tracking your steps are to ensure you’re wearing the ring the right way — the sensors should be on the bottom of your finger. Your ring should be tight enough to track your data, but not so tight it’s cutting off circulation. It’s also a good idea to connect your ring to the Apple Health app on your iPhone or the Android Health app.

Winner: Fitbit Air

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Design and comfort

Both of these devices are extremely comfortable to wear. The Fitbit Air is far smaller and lighter than the Whoop 5.0 or the Garmin Cirqa; plus, unlike the Whoop and Cirqa, it doesn’t stay wet for hours on your wrist.

That said, the winner here is the Oura Ring 5, which really does disappear on your finger. It looks like jewelry, and it would be the device I recommend to anyone who doesn’t want to be seen wearing a fitness tracker. The Oura Ring 5 also comes out on top for hygiene, as it’s really easy to clean and you’re never going to have to worry about the band getting smelly or dirty.

Winner: Oura Ring 5

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Battery life

Again, this one is pretty much a tie. The Fitbit Air gives you seven days of battery life from a single charge. The Oura Ring 5 gives you up to nine days of battery life, depending on the size of your ring. I wear a size 8 and find I get about a week between charges.

Either way, you’re charging both trackers a lot less than your Apple Watch.

Winner: It’s a tie

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Sleep

Far from just being an interesting thing to look at every morning, how well you sleep is actually as important as how much you move. Experts say sleep rivals diet and exercise as a core pillar of longevity; the American Heart Association, for example, uses sleep data as a metric for heart and brain health.

Both trackers do a good job of making it easy to understand how well you’re sleeping. Both give you a sleep score out of 100, a breakdown of the different stages of sleep you’ve entered, and tips on how to improve your quality. That said, Oura goes far deeper, and to get the same level of sleep insights from the Fitbit Air, you have to pay for a Google Health membership.

Winner: Oura Ring 5

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Stress and recovery

Again, this is a tough one, as both devices do a pretty good job of looking at how well your body copes with stress over the day. Neither goes into as much detail as the Whoop, which largely focuses on your overall strain score, but both definitely have a focus on resilience.

I’d say the Oura tips it slightly, but this one is hard to call. I’d also say that if you do subscribe to the Google Health membership, Fitbit’s AI health coach is the best I’ve used. It doesn’t just regurgitate your workouts; instead, it gives you actionable advice based on how well you’ve slept, how hard you’ve pushed yourself, and the recovery data the device has collected.

Winner: It’s a tie

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Female health tracking

This one is easy — the Oura Ring 5. Oura has always been a leader in terms of menstrual tracking, pregnancy tracking, and now menopause features. Heck, my Oura Ring 3 knew I was pregnant weeks before I did.

It’s also compatible with Natural Cycles, allowing you to use the ring with the app to plan or prevent pregnancy. At the time of writing, the Fitbit Air isn’t compatible with Natural Cycles, and while it has the ability to track your skin temperature, it’s not using this data as part of its menstrual tracking features.

Winner: Oura Ring 5

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Price

Another super easy one: for $99, the Fitbit Air is the screenless tracker I’d recommend to most people. If you’re not bothered about the deeper sleep insights or AI health coach, it’s also a one-time purchase, compared to the ongoing subscription you’ll need with the Oura Ring.

Winner: Fitbit Air

Fitbit Air vs Oura Ring 5: Which should you buy?

So, which should you buy? If you’re on a budget, you don’t really care about wearing a watch and a screenless tracker, and you don’t need female health tracking features, the Fitbit Air is the obvious choice.

You don’t need a subscription to get all you need from the device, and it’s super lightweight and comfortable to wear. If you do pay for the subscription, the Gemini-powered health coach is the best I’ve used.

If you want to wear a beautiful watch to the office, or no watch at all, and still track your health metrics, the Oura Ring 5 is the obvious choice. It looks stunning, it’s easy to clean, and it gives you tonnes of data. If you forced me to choose, I’d still pick the Oura every time, but it is undeniably more of an investment.

