Fitbit’s most stylish fitness tracker just got a major upgrade
The Fitbit Luxe has borrowed some key features from the Fitbit Charge 5.
In our guide of best Fitbits, we named the Fitbit Luxe the most fashionable Fitbit yet. The jewelry-inspired Fitbit Luxe looks beautiful on the wrist; more importantly, the tracker just got even better, as it’s picking up some key features from the Fitbit Charge 5.
With the firmware update 1.151.16, the Fitbit Luxe is set to get two new features — an always-on display, and the ability to see blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) data in the Health Metrics section of the Fitbit app.
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Fitbit Luxe: always-on display
In our Fitbit Luxe review, we were impressed with the lightweight, attractive design and the color touchscreen, but found that the display could have done with being a little brighter, especially in direct sunlight. The always-on display on the Fitbit Charge 5 was a great development, especially when using the tracker on a run, or during a workout. In fact, aside from the ECG sensor and EDA monitor, the screen on the Fitbit Charge 5 was one of the most impressive features, especially compared to previous versions of the tracker.
Of course, it’s worth noting that with the Fitbit Charge 5, the always-on display does shorten the battery life of the tracker quite dramatically, so it’s likely this will be the same with the Fitbit Luxe. With the Charge 5, Fitbit said using the always-on display reduced the battery life from seven days to two. The battery life on the Fitbit Luxe is 5 days, so expect to charge your tracker more if you do decide to use the always-on feature.
Fitbit Luxe: SpO2 tracking
The blood oxygen data is also something that, until now, has been reserved for Fitbit’s more premium trackers. Once you’ve installed the update, blood oxygen data will be visible in the Health Metrics dashboard on the Fitbit mobile app. Unlike other fitness trackers, the Luxe will only measure SpO2 at night, while you are sleeping. You won’t be able to use the tracker to look at your SpO2 data during the day.
Fitbit Luxe: Daily Readiness Score
For Premium members, Fitbit’s “Daily Readiness Score” function is just around the corner. The daily readiness score will give you a number that tells you how well-rested you are, based on your activity levels, heart rate variability, and sleep score. This new function is said to be coming later this year, and will be available on the Fitbit Charge 5, Fitbit Luxe, Versa 3, Versa 2, and Inspire 2.
In order to test this function, you will need a Fitbit Premium membership. The Fitbit Premium membership launched two years ago and costs $9.99 per month. The subscription service offers personalized workouts, health and sleep insights, and coaching from top trainers.
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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.