The Fitbit Inspire 2 was one of three new devices announced at Fitbit’s virtual event in late August. This is an entry-level device aimed at people who are just starting to manage their fitness and plan a healthier lifestyle, and people who are returning to it after some time out.
It’s an evolution rather than a revolution, offering a slightly refreshed design and a handful of new features to make it easier for newcomers to start developing healthier habits. There’s no on-board GPS or voice controls here, but you’re still getting a good collection of features for an affordable price.
The Fitbit Inspire 2 comes with one-year subscription to Fitbit Premium, which you’ll need to get the most out of the its features.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? An entry-level fitness tracker with all-day heart rate monitoring
- When is it out? Late September, though it’s available to pre-order now
- How much does it cost? The Fitbit Inspire 2 costs $99.95 / £89.99 / AU$179.95
Fitbit Inspire 2 release date and price
Fitbit announced the Inspire 2 at a virtual press event on August 24, and the device became available to pre-order on August 25. It’s due to ship in late September, but Fitbit hasn’t given an exact date.
The Fitbit Inspire 2 will cost $99.95 / £89.99 / AU$179.95 at launch, which is the same as the launch price of the Fitbit Inspire HR. That price includes a one-year subscription to Fitbit Premium for new users, which normally costs $79.99 / £79.99 (about AU$110) when purchased alone.
Fitbit Inspire 2 design and display
The Fitbit Inspire 2 looks quite similar to the original Inspire and Inspire HR, but now has a quick-release band that makes it easier to switch to a new look, plus a more rounded case design that Fitbit’s designers say is inspired by the shapes and proportions of the human body.
The display is black and white, and the Inspire 2’s case is made from plastic to keep the price and weight low. It’s available in three colors at launch: Lunar White, Desert Rose and White. Extra bands are available from the Fitbit store, including silicone, leather, metal and woven designs.
Fitbit Inspire 2 specs and features
The Fitbit Inspire 2 is the first device in the range to support Active Zone Minutes. This is a tool that helps you follow the public health recommendations for exercise, which state that not only should you aim to spend a certain amount of time exercising each week, or hit a particular number of steps, you should also try to achieve goals in specific heart rate zones.
That can be a daunting prospect if you’re new to exercise, so the Fitbit app simplifies it and gives you easily attainable goals and awards for meeting your targets.
The one-year Fitbit Premium subscription included with the Fitbit Inspire 2 gives you access to a wide range of instructor-led activities to help you start a new workout routine, plus meditation sessions to help you unwind.
As we’ve mentioned above, there’s no built-in GPS, so you’ll need to rely on your phone if you want to track your location during runs, rides and swims. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, it’s worth taking a look at the higher-end Fitbit Charge 4, launched earlier in 2020.
The Fitbit Inspire 2 also includes sleep tracking, and each morning you’ll receive a sleep score to show how long you’ve spent in each stage of sleep. Again, Fitbit Premium will help you get more from this data by allowing you to track trends over time.
Bear in mind, however, that there’s no SPO2 sensor to track changes in blood oxygen saturation. That feature is only available on higher-end devices.
Fitbit says the Inspire 2 offers impressive battery life of up to 10 days – the best of any Fitbit device to date. For comparison, the newly announced Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 both offer battery life of around six days.
Source: techradar.com