Fitbit Charge 5 Power Bundle Review: Conditional 6.5/10
A tracker that’s “rated up to 7 days” but, for some owners, “started draining in less than 12 hours after the last update” is the central tension around the Fitbit Charge 5 Fitness Tracker - Power Bundle (Blue Stainless Steel). Verdict: Conditional buy — 6.5/10.
Quick Verdict
For buyers who mainly want sleep tracking, a slim design, and a bright screen, the Fitbit Charge 5 Fitness Tracker - Power Bundle (Blue Stainless Steel) can land as “simple / nice looking” with sleep tracking that “seems really useful” (Reddit). But digging into community threads, a recurring pattern emerged: battery drain, syncing/app headaches, and GPS/heart-rate frustrations show up often enough that some owners call it “a disposable tracker” (Fitbit Community) rather than a long-term companion.
Reddit user posts frequently frame it as a “fitness tracker” rather than a smartwatch, which shapes expectations: “keep in mind that the charge 5 is a fitness tracker. it’s not intended nor marketed as a smartwatch.” Still, multiple users complain that missing basics (weather, reminders, clock-face stats) make it feel oddly constrained.
| Decision | What the data suggests |
|---|---|
| Should you buy? | Conditional (depends on tolerance for reliability risk) |
| Biggest pro | Sleep tracking + slim/bright screen experience |
| Biggest con | Battery drain + device failures/replacements (Fitbit Community threads) |
| Best for | Sleep-focused users, casual step tracking, minimal smartwatch needs |
| Risky for | Runners who need GPS accuracy, anyone who hates syncing/app issues |
| Value note | Great on sale; several users say “hard pressed to buy full price” (Reddit) |
Claims vs Reality
Fitbit’s marketing emphasizes an “advanced fitness + health tracker” with “built-in gps,” “heart health” tools like ECG, and “battery life of up to 7 days” (Fitbit/Amazon specs). On paper, it reads like a do-it-all band: “real-time pace & distance powered by built-in gps” and “up to 7-day battery” (Fitbit/Amazon specs). But user accounts repeatedly stress that the lived experience can diverge sharply depending on firmware, usage patterns, and unit-to-unit luck.
Claim 1: “Battery life of up to 7 days.” While officially positioned as “battery life of up to 7 days” (Fitbit/Amazon specs), multiple Fitbit Community posters describe much shorter endurance. One user wrote: “my battery… started draining in less than 12 hours after the last update,” and another summarized the problem bluntly: “battery draining rapidly, only last approximately 3 days” (Fitbit Community). In the same reliability thread, the frustration escalates into accusations of “false misleading advertisement” tied directly to the “up to 7 days” messaging (Fitbit Community). Yet the story isn’t uniform—some owners say it still “lasts a week or so” and is “great” for them (Fitbit Community), especially when avoiding always-on display/GPS.
Claim 2: “Built-in GPS” for phone-free tracking. The marketing promises freedom: “go phone-free… powered by built-in gps” (Fitbit specs). Digging deeper into user reports, GPS becomes one of the most polarizing areas. A Fitbit Community runner compared routes and found “between 250m and 950m variance,” calling it “completely unacceptable” (Fitbit Community). Another posted that GPS was “always connecting and when it does connect it’s in / out which gives me inaccurate readings” (Fitbit Community). Even users who try to sidestep onboard GPS by using a phone still run into headaches: “dynamic gps didn’t work during my run… therefore the fitbit app is useless for me to track my runs” (Fitbit Community). But the counterpoint exists—one Reddit commenter said: “gps works well for runs” (Reddit), highlighting the inconsistency.
