For nearly two weeks the Google Pixel Watch was my daily companion. Of course, that watch has only been launched in limited markets and India is not among them. One of the things I enjoyed most about the watch was the Fitbit integration. We called it the best of both worlds – the watch combines Fitbit’s suite of wellness features along with a seamless Wear OS experience.

It’s been about three years since Google acquired Fitbit and the Pixel Watch became the first Wear OS wearable to add Fitbit integration. Fitbit’s flagship smartwatch arrived around the same time the Pixel was launched. The first gen Sense was one of our favourite smartwatches from 2021. Does the Sense 2 measure up to its predecessor and does it deserve to be on your wish list if you’re looking for a smartwatch around Rs 25K?

That familiar, elegant design

The Sense 2 looks almost identical to the Sense. You get the same premium build and the bezels are still there too. There’s one change and it’s a welcome one. Fitbit has added a physical key on the left spine that makes it much easier to navigate compared to the indented haptic side button on the first edition of the Sense. In many ways, this subtle design change sums up the Sense 2. This smartwatch is not a radical overhaul of the Fitbit Sense but a mild refresh with a few key updates.

Smartphone things

So, what makes a wearable a smartwatch? The smartwatch vs. activity tracker debate rages on. While Fitbit’s wellness creds are well established, the Sense 2 reopens this debate. You get Bluetooth calling and a whole bunch of watch faces. You can customise your fashion statement with third party and Fitbit original bands. The good news is that your old Fitbit Sense bands will work with the Sense 2. The Fitbit app is still very intuitive and one of our favourite smartwatch apps in terms of it’s user interface. But there’s not a lot of apps that allow you to harness the smartwatch potential of this device. There’s no music support; you can’t even use the watch to control music playing on another device. There’s support for Amazon Alexa though.

Power packed wellness device

If there’s one reason we would recommend the Sense 2, it’s the wellness features that come together in this smartwatch. The Sense 2 is one of the only smartwatches in India with an ECG monitor and can also track your skin temperature variations. This year’s Sense includes a Body Response sensor, which measures cEDA for all-day stress management. Fitbit has been one of the first movers in Sleep science with heaps of data. Sleep Profile now breaks down your sleep data each month and pinpoints how you can improve your sleep based on 10 key sleep metrics. You get a raft of wellness metrics and deep-dive fitness data with a Fitbit Premium subscription (that costs Rs 999/year). You get six months free with the Sense 2

Wrap up

There’s a lot to like about the Fitbit Sense 2. We don’t think you need to upgrade if you already own a Fitbit Sense though. We dig the vivid 1.58-inch OLED display that’s very responsive. The feels good on your wrist and is comfortable to wear for hours together. The interface is easy on the eye. Battery life is another win; you should manage 2 to 5 days depending on whether you use GPS and the ‘Always On’ display. We would have liked to see more third party app support though. If you’re looking for a smartwatch loaded with wellness features and solid battery life, the Sense 2 deserves to be in your consideration set.

The Fitbit Sense 2 costs Rs 24,999 and comes in Grey Graphite, White Platinum and Mist Soft Gold colour options