Fitbit Versa 4

Angela Moscaritolo from PCMag highlights the Fitbit Versa 4 as an excellent, fitness-focused smartwatch that improves on its predecessor with a slimmer design, a physical button, and a more responsive touchscreen. Praising its long battery life and robust health tracking features—including GPS, heart rate, and sleep monitoring—the review emphasizes the Versa 4’s appeal to casual fitness enthusiasts seeking simplicity and affordability. However, Moscaritolo notes significant drawbacks, such as the lack of third-party app support and the removal of popular music apps, which limit its smartwatch capabilities compared to competitors like the Apple Watch SE and Garmin Venu Sq 2. The Versa 4 offers a small but useful selection of lifestyle features like Amazon Alexa, Google Maps, and Google Pay, yet it falls short of being a fully featured smartwatch. Overall, the review conveys a balanced, moderately positive tone, recognizing the Versa 4 as a strong, budget-friendly option for users prioritizing fitness tracking over advanced smart features.

Andrew Williams from TechRadar presents a measured and cautiously positive assessment of the Fitbit Versa 4. While acknowledging it lacks the advanced health sensors and third-party app support found in higher-end models like the Fitbit Sense 2 or competitors such as the Apple Watch and Garmin devices, Williams highlights the Versa 4’s strengths in battery life, ease of use, and comfortable design. The review notes the watch’s GPS and heart rate tracking are adequate for casual runners but fall short of the precision offered by top-tier rivals. Unique insights include the critique of Fitbit’s decision to remove music playback and third-party apps, limiting phone-free workouts, and the somewhat redundant expansion of fitness modes. Despite these drawbacks, the Versa 4 is praised for its friendly interface, solid notification handling, and week-long battery stamina, making it a sensible mid-range option for users seeking a straightforward fitness watch without the complexity or cost of premium smartwatches.

Kaitlyn Cimino from Android Authority highlights the Fitbit Versa 4 as a visually appealing and comfortable update with a lighter, thinner case and the welcome return of a physical button, improving user interaction. However, despite these design improvements and a snappier processor, the Versa 4 is criticized for stripping away key features found in its predecessor, such as Wi-Fi support, third-party apps, music controls, and Google Assistant. Cimino points out significant issues with GPS and heart rate tracking accuracy, which undermine its fitness tracking reliability. While the device offers solid sleep tracking and excellent battery life, many advanced features require a Fitbit Premium subscription, adding to the cost. The review frames the Versa 4 as a confusing step backward—a pared-down smartwatch that struggles even as a fitness tracker—making the older Versa 3 or alternatives like the Google Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, or Garmin Venu Sq 2 better choices for most users.

Kate Kozuch from Tom’s Guide highlights the Fitbit Versa 4 as a stylish, midrange fitness tracker that excels in battery life and sleep tracking but falls short as a full-fledged smartwatch. While praising its comfortable design, large color display, and six-day battery life, she notes significant drawbacks such as inaccurate heart rate monitoring that impacts fitness metrics like Active Zone Minutes. The Versa 4 also lacks key smartwatch features found in its predecessor, including third-party app support and Google Assistant, due to Google’s repositioning of Fitbit products alongside the Pixel Watch 2. Alexa integration and basic smart features are present but limited, and the absence of cellular connectivity confines on-wrist calls to Bluetooth range. Despite these compromises, Kozuch considers the Versa 4 a solid, affordable option for users seeking reliable fitness tracking without premium smartwatch complexity, especially at discounted prices. However, she questions Fitbit’s target audience for this model given the overlap with other Fitbit devices and competitors.

Michael Sawh from Trusted Reviews highlights the Fitbit Versa 4 as a competent and affordable fitness tracker housed in a familiar smartwatch design, but one that disappointingly fails to advance beyond its predecessor, the Versa 3. While the return of a physical button and a slimmer case are welcomed refinements, the Versa 4 loses key features such as third-party apps, Wi-Fi connectivity, and music controls, which diminishes its appeal as a full-featured smartwatch. The core fitness and health tracking capabilities remain solid, with reliable step and sleep monitoring, built-in GPS, and stress management scores, though some sensors like heart rate and GPS accuracy show limitations. Battery life remains strong, matching the previous model’s performance. However, the reliance on Fitbit Premium for many advanced features and the lack of meaningful innovation leave the Versa 4 feeling like a missed opportunity, especially with the Google Pixel Watch now in the market. Overall, it’s a good fitness tracker but not a compelling upgrade.

Jim Martin from Tech Advisor highlights the Fitbit Versa 4 as a mixed bag, praising its comfortable design, improved physical button, and strong fitness tracking capabilities, including accurate sleep and GPS monitoring. The watch excels in delivering detailed health data and offers a bright OLED display with useful features like Alexa integration and Fitbit Pay, albeit with limited bank support in the UK. However, Martin points out notable drawbacks: the removal of music controls, Google Assistant, and third-party app support, which diminishes its smartwatch appeal. Bluetooth connectivity issues and software bugs also mar the experience. The reliance on Fitbit Premium for advanced insights adds to the cost, making the Versa 4 feel more like a fitness band than a full-featured smartwatch. While it offers solid core tracking, Martin suggests runners needing GPS might be better served by alternatives, and iPhone users may prefer the Apple Watch SE. Overall, the review conveys cautious appreciation tempered by significant reservations.

Matt Kollat assesses the Fitbit Versa 4 as a smartwatch with clear intentions but mixed execution. Praising its extensive fitness features—including over 40 exercise modes, a multi-path heart rate sensor, and built-in GPS—he acknowledges it as Fitbit’s best workout watch on paper. However, he expresses disappointment over notable omissions such as the lack of WiFi, no third-party app support, and the exclusion of Google Assistant in favor of Alexa. Heart rate tracking issues and the watch’s similarity to the Sense 2, rather than a true fitness-focused upgrade over the Versa 3, further temper enthusiasm. While the Versa 4 offers solid battery life and a refined user interface, its fitness tracking accuracy and missing features make it feel like a “Sense 2 Lite” rather than a distinct, sporty smartwatch. Kollat’s review conveys a cautious, somewhat frustrated tone, hoping for a stronger future iteration but ultimately suggesting potential buyers might want to wait for the Versa 5.

Rachael Schultz from Business Insider highlights the Fitbit Versa 4 as a stylish and comfortable fitness tracker that successfully blends Fitbit’s trusted health monitoring with a sleek smartwatch design. Praising its bright AMOLED display, accurate heart rate and sleep tracking, and extensive workout modes, Schultz appreciates the watch’s comfort and fitness-focused features, especially for casual to intermediate users. However, she expresses clear reservations about its smartwatch capabilities, citing a laggy touchscreen, limited smart features (notably for iPhone users), inconsistent auto-activity tracking, and slow app syncing. These issues, combined with glitches reported by longtime Fitbit users, diminish the Versa 4’s overall polish and value compared to competitors like the Garmin Vivoactive 6 and Google Pixel Watch 3. Schultz ultimately views the Versa 4 as a decent midrange option within the Fitbit ecosystem but recommends exploring other devices for those seeking a more robust and reliable smartwatch experience.