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Withings Pulse HR vs Fitbit Charge 3 – Which is Better?

withings pulse hr vs fitbit charge 3
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Fitbit Charge 3 is one of the best-selling fitness smartband in the US in 2018, but now there seems to be a challenger from Withings. It’s the Pulse HR which has some glaring similarities with Charge 3. The big question is, can the new Pulse HR unseat Charge 3 as a popular on-demand fitness tracker.

In this article, it’s Withings Pulse HR vs Fitbit Charge 3, two fantastic choices for comprehensive activity tracking. This quick comparison of their specs and features will help us unravel which of these two is a better choice.

Withings Pulse HR vs Fitbit Charge 3 Full Specifications

Withings Pulse HRFitbit Charge 3
withings pulse hrfitbit-charge 3 specs

ABOUT DEVICE

Device nameWithings Pulse HRFitbit Charge 3
Device typeFitness smartbandSporty/Fitness smartwatch
Predessesor_Fitbit Charge 2
Successor_Fitbit Charge 4
Released dateNovember, 2018August, 2018
Ideal forUnisexUnisex

DISPLAY

Display typeOLED (monochrome)OLED (monochrome)
Display size1.7 inch1.57 inch
Display resolution___
Pixel density_--
Input typeSingle button
(Not touchscreen)
Touchscreen
Always-onYesNo
Customizable watch faceNoYes

BODY

ShapeCircularRectangular/curved
Dimension44.4 x 18.16 x 10.5 mm38 x 18.3 x 11.8 mm
Weight45 grams30 grams
Casing materialStainless steel/PolycarbonatePlastic Resin
Strap/band materialSiliconePolyester (Special edition)
Silicone
Bezel MaterialBezelessResin
Strap size20mm140 - 180 mm (small)
180 - 220 mm (large)
Interchangeable band Yes, 20mmYes
Screen protectionCorning Gorilla GlassHardened Glass
Water resistant/ProtectionYes, 5ATMYes, 5ATM
Swim-proofYes, recommendedYes, recommended
Color(s)BlackGraphite black
Rose-gold/berry
Rose-gold/ blue grey

(Special Edition)
Lavender
White

MEMORY

RAM_--
Internal storage___
Memory card slotNo__

CONNECTIVITY

BluetoothBluetooth v4.0 LEBluetooth v4.0 LE
Bluetooth callingNoNo
Wi-FiNoNo
NFCNoYes (special edition)
Payment systemNoneFitbit Pay (special edition)
GPSNo (connected GPS)No, (connected GPS)

CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY

TechnologyNoNo
SIMNoNo
BandNoNo

NOTIFICATIONS

Email alertYesYes
SMS alertYesYes
Calls alertYesYes
Event reminderYesYes
WeatherYesYes
Third-party appsYesYes
Text responseNoYes (android only)

FITNESS TRACKING

Sleep apneaNoNo
Sleep trackingYesYes
StepsYesYes
Floors climbedNoYes
Heart rate monitoringYesYes
CaloriesYesYes
DistanceYesYes
StressNoYes
VO2 Max.NoYes
Blood oxygenNoYes
Blood pressureNoNo
Menstrual cycle trackingNoYes
Swim trackingYesYes
Under-water heart rate trackingNoNo
Preloaded mapsNoNo
On-screen workout modesNoNo
Triathlon modeNo__
ECG TrackingNoNo
Preloaded sport modesYes, 30Yes, 15+
Safety trackingNoNo

MEDIA

AudioNoNo
Music streamingNoNo
Bluetooth musicNoNo
RadioNoNo
LoudspeakerNoNo
MicrophoneNoNo
CameraNoNo

SENSORS

PLATFORM

Operating system (OS)_Fitbit OS
Chipset_--
CPUUnknown--
GPU----

BATTERY

Type of batteryNon-removable batteryNon-removable lithium polymer
Battery capacity __
Battery lifeStandby: 20 Days+Mixed usage: up to 7 days
Charging typeMixed usage: 5 Days+USB based charging dock
Charging timeNoAbout 1-2 hours
Battery saver modeNoNo
Solar powerNoNo
Rapid chargingNoNo

