While tablets have been a dying breed lately, smartwatches have been gaining momentum over time as an increasing number of people loved how they managed to successfully pair functionality with usability. And who wouldn’t want to have a smartphone-like experience right in your wrist? We will be discussing two of the world’s most sought-after smartwatches, the Fitbit Blaze and Fitbit Ionic, and place them on a head-to-head battle with each other in order to know which is the better one. Now, without further ado, let’s compare the Blaze and Ionic in a couple of categories, including the design and functionalities. Check this out:
Design
If you’re expecting to see gorgeous-looking smartwatches in the form of the Blaze and Ionic, we think you’re in for a disappointment. The two wearables flaunt angular, boxy bodies with rectangular-shaped screens and sporty straps. Their size is nearly identical, with the Blaze measuring slightly wider. Specifically speaking, the Ionic only has a width of 38mm while the Blaze reaches 40mm. The Ionic is quite heavier at 50 grams whereas the Blaze has a body weight of 43 grams. The Fitbit Ionic also looks nicer and more durable with its metal unibody and water-resistant chassis compared to the Blaze’s plastic makeup, a remarkably weaker body material. The Ionic also sports a slight curve on the display and a brighter display thanks to its high-resolution LCD panel. Their straps are interchangeable and you’ll have to pay for additional bands if you opt to get fancy.
Functionality
Smartwatches are originally meant to track fitness and sports activities. Living up to their reputation, the Blaze and Ionic pack a slew of fitness and sports-focused functionalities such as step counting, sleep tracking, and fitness coaching. With their aid, you can also track how many calories you have burned as well as how far you have walked for the entire day. They have also a pretty accurate heart rate sensor you can readily use when you want to measure your workout intensity. Being the newer offering, the Fitbit Ionic sports some features you won’t find on the Blaze. For instance, it comes with an integrated GPS and a capable storage space for music playback. You can also get on-screen videos and instructions as a part of the fitness coaching feature and an exclusive access to the Fitbit Coach platform. Payments are also way easier on the Ionic as it supports Fitbit Pay through a built-in NFC antenna. You can also go swimming while wearing the Ionic without worrying that it will malfunction as it is water-resistant up to 50 meters. Going to the battery, both the Blaze and Ionic should last 5 days on a single charge, despite the brighter display on the latter which we believed to be a battery-hungry feature. They can go from 0 to 100 percent in just 1-2 hours of charging.
Pricing
It’s a no-brainer to think that the Fitbit Ionic costs more expensive than its predecessor. Of course, additional functionalities would reflect on the price. The Blaze is priced at $200 whereas the Ionic will set you back at $300. Purchasing extra straps for the Ionic would cost up to $60.
Final Verdict
The decision-making regarding this matter highly depends on you as every person has his/her set of standards. Design-wise, there’s really not much of a difference between the wearables. In the functionality side, the Ionic obviously takes the upper hand. It has a high-resolution screen and waterproof chassis which is very helpful to those who engage in swimming activities. Also, it has an inbuilt GPS so you can still track your activities even without your phone on your side. And if you are fond of sending payments through online, the Fitbit Pay is a convenient option for you. In my opinion, the 100-dollar price difference is worth all those additional functionalities the Fitbit Ionic offers. On the flip side, if you are not so into the smart features the Ionic sports, you may want to settle on the Blaze and save a hundred bucks in the process. You aren’t really missing out the fun, by the way, with the Blaze’s decent fitness tracking functions and long-lasting, five-day battery life. Which of the two smartwatches do you like the most? Is the Fitbit Ionic worth the additional $100 over the Blaze? Tell me what you think and ask any questions of your own in the comments.
