Fitbit Versa 3 vs. Fitbit Versa: Should you upgrade?

Fitbit Versa 3

It's easy to see that the Fitbit Versa 3 has come a long way since the first generation. Everything that we hoped to one day receive is now available on this watch. You now have a sleeker and more attractive design, onboard GPS, longer battery life, voice assistant options, and more.

Fitbit Versa

The Fitbit Versa was a big deal when it was first released. Whether you're a beginner or a budget shopper, the original Versa is still an excellent choice. You might not have the advanced features on more expensive models, but it can handle the basics without breaking the bank.

Fitbit Versa 3 vs. Fitbit Versa Tons of improvements

When deciding if you should upgrade to the Fitbit Versa 3 from the Fitbit Versa, some of the main factors that will come into play are your budget and your features wishlist. Both of these smartwatches bring a lot to the table, but your decision will depend on how advanced you want your wearable to be.

If you don't want to spend a lot and don't need a ton of extras, you might prefer the original Fitbit Versa, which serves as a robust fitness tracker. However, if you want to be able to do more with your smartwatch, then you should consider upgrading to the Fitbit Versa 3.

You can do more with the Fitbit Versa 3

If you already own the original Fitbit Versa, you'll be happy to hear that everything you love about it is also available on the new Versa 3. This means you'll have activity/sleep tracking, several goal-based exercise modes, heart-rate monitoring, and female health tracking.

Some of the new features include onboard GPS, voice assistants with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and a built-in mic/speaker. Google Assistant wasn't available at launch, but the latest update enables this feature as well as text replies, voice calls, and more.

While the design is familiar to past models, it's more polished and refined than ever. Fitbit has included a larger display area, smoother lines, increased comfort, better responsiveness, and more effortless interactions. One of the big design changes are the new infinity bands. These comfy new bands use a quick-release attachment, which makes it much easier to change your watch band. The only caveat is that previous Fitbit bands won't be compatible with this new system.

The battery life on the Fitbit Versa 3 should last for six days or more depending on your usage. You know those moments when you're in a hurry and realize that your watch is almost out of juice? The new fast charging feature promises to give you a full day of battery life after only 12 minutes of charging.

Fitbit has improved heart-rate monitoring thanks to the new PurePulse 2.0 technology. This upgrade is supposed to be the most advanced heart rate technology on a smartwatch to date. You'll receive abnormal and high/low heart rate notifications as well. Let's not forget about the Active Zone Minutes feature, which was first released on the Fitbit Charge 4. You'll receive a notification when you've reached your personalized target heart rate zone during an exercise. These heart rate zones are directly based on your age and fitness level.

As you can tell, the Fitbit Versa 3 has made leaps and bounds since the original model was released over two years ago. Whether you want to leave your phone behind and still have GPS to map your route, use the mic/speaker to take a Bluetooth call on your wrist, or ask Alexa a quick question, you can do it all with the Versa 3.

You can keep things simple with the Fitbit Versa

While the extras are not present on the original Fitbit Versa, everything you need for a solid tracking experience is available. It does the basics, like track your steps, calories, and distance throughout the day. Some of the other key features include activity/sleep tracking, 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, female health tracking, and smartphone notifications.

You'll also be able to use Fitbit Coach to access on-screen workouts. If you want unlimited access to these types of features, you can pay for the subscription service. As you continue using this feature, new workouts will be added based on your fitness and performance level.

The Fitbit Versa design has remained fairly similar over the years. The original model has a color LCD touchscreen and offers four days of battery life. Fortunately, you'll find that the original Fitbit Versa bands are compatible with both the Versa, Versa Lite, and Versa 2.

What will you have to live without? The Fitbit Versa doesn't have onboard GPS, voice assistants, or a mic/speaker. Mobile payments are not a standard feature, so you'll need to spend more for the Special Edition if you want Fitbit Pay. You can use connected GPS with your smartphone, but you'll always need to have it with you when you exercise. The lack of a mic/speaker may not seem like a big deal, but it sure is nice when you want to send a quick voice reply.

Fitbit Versa 3 vs. Fitbit Versa Should you upgrade?

The original Fitbit Versa is ideal for budget shoppers as well as beginners who are entering the world of fitness tracking for the first time. It may not have all of the great improvements that the Versa 3 has, but it's perfect for basic health and activity tracking without the extra bells and whistles. There's a reason why the Versa was quickly coined one of the best Fitbit devices when it first came out.

With all of that in mind, if you've been waiting to upgrade, the Fitbit Versa 3 gives you plenty of good reasons to make the leap. You'll have longer battery life, built-in GPS, advanced heart-rate technology, voice assistants, and more. It might cost a bit more than the original Fitbit Versa but when you consider all that you get for it, it's worth the extra money spent.