Fitbit Luxe review: A luxurious fitness tracker for fashion-forward folks

Fitbit Luxe 4Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central

It’s no secret that Fitbit makes among the finest, most beloved fitness trackers round. The firm was a bit late to the smartwatch recreation, nevertheless it now affords among the best smartwatches that you may purchase for Android or iOS. After the lackluster reception of its Ionic smartwatch, Fitbit redoubled its efforts with the Versa and Sense traces, creating gadgets that weren’t solely feature-packed however showcased premium designs and constructed high quality. Despite all of those new merchandise, the corporate that’s most identified for its health bands hadn’t launched an all-new tracker design in over two years when the Inspire line got here out. That is, till now.

As a known proponent of fitness trackers, I used to be extraordinarily excited to get the prospect to write down this Fitbit Luxe evaluation. I do know I’m not the one one both — my colleague Jerry Hildenbrand lately wrote about how he’s looking for the next great fitness band that he should purchase for his spouse. But is the Luxe that supreme health tracker? For some, sure, however not for all.

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In its advertising and marketing supplies, Fitbit is clearly specializing in a few key areas for this machine — fashion and wellness. The Luxe is an attention-grabbing hybrid machine, with the scale and have set of the Inspire 2, the value tag of the Charge 4, and magnificence and design cues clearly borrowed from the Sense. In some respects, it is a jack of all trades, grasp of none, however I do not imply that as a slight. Even although you may get higher specs from lower-priced gadgets, that is not what this tracker is all about. It is supposed to inspire you, to be worn with satisfaction, and be envied by others.


Fitbit Luxe Face

Fitbit Luxe

Bottom line: The Fitbit Luxe will not be the perfect health tracker round. It’s not even the perfect tracker that Fitbit makes. It is a superbly designed machine that does many of the issues that most individuals need in a health tracker, all whereas wanting higher than different comparable wearables. It’s lacking some options like NFC and GPS which may be vital to some, however that are not desk stakes for many trackers.

The Good

  • Most trendy Fitbit ever
  • Small, light-weight, and comfy
  • Beautiful colour AMOLED show
  • Includes six months of Fitbit Premium
  • Supports Google Fast Pair on Android

The Bad

  • Doesn’t have NFC or GPS built-in
  • Has half the battery lifetime of Inspire 2
  • Comes with yet one more proprietary band clasp and charger

Fitbit Luxe: Price and availability

Fitbit Luxe Gold

Source: Fitbit

The Fitbit Luxe was introduced in mid-April 2021 and shortly thereafter was made out there for preorder. At the time of this writing, it’s anticipated to begin transport out to prospects in mid to late June. The customary Luxe is on the market in three colours – Graphite, Soft Gold, and Platinum with Black, Lunar White, and Orchid silicone bands, respectively, and retails for $150. There can also be a Special Edition variant in Soft Gold that comes with a gorjana Soft Gold Stainless Steel Parker Link Bracelet and Peony silicon band that prices $200.

Because it is a brand-new product, we do not know for positive when it’ll see any main reductions, however we’ll be maintaining a tally of the value as we spherical up the perfect health tracker and smartwatch deals for Amazon Prime Day.

Fitbit Luxe: What’s Luxe-urious

Fitbit Luxe 3

Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central

There’s no denying that the Luxe is likely one of the best-looking wearables that Fitbit has ever made. The firm even lists its “jewellery design” as one of many gadgets’ key promoting options. The electronics, show, and sensors are encased in a precision-crafted physique fabricated from sturdy chrome steel and out there in three glamorous finishes — a sublime Soft Gold, a matte black Graphite, and a silvery Platinum.

We’ve made main technological developments with Luxe, making a smaller, slimmer, superbly designed tracker filled with superior options – some that have been beforehand solely out there with our smartwatches – making these instruments accessible to much more folks across the globe.
– James Park, VP, GM and Co-Founder of Fitbit

Category Fitbit Luxe
Display .76 inch colour AMOLED
124×206 pixels with 326 PPI denity
Dimensions 1.43 x .69 x .4 inches
Weight .96oz (26.2g)
Battery Up to five days
Sensors 3-axis accelerometer
Optical coronary heart fee monitor
Vibration motor
Red and infrared sensors for SpO2
Water Resistance Up to 50m
Materials Stainless metal case
Special Features Google Fast Pair on Android
Colors Soft Gold/Lunar White
Graphite/Black
Platinum/Orchid

The customary version Luxe comes with color-matched silicone bands, however there are already several attractive first-party and third-party bands to decorate with, together with a platinum chrome steel mesh band, a premium Horween leather-based double wrap, and platinum and delicate gold Parker Link bracelet bands from Laguna Beach-based jewellery model gorjana.

The band itself could be very snug to put on. It’s slim, light-weight, and largely unnoticeable as I put on it. As an even bigger man, I’ll say that it virtually appears diminutive on me, like a baby’s wearable, however I think about the impact will likely be precisely what you are going for in case you’re somebody with smaller wrists.

Fitbit Luxe 2

Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central

The Luxe has the primary colour AMOLED show on any Fitbit tracker. In addition to creating the show brighter and simpler to learn, it additionally helps full the machine’s premium aesthetic.

