Fitbit Versa 3 (Midnight/Soft Gold)

I saw a lot of negative reviews on this watch, but wanted to try it out for myself. While the watch is very nice looking, there are multiple features that are just wrong. First, the phone call/text feature does not work. It stays connected to my Bluetooth for about 30min, then I have to reboot the entire watch to get it to reconnect for another 30min. Second, the heart rate monitor is very very off. It averages about 20 bpm higher than any Garmin I have ever had which is scary when you see it on the first workout you use it on. Thirdly is the steps. I know that Fitbit has never been the BEST with steps, but has always stayed pretty close. Not this one. It’ll give my 60-80 steps in 30min of sitting. I have to say that I am just very disappointed in this Fitbit and I ... MoreI saw a lot of negative reviews on this watch, but wanted to try it out for myself. While the watch is very nice looking, there are multiple features that are just wrong. First, the phone call/text feature does not work. It stays connected to my Bluetooth for about 30min, then I have to reboot the entire watch to get it to reconnect for another 30min. Second, the heart rate monitor is very very off. It averages about 20 bpm higher than any Garmin I have ever had which is scary when you see it on the first workout you use it on. Thirdly is the steps. I know that Fitbit has never been the BEST with steps, but has always stayed pretty close. Not this one. It’ll give my 60-80 steps in 30min of sitting. I have to say that I am just very disappointed in this Fitbit and I put it in the mail for return today. There is a reason I keep going back to Garmin.

I loved my versa 3 but the band was giving me skin irritation- which is just my over-sensitive skin. So I ordered new bands of all sorts from Amazon to find something that wouldn’t cause the irritation. I took it out in a new band with the dog and he likes to run out of the blue, which was enough to send my watch flying off. It hit the sidewalk and cracked the screen. It can’t be fixed. No one anywhere fixes these things. It stopped working completely as soon as I took it off in a steamy bathroom, as the moisture was fatal with the cracked screen.After only 4 months of use, I was devastated that it couldn’t just have a screen replaced. So it’s in the garbage now. Very devastated to learn that Apple Watch screens can be replaced but not Fitbit; cause I preferred my ... MoreI loved my versa 3 but the band was giving me skin irritation- which is just my over-sensitive skin. So I ordered new bands of all sorts from Amazon to find something that wouldn’t cause the irritation. I took it out in a new band with the dog and he likes to run out of the blue, which was enough to send my watch flying off. It hit the sidewalk and cracked the screen. It can’t be fixed. No one anywhere fixes these things. It stopped working completely as soon as I took it off in a steamy bathroom, as the moisture was fatal with the cracked screen.After only 4 months of use, I was devastated that it couldn’t just have a screen replaced. So it’s in the garbage now. Very devastated to learn that Apple Watch screens can be replaced but not Fitbit; cause I preferred my Fitbit. Fitbit has offered me 35% off a watch off their site due to my watch being so new.

Pros: I have been using Fitbit devices since 2014 starting with the Flex and they have come a long way. I like their design overall, it's nice to be able to customise the watch faces, there are so many official and aftermarket accessories available that you can really make your Fitbit suit your style and keep it fresh over the years. I had hoped that my Versa1 would stay alive until the Versa4 was released but I found myself needing to buy quickly. When you don't use a smart watch it's very easy to overlook how useful they are and how attached you become to having one. As a diabetic I have always tried to stay fit and healthy and Fitbit has allowed me to track patterns and tends in my recovery and just be aware of places I could improve so it was not an option to be ... MorePros: I have been using Fitbit devices since 2014 starting with the Flex and they have come a long way. I like their design overall, it's nice to be able to customise the watch faces, there are so many official and aftermarket accessories available that you can really make your Fitbit suit your style and keep it fresh over the years. I had hoped that my Versa1 would stay alive until the Versa4 was released but I found myself needing to buy quickly. When you don't use a smart watch it's very easy to overlook how useful they are and how attached you become to having one. As a diabetic I have always tried to stay fit and healthy and Fitbit has allowed me to track patterns and tends in my recovery and just be aware of places I could improve so it was not an option to be without. The Versa3 is a very good looking device. The soft gold looks expensive and the Fitbit silicone strap is sturdy and well fitted and in my experience they last a long time. The packaging is very nice too and it feels like a beautiful puzzle box to open with all the accessories tucked neatly inside a small package. You get the watch, two straps, a USB2 magnetic charger and some paperwork and the Versa has come on a lot since the first generation. Connecting to wifi, my phone and all associated apps was fast and easy and I haven't found signal strength to be an issue at all. The interface is bright and easy to use and while a few apps have been changed, updated or moved, it still has similar functionality to the original Versa but just faster and easier overall. It comes with Google Assistant features which I haven't really used and you may or may not see the point of this but as someone who dislikes taking phone calls anywhere too public my experience with the voice features is minimal but apparently they are quite good!The Versa has a nice clear screen, the logo is missing from the front which makes it feel bigger than it is and only one 'button' on the left side, which isn't a pressable button but a capacitive strip that buzzes when you squeeze it. I always wear my Fitbit with a bumper screen protector so I am not sure about screen toughness over time, but the rounded edges and small form factor mean that the Fitbit feels compact and neat on your wrist, the sensors on the rear also seem to make good contact with my skin and no irritation has occurred at all while wearing it.In general use I have been getting about 3 full days battery life, but I tend to pop mine on the charger while I take a shower so I rarely leave it charging until 100%, the charging via the cable is fast and the magnetic pebble is cute and very easy to use, I also like how I can charge it without needing to take the bumper off now, with my old Versa it had to be clipped into the charger which was awkward. I believe if you disabled the GPS which is inbuilt, lowered screen brightness and other notifications you could squeeze 4 full days out of it.Overall the Versa3 is a very attractive smartwatch, it has a limited set of features compared to more specialist devices out there, but for the average non-athlete it is ideal as it's easy to get to grips with and looks very stylish. The screen is bright and crisp and the customisation gives it lasting appeal.Cons: -I prefer the squarer design of the Versa1. Many of the clockfaces and apps have not been optimised for the rounder bezel/screen of this version yet so it can feel like the screen is not fully utilised which is a waste. As you often have to pay a small amount for the watch faces it can feel a bit of a cheat.-The capacitive button was a real mistake. It is a my biggest criticism. As it relies on skin contact, you can activate it if you bend your wrist too far back while sleeping or exercising and that can do things like start Google Assistant up, or pause an exercise. So it would be better to have a clickable button to prevent this. I activate it alot while I am sleeping as I roll onto my arm and I find that this can deplete the battery.- Some good features have been removed such as the 2GB built in music storage, the Treasure Trek game and the ability to order your exercise choices inside the desktop/mobile app. I have found workarounds or noticed that the features are utilised differently in some cases, but you may find this a deal breaker.-Still very limited apps and pay options exist, and the ones I found on the Vers3 were identical to the ones for my original Versa so they were slow and clunky as hadn't been optimised.-The strap connectors on the sides of the Versa3 are little tension based clips with plastic sliders. I have found that my strap frequently comes out of these connectors. So far it hasn't caused me too many issues but it can be annoying, they should design a better mechanism.-No included power brick, just a cable. The charger is good quality but v small so you might want to purchase a backup for trips or work.