A comprehensive test of 10 popular fitness watches revealed that Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Forerunner are among the most accurate for step counting, with some brands like Suunto performing poorly. The study highlights the importance of accurate step tracking for health goals and suggests that placing watches in pockets can sometimes improve step count accuracy. Overall, most mainstream fitness watches provide reliable data, especially for running.
A test comparing the Garmin Venu 4 and Apple Watch 11 during a 10,000-step walk found both devices to be highly accurate, with the Apple Watch undercounting by 218 steps and the Garmin overcounting by 192 steps, demonstrating their reliability in step counting.
A comparison test between the Fitbit Inspire 3 and G-Shock Move fitness wearables found that the G-Shock Move was more accurate in tracking steps, coming within 15 steps of the actual count. Both devices rely on accelerometer data and GPS from a paired device for step calculations. However, the Fitbit app was deemed more user-friendly despite being slightly less accurate. Other metrics, such as calorie burn and heart rate, showed discrepancies between the two devices.
A comparison test between the Apple Watch 9 and Fitbit Charge 6 was conducted to determine which fitness tracker is more accurate in counting steps. The test involved walking 5,000 steps while using both devices and manually counting steps. The Apple Watch 9 recorded 94,942 steps, while the Fitbit Charge 6 recorded 64,907 steps. The Apple Watch 9 was found to be slightly more accurate, missing only 58 steps compared to the manual count, while the Fitbit Charge 6 missed 93 steps. However, it's important to note that no fitness tracker is 100% accurate, and step counting alone is not the sole metric for fitness and weight loss goals.
