Fitbit FLEX Review

April 17, 2020

About the hardware

The Fitbit FLEX is a small capsule-shaped computer with various sensors. This includes a 3-axis MEMS accelerometer to interpret the movements, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, a vibration motor and five small but bright LEDs.

In addition to the tracker, two plastic wristbands of different sizes are included. This is where the FLEX sits later. The bracelets come in several colors: black, slate gray and pink. Apple exclusively markets a white version. The bracelets are made of a soft and matt rubber and are comfortable to wear. They sit well and hardly stand out, and they do not disturb you in your sleep. The Fitbit FLEX is water-repellent and submersible up to ten meters – so it can also be worn while swimming and showering.

Support devices and pairing

  • Apple iPhone 4S

  • Apple iPhone 5

  • Apple iPhone 5c

  • Apple iPhone 5s

  • Apple iPad 3

  • Apple iPad 4

  • Apple iPad Air

  • Apple iPad mini

  • Apple iPad mini with Retina display

  • Apple iPod touch 5th generation

  • Samsung Galaxy s4

  • Samsung Galaxy SIII

  • Samsung Galaxy Note II

  • Samsung Galaxy Note 3

  • Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition

Before I got the Fitbit FLEX, I thought it was compatible with all Android smartphones with Bluetooth 4.0. After a Review with an HTC One, it quickly became clear: this is not the case. The problem is not the lack of hardware, but the drivers that Fitbit has to adjust again and again. Fitbit is currently working on a solution to support all Android OS 4.3+ and Bluetooth 4.0 capable devices.

The one-time coupling is fairly simple, provided that the supporting device also has NFC: You only have to hold the FLEX at the near-field communication point and everything is done. If you have a device without NFC, the FLEX must be set up and synchronized on the computer. Fitbit provides a small USB receiver for data exchange. It is much more comfortable with a Galaxy smartphone or iPhone.

The functions

The FLEX does what it should, all functions work well, but there are always problem situations: The FLEX indicates how many calories you have burned, this value is calculated from the steps taken and the movement. All well and good, but if you do weight training and train your legs on a device, for example, the FLEX doesn’t measure anything. Even if you burn several hundred kcal, the FLEX does not notice anything. Since Fitbit can do little. The user can subsequently log each activity in the application in order to correct the value to some extent.

The application

The application and the synchronization work perfectly. However, the look of the app is not particularly successful: after a while, everything looks a bit boring. You can record how much water you drank and what and how much you ate. The latter does not work so precisely because the database is incomplete. The user can add custom foods, but it is time consuming and so it’s just not fun.

The app is for Apple iOS and Android OS available, Windows Phone OS and other systems are currently empty. It is only a few MB in size. A cool thing is that the FLEX is also supported by many other applications.

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Conclusion

I really like the Fitbit, it’s a cool thing to see how much you go on a normal day and how much on a training day. By the way, the battery lasts 4 to 6 days, depending on how often you query the status and make the LEDs light up. The FLEX has a simple and beautiful design, it is comfortable to wear and does what it is supposed to do pretty well. Such a fitness tracker is really not a must for people who want to exercise or lose weight. But it is a useful device and also motivates for one or the other run more a week.

If you are looking for a good fitness tracker with a few additional functions, Fitbit is in good hands, but you should still look at and compare the products of the competition. The Fitbit FLEX costs 99 dollars and is therefore cheaper than the alternatives of Jawbone and Misfit.