The Fitbit Inspire 3 which was recently released alongside Versa 4 and Sense 2 shares a lot of features in common with relatively older trackers like the Fitbit Luxe and Charge 5. Each of these three has an AMOLED display, a decent battery life, and lots of health-tracking features. However, while the Charge 5 and Luxe retail for $150, the Inspire 3 is a cheaper alternative. In this post, we’ll be comparing the Luxe vs Inspire 3 vs Charge 5 to help you decide which of these Fitbit trackers is the right choice for you.
For clarification purposes, Inspire 3 succeeds Inspire 2, while Charge 5 succeeds Charge 4. Meanwhile, Luxe is the first in its series. Both Luxe and Charge 5 were released in 2021 while Inspire 3 was recently released alongside Sense 2 and Versa 4.
Note that the Fitbit Luxe comes in two models; a basic and a special edition. The difference is that the Special edition comes with a stainless steel gorjana bracelet.
What I have noticed with Fitbit trackers over the last 2 years is the improvement in the build and display quality. This is evident in the Charge 5 which comes in a more compact and durable build. It also features a more colorful AMOLED display than its predecessor. Similarly, like the Charge 5, the Inspire 2 welcomes a more colorful display, 40 sports mode and can now measure blood oxygen.
Fitbit Luxe vs Inspire 3 vs Charge 5 Specifications Comparison
| Fitbit Luxe | Fitbit Inspire 3 | Fitbit Charge 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
ABOUT DEVICE | |||
| Device name | Fitbit Luxe | Fitbit Inspire 3 | Fitbit Charge 5 |
| Device type | Sport/Fitness smartwatch | Fitness Smartband | Sport/Fitness smartwatch |
| Predessesor | None | Fitbit Inspire 2 | Fitbit Charge 4 |
| Successor | __ | __ | __ |
| Released date | June, 2021 | September, 2022 | September, 2021 |
| Ideal for | Unisex | Unisex | Unisex |
DISPLAY | |||
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Display size | 0.76 inch | ~ 1.4 inch | 1.04 inches |
| Display resolution | 124 x 206 px | 124 x 206 pixels | 0.86" x 0.58"px |
| Pixel density | 326 PPI | 171.7 PPI | 326 PPI |
| Input type | Touchscreen | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Always-on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
BODY | |||
| Shape | Rectangular/curved | Rectangular/curved | Rectangular/curved |
| Dimension | 36.3 x 17.5 x 10 mm | 39.32 x 18.6 x 11.75 mm | 36.7 x 22.7 x 11.2 mm |
| Weight | __ | 17.7 grams | 28 grams |
| Casing material | Stainless steel | Resin | Aluminum |
| Strap/band material | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel Material | Stainless steel | Resin | Aluminum |
| Strap size | 140 - 180 mm (small) 180 - 220 mm (large) | 140 - 180 mm (small) 180 - 220 mm (large) | 140 - 180 mm (small) 180 - 220 mm (large) |
| Interchangeable band | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistant/Protection | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color(s) | Lunar-white band/Soft-gold case Black band/graphite case Orchid band/Platinum case | Black case/liliac band Black case/morning-glow band Black case/black band | Black band/Graphite case Lunar-white band/Soft-gold case Steel-blue band/Platinum case |
MEMORY | |||
| RAM | N/A | -- | N/A |
| Internal storage | N/A | __ | N/A |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.0 LE | Bluetooth v4.0 LE | Bluetooth v4.0 LE |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | No | No |
| NFC | No | No | Yes |
| Payment system | None | No | Fitbit Pay |
| GPS | No (Uses phone GPS) | No, (connected GPS) | Yes |
CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY | |||
| Technology | No | No | No |
| SIM | No | No | No |
| Band | No | No | No |
NOTIFICATIONS | |||
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weather | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Text response | Yes (Android only) | Yes | Yes (Android only) |
FITNESS TRACKING | |||
| Sleep apnea | No | No | No |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | No | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood pressure | No | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Under-water heart rate tracking | No | No | No |
| Preloaded maps | No | No | No |
| On-screen workout modes | No | No | No |
| Triathlon mode | No | No | No |
| ECG Tracking | No | No | Yes |
| Preloaded sport modes | Yes, 20+ | Yes, 40 | Yes, 20+ |
| Safety tracking | No | No | No |
MEDIA | |||
| Audio | No | No | No |
| Music streaming | No | No | No |
| Bluetooth music | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | No |
| Microphone | No | No | No |
| Camera | No | No | No |
SENSORS | |||
PLATFORM | |||
| Operating system (OS) | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS |
| Chipset | N/A | -- | N/A |
| CPU | N/A | -- | N/A |
| GPU | N/A | -- | N/A |
BATTERY | |||
| Type of battery | Non-removable lithium polymer | Non-removable lithium polymer | Non-removable lithium polymer |
| Battery capacity | N/A | _ | N/A |
| Battery life | Mixed usage: 5 days | Mixed usage: up to 10 days | Standby: 10 day+ Mixed usage: 7 days Continuous GPS Tracking: 5 Hrs |
| Charging type | Charging Dock | USB based charging dock | Charging Dock |
