Fitbit Luxe vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Which should you buy?

Choosing between the Fitbit Luxe vs. Fitbit Charge 4 comes down to whether you prefer the jewelry look and color display of the Fitbit Luxe or the more robust set of fitness and other features of the Fitbit Charge 4 such as built-in GPS and Fitbit Pay. Both are some of the best Fitbit devices you buy. Let's take a closer look.

Fitbit Luxe vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Many similarities

These two mid-range Fitbit devices share a similar feature set and price point, with the Charge 4 being slightly cheaper. There are, however, some key differences to help you choose between them. The Fitbit Luxe has the edge when it comes to upscale looks and a color display, whereas the Fitbit Charge 4 has a few more features, most notably the built-in GPS. Let's look at the specs.

The Fitbit Luxe and Fitbit Charger are highly capable health and fitness trackers with a lot to offer. Both Fitbit devices offer steps and activity tracking, calorie tracking, sleep tracking, silent alarm, female health-tracking, guided breathing, auto-exercise recognition, heart rate tracking, SpO2 (oxygen saturation) monitoring, over 20 exercise modes, pace and distance, call/text/smartphone notifications, and are water-resistant enough for swimming.

While these trackers do a lot the same, the sticking point comes with what sets them apart.

Fitbit Luxe vs. Fitbit Charge 4: The differences

I wouldn't discount looks as an important feature. Personally, I always buy the stainless steel version of the Apple Watch because it's something I wear every day whether I'm going to the beach or a cocktail party. It's my signature jewelry and a health and fitness device, and the aluminum case just doesn't look like enough like jewelry or suit my taste. The Fitbit Luxe strongly resembles a narrower stainless steel Apple Watch with its shiny stainless steel case. The other thing that makes the Fitbit Luxe easy on the eyes is the color display compared to the grayscale display on Charge 4.

On the other hand, if you don't like the look of the Luxe, or you don't particularly care, you will get more features for less money with the Fitbit Charge 4. While both Fitbit devices can piggyback off your smartphone's GPS, only the Charge 4 has built-in GPS, so you can leave your smartphone at home when you're running or biking.

The Charge 4 boasts a longer battery life, up to seven days compared to five for the Luxe. The Fitbit Charge 4 offers additional fitness and health measurements, such as workout intensity maps, floors climbed, altimeter, skin temperature sensor (for more detailed sleep tracking), and move reminders. You can use the Fitbit Charge 4 to control third-party apps such as Spotify, which you can't do with the Luxe. You can use Fitbit Pay with the Fitbit Charge 4, but not the Fitbit Luxe.

Fitbit Luxe vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Sizes and colors

The Fitbit Luxe comes in three different shades of stainless steel. The Soft Gold stainless steel comes with a Lunar White band. Graphite stainless steel comes with a Black band. Platinum stainless steel comes with an Orchid band. The Special Edition gorjana version of the Fitbit Luxe is a Soft Gold stainless steel with a matching Parker Link bracelet for an even more upscale look. The Charge 4 comes in Black with a matching silicone band, Rosewood with a matching band, Black with a Storm Blue band. The Fitbit Charge 4 Special Edition is black, but it also comes with a Granite Reflective Woven band.

Each Fitbit comes in just one size. The slimmer Fitbit Luxe measures 36.30-by-17.62-by-10.05 millimeters compared to the Fitbit Charge 4, which measures 35.8-by-22.7-by-12.5 millimeters. The bands on both Fitbits can be replaced with other Fitbit or third-party bands if you want to change up the look.

Fitbit Luxe vs. Fitbit Charge 4: Which should you buy?

Which Fitbit you should purchase depends on what you want in a fitness tracker. If pressed to pick a winner, I'd have to go with the Fitbit Charge 4 for its richer set of fitness features and lower price point. However, if you are satisfied with the Fitbit Luxe's feature set and you like its sleek, premium looks and AMOLED color display, that's the way to go.