Fitbit Ionic Review

Fitbit Ionic Review

Fitbit Ionic is the ultimate Fitbit for those who want more advanced sports tracking since it is a combination of Fitbit’s recent devices, including the Surge, Blaze and Charge 2. Fitbit calls the Ionic “a smartwatch with a purpose.” With a definite health and fitness focus, Fitbit Ionic sticks to what Fitbit does best but takes things to a new level with onboard music, built-in GPS, contactless payments and more. It’s just that the smartwatch functionality is half-baked since it lacks the compelling apps and many of the features available on other smartwatches when it was launched. Fitbit Ionic is a serious contender to be the smartwatch you choose to wear when you’re out running or hitting the gym!

Stay with me as I discuss my honest opinions and experiences in this Fitbit Ionic Review!

Packaging and Design

Fitbit Ionic just like Apple Watch is square in design but still remains divisive against the now-established Apple Watch design that’s on its third generation. Although some have been incredibly disappointed by the Ionic, it’s retro look is still its charm. This smartwatch looks far better in the flesh than in pictures as what some of its detractors have witnessed. It looks and feels sporty. This wearable is light and very comfortable to wear on your wrist whether in bed or during exercise.

Fitbit Ionic is available in three colors: Burnt Orange, Slate Blue, and Charcoal/Smoke Grey. Overall, the Ionic’s boxy and clunky design is far from elegant and still falls short in comparison to Apple Watch’s rounded corners and clean lines. However, the actual display of Ionic is one of the sharpest and brightest among smartwatches with the highest brightness of 1,000 nits, which is as bright as an HDR TV which matches the two Apple Watch models. Ionic’s gorilla glass screen offers sensible auto-brightness adjustments so reading even under the toughest of bright outdoor conditions is hassle-free. Colors are punchy, vibrant and sharp with 348 x 250 resolution across its 1.42-inch screen.

Ionic’s unibody design helps keep water out. It is also water resistant up to 50m so no worries about getting it wet while swimming or under the shower. The Fitbit Ionic package includes two different-sized silicone straps where you can swap out with ease because it supports a quick-release feature. you also get the neat charger, which attaches magnetically.

Performance

Fitbit Ionic include amongst its features tracking of Steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed and active minutes as well as automatic Sleep and Activity Tracking. There’s also the improved PurePulse heart-rate monitor that is more accurate because of the more stable point of contact as the sensor lights are flush at the back.

It also has a new feature – the Relative SPO2 sensor that can estimate your blood oxygen levels through its sensor that emits and then absorbs a light wave passing through blood vessels in the fingertip. Fitbit hopes this feature will help identify signs of apnoea, a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. It is also excellent at tracking your Sleep Stages by using heart rate sensors, it tracks when you are in the Light, Deep or REM stages of sleep.

In addition, it can track lots of other activities including gym-based workouts such as running on a treadmill or weight training, running, biking swimming, weights and a lot more. Fitbit Ionic does not require a phone to detect your location because of its built-in GPS much like Surge and offers even better in the form of support of GLONASS (Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System) satellites because it offers better accuracy at high latitudes.

There’s 2.5 GB for storing 300 songs or a bunch of podcasts and audiobooks right onto the watch to accompany you on your workouts without carrying your phone. You can also get notifications for incoming text messages, emails and phone calls with push notifications from third-party apps like Facebook and Snapchat. Bluetooth pairing for wireless headphones is available as well.

Fitbit’s Pay service offers you contactless payments so you need not worry when you’re out on a run and you need to make an emergency purchase by simply holding down the left physical button to bring up the payment screen.

The Ionic is water resistant up to 50 meters and the swim tracking includes the ability to count laps and how many calories you’ve burned. The screen is visible in most clear water using the buttons since touchscreen won’t work underwater.

Fitbit Ionic’s battery life lasts for 4+ days or even 5 days if you’re not tracking any workouts. With GPS usage which is the real battery drain can only give you 10 hours of battery life.

Fitbit Ionic Review: Verdict

At the time of writing this Fitbit Ionic review, I believe that the fitness tracker has a lot of potentials and its fitness side actually excels – but as of this time, the smartwatch functionality is lacking. As a device billed as Fitbit’s first Smartwatch, the smarts are practically not evident. The exercise and fitness side of the Ionic delivers quite as expected and the stellar battery life to consider but still with just a little more to its price, the Apple Watch Series 3 GPS model screams far better value. Fitbit’s fitness smartwatch has gotten better with the infusion of watch faces and apps but not all additional smart features are as polished as the competition. if you’re looking for some wristwear to use while exercising the Fitbit Ionic might suit you, you just don’t expect a similar experience to other smartwatches out there. While it can’t rival the mainstream watches for a dazzling array of apps, the smart-enough Ionic looks like the first proper health smartwatch.

FAQs

How to Hit the Ground Running With Your New Fitbit Ionic?
Wear it right. The accuracy of your heart rate readings is affected by where you put your tracker, so make sure you’re following these best practices. First, let your Fitbit app know which wrist you’re wearing your new Fitbit Ionic on—your non-dominant hand is preferred since the extra movement from your wrist can impact your charts. To confirm your settings, go to your account, tap Ionic and then select either Left or Right for both “Handedness” and “Wrist.” Next, make sure the tracker is in the right place on your wrist. In general, your tracker should lay flat about a finger’s width below your wrist bone (away from your hand). During exercise, wear it a bit farther up your forearm—about three fingers widths from your wrist bone where an increase in blood flow can improve the heart rate signal. Lastly, make sure the tracker is snug but not constricting (especially during exercise), so it doesn’t restrict blood flow.

How do you keep heart rate sensors on?
Unless your tracker battery is low and you won’t be able to charge it anytime soon, consider leaving your heart rate settings on “Auto.” (To find this option, tap the Account icon in the top right corner of your dashboard, then Ionic, and, then Heart Rate.) Here’s why: Having continuous heart rate data bolsters the abilities and accuracy of other features. For instance, all-day heart rate tracking powers better measuring of total calories burned and optimizes exercise by helping you pinpoint heart rate zones, and takes classic sleep tracking to a whole new level by powering Sleep Stages.

How do I configure notifications on Fitbit Ionic?
Over 200 different iOS, Android, and Windows phones can send call, text, calendar, and other types of notifications to your watch. Keep in mind the phone and watch must be within 30 feet of each other to receive notifications. Determine whether your device supports these features, and then enable or disable them using these instructions.

How can I make my Fitbit Ionic stay fully charged?
The battery in your Ionic can last up to five days.* Learn specific ways to extend the battery life and then develop a charging strategy so that a drained battery doesn’t leave you trackerless. In your Fitbit.com settings, you can sign up to receive a push notification on your mobile device or an email (or both!) when your tracker’s battery is low.