Fitbit Charge 5 now available in Australia with colour screen and stainless steel case

Fitbit’s Charge series aim to be halfway between a basic fitness tracker and a full on smart watch, the Charge 5 continues this trend.

At $269.95 it’s $20 more than the Charge 4 was at launch but the improvements are substantial because the Charge 5:

• Has a colour screen not black n white
• Is stainless steel encased instead of plastic
• is 10% thinner than it’s predecessor

Befitting Fitbit’s most advanced fitness & health tracker it comes with 6 months Premium membership included. After that Fitbit Premium costs $14.99/month or $129.99/year (25% off).

Fitbit devices are as much about the software and the hardware, one thing Charge 5 users will get that Charge 4 users won’t is the Daily Readiness score available to Premium members in the Fitbit app that uses insights from your body and reveals if you’re ready for a workout or should prioritize recovery.

Once you are working out figure out whether to go harder with on-wrist features like built-in GPS for real-time pace & distance and Active Zone Minutes to help you reach your optimal intensity level.

Your workout intensity map in the Fitbit app will also show you your pace and heart
rate zones throughout your outdoor runs, hikes and rides.

Track trends in your SpO2 levels, skin temperature variation and more with the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app. Plus, get potentially insightful tools right on your wrist EDA Scan for stress management, an ECG app (for users over 22 years old) as well as high & low heart rate notifications.

If you want to go for a run and then buy a snack on the way Fitbit Pay let’s you load your credit and debit cards to your Wallet in the Fitbit app, then use Charge 5 to make contactless purchases on the go no phone or wallet needed.

Of course this relies on your bank and card supporting Fitbit Pay. We’ve asked Fitbit Australia if the more widely supported Google Pay system will be made available anytime soon on the Charge 5 and other Fitbit devices.

If you like the sound of the Charge 5 you can buy it at Fitbit.com and select retailers including JB H-Fi, Harvey Norman, Amazon, Officeworks, The Good Guys, Bing Lee and Big W.

Alternately if $269.95 is above your budget the Charge 4 is still quite capable and has been cut in price to as low as $158 at Amazon.