Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsToo complicated for partner to use, passed it on.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 December 2023
Purchased by partner to replace an old Samsung Honor 5. The charge 6 proved to be too frustrating to operate, the three modes of waking the device were too unreliable, once woken navigating the 4 direction just confused. She reverted back to the Honor 5.
My experience of the Charge 6 is mixed, mine is operated without a subscription (thus minimising data creep). It took ages so remove all those features like google music. It still has to be operated with a google account so there will be data aggregation going on.
The technical side of the device is good, Ive compared it to the data captured by the Honor 5 and both records seem to track reasonably well suggesting comparable sensor technology. The battery life isnt too great but there are quite a few sensors running.
3 weeks on, The more I use it the more disappointed in it Ive become.
- when you go for a walk, run etc. It displays that you have started. The display remains for the whole duration with no means to access any other screen. No access to heat rate, steps or distance walked. Only the pace displayed. When the walk is detected over, you are required to acknowledge the 'Done' else screen remains displaying summary for rest or day. No idea what happens if I start another walk.
- VO2 reading is only that from last night, it never updates until the next morning.
- Heart rate graph uses differing scales for every day. It display the average so far in text but no way to see the where it lies on the graph, i.e. no user grids. On my mobile the graphs only display in portrait mode, no zoom or auto rotation so resolution is not great (all my other apps auto rotate). The resolution issue is most noticeable after a walk. The walks heart beat graph (say over an hour) has little resemblance to the daily graph.
- Sleep hours only shown after you get up & sync with your mobile. i.e no means to see sleep hours so far. Maybe if you keep the mobile in the bedroom the behaviour changes.
- Nap detection seems poor, Ive yet to see any, I know I napped a couple of hours before bed yesterday. All the hours were rolled together. Maybe I needed bigger gap between the nap & going to bed. The Honor 5 had no issue with recording naps.
- syncing hasn't been as reliable as the old Honor 5, a couple of days a week I've had to stop start bluetooth on my mobile.
- the Fitbit details display is limited, you have to resort to opening the app on the mobile to see significant detail
- I was using it on the last hole on the short strap, it was comfortably tight. But one morning i woke with a large blister under the buckle area. I switched hands & moved to the larger strap (which changed really easily, mechanism brilliantly designed). I now have a 2 inch plaster over blister. The band used to slide, now it does more. I'll have to see if measurements change significantly.
- I finally turned on the premium subscription. I really expected a step change in features. After a week I really didnt find anything to justify the significant cost on the ongoing subscription.