| Charging time | About 1-2 hours | About 1-30 mins | About 1-2 hours |
| Battery saver mode | No | No | No |
| Solar power | No | No | No |
| Rapid charging | No | No | No |
CLOCK FEATURES | |||
| Time/Date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes |
OTHER FUNCTIONS | |||
| Control camera | No | No | No |
| Music control | No | No | No |
| Find phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
MISC | |||
| Compatibility | Android 8.0+ iOS 14.0+ Check your device compatibility | Android 8.0+, IOS 14.0+ Check supported devices | Android 8.0+ iOS 14.0+ Check your device compatibility |
| Companion app | Fitbit App | Fitbit App | Fitbit App |
| Voice command | No | No | No |
BOX CONTENTS | |||
| Fitbit Luxe | Fitbit Inspire 3 | Fitbit Charge 5 | |
| Strap (small and large) | Straps | Strap (small and large) | |
| Charger | Charging cable | Charger | |
| Quick start guide | Quick start guide | Quick start guide | |
| NOTE: We can't guarantee that all the information on this table are 100% correct. Read full disclaimer. Please, report an error. | |||
| Official Site | Official Site | Official Site | |
Fitbit Luxe vs Inspire 3 vs Charge 5 Review
Design
Beginning with the design, all three tracker spot a compact and lightweight design. The build quality of all three is also great. Furthermore, all three trackers are rated 5ATM – a regular for all Fitbit wearables. This means that each of these is swim-proof up to 50 meters. In other words, it’s safe to wear these trackers while swimming.
The difference though is that the Luxe which comes in a stainless steel case has the most durable build. It’s followed by Charge 5 which has an aluminum case while the Inspire 3 comes in a resin material build. All three trackers come with a pair of silicone straps that can be swapped should you feel the need to do so.
So in terms of build quality, the Luxe has the most durable build.
Display
All three trackers are powered by a colorful AMOLED display that improves the legibility of text and images on these trackers.
All three trackers offer a touch-sensitive screen as the only means of interacting with the device.
Meanwhile, the display sizes differ. The Luxe at 0.76 inch has the least display size while the Inspire 3 has a
slightly bigger display area than Charge 5.
While these display sizes might be too small for some, the text and image quality is very clear and the navigation is also great.
Health Tracking Features
The brand Fitbit is synonymous with health tracking, obviously one of the reasons the company was acquired by Google. All three trackers are equipped with an accelerometer and heart rate sensor. The Charge 5 gets ECG and an EDA sensor plus an inbuilt GPS that makes it a more comprehensive activity tracker than the other two.
These three will track your steps, heart rate, calories, and sleep in all four stages. These three will also leverage on existing sensors to track your skin temperature variation. The Charge 5 takes it further with the ability to measure ECG and stress. It also has an inbuilt GPS which means you don’t need to carry your along to map your routes.
Meanwhile, the Luxe and Inspire 3 depend on your phone’s GPS to map your routes. This means that you must carry your phone along anytime you wish to map your outdoor activities.
So in regards to health tracking features, the Charge 5 wins. It features ECG and stress monitoring which makes it a more advanced health tracker.
Managing Notifications
You will also be able to receive message notifications on all three trackers when your phone is nearby. And you will be able to reply with emojis and quick replies (Android only)
Battery Life
While each of these three has a decent battery life that will let you go multiple days from a single charge, the Inspire 3 will keep you going for up to 10 days. It’s up to 7 days with Charge 5 while Luxe has up to 5 days of battery life.
Fitbit Luxe vs Inspire 3 vs Charge 5 – Which is Better?
Without mincing words, the Charge 5 is the best out of the three. It has the most features. It has an inbuilt GPS and features ECG and stress monitoring. Moreover, it has an NFC chip that supports Fitbit Pay which will allow you to make non-contactless payments at supported terminals.
The Charge 5 is clearly a more advanced tracker than Luxe and Inspire 3.
Meanwhile, the Luxe with a more durable build might look attractive to some especially if appearance means a lot to you. But in terms of functions, the Charge 5 is better.
And if you have a tight budget, the Inspire 3 has a decent amount of features that make it a great entry device for fitness enthusiasts. Moreover, it has the longest battery life.
Bottom line, the Charge 5 has the most functions, thus it’s the most advanced and offers the best bargain while the Luxe has the most durable and stylish design. On the other hand, the Inspire 3 is cheaper yet has the longest battery life and lots of activity-tracking features.
Hi! I’m Jude, the chief editor at Smartwatchseries.com
I’m a graduate of biochemistry, a 3D artist and a passionate fitness enthusiast. On here, I and other smartwatch fans work hard to help you find the right smartwatch for you with our guides, reviews, and comparisons.
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