Augmented reality glasses, once a concept in science fiction, are now a real-life device gaining traction in today's digital age. AR glasses are designed to let you view movies, work on digital documents, and even play video games, and the current leading manufacturer is undoubtedly XREAL.

In honor of Black Friday coming up soon, XREAL has begun offering huge discounts on a wide range of its AR glasses and compatible devices.

These include 20% off the XREAL One Pro for $599 at Amazon and the XREAL Beam Pro add-on for $159 on Amazon, alongside the more affordable, standard XREAL One for $399 at Amazon.

What's the benefit of using XREAL glasses?

XREAL glasses let you watch movies or play video games privately without disturbing others, since the screens are visible only through the lenses and their audio is confined to their built-in speakers.

They're also useful for work purposes as they can create multiple virtual monitors to help out with workflow tasks, so you don't have to waste time sorting through multiple browser tabs.

The XREAL One Pro glasses take the default model and improve upon it with a wider 57° FOV (field of view), a redesigned optical system to reduce reflections, support for multiple interpupillary distance (IPD) preferences, a brighter display, and a slimmer, lighter front frame.

The XREAL One Pro was so good that it even earned a 4.5/5 star review from one of our tech experts, Zachary Boddy, stating that "Its refined design, gorgeous displays, intelligent spatial awareness, and excellent stereo audio make this the greatest, completely private, universally compatible, and ridiculously adaptable external monitor you could ask for."

So, if you want to live out cool sci-fi fantasies of viewing virtual computer monitors in mid-air through AR visors, just like in my beloved Mass Effect, then the XREAL glasses are for you.

FAQ

Lenovo has been hitting IFA 2025 hard with a bevy of new product announcements, but one of the more (potentially) interesting reveals is a free software update coming to a piece of tech that we've all been able to buy for months.

The Lenovo Legion Glasses (Gen 2) are part of the growing AR glasses category, but with a gaming focus. The idea? A massive, responsive, and fully private display for all your devices, wherever you are — and all you need is an open USB Type-C port.

Now, the Legion Glasses 2 are set to get even better thanks to a free update adding a new "3D Mode" for Legion gaming devices, and the list of supported games at launch will apparently number over 20. Here's what you need to know.

Making your AR glasses a little more interesting

If you're not familiar with augmented reality glasses, these wearables use complex lens and ultra-tiny OLED displays to provide a private theater experience within the confines of a pair of nondescript glasses.

AR glasses can be invaluable tools for productivity or excellent companions for entertainment, especially with their wide compatibility, ensuring you can use them with the device of your choice.

I sadly don't have personal experience with the Lenovo Legion Glasses, but I have reviewed competing AR glasses like the excellent XREAL One Pro. This is an incredibly exciting category of personal technology, with so many potential applications.

The Lenovo Legion Glasses boast a unique aviator-style design and are decently reviewed by consumers, and for just $399.99 at BestBuy.com they deliver a great value for a pair of quality AR glasses. In the near future, these lenses could become even better.

The Legion Glasses 2 already features 2D and 3D modes depending on the kind of virtual environment you want, but a free update is heading to users to finally add 3D support for supported video games.

Basically, the Legion Glasses 2 will be able to automatically convert 2D video games into stereoscopic 3D, and Lenovo claims over 20 titles will be officially supported when the update rolls out. Lenovo sadly didn't tell us what those games will be, but we were told the list will grow over time.

The major question, of course, is whether this 3D mode will actually be worth using. The quality of execution will decide whether the latest Legion Glasses 2 feature is an actual game-changer or an unwanted gimmick.

A match made in heaven for the Legion Go 2

The new "3D Mode" for the Legion Glasses 2 will work with any Windows 11-powered Lenovo Legion gaming laptop or the upcoming, very exciting Lenovo Legion Go (Gen 2) gaming handheld.

As it turns out, Lenovo used IFA to properly unveil the Legion Go 2 and its official specs, too, and there's a good reason these products are featured so close together. Yes, this flagship handheld rocks a gorgeous 8.8-inch OLED display, but you may not always want to use that screen.

Whether you want to game in public without peering eyes or lay in bed without wearing out your arms, plugging a good pair of AR glasses into your gaming handheld can be a match made in heaven. I speak from experience (using my ASUS ROG Ally X and XREAL glasses) that it's a potent combination.

Obviously, Lenovo would rather you stayed within the Legion family — yes, the Legion Go 2 will be able to take full advantage of the Legion Glasses 2 and its new 3D gaming mode.

The Lenovo Legion Go (Gen 2) is coming next month, starting from $1,049.99, but you can pick up the Legion Glasses (Gen 2) and use them with all your devices for $399.99 at BestBuy.com right now.

If you'd rather look at what else Lenovo has been up to at IFA, we also got some new Legion and LOQ gaming hardware (including a trio of very nice-looking OLED monitors).

Companies are always trying to find the "next big thing," and there's a whole lot of personal tech that you really don't need. One rapidly evolving category is breaking through, though, spearheaded by one company in particular — XREAL.

I'm talking about AR glasses, of course, which can fulfil a variety of roles but largely focus on giving you a way to use your devices without losing sight of the real world... or letting the real world peer into your digital life. When I reviewed the XREAL One Pro AR glasses, I called them the best of the category.

Now, these glasses are finally widely available and can be bought for $649 at Amazon.com, and is also available for $649.99 at BestBuy.com, a big step that should make this wearable tech more accessible to more people.

If you already had your eyes on the XREAL augmented reality ecosystem, you can also pick up an XREAL One Pro & XREAL Beam Pro Bundle for $848 $798 at Amazon.com.

AR glasses are here to stay, and XREAL is at the forefront

If you're new here, you may be wondering what the big fuss is about AR glasses. Are these set to replace our phones or something? Well, no (at least, not right now); AR glasses are a companion accessory to go along with the tech you already use, and the appeal is pretty straightforward.

Rather than watch movies on your 6-inch phone display, or play games on your 7-inch handheld display, or work on your 14-inch laptop display, you can do it all and more on a massive, +100-inch display that only you can see, complete with stereo speakers designed to fire audio directly into your ear.

You get complete privacy, but any time you need to jump back into the real world, you can — these are glasses, so you can still see through them (and the best offer varying levels of dimming to change how transparent the lenses are).

XREAL is the leader in this category right now, with the biggest and highest-quality displays, the best audio, the most features, and the greatest use of spatial tracking so that your private screen actually knows where it is in the world (so you can pin it in place or have it follow your vision).

The XREAL One Pro is the flagship, and nothing really comes close on a hardware level right now. It still works with basically any device with a USB Type-C port, too, so you don't have to stress about compatibility.

Yes, these are still a luxury product more than a pure tool, but AR glasses genuinely offer a ton of value for anyone who frequently travels, works in public, games in bed, or simply wants more screen real estate wherever they are and whatever they're doing.

If that sounds like you, the XREAL One Pro is now available for $649 at Amazon.com and $649.99 at BestBuy.com following months of limited stock and slow rollouts. XREAL should be hitting some physical Best Buy storefronts soon, too, if you need to see these glasses in action before making a decision.

I've been an advocate of augmented reality glasses for years now, believing the category possesses substantial potential among wearable technology. In the same vein, I've been waiting for AR glasses to properly mature off the back of company investments.

Now is when I finally feel my dreams have been answered. While there's still a broad, practically inconceivable horizon of possibility in front of us, AR glasses as a category has finally reached a level of refinement that makes these interesting accessories appropriate for the average consumer.

The company to thank? XREAL. This company has been a leader in AR glasses since its inception, but it feels like XREAL has truly come into its own with the new One series. I've been using the XREAL One Pro (and the optional XREAL Eye add-on) extensively, and it feels like I've been peering directly into the future.

Right now, that future contains a lot of XREAL and its highly ambitious plans for the category.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by XREAL. XREAL had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

XREAL One Pro review: Pricing and specifications

The XREAL One Pro is the company's flagship product, and it's definitely a luxury wearable for those who want the best. Originally priced at $599, the XREAL One Pro AR glasses will retail for $649 at XREAL starting Jul. 1, 2025.

That's a sizable upcharge over the standard XREAL One for $499 at XREAL, but you're getting a sleeker, more optically transparent design with brighter, higher quality, and wider Field-of-View (FoV) displays.

You can upgrade your XREAL One or One Pro AR glasses with the XREAL Eye add-on for $99 at XREAL, too, which enables enhanced spatial tracking and recording capabilities.

In the near future, you'll also be able to pick up the One Pro at third-party retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

In the box, you'll find the XREAL One Pro AR glasses, an empty prescription lens frame, a braided USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable, three sets of nose pads, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and the magnetically clasped protective carrying case.

XREAL One Pro review: What I like

Compare the new XREAL One Pro to the last-gen Air 2 Pro we reviewed, and you can clearly see where XREAL has levelled up its design game. The new glasses are sleeker, more refined, and have noticeably higher build quality.

They look and feel like a more premium product, and although I don't love the glossy front, there's much more to appreciate, from the accommodating, springy stems and size-adjustable, flexible nose pads to the detachable prescription lens frame and even the red-accented primary button, the One Pro is a step above most AR glasses.

One of the biggest upgrades you're paying for, compared to the standard XREAL One, is also a part of this design. This is XREAL's "Optic Engine 4.0," which combines new, higher-quality micro-OLED displays with flatter, thinner, and more transparent prism glass.

Because of this design, the One Pro sits much closer to your face in use, and it's significantly easier to see through the glasses when you're not using the displays. There's still distortion, but in transparency mode, I had no issues continuing work, reading messages and articles, checking my phone, and responding to people without taking the One Pro glasses off.

The ASUS AirVision M1 AR glasses I reviewed boasted a similar strength, but unlike those, the XREAL One Pro is actually worth using.

Going back to those micro-OLED displays, these are easily the finest screens I've enjoyed in AR glasses. They're technically even smaller (0.55-inches per eye versus 0.68-inches on the XREAL One), but boast an industry-leading 57-degrees FoV, which gives you a larger "simulated" screen of up to 171-inches with less blurriness and clipping at the edges.

We're still not quite at "my entire field of vision is covered," but the One Pro displays offer lots of other strengths. The combined screen is beautifully clear with vibrant, punchy, and accurate color reproduction, a wonderfully smooth 120Hz refresh rate (great for gaming), and a competitive latency of just 3ms.

These displays are still 1080p per eye, so text can be grainy at times, but overall, no other AR glasses I've used come even close to this level of display quality for productivity, gaming, and consuming media like movies on a large, completely private screen.

Supporting those dual micro-OLED displays are stereo speakers embedded in the stems, designed to fire down directly into your ear. XREAL partnered with major audio brand Bose to upgrade the audio experience, and it worked.

These speakers are beautifully clear and crisp, with good dynamics and noticeable low end. They're not as totally private as XREAL claims (others nearby can hear them in quiet environments), and good, dedicated headphones or earbuds will obviously provide superior acoustics, but once again, the One Pro is at the top of the category from my testing.

While the XREAL One Pro can't quite be described as "smart" glasses like some other options from companies like Meta, these are still some of the most advanced AR glasses on the market, and that's thanks to the new, custom XREAL X1 chip.

With a brain, the One Pro can enable Three Degrees of Freedom (3DoF) tracking with any device, without relying on additional (and often unreliable) software. That means the One Pro is aware of your positioning in the world and can anchor your display in space as you pitch, yaw, and roll (up/down, side-to-side, tilt).

We also finally get a full-featured On-Screen Display (OSD) with all the display, audio, spatial tracking, and other feature settings you need. The XREAL One Pro keeps it all onboard, so you'll get the same experience as you move between devices. It's an excellent all-around experience.

We still get three levels of lens dimming thanks to electrochromic technology, too, so the One Pro can adjust to your environment lighting and how much you want to see of the real world. In most ways, it's the complete package... and there's an accessory to add even more.

The XREAL Eye accessory

The XREAL One Pro is already a complete product, as it should be for $650, but there's an added layer of functionality you can unlock by picking up the XREAL Eye for $99 at XREAL.

This is a compact, 12MP camera that seamlessly slots into a dedicated port below and between the One Pro's lens (after you remove the incredibly stubborn, protective silicon cover there), and it adds two features: Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) spatial tracking and external recording capabilities.

The first means that the One Pro will become aware of more spatial information in more dimensions, not only pinning your display in one spot on a flat plane, but also being aware of its position in the room, so you can walk around it, leave the room, and more without the One Pro losing track of where your screen is.

It works incredibly well, and also solves one of the problems with the One Pro's default 3DoF tracking (more on that later). However, the Eye also adds a feature common with other AR and smart glasses.

That 12MP camera can capture still images and record video clips with a press of the remappable quick button on the top of the XREAL One Pro, with 2GB of onboard storage saving your memories (and a transmission feature allowing you to transfer them to your connected device.)

The image quality isn't the best, but it's still an excellent solution for capturing Point-of-View (PoV) photos and videos in a pinch, and makes the One Pro an even more valuable companion to carry around.

XREAL One Pro review: What I don't like

The XREAL One Pro is the best in its category now, but the move to sleeker and more independent hardware does come with some trade-offs.

For one, XREAL does offer the One Pro in two sizes to accommodate different Interpupillary Distances (IPD) with 63mm and 69mm options, but you have to make that decision up front. Once you have the One Pro in hand, there's a simulated IPD adjustment option in the OSD, but that may not be enough for everyone.

There are also no physical dials for myopia adjustment like the VITURE Pro XR Glasses I reviewed, so some users may struggle to tailor the One Pro to their unique vision.

While it's great that the One Pro can handle 3DoF tracking entirely on its own (and it does work well), there are two compromises here. On one hand, I still had to deal with my screen regularly drifting off to the side, requiring regular calibration to keep it centered. The Eye completely solved this problem.

On the other hand, XREAL's Nebula software is basically dead now, and while the One Pro doesn't need it, one feature that it can't handle on its own is multi-monitor support. Other AR glasses also use software to simulate multiple external displays that you can position as you want, but the One Pro can only do one.

XREAL One Pro review: Also consider

XREAL One Pro review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You want the absolute best AR glasses experience and displays.
• You want a bright, beautiful, and private display for all your devices.
• You see the value in the Eye and its added AR features.

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You don't need the advanced spatial tracking capabilities.
• You want AR glasses that can do multiple virtual displays at once.

Want a second, much larger screen at your desk? Want to lie in bed or on the couch and play video games or watch movies on the ceiling? Want to work or game in public without fear of peeping eyes?

The XREAL One Pro offers the best of all of that. Its refined design, gorgeous displays, intelligent spatial awareness, and excellent stereo audio make this the greatest, completely private, universally compatible, and ridiculously adaptable external monitor you could ask for.

The optional XREAL Eye add-on brings even more features to the experience, making the XREAL One Pro the obvious option for those willing to spend more to gain more. You're still tethered to your devices, and this new approach comes with some trade-offs, but the One Pro still puts XREAL on top.

I'm excited to see what the future brings, but for now, the XREAL One Pro are the AR glasses I'm keeping on my desk. If you want a pair of your own, you can buy the XREAL One Pro for $599 at XREAL until the end of the month.

Augmented reality glasses are some of the coolest tech accessories, giving you a private theater that works with all your devices and can go anywhere with you.

Our favorite AR glasses hail from XREAL, and around two weeks ago the company announced the steepest discounts yet for two of its most popular specs, the XREAL Air 2 and Air 2 Pro glasses.

Well, it turns out that sale was so popular with customers, that what was supposed to end days ago is still continuing — and will be for the foreseeable future. You can pick up the XREAL Air 2 Pro for just $299 at Amazon by applying the coupon, or get the even more affordable XREAL Air 2 for only $249 at Amazon.

Is this a good deal?

Whether a pair of AR glasses are worth it to you really depends on your personal needs, but there are a lot of options out there already — and a lot of them aren't deserving of your money.

XREAL is one of the most reputable and widely recommended brands in the space, properly investing in not only making great AR glasses but also pushing the entire category forward.

The XREAL Air 2 and Air 2 Pro glasses are both pretty great, but they can still feel like a costly luxury. This sale brought them both down to their lowest prices ever, and that deal turned out to be a huge success for XREAL — enough to keep it going.

A massive, private screen that works with all your devices, can be used anywhere and in any position, and even allows for multiple displays with XREAL's software? Yeah, the XREAL Air 2 Pro for $299 at Amazon is one of the best deals right now.

What are AR glasses and why would I want one?

Augmented reality is a complicated and ever-evolving area of tech, and even wearables like glasses are approached in dramatically different ways by various companies.

One of the most common implementations, however, is to give you a large and high-quality monitor that's completely private, portable enough to slip into a pocket or bag, comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time, and widely compatible with almost every modern device.

These AR glasses, like the ones from XREAL, use tiny micro-OLED displays and complex lens to reflect displays directly into your eyes. From the outside, you're simply wearing glasses, but on the inside you can enjoy all your content on a bright and detailed screen only you can see.

Most AR glasses also boast stereo speakers designed to fire audio straight into your ears (for added privacy), but can also use your headphones or anything else connected to your source device.

Companies like XREAL even offer optional software that enables additional features, like three-dimensional tracking that allows you to setup multiple displays, pin displays in place, and more.

What's the difference between the XREAL Air 2 and Air 2 Pro?

The XREAL Air 2 and Air 2 Pro are some of the best AR glasses on the more affordable side of the spectrum, and they share a lot of similarities.

Both boast a FHD (1080p) display that runs up to 120Hz refresh rate (which is great for gaming), can go up to 500nits of brightness, and has a 46-degree field-of-view (FoV). On that last point, FoV is how much of your visible real estate can be occupied by the display — a wider FoV means being able to see more without having to turn your head.

They both weight 75g or less, feature similar designs that prioritize comfort, and are equipped with the same stereo speakers and dual microphones. Both are also compatible with basically any device that supports video, audio, data, and charging through USB Type-C (which is a lot of devices).

The XREAL Air 2 family also works with the XREAL Nebula software for Windows, macOS, and Android, which enables 3DoF tracking to set up multiple monitors and more.

So what's the $50 difference? To sum it up, the XREAL Air 2 Pro can become sunglasses. These glasses use electrochromic lens, which can alternate between 0%, 35%, and 100% dimming with the press of a single button.

It's an extremely convenient feature to have, and makes the Air 2 Pro far more usable in really bright environments, especially when there's sunlight. Being able to toggle the dimming means you can still make the glasses completely clear when you need to see what's going on around you.

You can read our XREAL Air 2 Pro review for more information.

AR glasses can be a surprisingly valuable gaming accessory and productivity tool, and there's a growing number of great options.

I'd love to tell you that ASUS added another contender to the pool with its debut AirVision M1 augmented reality glasses, but I simply can't. However decent this wearable is, it simply can't compare to the best from companies like XREAL and VITURE.

The ASUS AirVision M1 would make a compelling case for itself at half the price, but ASUS is charging $700 for glasses that are no more capable or premium than its more affordable competitors, and it's baffling.

I'll still break down exactly what makes these glasses good and bad, but I'll be up front with my recommendation: the AirVision M1 doesn't earn it. Unless ASUS permanently slashes that price by 50% or more, there are much better options on the market.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by ASUS. ASUS had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

AirVision M1 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A pair of AR glasses that can provide you with a large, private display when connected to almost any device.
• Who is it for? Those who are constantly working or gaming on the go, or see the value in a large, portable, and private display that you can take anywhere.
• How much does it cost? The ASUS AirVision M1 costs $699 at ASUS. You can also get the glasses for $699 at B&H Photo or $699.99 at Newegg.
• What did I like? The excellent transparency when used as glasses, the solid base experience, and the AirVision software.
• What did I not like? The ridiculously high cost, the lack of features, and the annoying touchpad.

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AirVision M1 review: Pricing and specifications

The ASUS AirVision M1 is weirdly expensive compared to the most popular AR glasses from companies like XREAL, retailing for $699 at ASUS.

You can also get the ASUS AirVision M1 at other retailers, but it'll cost the same at $699 at B&H Photo and $669.99 at Newegg.

For comparison, the far more capable XREAL One costs just $549 at Amazon, with better displays, better audio, better tracking, and more features. Those are the glasses I'd recommend instead.

In the box, you'll find the ASUS AirVision M1 augmented reality glasses, detachable light shield, two swappable nose pad sets, your detachable prescription lens (if purchased), a USB Type-C cable, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and a hard carrying case to protect it all.

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AirVision M1 review: What I like

Design-wise, the AirVision M1 is basic, but far from the worst-looking AR glasses you can buy. While heavier than its competitors, the AirVision M1 disguises its weight and girth well, and more or less looks like normal glasses.

Swappable nosepads, detachable prescription lenses, software-controlled Interpupillary Distance (IPD) adjustment, and a good amount of give in the stems make it easy to tailor these glasses to your head shape and eyes, too.