Claim 3: “Heart health” and “24/7 heart rate.” Fitbit positions the Charge 5 as heart-focused, from “high & low heart rate notifications” to ECG and health metrics (Fitbit/Amazon specs). Several community users like having ECG available—one called it “a fantastic addition” (Fitbit Community), and another said: “every now and then i’ll run the ekg to see if i have arrhythmia” (Reddit). But multiple reports challenge day-to-day accuracy during workouts or even at rest. A Fitbit Community user described heart rate as “unreliable,” while another went further: “hr sensor is badly inaccurate… erratic and unpredictable” (Fitbit Community). For data-driven athletes, that gap can undermine the whole product premise.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
“The display is nice… the colors are great” is a theme that keeps resurfacing, especially from owners upgrading older Charge models. One Fitbit Community reviewer said the screen is “bright even on dim,” with navigation that’s “nice and easy… very responsive with little to no lag” (Fitbit Community). For commuters and office workers who want quick-glance stats, that screen upgrade is the kind of daily comfort that matters more than a spec sheet.
Wearability is another consistent win. A Fitbit Community poster called the design “slim, light, with a premium feeling” and praised that the sensors are “non-intruding,” unlike older devices that “were digging badly into my arm” (Fitbit Community). For all-day wearers—especially those buying it mainly for sleep—comfort is the deciding factor, and Reddit user feedback echoes that: “i only bought it for sleep tracking but i’m wearing it all day anyways” (Reddit).
Sleep tracking, in particular, is repeatedly framed as the “keep it” feature. Reddit user feedback is straightforward: “sleep tracking so far seems really useful. the smart alarm is kind of nifty” (Reddit). Another long-time Fitbit wearer, disappointed overall, still admitted: “the sleep monitoring does seem pretty good… i believe sleep tracking is a strength of fitbit” (Fitbit Community). For people managing recovery, irregular schedules, or just trying to build better habits, that consistent sleep focus is where the Charge 5 seems to earn its place.
Even when users complain about reliability, some still describe the product as ideal—when it works. One poster in the reliability thread summed it up: “when it works, its everything i need in a tracker” (Fitbit Community). That repeated “when it works” refrain is telling: the core concept and form factor are widely liked.
Praised most often (with context):
- Screen upgrade and readability: “crisp and bright” (Fitbit Community)
- Comfort for 24/7 wear: “slim, light” (Fitbit Community)
- Sleep tracking experience: “really useful” (Reddit)
- ECG as a bonus tool: “fantastic addition” (Fitbit Community)
Common Complaints
Battery and reliability dominate the negative narrative across Fitbit Community threads, with some users cycling through multiple replacements. One user wrote: “so far i have had 3 replacements, they all fail in different ways… this was all in the space of 10 months” (Fitbit Community). Another reported a “100% failure rate in my experience” after multiple devices in a household started failing (Fitbit Community). For buyers who expect a “set it and forget it” tracker, these stories turn the Charge 5 into a gamble rather than a tool.
GPS complaints are especially harsh among runners and hikers who depend on accuracy. A Fitbit Community runner said distance tracking is “massively inaccurate,” worse on onboard GPS than phone GPS, with huge variance versus measured routes (Fitbit Community). Another described GPS that “causes the unit to freeze and require a reboot” (Reddit). Even when someone tries to treat it as a phone-tethered device, it doesn’t always calm down the experience: “dynamic gps didn’t work during my run” (Fitbit Community). The common thread: for competitive training, bad GPS breaks trust quickly.
The ecosystem—syncing and app behavior—also shows up repeatedly. One Fitbit Community post complained of “syncing issues” not seen on earlier models (Fitbit Community). Another described integration chaos with MyFitnessPal: “activity data isn’t synced properly… they’re useless to me if i can’t add the corresponding calorie consumption” and then “the fitbit app synced it back to itself creating a bigger calorie deficit than actual” (Fitbit Community). On Reddit, a user described the app as “a little clunky” (Reddit). For meticulous loggers, the problem can be devastating: a Reddit commenter said the app started “deleting random food from my log,” with days showing implausible totals like “475 calories” (Reddit).
