The LifeTrak Brite R450 VS The FitBit Charge

Comparison between Lifetrak R450 and Fitbit Charge

I turned thirty in September, and I decided it was time to really start taking care of my health. I started running, making sure I got enough sleep, tracked my weight, made sure I walked enough steps during the day, and much more. After a while, tracking everything and taking notes became very time consuming. I thought it was time I got a little help, so I went to the store to buy a health or fitness tracker. In the last year and a half, fitness and health trackers have literally taken the markets by storm. The offering for these kinds of devices has tripled in the last six months.

I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of devices available, and did not know what to buy. The sale person recommended the FitBit Charge, and  LifeTrack Brite R450. I could not decide which to buy, so I got both. I’ve now had them for over three months, and I decided I would review them both, hoping to help other people who may feel overwhelmed by all these different trackers. I’m going to cover the following topic relating to the devices:

• Features/Information: What are the device’s features? What kind of information does it gather? Is the device comfortable?
• User-friendliness: Is the device easy to use?
• Enjoyment: Is the device fun to use? Does it inspire you in your quest for fitness? Is it worth its price?

Features/Information

The LifeTrak Brite R450 is a fitness tracker which can track your steps, your distance walked, the calories you burn, your heart rate and your workouts. It also detects when you fall asleep and when you wake up. The tracker will alert you when you have been sitting down for too long and recommend you to be active. It will also wake you up when you have had enough sleep, and you are in an optimal REM cycle.

Unlike other fitness trackers, the LifeTrack Brite R450 can track your light exposure and can tell you if you are in need of more natural light. The tracker is very comfortable and you can wear it all day and night. It looks like a regular watch.

The FitBit Charge is a fitness tracker bracelet which tracks your sleep and exercise. There is only one button on the tracker which allows you to switch between the time, and your calories burned. Any functions or dashboards have to access through its phone app or on the company’s website. The Charge shaped like a band. It is made from hard plastic and comes in various colours and size.

Winner: The LifeTrak Brite R450 is more convenient in both its form and its accessible functions. The R450 is definitely more comfortable than the Charge. The Charge is made from hard plastic and does not sit well on the wrist. Even the smallest size was too big for me, and I add to stop wearing it at night. The R450 also gathers much more information and data than the Charge, and gives you a more complete portrait of your health condition and fitness level.

User-friendliness:

The FitBit Charge is very easy to set up. Simply download the FitBit app on your phone or tablet and sign-up for an account. You can also do it from home on your computer. One you set up the account, link it to your tracker either via Bluetooth to your phone or tablet or to your computer using the plastic dongle which comes with the tracker. Once your phone/computer linked to the tracker, they will sync together to let you download your data.

The FitBit Charge is easy to set up, but slightly harder to use. It is a simple bracelet with no button or screen. It often falls from your wrist, and it is not easy to put on and take off. The FitBit app is very user-friendly and straightforward. All the stats and data are well displayed, in a clear and attractive manner. There are charts, graphs, calendars and many dashboards, which let you visualize your data and progress. The app will also let you know how much battery life you have left in your tracker.

The LifeTrak Brite R450 is a three-button watch-like tracker. You can access many navigation screens directly on the tracker: no need to wait to be at home to make configuration changes. You can start your workouts, view your stats, check your heart rate and other functions, straight on the device.

The tracker is easy to put on and never falls. You must download the app and sign up for an account before pairing your phone or computer with the tracker. This is very easy to do and takes only a couple of minutes. The app is very complete and straightforward. All the stats displayed in easy to read graphs and charts, which track your progress daily.

Winner: I would say the LifeTrack Brite R450 is more user-friendly than the FitBit Charge. It pairs more quickly with my phone and does not fall from my wrist. Its data charts and graphs are more complete and easier to read than the Charge’s. I also enjoyed being able to visualize my workouts on the tracker. The FitBit Charge is only capable to display the time and your heart rate which is not convenient.

Enjoyment:

Both devices were fun to use. They both inspired me to take better care about my health and made me realize how much, or how little, exercise I did daily. The FitBit Charge was sometimes frustrating because of the lack of control I had on it and the fact that it would not stay put on my wrist, but overall it was still enjoyable.

The LifeTrack Brite R450 was a pleasure to use. I had complete control over the functions, and the tracker was so comfortable I often forgot I was wearing it. The FitBit Charge retails for 129.95$, and the R450 retails for 120$. Both are affordable and well worth their price, although the R450 does have more features for a lesser price. Both trackers are high-quality.

Winner: I can’t really choose a winner here because both trackers were fun to use. Both inspired me on my quest for fitness, and I’m glad I had the chance to try them both.

The two trackers are very good products, but I did prefer the LifeTrack Brite R450. It was a close race but in the end, the R450 had more functions, better interface, more data and more comfortable. If you are looking for a fitness or health tracker, I would recommend you try the LifeTrack Brite R450. Read more Lifetrak products comparsion here