AW or Fitbit Alta HR?

[puma1552]

Haven't really paid much attention to the watch as I typically wear a nice swiss analog watch. However I may be interested in picking one up JUST for workouts and sleep monitoring (I still intend to wear my normal watch during the day).

So I was wondering, do I really need an Apple Watch if all I'm using it for is workouts (running and indoor/outdoor cycling) and sleep monitoring? It looks like the Fitbit Alta HR may meet my needs for sub-$150. But I just can't really get excited about the Fitbit after looking at one at the store (no display model to play with though).

This might also be a factor, and maybe an odd one - I kind of want to keep the Apple watch divorced from my iPhone. I like to keep my life as simple as possible and don't really want any syncing or whatever between phone and watch - I just want it to be a divorced fitness tracker.

Would you still recommend an AW?

 

[mk313]

Would you still recommend an AW?

Nope, not in your scenario. Especially about wanting to keep the watch & phone separate. Any fitbit or Garmin would work better for you than the Apple Watch would. if you want an apple watch-esque watch, but want them disconnected, take a look at the fitbit ionic.

 

[44267547]

At most, I would recommend a Series 1 Apple Watch for your uses, but even that doesn't seem necessary for your situation given you don't require the other capabilities. For running data and utilizing the heart Rate sensor, You don't need the iPhone tethered to you. If you want GPS tracking, then you could find a Series 2 (Perhaps used) if you want to save money.

As for the communication access, you can restrict this where you use the Watch for fitness capabilities only.

 

[Breezygirl]

I have both. I perfer the Alta HR for fitness tracking, I’m not a fan of Apples circles at all. The Alta HR is pretty basic in terms of any smart watch features, you can set up to see incoming calls or texts and calendar events and that’s about it. The app is fabulous as you can track things like your food consumption, calories, water intake, sleep.....

The Charge 2 is better if you want to start and stop your activities yourself or need a timer. Both the Alta HR and the Charge 2 have auto tracking of your activity as well.

Apple Watch is by far superior overall as a wearable imo but if you just want something basic to track a few fitness things the Alta might be better. Another thing is the Fitbit Alta line does not have the stair count feature.

 

[barjam]

Haven't really paid much attention to the watch as I typically wear a nice swiss analog watch. However I may be interested in picking one up JUST for workouts and sleep monitoring (I still intend to wear my normal watch during the day).

So I was wondering, do I really need an Apple Watch if all I'm using it for is workouts (running and indoor/outdoor cycling) and sleep monitoring? It looks like the Fitbit Alta HR may meet my needs for sub-$150. But I just can't really get excited about the Fitbit after looking at one at the store (no display model to play with though).

This might also be a factor, and maybe an odd one - I kind of want to keep the Apple watch divorced from my iPhone. I like to keep my life as simple as possible and don't really want any syncing or whatever between phone and watch - I just want it to be a divorced fitness tracker.

Would you still recommend an AW?

No, the Apple Watch requires pairing with the iPhone... period. It isn’t for you with those odd requirements.

No smart watch is for you with those requirements.

 

[BigMcGuire]

As a 225 pound 5'11 hairy guy ... my wife and I initially bought Fitbit Alta HRs and .... while my wife had no problem getting a HR, it refused to get mine no matter what. It told me I got almost no sleep either. AW has been far more accurate on a night and day difference scale. That and during exercises I never got a consistent HR reading. I ended up giving my Fitbit Alta HR to my mother in law and got a Fitbit Charge 2 - was a little better but still nowhere near the AW in accuracy.

Fitbit has a great app imo - great for sharing with friends who also have fitbit but it's kinda locked there. Fitbits are great for step counters and activity throughout the day and the reminders to do your 250 steps per hour. I really liked the battery life on the Alta and Charge 2. Always had a heck of a time with the double tap to wake it up. (Note, if you do get the AW, just 1 tap to wake it up, doesn't need double tapping).

Having had the AW now for over a month and a half ... I'd recommend it over the Fitbits if you can afford it. Data is far more accurate - especially for my body type.

