Fitbit also launched Surge and officially expanded its product line to the smart watch field after significantly updating its product line in 2014. The machine uses a larger screen and adds independent GPS functions. As a quasi professional sports equipment, its goal is to replace handheld GPS, pedometer and ordinary watches, but can it do that?
appearance
Comparison with Fitbit Charge
Comparison with Fitbit Charge HR
The product appearance design is basically the enlarged and widened version of Fitbit Charge. The same equal width design has two buttons on the right side.
The watchband of the machine is made of new material, which is very soft and comfortable, but it may still be uncomfortable if you keep wearing it. Its texture is more like high-tech fabric on professional sportswear than plastic/silicone.
Unfortunately, this strap, like many smart watches, is a bit bulky. Especially when wearing long sleeves, they will obviously block your cuffs. The super wide watchband of the machine is obviously designed for athletes. Running around with a quasi sports watch may attract strange/disdainful eyes from time to time (the situation is a bit like running around with a shark suit for sprinting).
However, the paradox is that it is an enhanced version of pedometer in its essence, and it should be worn all the time, but its appearance is obviously not suitable for all-weather wear
app
The official app design and interface of the machine are modern, detailed and focused. Even if it is not the most intuitive and beautiful in the industry, it has been done well enough. In terms of interface and simple functions, you can view the previous evaluating , I will not repeat it here. The biggest difference of Surge is that it has added a GPS map page, which makes it look more like a sports product.
In the new version, the calorie counting function is improved (that is, you can manually record what you eat to count the calories you eat), a lot of food nutrition data is added, and the bar code scanning function is added, making it easier to add food. However, unfortunately, the barcode of food at home and abroad is not universal, and this function improvement has little significance for domestic users.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that if you don't want to use the official app, it can also access third-party platforms such as MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, and even export it to excel tables for your own analysis.
function
The biggest feature of the machine is the built-in GPS, which makes it into the field of professional sports watches. Its GPS is certainly not the fastest or most accurate, but it is really simple and reliable. The machine is positioned every 60 seconds (the actual measurement is between 58-63 seconds), and the accuracy is acceptable. If you can't find the satellite signal, it will locate you nearby, which is much more stable than the Microsoft bracelet (the latter has tried to find GPS signals outdoors for 15 consecutive minutes).
Sure, Surge's heart rate sensor has no medical accuracy, but it can give you a fairly accurate heart rate data. In addition, thanks to the added sensors, the machine provides sleep monitoring accuracy that is far better than other products of its own. Heart rate data can help the machine judge your actual state.
It is worth noting that the fitbit series products all provide the sensitivity adjustment option of sleep monitoring. After being adjusted to the sensitivity level, the waking time in sleep statistics will be seriously overestimated, and it is not recommended to select the sensitivity mode for daily use (this may be designed for patients who cannot move?).
The step counting function is an old line of Fitbit. It can faithfully record your running steps (although there is an ancestral problem of being too sensitive and reporting more steps). However, its watch touch screen is a bit too sensitive, and it is often found that it is mistakenly lit when not looking at the time. In addition, the climbing statistics of machines sometimes jump by themselves when driving.
Finally, for the sake of endurance, the machine can disable GPS by pressing the button. In this case, it can last for a week. If you drive GPS a lot, it can last about 5 days. If you wear it for marathon training and keep running GPS, you will only last two days.
The only thing ignored on the machine is the notification function. It can only support phone and SMS push, and the delay is serious. After you clear the notification on the watch, the mobile phone will ring for a while. The use experience is not very good. And even if you know there is a notice, you still have to answer the phone through your mobile phone
competitor
After adding GPS and large dial, its competitors are no longer traditional sports bracelet manufacturers like Nike and Jawbone, Garmin、TomTom、 Microsoft bracelets have become its direct rivals. However, the functionality of Surge is obviously much weaker. The Microsoft bracelet can at least watch a Twitter push and also support Cortana voice assistant.
The biggest advantage of Surge is that it can accompany you all day, from getting up to going to bed. The data it records can let you know when to run, exercise, sleep, and how effective these activities are. Of course, the machine is not much more comfortable to wear than the Microsoft bracelet, but the endurance is much longer
If you just want to record your daily exercise, fitbit's own charge HR will be cheaper and more low-key. It also provides heart rate detection and time check functions, and the price is only 150 dollars (100 dollars less).
Even if you just want to count your steps, the $50 Misfit Flash will be a good choice.
If you want a professional sports watch that can provide heart rate detection and GPS recording, there are also a lot of options. Vivoactive at the same price has almost the same functions, but it has better endurance and more professional data statistics. In the Forerunner series, the Forerunner 15, which is extremely affordable, can also provide accurate GPS records, and has many special functions for runners (they can also be used as pedometers).
summary
It is a good motion recorder with powerful function of counting steps and recording sleep. But the biggest problem is that its appearance is not suitable for wearing in various occasions (mainly because it is ugly). When running, its size and pure black shape are not a big problem, but when sleeping or working, its shape is not very convenient.
In fact, it is more like a sports watch than a sports recorder that accompanies you all day long. In addition, at the price of $250, there are really many competitors, such as Timex, Polar, Garmin and TomTom, who are professional sports watches. They have precise GPS, which can provide more accurate heart rate statistics than the heart rate sensor of the bracelet with their own chest strap, and they also have many professional sports events.
But it also has its own selling points. Now there is only one motion recorder with GPS (Microsoft bracelet is actually a smart watch). For many ordinary users, professional sports watches may be too professional. If you are willing to sacrifice some appearance and wearing comfort, then the shortcomings of Surge are not obvious. In addition, if you were originally interested in the Microsoft bracelet, but could not resist its anti human design, it would be a better choice.
fabulous:
Centric rate sensor and GPS
Sleep recording accuracy has improved
The food database is simple and easy to use (but of little significance to domestic users)
Step on:
The shape is more suitable for the gym, not suitable for daily wear
The watch body is heavy and the strap is too wide
The price is too expensive for a sports tracker
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