Best list: Top 5 smart fitness trackers for sports and everyday life

What is the best smart fitness tracker 2020? Xiaomi, Fitbit, Garmin or Polar? We show the best smart fitness trackers for athletes and everyone who wants to be more active in everyday life.

Smart fitness trackers are now a solid alternative to classic watches. They attract everyone who either wants to be more active in everyday life or who is looking for a device for their sport that measures training and pulse without much effort. Thanks to sensible optical sensors, pulse measurement is now almost comparable to a classic chest strap, plus other sensors such as activity measurement or monitoring sleep.

In order for a fitness tracker to make it into the Review field, it must count at least steps and monitoring the heart rate frequently or better still. GPS or WLAN are nice additions, but not absolutely necessary. What is more important is the overall package consisting of operating system, hardware and accompanying app and how the tracker integrates into everyday life. This also means that the battery lasts for several days. A tracker that wants to use its charger every night performs functions such as recording sleep phases to absurdity.

The companion app is an important point in the overall picture: the trackers only show their full strength in combination with their app. This interprets the raw data, visually prepares it and may support you during training. With the exception of the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro, all trackers must therefore be set up before commissioning.

Top 5 for everyday users

If you want to monitoring and record your daily movement, sleep or simple training sessions, you are very well advised with these devices. They are usually so small and inconspicuous that you sometimes don’t even notice them. There is also a low price, our Top 1 is already available for around 30 euros.

Xiaomi Mi Band 4

Number 1 clearly goes to the Xiaomi Mi Band 4. The current version of the Xiaomi tracker scores with an OLED display, clever functions and a sensational price. Compared to its predecessor, it is significantly better translated and offers all the necessary functions directly on the wrist. The runtime is an absolute highlight. In normal use with some sports units, the device lasted over two weeks – sensational. Where translation was still a problem with the predecessor, Xiaomi has worked properly this time and delivers an almost error-free localization.

In addition to the actual Mi-FitSoftware, the Mi Band 4 can also be used with alternative programs such as the Mi Band Tools (chargeable), Gadgetbridge (Open Source, currently with restrictions) or MiBand Master Control (in-app advertising) and further expand with functions.

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Fitbit Charge 3, Inspire HR & Alta HR

Well, three devices in one place? In the case of Fitbit, yes. Because the manufacturer has managed that the products only differ in the form factor. Most functions are similar, the data is processed using the good app. In everyday life, we not only like the reliable data acquisition. Fitbit has recognized that users don’t just want black silicone wristbands and provides a selection of different colors and materials for wristbands for each of its devices.

If you are just looking for an everyday companion who can also look a little more stylish, you should take a look at the wide Fitbit Charge 3, the simple Inspire HR or the narrow Alta HR.

Huawei Band 3 Pro

The Huawei Band 3 Pro is a very solid tracker for everyday life and sports. Its OLED display looks great, the associated app is well thought out and provides solid information. Its advantage over other products is the integrated GPS, so that you can go to training even without a cell phone. The disadvantage: GPS sucks the battery empty, a runtime like the Mi Band 4 cannot be expected here. Unfortunately, the bracelet has been changed compared to its predecessor and is no longer so comfortable to wear. Nevertheless, if you want GPS in the tracker, you should take a look at the Band 3 Pro.

Garmin Vivosmart 3

With the Vivosmart 3, Garmin is supplying a fitness tracker for everyday use, which has gotten a bit old in the meantime and is still relatively expensive. The contrast is great, but the bracelet cannot be changed. The ANT + support, with which pulse monitors can be coupled, is interesting for casual athletes. Garmin makes up for the weaknesses of the tracker with a very good app, Garmin Connect runs pretty much all the information you want.

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Huawei Band 4 Pro

The Huawei Band 4 Pro is also older but still available at a good price. We really liked the workmanship and the comfort. But mistakes always creep in during translation – but you can live with that. Like the Band 3 Pro, the predecessor also has GPS on board, but this has a massive impact on the runtime. If you find it cheap, you should strike, but for everyone else we recommend the almost equally expensive Mi Band 4.

Top 5 for athletes

The following fitness trackers differ somewhat from the everyday trackers presented above. This is mainly due to the additional training functions or the features for people who regularly go to sports or want more data for their training. The additional functions make them a little better than the everyday trackers. Otherwise, they also perform tasks such as pulse measurement, daily activity or sleep monitoring.

Garmin Vivosport

Garmin can still hold the number 1 spot for athletes. The solid software, the integrated GPS as well as the possibility to connect other devices via ANT + and Bluetooth make the fitness tracker a very good choice for all those who regularly exercise and want to permanently monitoring their training status. Then there is the very good app, which summarizes pretty much all the relevant data. A drawback is the built-in bracelet, a change is not possible. But it is very cool that you can connect the tracker to a bike computer and then transfer the pulse to the computer.

Garmin competitor Polar also has a very good tracker for athletes. Here, too, other devices can be smart health connected via Bluetooth, such as a heart rate monitoring for swimming. Unlike Garmin, there is no GPS, but the bracelet is easily replaceable. In the Review, the Polar tracker has to line up behind Garmin primarily due to software problems and disconnections in the GPS signal.

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Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro

The Gear Fot 2 Pro from Samsung is an exotic that should be of particular interest to swimmers. It comes with some special features that help you better monitoring your performance in the water. We also really liked the Spotify integration, in combination with a Bluetooth headset (comparison Review) you can also listen to music in the water or without a cell phone. It also has built-in GPS so the phone can stay at health home. We found the very confusing app directory and the comparatively short battery life less good.

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Polar A370

Garmin competitor Polar also has a very good tracker for athletes. Here, too, other devices can be smart health connected via Bluetooth, such as a heart rate monitoring for swimming. Unlike Garmin, there is no GPS, but the bracelet is easily replaceable. In the Review, the Polar tracker has to line up behind Garmin primarily due to software problems and disconnections in the GPS signal.

Best deals on Polar A370

All prices include VAT and possibly plus shipping costs. You can find details of the offers on the respective website.

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Huawei Band 3 Pro

The Huawei Band 3 Pro blurs the difference between bracelets for athletes and everyday life. As described above, it is a pretty good companion, the integrated GPS also makes it interesting for training sessions. But we recommend buying a different bracelet, the one included is just too uncomfortable.

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Xiaomi Mi Band 4

If you really want to save, we recommend Mi Band 4 here. The app is also good enough for training, the smart health connected GPS works. We only had two problems that training units were only synchronized with a delay, but all data was transferred. Xioami offers a wide range of training types, and you can also record your own activities. Unfortunately, no external heart rate belts or the like can be linked to the tracker.

Conclusion

In this update of the leaderboard, it becomes clear: Xiaomi not only attacks smartphones, but also puts the manufacturers of accessories under considerable pressure. The good news for consumers is that this will make the competition a little stronger again. In addition to better prices, this should above all provide new features, after all, the providers want to set themselves apart from the competition.

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AB SMART HEALTH REVIEW