Steps and HR monitoring as a minimum, but I think I’d spend more to get added functionality I’ve experienced with Apple Watch in the past - naturally I don’t think non-Apple watches would allow Apple Music but who know these days?
Being honest I’ve never really liked the look of Apple Watch but did like the ease of use in the ecosystem.
As both you an @SiBrighton mention the biggest Apple Watch issue is battery life, it’s just not that good even with newer models in low power mode.
If I managed to get back into a bit of cycling or long walks GPS might be handy for recording things but otherwise a bit superfluous for me.
If you sre Interested in this I suggest you check out https://www.dcrainmaker.com/ snd also see DC Rainmaker on youtube.
And if you think hi-fi is a rabbit hole…
@Richard.Dane I hope the link is ok. Not a commercial site!
That Fitbit is close to the entry level Apple offering price wise I think which would likely push me towards the Apple Watch even with more basic monitoring features…the ecosystem pulls you back!
Thanks Paul, will take a look.
Quite true, but I think they can motivate some people who enjoy comparing various metrics (even if of questionable accuracy) from one exercise session to the next .
The Ultras have looked quite impressive since they were released, just potentially more than I’d be prepared to splash out on a watch currently…you never know though! Good to hear you’re pleased with it.
I have been using a Fitbit Charge model watch since September 2015. I had a triple by-pass in February 2015. After surgery I did 12 weeks of Cardiac rehap which was great for me psychologically and physically. After cardiac rehab was completed I did start to work out daily and after a few months I wanted to start tracking my daily accomplishments and decided to buy the Fitbit Charge. The current model is Fitbit Charge 6 which currently runs between $119.00 (on sale pricing) to $159.00 (full price). I basically use it to track my walking distance daily goal, heart rate, sleeping hours. Features include: Cardio Load, Heart rate on gym equipment, Daily Readiness Score, 40+ exercise modes, Heart rate tracking, Active Zone Minutes, Built-in GPS, Cardio fitness score, SmartTrack™ Automatic Exercise Recognition (in app only), Water resistant, Workouts on your phone, All-day activity tracking, Workout intensity map (in app only) and Timer and stopwatch.
Very happy with the product and the information it provides.
Lots of options out there in the market place.
I agree, if it does it for you, and enhsnces your exercise all to the good. Using ‘need’ was a bit strong but tons of data doesn’t motivate me, and I have a feeling that some people spend more time examining the data and fiddling with their devices than actually exercising. Some of them are relatives of mine!
There’s more to be said for simple exercise data than some of the very dubious ‘wellness’ stuff in my view.
I use a bike computer for mapping, and to note how far I have been. That is about it.
Bruce
I think you’ve misunderstood the purpose of the Sense 2. As I posted earlier, fitbit seem to make 2 types of watches.
One’s a fitness watched aimed at people who are planning to take part in an Iron Man Triathlon.
The other is aimed at people wanting to monitor their wellness and be reminded to get off the couch and move about and do some exercises. (The fitbit sense 2). Although it does do fitness as well.
You don’t need to use the stress or sleep monitor, my wife doesn’t. She monitors her steps, how many times she’s climbed the stairs, how often she goes into moderate effort, and she likes the fact she receives an alarm if she has been inactive for to long.
The blood o2 monitor is useful feature. Although everybody will certainly be hoping they never see the benefit of it.
Don’t know what Vo2 is.
I’ve no doubt it’s accurate up to a point, but it’s not claiming to be a scientific instrument.
If you’re doubtful about what modern technology can do, give FibriCheck a try. It diagnosed my irregular heartbeat by monitoring my finger with the camera on a smartphone. I got 7 days free trial, so nothing to lose.
You can give us your professional opinion. 
Thanks seakayaker. Looks fairly well specced for the price.
If you’re cycling at a high level a bike computer is nearly mandatory. I love having the data heart rate, watts, cadence…
It is probably the same for swimming and running too.
The watches etc are excellent for tracking sleep and how lifestyle impacts your sleep. People will say coffee or food, or alcohol, or exercise late in the evening will not impact sleep, but only a sleep tracker with shoulders for true. We are all different.
Sleep is imperative as we age. It is when the body builds ad repairs.
I won’t be doing any high level cycling and so forth at the current time 
Tennis and gym work mostly, though I really could do with more long walks and a dog might be a better investment!
I specifically didn’t mention the ECG function in my deliberately slightly provocative post. I am well aware that apps and devices are useful for identifying dysrythmias.
I’ll leave this thread now, since I don’t fit the demographic to be helpful!
Bruce
2 other bugbears with Apple Watch:
assuming nothing’s changed in the past few years the older ones were quite reliant on a paired Apple Watch simply to configure for use and also for GPS and various other data measurements.
I’d quite like an Apple Watch with cellular coverage so I wouldn’t need to take a phone out at times, but the additional cost and fussy cellular plans available when I last looked put me right off as the watch cellular plan had to be linked to the same provider’s iphone cellular plan. Forr most of our iphones we use PAYG SIMS topping up monthly - again unless things have changed I don’t recall there being standalone plans for Apple Watch.
Maybe it’s the same for some fancy competitor devices too.
You’re just pointing out that many of these things aren’t necessarily useful in practice.
Some features will be reasonably objective such as heart rate and warnings of brief arrhythmias you’d be otherwise potentially unaware of (assuming the device is measuring properly).
Others are a bit wishy washy and based on algorithms which I suspect have quite varying degrees of accuracy both on an individual basis and between individuals. Again, maybe it’s trends that are useful rather than accuracy but some certainly could have negative effects - if you feel fine how does being told you’re ‘stressed’ by a gadget do much but induce a laugh at best or anxiety at worst.
I had a ‘Readiness’ feature on the old Polar watch website - it was called something else but in essence estimated if you’d over exercised in recent days and needed rest days to recover before doing strenuous/intense activity again. I suspect there is good sports science research into things like this in professional athletes but most of us probably know if we’re too bushed to do another session of something for a day or two!
My Pixel phone also has the Readiness feature. Haven’t been able to completely figure out the algorithm behind it yet but have noticed that if I go out, get pissed, come home and raid the fridge before going to bed it awards me a very low score the next morning.
Truth is I don’t need any additional tech to tell me that.
Willy.
Yo still have to pair them on an iPhone to set up some of the functions.
The Ultra2 come cellular as standard. We got Mrs DG the SE, Wi-Fi only as she had a small wrist.
The cost for the line rental for my Ultra2 is £7.50 per month with Vodafone. I haven’t done it yet, but may check out further with my Polish provider when we’ve moved to Poland to see how much it is. Once we’ve moved, we will cancel Vodafone.
DG…
Presumably though Vodafone want you to be on a monthly contract for the phone and then charge an additional £7.50 for the watch. It would be better for consumers (especially if you pay for a new phone outright and use cheap SIMs) if you could just pay a fee for the watch independent of the phone - maybe you can in some places but probably not the UK.
If you buy from Apple, you only get the watch. They don’t sell any cellular contracts.
DG…