An angled Type-C cable allows for a seamless connection to your devices, and the stereo speakers are well-positioned to fire audio directly into your ears. The fundamentals were hit, and ASUS did go above and beyond in one regard.

A flaw with AR glasses is how much they obstruct your vision of the real world, thanks to their specialized lens, but the AirVision M1 is significantly clearer than the average. ASUS quotes 60% optical clarity with these glasses versus the 12% in some alternatives, and you do notice it.

The AirVision M1 is clear enough that I could clearly read small text while wearing them — and I don't mean by looking around the angled lens in the center that reflects the displays into your eyes, I mean looking directly ahead like I would wearing any other pair of glasses.

That's genuinely useful for not becoming too detached from the world, but the actual displays are solid, too. Familiar FHD micro-OLED panels, the AirVision M1's displays (which combine into one in your vision) are colorful, accurate, and decently sharp.

Reading, researching, gaming, watching, browsing, it all looked pretty great on these glasses, and the optional AirVision app gives you ways to adjust the size and distance of the screen, the color profile of the displays, and configure custom multi-window setups.

The AirVision app also enables 3-degrees-of-freedom (3DoF) tracking and gesture controls for the On-Screen Display (OSD), making it feel more like a necessity than an optional enhancement.

At least the app is lightweight, intuitive, and stable — it's better than XREAL's in-progress offering (who's moving away from relying on external software), but lesser than VITURE's more comprehensive ecosystem.

You don't have much control over the sensors, but ambient light and proximity sensors aim to improve the user experience by adjusting the brightness and detecting when you're wearing or not wearing the glasses. These displays are quite bright, too, peaking at up to 1,100 nits, although that's not industry-leading.

The stereo speakers do sound a bit flat and hollow, but are clear and detailed even at max volume, which is higher than I expected. Generally, the ASUS AirVision M1 doesn't outright fail any of the fundamentals, and the glasses are comfortable to wear

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AirVision M1 review: What I don't like

I made it clear early on that I don't recommend buying the ASUS AirVision M1, and that's true whether you're comparing it to other AR glasses or evaluating this wearable all on its own.

Simply put, the AirVision M1 glasses aren't as advanced as other options. Its 38-degree field-of-view (FoV) is noticeably narrower than the 46 to 57-degree FoV of the AR glasses I'd recommend, and its 72Hz refresh rate is considerably choppier than the 120Hz standard in the best wearable displays (and you can tell).

On top of that, you'd really expect electrochromic lens dimming in this price range, but the AirVision M1 lacks it entirely — you're always stuck with that 60% optical transparency, which will be a detriment in brighter environments.

You need the AirVision software to enable a ton of features, including full 3DoF head tracking (we're starting to see AR glasses that can do all of that onboard), and that tracking is still shaky and prone to drifting. The AirVision app is only available on Windows, anyway, so you'll lose a lot of functionality on other devices.

That includes gestures. The OSD is only enabled with the AirVision app, so the touchpad on the side of the AirVision M1 is useless at all other times. That touchpad is a poor replacement for proper, tactile controls, too, frequently missing or misinterpreting inputs.

The real killer, though, is that the AirVision M1 costs $700, for some unknown reason (and no reason would be good enough). The XREAL One with its 50-degree FoV, 120Hz refresh rate, 5,000 nits peak brightness, onboard 3DoF tracking, expanded device compatibility, and electrochromic lens is only $549.

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AirVision M1 review: Also consider

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AirVision M1 review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if ...

• You very specifically want ASUS AR glasses, for some reason.
• You find the AirVision M1 massively discounted, like 40% or more.

❌You should not buy this if ...

• You want AR glasses that are actually worth what you pay.
• You want 3DoF spatial tracking with more than just your Windows devices.
• You want features like electrochromic lens or a high refresh rate.

Wearable technology is still an evolving category, with dozens of companies each trying to find new ways to make our lives easier outside of a new app on our smartphones.

AR glasses are a huge part of this movement, with companies like XREAL, VITURE, Meta, and more each taking different approaches. The category is established, though, making it all the more baffling that ASUS so completely missed the mark here.

Look, the ASUS AirVision M1 glasses are fine. They're not exceptional in any way, but they do hit the fundamentals and function exactly as you'd expect. The issue is how these glasses feel so far behind the competition in everything but software.

Lesser capabilities and fewer features would be enough on their own to point you to another option, but the AirVision M1 also costs $699 at ASUS. Considering most great AR glasses fall between $300 and $500, and even the most advanced will run you $600, that pricing is utterly unfeasible.

Unless ASUS mysteriously discounts these glasses by a rather ridiculous amount, don't buy them. Go get an XREAL One for $549 at Amazon, and thank me later.

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I have a lot of displays in my home, but none of them measure over 100 inches, and certainly not while being entirely private to me.

Well, that's not entirely true. For months I've had and loved the XREAL Air 2 Pro AR glasses that we reviewed, and now I have one or two more other pairs of glasses lying around the place. That includes the VITURE Pro XR Glasses, which I had little hope would actually surpass the tried-and-true despite VITURE seemingly carving out a comfortable chunk of the AR market for itself.

I can admit when I'm wrong, though, and I was wrong. XREAL has been the standard for augmented reality glasses at Windows Central, but it's clear that it's not the only company serious about getting it right. VITURE is out to create a compelling and thorough XR ecosystem, and the VITURE Pro XR is a part of that foundation.

After a few weeks of use, I have little reason to return to my Air 2 Pro. The VITURE Pro XR Glasses are comfortable, with bright and detailed displays, solid stereo speakers, built-in controls, and actually useful software to enable additional features. AR glasses continue to cost a pretty penny, but I'm more than comfortable recommending these alongside the best.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by VITURE. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

VITURE Pro XR review: Pricing and specifications

• The VITURE Pro XR Glasses retail for $460, which is expensive.
• That's the XREAL Air 2 Pro at $400, but below the XREAL One at $500.
• VITURE also offers the more affordable One Lite XR Glasses for $350.

AR glasses are steadily declining in price, but even the most affordable still sits outside the interest of casual users.

The VITURE Pro XR Glasses are the company's flagship shades, so they're going up against the best from companies like XREAL in terms of price. Available in one size and color, the VITURE Pro XR Glasses retail for $459 at Amazon. For reference, the XREAL Air 2 Pro that most directly competes with these glasses is $400, while XREAL's new One glasses with enhanced spatial capabilities are $500.

VITURE also offers an ecosystem of accessories and add-ons, but you get a complete AR experience just with the glasses. For example, those who want more can consider the VITURE Pro Neckband for $299 at VITURE, which enables a whole suite of additional features like hand tracking and remote access. There are also various adapters, a mobile dock, and a prescription lens frame to improve compatibility and accessibility.

In the box, you'll find the VITURE Pro XR Glasses, the USB Type-C to magnetic connector cable, a travel case, and four swappable nose pad sets. These glasses are covered by VITURE's standard 1-year warranty.

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VITURE Pro XR review: The good

• The VITURE Pro XR Glasses feel like a quality product.
• They're built well, but they're also designed well with lots of useful features.
• The AR experience is overall great, and VITURE's software adds to it.

Most AR glasses tend to look pretty similar, and the VITURE Pro XR Glasses are no exception. Large lens, a chunky matte black frame, long and thick stems — they're all here. That being said, I do think the VITURE Pro XR Glasses look more stylish than the XREAL Air 2 Pro, with some more distinctive lines and accents. They weigh 2 grams more than XREAL's alternative (75g vs. 77g), but also feel a little more solid.

VITURE didn't just copy and paste the generic AR glasses formula, though. The fundamentals are here, but VITURE injected a few extra goodies that help its glasses stand out. For one, both lenses have independent adjustment dials for myopia (between 0.0D and -5.0D), which may help many adjust to the Pro XR Glasses without prescription lens.

If you need it, you can customize your own Prescription Lens Frame from $29 at VITURE, which is not only more cost effective than other solutions but beautifully simple to install thanks to a snappy magnetic attachment.

The VITURE Pro XR Glasses' connecting cable may use USB Type-C to be compatible with most modern devices, but the other end is actually a proprietary design that magnetically clicks onto the end of one stem. Proprietary designs are always a cause for concern, but the benefits in this case are undeniable — easier connecting, less hair clipping, and less risk of damage if the cable is yanked out.

Even the hard travel case is more than an empty shell; the soft, lined interior features a shaped cavity to help guide the glasses into the case and keep them in place, while there's a dedicated area to store the cable behind a magnetically attached flap. I don't love the zipper or obnoxious orange accents, but it's clear VITURE didn't cut corners even here.

I found the VITURE Pro XR Glasses to be quite comfortable to wear, too. VITURE includes four sets of interchangeable nose pads in the box so you can find the perfect fit, but the default was just right for me. Clamping force is reasonable, there's no pinching and chafing, and weight is balanced well throughout the glasses.

If I had to pick one, I'd say the XREAL Air 2 Pro glasses are slightly more comfortable, mostly thanks to the flexible stems, but it's pretty close.

It's incredibly easy to get started with the Pro XR Glasses, as all you need is a device with a USB Type-C port that supports DisplayPort output (or one of VITURE's various adapters for other devices). Plug in, and your device will see the Pro XR Glasses as another monitor.

This "basic" mode is essentially just a giant screen that follows your head movements, but it works great and that's how most people will use these glasses for playing games or watching movies.

Display quality is excellent. Any color grading issues VITURE had in the beginning have long been resolved by post-launch firmware updates, so the Pro XR Glasses' dual FHD micro-OLED displays are vibrant and accurate, searingly bright with up to 4,000nits peak brightness, beautifully smooth thanks to a 120Hz refresh rate, and decently sharp throughout.

VITURE claims this is the equivalent of a 135-inch display, which is difficult to quantify. Still, it's a great viewing experience; the 46-degrees field-of-view (FoV) isn't the best in the business and the edges of the display still show some blurriness, but it'd be difficult to readily find AR glasses that comfortably surpass the VITURE Pro XR Glasses in this category.

The dual speakers, tuned by HARMAN, also sound quite good, even while listening to music.

In most ways, you can flip a coin between VITURE and XREAL and be extraordinarily happy with each side it lands on, but there are two areas VITURE comes out on top: on-board controls and ecosystem features.

Both XREAL and VITURE install a multifunction button and rocker combination on their glasses, but VITURE goes a step further. Not only is there a ton of functionality packed into these buttons, but there's also an on-screen display (OSD) so you know exactly what you're doing and when.

There are the basics like adjusting the volume or brightness and toggling the electrochromic lens tint, but you can also adjust the eye axis to help the screens appear directly in front of you, cycle between multiple different color profiles for the display, and make the display turn off and the lens go transparent until you press any other button (useful if you want to see something in the real world clearly).

There's a learning curve, but having a clean and legible OSD that's device-level helps a ton. Now, the VITURE Pro XR Glasses are similar to the XREAL Air 2 Pro in that they don't have much spatial awareness on their own, but VITURE's SpaceWalker enables new features and turns these glasses into a proper productivity-boosting tool.

Installable on Windows 11, macOS, and mobile devices, SpaceWalker allows you to set up a virtual desktop with multiple individual screens (in a variety of configurations). Using your device's computational power and the Pro XR Glasses' sensors, it also enables 3DoF head tracking so that your desktop remembers its place in space.

A long list of shortcuts gives you added utility, including adjusting the size or layout of your desktops, moving windows around, tweaking or toggling tracking, recentering your desktop space or cursor, and more. It's a lot to learn, but the SpaceWalker program really does add a new dimension to the VITURE Pro XR Glasses' capabilities.

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VITURE Pro XR review: The bad

• These glasses are now competing with the more advanced XREAL One.
• Despite an impressive ecosystem, spatial features are still lacking.
• Not everyone will be willing to accept those compromises at this price.

As an emerging product category, AR glasses are already struggling to break into the mainstream, and will until the technology behind them slowly becomes more affordable and, therefore, more accessible. You can find the XREAL Air 2 at $300 and the VITURE One Lite XR Glasses at $350, but many features are still locked behind higher prices.

The VITURE Pro XR Glasses are $460, which is now $60 higher than the similarly capable XREAL Air 2 Pro I'm comparing them to. That's only $40 less than the new XREAL One, which takes the Air 2 Pro, refines the design, upgrades the displays, adds new sensors, and uses XREAL's custom X1 chipset to enable on-board spatial computing — no external device required.

VITURE may be building an impressive ecosystem with its SpaceWalker software mobile dock and neckband accessories (more impressive, at least, than XREAL's Nebula and the XREAL Beam Pro we reviewed), but is that enough to remain competitive?

Of course, the VITURE Pro XR Glasses have flaws and blemishes of their own. For example, the myopia adjustment dials feel miscalibrated, and the Pro XR Glasses in general are more finnicky to find that "sweet spot" than the XREAL Air 2 Pro.

The SpaceWalker software takes up a ton of system resources so older devices may struggle to run it, and you'll still notice screen tearing, jitteriness, and wonky tracking (my virtual desktop constantly, slowly drifted to the left and down).

Spending $460 on what will always be an accessory rather than a necessity means accepting those compromises and choosing this over the latest and greatest competitors.

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VITURE Pro XR review: Also consider

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VITURE Pro XR review: Final thoughts

You should buy this if ...

✅You're interested in an XR ecosystem, not just XR glasses

VITURE's software is miles better than XREAL's, and its hardware ecosystem also seems both more impressive and more comprehensive. You may start with the Pro XR Glasses, but you may eventually want accessories like the Pro Neckband to gain hand tracking, native 3DoF support, remote access to your devices, an AI assistant, and more.

✅You can benefit from the myopia adjustment

Most great AR glasses offer options for those with prescriptions, and VITURE's magnetic prescription lens frame is even one of the better solutions, but a lot of people with minor prescriptions may not need it at all. For those with myopia up to -5.0D, the VITURE Pro XR Glasses support your eyes right out of the box.

You should not buy this if ...

❌You want an all-in-one pair of AR glasses

With custom silicon designed from the ground up for spatial computing, XREAL has already departed for the next era of AR glasses. The XREAL One and One Pro are a step above anything VITURE has made when it comes to on-board XR features, and you don't have to pay much more to get in on the ground floor.

I enjoyed testing the VITURE Pro XR Glasses far more than I thought I would, and if I had to choose between them and the XREAL Air 2 Pro glasses I've been using... I'd probably choose VITURE.

These are comfortable, high-quality AR glasses with a thoughtful and attractive design. They work great as a private, ultra-portable external display for all your devices, but VITURE's clear commitment to the category and its growing ecosystem means you have multiple ways to expand those features.

Genuinely useful software and various accessories that make the Pro XR Glasses more accessible, compatible, or functional all help sell these expensive AR glasses. If this is what you're in the market for, VITURE is a legitimately great option.

The XREAL One is now available for $499 at Amazon, though, and you're getting better displays with a wider field-of-view, a more refined design, and actual spatial computing features without the need for another accessory or device. That's only $40 more than the VITURE Pro XR Glasses, which takes some of the bite out of these shades.

Despite the aggressive competition, I still recommend the VITURE Pro XR Glasses, and you can pick them up for $459 at Amazon if you're interested.

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What you need to know

• Gunnar Optiks is a eyewear company with a focus on glasses that protect from computer vision syndrome. 
• Recently, the company partnered with Blizzard to release officially licensed Overwatch D.Va Tokki Edition gaming glasses. 
• These glasses are blue and pink with either amber or clear lenses and come in a cat-eye design with metal D.Va bunny symbols on either side.
• They are also anti-reflective, smudge-resistant, and are designed to protect your eyes against blue light and UV rays. 
• The Overwatch D.Va Tokki Edition gaming glasses sell for $125.00 at Gunnar. 

Lately, the protective eyeware company, Gunnar Optiks, has been partnering with various companies to bring consumer some really cool themed glasses. The latest to get this treatment is Blizzard which partnered with Gunnar to bring us officially licensed Overwatch D.Va Tokki Edition gaming glasses. This eyeware protects against blue light, is smudge-resistant, and anti-reflective making them the perfect wearable for when you're staring at a computer or TV screen for long periods of time. 

You can purchase the Overwatch D.Va Tokki Edition gaming glasses for $125.00 at Gunnar. The company labels these glasses as Legendary, which means they offer the best optical technology offered by the Gunnar Optiks.

Keeping in line with D.Va's character design, these Gunnar glasses prominently feature a gentle transparent blue to pink color scheme on a cat-eye frame design. Cute little D.Va bunny icons made out of metal highlight the corners of the frame for a fun effect. Meanwhile, the temples are white and feature a pink bunny symbol on the inside along with the stylized "D.Va" text on the outside. Altogether, these color choices and designs work together to make a very appealing set of glasses. 

In addition to the glasses themselves, users also get a blue case with the pink D.Va bunny symbol on it, a microfiber pouch that also features the bunny icon, a microfiber cleaning cloth with Overwatch icons on it, and a 24-month warranty. 

Since Gunnar specializes in protective eyeware, it's no surprise that the collectible Overwatch D.VA Tokki Edition gaming glasses block 100% UV rays as well as harmful blue light that comes from screens. So, if you ever experience computer vision syndrome, headaches, or strained eyes after staring at a monitor or TV then these can help with that. As such, this makes Gunnar glasses the ideal gear for gamers to wear or for folks that tend to sit in front of screens for long stretches. These glasses also come with G-Shield, which is the company's lens coating method that creates anti-reflective and smudge-resistant lenses. That way, you'll get the best wearing experience possible.

You get to choose between having amber lenses or clear ones. Additionally, these glasses can either come with GUNNAR-Focus lenses or you can order prescription ones to match your needs. For those who don't already know, GUNNAR-Focus is the company's patented lens technology that Gunnar says "aids natural focusing and reduces stress and strain on your eyes" specifically with "issues associated with prolonged computer use."

If you are a fan of Overwatch or simply love the look of these glasses then they can serve you well during gaming sessions or during long work hours spent in front of a computer screen. Of course, if you like the idea of these Gunnar glasses, but don't like this specific design, you might also be interested in checking out the wooden Groot glasses from Guardians of the Galaxy or these sweet Fallout 33 glasses that perfectly match the aesthetic of the games and recent Amazon Prime show.

I've been following along as Windows Central has explored mixed and augmented reality, but I've not had any experience with even adjacent markets since using the Oculus Rift S years ago. The heaps of accolades piled on XREAL by my team intrigued me, though, so I jumped at the opportunity to sit down with the AR company at GDC 2024 and demo its next generation of augmented reality glasses.

Back home, I was sent a pair of the XREAL Air 2 Pro AR glasses to deepen my experiences with the nascent market, exploring how these glasses could fit into my life. I was immediately impressed by the usefulness, comfort, and quality of these glasses, but what I didn't expect was my partner's reaction — in just a few seconds, XREAL turned her into a Minecraft addict with the Air 2 Pro glasses.

Let's dive into all my thoughts, including my hands-on time with the brand-new XREAL Air 2 Ultra.

Travel to and from and accommodation at GDC 2024 in San Francisco, California was paid for by Windows Central. This article was made possible with a product sample provided by XREAL. The company did not see the contents of this article before publishing.

XREAL at GDC: My first experience with AR glasses

A long time ago, before Oculus became a part of Facebook (and before Facebook became Meta), I worked as a representative selling Oculus Rift S headsets at Best Buy. I had never used VR before then, and I hadn't experienced it (or any mixed or augmented variation) since. Meeting with XREAL at GDC had a number of benefits for me: I got to see what one of the most promising AR companies has created, and I got to meet an XREAL representative that I've worked with remotely for years (before he went to XREAL).

It was an awesome opportunity, and I had a blast speaking with Ralph Jodice (the aforementioned XREAL representative) about the company and its products. It's clear Jodice is passionate about XREAL, and after using the XREAL Air 2 Pro and the cutting edge XREAL Air 2 Ultra, I understand why. I'll go into more detail on the Air 2 Ultra in a little while, however. For now, I want to talk about the Air 2 Pro, and how it immediately grabbed my attention and found a niche in my tech use.

After I returned home, Jodice sent me a sample XREAL Air 2 Pro for me to test, and I've been consistently pleased with the quality and ease-of-use of this product. We have an XREAL Air 2 Pro review if you want all the details, but I'll give my impressions so far. The Air 2 Pro glasses are surprisingly light at just 75g, with a balanced and comfortable design that makes it easy to wear them for hours at a time. The dual-stereo speakers built into the stems still leak audio, but they sound good enough that I never found myself wishing for a pair of headphones.

The main feature that makes the Air 2 Pro stand apart from its more affordable sibling is the addition of electrochromic lenses, which is a fancy word for glass that can change its opacity at will. You have three stages of tint depending on how much external light you want to block. It's a valuable addition that makes the Air 2 Pro more useable in bright environments, as these AR glasses are prone to reflections due to how the display setups work.

