Fitbit Versa 3 hits the scene w/ Google Assistant, fast charging, speaker, GPS, $229

Ben Schoon | Aug 25 2020 - 6:00 am PT

While there were more advanced smartwatches available, Fitbit’s Versa 2 struck a killer balance and turned out to be one of the most popular smartwatch options for Android users since its 2019 debut. Now, Fitbit Versa 3 has arrived with a similar design, but some big improvements including Google Assistant.

Like Fitbit Versa 2, Versa 3 includes your essentials for fitness and health tracking. Heart rate monitoring, exercise modes, all-day activity tracking, sleep tracking, and more are all ready and waiting from the moment you boot up the watch. The useful “Activity Zone Minutes” feature from Versa 2 is also available on the newer model.

What’s new this year? The physical design of the hardware is overall similar, though Fitbit has ditched the physical button of Versa 2 for a pressure-sensitive area. The hardware also picks up a speaker that can be used to take phone calls from your wrist as well as hear audible replies from a voice assistant.

Perhaps the biggest hardware addition this year is built-in GPS. It’ll take a hit on the otherwise 6+ day battery, but when used will allow you to track runs and walks without needing your phone. When the battery does die, Fitbit has also introduced a new magnetic charging dock which charges the Versa 3 significantly faster. A 12-minute charge can apparently provide a full day’s worth of power.

Unfortunately, Versa 3 comes with a price hike as well. The watch will cost $229, a $50 jump over last year’s model. A shame for sure, but you’re getting a lot more for that money, including NFC which wasn’t included on the base Versa 2.

Versa 3 goes up for pre-order today in the US and will also be available in other regions around the world. Pricing varies by region.

Colors include black and soft gold aluminum. Bands include black silicone on the black aluminum model and either pink clay or midnight on the soft gold model.