Feature regression is a quieter but persistent frustration—especially for long-time Charge owners. Multiple community posts mourn the missing altimeter: “i miss the stair count feature” (Fitbit Community) and “absence of an altimeter is disappointing… truly miss that” (Fitbit Community). Others also call out the lack of smartwatch staples: “where is a weather app? music controls?” (Reddit) and disappointment that Charge 5 dropped “weather, agenda” that existed on Charge 4 (Fitbit Community).
Most repeated complaints (who it hits hardest):
- Reliability/replacements: heavy users, long-term Fitbit loyalists (Fitbit Community)
- Battery drain after updates: daily trackers who rely on week-long charging cycles (Fitbit Community)
- GPS inaccuracy/freezes: runners, hikers, competitive trainees (Fitbit Community/Reddit)
- Sync/app issues: calorie loggers and MyFitnessPal users (Fitbit Community/Reddit)
- Lost features vs older models: Charge 2/4 upgraders (Fitbit Community)
Divisive Features
The Charge 5’s “not a smartwatch” identity splits buyers into two camps. Some Reddit users defend the limitations: “if i wanted a watch that gave me reminders, or the weather forecast, or play music… i would have bought something else” (Reddit). For minimalists, that’s the point—an “inexpensive tracker” that focuses on steps, minutes, sleep, and heart rate (Reddit). Yet others feel the product lands in an awkward middle: one user asked why mood tracking exists in the app but not as a watch reminder, and complained that clock faces are “ugly / have no stats” (Reddit).
Even “water lock” sparks conflict. One Reddit commenter warned: “i’m guessing you haven’t used the water lock ‘feature’ yet. it’s a horrible feature that locks up your watch indefinitely!” (Reddit). Another Reddit user pushed back, explaining: “water lock just turns off the touch screen… you’ll have to really thump it to turn the feature off” (Reddit). In other words, some see it as buggy and risky; others see it as clunky but manageable.
Trust & Reliability
“Having had 3 replacements myself… i am convinced there are some serious quality issues with the charge 5” is the kind of statement that gives the reliability debate its investigative edge (Fitbit Community). Digging deeper into these threads, the pattern isn’t a single failure mode—users describe battery drain, unresponsive screens, freezing, and devices that “won’t charge” (Fitbit Community). One poster described a “dramatic, tortured death” where heart tracking degraded, ECG/EDA features froze the device, and then “tracker is now a brick” (Fitbit Community).
Scam-language shows up mostly as anger at support experiences and warranty outcomes. One frustrated owner wrote: “this is both me and my wife’s experience! and now they don’t even replace our fitbits. nice technological scam!” (Fitbit Community). Another warned that when you’re out of warranty, support may offer “a one time discount code for $35 off another purchase” (Fitbit Community). Even when customer service is described as polite—“not once have i experienced… being rude”—it doesn’t always translate into a satisfying resolution (Fitbit Community).
At the same time, durability isn’t universally bleak. One Reddit commenter said they’ve had theirs “about 4 months with no issues” (Reddit). Another Fitbit Community user buying secondhand reported it “has since worked fine… lasts a week or so” (Fitbit Community). The long-term takeaway from the user data is less about guaranteed failure and more about volatility: some units seem solid; others collapse quickly, sometimes repeatedly.
Alternatives
Only a few competitors are explicitly mentioned in the data, but the contrast is sharp. Apple Watch appears as the “smartwatch app stuff” option, with one Reddit user wearing a Charge 5 for fitness tracking while relying on an Apple Watch for connectivity and apps: “the apple watch does the smart watch app stuff when i want that” (Reddit). For buyers who keep asking for weather, reminders, music controls, and richer watch faces, that split-use story suggests the Charge 5 may feel limited unless paired with another device.
Samsung Galaxy Watch is named as an escape hatch by a frustrated Charge 5 owner: “i’m getting a samsung galaxy watch!!!” (Fitbit Community). Versa 3 also comes up repeatedly as a better fit for people wanting apps and smartwatch-like flexibility; one user said they “appreciated all the 3rd party apps” on a friend’s Versa (Fitbit Community), and another eventually “bought a versa 3” after Charge 5 problems kept worsening (Fitbit Community).