The hardware is excellent, but what do you actually use them for? XREAL's current offerings are essentially large, completely private, highly portable external monitors. That means you can plug the XREAL Air glasses into any device that supports video output through a Type-C port and have a massive monitor that only you can see. There's no interactivity here; the XREAL Air 2 Pro doesn't need developer support of any kind to achieve full functionality, because it's not trying to control your device.

For me, the use case is obvious: I've been plugging the XREAL Air 2 Pro into my ASUS ROG Ally when playing games. I love the ROG Ally as a gaming handheld, but all the latest handhelds suffer from the same weakness — fatigue. The weight of these hefty devices wears on your hands, wrists, and arms over time, which can make play sessions uncomfortable. With the XREAL Air 2 Pro, I can hold the ROG Ally like a controller and position my head wherever is most comfortable, because the monitor is exactly where I'm looking.

That means laying down in bed without having to raise my arms or disturb my partner with the light of the ROG Ally's display. It means sitting on the couch and playing without having to look down. It means taking the ROG Ally (or any other device) anywhere I want, and not having to worry about others snooping into my business. The display quality is shockingly good, too; it's 1080p, 120Hz, and up to 500 nits of brightness, perfect for playing games or watching movies. It certainly surprised my partner.

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XREAL at GDC: Amazing my partner with Minecraft

"I think this may be the best way to play video games ever," my partner told me after her first hour with XREAL's AR glasses. I had already used the XREAL Air 2 Pro for a few hours, and I immediately understood why XREAL was finding success in this uncertain industry. It's a technologically advanced product that feels incredibly simple, and it's undoubtedly a luxury considering its price, but it's a luxury with real advantages for accessibility, privacy, and comfort.

Of course, I had to share the glasses with my partner, as it was also her first time experiencing augmented reality. I plugged the Air 2 Pro glasses into my ROG Ally, booted up Minecraft, and set her up on the couch. The instant reaction I expected — she couldn't believe how good the display looked, or how it felt just as responsive as playing Minecraft on the TV. What I didn't quite expect was losing her to Minecraft for the next three hours, until the ROG Ally's battery gave out.

Laying on the couch while wrapped in a blanket isn't the optimal position to enjoy gaming on my Xbox Series X and 65-inch TV, but the Air 2 Pro and ROG Ally let her do exactly that. She had so much fun with these glasses that she quite simply has not stopped playing Minecraft since. Sure, we've played Minecraft together for hundreds of hours, but that's spread across distinct eras over years, and our last serious foray into the game was during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minecraft itself definitely shares some of the glory of winning over my partner once again, but it was the magic of the XREAL Air 2 Pro that kept her in a state of wonder until she was forced to take the glasses off and let the ROG Ally breathe. She even began asking how much the ASUS ROG Ally costs (from $399.99 at Best Buy) and how much the XREAL Air 2 would add (another $399 at Amazon) to get that exact setup for herself. Trust me, that's not the norm for her.

Are XREAL glasses perfect? Of course not. The build quality is great, but you find yourself treating the XREAL glasses like they're made of eggshells, especially when you have to put the glasses on and work around the connecting cable. While it's far simpler than setting up an external monitor, using XREAL glasses is still one more step versus simply using your device's display. Most devices like the ROG Ally can't hook up to XREAL glasses and charge at the same time, which is especially unfortunate when gaming.

That latter issue is one XREAL is fixing itself, though. The new XREAL Hub can be bought for $39.99 at Amazon and supports 45W charging passthrough and an additional Type-C port (with video output) for your XREAL glasses. It's a simple yet effective accessory that's worth pairing with your XREAL glasses, especially since you can't rely on other USB hubs featuring a Type-C port with video output (the Razer USB Type-C Dock is a great example of this, as you can't use it for this purpose).

The biggest weakness of the XREAL Air 2 Pro and its predecessors, however, is also its strength — these glasses are basically glorified monitors. The tech inside is incredible and extremely convenient, yes, but you can't interact with your device through the glasses. That can make it frustrating to navigate to your content when wearing glasses. For example, whenever I need to use the ASUS ROG Ally's touchscreen (a common problem because of Windows 11) and can't rely on the physical controls, I have to unplug the XREAL Air 2 Pro completely.

XREAL is also looking to solve this problem, and I got the chance to experience the company's solution.

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XREAL at GDC: The next gen of AR glasses

The XREAL Air 2 Ultra was announced earlier this year, and I'm not even the first person on the Windows Central team to demo them. They're not just an improvement over the Pros, they're a huge step into interactive augmented reality that the rest of XREAL's lineup just isn't capable of doing. The Ultra glasses boast a more premium design with a titanium frame and a slightly wider field-of-view (52-degrees versus 46-degrees in the Air 2 Pro and Air 2), but are largely identical to the Air 2 Pro I've been using for a few weeks.

Well, except for all the additional sensors XREAL has baked into these glasses. Unlike the other XREAL glasses, the Air 2 Ultra is actually aware of your surroundings, using a combination of depth and light sensors to track spatial information around you and keep track of your physical movements. It's a bold move from XREAL into the same territory as Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro, but without giving up the ultraportable, accessible foundation XREAL has built.

The Air 2 Ultra can do everything the Pro can do, including being an awesome and private external monitor or adjusting the lens opacity with the click of a button, but XREAL is moving away from passive improvement to active evolution with the Air 2 Ultra. These glasses can use a combination of the computing power of modern devices and its advanced sensors to provide an interactive AR environment. That means accurately placing things in your environment, tracking your hands and responding to your movements, and giving you more direct control over your device.

XREAL showed me the potential of the Air 2 Ultra with a variety of demos. I played a tabletop tower defense game and watched an army of tanks swarm over the table at which we were seated, and I controlled them all with just my hands. I played with a variety of different environments such as a movie theater, a messaging hub, and much more in a pseudo-OS XREAL built for the Air 2 Ultra.

XREAL even showed me the potential of future games for this form factor with a demo of Monsarrat's Landing Party, which had me battle aliens and clear a landing pad for an incoming spaceship. The most interesting part of the demo for me, though, was a series of colorful control pucks that let me interact with the Air 2 Ultra in intuitive, clever ways.

One let me scroll between options with a circular motion. Another let me rapidly switch between multiple sections of the demo area. The third let me toggle options. The pucks were simple bits of colored cardboard and magnets, each with a distinctly different shape for a tactile and accessible feel. I didn't even need to look at them (or my hands) to interact with the Air 2 Ultra; the sensors for these flagship glasses have a much wider FoV than the displays, making interactions feel even more natural. It was all genuinely impressive, but clearly needed a lot of work to make this a product people will actually want to buy.

Especially when the XREAL Air 2 Ultra costs $699 at XREAL right now.

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XREAL at GDC: Believing in the AR promise

There's a reason XREAL didn't send me a pair of the Air 2 Ultra to test instead of the Air 2 Pro. Unlike its previous products, the Air 2 Ultra requires building an ecosystem to support it; without it, the Air 2 Ultra is functionally identical to the far cheaper Air 2 Pro. XREAL needs to sell the product to developers first, so that developers can build the apps, games, and services that will take advantage of this unique hardware. Right now, those are the people XREAL is targeting with the first wave of Air 2 Ultra glasses.

Right now, you can get a very good AR experience from XREAL, as long as you just want the convenience and luxury of a portable, private monitor. The XREAL Air 2 is almost a bargain for just $399 at Amazon, and you can throw in those adjustable electrochromic lens with the XREAL Air 2 Pro for an extra $50, at $449 at Amazon. Don't get me wrong, these are a luxury, but they are the best at what they do.

The XREAL Air 2 Ultra is a sign of things to come: a spatial computing platform using the power of the devices you already own, and a much more affordable alternative to the exorbitant Apple Vision Pro. It's an intriguing promise, and my demo won me over. I'm excited to see how these glasses evolve in the coming months and years. In the meantime, though, I'll continue using the XREAL Air 2 Pro AR glasses in bed, and strongly considering that XREAL Hub for $39.99 at Amazon to help my ASUS ROG Ally last a little bit longer.

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What you need to know

• The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is going on now from Mar. 18 - Mar. 22 in San Francisco, California.
• At the event, XREAL is hosting AR game demos with its various spatial computing glasses. 
• XREAL also introduced a new accessory specifically designed to add more convenience to the XREAL glasses experience.

This week at Game Developers Conference (GDC), XREAL is hosting AR game demos on its various AR glasses. From these demos, people get to see for themselves that the future of augmented reality (AR) gaming (and even virtual reality (VR) gaming) is already here — and it doesn't have to be as expensive, ridiculous-looking, or as uncomfortable as what's offered by Apple Vision Pro.

Additionally, XREAL's newly revealed XREAL Hub accessory makes the company's glasses even more convenient to use. Basically, this new peripheral allows you to charge up your source device (phone, laptop, desktop, gaming handheld, etc.) while still keeping XREAL connected to it. That's especially helpful for devices that only have one USB-C output port.

Why XREAL matters in the gaming space

There's been a much bigger focus on the world of spatial computing over the last few months thanks to the release of the extremely expensive $3,499 Apple Vision Pro and various companies' AR/VR glasses. Currently, XREAL is the leader in this space (with over 350,000 glasses sold) — its glasses are far more affordable ranging between $379 and $699. 

There's plenty of competition out there, but XREAL stands above the rest as a company that not only designs but also manufactures its own glasses. With their classy style, excellent performance, and far more affordable price point, it's no wonder XREAL glasses have been so popular lately as both work and entertainment devices. I was able to check out XREAL at CES 2024 and can personally attest to their quality and future vision (pun intended). 

For those who don't know, XREAL glasses feature micro OLED screens behind the glasses lenses. This allows a display to layer over the world around you and makes for an excellent AR experience (and VR experience if you're wearing the flagship XREAL Air 2 Ultra). All you have to do is plug the XREAL glasses' USB-C cable into a compatible device with USB-C output (such as a laptop, desktop, phone, or gaming handheld) and then you can view the display from that source device privately on your glasses as you move about.

Sensors on these XREAL glasses understand the space you're in and layer digital elements on top of what you can see. These sensors also register hand movements and gestures so you can navigate through programs without needing a controller or glove like Meta Quest 3 and PlayStation VR2 do. As you can imagine, this all works together to make a far less clunky (and much lighter) gaming experience right from your phone or other device. In many ways, XREAL makes AR and VR gaming far more approachable and mainstream than ever before. 

XREAL game demos show off AR capabilities

Attendees can experience the GDC XREAL demos at the Alibaba Cloud and DeepMirror booths as well as at the GDC Post Awards Expo Party at The Midway on Wednesday evening (Mar. 20). Here are the demoed games.

Landing Party: Los Angeles game company Monsarrat's outdoor RPG is a walking game that "lay[s] out a 2D roleplaying game landscape across your backyard or any space where you want to play." In other words, it takes into account your surroundings and creates a playing experience that meets your space. As Monsarrat CEO, Johnny Monsarrat, says, “We make outdoor roleplaying games in AR, with deep storytelling and player interaction, the next big leap past Pokémon Go’s." 

Playing this game with XREAL glasses allows you to make use of the specific room around you. For example, placing a creature beside you or allowing you to walk into a digital space station without having to worry about running into the nearby real-world wall. You can learn more at mosarrat.com.

Table Trenches: For those with more tactical gaming preferences, this AR game from Bellevue, Washington's DB Creations "transforms any table into a battleground." The demo specifically makes use of the XREAL Air 2 Ultra's 3D environment sensors to take in real-world environments and layer digital elements on top of them. 

For those interested, Table Trenches is available at both the App Store and Google Play. If you have XREAL glasses, then go to XREAL.com to get the right version for you. 

appAARatus: This puzzle completion game from Berlin, Germany's forwARdgame takes advantage of XREAL Air 2's hand tracking and gesture recognition software. Specifically, it allows you to interact with digital devices and items in a real-world space while getting around various challenges.

Head to XREAL.com to download the game to play with XREAL glasses or simply to learn more about it. 

Halo AR Museum: While more of an educational experience than it is a game, this 3D holographic virtual museum allows users to learn about the world from the comfort of home. It was developed by a team of Stanford teachers who were backed by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. While wearing XREAL Air 2 Ultra, you can view various objects in VR, such as a swirling solar system that rotates about you. You can learn more about this developer at the Halo AR website. 

GDC is currently underway, running from Mar. 18 through Mar. 22 in San Francisco, California. We'll be reporting on the event as time goes on, so check back here at Windows Central for the latest GDC news.

As we hit CES week, I was provided some photo memories of years past when I used to attend, and one of them was of the Microsoft Band. As I write this, it's been eight years to the day since I first picked one up, something I had to do while in the US because, at the time, it wasn't available in the UK. 

I remember it well. As we were getting settled in Las Vegas, the Windows Central contingent took a stroll over to the local Microsoft Store. I needed to get a Microsoft Band, so I did it before CES got underway and wore it the whole week. It was the first tech product in a while I'd really coveted, with its initial regional exclusivity only adding to that. 

I'm not really a very active person, but the Microsoft Band was just an awesome product. It was different from the other fitness trackers and emerging smartwatches; it was exciting and really grabbed attention. We got a sequel, of course, but like all amazing Microsoft products, it was destined for the scrap heap. I haven't really enjoyed a wearable since, with many being tried on my wrist and none lasting more than a few weeks. So let's remember the good times, shall we? 

Different in design and truly cross-platform 

For us Windows Phone nerds, the immediate draw to the Microsoft Band was that it was built to work with our favorite smartphone. But beyond that excitement, it was different. The horizontal display was far more convenient to look at compared to a thin, vertical one, and the fact it was designed to be worn with the display on the inside of your wrist was a first. 

It was more comfortable to wear, more comfortable to glance at, and more comfortable to interact with worn this way. Or I thought so, at least. I wear a mechanical watch every day, but I rarely have to actually press any buttons on it; it's for telling the time and looking good. But wearables are designed to be touched a lot, and being horizontal and inside the wrist just made the Microsoft Band a dream. 

It was also completely cross-platform, a feature I always enjoy. Even back then, despite being a Windows Phone fan, I carried either an iPhone or an Android phone as a secondary device. Being able to connect to whatever it was I had with me at the time was a massive bonus, as was the fact you could achieve basic connectivity and updates using a PC (or Mac). Microsoft absolutely nailed the basics of a good wearable on the first attempt. Compare that even today to the limited use of Android smartwatches on iPhone and the complete lack of support for the Apple Watch outside of the iPhone itself.

Microsoft had a good thing going here. A lot of the initial buzz may well have been from Windows Phone enthusiasts, but nobody can deny that the Microsoft Band was an exceptional product across the board. Innovative, different, brilliant.

Solid features and a great community 

Naturally, it didn't take long for the developer community to get behind the Microsoft Band, and some great ways to customize your own experience soon started to appear. Some apps exposed sensors in the hardware that the Microsoft Health app didn't surface, there was (naturally) a third-party app that turned your wrist into a mini flashlight, and there were a heap of apps to add custom wallpapers. 

The Microsoft Health app, the main source of collating all the data from the Band, had a sleek, minimalist design, and for someone like me that only wanted minimal activity and sleep tracking to look at, served well. Had I been more inclined, the guided workouts would surely have been useful, and I liked the chance to integrate it with Xbox Fitness, another long-lost Microsoft product. 

Even the keyboard on the Microsoft Band was well executed (check it out in the video above). It really did feel like a device from the future, and one with a bright one at that. 

The community really loved it, too. On Windows Central, we naturally built a lot of coverage around the Microsoft Band, but the response from the readers and in the forums was so exciting. At the time, it felt like another new platform for us to get our teeth into for years to come. 

To this day, I never wanted a wearable more 

We only got two generations of the Microsoft Band before the plug was pulled, and the dream was over. A third was originally planned, and we even managed to get our hands on one of the prototypes. You can check out our Microsoft Band 3 review to see more on what we could have had. 

I stopped really caring about wearables after the Microsoft Band. I've tried a bunch of Android watches, and I've tried to enjoy the Apple Watch on a couple of occasions. On paper, both are better than the Microsoft Band, as are a host of other wearables from the likes of Garmin and Fitbit. But something about the Microsoft Band was just perfect. 

Nothing has matched its design, and while we did have a thriving community of third-party support for it, the Microsoft Band was simple to live with. It never felt overbearing, and even for non-fitness freaks like myself, it had a welcome place in my daily life. I was happy enough just to be able to use it to pay for Starbucks!  

In a perfect world, Microsoft would have revived it as the company refocused on Android after the death of Windows phones. But as we've seen, even that hasn't gone very well. Microsoft just seems destined not to exist in the mobile space, with the Surface Duo all but dead, Cortana has gone, and who knows what the future actually looks like.

But I've had fun remembering how great the Microsoft Band was, another product you could say was ahead of its time and one I know I'm not the only one with fond memories of. I want to hear your memories, though, so if you were a happy Band owner in years past, hit the comments and share your stories.

AR is an up-and-coming form factor, but up-and-coming doesn't mean there aren't ways to experience it now. XREAL has been making AR glasses for a number of years, and their first-generation Air glasses are 28% off this week for Black Friday, bringing them down to just $295.21 for Amazon Prime Members. If you're looking for an AR headset that looks like a pair of normal glasses, these are some of the best out there currently.

🚨Update 11/29/23: The original deal has expired, however, there is currently an $80 coupon for Prime Members that can be clipped before adding it to your cart, bringing the price from $379.99 to $295.11.

A massive virtual screen that you can carry with you

So, the best thing about the XREAL Air's is that they offer a large 330-inch virtual screen that you can bring with you anywhere. Each display is 1080p, using micro-OLED technology to deliver that translucent AR experience. Those displays also support up to 120Hz refresh rate, which is excellent for gaming.

Post-Cyber Monday deals STILL AVAILABLE!

• Walmart: Cyber Monday+ deals
• Dell: Top deals on laptops, gaming PCs, etc.
• Alienware: Up to $800 off gaming laptops + desktops
• Best Buy: Big savings on video games + accessories
• HP: Up to 84% of select HP Windows PCs + accessories
• Lenovo: Up to 50% of gaming towers + laptops
• Newegg: Save on PC gaming accessories + components
• Razer: 43% off laptops + accessories with free gifts

• 🚨HOTTEST Trending Deals:
• Microsoft Surface Go 3 | $339 $261 at Microsoft
• Keychron C3 Pro Gaming Keyboard: now $34 at Amazon
• Xbox Series S (512GB) + Game Pass Ultimate | $299.99 $249 at Walmart
• Xbox Series X (1TB) | $549.99 $449.99 at Best Buy
• 1TB Xbox Expansion Card | $149.99 $139.99 at Best Buy
• Stormcloud Vapor SE controller: $69.99 $59.99 at Amazon
• Meta Quest 3 (128GB) | $499.99 at Best Buy
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14| $1,599.99 $1,149.99 at Best Buy
• ASUS ROG Ally + Game Pass Ultimate| $599.99 $399.99 at Best Buy
• Game Pass Core (12 months) | $59.99 $44.99 at Target
• Surface Pro 9 (Certified Refurb) | $939 $639 at Microsoft

If you've ever found yourself on a long-haul flight or car journey, these glasses are going to make that downtime simply fly by.

At just 79 grams, they're super lightweight. From a design perspective, they more or less look like normal sunglasses, so you won't get weird looks when wearing them in a public setting. Included is a stylish carrying case that protects the glasses when not in use. 

You can connect the glasses to a PC and use them as a private, virtual display for your Windows or Mac device. This is how I use mine the majority of the time, adding up to three virtual displays which can turn your workspace into a productivity powerhouse. The glasses also work with your phone, whether that be an iPhone or Android device. They also pair nicely with a portable gaming console like the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch. 

This deal is exclusive to Amazon Prime Members, so make sure you sign up for a membership if you don't already have one!

If you're searching for one of the best headsets, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event is here to save the day. Bose is a well-known brand, mostly because of the quality of sound packed and baked behind its wide array of products. 

And as it happens, one of its best headphones (arguably), the Bose QuietComfort 45, is currently on sale at Amazon. Rather than coughing up a whopping $329, you can cop them at a discounted price of $229. That's $100 slashed off the original price.

Big Deal Days: Best tech deals

• Amazon Prime 30-day Free Trial: Sign up at Amazon
• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: was $49.99 now $22.99 at Amazon
• Blink Mini security camera: was $34.99 now $19.99 at Amazon
• Ring Video Doorbell: was $99.95 now $54.99 at Amazon
• Blink Outdoor Security (3rd Gen): was $249.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

Right off the bat, the headphones ship with TriPort acoustic architecture to ensure the user gets a rich listening experience. What's more, the entry ships with a nifty feature dubbed Volume-optimized Active EQ, designed to maintain a balanced performance regardless of the volume. This way, the headphones are able to maintain the bass even when the volume is turned down.

