Fitness tracker, running watch or smartwatch, which one do you need?
The wearable market is increasingly rich and especially those who play sports today have a thousand
alternatives available. Here's what to choose.
Fitness tracker, running watch, smartwatch: to an untrained eye they may seem many faces of the same
coin but, for those who really do training, these three names recall as many distinct devices, with
different peculiarities and features to appreciate and exploit.
But what are the differences between these three wearable gadgets and which one do you need? To
find out, you just need to know them better.
Fitness tracker, running watch, smartwatch - what are we talking about?
In general, and as already specified, to make the difference between the three devices there are the
features that characterize them. Starting with the first group, fitness trackers are mainly dedicated to
well-being, intended above all as a control of the main functions of the body and physical activity: heart
rate and sleep monitoring, counting of daily steps and calculation of calories burned.
The speech becomes broader when it comes to running watches. In this case, in fact, the device also
integrates features that allow you to time the exercise time, an integrated GPS to record the path taken
during training and much more useful, such as a music player directly on the wrist, without having to
carry anything else. with you while running (or other monitorable workouts) p physical activity.
And then there are the physical buttons: comfortable to press while your hands are sweaty and slippery.
And then, lastly, there are smartwatches. These represent the most advanced category of the previous
ones, since they combine the aforementioned functions with additional apps that can be installed on the
instrument, as well as the ability to make and receive calls or text messages even via instant messaging
services.
The screen is touch, it is - often - equipped with a voice assistant, one more step towards total
autonomy from the smartphone. If the type of use that can be made of it therefore appears clear,
understanding which is the best device for your needs can be more complex, especially in light of the
many proposals on the market.
The choice, therefore, is almost always a personal matter, which requires a previous reasoning to avoid
finding oneself with an obsolete or too complex tool for the needs of the case.
One of the best fitness trackers currently available on the market is HealthFit Pro. The device effectively
monitors your vitals such as blood pressure and heart rate in real time. It also tracks a whole bunch of
physical activities as well. To know more about this durable tracker, read this in-depth health fit pro
watch review.
Fitness tracker, the perfect wearable for those who want to keep their well-being under control
They are the simplest devices to use, they connect in a few moments to the smartphone and thanks to
the integrated accelerometer they monitor sleep and physical activity. The fitness trackers also have
small LCD screens, useful for having a summary of the recorded statistics at hand, waiting to be able to
enjoy a wider view - but not always - via app on the screen of your smartphone.
These tools are so simple that, for many, they can even prove too basic. However, this has an obvious
advantage: the battery lasts and long, even more than a week on a single charge. This means that it is
unlikely that you will arrive in the middle of the day without knowing how many steps you have taken
during the walk. Of course, for a sportsman it may appear a rather limited report but for Sunday walkers
or without many pretensions, normally sedentary but interested in keeping their eyes open on the wellbeing of their body without too in-depth analysis, the choice is right: little expense, maximum surrender.
Among the devices of this kind, the choice is more than wide: starting from the Fitbit Inspire 2, up to the
Garmin Vivosmart 4 or even the old school Mi Band, such as version 3 or 4, are perfect for this type of
occasional activity.
For a step forward, without bothering other categories of devices, there is also the Fitbit Charge 4
which, with a lot of GPS, can make an impression on the wrist without betraying an excess of zeal in the
purchase phase.
Running watch, constant physical activity with the trainer on the wrist
We go up in category - and also in price - with the running watch. To the functionality of the fitness
tracker, this type of device adds the ability to precisely monitor not only the kilometers and time spent
running on the road or on the circuit, but also other types of training ranging from swimming, cycling or
activity cardio just to name a few.
Starting from the integrated functions, you can select the type of activity you are about to undertake for
calculating the calories burned, monitoring the heartbeat, recording the time elapsed and the space
traveled.
Indeed, many models allow you to know in real time if the speed you are holding is right or if you need
to increase or decrease the pace. In short, with these tools it is almost like having a personal trainer on
your wrist. It is certain that many features require a greater "smart attitude" towards these tools.
Although easily manageable through physical buttons arranged on the side edges, as well as near the
screen (which is usually sensitive to touch), the wealth of features makes it a more complex tool to use
and to be coupled necessarily with latest generation smartphones, capable not only to collect but also to
process the data recorded during training.
And then there is the battery, less durable than fitness trackers but more performing than a
smartwatch. Also, in this case, the active functions make the difference. The more there are, the less the
single recharge will last. And let's not talk about integrated and working GPS: if there is, it certainly
negatively affects the battery life, even at every workout.
Again, among the best examples are those produced by Garmin (specialized in this sector), such as the
Forerunner 45 or the Forerunner 945 Music. The Garmin Fenix 6 is also interesting, able to analyze the
performances carried out during different types of sporting activities, without therefore limiting itself
only to running.
Smartwatch, like having a smartphone on your wrist
They have a peculiar design, they include practically all their previous functionalities but are able to
replace, or at least to make up for in case of need, the tasks of a smartphone thanks to the LTE
connection available on some models. They are smartwatches, those devices with a clock face and
multiple distinctive features. What you can notice right away is the price: the more features, the higher
the cost.
It must be said, however, that the trade-off is positioned by force the ability to really do everything:
phone calls, text messages, instant messaging, web browsing, navigation system, even remote control
for the camera of your mobile phone. And the games? Yes, there are those too.
What is sometimes missing is, however, the battery: it can happen that you have to recharge it even
after only two days of use, despite not making a particularly intense active use. However, it must be
considered that the constant monitoring of cardiac activity, the connection to the smartphone via
Bluetooth, to the internet via Wi-Fi and to the LTE network for all the typical functions of mobile phones
consume charge in a decidedly intense way.
Therefore, it is better to keep your charging device close at hand. In this category, the choice has no
limits, if not those dictated exclusively by the price or by the best ability to integrate with your
smartphone.
The most famous are the smartwatches from Apple and Samsung, respectively called Apple Watch and
Galaxy Watch, the latter suitable for the manufacturer's devices as well as others with an Android
operating system. Both have a plethora of top-tier dedicated apps, voice assistants right on your wrist,
and a top-notch design that stands out once you're out and about.
Going down slightly in price and reducing the functionality to a minimum, here are the names of Fitbit
Versa 3 and Honor Magic Watch, both suitable for the two operating systems that are the most popular
(Android and iOS). All that remains is to evaluate the qualities and your needs, in order to make the best
choice for your daily life.