Google Fitbit Air Tracks Heart Rate Within 2.5% but Misses Calories by Up to 31%
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 10
Google Fitbit Air Tracks Heart Rate Within 2.5% but Misses Calories by Up to 31%
3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 10
Summary
ZDNET’s gym test found Fitbit Air’s average and minimum heart-rate readings stayed close to a Polar H10 chest strap, with treadmill heart-rate error under 2.5%.
During pace changes and strength intervals, the wrist-worn device lagged or missed brief spikes: it logged 109 bpm when Polar showed 141, and strength-session max heart rate was 134 versus 151.
Calorie estimates diverged more sharply, with Fitbit Air undercounting treadmill burn by 17 kcal, or 11.9%, and strength training by 47 kcal, or 30.9%.
The test suggests Fitbit Air is reliable for general heart-rate tracking but weaker for calorie counting and short-burst intensity work, where chest straps remain the better option.