PLUGGED IN: FITBIT VERSA 3

A motivational health and fitness smartwatch with top features.

The wearable market has been blown wide open with the arrival of the new Fitbit Versa 3, a versatile smartwatch that balances top of the range features with extended battery life, new functionality and competitive pricing.

Launched in October 2020 the sleek new wearable is available in three attractive colour options (black, midnight and pink clay) and features a considerable, easy to read display that sits comfortably above the wrist while providing all of the critical information, such as time, date, heart rate, steps and calories burned with a quick glance.

Setting up the latest FitBit device is relatively simple and requires the FitBit application to be installed on your smartphone device. Once this is done, syncing the devices together is a seamless experience, and the connectivity between smartwatch and smartphone provides users with a wealth of health and fitness data at their fingertips.

One of the joys of the Fitbit Versa 3, aside from just how comfortable it is to wear, is the ease of navigation and the abundance of tools and functionality that this new wearable offers. Simple tasks such as the stopwatch, alarms and weather can be accessed with a simple left swipe across the AMOLED display, while more complex activities will require some minor screen tapping and button-pushing. Either way, the Fitbit Versa 3 is a joy to play around with and the clean and crisp display makes tracking your daily routine enjoyable and easy to understand.

Step tracking, heart rate monitoring and calorie burning are automated processes that the Versa 3 undertakes without any assistance or intervention from the user and are likely the key incentives behind the purchase of such a device. Notable functions of the new Versa 3 device include the ability to fully immerse the watch in water (up to 164 feet) for swimming and water sports activities. Active users will also appreciate being able to set their pace via GPS, meaning ultimate ease when it comes to tracking pace, distance and workout intensity upon an interactive map. A function that runners, cyclists and even climbers will find handy.

The Fitbit Versa 3 can track a wide range of exercise activities that include swimming, cycling, boot camp, circuit training, elliptical, golf, hiking, interval workouts, kickboxing, martial arts, Pilates, running, spinning, stair climbing, tennis, weights and yoga. The addition of Active Zone minutes means that you’ll feel a small buzz when reaching your target heart rate zones during exercise. Combine this with the Fitbit Versa 3’s new PurePulse 2.0 technology, and you have the brands more enhanced heart rate tracking technology yet.

This device boasts many advantages, including advanced personalisation, and within a few days of usage, we found the Fitbit Versa 3 slowly becoming an integral part of our daily routine. Even when you’re not being particularly active, functions such as guided breathing and reminders to move, help you to keep relaxed and on track. There’s even a handy sleep tracker that allows you to understand your sleep quality and the watch can even be used to find your optimal time for waking up each day.  

The Mindfulness section of the Fitbit application is also worth exploring and provides you with tools to help reduce stress and deepen your mindfulness practice. Here you can set a weekly mindfulness goal, track your daily mindful minutes and mindful days, and see trends as you build your mindfulness practice.

Fitbit Versa 3 encompasses more than just health and fitness with the device, allowing you to control your music from your wrist. Connecting to Spotify or Deezer is easy and allows complete control over your preferred soundtrack as you exercise. The advantage of being connected to your smartwatch means all of your call, text and smartphone notifications are accessible on your wrist and you even have the additional option to control the Fitbit Versa 3 via voice assistance from either Google or Alexa. Have you lost your phone? The ‘find my phone’ functionality on the Versa 3 has you covered!

When it comes to being active all day, battery life is of the utmost importance, and one complete charge of the Fitbit Versa 3 will provide you with approximately six days of battery life – now that’s impressive!

Now in its third generation, the Versa is a continually evolving wearable that is often enhanced via software updates that bring additional functionality to the already impressive device. Last week saw the arrival of Fitbit OS 5.1 in the MENA region bringing Bluetooth calling and SpO2 to the Versa.

The SpO2 experience enables Premium members of the Versa 3 to track blood oxygen levels while they sleep. Examining your SpO2 trends in the Health Metrics dashboard can help you see when there is increased stress or fatigue, signs of respiratory issues, or changes in your environment, such as altitude or air quality. 

Fitbit Versa 3 has added a slew of new functionality to their latest wearable, but it is the fitness tracker that remains the strength of the device. The addition of GPS tracking and PurePulse 2.0 are welcomed, but it is the prolonged battery life and competitive price point that makes this device one to add to your festive wishlist.

GO: Visit www.fitbit.com for more information.