 

[44267547]

No, the Apple Watch requires pairing with the iPhone... period. It isn’t for you with those odd requirements..

I think it's fairly obvious the OP knows that it requires an iPhone. The OP is just saying they don't prefer to utilize all its functionality that it offers based on the preferences with fitness.

 

[Nell]

My experience of Fitbit has been that the quality of the products is really poor meaning that they don’t last very long at all. This means gaps every few months while you wait for warranty replacements and I think the warranty is only a year outside Europe which makes them even worse value. I like the Fitbit app but the hardware is horrible.

It does sound like the Apple Watch isn’t for you but maybe look at Garmin rather than Fitbit.

 

[paulryp]

Samsung gear fit. last years model is a flipping barging. The new version is the same but has better waterproofing for swimming. You can get the older model for £70 on eBay. On board GPS and onboard music and heart rate monitoring. Integrates with Strava and map my ride etc. Everything you need and it doesn't matter if you lose it down the back of the sofa. I charge mine while in the shower so battery never gets to low.

 

[newellj]

Haven't really paid much attention to the watch as I typically wear a nice swiss analog watch. However I may be interested in picking one up JUST for workouts and sleep monitoring (I still intend to wear my normal watch during the day).

So I was wondering, do I really need an Apple Watch if all I'm using it for is workouts (running and indoor/outdoor cycling) and sleep monitoring? It looks like the Fitbit Alta HR may meet my needs for sub-$150. But I just can't really get excited about the Fitbit after looking at one at the store (no display model to play with though).

This might also be a factor, and maybe an odd one - I kind of want to keep the Apple watch divorced from my iPhone. I like to keep my life as simple as possible and don't really want any syncing or whatever between phone and watch - I just want it to be a divorced fitness tracker.

Would you still recommend an AW?

I am somewhat similar. I have worn fairly expensive mechanical watches for several decades. I was looking for health/fitness wearables and experimented with a number of different wearables. The reasons I went with an Apple Watch over the others were:

1. Although other wearables did specific things better than the AW, none did as much as the AW (greater flexibility at the cost of best single function).

2. Contrary to your preference, I am highly positive on the integration between the iPhone and the Watch (and several other devices I use that the Apple Health app uses as data sources). I really like the fact that the Health app (via the iPhone) brings all this data together.

I still wear a "real" watch on my left wrist and the AW on my right. No one has asked questions or looked at me like I'm odd. If I were asked, I would just tell them the truth - to me, the AW is simply a fitness wearable, not a watch at all.

 

[puma1552]

Thanks guys, I think for now I'm going to sit it out and see if it gets a redesign for gen 4. Not in any hurry.

 

[newellj]

The feature that would be a killer upgrade would be an EKG built-in, like the add-on KardiaBand. Might be too much hardware for the case right now.

The other killer upgrade, which would sell millions of these things overnight, would be blood glucose monitoring, but that seems even further off.

And I apologize for using 'killer' in this context. :-\

 

[roncron]

Haven't really paid much attention to the watch as I typically wear a nice swiss analog watch. However I may be interested in picking one up JUST for workouts and sleep monitoring (I still intend to wear my normal watch during the day).

So I was wondering, do I really need an Apple Watch if all I'm using it for is workouts (running and indoor/outdoor cycling) and sleep monitoring? It looks like the Fitbit Alta HR may meet my needs for sub-$150. But I just can't really get excited about the Fitbit after looking at one at the store (no display model to play with though).

This might also be a factor, and maybe an odd one - I kind of want to keep the Apple watch divorced from my iPhone. I like to keep my life as simple as possible and don't really want any syncing or whatever between phone and watch - I just want it to be a divorced fitness tracker.

Would you still recommend an AW?

I have both and think the Alta HR would work for your needs. The AW is a bit more accurate but the Alta is pretty good, has much longer battery life, is less conspicuous, and costs a lot less.

The AW as you know has a ton of functionality you’re not interested, and it really can’t be divorced from your iPhone.