This all depends on the accuracy of the heart rate reading, of course, so we worked out with the new Alta HR and compared it to the Apple Watch (both the original and second-generation versions, which share the same heart rate sensor). Intensity is measured in part by being in different heart rate zones, like peak (the most intense), fat burn (least intense), cardio, and out of zone (not exercising). And the app recommends ways to improve for example, Nicole was told to increase the intensity of her exercise in order to increase her score by 20%. That's based on your resting heart rate and profile (weight, height, age, and gender). Last year, the company introduced a “cardio fitness score” that shows you how fit you are (and can be) on its devices with heart rate tracking. Also, a review in Runner’s World confirmed that the Apple Watch 2 produces similar heart rate results to a chest-strap monitor during long runs.įitbit products have gone beyond counting steps and focused increasingly on measuring exercise. People wore various devices while exercising, and virtually all readings from the Fitbit Charge HR - which uses the same “PurePulse” heart rate tracking technology as the Alta HR - fell 34 to 39 beats per minute below or above the true heart rate.įor comparison, virtually all of the Apple Watch's readings fell in a slightly closer range, just 27 to 29 bpm below or above the true heart rate. So the Alta HR seems to do a decent job of measuring resting heart rate - with the caveats that the Apple Watch isn't a flawless baseline, and wrist-worn heart rate trackers aren’t as accurate as chest strap-based monitors.īut how does the Alta HR do when you’re not sitting still?Īn October 2016 research letter in JAMA Cardiology foreshadowed our experience. But when Nicole compared the Alta HR’s resting heart rate results to readings from an Apple Watch 2, both devices were, on average, within three beats per minute of each other. We were concerned that the smaller optical heart rate monitor on the Alta HR would affect its accuracy compared to bigger devices like the Charge 2 or Apple Watch 2. To add heart-tracking to the Alta, Fitbit had to decrease the size of its sensor parts. The trackers’ “smart features” are limited to SMS.
The Alta HR’s “smart features” - call, text, and calendar notifications - are helpful, unless you use an alternative messaging app like WhatsApp, Messenger, or Signal, in which case you won’t get a text alert. The problem is, it usually takes two or three tries (targeting different parts of the screen, tapping with varying levels of force) to get the screen to respond.Ī Fitbit representative tells us that swiftly double-tapping the bottom corners of the tracker are most effective - but even with that advice in mind, it’s tough to get the motion exactly right while on the move, specifically when attempting to view your heart rate during a dimly lit spin class. The Alta is a button-less device, which means that to scroll through your stats or turn on the screen, you need to tap it. The touchscreen, however, remains a guessing game. The device itself is very comfortable to wear and, as we mentioned in our previous review, it’s also one of the sleekest, most attractive fitness wearables available on the market. The same things we loved and hated about the Alta were also true of the Alta HR.
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