For Fitbit loyalists who mainly want stability and familiar features, older Charge models are repeatedly held up as superior: “my charge 2, 3 and 4 were far superior” (Reddit), and several users regret losing floors/altimeter and certain apps compared with Charge 4 (Fitbit Community). The alternative, for many, isn’t a rival brand—it’s not upgrading at all.
Price & Value
On Amazon, the Charge 5 is shown discounted (example listing: “-27%… $109.96” with “4.3 out of 5 stars” and “12,092 reviews” in the provided snapshot), positioning it as a sale-friendly buy rather than a premium splurge. That pricing context matters because multiple users say they’d keep it but hesitate at full price. Reddit user sentiment captures it: “i would be hard pressed to buy full price just for that” (Reddit), even while praising sleep tracking.
Resale listings on eBay show the market treating it like a commodity device, with “watch only” used units around the $55 range in one example and other listings spanning new/other and pre-owned price points (eBay snapshots). For bargain hunters, that aligns with a community pattern: one Fitbit Community user reported buying from eBay—likely returns—and said “so far it has worked perfectly” (Fitbit Community). The tradeoff is obvious: lower price may come with uncertain history.
Buying tips implied by the community center on minimizing risk. Several owners describe early failures (“2 months of use,” “3 days,” “10 weeks in”) and heavy reliance on warranty replacements (Fitbit Community). The practical value story from the feedback is: buy it on sale, keep the return window in mind, and treat week-long battery life claims as “best case” rather than guaranteed.
FAQ
Q: Is the Fitbit Charge 5 battery really 7 days?
A: Official specs say “battery life of up to 7 days” (Fitbit/Amazon specs), but user experiences vary widely. One Fitbit Community user said it began “draining in less than 12 hours after the last update,” while others report “lasts a week or so” when avoiding GPS and always-on display.
Q: Is the built-in GPS accurate enough for running?
A: Many runners complain it isn’t. A Fitbit Community runner reported “between 250m and 950m variance,” calling it “completely unacceptable,” and others describe GPS that “freeze[s] and require[s] a reboot.” Still, at least one Reddit user says “gps works well for runs,” suggesting inconsistency by unit and conditions.
Q: Does the Charge 5 work well as a smartwatch (weather, music, reminders)?
A: Not for many buyers expecting smartwatch features. Reddit user feedback asks “where is a weather app? music controls?” and complains clock faces are “ugly / have no stats.” Another Reddit commenter counters that “it’s a fitness tracker… not intended… as a smartwatch,” so satisfaction depends on expectations.
Q: Is heart rate tracking reliable during workouts?
A: Some users say it’s unreliable. Fitbit Community posts describe heart rate as “unreliable” and even “erratic and unpredictable,” including spikes while sitting. Others find it acceptable for their needs and focus more on motivation than perfect accuracy, but athletes seeking dependable workout HR often sound disappointed.
Q: Is the Charge 5 durable long-term?
A: Reliability concerns are prominent in Fitbit Community threads, including multiple replacements: “3 replacements… all fail in different ways,” and stories of devices becoming unresponsive or not charging. At the same time, some owners report months of trouble-free use. The user data points to a real durability lottery.
Final Verdict
Buy if you’re a sleep-tracking-first user who values a slim, bright band and can live with a “fitness tracker” that may feel feature-light; Reddit user feedback says “sleep tracking… seems really useful,” and Fitbit Community users praise the “crisp and bright” screen.
Avoid if you’re training competitively and need dependable GPS/heart-rate metrics or if battery volatility would derail your routine; multiple Fitbit Community users describe “massively inaccurate” running distance and battery drain “in less than 12 hours.”
Pro tip from the community: treat water features cautiously—one Reddit user advises avoiding showers/steam, noting “steam can infiltrate where liquid water cannot,” and another warns water lock can be frustrating to toggle.
