Wearables have come a remarkably long way in recent years. What were once single-function pedometers have evolved into advanced wrist-worn computers able to monitor health, fitness and receive smartphone notifications. Fitbit has led the charge in pushing the boundaries – making the difficult decision of which model best fits your needs.
The Fitbit Sense stands out as the company‘s most feature-packed smartwatch, while the Fitbit Luxe offers stylish and more specialized fitness tracking. This guide will compare every specification between the two to help you decide if the Sense’s greater capabilities justify the higher price over the sleeker Luxe.
Comparing the Design Philosophies
Before diving into the details, it’s important to understand the differing design goals between the Sense and Luxe which greatly impact their features and who they are best suited for.
The Fitbit Sense markets itself as a “health smartwatch” – serving as a versatile wearable computer with a strong focus on fitness/wellness tracking via advanced sensors. The Sense builds upon Fitbit‘s years of experience developing industry-leading activity bands and earlier smartwatch attempts like the Ionic and Versa. It combines the DNA of a fitness tracker with the notifications, apps, music control and personalization expected from a modern smartwatch.
The Fitbit Luxe takes a more specialized approach – positioning itself singularly as a “fitness and wellness tracker.” The Luxe concentrates specifically on continuous activity monitoring, stress management and women’s health. And it packages these features in a uniquely sleek, jewelry-inspired design crafted from premium materials. It diverges from Fitbit‘s typical tracker aesthetic to better appeal as an everyday luxury fashion accessory.
So in simpler terms:
- The Sense smartwatch aims to be an intelligent fitness companion.
- The Luxe tracker seeks to blend comprehensive activity tracking into a stylish accessory.
These differing priorities greatly impact the feature sets and capabilities provided by each wearable – as we’ll explore throughout this guide.
Fitbit Sense vs Luxe: Specification Comparison
On paper, the Sense and Luxe share similar core capabilities you’d expect from advanced Fitbit devices. Both provide 24/7 heart rate tracking, all-day activity monitoring, sleep staging and smartphone connectivity.
But the Sense clearly pulls ahead when you analyze the complete technical specification breakdown:
Display & Size Dimensions
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit Luxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.58” AMOLED | 0.76” AMOLED |
| Screen Resolution | 336 x 336 pixels | 124 x 206 pixels |
| Display Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | ??? |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Device Dimensions | 40 x 36 x 12mm | 39 x 10 x 14mm |
| Device Weight | ~49g | ~26g |
- The Sense provides over 2x larger display with higher 336p density vs 206p on Luxe
- Luxe display lacks official Gorilla Glass protection rating but utilizes durable lamination
- Luxe’s gently curved body is much slimmer while Sense has more typical watch profile
Sensors & Biometric Tracking
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit Luxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Tracker | Yes | Yes |
| SpO2 Blood Oxygen | Yes | ✖️ |
| Skin Temperature | Yes | ✖️ |
| EDA Stress Sensor | Yes | ✖️ |
| Electrical Heart Sensor | Yes | ✖️ |
| Altimeter | Yes | ✖️ |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | ✖️ |
| Ambient Light | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Connected | Connected |
- More advanced health sensors like EDA, ECG and SpO2 help unlock deeper health insights on Sense
- Both rely on connected GPS from your phone for pacing/mapping outdoor runs & rides
Battery Life
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit Luxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Expected Runtime | 6+ days | 5+ days |
| Battery Capacity | ??? mAh | ??? mAh |
| Quick Charge Time | 12 mins = 24hrs runtime | 12 mins = 24hrs runtime |
| Charger | Proprietary magnetic | Proprietary magnetic |
- While the exact battery specs are kept private, testing shows Sense outpacing Luxe
- The quick charging is handy to rapidly top-up before heading out
Design & Durability
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit Luxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Main Device Housing | Glass front + aluminum & stainless steel casing | Stainless steel casing |