Come for the gorgeous tracker; keep for the well being and wellness options.

When you contemplate that its price ticket is anyplace from 50% to 150% larger than different common health bands, it is clear that the Luxe’s appears are what is going to attract potential patrons, however that is not all that is vital right here. Fitbit needs the Luxe to facilitate a extra well-rounded and conscious way of life with its well being and health options.

For starters, the Luxe helps over 20 train modes. Through the Fitbit app, you’ll be able to load as much as six quick-launch workouts at a time, and lots of of these are customizable to some extent. Running, climbing, and biking exercises can help you add lap data to the show display screen in case you like, which is fairly cool for such a small screened machine. It even options SmartTrack to robotically file your exercises if and whenever you overlook to. The show itself is a lot vibrant for out of doors use, which is right for benefiting from its health options. And although I did not take a look at it, I think about that the brilliant show can also be good when swimming laps (which you’ll simply do because of its 50M water resistance).

Fitbit’s Google integration is already exhibiting up right here within the type of Google’s Fast Pair expertise for Android telephones.

Speaking of these options, the Luxe comes filled with most of the similar sensors discovered on Fitbit’s smartwatches. It can measure your VO2 max, pores and skin temperature, and SpO2. It tracks your steps, coronary heart fee, and energetic zone minutes, and it will probably present you blood glucose ranges and menstrual cycle data, in addition to meals, water, and weight logs — all of which could be enter within the Fitbit app. Oh, and that is actually cool — the Luxe helps Google’s Fast Pair expertise, in order quickly as you are taking your machine out of the field, it’ll ping your Android telephone to start setup straight away.

I additionally like that Fitbit is continuous its development of together with six months of Fitbit Premium with the Luxe, similar to it has with its Versa 3, Sense smartwatches. Fitbit Premium consists of guided exercises, superior well being metrics, and guided meditation classes just like the Mindful Method activities hosted by Deepak Chopra.

Over the previous 12 months, we have needed to assume otherwise about our well being – from protecting an eye fixed out for potential COVID-19 signs to managing the continuing stress and anxiousness of at this time’s world. Even although we’re beginning to see optimistic modifications, it has by no means been extra vital to handle your holistic well being. – James Park, Fitbit

Fitbit is admittedly leaning into this idea of holistic well being and wellness, with options just like the Stress Management Score, which makes use of knowledge collected by your Luxe like exercise ranges, sleep, and coronary heart fee, in addition to providing you with the power to log and observe your self-reported stress ranges and feelings to present you each day and historic assessments and monitoring of your physique’s potential to deal with stress. The thought is that will help you turn into extra conscious of how your actions and setting can have an effect on your stress ranges and supply steerage and recommendations on managing that stress.

The Health Metrics Dashboard goes hand-in-hand with the Stress Management Score to indicate you your historic tendencies relating to respiration fee, coronary heart fee variability, pores and skin temperature variation, and oxygen saturation (Sp02) — the final function Fitbit mentioned is “coming quickly.”

Most of those holistic well being options are, in actual fact, out there on Fitbit’s different trackers and smartwatches, however it’s good to see that Fitbit can also be specializing in them as a part of the Luxe’s advertising and marketing message. It’s vital to look good, nevertheless it’s extra vital to really feel good, and that is the steadiness that Fitbit is making an attempt to realize right here with the Luxe.

Fitbit Luxe: What I do not love

Fitbit Luxe 5

Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android CentralFitbit Inspire HR (left), Fitbit Luxe (proper)

There’s an terrible lot to love in regards to the Luxe, to make certain, however like some other tech machine, it isn’t good. And but, most of the complaints that I’ve and the explanation why the machine does not work nicely for me could be seen as favorable options for others, so take my observations beneath with a grain of salt. Just as a result of I say that I do not like one thing does not imply that it is dangerous or improper. It simply implies that it does not work for me; your pursuits and desires will differ from mine, and that is OK.

This small show has teeny tiny textual content which may be troublesome for a lot of to learn.

I discussed earlier how a lot I like the brilliant colour AMOLED show, and possibly it is simply me and my dangerous eyes, however the textual content on this factor is actually small. While I might see the info that I wanted to on throughout walks and runs, I had problem really studying it. Maybe I would like to begin working with glasses or contacts, nevertheless it’s one thing that it is best to know in case your eyesight is not the perfect.

When it got here to navigating the show, I additionally wasn’t the most important fan. Unlike each different Fitbit tracker, the Luxe has no bodily or faux-haptic buttons to pick out choices or return to a display screen. Everything is completed with a collection of swipes. Just like different Fitbit wearables, you’ll be able to swipe as much as entry the at this time view along with your battery proportion and each day stats, swipe all the way down to entry numerous modes and settings, and swipe left or proper to entry notifications, train modes, guided respiration classes, and alarms or timers. To return to the house display screen, you could firmly double-tap the show. While I admire the model consistency, I discovered the fixed swiping on such a small show to be a bit irritating, notably once I was all sweaty and gross throughout or after a exercise.

