Fitbit Versa smart watch review

Fitbit Versa is Fitbit’s newest smart watch and activity tracker combo. It’s definitely the slimmest, chicest and prettiest Fitbit yet. So what sets the Versa apart, and should you upgrade? I tackle those questions in this review.

Fitbit Versa smart watch review

Fitbit Versa looks gorgeous. This newest incarnation of a Fitbit smartwatch is thinner, smaller and much more feminine than previous smart watches, and as one alert Instagrammer pointed out, it looks a lot like another popular watch out there.

Fitbit Features

The newest Fitbit smart watches, like the Ionic (read the review) and the maybe-now-retired Blaze (read the review) have many of the same features.  They’ll track steps and activity, measure hours slept, check heart rate and coach you through pre-scripted workouts. You’ll also get data on calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, hourly activity and stationary time.

Today’s smart fitness watches will also now send text, calendar and message alerts to your watch from your compatible smartphone, letting you stay connected. While you cant respond to those alerts if they come from an iPhone, Android users can now send Quick replies to those notifications.

You can access pretty much all the watch’s features on the watch itself, but for some more detail, including activity history, and the ability to change watch faces, you’ll need to use the free Fitbit app. It’s easy to set up and navigate and keeps years of stats at your fingertips.

GPS tracking & music storage

The Fitbit Versa also has GPS capabilities for run tracking and data, and you can use that feature to get a map of your route in the Fitbit app; but take note you will need your phone along for the ride to access the GPS feature.(Want GPS built into the watch? Click to read my review of the Fitbit Ionic.)

If you prefer to run without a lot of accessories weighing you down, you can load music onto the watch, connect wirelessly to your Fitbit Flyer semi-wireless headphones (read my review of those here), and run unencumbered by your phone.

Fitbit smart watches: Plays nicely with… everyone!

Fitbit Versa syncs your stats wirelessly and automatically to computers and over 200 iOS, Android and Windows devices.

Fitbit Versa Battery life

One of the things I always appreciate in a gadget is a long battery life and when some smart watches today can only deliver about a day of battery life, having a watch that lasts more than 4 days really stands out. That kind of battery life means you can wear it all day, and sleep with it on to gather sleep stats too.

Pay with your watch

With a built-in NFC chip in the Versa SE (it’s a bit pricier than the Versa), you can use your credit and debit cards to pay for purchases on-the-go using your Fitbit Versa anywhere that accepts contactless payments. Take note, this feature is only available on the Versa SE version.

Personalized Reminders

One of the features I’ve long loved about Fitbits is the ability to create custom reminders to get up and move. I find getting that nudge a few times a day is so helpful and helps me stay on track. You can set reminders to  move, drink water, or get to bed on time; whatever you need. I also like to set alarms as a reminder to stand up and stretch!

Versa fit & feel

When it comes to fit and feel, the Versa is slim and light, but it is large, taking up much of my wrist. It doesn’t feel bulky or obtrusive though, like some more masculine sized smart watches. Overall I found it to be a good size for me, and definitely better sited to my frame than previous Fitbit smart watches.

Fitbit Female Health Tracking

Fitbit has added some significant new technology to the app and the watch (now on iOS and Windows, coming soon to Android). With Female Health tracking, you can log periods, record any menstrual symptoms like headaches, tenderness, spotting or the consistency of “fluids”, and compare your cycle comparison against your other health stats sleep, activity and weight. For anyone that likes a reminder about what time of the month it is; whether you want to know what’s coming or maybe track your fertility, Fitbit now lets you keep all this data. Smart.

You can see on the app on on your Versa where you are in your cycle, when your period is expected and see your upcoming estimated fertile window in the new Fitbit Today personalized health dashboard on Versa or Ionic.
You can also learn about menstrual cycles, ovulation, fertility, and more with judgement-free content developed with Fitbit advisors, obstetrician-gynecologists and doctors.

Customizable Clockfaces

Being able to personalize and customize your smart watch goes without saying. Fitbit allows you to choose your own photos or a selection of fancy faces inside the Fitbit app.

Syncs Wirelessly

Sync stats wirelessly & automatically to computers and 200+ leading iOS, Android and Windows devices.

Overall thoughts on Fitbit Versa

What’s New with the Versa: longer, more reliable battery life, slimmer, more feminine design, Female health tracking (when it’s enabled)

I still love Fitbit and think they do the smart watch and activity tracker thing really, really well.  With the Versa, they’ve made a smart watch that ladies are absolutely going to gravitate towards. Plus with all the stats, data and tracking that Fitbit is well known for and manages flawlessly, you;’re getting a top notch product.

I can definitely recommend the Fitbit Versa f you’re looking for a smart fitness watch. It sells for about $199US or $249CAD from places like Best Buy and London Drugs.

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