Fitbit Charge 2 and Flex 2 announced: all-new designs, software features and more

Fitbit has been focusing on form over functionality lately, with the recent launch of the Blaze and Alta earlier this year. Now Fitbit is back with two new activity trackers that aim to bring more features and style to the company’s growing lineup. The Charge 2, which is the successor to the extremely popular Charge HR, is Fitbit’s new flagship activity tracker that sports some new software features and interchangeable bands. The Flex 2, which is the successor to 2013’s Flex, brings a swim-proof design and a focus on fashion.

Let’s start with the Fitbit Charge 2. Basically, if you loved the Charge HR but need something a little more beefy, the Charge 2 will do the trick. It still comes with all the great fitness features you’ve grown to love – automatic activity tracking, sleep tracking, move reminders, and more – but now there’s a much larger 1.5-inch touchscreen display that will be able to show you more information at a glance. The screen will display your move reminders, steps taken, distance traveled, active time, heart rate, and of course, the time. It’ll also show you call, text and calendar alerts.

There is no GPS on board, though you can connect your Charge 2 to your smartphone to take advantage of Fitbit’s Connected GPS feature.

The Charge 2 sports an optical heart rate monitor, that will provide your estimated VO₂ max and Relax sessions. If you’re wondering, VO₂ max is the maximum rate at which your body can intake oxygen during an exercise. Relax sessions, on the other hand, will guide you through two-minute breathing exercises to help control your stress levels.

Moving on to the Flex 2, you’ll notice this is a much more attractive version of the original Flex. It’s 30% thinner than its predecessor, and sports an all-new design that’s more versatile. The standard model comes with a silicone band, though you can remove the Flex 2 from its strap and place it in more fashionable casings like a metal band or a pendant necklace. Like the OG Flex, the Flex 2 doesn’t have a display, so you’ll need to get all your information from the Fitbit companion app.

• Which Fitbit is right for you?

You can now pre-order the Fitbit Charge 2 and Flex 2 starting at $149.95 and $99.95, respectively. There are numerous color options to choose from, and there will even be a fancy Special Edition Charge 2 available at some point. If you’re interested, follow the links below to check out the new fitness trackers for yourself.