If all you want is a device that records steps, sleep, and heart rate accurately, the Fitbit Inspire 2 provides all that and more in a compact, slender tracker. In addition to basic tracking, you get automatic exercise tracking, silent alarms, a timer and stopwatch, reminders to exercise, water resistance up to 50 meters, and the ability to read your phone’s notifications on your phone.
And despite having fewer features than the Fitbit Charge 5, the Inspire 2 has several advantages of its own. You still get side buttons to control the device, which is useful when you can’t flip your wrist or easily tap the screen. (The Charge 5 can only be navigated via its touchscreen.) The monochrome display also goes easier on battery life—the tracker is officially rated for up to 10 days depending on your activity level, as opposed to the Charge 5’s rating of up to seven days. Occasionally, you can go even longer.
You can even track the device via Tile’s app (yes, the company that makes Bluetooth trackers), a feature wholly unique to the Inspire 2 among Fitbit devices. So if you happen to take it off and misplace it, you can easily locate it. Add in the current promotion of one free year of Fitbit Premium, Fitbit’s subscription service that provides more detailed metrics and access to workout and meditation sessions, and you get quite a bit of bang for your buck for $100 MSRP.
Overall, the Inspire 2 amply covers the basic tracking sought by people looking to get and stay active. If you don’t need advanced features like on-board GPS, an altimeter, and extra health tracking sensors, you don’t have to shell out for them.
Our only quibble is the charging cable, which secures with small plastic clips. It’s a step backward from the original Inspire’s cable, which magnetically attached, but not a dealbreaker.