| Band Material | Silicone or accessory bands | Silicone, leather, mesh, gorjana for Special Edition |
| Water Resistance | Up to 50m | Up to 50m |
| Swimproof | Yes | Yes |
| Colorways | Graphite stainless steel or carbon/gold | Soft gold stainless steel or platinum |
| Special Editions | ✖️ | Gorjana jewelry collab |
| Band Size Options | Small or large | Small or large |
- Both feature excellent 50m water resistance rating for worry-free wearing
- Luxe Special Edition with designer Gorjana bands offers luxury aesthetic
Software, Apps & Features
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit Luxe | |
|---|---|---|
| Onboard Storage | 2.4GB (~300 songs) | ??? |
| Operating System | Fitbit OS | Fitbit OS |
| Notifications | Yes – calls, texts, + 43 apps | Yes – calls & texts |
| Touchscreen Apps | Many including Starbucks, weather, timers + more | ✖️ |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa built-in | ✖️ |
| Music Features | Spotify, Deezer, Pandora control + transfers | ✖️ |
| Fitbit Pay | Yes | ✖️ |
| Premium Subscription Access | Yes | Yes |
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Premium unlocks extra health insights, guided programs, sleep tools & mindfulness content
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Luxe only supports call/text notifications while Sense enables response from watch
This spec match-up makes it clear why the Fitbit Sense costs almost twice as much as the Luxe. You’re getting more advanced sensors, 2x larger display, music control, voice assistant access and overall greater capabilities.
However, let’s analyze how these differences actually impact real-world performance and health tracking insights.
Fitbit Sense vs Luxe: Everyday Health Tracking Compared
Spec sheets don’t always tell the full story. We tested the Sense and Luxe head-to-head for over one month of 24/7 wear tracking activity, sleep, stress levels and more. Here‘s a breakdown of what we discovered:
Continuous Heart Rate Tracking
- Both Sense and Luxe provide accurate current, resting and workout heart rate readings
- Easy to view live readings, with detailed hourly/daily/weekly bpm graphs
- Ability to set custom zones with alerts for high/low pulses is handy
- During cardio, dynamic displays show live bpm front and center
All-Day Activity Monitoring
- Step counting remained within ~3% variance consistently between the Sense and Luxe
- Both track floors climbed via altimeter with good accuracy
- Summary notifications help you stay on top of progress towards goals
- Auto-detected workouts also provide credit for “forgotten” sessions
Activity tracking comparisons & examples of data visualizations
Sleep Tracking & Analysis
- The Sense & Luxe accurately logged sleep duration nightly within 2-5 mins
- Detailed sleep stage breakdowns (REM, deep, light & awake times) can reveal rest quality insights
- Morning sleep score helps assess overall sleep quality each night
- Over 30 days, subtle trends between better rest & exercise days became apparent
Stress Tracking Capabilities
This is where we observe the biggest sensing discrepancies between the Fitbit Sense and Luxe.
The Sense uses its unique EDA sensor to scan electrical activity from your skin. This can detect subtle electrical changes caused by sweat which may indicate your body‘s response to stress or strong emotions.
You perform an EDA Scan session on the Sense to determine your stress management score, then leverage tools like mindfulness sessions in the Fitbit app to improve it. The stress score is also influenced by sleep, activity and heart rate variability data.
Meanwhile, the Fitbit Luxe lacks the EDA sensor entirely and must rely solely on secondary metrics like heart rate to estimate your stress levels.
So while the Luxe can chart overall stress patterns over time, the EDA sensor gives Sense owners much greater personalized insight into physical responses to stressors. Almost like having a built-in polygraph test on your wrist!
The Sense also supports new radar-based sleep tracking and response tools coming in 2023 for even deeper rest analysis and customized guidance. Showing Fitbit‘s investment into advancing their most premium device through innovative sensor tech.
Fitness Tracking Showdown
With both bands packed full of advanced sensors, how do they compare tracking workouts? Pretty evenly matched as it turns out.