Bose boasts about the SimpleSync technology packed into the QuietComfort 45 headphones, which allows users to pair them with select Bose soundbars for a personalized TV watching and listening experience. It's worth noting that you can control the soundbar and headphones separately, thanks to the independent volume controls. This way, you can lower the soundbar's volume while maintaining it on your headphones.

The headphones promise up to 22 hours of battery life from a single charge. But if you're able to drain them completely, a quick 15-minute charge can extend your lifeline for 3 hours. Additionally, you can connect the audio cable to the headphones to ensure that you continue listening to your music longer in wired mode.

The QuietComfort 45 headphones ship with two noise-cancelling options: Quiet and Aware modes. The former blocks out disruptions completely while the latter, as the name suggests, lets you "bring the outside into the around ear headphones."

Why I'd go for this deal

Unlike many headsets, the Bose QuietComfort 45 lets you personalize and tailor the audio based on your preference. It's possible to set the bass, mid-range, and treble levels from the adjustable EQ at that sweet spot that lets you enjoy your music fully. 

The headphones provide the "perfect balance of quiet, comfort, and sound" as well. This is possible through the tiny mics incorporated into the headphones used to measure, compare, and react to disruptions from outside, ultimately allowing the headphones to cancel the noise using opposite signals.

Finally, the headphones come with a Bluetooth range of up to 9 m (30 feet), giving you a little wiggle room to walk around the house or even work out without carrying your phone. 

As stated in my author bio page, music is a big deal for me. In the past few years, I've heavily invested in this hobby, getting soundbars, TVs with Dolby Atmos support, and more. These devices are extremely handy while I'm in the house, but I've found myself needing something that promises mobility without compromising the sound quality, clarity of the lyrics, and depth of the bass.

I've used some of the best headsets and best wireless earbuds, but none compare to the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS earbuds, in my opinion. I copped them early this year, parting with approximately $200. Looking back, this was a great purchase as my listening experience has been elevated to a whole other level, superseding my initial expectations.

Luckily, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event is before us, and with it comes great deals and discounts on amazing products. For instance, you can snag the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS earbuds at a discounted price of $89.09, down from $199.95. That's $110.89 you'll get to save, which translates to a whopping 55% discount.

Aside from the slashed price, this pair has many neat features that will revolutionize your listening experience, starting with its rich and "punchy bass to thrilling top notes" sound quality. My personal favorite has to be the capability to activate my preferred voice assistant using my voice while using the earbuds, including prompting Hey Google to control the device.

The mic on this device is also rather impressive, promising clarity and great reception on both ends. I've received a ton of calls and even attended work meetings using these earbuds, and the experience so far is very promising. The earbuds feature two outer beamforming microphones and an additional one to block out wind and other distractions.

While we're on this topic, the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS earbuds ship with adaptive noise-canceling capabilities to ensure that the audio quality emanating from this device is at an optimum level at all times while simultaneously blocking out any external distractions.

Why I'd go for this deal

Aside from the massive savings, the battery life on these earbuds is insane. The device promises up to 32 hours of battery life, which is a big deal if you're constantly traveling and probably don't have the time or chance to juice them up again. 

Additionally, the case can give you up to three power-ups if you run out of power and can't access a power outlet. It's also worth noting that it supports Qi-wireless charging, which essentially means that you can charge the device without a cable. 

I can personally attest to the device's great battery life, as I recently brought them on a three-day trip. I didn't charge them throughout the entire trip, fully depending on power-ups from the case. The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS earbuds are also compatible with a wide array of devices, including my Windows PC, which complements my workflow perfectly.

However, if you're looking for another great alternative, the Earfun Air Pro 3 also happens to be on sale at Amazon for $49.83, down from $79.99, and is right up your alley.

There's no shortage of earbuds striving to be Apple Airpod alternatives, and amongst my quest for an alternative to Samsung Galaxy Buds I've come across hundreds of earbuds promising to deliver high-quality sound at a low price, but generally anything sub-$100 has been disappointing. From sound to cheap build quality to temperamental connectivity, you generally get what you pay for in this category.

The only brand I've ever known to pull off great quality earbuds that give the Apple and Samsung competitors a run for their money, is Earfun. On a normal day the Earfun Air Pro 3 are only $80, but with the Prime Big Deal Days about to hit, they've reduced them to just under $50. These are amongst the best wireless earbuds you can get, with resoundingly positive reviews (currently 4.4 out of 5 from 3212 submissions).

You'll need to add our discount code from October 10 - 11 to get the lowest price: PDAP3PR1

I personally own the EarFun Air Pro 2 model, which I've had for nearly two years now, and they still have fantastic battery life. Before trying EarFun I went through a lot of cheaper brands and was always left disappointed, but I can't face paying Samsung or Apple's prices for their earbuds. I happened across Earfun on Amazon and the reviews seemed too good to be true for such cheap buds but the performance speaks for itself and they've stood the test of time for me. In fact so well I don't see the need to upgrade right now, but if you need some new earbuds the EarFun Air Pro 3 are an absolute must-buy.

Enjoy powerful and distortion-free sound with the EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds, powered by the QCC3071 chipset and Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive Audio technology. The earbuds feature 11mm wool composite dynamic drivers that deliver clear and crisp audio at an affordable price.

The EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds also offer long-lasting battery life, with up to 9 hours of playtime on a single charge or 45 hours with the USB-C wireless charging case. Plus, you can get 2 hours of playtime with just 10 minutes of Fast-Charging.

Despite their powerful audio output, these true wireless earbuds can provide 9 hours of playtime from a single charge or 45 hours when used with the compact USB-C wireless charging case. They can also utilize Fast-Charging and provide 2 hours of playtime after just 10 minutes of charging.

The EarFun Air Pro 3 wireless earbuds are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 technology, which allows you to sync and switch between two devices seamlessly. Whether you want to use them with your Xbox console or your smartphone, you can enjoy a smooth and hassle-free connection whenever you open the case. This has been my main point of contention with cheaper earbuds, the ease of connectivity; you just want to lift them out of the box and connect them instantaneously to your devices without messing about. Earfun delivers in spades here and reliably connect every time I open the case.

You can also personalize your listening experience with the EarFun app, which lets you adjust the sound equalizer, switch noise canceling modes, and customize touch control actions.

Would I buy them?

As previously mentioned, my Earfun Air Pro 2 are still going strong, but unlike my current model, these come in four different colorways (Black, Blue, Oat White and Pink) — only the Black is at the low sale price of $49.83 but if I see the pink or white drop too, it may crumble my resolve and force my hand. I don't need an upgrade, but I'm a sucker for new colors.

I'll be watching the listing with interest over the Amazon Prime Big Deal days. 

Big Deal Days: The best early savings

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K: was $49.99 now $22.99 at Amazon
• Blink Mini security camera: was $34.99 now $19.99 at Amazon
• Ring Video Doorbell: was $99.95 now $54.99 at Amazon
• Blink Outdoor Security (3rd Gen): was $249.99 now $99.99 at Amazon

Big Deal Days: Frequently asked questions

The specifics for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days are now publicly available, with minor hints as to which brands and categories will enjoy significant discounts. Rest assured, we'll update this page with the latest dates and details whenever the company releases more information.

What you need to know

• Fitbit has issued a recall for its Ionic fitness tracker due to an overheating issue that can cause a burn hazard.
• Owners of a Fitbit Ionic can receive a refund from the company and a discount on other Fitbit products.
• You can complete the registration process for a refund with your details and an email address and do not need the receipt for your initial purchase of the Ionic.

Fitbit's Ionic fitness tracker has been recalled because of a battery issue that can cause overheating and a burn hazard. The company is offering a refund for anyone that bought an Ionic, as well as a discount on other Fitbit devices. Even if a device appears to be unaffected, Fitbit says that people should stop using any Ionic device.

"After a thorough investigation, we determined that in very limited instances, the battery in the Ionic smartwatch can overheat, posing a burn hazard," explained Fitbit. "Your safety is always our top priority, and we are taking this action out of an abundance of caution. We're offering a refund to Fitbit Ionic customers."

The Fitbit Ionic was introduced in 2017, and production of the device stopped in 2020. Fitbit has since introduced thinner and better smart devices, such as the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Sense.

If you have an Ionic, you don't need to go digging through your drawers to try to find a receipt. You can complete the refund registration process with your personal details and the email address connected to your Fitbit Ionic. Our executive editor Dan Thorp-Lancaster was able to register for a refund in only a few minutes.

After you've registered, Fitbit will send a return kit to you to send back the device. You have a choice to receive your refund in the form of a Mastercard debit card or a PayPal payment.

Our sister site Android Central has a guide on the best smartwatches for fitness if you're looking for a device to replace your Fitbit Ionic.

New year, new you? Maybe? Maybe not? Got some goals to work on your fitness this year? Then start with a way to track your numbers. The Garmin Vivoactive 4S GPS smartwatch and fitness tracker has dropped in price through BuyDig down to $179.99. Before Black Friday, the street price on this smartwatch was around $250 with some places selling it for over $270. Then it dropped to $200 at most retailers and, except for a few jumps in price, has mostly stayed there throughout December. BuyDig is the first place to break the $200 barrier and offer it for this low, so you're really saving up to $70 off the street price.

Maybe the new you didn't start in the New Year. Maybe you know most resolutions tend to die out pretty quickly. But maybe you still want to do something to improve your health and increase your fitness, yah? Maybe being healthy is a year-long endeavor. Then you need a fitness tracker you can wear all the time like the Vivoactive 4S with its customizable watch face. It also has a ton of apps and widgets you can add to the face. Keep track of your most frequent activites with animated icons that still keep the face looking nice and clean.

The Vivoactive 4S also has a great battery life. In just the plain smartwatch mode it can last for up to seven days. That's a full week without worrying about charging it. If you're using all the features, including the fitness tracking and GPS (the biggest battery-sucking culprit of them all), it will last for up to five hours. Since you really only need things like the GPS when you're actually doing fitness activities, you can switch that on and off when you need it. Mixing it up will help you keep your battery strong all day.

You can record more than 20 preloaded sports including yoga, running, swimming, and more. You can even follow workouts on your screen including Pilates and cardio. Download songs to your watch and bounce to the music while you work on yourself. You'll also be able to get notifications from a paired device like your regular smartphone, so you can stay up to date on texts, incoming calls, and more.

It's the spookiest time of the year, Halloween. In honor of the holiday, we have a horrific poll this weekend. We'd like to know which Microsoft product or service you'd like to see brought back from the dead. From MSN Messenger to the Windows 10 Start menu, Microsoft has a kill count higher than Michael Myers. In fact, it was difficult to keep the list of options short enough to make a functional poll. So: If you could pick just one item to have Microsoft resurrect, which would it be?

We expect Windows Phone to take the lion's share of the votes, but there are some other beloved Microsoft services that have been buried over the years. Many miss Windows Media Center being the center of the living room. There are still Zune enthusiasts, including one fan who made a digital coffee book dedicated to the history of the music player. Others mourned the end of Minecraft Earth.

If your favorite dead Microsoft product or service didn't make the list, please share it in the comments below. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, you can check out Killed by Microsoft for a complete list of everything the company has axed over the years.

Some Microsoft services are already honoring the spirit of Halloween. The Kinect is being used by ghost hunters looking to search out the undead. Some claim that the camera can track "skeletal figures that aren't there." We can't verify that claim, but we can confirm that it worked well with Sonic Free Riders, one of the favorite Kinect games of our news editor Robert Carnevale.

Fitbit is one of the best-known names in fitness wearables. Whether you want a lightweight fitness band or a smartwatch that can track your temperature and heart rate, Fitbit has a wearable that fits the bill. Fitbit has a wide range of wearables that often go on sale, so Amazon Prime Day is a great time to pick one up. With so many options, it can be a bit difficult to know which is the best Fitbit for you, so we've gathered the best deals here to help out.

Fitbit continues to expand its lineup of wearables, but the truth is even the older generations are a step above most other brands. Whether you're looking for the best possible fitness tracker or something that blends activity tracking with a smartwatch or even something like a digital scale that connects to your phone, Fitbit is the brand you want. We'll track all of it so you can find the right device to track yourself.

Best Fitbit Charge deals

Best Fitbit Sense deals

Best Fitbit Versa deals

Best Fitbit Ace deals

Fitbit's Versa 2 isn't a huge upgrade from the original — in many ways it's just a modest "sidegrade" — but it still brings nothing but improvements. A year ago I called the original Versa "the best fitness tracker and wearable you can buy right now." A lot has changed since then, including Apple's dramatically improved Watch Series 4 and Series 5. But does The Fitbit Versa 2 still have what it takes?

I've spent the last two weeks with the Versa 2 and being a hardcore Fitbit fan and gym-goer I have some thoughts about it. Find out why despite its flaws as a true smartwatch, it's still one of the best wearables for most people.

When the Fitbit Versa 2 launched, it started at $200. Now, Fitbit lists it at $180, but it frequently goes on sale for $150. Occasionally, it drops even further down to $130. If you're shopping on Amazon Prime Day and see the Fitbit Versa 2, make sure you don't pay upwards of $180 for it. It's also worth comparing the Fitbit Versa 2 to the Fitbit Versa 3 to see which is best for you.

Pros

• Lightweight, comfortable design
• AMOLED and always-on-display
• Microphone for Alexa and text replies
• Fitbit Pay included by default
• Outstanding 5+ days of battery life

Cons

• Charging cradle is unappealing
• Fitbit apps are subpar
• No built-in GPS
• Always-on display eats battery life

Fitbit Versa 2 What's new for 2019

From first looks, the Versa 2 looks strikingly like the original Versa. But upon closer inspection, it's a more significant change in design than I had thought. But before we get to that, let's talk about the noteworthy flagship adjustments.

For 2019, Fitbit is finally changing to a color OLED display instead of LCD as found in the original Versa. The 1.4-inch screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and can hit upwards of 1,000 nits of brightness.

With that screen, technology comes the ability to have a real "always-on display" – a feature that many analog watch users have wanted for years. The Fossil 5 and Apple Watch Series 5 also bring this feature this year, so Fitbit is thankfully keeping pace with the competition.

While the processor specs are not officially known, what is known is the Versa 2's is now faster than the original Versa.

For sensor and hardware, Versa 2 has the following:

• 3-axis accelerometer
• Optical heart rate monitor
• Altimeter
• Ambient light sensor
• Vibration motor
• Wi-Fi antenna (802.11 b/g/n)
• Relative SpO2 sensor
• NFC
• Built-in microphone
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Water-resistant to 50 meters

There is also now Amazon Alexa integration, which luckily is entirely opt-in if you do not care for Amazon's assistant. Pressing the side button calls up the helper, and with it, you can set reminders, ask questions, and more. While there is no speaker, the results are displayed on the Versa 2's screen.

That new built-in microphone is a bigger deal though than just Alexa because you can now use voice responses ("speech to text") for notification replies. It's arguably the best new feature except this won't work with an iPhone... because of Apple. Without a speaker, though you cannot take the call through the Versa 2 like you could with an Apple Watch.

Fitbit Pay is now built-in to all Versa 2's versus last year where only the more expensive Versa Special Edition had it.

Spotify is now available as an app. However, like the Apple Watch, it is merely player controls that work through your Android or iOS phone. You cannot download playlists to the Versa 2 itself, which is a shame though you can do this with Pandora (U.S. only). Users can still sideload 300+ MP3s directly on to the Versa 2 for local playback via Bluetooth headphones, though the process is still as arduous as ever.

There is still no standalone GPS, you have to rely on your smartphone's active connection for location information for bike rides and runs. While that's disappointing, it is also what gives the Versa 2 such excellent battery life and keeps the price down to just $180.

For design, the Fitbit logo is gracefully removed from the front of the bezel, which looks much better. The chassis itself is also different with a bottom that sweeps away more dramatically than the Versa 1 with more roundedness. It's also a hair thicker, though it is not something you notice. The company also removed the two right-side buttons leaving just one on the left. It's a weird choice, but not disruptive either.

Fitbit Versa 2 fit, feel, and Alexa

The beauty of the Versa line is its comfort. Weighing just 38 grams, Versa 2 is a very comfortable watch to wear. The included silicone bands are OK, but they are proprietary — if you want a new band you need one specifically designed to work with the Versa 2. Thankfully, all original Versa bands are still compatible with the Versa 2. The good news here is Amazon.com is loaded with hundreds of Versa and Versa 2 bands that usually range from $6 to $14 with every design, material, and color you can imagine.

The removal of the two-right buttons is peculiar. From a manufacturing and support perspective, it is probably cheaper – after all, it's one less point of failure with fewer moving parts. However, this also means you must now use the touch screen more often for simple tasks like ending your exercise session. You do lose the ability to launch a favorite app quick. But one uptick is now I don't feel those buttons press into my hand when my wrist is bending while doing weights. On more than one occasion, I have accidentally paused my workouts because of this design.

Tying this all together is a newer, faster processor. Fitbit keeps quiet on what powers their wearables (the Versa 2 is speculated to contain a single Cortex M4), but I can say with delight that the performance difference is very noticeable over the original Versa. The custom Fitbit OS now responds instantly to touches and swipes. Launching alarms, timer, weather, and more is nearly instant. As a longtime fan of Versa, this is one of the most pleasant improvements with the Versa 2 that doesn't garner enough attention.

While I don't find Alexa particularly useful or a feature I use every day, I am glad it is here as an option for those who do. It works well enough. You can set the side button to launch Alexa with a long press. From there, you can set any smart home devices you have connected to Alexa so you can turn down your thermostat or set the lights.

The ability to respond to notifications including SMS, GroupMe, Skype, Slack, or anything installed on your phone with voice is killer (again, Android-only). When a message comes in and you hit reply, users can use a canned response, send an emoji, or now hit the microphone and dictate a custom response. Opting for voice brings up a helpful visual indicator that shows the microphone is listening, and then the text translation is given. Hitting send pushes the message out, and Fitbit even gives you about 5 seconds to "undo" the sending in case of an error.

Notifications have also not changed much. The Versa 2 still uses Bluetooth 4.0, which is odd in 2019 when Bluetooth 5.0 is making the rounds. Reliability of notifications was excellent for me using the Honor 20 Pro, Huawei P30 Pro, and Apple iPhone 11 smartphones. Notifications arrived about 1-2 seconds after the phone received them.

Fitbit Versa 2's AMOLED is killer

The AMOLED color display on the Versa 2 is outstanding. Blacks are genuinely black now, and the myriad of watch faces just pop. While there is still a rather thick bezel because of the black AMOLED effect, the boundary between bezel and screen is nearly invisible. This optical illusion is especially true if you opt for a watch face with a black background.

The curved Gorilla Glass 3 also helps as the edges sweep away, giving a pleasant jewel-like reflection. It is also exceptionally smooth, and my finger glides on it nicely versus some other wearables. It all feels premium.

The always-on-display is interesting. Users are given two styles to choose from – one digital, the other analog. It's a simple white clock with options to display steps and other data or keep it clean with just the time. While I love the opportunity for the always-on-display, and I thought it looked and worked great, it basically destroys battery life cutting a 5-day streak by half. That's a trade-off some are willing to make, but I found the traditional "raise to wake" function a much better solution.

Fitbit Versa 2 battery life is mostly the same: incredible

The original Versa already did quite well for battery, letting users push 5 to 7 days. Variation is expected if users are using the Versa for exercise sessions, which default to leaving the display always-on with a running heart sensor and timer. These sessions will knock your battery life down by a day or two.

Versa 2 is not much different. I can easily hit five days on a single charge, often pushing towards six. Over two days of outdoor biking and hiking with connected-GPS running for 8 hours, I dropped just 20 percent of battery.

To get away from even a weekly charge though it's easy enough to toss the Versa 2 on its proprietary charger while you're in the shower. Topping it off this way will keep the Versa 2 always charged with no surprises.

Compared to other fitness/lifestyle watches like Fossil 5 (~30 hours) and Apple Watch Series 4 (~30 hours) the Versa 2 is in a league of its own.

Fitbit Versa 2 sleep, fitness, and premium

Putting aside the hardware, most users buy a Fitbit for potential health reasons. The Versa 2 in this sense doesn't differ much from the first Versa. With it you get:

• All-day activity (steps, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, hourly activity)
• 24/7 heart rate tracking
• Automatic workout detection
• 15+ exercise modes
• Reminders to move
• Guided breathing sessions
• Female health tracking
• Sleep tracking and stages
• Cardio fitness level
• On-screen workouts

I've owned just about every tracker Fitbit has released. I like how their heart-tracking and exercise modes just fit with my workout style. I primarily use walk (for Low-intensity Steady State cardio), weights, hiking, and bike with GPS tracking for long bike rides.

