GoKawiilKaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
First impressions matter, and after 48 hours with the Fitbit Air, Google’s new screen-less tracker is making a very good one. Honestly, I’m already more impressed by the physical device than I was by the idea of it.
Ever since the early rumors surfaced, the Fitbit Air sounded like another minimalist wellness wearable chasing the same passive-tracking trend as devices like the WHOOP 5.0. I’m also generally wary of first-generation devices and the inevitable quirks that come with them. But on my wrist, Google’s first swing already makes good contact (especially for $99). Until I spend more time digging into features, accuracy, and the company’s new Health Coach platform for my full review, I won’t call it a home run just yet.
The Fitbit Air is easily the most comfortable tracker I’ve tested, and it’s tied to a platform with a lot of potential.
Minimalism done well
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
The Fitbit Air feels tiny, and that’s hard to accomplish when you also have tiny wrists (me). At just 8.3mm thick and 12g with the band attached, it feels dramatically lighter and slimmer than any smartwatch I’ve tested.
I’ve repeatedly forgotten I have the Air on, which is the highest compliment I can give a wearable, let alone a sleep-focused one. It doesn’t shift around while I’m typing, dig into my wrist during workouts, or feel awkwardly bulky overnight. I’ve even worn it on the same wrist as another watch to see how realistic that setup would be, and I genuinely didn’t mind at all. It’s about as unobtrusive as the collection of hair ties I keep stocked on my opposite arm.
I’ve repeatedly forgotten I have the Fitbit Air on, which is the highest compliment I can give a wearable.
A huge part of that comes down to the fact that the Fitbit Air doesn’t have a display, just a slim sensor puck tucked beneath a band. It avoids not just the weight, but also the visual clutter that makes wearables feel like a style commitment. It’s also noticeably thinner than the WHOOP band, which gives more of an ’80s racquetball sweat band impression.
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