More from Tom's Guide

• Can the $99 Fitbit Air beat the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 at fitness tracking? I manually counted 4,500 steps to find out
• I walked 4,000 steps with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and the winning margin was razor-thin
• Oura vs Whoop vs Fitbit Air — 5 questions to ask yourself before buying a screen-free fitness tracker

There are 24 hours in the day but is your wearable capturing all of them? With the launch of the SL-1 smart band, from $199.95, smart ring brand QALO hopes to deliver non-stop health tracking that combines 24/7 data in an understandable, actionable package. No blank spots, no missing hours.

Geared towards intense movement and workouts — but with the capability to track sleep and stress — the QALO SL-1 is the latest wearable aiming to make health tracking more accessible. It joins the FitBit Air and Oura Ring 5 in arguing that the best sleep trackers of 2026 have all been screenless.

I've been hands-on with the SL-1 smart band and yes, when you're lifting a kettlebell, it's more comfortable to wear than a pricey smart ring. But a lot of us don't lift kettlebells that often, so I spoke to Jake Curreri, CEO of QALO, about the SL-1, non-stop tracking and how wearables might change lives.

QALO SL-1 Smart Band: How it works

QALO is best known for its silicone rings (aka the functional wedding ring.) A brand that puts convenience and athletics at the heart of its production, wearables were the obvious next step. That's where Curreri comes in.

"I've founded several startups in the digital health and fitness space, and then on behalf of one of my companies, consulted with Nike Innovation Labs," he explains.

Brought on to steer QALO into the growing wearables market, Curreri asked a simple question: "What do we want to focus our users' attention on?"

The answer came in three parts.

"Sleep was foundational. Vitality was foundational. And movement was foundational."

'Empower you to make a change in habits you otherwise might not have made'

QALO turned three interests into one easy metric; the Q score. QALO's proprietary 1-100 score synthesizes key metrics to form a snapshot of your day. (Think of it as their version of FitBit's popular readiness score.)

"You don't need a ring or a band to tell you your sleep was terrible," says Curreri. "The important part is how that impacts your overall health."

He explains that having that data equips people, particularly those working in high pressure situations, to understand their readiness. "It's one of the ways we built the product to make health tracking fit into people's lives, rather than asking people to change their lives around the wearable."

But, of course, QALO doesn't want you to simply sit back and watch low scores roll in.

"We really want it to be something that you can easily digest, and then make changes based off of," explains Curreri. "For example, going to bed before 10:30 versus after 10:30."

Alongside your score, the QALO app also delivers "optimal zones", based on the data it collects. From your personal baseline, the app can tell you if you're "high, low or in the optimal zone" for a number of metrics.

"[It's] just enough insights not to overwhelm you, but to empower you to make a change in habits today that you otherwise might not have," says Curreri.

"It truly not just changes lives, it saves lives."

'A continuous, always-on, health monitoring experience'

If QALO is looking to deliver data you can use, the release of the SL-1 hopes to increase the tracking that informs that data.

"The smart ring [released September 2025] and the smart band are designed for interchangeability," says Curreri. "The smart ring fits very well for sleep. The smart band fits very well for day to day activities."

He explains that QALO didn't want to be tied down to a "single form factor" but to provide a "continuous, always on health monitoring experience."

This versatility not only increases the data collected, but can also expand the awareness of the user. You might think fitness tracking is your focus, but learning about sleep explains your off days. Or, you might be the Fittest Man on Earth, but you still want to reach your step goals.

Engineered towards high-intensity movement and hands-on work, the SL-1 is designed to take over where a smart ring can't follow. Think construction work and weight training. (Although if you only want to make one investment, the SL-1 can be used all day long.)

I've been testing the Smart Band and it's made me realize how often I take my Oura Ring 5 off. Everyday activities like cleaning and cooking are often done sans-ring, leaving holes in my data. The SL-1 can plug those gaps, giving me the clearest picture of my metrics. Including just how stressed I get when cleaning the oven.