While the Versa 2 doesn't count reps for weightlifting, I do like the on-screen timer, current heart rate, and calories-burned estimation. It's all I need at the gym.

Connected GPS doesn't bother me as I always have my phone with me anyway. But I understand the critique from those who are against the idea. The company has since delivered multiple smartwatches with built-in GPS after the release of the Versa 2, the Fitbit Sense and the Fitbit Versa 3.

The feedback that Fitbit gives in its app is easy to read and fun to navigate. Heart rates, calories burned (estimated) and more are easy to follow.

Besides exercise, sleep tracking in Fitbit is unmatched. Before I did Windows Central full-time, I was a polysomnographer. I administered sleep studies (EEGs, ECGs, heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen monitoring) and directed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to patients. I find Fitbit's sleep analysis fascinating and quite accurate.

Fitbit has a "sleep score" feature that sums up how you slept based on times awoken, length of sleep, and estimations of sleep stages. It's a great way to track how you sleep so you can learn to control external environmental factors to help improve.

Combing all of this information (resting heart rate, age, sex, weight) and a V02 Max measurement (how well your body uses oxygen when you're working out) gives a "cardio fitness score", which is brilliant for tracking heart health.

Over the years I've tried Apple Watch, Android Wear, Honor Band 5, Garmin, and Microsoft Band, but Fitbit still has the best overall health and fitness tracking for most people.

Regarding Fitbit Premium, the refreshed $10 a month (or $80 a year) program that gets your more out of your data, I have mixed feelings. The program offers more in-depth insights into your sleep, guided workouts, health reports for your doctor, extra Fitbit Challenges, dynamic workouts, and more.

Fitbit Premium is a great option for people who are new to exercise, health and want to improve sleeping habits while learning. "Pros" who already have a regimen will get little value out of it. I also find the $10 a month price quite high - that's a Planet Fitness monthly membership! It's only $6 and change if you pay in advance, but I'd be more comfortable with just $5.

There's a free month trial for regular Versa 2 owners and Versa 2 Special Edition get to try it for three months. It's worth checking out, but so far it is something I will likely skip when my trial ends.

Fitbit Versa 2 What still needs work

As much as I recommend the Versa 2 there are still plenty of areas for improvement. Here are a few that you should know about:

• Syncing MP3s feels like it's from 2009 – it's terrible.
• Bluetooth syncing is still hit and miss for too many users.
• A higher-priced Versa 2 with full GPS would be excellent. (Note: This is available now in the form of the Versa 3
• The watch face gallery is a disaster with no ability to save or favorite.
• The new notification system with the quick drop-down menu is weird.
• The pin system for watch bands feels dated and clunky.
• The Versa 2 "pinch" charger is inelegant compared to magnetic ones.
• Third-party apps are mostly terrible.
• The Spotify app is very hit or miss.
• Syncing, music controls, etc. work better on iPhone than Android.

While these are valid criticisms, they also fall mostly into the nitpicking category.

I also have had better luck using the iPhone 11 with the Versa 2 compared to Android. While everything worked on both things like music player controls worked more reliably on the iPhone 11.

Who should buy Fitbit Versa 2?

Wearables are a curious category. There is no "winner" as it entirely depends on what you want in a smartwatch.

The Apple Watch Series 4/5 is a fantastic true smartwatch. The hardware is an engineering achievement unmatched by any device on the market. The screen is brilliant, the haptics are ungodly good, and even the speaker blows my mind. It also just works. Unfortunately, it only works with the iPhone, which is excellent if you have an iPhone, and useless if you're into Android.

I find the Apple Watch atrocious for fitness, especially lifting weights. While detecting atrial fibrillation is impressive, it only affects 0.5 percent of the population. Sleep though is a big issue, especially sleep apnea where 26 percent of the population are affected. There the Apple Watch is useless. There is just no sleep tracking. Conversely, the Versa 2 is now getting the ability to track AF too.

The Fossil 5 has genuinely lovely hardware, but Google's Wear OS is such a mess of an operating system that I find it hard to recommend. It's just not very good at anything except looking nice.

Do buy a Versa 2 if you are into fitness or are looking for something to motivate you to get into fitness. It's the ideal beginner to advance fitness wearable. It's also just fun. The ability compete against friends on the leaderboard is brilliant, and there's a good chance someone you know is already on it. You'll learn so much about your health from using the Versa 2 over any other wearable.

Don't buy a Versa 2 though if you want a "smartwatch" to run apps. The apps are terrible, and I see no signs of that changing.

Fitbit Versa 2: Should you buy it?

As a fan of the original Versa, all the changes with Versa 2 are welcomed and enjoyable. But these are all minor enough that it's not worth $180 to upgrade from the original Versa — the fundamental experience does not change. But if you really want it, I won't tell you not to do it. You'll love everything.

For those new to Fitbit or coming from an older Ionic or Charge, the Versa 2 will be a breath of fresh air. It's fast, feels great, gets excellent battery life, and you are getting the best health tracking on the market.

Fitbit is in an odd position with Apple dominating the wearable space. The $180 price-point is crucial for its success as it is half the cost of Apple. But the market is a tight one, and Fitbit is now rumored to be shopping for an outside investor (or even possible sale to Google). Fitbit needs help it compete against Apple at the high end, and Chinese firms like Xiaomi at the low. Indeed, the Honor 5 Band has an OLED display, heart rate tracker and sleep analysis all for $40 USD (though I found it to be quite inaccurate at literally everything and can't recommend it).

It'll be a shame if Fitbit folds under Google. But for now, if you are looking for the best all-around fitness wearable, there is nothing else on the market that checks all the same boxes as Versa 2. Combined with a vibrant third-party band ecosystem, creative watch faces, and the ex-Pebble community, Versa 2 will be on my wrist for quite some time. It should be on yours too.

What you need to know

• Fitbit announced its latest tracker in the Inspire 2.
• The new band features a streamlined design and twice the battery life of the previous version.
• A full-year of Fitbit Premium is included with the Inspire 2.

Fitbit just announced several new devices to its wearables lineup, including the Sense health watch, Versa 3 active smartwatch, and a new and improved Inspire 2 fitness band. During the product announcement, a Fitbit spokesperson quoted an IDC study that said that fitness bands would account for nearly 40% of the fitness tracker market by 2021, so the company clearly still sees value in pursuing this minimalistic form factor.

At first glance, the Inspire 2 may not look all that different to the Inspire and Inspire HR that came before it, but there are some important changes and improvements that have been made to this latest edition. For starters, the watch casing has been streamlined a bit according to Fitbit's new Biologic design language, and it has dropped the side button in favor of a capacitive one like on the Charge 4 fitness band. The Inspire 2 can now last 10+ days on a single charge compared to the five-plus days of the first-generation models. It includes the ability to track active zone minutes like the Charge 4 and Fitbit's smartwatches, and it can track over 20 different workout modes.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fitbit has extended its free trial of the Fitbit Premium service up to 90 days, but with the Inspire 2, it is going much, much further. Those who purchase a new Inspire 2 will receive a full year's subscription to the service, which includes guided wellness programs, sleep tools, and enhanced health metrics and insights to help you better understand your wholistic fitness.

In its announcement, the company made a big deal about making fitness planning and tracking more inclusive, and adding free access to these services for its lowest-priced tracker is undoubtedly a step towards this goal. It makes the Inspire 2 an even better buy for the money than its predecessor was.

The Inspire 2 will come in three color options, including Lunar White, Desert Rose, and Core Black, but there will also be several first-party bands available as well. Options include a striking Midnight Blue leather band, a playful Dramatic Printed Bloom sport band, and Steel Mesh Rose Gold and Silver bands. The Inspire 2 will also work with a clip accessory for those times that customers don't want to wear the device on their wrist but still want to track steps like with a pedometer.

The new Inspire 2 will retail at $100, and we expect it to be available for purchase by the end of September. If you cannot wait for the Inspire 2, the Inspire HR is still available at most retailers and should be on sale at many more soon. It's still one of our favorite fitness bands.

What you need to know

• Fitbit's smartwatch family is expanding yet again, this time with the Sense and Versa 3.
• The Versa 3 has built-in GPS, six-day battery life, 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, etc.
• You get a similar experience on the Sense, in addition to stress-monitoring and an ECG sensor.

Fitbit has grown a lot in recent years. The company that used to only offer fitness trackers has since established a solid foundation in the smartwatch space, largely thanks to the Fitbit Versa series that we've had since 2018. Fitbit is once again furthering its smartwatch offerings, and for 2020, we have two to talk about — Fitbit Versa 3 and Fitbit Sense.

Both watches have a lot in common, but as the saying goes, "the devil is in the details." To kick things off, let's take a look at what the Fitbit Versa 3 is bringing to the table.

Overall, the Versa 3 looks very similar to the Versa 2 that came out before it. There are now rounded corners for the display and the physical button has been replaced with a capacitive touch area, but this is the same general design Fitbit's been working with for a couple of years. It's a friendly squircle shape that's not too big or bulky, and while it may not be anything revolutionary, it's a proven design that works really well.

Source: Fitbit

One of the biggest changes for Versa 3 is with its heart-rate sensor, which now features the company's upgraded PurePulse 2.0 system for more accurate tracking of your heart-rate throughout the day. We also finally get built-in GPS for accurate pace and distance information, along with an external speaker that enables you to take phone calls and hear spoken responses from your voice assistant.

Speaking of which, the Versa 3 keeps the Alexa integration introduced on the Versa 2 while also throwing Google Assistant into the mix. You'll be able to pick and choose which digital helper you prefer using, and as of right now, Google Assistant will remain exclusive to Versa 3 and not make its way to the Versa 2. Also on-board is six-day battery life, fast charging, and a new band system that should be easier to use.

The Versa 3 looks to be a solid (if modest) upgrade over the Versa 2, keeping what worked about its predecessor and adding a few welcome features. Where things get really interesting, however, is when we look at the Fitbit Sense.

Fitbit Sense is the new flagship wearable that's at the very top of Fitbit's product offerings, and at its core, it has all of the same goodies found with the Versa 3 — GPS, six-day battery life, improved heart-rate tracking, Google Assistant, etc. On top of all that, Fitbit has added an array of new sensors that allow the Sense to go a step further with how it can be used for your body's physical and mental health.

Just like the Galaxy Watch 3, the Fitbit Sense has ECG sensors for analyzing the rhythm of your heart and detecting potential health issues. It's still pending approval by the FDA in the United States, but once that's complete, you'll be able to get a full reading just by placing your fingers on the corners of Sense for 30 seconds. From there, you can view a full readout of the ECG test in the Fitbit app and then print a PDF if you want to share it with your doctor.

Source: Fitbit

You'll also find an EDA scanner of the Fitbit Sense, which is short for "electrodermal activity." The tech is used for understanding your body's current stress levels and how you react to various stressors that you encounter. It's part of Fitbit's bigger push into mental health along with physical health, and it'll be really interesting to see how long it takes for this tech to trickle down into more affordable wearables.

Finally, the Fitbit Sense rounds out its sensor loadout with an on-wrist skin temperature sensor. The sensor checks your skin every night, and by doing so, you can potentially detect a fever or the start of your menstrual cycle.

Fitbit hasn't announced specific availability info for either smartwatch, but what we do know is the price. The Fitbit Versa will cost $229 when it goes on sale, with the Fitbit Sense costing significantly more at $329. Both watches will also come with free trials for Fitbit Premium, which usually costs $9.99/month.

What you need to know

• Microsoft patented a light sensor that can track a wide range of health data.
• The images from the patent appear similar to the Microsoft Band.
• As with all patents, the ideas shown off in the patent may never be released.

Microsoft recently filed for a patent for a sensor that tracks health information (via WindowsUnited). The patent describes a device with a light source that emits light against skin. A sensor within the device then receives the light from the skin and uses the data to track various pieces of health information. The patent specifically mentions blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, blood vessel elasticity, and arterial oxygen saturation.

Here is the abstract from the patent that summarizes the device:

The images from the patent appear similar to the Microsoft Band, which is no longer made. Microsoft never released the Microsoft Band 3, but we got our hands on one and reviewed it back in 2018.

It's unclear if Microsoft has any plans to use the technology shown off in this patent. Many patents never turn into concrete devices. Additionally, Microsoft left the wearables space years ago. There's a chance that Microsoft could license the technology to other companies. It's also worth noting that the "Priority Data" section of the patent lists "30.11.2018" as a date. This indicates when a company initially applies for a patent for an invention.

The Fitbit Ionic and Fitbit Versa 2 are surprisingly similar pieces of hardware. They support almost identical feature sets and are in the same price range. The only main feature that the Ionic has that the Versa 2 doesn't is built-in GPS. When Fitbit refreshed the Versa line, the company added support for Fitbit Pay to the Versa 2 without requiring people to purchase the Special Edition. This closes the gap even more when comparing the Fitbit Versa 2 and the Fitbit Ionic. The Versa 2 also brings in an OLED display, better battery life, and a more durable screen when compared to the original Versa, again making it stand out even more when compared to the Fitbit Ionic.

What do you track?

Both the Ionic and the Versa 2 track exercise and can be taken to just about any workout, including running, cycling, and working out in the gym. Both have up to 50 meters of water resistance, so you can take them swimming. The one significant difference is that the Ionic can track your location without a phone. It has built-in GPS, which allows you to track your exercise routes without the aid of a smartphone. The Versa 2 doesn't have a built-in GPS, so you'll have to use a smartphone on your jogs.

Fitbit has been in the wearable industry for a long time, and fitness tracking is accurate on both of these devices. You can use each of them for guided workouts, tracking your measurables such as heart rate and sleep, and recording your steps, cycling activity, and swimming activity.

You can also take your music with you on the go. Both wearables support local storage up to 300 songs.

Sleek vs. powerful

When it comes to fitness tracking, both of these watches are almost identical. However, there is a more noticeable difference between the watches in terms of design. The Ionic is thicker than the Versa 2, and where the Ionic is square, the Versa 2 rounds a few corners to make it sleeker. The Ionic feels boxy compared to the more elegant Versa 2. The Versa 2 shares some design queues from the Apple Watch and other wearables that are fashionable.

That said, there are still several similarities between the watches. Both feature bright watch faces, and both allow you to switch out wrist straps depending on your preference. The Fitbit Versa 2 only has one button for navigation while the Fitbit Ionic has 3, but both watches have similar features and run the same core operating system.

Design makes the difference

The features for these devices are practically identical. The only significant feature difference is that the Ionic has a built-in GPS. Both have Bluetooth music support, the same exercise tracking, notification support, Fitbit Coach, and several other features.

The Versa 2 comes in at $200, which is within $5 of the Ionic's current sale price. The Ionic is a bit dated at this point, so its price continues to drop. That means that price isn't a factor when choosing between these devices.

The Fitbit Versa 2 is sleeker than the Fitbit Ionic and has almost all of the same features. The Ionic can feel bulky and chunky at times, especially when doing certain activities like typing.

Unless you absolutely need a built-in GPS, the Fitbit Versa 2 is a better choice for most people because it's slimmer and less boxy. If you like the sleeker design of the Versa line but want to save some money, you can also look at the original Versa.

Though the Apple Watch Series 5 and Fitbit Versa 2 fit into two very different categories — Versa 2 is fitness-focused, and Apple Watch Series 5 is smarts focused — they're more alike than you might realize. Both offer an app ecosystem, solid fitness trackers, notifications, and Bluetooth connections so you can listen to music right from your watch.

The most significant difference between the two is that Fitbit was designed with a focus on fitness and with the bonus of smart technology. At the same time, Apple Watch was created as an all-around smartwatch with the bonus of fitness tracking.

When it comes to the number of features, Apple Watch Series 5 is the clear winner, but not everyone needs all those smarts.

The details

When it comes to deciding whether you want a Fitbit Versa 2 or an Apple Watch Series 5, the main thing you should consider is what you want it for. Though there are a lot of similarities, where Apple Watch Series 5 and Fitbit Versa 2 differ will make all the difference.

Fitbit is fitness first: smart second

The Fitbit Versa 2 has a seriously great battery life for a smartwatch, even with the continuous heart rate monitor, step tracking, sleep tracking, and automatic workout recording. In addition to the improved battery life over the original Versa and Versa Lite, Fitbit added a better OLED screen and pushbutton access to Amazon's Alexa smart voice assistant for simple queries, reminders, and automation.

As far as fitness goes, the Versa 2 has an on-screen workout guide and connectivity to Fitbit Premium, which is a subscription-based personalized training program. Fitbit Premium includes adaptive workout videos, audio coaching, and in-depth analytics and insights covering your sleep, nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness data. Fitbit has always had a robust and easy-to-use app with tons of fitness data, but it's worth noting that this data is all self-contained within the app and is not shared with the Apple Health app.

The Fitbit app store is very limited right now and mostly focuses on either fitness, minimal productivity tools, and a few major brand apps, like Starbucks and Yelp. It does, however, have a lot of room to grow. There may only be a couple hundred right now, but it could reach Apple Watch's 10,000+ mark in the future.

Apple Watch is smarts through-and-through

The Apple Watch has everything you could possibly want from a wearable device: fitness tracking, productivity, lifestyle, and more. You can make and receive calls, send and receive text messages, and even use the walkie-talkie app for quick conversations. Apple Watch supports Siri, which means you can ask it to set an alarm or give you directions, all without needing your iPhone in hand. Siri can send and read texts and emails for you, right from your Apple Watch, answer questions about movies, music, sports, and more, and even search the web.

Apple Watch Series 3 and newer also can stream Apple Music right from your wrist. So even if your iPhone is on the other side of the room, or nowhere near you, if you're on the same Wi-Fi network, you can listen to thousands of songs without having to download anything to your Watch.

The Apple Watch GPS + Cellular lets you use your watch untethered (without your phone) for anything an Apple Watch with an iPhone could do, including sending messages, making calls, getting directions, and more. Perhaps most important of all, the Series 4 and 5 both feature the ability to take on-wrist EKG recordings and can detect if you've fallen and notify emergency responders and close contacts. Series 5 even has international SOS that works without a cellular plan for those emergencies overseas.

When looking at all of the available features between the Apple Watch Series 5 and the Fitbit Versa 2, the first question you should be asking is what do you want your smartwatch to do for you.

Do you want a step tracker, sleep tracker, workout planner, and guide to help you get fit? Do you switch between iPhone and Android? Do you want to have a device with battery life for up to a week? If that describes you, then the Fitbit Versa 2 is your style.

Are you an upwardly mobile, go-getter who needs to stay connected to essential communications? Do you have a busy life that keeps you on the go? Do you prefer a little autonomy from your iPhone? Sound more familiar? Then the Apple Watch Series 5 is more for you.

Fitbit has built a solid reputation based on the quality of its wearables and its easy-to-understand in-app analytics. It was one of the first companies to popularize wrist-based heart rate monitoring, and also one of the first to include a built-in SpO2 sensor to measure blood oxygen levels. Now that this feature has been cleared by the FDA and activated by Fitbit, we'll explain how to use it and why it is important.

Products used in this guide

• Versatile smartwatch: Fitbit Versa 2 (From $186 at Amazon)
• Iconic fitness watch: Fitbit Ionic (From $182 at Amazon)
• Favorite fitness band: Fitbit Charge 3 (From $125 at Amazon)

How to check your blood oxygen levels with your Fitbit

Note that at the time of publication, this feature has just started to roll out to Fitbit customers, so it may not have appeared in your app just yet. But keep checking — it will be worth it!

This feature is available on many, but not all, Fitbit models, including the Ionic (released in 2017), as well as all versions of the Charge 3 and Versa lines (from 2018 onwards).

1. Make sure your device is fully charged or is plugged into a charger for the update process.
2. Open the Fitbit app on your smartphone
3. Tap on your profile avatar on the top left corner of the app
4. When you see a list of your Fitbit devices, check to see if your compatible device (Ionic, Versa 1, 2, or Lite, or Charge 3) has an update pending. If so, tap on the device icon.Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

5. Once your device has updated, all you have to do to check your blood oxygen is to tap on the sleep tile from the Today menu (on the bottom of the app).Source: Jeramy Johnson / iMore

6. Tap on a sleep log (a night's sleep record) to see an Estimated Oxygen Variation graph personalized for you like the one below.

That's all there is to it! If you have the update and follow these steps, you'll be able to see your blood oxygen levels too.

What does SpO2 mean, and why is it important?

