At this price, the Fitbit Versa 4 is a fantastic deal for a beautiful smartwatch

Just this morning, I wrote a post detailing the addition of both Google Maps and Google Wallet for the new Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2. In that post, I didn’t really hold back in speaking my mind about the shortcomings of the Fitbit Versa 4 and I don’t pretend that those things don’t still bother me as I prepare this particular deal article.

I’ve said it hundreds of times in hundreds of posts and videos, but it still rings true: price informs opinion. At the MSRP of $230, the missing parts of the Fitbit Versa 4 experience are jarring. When I can buy smartwatches like the Apple Watch SE that have all sorts of abilities starting at $249, it is tough to condone buying a smartwatch that has no real app support, no Google Assistant, and no music playback abilities whatsoever.

$149 makes a very big difference

But when that same smartwatch drops to $149, the narrative shifts a bit. Now, this device feels more like it is priced to match its abilities. Sure, I fully expect some sort of app market to come back to the Fitbit Versa 4; I feel quite certain the Google Assistant will arrive at some point; and there’s no reason for at least basic music controls to come back to the latest, greatest from Fitbit down the road. But at the moment, those shortcomings are 100% part of the experience, and this deal makes them sting a whole lot less.

As it stands, you can buy the Fitbit Versa 4 at all sorts of retailers (we’ve bundled them up at Chrome Shop for your convenience) for $80 off, and at this price I’m totally OK with recommending it as a gift or even as a smartwatch for yourself.

As long as you understand what you are getting into, I think $149 for the Versa 4 is a very fair price. The hardware is great, the fitness tracking is excellent, and for the basic notifications, alarms and other things that all smartwatches do, the Fitbit Versa 4 works just fine.

If the currently-missing parts of the experience do show up down the road, you’ll feel great knowing you snagged one of them at this price. My last Versa – the Versa 3 – didn’t go on sale like this until the spring after its release. And even then, I was super-excited to get it for $179. To see this big of a price cut this early in the life cycle of a smartwatch is a bit odd, so it may not last too long. Whether its a gift to yourself or someone else, don’t miss out if you’ve been eyeing the latest from Fitbit.