CLOCK FEATURES

Time/DateYesYes
StopwatchYesYes
AlarmYesYes

OTHER FUNCTIONS

Control cameraNoNo
Music controlNoNo
Find phoneNoNo

MISC

Compatibility Android 6.0+,
iOS 10.0+
Android, IOS

Check supported devices
Companion appHealth Mate AppFitbit App
Voice commandNoNo

BOX CONTENTS

Withings Pulse HRFitbit Charge 3
StrapsStrap (small and large)
ChargerMagnetic charging dock
Quick start guideQuick 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

Withings Pulse HR vs Fitbit Charge 3 Features Compared

  • Display and Design
  • If you were going to buy a fitness smartband, you probably would go for something sleek and flexible that’s easy to wear and at the same time looks elegant and stylish. In this regard both the Pulse HR and Charge 3 have fantastic designs, however, the Charge 3 for me, looks more advanced. You could actually wear it beyond sporting activities for other events and it will look great.

    Looking at the display, it’s the same monochromic OLED on both devices which is easy to view outdoors, however, while Charge 3 has touchscreen support the Pulse HR doesn’t.

    The Pulse HR is bigger and slimmer than the Charge 3. It also features more durable body materials than Charge 3 and in addition, it has a bigger screen size, however, Charge 3 weighs less than the Pulse HR which is a familiar characteristic of fitness trackers, but overall these two are nowhere near bulky or being too heavy.

    Overall, Charge 3 killed it with a more stylish and advanced design, it looks more premium than the Pulse HR. Perhaps this is one main reason it has become the most sought-after smartband.

  • Battery Life
  • With any of these smartbands, you will get over 4 days of battery life from a single charge. This is great for a smartband especially if you were to partake in an extreme workout session or travel out. However, the Pulse HR has a far longer battery life than the Charge 3. It will last over 15 days on regular usage from a single charge. It’s the sort of battery life you get with the likes of Amazfit Bip. This is massive and if you wanted something that lets you go longer from a single charge then you should get yourself the Pulse HR.

    On the other hand, the Charge 3 which is succeeded by the Charge 4 also has a decent battery life. Users have claimed they got an average of 5 – 7 days on minimal usage.

  • Fitness Tracking Features

Fitness tracking is the main bone of contention between these two, although you shouldn’t have any doubt over the activity tracking capabilities of any of these because you will be getting a complete fitness tracking experience with any of the two smartbands. Still, there are minor differences.

Both devices offer complete sleep cycle tracking, heart rate, steps, and calorie tracking. However, with Pulse HR you get 30 sport modes to choose from while Charge 3 gives you 15 sport modes. But in terms of more fitness tracking features and accuracy, go for Fitbit Charge 3.

It’s worth noting that the Fitbit app for viewing tracked fitness metrics is far more advanced than the Health Mate app for Pulse HR. It has more features that make it more interactive and stems from a competition that encourages you to achieve more goals. However, one thing I like about the Health Mate app is its simplicity and the way you can view all tracked metrics at a glance. It’s a nice companion app, but the Fitbit app is better.

Which Should You Buy?

Surprisingly these two cost the same price, $130. But if you were to buy the Pulse HR it would be a great choice because you get to have more sporting activities to choose from plus it’s stronger and has far longer battery life.

However, Fitbit Charge 3 is no doubt a better choice, even though you get fewer sports modes to choose from. Its more flexible and looks more stylish than the Pulse HR and in addition, it has NFC which supports Fitbit Pay – a non-contactless payment system that lets you make payments on the go. Plus the Fitbit Charge 3 has high fitness tracking accuracy. So you will be getting more from Charge 3.

Here is a summary;

FITBIT CHARGE 3 Best value for money, more stylish and more features.
WITHINGS PULSE HRFantastic choice, longer battery life and more sports modes to choose from.