Your SpO2 is a measure of your blood oxygen levels, or as Fitbit refers to it, your estimated oxygen variation (EOV). According to Fitbit's help center:

The Fitbit devices mentioned above use red and infrared sensors that are already on the back of the watch case to shine light into your blood vessels and read the light colors and levels that "bounce back" to them. Based on these readings, your Fitbit can then provide a relatively accurate estimate of the oxygen levels in your blood.

Unlike in other use cases, the color red signifies a good value, whereas blue signifies a poor value. The more red light your blood returns, the more oxygen you have. The more blue light, the less oxygen is present in your bloodstream.

So why is this important? The medical community claims that knowing your blood oxygen levels (particularly during sleep) can be a good way to predict or monitor conditions such as sleep apnea and provide valuable data for people who have preexisting breathing conditions.

If you do notice any abnormalities or "big variations' in your EOV graph data, you should get in contact with your physician to interpret the findings and discuss treatment options.

It should be noted that Fitbit is not the only company with wearables capable of taking SpO2 readings. Both Withings and Garmin have watches that support this feature, and more companies are expected to roll out devices with similar functionality over the next year, pending regulatory approvals. One surprising omission to date is Apple, whose category-leading Apple Watch Series 5 sports all manner of health tech from fall-detection to ECG monitoring, but does not have a SpO2 sensor. Perhaps that will come in the Series 6 line or later.

To your health!

I hope you were able to update your device and app and have started to use this new feature. I recently received my update, and it has been interesting to see how my periods of high variation correlate to bad sleep or excessive snoring!

Our top equipment picks

This SpO2 functionality is available on Fitbit's top-tier smartwatches and fitness bands like the Ionic, Versa line, and Charge 3.

Fitbit continues to refine its popular Versa line with a more streamlined casing, larger and better screen, and enhanced fitness features.

The Ionic may be getting a little long in the tooth, but it's still a feature-packed fitness watch. As it ages, its price has come down to be competitive with the Versa 2.

With a six-plus day battery life and smaller profile, the Charge 3 is comfortable to wear all day and all night to track everything important to me (like sleep!).

Additional Equipment

If you decide to wear your Fitbit to bed to track your SpO2 while you sleep, consider one of these softer bands for added comfort.

CAVN Woven Band for Versa 2 ($9 at Amazon)

With this CAVN band, you can get the look of the more expensive Versa 2 Special Edition for a lot less. Plus, this band will stay secure with its buckle and clasp.

Bandmax Rainbow Band for Ionic ($14 at Amazon)

Show your spirit with this festive woven Ionic band. If this one catches your eye, they also make a cool rainbow one with a black background that really stands out.

VEAQEE Nylon Woven Sport Band for Charge 3 ($8 at Amazon)

This nylon wrap-around band is the most comfortable I've tried with my Charge 3. It comes in nine colors and is available in three packs as well.

The holidays are just around the corner and that means a couple of things. Firstly, it means you're likely to over-indulge in food and drink before ultimately declaring a New Year's resolution to lose the several pounds you just gained. Secondly, it means you're probably about to partake in the giving and receiving of gifts which if you haven't sorted out yet, you really ought to start thinking about. Thankfully this deal on the Fitbit Charge 3 at Amazon could solve either problem (or both?) with one purchase while netting you a $50 savings in the process. Fitbit trackers make for great holiday gifts, or you could treat yourself one and get ahead of your New Year goals. The fitness tracker is down to $99.95 for a limited time. It usually goes for around $150 and the discount applies to a variety of colors.

The Fitbit Charge 3 comes equipped with the capabilities to handle all your fitness tracking needs, from measuring calorie burn and resting heart rate to exercise modes for running, biking, swimming, yoga, and more. It offers sleep tracking as well so you can see how long you spend in Light, Deep, or REM sleep. Meanwhile, all your activity trends, health insights, and personalized guidance are collected in Fitbit Today, which lets you view everything in a much more succinct manner.

With a battery life of up to seven days, which varies based on the functions you generally use, this activity tracker doesn't go dead quickly. It's also water-resistant up to 50 meters so you can track your swim laps, wear it in the shower, or run in the rain with no worries. You could even sync it with your phone and utilize its GPS for real-time pace and distance tracking while on-the-go. That'll also let you enable your phone's call, text, and app notifications to reach the display on your Fitbit Charge 3 so you can stay informed at a glance.

We named the Fitbit Charge 3 as the best fitness band-style tracker on our list of the best Fitbit devices and also the best value choice when compared to the fitness tracker market in general. Our in-depth review offers a thorough look at this fitness tracker if you'd like to learn more before your purchase.

Don't you wish your floors could just clean themselves? While smart home technology hasn't advanced that far just yet, robotic vacuums like the Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 15C MAX are the next best thing. The 15C MAX is one of the latest additions to Eufy's slate of robotic vacuum cleaners, and it's now on sale for one of its best prices in history at Amazon thanks to Black Friday week. Now just $199.99, the offer saves you $80 off its regular $279.99 price tag.

Eufy's even throwing in the Eufy Smart Scale C1 when you add both items to your cart separately and enter promo code EUFYSCALEC1 during checkout. Considering it sells for $30 on its own, that brings today's total savings up to $110!

The 15C MAX is one of Eufy's best RoboVacs yet, as it's been re-engineered to achieve the strongest suction power found in a Eufy robotic vacuum so far — 2000Pa — while staying quiet and retaining a slim design. The free EufyHome app lets you control or schedule its cleanings on your phone or tablet from anywhere in the world, and it's even able to be voice-controlled with devices featuring Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, such as the Amazon Echo Dot. It's capable of lasting for up to 100 minutes on a single charge and then returns to its charging station to power back up, so you'll never come home to find it dead in the middle of a messy floor. Eufy includes a 12-month warranty with its purchase.

The C1 Smart Scale is a great product as well. Using apps like Google Fit, Apple Health, and Fitbit, this smart scale can give you insights on more than just your weight. It also measures body fat, bone mass, BMI, muscle mass, and more. The two sensors ensure precise measurements, and the scale can track progress on up to 16 unique users. The large display is easy to read and there are no sharp corners to stub your toe on when you're groggily stumbling around the bathroom. The top plate features an anti-slip coating to keep you stable, too. It even includes a 15-month warranty.

Shipping at Amazon is free on orders totaling $25 or more, or with an Amazon Prime membership. If you've never been a member before, you can start a free 30-day trial to score free two-day shipping with no order minimum, along with perks such as access to the Prime Video streaming service, exclusive members-only discounts, and more. With Black Friday only a couple of days away now, it'd be a huge help to have access to free shipping on anything Amazon sells during the sale and receive it quickly.

If you're one worry about installing a dash cam in your vehicle is having it in your line of sight, worry no longer. The tiny Garmin Dash Cam Mini was designed to go virtually unnoticed once adhered to your windshield. It measures about as long as a standard car key, so you could place it right behind your rearview mirror and never see it while driving. Today it's on sale for $89.99 at Amazon, scoring you $40 off its usual cost there. That's lower than we've ever seen it go before, but we expect the discount won't last for long as it is matching a one-day sale at Best Buy.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

Garmin Vivoactive 3 GPS smartwatch

$99.99 $249.99 Save $150 1613159137

This popular GPS smartwatch is back at the lowest price it's ever reached on Amazon. The vivoactive 3 includes over 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, is easy to personalize with various watch faces and widgets, and is now $150 off.

Garmin Forerunner 935 Premium GPS Running Smartwatch

$249.00 $499.99 Save $251 1610392342

Garmin's Forerunner 935 GPS Watch lets you track your stats while running, cycling, and swimming. It features a built-in barometer, altimeter, and electronic compass, and it can even receive notifications from your smartphone.

Garmin GPS devices and smartwatches

Prices Vary 1606464849

Amazon has select Garmin smartwatches and GPS devices on sale today only as part of Black Friday. This deal includes models like the Fenix 5X, vivofit jr, and the vivomove HR while supplies last.

Garmin Forerunner 735xt, fenis 5 and 5x, vivomove HR, and more smartwatches

Up to 43% off 1605448661

The sale includes a variety of styles and models with different features. The prices range from $159 to $400, but these are all much lower than the street prices for each model. The deals are only good through the end of the day.

Garmin Forerunner fenix and vivomove smartwatches

Up to 43% off 1603627165

Prices vary between $159 and $400 but all are on sale. Get long-lasting battery life in watch mode or bust out all the features like GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and more for your more vigorous activities. Tracks oxygen, stores music, & more.

Garmin's Dash Cam Mini is a reliable dash camera that's equipped with a 140-degree wide-angle lens to record several lanes of traffic all at once in clear 1080p HD. It has a feature which automatically records incidents when a collision is detected, even if you're not driving at the time. With its built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, you'll be able to sync footage from the camera straight to the Garmin Drive app on your smartphone or tablet.

This dash cam supports microSD cards up to 256GB to record your footage onto. It's best to have a dedicated card to keep in this camera, so if you don't own one already, this SanDisk 256GB High Endurance microSD card would be a great pick up as it is designed specifically for dash cams and security systems. Amazon offers free shipping on the Garmin Dash Cam Mini, though you'd receive your order even faster with Amazon Prime.

Before you head out on your next trip, this guide to best travel accessories in 2019 could help you find a few other products worth bringing along.

Google is officially acquiring Fitbit. The move makes sense for Google – at least in theory. According to Canalys, Apple shipped three million Apple Watches last quarter while Fitbit pushed nearly two million. Fossil – the biggest maker of Wear OS watches – shipped just three hundred thousand. You can understand why acquiring Fitbit could place Google much closer to Apple in one fell swoop.

However, the deal is a blow to fans of Fitbit and its nearly 12 years of independence. Of course, the irony is not lost on me, as fans of Pebble felt the same about its acquisition by Fitbit years ago. But putting pride aside, there is also little reason to celebrate either.

Google's graveyard and Fitbit's future

Although Microsoft garners a lot of criticism for canceling products, Google is not immune from it either, even poking fun at itself recently. There's an entire site dedicated to remembering the more than 150 services, 18 apps, and 16 hardware ventures Google has axed over the years. It's not pretty.

And then there is Motorola – bought in 2011 by Google and quickly dumped in 2014. That move comes off more as a defense against Samsung than a strategic boon to Google, who squandered most of it.

But the past is not always prologue. Google is gaining a massive assortment of patents and know-how from Fitbit, and more importantly, nearly a decade of user data. Google could very well – as it said it would – finally create Made by Google wearable devices under the auspices of this Fitbit acquisition. There is a slight chance that somehow Google can take the best of Wear OS (if there is any) and merge it with the fitness and health mastery from Fitbit.

I am skeptical. Google has had five years with Wear OS. Whether it is the anemic operating system, or the more significant problem, Qualcomm's lackluster processors, it has wasted almost all of it. ASUS, Motorola, Huawei, and Samsung have all paired down Wear OS devices or abandoned them for their own proprietary systems. What remains is Fossil dominating lesser brands like Casio, Tag Heuer, Polar, and Mobvoi (which is backed by Google).

The Fossil 5 is a contender. It is easily the best Wear OS device I have used. But the OS still asks for too many compromises for good battery life, sloppy app execution, and overall innovation that keeps it from greatness. Adding Fitbit mojo doesn't change that.

The Fitbit acquisition is not about catapulting Wear OS to beat Apple; it's full-on defibrillation of a dying patient, a Hail Mary to rescue years of failed policy by Google. Why expect anything different this time?

Fitbit + Google is like mixing oil and water

Fitbit's customized "OS" and Google's Wear OS are vastly different beasts. There is no mixing of them. What it could mean is we get Wear OS, but now with a dash of Fitbit health and fitness magic. That's cool, but does that move the needle against Apple? Does this change the fundamental issues underlying Wear OS – mediocre performance, poor app execution, and Google ignoring the platform? Even if everything goes right, the Pixel 4 exposes how tone-deaf Google can be when making its own hardware.

All of this has a familiar ring to it. Google buying Fitbit sounds like a good idea, but Google currently does not have an excellent track record in wearables, and combining two mediocre platforms does not create an Apple Watch killer. It gets you the Pixel Slate.

And for those worried about Google absorbing a decade's worth of your health data, at least they have (for the time being) committed to not selling that data for ads. Google can change its mind like it did with Nest, in effect forcing users to merge Nest data with Google. Some users did not like having their home data subjected to Google's privacy policy, even if not ad targeted.

Google's purchase of Fitbit is not a great one for consumers. I see one of the most creative wearable brands with a robust community dying and my data going to a company that has trust issues. Putting those concerns aside, there is now even less competition in the market, and that's boring too.

Maybe it's time for me to give Withings another shot. Or maybe hope against hope that Microsoft has a Surface wearable coming with the Surface Duo.

What you need to know

• Google has acquired fitness-tracking giant Fitbit.
• The deal was completed for a total of $2.1 billion.
• Rumors about the purchase were circulating earlier this week.

Bright and early on November 1, 2019, Google announced that it has entered an agreement to buy Fitbit for $2.1 billion.

Google's Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, Rick Osterloh, broke the news on the official Google blog, saying:

Earlier this week, on October 28, a report from Reuters surfaced to indicate that Google was in a bid to purchase Fitbit. It's a big move, but it's also one that makes good sense.

Google's Wear OS wearable platform has been in something of a rut for the last few years. The company introduced the Android Wear to Wear OS rebrand in 2018 to revitalize its branding/image, but the hardware offerings have still been pretty ho-hum. Third-party watches like the Fossil Gen 5 have proven to be quite good, but without a proper "Made by Google" smartwatch and other major players, such as Samsung, ignoring the platform, it's been left to just sort of exist.

Along with Osterloh's blog post, Google's Vice President of Wear OS, Sameer Samat, also published a post titled, "Investing in the Wear OS ecosystem." In it, he says:

Fitbit's been trying its hand at the smartwatch market since late-2017 with the introduction of the Fitbit Ionic, which has since been followed up by the likes of the Fitbit Versa, Versa Lite, and Versa 2.

Fitbit's hardware and design have been consistently great across its products, but the FitbitOS software that powers its watches has always been considerably behind the competition. What all of this means for Google remains unclear right now, but it's entirely possible we see Google take advantage of Fitbit's design and health prowess and use that to create a new Wear OS watch in the not-too-distant future.

Along with Google's two blog posts, Fitbit also published its own press release with a quote from Fitbit CEO and co-founder, James Park:

The deal between Google and Fitbit is expected to be completed at some point in 2020, pending regulatory approval and the blessing of Fitbit's stockholders.

If your one worry about installing a dash cam in your vehicle is having it in your line of sight, worry no longer. The tiny Garmin Dash Cam Mini was designed to go virtually unnoticed once adhered to your windshield. It measures about as long as a standard car key, so you could place it right behind your rearview mirror and never see it while driving. Today it's on sale for $99.99 at Amazon, scoring you $30 off its usual cost there. You'll want to take into account there is a slight shipping delay on this item with an estimated shipping date of October 7 currently.

Garmin's Dash Cam Mini is a reliable dash camera that's equipped with a 140-degree wide-angle lens to record several lanes of traffic all at once in clear 1080p HD. It has a feature which automatically records incidents when a collision is detected, even if you're not driving at the time. With its built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, you'll be able to sync footage from the camera straight to the Garmin Drive app on your smartphone or tablet.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

Garmin Vivoactive 3 GPS smartwatch

$99.99 $249.99 Save $150 1613159137

This popular GPS smartwatch is back at the lowest price it's ever reached on Amazon. The vivoactive 3 includes over 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, is easy to personalize with various watch faces and widgets, and is now $150 off.

Garmin Forerunner 935 Premium GPS Running Smartwatch

$249.00 $499.99 Save $251 1610392342

Garmin's Forerunner 935 GPS Watch lets you track your stats while running, cycling, and swimming. It features a built-in barometer, altimeter, and electronic compass, and it can even receive notifications from your smartphone.

Garmin GPS devices and smartwatches

Prices Vary 1606464849

Amazon has select Garmin smartwatches and GPS devices on sale today only as part of Black Friday. This deal includes models like the Fenix 5X, vivofit jr, and the vivomove HR while supplies last.

Garmin Forerunner 735xt, fenis 5 and 5x, vivomove HR, and more smartwatches

Up to 43% off 1605448661

The sale includes a variety of styles and models with different features. The prices range from $159 to $400, but these are all much lower than the street prices for each model. The deals are only good through the end of the day.

Garmin Forerunner fenix and vivomove smartwatches

Up to 43% off 1603627165

Prices vary between $159 and $400 but all are on sale. Get long-lasting battery life in watch mode or bust out all the features like GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and more for your more vigorous activities. Tracks oxygen, stores music, & more.

This dash cam supports microSD cards up to 256GB to record your footage onto. It's best to have a dedicated card to keep in this camera, so if you don't own one already, this SanDisk 256GB microSD card would be a great pick up at its sale price of $33.99 today. That's one of the best prices it's ever reached.

Before you head out on your next trip, this guide to best travel accessories in 2019 could help you find a few other products worth bringing along.

Amazon offers free shipping on the Garmin Dash Cam Mini, though you'd receive your order even faster with Amazon Prime.

I'm a massive fan of dumb smartwatches. For the uninitiated, a dumb smartwatch is a smartwatch that isn't trying to replace your phone or do more than what you'd realistically want a wrist-based display to do. Devices like the Apple Watch and Android Wear, while excellent in their own right, are trying way too hard to do way too much for a device that sits on your wrist.

That's why I use Fitbit as my choice of wearable. Fitbit devices are interesting because they're primarily aimed at people who are into fitness, but I've found that you don't have to be into fitness to enjoy having a Fitbit. I've been a massive fan of the Fitbit Versa product line since it launched, because it treads on the border of smartwatch and fitness tracker, without going overboard on either side.

Now, the Fitbit Versa 2 is out, and I think it might be the best dumb smartwatch that has ever existed. It's important to stress that I don't consider a "dumb" smartwatch to be a bad thing, at all. In fact, it's the selling point. It's a device that's doing nothing more than what a wrist-based computer should be doing; tracking your steps, heart rate, sleep, while also fulfilling those smartwatch needs such as notification sync, the time/date, and music controls. It has all those things, and it does most of them relatively well.

So in this review, I'm going to be talking about the Fitbit Versa from a smartwatch perspective, and not from a health perspective. If you want a full review of the Versa 2 that deep dives into the whole fitness aspect, make sure you give Daniel Rubino's review a read.

Fitbit Versa 2: Full review

Fitbit Versa 2 specifications

Versa 2 hardware

Let's kick things off with hardware. Coming from a Versa 1, the Versa 2 is an all-round pretty subtle upgrade over the first generation, but there are upgrades worthy of note here. To start, the device is a tiny bit thicker, but this is unnoticeable when on you're wrist. The device now has one button instead of three, which I'm okay with as it makes the external design look much cleaner, and Fitbit has removed its logo from the very front of the device to give it a cleaner look too.

The most significant improvement on the hardware side of things is the addition of a new OLED display. The biggest complaint I had with the first Versa was that its display was LCD, and Fitbit has now upgraded to an OLED with the Versa 2. This means text and images pop when displayed on a black background, as most of the Fitbit OS is. It should also improve battery life ever so slightly, as an OLED, in theory, uses less battery life when displaying black colors.

On the subject of battery, I've always loved the battery life of Fitbit devices. My Versa was able to last around five to six days on a single charge, and the Versa 2 can last around seven to eight. One of the big things about a smartwatch, to me, is how long they last on a single charge. Devices like the Apple Watch and Android Wear last, at most, three days, which just isn't good enough.

This is another advantage of being a "dumb" smartwatch instead of a full smartwatch; the battery life. Fitbit devices have excellent battery life, and the Versa 2 is no exception in this department. Since the OS isn't trying to do everything, the device sips on power unless you're using it for long a long exercise session.

Overall, the hardware is very nice. It feels and looks premium with the Versa 2. The glass has a subtle curve that fades nicely into the metal chassis, which is available in a variety of different colors. I think you'll find many people mistake it as an Apple Watch, which is a compliment. You've also still got the same interchangeable bands, with a broad market of cheap third-party bands available from sites like Amazon.

Versa 2 software

On the software side of things, Fitbit OS is an excellent middle-ground between fully-fledged smartwatch OS and scaled back firmware. It has a clean UI, and a fair few settings and features to enable and disable. Fitbit OS is lightweight, which also helps towards the incredible battery life you get with the Versa 2. It's here that makes or breaks a Fitbit for most, people because it's here where we really learn how capable of a smartwatch the Fitbit really is.

If you're someone who wants to be able to do everything and anything from your wrist, a Fitbit device is not for you. If you're someone who just needs it to tell the time, sync your notifications, and track steps, heart rate, and sleep, then Fitbit is the best device out there right now. All I really want from my Fitbit is to be able to see my phone's notifications, and be able to respond to them if needed. Everything else is a bonus.

