The era of clunky, chunky fitness-tracking bands isn’t quite behind us, but a new crop of trackers prove you don’t have to pick between health and good looks. Withings marries the two in its $180 Steel HR band, which combines the look of a classic analog timepiece with a heart rate sensor for accurate fitness-tracking without sacrificing style.
The Steel HR is the next generation of the Activité Steel, which I reviewed more than a year ago and loved. The Steel HR doesn’t look much different at a glance, but don’t be fooled: This is an entirely new experience. Under its new parent company Nokia, Withings hasn’t departed from its classic design sensibility, which takes a cue from Swiss timepieces. But the new Steel HR puts a small digital screen right on its face and a heart rate sensor inside, which makes it a smarter watch and a better fitness tracker. It’s the best of both worlds.
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