Whoop’s $149 jewelry band is priced higher than the total cost of Google's Fitbit Air.

      Whoop's latest smart band enhances its appearance but sacrifices some functionality at the same time.

      The Whoop Meridian transforms the typically sporty, screenless fitness tracker into a luxurious accessory. Instead of a silicone strap, it features a refined metal mesh band, a magnetic clasp, and four distinct finishes that fit better with jewelry than athletic footwear. Starting today, Whoop offers the Meridian in Gold, Rose Gold, Alloy, and Black for $149.

      However, there is a minor issue. One of Whoop's key concepts is that users should wear the tracker continuously, and the higher-tier Whoop 5.0 memberships include a wireless power pack that charges the tracker without removing it. Unfortunately, the Meridian does not support this feature.

      Improving aesthetics necessitates removing the tracker

      Whoop’s wireless charger cannot deliver power through Meridian’s metal band, meaning the tracker must be taken off to charge it. This absence of a convenient feature may disappoint users who are meticulous about continuous health tracking and prefer not to have any gaps in their data.

      The company addressed this design shift in its official announcement, highlighting that the new look suits environments where individuals typically take off a fitness tracker—such as during meals, events, travel, or when a fabric sports band doesn’t fit their outfit.

      The tapered silhouette, Milanese-style mesh, and continuously adjustable magnetic clasp aim to make the Whoop resemble jewelry. This design change is appealing; during our review of the Whoop 5.0, we found the standard version comfortable and subtle, although its bulky fabric band was a drawback. The Meridian successfully addresses that concern.

      Google’s Fitbit Air looks costlier

      The Meridian retails for $149 just for the band. Users still require compatible Whoop hardware and an active membership, with subscriptions starting at $199 annually. In contrast, Google offers a complete Fitbit Air for $99.99, which includes a full health tracker that operates around the clock, featuring heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, workout detection, a seven-day battery life, and compatibility with both Android and iOS. More crucially, its primary health-tracking functionalities function without a Google Health Premium subscription.

      These products target slightly different audiences. Whoop places greater emphasis on detailed recovery, strain, and performance metrics, while Fitbit Air aims to simplify and economize passive health tracking. For $50 less than Whoop's new strap, Google provides the entire tracker, making it more attractive for users already embedded in Whoop's ecosystem.

      Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience in consumer hardware, focusing on…

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