The Versa is undeniably Fitbit’s star. It’s packed with a host of smart and fitness features, it has sleek lines, a wide variety of bands to choose from, and it even comes in rose gold.
Way cheaper than the Apple Watch, Versa is an aesthetically appealing and wallet-friendly smartwatch designed for athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone who want to boost their athletic performance, monitor their health, and receive smartphone notifications directly on their wrist.
But is it the right smartwatch for you? Read this Fitbit Versa review to find out all you need to know.
Design and Display
Perhaps Fitbit’s best-looking smartwatch, Versa impresses with a square display with rounded edges – dubbed a “squircle” by the manufacturer. It looks similar to the Apple Watch, but Versa is much more than a mere imitation. Indeed, this smartwatch is the Apple Watch’s first serious competitor.
Sleek lines and lightweight design make it a pleasure to wear 24/7. Various colors, including the stylish rose gold, and an array of band options give you plenty of opportunities for customisation.
There are three variants, all of which have the same lines and display size. What changes is the choice of colours and bands, as well as the functions and features of the smartwatch.
Its range-topper is the Versa Special Edition which comes with a woven and a classic band, in either grey or pink color palettes. The standard Versa, as well as the Lite variant, come with classic silicone bands only, but in a wider range of colors.
The display is brilliantly bright; a colorful touchscreen that’s easily visible both in direct sunlight and underwater. While the watch has three navigation buttons, you can easily access and control apps and features directly from the touch display.
Commands are fluid and uninterrupted, and the generous 34mm screen adds user-friendliness to the design.
Smart Features
Fitbit is renowned for its fitness-oriented approach, and most of its smartwatches don’t impress in the smartwatch department. But the Versa changes all that, with a host of smart features, including smartphone notifications and quick answers, multiple apps, and an app store, various clock faces, and music.
Most users praise the large music storage capacity of 300+ songs; alternatively, you can stream music from Pandora or Deezer.
If you want on-wrist payments and don’t mind spending a bit more, you can also make contactless payments directly with your smartwatch via Fitbit Pay, a feature only available on the Special Edition variant.
Fitness and Medical Features
In an attempt to make its fitness tracker appealing to all users, Fitbit has equipped the device with an abundance of fitness and health monitoring apps.
The smartwatch incorporates heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking, fitness tracking for over 15 sports, steps and calories counter, and real-time pace and distance.
Like other Fitbit smartwatches it doesn’t incorporate a GPS feature, but it accurately uses your smartphone’s GPS.
A few innovative features that make it stand out include:
- Swim lap tracking: A feature that will undoubtedly delight swimmers and those who love pool workouts. Unlike many fitness trackers which are only water-resistant, Fitbit Versa can actually track your pool laps, helping you improve your skills and boost performance.
- Floors climbed: If you’re tired of steps counted and would like to know how much floors you’ve climbed, the Versa can also track your elevation. Whether it’s actual floors or hills, you can check how much you’ve climbed whenever you want.
- On-screen workouts: Focusing on keeping you motivated, this feature brings the workouts to your wrist. Besides the pre-installed apps, you can also download more workouts from the app store.
Besides these features, Versa also has feminine health monitoring features, real-time stats for various workouts including yoga, and water resistance down to 50 meters.
Battery and Performance
Fitbit Versa might not impress with an outstanding battery life, but it still delivers a whopping four days of hassle-free wearing. Obviously, the actual runtime depends on how many workouts you track throughout the week, brightness settings, and whether or not you plan to wear it 24/7 or keep it off at night.
A nice thing is a proprietary charger with a clip-in dock that makes it easier to charge the smartwatch when compared with other magnetic pin models. However, you won’t be able to charge the device via a standard USB cable, which means you’ll have to take the charger with you wherever you go.
In terms of performance, Fitbit Versa is as accurate as you could expect from a top-range model. The workout reports delivered as soon as you stop training make it an excellent choice for athletes.
Fitbit Versa Summary
Competing closely with the Apple Watch in terms of design and performance, Fitbit Versa is undeniably an excellent choice. A wealth of smart, fitness and health features add real value for money to an already accessible price tag.
Perhaps Versa’s best feature is the swim lap tracking which isn’t the sort of thing you’d expect to see on such an affordable smartwatch. The app store also gives further customisation options. We also like the array of colours and bands you can choose.
Whether you decide to go for the Lite, Standard, or Special Edition version, Fitbit Versa is a smartwatch that won’t disappoint.
Last Updated on July 25, 2021