Before you can run, you have to walk. It’s possible to jump straight behind the wheel of a supercar when you turn 16 but if you haven’t spent time in a VW Polo first, you’re probably just going to break it. That’s the idea behind Fitbit’s Inspire 2, which is designed to get first-time fitness fanatics moving without being overwhelming.

Ordering a starter

The Inspire 2 is the least elegant of Fitbit’s designs, making for a chunkier presence on the wrist. Which isn’t all that surprising, as it’s primarily a fitness tracker rather than a smartwatch. That thinner profile isn’t quite as important but Fitbit’s design here still looks good.

What is important are the features. Fitbit’s Active Zone Minutes make the jump to the Inspire range, while all of the stalwart features remain. Expect battery life to last for about 10 days, heart-rate tracking is constant and Fitbit’s signature sleep tracking is in place as well. The information the Inspire 2 offers up is detailed enough to be of use while not proving too much for fitness newcomers. Perhaps its best new addition, though, is that of Fitbit Premium. Inspire 2 buyers will get 12 months of the service free.

Fitbit’s entry-level wristband hasn’t got a massively entry-level price, however. It’ll set fans back some R2,400 when it goes up for pre-order in mid-September. The Fitbit Inspire 2 launches, along with its techier siblings, at retail in October this year.