I didn't need the Fitbit Air, but it's a great companion for the Pixel Watch

I’ve had some sort of Pixel Watch on my wrist almost every day for the past few years because I really appreciate the tracking I now get from Google Health. But now, there’s another option in the Fitbit Air, a screenless tracker that has come to serve as a brilliant little companion to my Pixel Watch.

The Pixel Watch and Fitbit Air do more or less the same thing when it comes to tracking. Heart rate, workouts, sleep tracking. Both check all the key boxes. So there really isn’t a big reason to own both Pixel Watches and a Fitbit Air, but what I would call a combination of morbid curiosity and impulsiveness got the better of me and now I have a Fitbit Air.

There’s no point in wearing both of these trackers at the same time, but what I really enjoy is that they work well with each other – there’s no need to switch them back and forth in the Google Health app, as the app will sort the data correctly as needed.

The Pixel Watch, as convenient as it is, has never been my thing enjoy it to wear to bed every night. Add to that that it makes charging a bit more of an active consideration, and the Fitbit Air quickly becomes a pretty compelling solution. Instead of taking out my watch as soon as I wake up to charge it during my morning routine, I can switch from Watch to Fitbit Air before bed and wake up with a fully charged Pixel Watch for the day.

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Even better, I can turn off the Watch most of the time I’m at home and just wear the Weather instead.

Since the Fitbit Air weighs almost nothing compared to the Pixel Watch, I barely feel it while I’m sleeping, and it’s more comfortable during the day when I’m typing on my desk or laptop. I’ve also noticed a nice change in speed as it means I don’t have to worry so much about notifications in the evenings to keep track of remaining steps.

I’m still in the smartwatch camp. I find the Pixel Watch invaluable for notifications and theoretical information throughout the day – it’s really nice to be able to quickly glance at my watch face to see the UV index or sunset time. But the Fitbit Air has definitely found a place for me in home wear.

Was it a waste of money? Objectively yes. I was getting along just fine with the Pixel Watch 4. I don’t need Spending $99 on a Fitbit Air. But I quickly found myself enjoying it as a wearable companion. It’s a “better” tool for sleep tracking and more convenient when I don’t need a full smartwatch.

What do you think? Would you use the Fitbit Air alongside the Pixel Watch?