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Fitbit Charge 5 adds sweat-based stress sensor, rounded design

Kelly Hodgkins
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Following a high-profile leak that spilled most of the beans, Google-owned Fitbit today announced the Charge 5, an upcoming addition to the company’s lineup of fitness trackers. On the outside, the Charge 5 borrows heavily from the Fitbit Luxe, with a sleek, rounded, colorful display. Under the hood, though, is where you can find all the goodness.

Vibrant always-on display

The most noticeable change in the Charge 5 is the always-on display that lets you check your health stats instantly and curves to fit the wristband. The always-on feature can be turned off to help you eke more battery life from the device. If you want to wake the display, all you need to do is raise your wrist.

Fitbit Charge 5 on wrist while working out.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Built-in GPS

Similar to the Charge 4, the new Charge 5 will ship with built-in GPS to track your outdoor activities. Not only will you be able to view your activity on a map, but the Charge 5 will also display your workout intensity along the GPS track. You’ll be able to see at a glance where you were pushing yourself to your limit and where you were taking it easy.

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New stress-monitoring sensor

The Charge 5 joins the Fitbit Sense as Fitbit’s first trackers to feature an EDA sensor, which measures your sweat to monitor your stress levels. The sensor is used to generate a Stress Management Score to help you manage your daily stress levels.

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Daily Readiness

Daily Readiness is a new metric added to Fitbit’s Premium service. Like Garmin’s body battery, the Daily Readiness Score takes heart rate variability, sleep, and activity into account to calculate your overall energy level. This new metric determines whether you are ready for a crushing workout or an extra-long nap. Daily Readiness helps athletes manage their exercise and recovery schedule so they can get the most out of their activities.

The Fitbit Charge 5 leaks in black and blue.
Snoopy Text

Premium membership

The Fitbit Charge 5 ties into Fitbit’s premium membership, which provides access to features like Daily Readiness and exclusive content. With premium, Charge 5 owners can choose from more than 200 audio and video workouts led by professional trainers. The Charge 5 ships with a free six-month membership to this Premium content. After this free trial expires, Charge 5 owners can use the device without the premium features or choose to subscribe for $10 per month or $80 per year.

Availability

The Fitbit Charge 5  costs $179, which is $50 more than the existing Charge 4, and will be available this fall. The fitness tracker will come in three colors: Steel blue/platinum, black/graphite, and lunar white/gold. Those who want more than the stock sports band can purchase leather or hook-and-loop bands for a more classy look. Fitbit also is selling replacement sports bands in a wide range of colors.

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Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly Hodgkins
Contributor
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
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