Do you want a smartwatch but don’t want to spend a lot of money on it? There are a lot of low-cost smartwatch options on the market. Fitbit’s previous offerings – the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic – both started off costly. So the company intended to change that with the Versa Lite.
The Fitbit Versa Lite Edition is a new version of the best-selling Fitbit Versa from 2018, although it lacks a few functions to keep the price down. The Fitbit Versa 2 outperforms the entire Versa line in terms of functionality, but it also costs more. So those looking for a cheap gadget will still prefer the Versa Lite.
It’s still not the cheapest smartwatch on the market, but it’s considerably cheaper than the Versa’s original retail price and significantly less than the Ionic, making it a viable option for your first wristwatch. It could also be a good way to get started with wearables and start tracking your fitness.
Following the arrival of the Versa 3 and Inspire 2, the Versa Lite no longer ranks first in our list of the best Fitbits, but if money is tight, it’s still worth considering at the appropriate price.
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Price and availability
Fitbit’s Versa Lite Edition costs £205.70 (USD$229.99) and may be ordered directly from the company.
It’s worth noting that, despite the RRP difference, the standard Versa isn’t always significantly more expensive than the Lite. If you look around, the Lite becomes a little less of a wonderful value; for the most up-to-date Fitbit deals, see our round-up of Fitbit deals. Deals on the original Versa are now available, but there are fewer on the newer Versa 2.
So hopeful that stores will take the Fitbit Versa Lite and cut the price below what you’ll spend on day one in the coming months, but there’s no assurance that will happen.
Interface and performance
The Fitbit Versa Lite’s interface isn’t particularly impressive, but given what you’ll be doing with it, that’s unlikely to be a major issue.
You may activate the display by tapping it or pressing the button on the watch’s left edge. You can then tap on the item you want to activate from the home screen or swipe to the right to access alternative apps.
Four apps are presented on each page, so you may have to scroll a little to locate what you’re looking for. It’s not the most elegant interface, but it gets the job done when you’re looking for a specific feature.
When you first start an app, you may find yourself scrolling through several pages to find the feature you’re looking for. For example, the main app is Exercise, and you’ll need to cycle through the options until you discover the proper one.
It starts with Run, but if you browse down the menus, you’ll find more alternatives like Treadmill or Cycling.
Then there’s the Fitbit app, which acts as a central hub for all of the data collected by your watch. You may download new apps and watch faces from here, as well as look at the data your watch has collected.
Smartwatch features of Fitbit Versa Lite
Fitbit’s smartwatch platform isn’t as advanced as Wear OS or watchOS. This is what the Apple Watch runs on, but it does support a wide range of third-party apps in addition to Fitbit’s own apps and services. Strava and The New York Times are two examples of them.
However, there aren’t many options for your wrist here. You shouldn’t expect the same level of app variety as with Wear OS or the Apple Watch.
However, Fitbit’s own software covers a lot of the major fitness functions you’ll be looking for. You’ll receive notifications on your wrist as well, but you won’t be able to do much with them besides reading them.
If you’re using Android, you’ll be able to send rapid replies to some messages. Even these are limited, and you’ll probably end up getting your phone out once your watch buzzes.
You may also download a wide range of watch faces to give your watch a slightly different look than the standard ones. This is a nice bonus that we appreciate.
The lack of contactless payments and the inability to upload music to the watch and listen to it via Bluetooth headphones are two major drawbacks when compared to competing smartwatches.
If you want to go running with this watch, you may be limited in what you can accomplish. This limits it in comparison to a variety of computing devices, including those from the Garmin lineup, so it’s an odd feature to leave out.
On the Fitbit Versa, you can listen to music and make payments. Considering that the watch is frequently not much more than the Versa Lite, it might be worth it to invest a little more to have those functions.
