I started this review by saying that Fitbit had kept the Versa design the same, and at a glance that’s true. But the company has been gradually reducing the presence of physical buttons: there were three on the first-generation device, and this was reduced to one on the Versa Lite and Versa 2. Now, there are no buttons at all: just an indent on the left-hand side which functions as a pressure-sensitive “inductive” button like the one that debuted on the Fitbit Charge 3.

Both Versa watches have a polymer case, with a smart aluminum bezel and soft silicone band as standard, though the Versa 2 also comes in a special edition version with an extra woven jacquard band included.Navigating through the menus and apps via the screen is also a walk in the park – not once did the screen lag during our testing period, and swiping to bring up different functions works remarkably well. One of the Fitbit Versa 3's best features is its high-resolution AMOLED display (Image credit: TechRadar) Fitbit Versa 3 price and availability For example, I agree with Joe that the SpO2 sensor and watch face are great additions (it's actually my favorite watch face so far), but the fact that you can't access this information outside of that watch face, nor take a reading on-demand, is kind of a bummer.

On the right edge of the watch chassis is a tiny mic and a speaker which, in theory, should allow you to take calls. At night, you'll want to enable sleep mode, which dims the display and mutes incoming calls and texts. If you sleep with someone else, you can set a silent alarm, so it will wake you with a gentle vibration on your wrist. Despite that, performance is excellent, as we've come to expect from Fitbit devices. Battery life is about six days on a dim screen setting, but it drops to half that if you have the display set to always-on. GPS isn't as pinpoint accurate as on some other bands we've reviewed, but for the average user that won’t matter very much. The heart rate monitor is now a bit more precise than the Versa 2, but without a chest strap to compare, it’s hard to judge exactly how accurate it is. As with other recent devices like the Charge 4 and Sense, the Versa 3 can measure your SpO2 — or blood oxygen variation — while you sleep and display your results in the app on in an attractive watch face right on your wrist. Then with a tap, you can transition from SpO2 to step count, to heart rate, to Active Zone Minutes, to floors climbed. Pretty cool, and very useful and readable.Fitbit has made a move to challenge Apple's dominance in the smartwatch market, realising that a huge chunk of the market prioritises fitness applications. And you can see this in the comparison between the Versa 2 and the Apple Watch 5 (the most realistic comparison as of early 2020). If you own an Apple iPhone, you can probably do a lot more with the Watch 5, and Apple have paid a bit more attention to aesthetics. If you're shopping for a watch to show off at work, rather than at the gym, the Watch 5 will probably be preferable. But the sleep analysis tools, variety of fitness programs, and the relatively low Fitbit Versa 2 price tag makes it a far better option for most fitness fanatics. That includes the presence of Alexa on your wrist. Trigger the Alexa app via a shortcut and you can ask your question to the virtual assistant, who will duly reply in text on the screen. Given Google is in the process of buying Fitbit at the moment, it’s no surprise that Google Assistant is also an option, but it’s not quite ready for showtime yet, with the company promising support later in the year. To charge a Fitbit, you will need to connect the charging cable to the device and then plug the other end into a power source, such as a computer or wall outlet. Some Fitbit models come with a wireless charging pad that you can use to charge the device by placing it on the pad. How accurate is a Fitbit heart rate monitor? The bands are soft and comfortable, and easy to change. They're also swappable between the Versa 3 and Sense. Thanks to the integrated GPS, you can see your real-time pace and distance during outdoor runs, rides, walks, and hikes without having to bring your smartphone. This is a nice addition considering the Versa 2 requires your phone for GPS.

There are also differences when it comes to music. Both watches allow you to control your Spotify playlist from your wrist (provided you have a Spotify Premium subscription), and the Versa 3 also supports streaming from Deezer. Whichever watch you buy, you’ll get both small and large bands in the box, and you can buy alternative designs if you feel like a change. Like the more expensive Sense smartwatch, the Versa 3 can measure your SpO2 and skin temperature from your wrist.Fitbit Versa 3 features Active Zone Minutes. Active Zone Minutes help make every minute of your workout count by giving your wrist a buzz when entering your personalized target heart rate zone. This is an excellent feature for those that love heart-based training. The Versa 3 also lags compared to my Apple Watch SE. I poked around online to see if other reviewers and users noticed how apps can be slow to open and displays slow to switch, and sure enough I wasn’t the only one who felt the Versa 3 could be more responsive. It’s not a huge dealbreaker, but if you’re accustomed to the speedy performance of your smartphone or other smartwatch, the Versa 3 might frustrate you. Fitbit Versa 3 review: Battery life Before testing, I had forgotten that the Versa 3 could measure my skin temperature, just like the more expensive Sense can. The data can be found under the Health Metrics section, which is part of Fitbit Premium, and it can alert you to a possible oncoming illness or other condition that you may want to discuss with your healthcare provider. Speaking of Fitbit Premium, the Versa 3 comes with six months of the service, which includes guided fitness programs, helpful health tips, and in-depth metrics to help you better understand and take action on all of the data your Versa 3 collects. When you're done with setup, read through the guide to learn more about your new watch and then explore the Fitbit app. Keeping the screen always-on, though, drains the battery significantly, giving you no more than two days on a full charge. And if you use the GPS combined with the always-on display, you’ll need to charge the battery every day.