The Versa 2 nails this operation, for the most part. Indeed, sometimes the Fitbit won't immediately sync notifications from your phone, but I've found this varies from phone to phone. On the Galaxy Note 10, it's never been an issue. While Fitbit OS does have on-device "apps," none of them are very good. I find them to be either slow, or incredibly light on usefulness. But that's okay, for me, because I don't particularly want to be using apps on my smartwatch anyway.

Fitbit has made a few changes to the OS over the first Versa; there's now a new control center that's accessible via the swipe-down notification center. It gives quick access to a few system functions such as brightness, the always-on display, and more. It also gives you quick access to either Alexa or Fitbit Pay, depending on which you've set as quick access on the single hardware button.

Conclusion

Overall, I think the Fitbit Versa 2 is the best smartwatch Fitbit has ever made. I also think it's the best dumb smartwatch on the market right now, with the right balance between battery life, simplicity, and software features. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything the Apple Watch or Android Wear can do with the Fitbit Versa 2, because it nails the core experience very well.

It has a great notifications system, a large clock-faces marketplace that allows for infinite customization, a small app marketplace you probably won't use, and the best fitness tracking data in the business. If you're someone who needs an all-out smartwatch that can do everything and anything, the Fitbit Versa 2 is not for you. If you're like me and prefer your smartwatch to last longer at the expense of being able to do everything, the Fitbit Versa 2 is a great choice.

Keeping close track of your weight manually isn't the most fun activity, which is why you should let something else handle it for you. Eufy's C1 Bluetooth Smart Scale can take the reins for just $19.99 today at Amazon. This deal saves you $10 off its usual cost and gives you the opportunity to add one to your home for the lowest price in its history. Today's price even matches the best deal we've ever posted for this model, which has only come around a couple of times in the past.

This Bluetooth scale connects with apps like Google Fit, Apple Health, and Fitbit, among others, so that it can give you insights on more than just your weight. It also measures body fat, bone mass, BMI, muscle mass, and more. The two sensors ensure precise measurements, and the scale can even track progress on up to 16 unique users. That's enough space for you and the whole family to become acquainted with it.

The C1 Smart Scale's large display is easy to read and there are no sharp corners to stub your toe on while groggily stumbling around the bathroom in the middle of the night. The top plate features an anti-slip coating to keep you stable, too. Eufy includes three AAA batteries with its purchase to power it up, though you may want to add extras to your order to make sure you're prepared for whenever it's time to replace them.

More than 160 customers left reviews for this smart scale at Amazon, and they seem to have been pretty pleased with it as a whole, rating it with 4.3 out of 5 stars collectively.

Clip the $30 off on-page coupon for the Fitbit Charge 3 fitness activity tracker and get it for $109.99 on Amazon. We've shared a few deals on this tracker over the last few months, but it has never gone lower than $120 when on sale. And it usually sells for around $150. This is a new low and a great deal on a fantastic product.

The Fitbit Charge 3 comes equipped with the capabilities to handle all your fitness tracking needs, from measuring calorie burn and resting heart rate to exercise modes for running, biking, swimming, yoga, and more. It offers sleep tracking as well so you can see how long you spend in Light, Deep, or REM sleep. Meanwhile, all your activity trends, health insights, and personalized guidance are collected in Fitbit Today, which lets you view everything in a much more succinct manner.

With a battery life of up to seven days, which varies based on the functions you generally use, this activity tracker doesn't go dead quickly. It's also water-resistant up to 50 meters so you can track your swim laps, wear it in the shower, or run in the rain with no worries. You could even sync it with your phone and utilize its GPS for real-time pace and distance tracking while on-the-go. That'll also let you enable your phone's call, text, and app notifications to reach the display on your Fitbit Charge 3 so you can stay informed at a glance.

Android Central's review offers a thorough look at this fitness tracker if you'd like to learn more before your purchase.

What you need to know

• Fitbit has announced the Versa 2 — its latest smartwatch with Alexa, 5+ days of battery, and more.
• The company's launching Fitbit Premium for $10/month to access personalized programs/coaching.
• Also unveiled is the $50 Aria Air smart scale.

Once or twice a year, Fitbit takes to New York City to talk about its latest lineup of products to carry it though the next few months. Last March saw the unveiling of the Versa Lite, Inspire Series, and Ace 2, and on August 28, Fitbit showcased a new smartwatch and smart scale.

In addition to the new hardware, however, Fitbit also announced a big shift for the company — a renewed focus on services to tie all of its tech together.

Fitbit Versa 2

First thing's first, let's talk about Fitbit's latest smartwatch, the Versa 2.

The Versa 2 looks a lot like last year's Versa, and that's not a bad thing at all. The squircle design is sticking around for another year, and just like the Versa Lite that was announced this past March, Versa 2 opts for the single-button design instead of the original Versa's three-button system. The body looks a bit chunkier than the first Versa, but it feels comfy and lightweight when worn.

You'll still find pretty large bezels surrounding the Versa 2's display, but one thing that has changed is the type of panel being used. The Versa 2 ships with an AMOLED screen, and as expected, it's more colorful and vibrant than with deeper blacks compared to previous iterations of the smartwatch.

And, perhaps most important of all, the ugly "Fitbit" logo that used to be plastered below the display is no more 👏.

On the right frame of the Versa 2 is its biggest functional change over the first-gen model — a microphone. This is Fitbit's first wearable to offer a microphone, and that allows for a lot of new possibilities. Not only can you now use your voice to reply to text messages (this functionality is limited to Android users, similar to Quick Replies), you can also talk to Alexa.

Similar to how you'd use Alexa on an Echo speaker, you can use the assistant on the Versa 2 to ask about the weather, check your calendar, start workouts, add items to your Amazon shopping list, etc. Accessing Alexa on the Versa 2 simply requires a press-and-hold of the side button, prompting everyone's favorite AI to be at your call and beckon.

Other aspects of the Versa 2 remain mostly the same. There's no dedicated GPS built into the watch, meaning you'll need to carry your phone with you in order to map outdoor walks/runs. Battery life has been slightly upgraded from 4+ days of use to 5+, while Fitbit Pay is now available as a default feature and not limited to the Special Edition model.

The Versa 2 is launching on September 15, and it retains the same price of the original Versa with a starting price of $199.95 and the Special Edition selling for slightly more at $229.95. The Special Edition comes with two watch bands instead of one, along with a 90-day free trial for Fitbit Premium (more on that soon).

If you want to be among the first to own Versa 2, pre-orders are open today.

Fitbit Aria Air

Fitbit's second hardware announcement took the form of the Aria Air.

The Aria Air records your weight and BMI when you step on it, and similar to other Aria scales, that information is synced with the Fitbit app.

This is Fitbit's first smart scale under $50, and it's a smart move for the company. Fitbit already dominates the $100+ smart scale niche with a market share of 73%, so this transition to a more affordable option is nice to see.

There's not a firm launch date for the Aria Air quite yet, but Fitbit says it'll be available at some point in October for $49.95.

Fitbit Premium

Launching in September, Fitbit Premium is an enhanced version of the regular Fitbit app experience that's designed to give users more tools to live healthier lives.

There are many different layers to Fitbit Premium, with the main features being:

• Premium sleep tools — Guided sleep sessions, Sleep Score breakdown
• Guided programs — Activity, nutrition, and sleep programs that are tailored specifically for you
• Premium Challenges — New types of challenges to compete and work with friends towards fitness goals
• Premium Wellness Report — Printable report of your Fitbit data that can be shared with your doctor
• Premium Health Coaching — One-on-one coaching to help with weight-loss and diabetes management

Fitbit made a big deal about Premium during its press event, and rightfully so. As CEO James Park put it, the company's transitioning away from "episodic device sales" and moving towards a long-term service that'll instill an idea of "what it means to be on Fitbit versus using a Fitbit device."

Fitbit Premium will be entering a very crowded market, as services like MyFitnessPal, Lifesum, Lose It!, Noom, and others offer similar feature sets. With that said, Fitbit does have the unique advantage of combining so many tools into one program and tying that together with its hardware.

You'll be able to sign up for Fitbit Premium this September for either $9.99/month or $79.99/year. All Fitbit users will be able to get a free trial, and if you already pay for Fitbit Coach at $7.99/month, you'll be grandfathered into that price and migrate over to the Premium service.

A new age for Fitbit

I've been a fan of Fitbit's for a few years now, and as excited as I am for the Versa 2, I'm most intrigued by how Fitbit Premium will shape the company over the next few years.

The Fitbit ecosystem is one of the best in the health-tracking world, with a large part of this revolving around how well all of Fitbit's devices tie into the Fitbit app. In its current stage, the app offers in-depth statistics on your activity, free challenges for you to do with your friends, and access to Fitbit's in-app social network for other like-minded users.

Fitbit Premium looks like an enticing package and is priced quite competitively, but I am a little anxious to see how much Fitbit pushes it at people that use the app for free. None of the current functionality will be taken away, but constantly being asked to sign up for Premium could get annoying.

What is certain, however, is that Fitbit is entering this upcoming holiday season with an impressive package of hardware and software. For new and existing Fitbit users alike, these next couple of months should be pretty exciting.

The SKLZ Self-Guided Exercise Fitness Kit is on sale for only $15.99 at Walmart today. This is an extremely low price for this kit which has sold for up to $90 at Amazon just a few months ago. Walmart offers free shipping on orders totaling $35 or more, or you can select free in-store pickup where available.

This kit comes with SKLZ's stability ball, fitness mat, two resistance bands, and air pump. Both the stability ball and the fitness mat sell for around $30 on Amazon separately, which helps give some perspective to today's deal on the set. You're getting both of them for less than either one regularly costs. That's before you even take the price of the air pump and resistance bands into account.

The fitness mat features exercises printed directly on it so you can get into position with a quick reminder. Meanwhile, the resistance bands include one 3.5-foot light fitness cable and one 4-foot medium fitness cable for varying levels of skill and exercises.

The black Garmin Speak Plus with Amazon Alexa and built-in dash cam is down to $119 through BuyDig. That's a huge discount. It's $20 better than the last deal we shared and $50 off the current price on Amazon.

The deal given is no longer valid and we do not have a better one. However, we have found some similar deals

Garmin Vivoactive 3 GPS smartwatch

$99.99 $249.99 Save $150 1613159137

This popular GPS smartwatch is back at the lowest price it's ever reached on Amazon. The vivoactive 3 includes over 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps, is easy to personalize with various watch faces and widgets, and is now $150 off.

Garmin Forerunner 935 Premium GPS Running Smartwatch

$249.00 $499.99 Save $251 1610392342

Garmin's Forerunner 935 GPS Watch lets you track your stats while running, cycling, and swimming. It features a built-in barometer, altimeter, and electronic compass, and it can even receive notifications from your smartphone.

Garmin GPS devices and smartwatches

Prices Vary 1606464849

Amazon has select Garmin smartwatches and GPS devices on sale today only as part of Black Friday. This deal includes models like the Fenix 5X, vivofit jr, and the vivomove HR while supplies last.

Garmin Forerunner 735xt, fenis 5 and 5x, vivomove HR, and more smartwatches

Up to 43% off 1605448661

The sale includes a variety of styles and models with different features. The prices range from $159 to $400, but these are all much lower than the street prices for each model. The deals are only good through the end of the day.

Garmin Forerunner fenix and vivomove smartwatches

Up to 43% off 1603627165

Prices vary between $159 and $400 but all are on sale. Get long-lasting battery life in watch mode or bust out all the features like GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and more for your more vigorous activities. Tracks oxygen, stores music, & more.

As its name entails, Garmin's Speak Plus has all the capabilities of Amazon Alexa built into it, so you can ask Alexa to switch to a new song, check your calendar or the weather, and even place an order on Amazon for you while you're focusing on the road ahead. It also allows you to turn on Garmin's Turn by Turn Navigation while you're driving by asking Alexa. It connects to your phone using Bluetooth and utilizes your phone's data to ensure it can perform all of Alexa's duties. Plus, this model of the Speak Plus is also equipped with a dash cam with driver assistance features such as forward collision and lane departure warnings, as well as a 'Go' alert to let you know when stopped traffic in front of you has started to move.

If you already have a dash cam but want the other features, you can get the regular Garmin Speak for just $50.

What you need to know

• Liquid Daffodil today officially retired its Microsoft Band apps.
• Fanband, Bandsider, and parts of Cortanium are all affected due to certain SDK features ceasing to work.
• Microsoft Band hasn't been a focus for Microsoft for some time, and the company dropped support for its own Band apps and services at the end of May.

Liquid Daffodil, one of the most prominent developers to support the Microsoft Band in its heyday, has officially retired its Band apps. The move comes following Microsoft's cessation of support for its own Band apps and services on May 31.

All told, Liquid Daffodil's move will see Fanband, Bandsider, and parts of its Cortanium app discontinued. The apps will no longer be available starting today.

Band hasn't been a focus for Microsoft for some time, and the retirement of Microsoft's own apps and services seemed like the final nail in the coffin. That seems to be what influenced Liquid Daffodil to end support for its slate of Band apps. "There have been changes on the Microsoft side that are preventing some critical SDK features from functioning, which has required us to disable services," the company told us.

"We'd love to thank all our fans for the great feedback and reviews over the years for our Microsoft Band apps, and if (for some reason) fans do not feel they've gotten their $1.99 worth out of the app over the years, to contact us (via in-app support) and we will send out a full refund," Liquid Daffodil says.

While Microsoft may have bowed out of the fitness wearable space, others like Fitbit have filled the void with a range of options. If you're looking for a replacement for your Microsoft Band, you can check out a roundup of the best fitness trackers put together by our sister site iMore.

Affordable accessories that'll pair perfectly with your PC

Every one of these awesome PC accessories will enhance your everyday experience — and none cost more than $30.

KLIM Aim RGB gaming mouse ($30 at Amazon)

Whether you're a gamer or not, this is an absurdly good mouse for the price. It's ambidextrous, has a responsive sensor, a braided cable, tank-like build quality, and, yes, it has RGB lighting, though you can turn it off if that's not your thing.

AmazonBasics USB speakers ($16 at Amazon)

These neat little speakers may only pack 2.4W of total power, but don't let that fool you. For something so small you get a well-rounded sound and a stylish design. And they only cost $16.

Razer mouse bungee ($20 at Amazon)

Use a wired mouse? You need a mouse bungee to keep your cable tidy and free of snags. You get no drag on the cable, and this one has subtle styling, a rust-resistant spring and a weighted base, all for $20.

Have you ever considered running a 5K at an event but didn't do it because you were too nervous to run with that many other people, or because it was simply too expensive? Well, we've worked out a deal with Vi Trainer, a company that holds virtual 5K runs, and this is your chance to get in on the action at a fraction of the cost. Signing up for the virtual 5K via this link drops the cost of entry down from $24.99 to just $4.99, which is a small price to pay to accomplish one of your goals. The cost of the race includes more than just the ability to run virtually with thousands of others. It takes place on June 5, but you don't need to start at any specific time. The event is open for 24 hours, so all you need to do is launch the app and track your 5K run at any point during that day.

With it, you get access to a unique training plan via the Vi Trainer mobile app to help you get prepared. Whether it's your first 5K ever, or you're a seasoned running pro, the app is very helpful and can push you further than you thought possible. It starts with a 25 minute training session to get you through some of the walking, jogging, running, and breathing basics. From there, you can select from various workouts depending on your goal. You can do long runs, fast runs, short runs, walk to runs, and more. If you want to just go out for a quick mile, you can set up a run for that as a one-off, or you can custom tailor a whole workout program to get you prepared for the race.

For race day, you'll be assigned a bib number just like you would at any other race event, and you can keep up with real-time stats while you are running. There's a leaderboard to show you results, and the Vi trainer will help motivate you to do your absolute best. Upon completion, you'll receive a virtual medal, and throughout the race event Vi will be giving out a bunch of random prizes.

A few members from the Thrifter team, myself included, have signed up for the event. We will be challenging the rest of the Mobile Nations team to do the same, and we hope that you'll join us in this fun virtual event. Be sure to sign up as soon as possible so that you can take full advantage of the training Vi can provide you. If you end up having a blast and gaining from Vi's personalized program, you'll be able to continue training for $9.99 a month, or $99.99 for the year.

Garmin has today unveiled a new line of Forerunner smartwatches including options for beginner runners all the way up to experienced triathletes, with select models gaining support for phone-free Spotify and Deezer playback.

The newly-announced Forerunner 245 and 245 Music are upgrades to the popular Forerunner 235 and feature built-in GPS, activity and exercise tracking, as well as support for stress and sleep monitoring. They also feature Garmin Coach training plans and the company's Pulse Ox sensor to help gauge how oxygen is being absorbed. Both feature a 42mm face, are 5ATM waterproof rated, and have a battery life up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and up to 24 hours with the GPS activated. The differentiator between the two models, other than price, is the eponymous Music feature. The Forerunner 245 Music can hold up to 500 songs and allows the user to sync playlists from streaming services like Spotify and Deezer. You'll need a premium account with your streaming service of choice to sync songs over, or you can manually transfer music from your computer. Either way, you'll be able to use it to listen to music while training using Bluetooth headphones without bringing your phone along. The Forerunner 245 is $299.99, while the Music version is $50 more. Both are available to order today.

Garmin also took the wraps off the Forerunner 945, which is also available today and replaces the Forerunner 935 in the lineup. The $600 running watch is aimed at seasoned athletes with support for all-day fitness metrics, advanced multi-sport tracking, as well as monitoring training load to help you categorize your recent training history based on activity structure and intensity. There's also support for on-board full-color maps and Garmin Pay, and its battery lasts for up to 2 weeks. Runners looking to bump some tunes while working out will be pleased to learn that the Forerunner 945 can store up to 1,000 songs for phone-free listening.

Beginner runners may want to check out the entry-level Garmin Forerunner 45 series. The affordable models lack the phone-free Spotify integration but do feature built-in GPS and heart rate monitoring for tracking your daily movement and exercise. They retail at $199.99 and will be launch in May.

Fitbit and Snap are teaming up to make clock faces on your Versa or Ionic a little more emotive. The two companies have launched a Bitmoji clock face for both Fitbit lines, which can update throughout your day to reflect your activity and, maybe, motivate you to get moving.

The clock face includes more than 50 variations of your Bitmojis, according to Fitbit's press release. Each one is meant to respond to feats you've accomplished or add a bit of motivation to "create healthy habits." According to Fitbit, some of the variations include:

• Waving hello to start your day.
• Dancing with your alarm clock when it's time to rise and shine.
• Throwing confetti after you crush your daily step goal.
• Relaxing when you've binged too many of your favorite shows.
• Meditating when you're totally relaxed and zen.
• On the treadmill after a great run.
• Becoming an avocado when you log food2 -- you are what you eat, literally.
• Carrying an umbrella when there's a chance of rain so you don't get caught in a downpour.
• Sleep walking when it's time to catch some Zzs.
• And many more hidden gems.

The new Bitmoji clock face is only available for Ionic and Versa watches from Fitbit. You can grab the clock face now through the Fitbit App Gallery.

It's 2019. Wearables, while still not everywhere, have proven somewhat popular. Apple has one, Samsung has one, Fitbit has loads, and many smaller companies have their own as well. It's a market that has found its niche and is proving to be a success for at least some of the companies building these devices. One such company that ventured into this market early on was Microsoft, with the surprise Microsoft Band released in 2014 and Microsoft Band 2 released in 2015.

It was a short stint, but it was a unique look into a world where Microsoft was part of the wearables market, and with a product that was really quite good for the time. In 2015, the wearables market was still new, and nobody had found their feet yet. Apple had not long launched its first-generation Apple Watch, to mixed reviews. Android Wear devices were not very good at the time either. Fitbit devices were exciting but were almost 100 percent fitness-oriented at the time.

That is why Microsoft's Band 2 was an exciting product. While by all accounts it was also a fitness wearable, it did an excellent job of merging both smartwatch and fitness tracker. Unlike Fitbit, which even today is still mostly a fitness tracker with a few smartwatch features tacked on, the Microsoft Band found a happy balance between smartwatch and fitness wearable, meaning people in both product categories would be satisfied with a Microsoft Band 2.

The original Apple Watch wasn't amazing. Things improved with Series 2, but I'd argue it wasn't until Series 3 when the Apple Watch became the staple wearable in the industry. Before then, there wasn't an outright winner. Fitbit was, and is, a close second, but what if Microsoft was still in the game. Would it be number two, or number three? Could it have ever been number one in the wearables market?

The Microsoft Band 2 wasn't without issues. To many, it was too expensive. Retailing at $249, it was indeed a premium device, and for that price, the durability of the wearable was not up to scratch. Many people's Bands fell apart, requiring them to get replacements from Microsoft on multiple occasions. That is unacceptable and likely plays a huge part in the reason the Band doesn't exist today.