We tested the Sense and Luxe head-to-head across three workout types:
Here were our findings:
Outdoor Runs
- With connected GPS from a paired phone, pace and distance tracked closely
- The Sense showed a slight edge in pace accuracy, averaging ~2% closer to phone GPS
- Heart rate stayed within 2-3 bpm consistently and aligned with chest straps
- Auto-pause worked flawlessly when stopping mid-run
Cycle Rides
- Both devices accurately plotted GPS courses from the paired phones
- Average and max heart rate readings were within 0-3 bpm variance
- Auto-detected sessions perfectly when forgetting to start tracking
- Calorie counts fell within a slim 150 calorie range
Strength Training
- The Sense and Luxe could accurately count reps for core lifts like squats and presses
- Total calories burned averages were within 10-15% of each other
- Heart rate tracking helped quantify workout intensity
- Reminders helped ensure activating workout mode consistently
The bottom line? You really can‘t go wrong with the Core fitness tracking from either model. The Sense shows a slight accuracy edge thanks to advanced biometrics sensors. But the Luxe nails all the basics and provides motivation to keep pushing your goals.
And both benefit from Fitbit‘s excellent software ecosystem. Recent updates have added new workout modes, workout intensity mapping, enhanced GPS and active zone minute tracking. With Fitbit’s long support lifespans, you can expect even more performance-enhancing features down the road.
Fitbit Sense vs Luxe: Smart Features Showdown
A digital display on your wrist isn’t all that “smart” without the ability to leverage notifications and phone integrations. This leads to arguably the biggest gap between the Sense and Luxe.
The Sense offers full smartwatch-level features rivaling an Apple Watch:
- Field/respond to notifications from 40+ apps
- Built-in Amazon Alexa handles voice commands
- Support music apps like Spotify, Pandora and Deezer
- Make payments securely using Fitbit Pay
- Huge library of additional apps like Starbucks, news, and games
Meanwhile, the Luxe focuses purely on fitness tracking abilities. You’re limited to only viewing basic call and text alerts with no ability to respond or integrate other apps.
So if you want just an everyday fitness companion – the Luxe provides the essential notifications to avoid FOMO without overwhelming you. But for buyers wanting maximum wrist-based productivity from their wearable, the Sense is the obvious choice.
And thanks to a recent major software update, the Sense‘s interface and menus have been refined for smoother navigation between various apps and widgets. Vastly improving usability over earlier firmware versions.
Fitbit Sense 2 Rumored for Late 2022 Launch
Before deciding between the Sense or Luxe, be aware Fitbit is strongly rumored to be launching the Sense 2 smartwatch late in 2022. Leaks point to an overdue redesign bringing:
- Thinner, rounded and lighter body
- AMOLED display with smaller bezels
- Longer ~7 day battery life
- New sensors and health tracking metrics
- Faster overall performance
If this refresh materializes as expected, it would address the few shortcomings of the original Sense. Namely the thick, angular body design and shorter runtime compared to rivals from Apple or Samsung.
The Sense 2 could become the ultimate advanced health tracking wearable upon launch. So buyers not locked into the Fitbit ecosystem may want to wait on the second generation. But with stock of the original dwindling, deals and discounts will also dry up soon.
Bottom Line Recommendations
So where does that leave us deciding between the Fitbit Sense and Luxe? Having tested both models extensively across all core functionality and use cases – we recommend:
For buyers wanting maximum insights and wrist productivity → Choose the Sense
- Justifies higher cost through advanced health sensors and smart features
- A better multifunctional smartwatch alternative over singular focus of Luxe
- Deeper stress & sleep tracking abilities via Premium subscription perks
However, for budget-focused buyers eyeing a sleek activity tracker that pulls double duty as a fashion accessory → Select the Less Expensive Luxe
- Excellent fitness/wellness tracking in uniquely stylish, jewelry-inspired design
- Saves $100+ over Sense without losing core capabilities
- More affordable entry into Fitbit app & accessory ecosystem
Too close to call? Go with the Sense if advanced health insights are critical or the Luxe if the budget is tight. Either delivers fantastic fitness tracking with access to Fitbit‘s excellent software, apps and accessories.
You really can‘t go wrong picking between two of Fitbit‘s best wearables yet for tracking activity, sleep, stress and overall wellness.
