Google's new Fitbit Edge gives you a screen without going full smartwatch

Google officially released its first-ever screenless Fitbit tracker earlier in May this year, giving users a distraction-free health and fitness tracking experience that doesn’t involve them constantly glancing at their wrist. Roughly five months in, the tech giant is ready to strike a balance between the simplicity of the Fitbit Air and the more feature-packed Pixel Watch 5.

This is where the new Fitbit Edge comes in. Early leaks about the device gave us a good idea of what to expect, and now that Google has taken the wraps off the wearable, there’s nothing left to the imagination.

The Edge looks like a more traditional Fitbit fitness tracker with an elongated display, similar to the Fitbit Charge line. However, while the ones before it rocked an almost rectangular screen that sat flush with the band, the Edge adopts a more modern, rounded design that gives off a more smartwatch-like appearance.

The display sits in an Aluminum housing, with curved edges and rounded corners, and measures in at 11.5mm thickness. The Google Pixel Watch 5, for reference, is 12.3mm thick. The new wearable’s OLED display is roughly 46% bigger than the Fitbit Charge 6’s display, and it’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

There’s also a physical button on the side that adds to the tracker’s smartwatch-like appearance. For reference, some older Fitbit devices, including the Charge 6, featured a capacitive button. Not this one. The button on the new Edge actually clicks in and out when pressed.

Elsewhere, the Fitbit Edge also introduces an all-new snap-in band mechanism. This means you won’t be able to repurpose any previous Fitbit or Pixel Watch bands. Thankfully, the bands introduced with the Edge look cool and unique, with options ranging from Active Sport and Performance Loop bands to more minimalist and modern options like the Magnet band and the Metal links band.

The fitness wearable also boasts an IP68 rating for dust, alongside 5ATM water resistance, making it a suitable choice for everything from outdoor workouts to a dip in the pool.

Google promises up to seven days of battery life on a single charge, with a full charge taking roughly 90 minutes. We’ll be putting these claims to the test once we get our hands on the new wearable. If and when the wearable does run low, Google claims that just five minutes of charging will be enough to get you through the day.

Interestingly, the Fitbit Edge uses the same charger as the Fitbit Air, so you’re free to swap between the two if you own both devices. The new wearable also happens to be the first Fitbit to feature a replaceable battery design. If that’s something that users will be able to easily do at home remains to be seen.

What’s under the hood?

Quite a lot, actually. Before that, though, if you’re expecting the Fitbit Edge to offer Pixel Watch-level features, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. The Fitbit Edge doesn’t run on Wear OS. Instead, it runs on what appears to be an updated Fitbit OS that offers a similar UI experience to the Pixel Watch 5.

The tracker features a tile-based UI, with essential controls like notifications, timers, alarms, weather, and even Google Maps just a swipe away. Music controls on the new device are seamless too, with Google indicating that you’ll be able to access playback controls through a dedicated tile. The tile will work with any music service.

On the health side, the tracker comes equipped with an ECG sensor, a photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, and a far-field skin temperature sensor for convenient ECG, blood oxygen, heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and skin temperature tracking.

The wearable can share real-time health metrics with equipment, like Peloton bikes, for indoor workouts, while there’s a built-in GPS and an altimeter for outdoor runs. It’s worth noting, though, that there are a few notable omissions.

Although the Fitbit Edge boasts a built-in GPS, it doesn’t support the same dual-frequency GPS technology found on the Pixel Watch 5. There’s also no NFC chip, so if you’re switching from something like a Pixel Watch 5 to the Fitbit Edge, you’ll definitely experience less accurate location tracking and, well, no contactless payments.

Elsewhere, there’s no mic or speaker on the Fitbit Edge, so the only way you’ll be alerted to notifications will be through vibration. Naturally, you won’t be able to answer or make calls from the device.

As far as compatibility goes, the Fitbit Edge works with both Android and iOS, though the latter doesn’t support quick replies to messages.

Fitbit Edge pricing and availability

Pre-orders for the new wearable open today, October 12, with general availability scheduled for October 27. The Fitbit Edge is available in Obsidian, Olive, Canyon, and Fog, matching the Pixel 11 Pro’s color palette. The tracker costs $179.99, while a special edition Stephen Curry model will set you back $219.99.

The Fitbit Edge’s Active Sport band costs $39.99, and the Magnet band costs $59.99. The more premium Metal Links band comes in at a whopping $149.99, while the Performance Loop will cost $49.99 when it becomes available (Google said the Performance Loop will be released later).

On paper, the Fitbit Edge is shaping up to be a compelling addition to the tracker market. At its price point, it competes directly with the likes of the Charge 6, while being a logical choice for those looking to upgrade from their Inspire 3 or their Garmin Vivosmart 5. We’ll have more to share after we’ve had a chance to put the Fitbit Edge through its paces.