Band really was a quality product

With those issues aside, if Microsoft had held out just a couple more years in the wearables market, it could have been onto a winner. Assuming the company figured out the durability issues, the Microsoft Band 2 would have been a fantastic wearable. It had excellent fitness tracking, superb smartwatch features like replying to texts and invoking voice-assistant related tasks, and a beautiful curved OLED screen.

The software was smooth, beautiful, and elegant. I'd argue most wearables on the market still don't get the software side of things right, like the Microsoft Band did. If Microsoft had kept the Band going, it would've been interesting to see how that ecosystem grew. Would developers jump on with support for the Band? We know the Band 3 was going to be waterproof, but would a Band 4 support NFC payments? These kinds of evolutions would've been a natural progression for the Band competing in the wearables market.

It's very likely that the primary reason the Band was killed was that at the time it wasn't making any money for Microsoft. I've heard through numerous sources that Microsoft was selling the Band 2 at a loss, even with its high $250 price tag. If true, Microsoft would have had to hold out for longer before that tech would fall in price and become cheap enough for the company to manufacture and sell at the $250 price. But the wearables market was moving quickly, and Microsoft had shareholders it needed to please, especially with the impending death of Lumia and Windows 10 Mobile looming.

If Microsoft had decided to take a chance on Band, and had it failed, we could've been looking at another Windows 10 Mobile for Microsoft, which would've been a nightmare. So, it was safer for Microsoft to jump ship when it did, before it poured too much money into Band. Maybe it would've been successful, maybe not. It would've been fascinating to see where things went, though. It seems the Band's fate is sealed, as Microsoft is pulling support for the service that powers it in May.

Rest in peace.

What are your thoughts? Should Microsoft have stayed in the wearables market? Let us know below.

Fitbit, a company that's been primarily focused on creating and selling fitness trackers for over a decade, has suddenly found itself as the #2 smartwatch brand in the United States — beating out the likes of Samsung, Fossil, and more.

The company's first smartwatch, the Ionic, was a powerful device that did a lot, but it was also big, clunky, and expensive. Unsurprisingly, it was soon followed up with the Versa, which offered a much more accessible design and price while omitting a couple of niche features like built-in GPS.

Now, a year after the Versa debuted, we have the Fitbit Versa Lite Edition — a repackaging of the Versa that cuts more features out to become Fitbit's most affordable smartwatch to-date.

The Versa Lite is an interesting and somewhat confusing addition to Fitbit's lineup, but nevertheless, it's one I think will be a big hit for the company.

The Good

• Lightweight, comfortable design
• Waterproof
• Phenomenal fitness/health tracking
• 4+ days of battery life
• Great price

The Bad

• Doesn't track swimming
• No local music storage
• On-screen workouts aren't supported
• Awkward proprietary charger

Fitbit Versa Lite Design

Since the Versa Lite has almost all of the same hardware as the regular Versa, just about everything I said back in my review last year holds true.

Out of all the smartwatches I've used — which is a lot! — the Versa/Versa Lite has one of my favorite designs. The small squircle body is accessible for even the smallest of wrists, the aluminum casing feels great while still being incredibly lightweight, and you can easily change the entire look of the watch by swapping out the watch band.

Speaking of watch bands, Fitbit's using the same watch band system it introduced with the first Versa — meaning all old Versa watch bands work with the Versa Lite and any new bands Fitbit comes out with for Versa Lite will work with the normal Versa. I appreciate the thought here, but seeing as how I was never a fan of the Versa's tricky pin system for replacing bands, I wouldn't have been adverse to Fitbit introducing something new.

There are a couple of differences with the Versa Lite's design, one of which is the decision to give it just one physical button. A quick press takes you back to your app page or watch face while holding it down brings up a quick settings page and music playback controls. Last year's Versa also had two additional buttons on the other side that could be used as customizbale app shortcuts. It'd be nice if these had stuck around, but something's gotta give when getting that price down.

The other design difference is much more exciting — new colors!

Fitbit's introducing two colorways it calls Marina Blue and Mulberry. Both look absolutely stunning and breath some new life into the endless sea of silver and black smartwatches on the market today. If stark colors aren't your thing, however, you can still get the Versa Lite with a traditional silver aluminum case.

Fitbit Versa Lite Fitness tracking

While the Versa Lite is a smartwatch, its bread and butter is still its fitness tracking capabilities, and all of the typical tracking features are here. There are over 15 exercise types that Versa Lite can detect, you'll get reminders to move throughout the day, heart-rate monitoring, and in-depth sleep tracking with a breakdown of your various sleep stages. If you're a woman, the Versa Lite also supports Fitbit's excellent female health tracking platform.

You can view all of your info on the Versa Lite itself with a quick swipe up to access your Fitbit Dashboard. This allows you to see all of your stats without having to open your phone, and with the latest FitbitOS 3.0 version, you can even log water consumption right on your wrist.

I just rattled off a lot of stuff right there, and the beauty of the Versa Lite (and most Fitbits for that matter) is that it excels with each and every one. It seamlessly tracks your activity throughout the day without you having to baby it, the info in the Dashboard is presented really well, and the Fitbit mobile app is stupidly good. It's easy to navigate, allows you to create fitness challenges with friends, and the Community section is essentially a social network for Fitbit users with one of the most supportive and uplifting online communities you'll find. Owning a Fitbit is an experience that goes beyond just the tracker, and for a lot of people, that's why they buy into the ecosystem in the first place.

All of that's great, but the Versa Lite does omit a couple of popular features as part of its quest to be as affordable as can be.

If you're a heavy swimmer, you'll want to look elsewhere. While the Versa Lite is waterproof up to 50M, it doesn't actually keep track of your laps or calories while swimming. That makes no impact whatsoever on me, but for others, it'll be a non-starter.

The Fitbit Versa Lite also doesn't track your floors climbed, and despite having a large, colorful display, you won't find on-screen workouts here. Floors climbed is another feature I'm fine living without, but not including on-screen workouts is an odd choice and seems like a piece of software Fitbit's choosing to hold back just for the sake of it rather than something it can't offer due to a hardware limitation.

Fitbit Versa Lite Smart features

The Versa Lite can alert you of any notifications received by your phone, and if it's something like an email, you can archive it without having to open your phone. You can also send off customized quick replies to things like texts, WhatsApp messages, and Facebook Messenger notifications, but just like the regular Versa, this functionality is limited to Android users.

You can download new watch faces and apps via the Fitbit app on your phone, and to Fitbit's credit, it's secured applications from some big names such as Uber, Walgreens, Starbucks, and Nest. Unfortunately, when compared to what's available with Samsung's Tizen watches or Google's Wear OS, it's clear just how much Fitbit is lacking in these departments.

For the apps that are here, they're fine. It's nice to be able to store my Starbucks card on the Versa Lite, and changing the temperature on my thermostat from a tiny computer on my wrist never gets old. The apps do what they set out to do, but they're sometimes slow to open and aren't the prettiest to look at. Also, when compared to something like the Starbucks Apple Watch app, which allows you to go as far as reload your card's balance, being limited to just scanning it on the Versa Lite is irritating.

Fitbit's making consistent progress to improve the quality and quantity of apps that are available, and while the progress is evident, there's still plenty of work to do.

Fitbit Versa Lite Other ups and downs

Battery life on the Versa Lite is incredible and one of its best features. I found Fitbit's claim of about 4 days of use per charge to be accurate, even when wearing the watch to bed each night to track my sleep. Compared to most other smartwatches where you're lucky to get a day and half of use on one charge, this is a godsend.

When it does come time to charge the Versa Lite, you'll be using a large, bulky, proprietary charger. It works and the Versa Lite always starts charging as soon as it's placed in its cradle, but that doesn't stop it from being ridiculously huge compared to just about every other smartwatch charger out there.

Another downside of the Versa Lite is that it doesn't support local music storage. The regular Versa allows you to save 300+ songs locally so you can listen to them off the watch with a pair of Bluetooth headphones, but you won't find any such feature on the Lite model.

Fitbit Versa Lite Should you buy it?

If you already have a smartwatch, be it one from Fitbit or another company, you probably have no interest in the Versa Lite. As someone who already owns last year's Versa, I wouldn't buy the Versa Lite for myself. Then again, that's kind of the whole point of it.

Fitbit created the Versa Lite for people who are looking to buy their first smartwatch, and for those customers, it's one of the best options on the market. The fitness features are among the best you can find, the smart capabilities are better than what you'll get on something like the Charge 3, and the price is right. $160 is almost an insta-buy price for a device like this, especially when people will see it side-by-side with things like the Galaxy Watch Active and regular Versa in-stores with prices of $200.

The Versa Lite makes some sacrifices be as affordable as it is, and if you ask me, the corners it cuts are ones most people looking to buy the watch won't care about.

$160 at Fitbit

Fitbit recently held a press event in New York City to unveil its latest wave of fitness trackers for the upcoming Spring season. The new products include the Fitbit Versa Lite Edition, Inspire/Inspire HR, and Ace 2. Here's what you can look forward to from each one.

Fitbit Versa Lite Edition

From a design point of view, the Versa Lite is almost identical to the regular Versa — save for a few new colors. It has the same squircle body, LCD display, and uses the same watch band system. Fitbit's launching four new colorways for the Lite, including Marina Blue, Mulberry, Lilac, and White.

As you might have noticed by now, the Versa Lite only has one button on the left — no two additional buttons on its right side like the normal Versa does. In my initial hands-on with the Versa Lite, this didn't really make much of a difference. A single press of the button takes you back to the watch face and holding it down brings up a quick settings menu. The only thing you miss out on with the omission of the other two buttons is customizable app shortcuts.

Another big difference with the Versa Lite is that it doesn't have Wi-Fi. Because of this, software updates are handled a little differently. Rather than downloading it all at once, any available software updates will be seamlessly downloaded in the background in small chunks each time you sync the Versa Lite with the Fitbit app on your phone. When an update is fully downloaded, you'll get a notification to install and you'll be on your way.

Elsewhere, everything else with the Fitbit Versa Lite is pretty much the same. It has 24/7 heart-rate tracking, has access to Fitbit's female health tracking, showcases notifications from your phone, Quick Replies on Android, is waterproof up to 50M, and is rated for 4 days of use on a single charge.

What the Versa Lite cannot do is track floors climbed, on-device swim lap counting, store music, showcase on-screens workouts, or use Fitbit Pay.

If you're interested, the Fitbit Versa Lite Edition is available for pre-order starting today, March 6, for $159.95. That makes it a healthy $40 less than the regular Versa, and according to Fitbit, is designed for people that are looking for their first smartwatch but don't want to spend too much money for something with features they'll never use.

The value proposition here is quite enticing, and after some additional hands-on use, it'll be interesting to see if it makes sense buying a Versa Lite or just splurging anyways for the regular version.

$160 at Fitbit

Fitbit Inspire & Inspire HR

The Inspire and Inspire HR replace Fitbit's popular Alta, Alta HR, and Flex 2 which isn't all that surprising considering these trackers have been around for 2-3 years. According to Fitbit, the Inspire series is created for people that are just starting their fitness journey, want a wearable that's easy to use, and are conscious about the money they spend.

Based on what we've seen so far, it looks like the Inspire could be an absolute hit.

The design of the Inspire trackers is something Fitbit spent a lot of time on, and that became immediately evident when I put it on my wrist.

The overall size is incredibly small, it's ridiculously lightweight, and while the display is small, it's still easy to read and use its touchscreen.

Because of the Inspire's small size, Fitbit was able to do something pretty unique with it. In addition to being able to wear it on your wrist, you can also put it in a clip-on case and clip it onto your belt or pants. This is the first tracker of Fitbit's that you can do this with, and because of this functionality, the Inspire trackers are also replacing the Fitbit Zip.

In regards to health/fitness features, the Inspire does just about everything you'd expect. It has all-day activity and sleep tracking, 50M water resistance, the battery lasts up to 5 days per charge, and it supports Fitbit's female health tracking. When you upgrade to the Inspire HR, you have access to all of that in addition to 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, Cardio Fitness Level, sleep stage tracking, guided breathing sessions, and over 15 goal-based exercise modes.

The Inspire is available in Black and Sangria colors with the Inspire HR getting Black, Lilac, and White options. Pre-orders are open as of today, March 6, with the Inspire costing $69.95 and the Inspire HR going for just a little more at $99.95.

From $70 at Fitbit

Fitbit Ace 2

Third third and final tracker that was announced is the Ace 2 — a successor to the Ace from last year that served as Fitbit's debut into kid-focused wearables.

The Ace 2 retains a lot of what made the original Ace great, including all-day activity tracking and up to 5 days of battery life. As you can probably tell by now, the biggest change is the Ace 2's design.

Where the original Ace's designed didn't differ too much from the slim and lightweight Alta, the Ace 2 is protected by a durable plastic case that's raised over the display. This ensures that the tracker stays safe no matter what your kiddos get up to, and in addition to the Watermelon and Night Sky colors that are available by default, you can buy additional cases to change up the Ace 2's style. Also included is better waterproofing up to 50M.

Something else that's interesting is that the Ace 2's body is identical to that of the Inspire and Inspire HR. As such, when kids grow older and decide they want something that looks more grown-up, they can take off the Ace 2's protective case and equip it with a regular Inspire watch band. Parents can also give kids access to additional watch faces instead of the kid-specific ones.

The Fitbit Ace 2 will be available this summer for $69.95, and according to Fitbit, it's designed for children 6 years and older.

$70 at Fitbit

Fitbit Rewards & an updated Fitbit app

Along with the three new trackers, Fitbit also announced two other things — a new rewards system and a complete overhaul to the existing Fitbit app.

Fitbit Rewards is currently available to a limited number of beta testers and allows users to earn points for using their Fitbit trackers for tracking steps, sleep, and active minutes. As you acquire points, you can redeem them for rewards from Adidas, Blue Apron, Deezer, and Fitbit itself.

There's currently no set date as to when Fitbit Rewards will be available for everyone, but I certainly hope it sees a proper launch sooner rather than later. Everyone likes free stuff, and if people can track their daily activity with a Fitbit tracker and get real, tangible prizes for doing so, that could be incentive enough to go with a Fitbit tracker instead of a competiting one from Samsung, Garmin, etc.

As for the Fitbit app update, an upcoming redesign will make it easier to use and see all of your logged data. The app will be broken up into just three pages instead of the current five, a new Fitbit Focus section will showcase "relevant insights, messages, and tips to keep users engaged", and the overall aesthetic just looks a lot cleaner and more pleasing.

The update is coming "soon", but that's as specific of a timeframe that we have at the moment.

It was clear in 2016 that the Microsoft Band was no longer a focus for Microsoft, and now some of the last vestiges of its legacy are on the chopping block. In an email sent to Band users today, Microsoft says that it will cease support for the Microsoft Health Dashboard and applications and services on May 31. Microsoft Band apps will be removed from the Microsoft, Google Play, and Apple App stores on that date as well.

From the email:

The original Microsoft Band and its successor had something of a cult following after the original debuted as Microsoft's fitness wearable play in 2014. However, the line was ended without much fanfare, even as a third iteration was pretty far in development. Microsoft Band was also part of larger group of older Microsoft products that had their technical support on community forums last year.

Best fitness trackers in 2019

Without a fitness wearable of its own, Microsoft has bowed out of the space as other players like Fitbit, with popular watches like the Versa and Charge 3, have continued to grow. If you're looking for a replacement for you Microsoft Band, be sure to check out our sister site iMore's roundup of the best fitness trackers.

Thanks, Matt, for the tip!

Last year's Fitbit Versa was one of the better smartwatches to be released, and now thanks to TechnoBuffalo, we have what's reportedly leaked renders of the yet-to-be-announced Fitbit Versa 2.

Looking at the renders, the Versa 2 looks very similar to last year's first-gen Versa. There's still water resistance up to 50M, a heart-rate sensor on the back, and from what we can tell, the body is identical — save for a few exciting new colors.

Per TechnoBuffalo, the Versa 2 will be available in Silver, Rose Pink, Purple, and Cyan Blue. Silver looks exactly like the Silver Aluminum variant of the Versa we have right now, save for a white band instead of a gray one. The real highlights here are Rose Pink and the downright gorgeous Purple and Cyan Blue.

In regards to any feature or spec changes, we aren't entirely sure yet. The first Versa lacked GPS, but with the Ionic still being pushed as the company's flagship smartwatch, it seems unlikely that the Versa 2 will change anything on those fronts. One possible change is Fitbit Pay being available on all models and not just a Special Edition the way the current Versa is handled, but that's purely speculation at this point.

And then again, it could be possible that this isn't the Versa 2 and just new colors being added to the existing Versa lineup. We aren't sure at this point, but I'm certainly crossing my fingers for a Versa 2.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to a second-gen Versa? Let us know in the comments below!

Check out the Cyan Blue and Rose Pink colors at TechnoBuffalo

Following its announcement in August, the Fitbit Charge 3 is nearly ready to start hitting wrists everywhere. The new fitness tracker, which is a gradual evolution of the Charge 2, will hit stores starting on October 7.

Fitbit isn't reinventing the wheel with the Charge 3, as it largely looks much like the Charge 2 that preceded it. However, the company has packed in a number of new features and upgrades that should make for a more comfortable and stylish fitness watch. The display, for example, is a gray-scale OLED panel that Fitbit says should be 40 percent sharper and brighter than the one present on the Charge 2. That display is also covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for a little extra durability.

Also on board is the dashboard from the Ionic and Versa, which will let you quickly check in on all of your stats. Those include basic things like your steps and calories burned, but you can also see your heart rate, most recent exercises, and Fitbit's female health tracking tools. The Special Edition Charge 3 also includes Fitbit Pay for contactless payments at the register.

Battery life, which has always been one of Fitbit's selling points, is still high here, with up to seven days of use on a charge. The watch is also water resistant at up to 50 meters, and a new swimming mode should help you accurately track workout while you're in the pool.

A major new addition coming with the Charge 3 is its new Sleep Score function. It won't be immediately available, but Fitbit says that it is planning to open enrollment for qualifying Fitbit users (those with newer trackers like the CHarge 3, Versa, and Ionic) starting in November for the Sleep Score beta program. The feature works by giving you a sleep score based on your heart rate and SpO2 sensor data.

The Fitbit Charge 3 is available to preorder now, starting at $150. Otherwise, you can pick up the new tracker at stores starting on its October 7 launch date.

See at Fitbit

A recent update to the Fitbit app for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile is causing headaches for a large number of users. Despite the release notes for the latest update referencing general bug fixes and improvements, reports began surfacing on the official Fitbit forums (via Windows Latest) that it is causing the app to crash across a range of Windows 10 Mobile devices.

In an update to the thread, a Fitbit spokesperson notes that the team is aware of the issue and is currently investigating in pursuit of a fix.

All of the crash reports appear to be concentrated on Windows 10 Mobile devices, so the app appears to be working fine on Windows 10 PCs.

There's no timeline on a fix, but hopefully one is on the way soon for those still sticking with their Windows 10 Mobile devices. If you're experiencing crashes, you can keep an eye on the official Fitbit forum thread for the latest.

Fitbit's been hitting the smartwatch market pretty hard over the past few months with its Ionic and Versa, and following those two wearables, the company's now going back to revive one of its most popular fitness tracker series with the all-new Fitbit Charge 3.

The Charge 3 is an evolution of the Charge 2 that came out before it, and while it has the same general form factor as its predecessor, Fitbit spent a lot of time making sure that the Charge 3 is a more comfortable and stylish tracker. Aerospace aluminum was used for the Charge 3's case while Corning Gorilla Glass 3 covers its display, and speaking of that display, the one on the Charge 3 is a gray-scale OLED panel that's 40% brighter and sharper than the screen on the Charge 2.

There's also a lot more you can do on the display. The dashboard from the Ionic and Versa is now on the Charge 3, too, allowing you to quickly see your steps, calories-burned, most recent exercises, heart-rate, and your current cycle if you're using Fitbit's female health tracking tools.

On the non-fitness side of things, the Charge 3 can also showcase all notifications you receive from your phone, supports apps such as Uber, Facebook, etc., and can make contactless NFC payments using Fitbit Pay if you pick up the Special Edition version of it.

Other highlights of the Charge 3 include up to 7 days of battery life, over 15 goal-based exercise routines you can follow, water resistance up to 50M, a new Swim Mode that allows for better tracking while in the water, and more. Along with the Charge 3, Fitbit's also launching a new platform called Sleep Score that aims to provide better insights on data tracked while you're sleeping.

If you're interested, the Charge 3 is up for pre-order today and will be released at some point this October. Pricing starts at $149.95 for the base model and goes up to $169.95 for the Special Edition.

See at Fitbit