If you are in search of NFC for contactless funds or on-device GPS, you would possibly wish to go on the Luxe as a result of it does not have both. The Luxe additionally does not presently assist the Tile monitoring expertise, although I supposed it is potential that might come later in a firmware replace prefer it did for the Inspire 2.

Fitbit Luxe Charger 1

Fitbit Luxe Charger 2Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central

The Luxe comes with its personal new band attachment mechanism, which implies that you will not be capable to use bands from an Inspire or some other machine, and it comes with but one other proprietary charger that can not be shared with some other machine. It appears to me just like the Luxe might rightfully share bands with the Inspire since they’re equally sized, however simply because the mechanism is quick-release does not imply it is easy. I had the darndest time making an attempt to get the bands modified; I do not know if it was due to my massive fats fingers or that the button was too small, nevertheless it positive was irritating for me.

With such a small bodily casing and a vibrant colour show, it is smart why the Luxe’s battery does not match that of the Inspire 2, however I might have appreciated to see one thing longer than 5 days at this level. It’s spectacular that Fitbit was in a position to hit that minimal level that almost all of its different gadgets share, however for the Luxe 2 (or no matter they name it), I’d wish to see one thing within the 10-14 day vary.

Beauty is not low-cost — the Fitbit Luxe is pretty costly for a health tracker.

Finally, we now have to speak in regards to the value. Again, I get it; it is smart (Sense?) why Fitbit priced the Luxe the place it did. It options premium supplies, a stunning display screen, and it is throwing in half a 12 months of its premium subscription service. However, in case you simply desire a fundamental health tracker that’s nicely made, you may get that for a lot much less — even ones with a colour display screen, as we’ll see within the subsequent part.

Fitbit Luxe: Competition

Garmin Lily band front

Source: Courtney Lynch / Android Central

Given the fashion-forward focus of the Luxe, it may be a bit of tough discovering the best analog to this designer digital machine. There are loads of lower-cost health trackers which have related sensors, dimension, and colour screens. I’m particularly pondering of bands just like the Xiaomi Mi Band 6 or the Samsung Galaxy Fit 2. What these bands provide by way of a decrease value of entry, they lose in comparison with the Luxe’s construct high quality and magnificence.

Bunch O Fitbits

Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android CentralLeft to proper: Sense, Charge 3, Inspire 2, Luxe

For those that wish to be a part of or keep within the Fitbit (and therefore Google) ecosystem, it is price looking on the Inspire 2 or Charge 4. With the previous, you get an identical, slimmed-down tracker that you may costume up or down. The Inspire 2 can also be $50 cheaper than the Luxe, has a battery that lasts per week longer, and might combine with the Tile monitoring platform. It additionally comes with a full 12 months of Fitbit Premium, however it’s made out of plastic quite than chrome steel just like the Luxe. The Charge 4 additionally has a plastic physique and an identical price ticket to the Luxe, however its black and white show is bigger, and it has built-in GPS and NFC, two options the Luxe cannot match.

The finest alternate options from a trend perspective must be the Garmin Lilly, or maybe the 40mm Apple Watch SE or Series 6. Both smartwatches can go toe-to-toe with the Luxe by way of appears, however each are considerably pricier (and the Apple Watches solely work with iPhones).

Fitbit Luxe: Should you purchase it?

Fitbit Luxe 1

Source: Jeramy Johnson / Android Central

You can buy this if …

  • You have small wrists or favor a minimal wearable
  • You favor the look of fancy jewellery to sporty gadgets
  • You need the model of an Apple Watch with out the value or working system necessities
  • You want NFC for contactless funds or GPS for exercise monitoring

You should not purchase this if…

  • You need absolutely the finest Fitbit tracker
  • You desire a bigger display screen
  • You desire a smartwatch expertise

3.5
out of 5








I’m an enormous fan of health trackers on the whole and Fitbit wearables particularly, however the Luxe will not be a tool that I might purchase for myself. It’s too small for my wrist, and it is overpriced for my wants. That being mentioned, it is a rattling advantageous health tracker that many will rightfully gravitate to due to the general bundle it affords. With it, you get entry to Fitbit’s superior app and ecosystem, six months of the vastly underrated Fitbit Premium service, and superior well being monitoring and analytics.

All of that’s nice, however what’s extra prone to inspire folks to lust after the Luxe is the way in which it appears. There merely is not one other tracker that appears this good, nor any that may be dressed up or all the way down to be worn in nearly any setting just like the Luxe. The closest rivals to it are full-on hybrid or smartwatches just like the Garmin Lilly or Apple Watch, however each of these wearables begin at larger value factors which may rapidly get out of the vary of most individuals. If you desire a small machine that may deal with all your health monitoring wants whereas wanting top-notch, the Luxe simply could be for you.


Fitbit Luxe Face

Fitbit Luxe

Bottom line: The Fitbit Luxe will not be the perfect health tracker round. It’s not even the perfect tracker that Fitbit makes. It is a superbly designed machine that does many of the issues most individuals need in a health tracker, all whereas wanting higher than any comparable wearable. It’s lacking some options like NFC and GPS which may be vital to some however aren’t desk stakes for many trackers.

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