'It's important for us as wearable companies to push the envelope'

The launch of the SL-1 expands the usability and data collection of the wearable system. But the next frontier for QALO might lie less in new types of trackers, more in expanding just what metrics your wearable can gather.

The SL-1 includes women's health metrics, an area historically overlooked by fitness trackers. Curreri describes the "free, fully integrated cycle tracking solution" as the "bridge between fitness and medical."

So what more metrics should our wearables be tracking that they currently aren't? That's not for us to know just yet, but Curreri notes QALO is looking ahead.

"It's important for us as wearable companies and wearable visionaries and leaders at the intersection of health and fitness, to push the envelope."

QALO SL-1 Smart Band: Price and availability

The QALO SL-1 Smart Band is available right now from $199.95 at QALO. This fall, it will be sold from select Walmart stores (the QALO Smart Ring 2 is currently available from Walmart.)

Unusually for a wearable, the QALO smart ring and band are completely subscription free — no extra charge to see your scores.

This subscription-free philosophy is something Curreri describes as important to QALO and notes that expanding access to wearables backs the brands mission to deliver more data to everyone.

"We can do something pretty magical by both pushing the research component of it, but also pushing the business model."

Hang around the Tom’s Guide fitness desk long enough, and we’ll strap a tracker to your wrist and ask you to start counting your steps. Sure, most gadgets on the market these days do more than track steps, but we think if a watch does the basics right, it’s probably doing the bigger things well too.

Next on our list of watches to test is the new Apple Watch Series 12 (starting at $399) and the Garmin Forerunner 570 ($549). Both devices are designed to be worn 24/7 and track your sleep, readiness, activity, and heart rate, not just your steps. Apple says it made its pedometer more accurate in the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, so I was keen to put the two watches head to head to find out more.

Like all of these walk tests, I strapped one watch to each wrist, and used a $5 clicker tool from Amazon to count my steps as I walked manually. Both trackers count your steps using an internal accelerometer, which measures the swing of your arms. Each swing counts for two steps, and it doesn’t matter whether you wear your watch on your dominant or non-dominant hand. It doesn’t matter if you walk with your hands in your pockets or holding a cup of coffee; the accelerometer should still measure your body’s movement.

Read on to find which watch came out on top, and read our Apple Watch Series 12 review and our Garmin Forerunner 570 review here on Tom’s Guide to take a deeper dive into both watches.

I walked 5,000 steps with the Apple Watch 12 vs Garmin Forerunner 570

As with all of the best Apple Watches, the Apple Watch Series 12 still doesn’t tell you the number of steps you’ve taken during a specific workout; instead, you see an overall number of steps throughout the day, which you can now pin to your home screen. This is probably because steps aren’t actually that useful a metric beyond a certain point, but annoying for me when writing these articles. For this comparison, I downloaded a third-party Pedometer+ app onto my Apple Watch.

Here’s the results:

As you can see from the results, the Apple Watch Series 12 won in this walk test, only counting an extra 50 steps. That’s not to say that the Garmin Forerunner 570 was inaccurate, however, only overcounting by 72 steps, but the Apple Watch got closer to my manual step count.

It’s worth noting that 50-70 steps is pretty much spot on. The average person takes 2,000 steps a mile, so an extra 50 steps is nothing.

To really put these two watches head-to-head, you’d need to look at a lot more than just how well they count steps. Both are designed to be worn 24/7 and help you track more than just walking workouts. There are some big differences, however: the Garmin Forerunner 570 has a far superior battery life, at 10 days in smartwatch mode for the 42mm version, and 11 days for the 47mm watch.

That said, the Apple Watch Series 12 is like having an extension of your iPhone on your wrist, and with the new heart rate sensor, it’s definitely the best Apple Watch on the market for most people. We’ll continue to compare the two watches head-to-head, so stay tuned for more testing.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’m a smartwatch reviewer: This is the new Apple Watch 12 feature I’m most excited for
• Apple just killed one of my favorite Apple Watch features with the launch of watchOS 27
• I’ve tested over 100 fitness trackers head-to-head — 3 workout stats I trust the least