Battery life of Fitbit Versa Lite
Fitbit claims that the Versa Lite Edition will last at least four days on a single charge. But keep in mind that this will vary depending on how often you use it. You won’t get as much battery life if you use it for workouts all the time.
You were able to get between four and five days out of a single charge, but once you start working out with it, you’ll notice it drops to between three and four days. Given that many other smartwatches only survive a day or two, this is still quite impressive.
The normal Fitbit Versa came with the same claim. It depends on how much we used it, the watch would last anywhere from three to four days — meaning that battery life is about the same for both models.
The Fitbit Versa Lite is recharged using a proprietary charger that comes with the device, so remember to bring it with you when you travel. It also lacks conventional wireless charging capabilities.
Design and display
If you’ve ever used a Fitbit Versa, you’ll recognize a lot of the design elements here. The Lite variant is, unsurprisingly, the company’s lightest smartwatch to date, though the exact weight of the device is unknown at this time.
This watch is water-resistant up to 50 meters, however, it isn’t meant for swimming because it lacks swim tracking. When you’re out running in the rain or accidentally immerse your wrist, the water resistance is extremely important.
On the front, there’s a touchscreen with a full-color display and a resolution of 300 x 300. It appeared clear and bright, but Fitbit’s screen technology has never felt as colorful as the Apple Watch 4 or some Wear OS devices.
There are substantial bezels around the display here, although they’re hard to detect if you’re wearing a black watch face. Along with the bottom bezel, the Fitbit logo is also placed.
On the Fitbit Versa Lite Edition, the only button you’ll need is on the left side of the watch, which wakes it up and allows you to cycle between the menus.
The watch is available in a variety of colors, including white, lilac, mulberry, and marina blue. If you choose one of the latter two, the watch body will be the same color (rather than silver), giving it a unique look that we haven’t seen on past Fitbit devices.
If you want a different design, you can buy existing Fitbit Versa accessories to pair them with Versa Lite. so check out our best Fitbit Versa bands.
Who is it designed for?
If you already have a Fitbit tracker, this is an excellent entry point into the smartwatch world. In addition, for the price, the Fitbit Versa Lite is a good all-around fitness watch.
The Versa Lite isn’t for you if you’re looking for a full-fledged smartwatch. If that’s the case, you might want to go with something with more advanced smartwatch software.
The Versa Lite, on the other hand, is almost certain to be a fantastic pick for you if you’re looking for a fitness watch that looks good, feels good, and can track a range of metrics.
What’s the difference between Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Versa Lite?
The duration of the battery. The battery life is the most significant difference between the Versa 2 and the Versa Lite. The Versa 2 should last two days longer than the Versa Lite, with a rated endurance of roughly 6 days.
Is it possible to text on the Fitbit Versa Lite?
Your Fitbit Versa can receive and send texts from Android phones and tablets. You’ll need to enable notifications, and you’ll only be able to send Brief Replies, which are quick, tailored responses.
Is the Fitbit Versa Lite a water-resistant device?
The Versa Lite is water-resistant.
The Versa Lite is “swim-proof,” which means it can withstand water for up to 50 meters. There aren’t many instances where you’d find yourself deeper than 50 meters underwater, thus this is more or less waterproof.
Conclusion
Fitbit versa lite should be on your mind if you’re in the market for a new smartwatch. While the apps and capabilities pale in contrast to the Apple Watch and even Wear OS watches, they nail the fundamentals, provide excellent fitness monitoring, and are as attractive as their competitors.
On top of that, the Versa Lite is a fantastic deal. The Versa Lite is an excellent entry-level smartwatch for those who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on an Apple Watch but yet want something that can be worn at work or while exercising.
The Versa Lite is the smartwatch to have unless you absolutely need to track floors climbed or store music. It’s a fantastic fitness tracker with smartwatch capabilities.
Fitbit versa lite has excelled at this in recent years, and they have shown no signs of losing their way. The device’s main characteristics are its robust, beautiful design and excellent fitness tracking.
