A hands-on comparison of the Fitbit Edge and Apple Watch SE 3 found the Fitbit tracker more accurate overall during a walk of 5,005 manually counted steps. Both devices tracked the workout for about 45 minutes, with the Fitbit worn on the left wrist and the Apple Watch on the right. Strava on an iPhone 16 Plus provided reference readings for distance, elevation and pace.
The Fitbit Edge recorded 5,016 steps, just 11 more than the manual count. The Apple Watch SE 3 logged 4,896, or 109 fewer. For distance, however, Apple’s watch was marginally closer to Strava’s 2.67-mile reading: it measured 2.62 miles, compared with 2.61 miles on the Fitbit.
Elevation tracking favored the Fitbit. It recorded 280 feet of climbing, close to Strava’s 284 feet, while the Apple Watch reported 306 feet. The devices also differed on other workout measures: the Apple Watch recorded an average heart rate of 136 beats per minute and a maximum of 170 bpm, compared with the Fitbit’s 126 bpm average and 164 bpm maximum. The Fitbit estimated 459 calories burned, while the Apple Watch estimated 372.
Both wearables used 6% of their battery during the walk. The test notes that the Fitbit Edge is rated for roughly a week per charge, while the Apple Watch SE 3 is rated for about 18 to 24 hours overall.
The Fitbit Edge starts at $179 and works with Android and iOS phones; the Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $249 and is limited to iOS. Both include GPS, barometric altimeters and continuous heart-rate monitoring. Based on the test results, the Fitbit Edge was the overall winner, though the Apple Watch was slightly closer on distance.
Sources: Tom's Guide.