If you regularly wear watches, you’ll be familiar with the Fossil brand. But did you know that they also sell smartwatches as well as more traditional watches? The experience of a company with a long history and technological innovation result in smartwatches that combine design, avant-garde and functionality. And, so you can see for yourself, we analyse the two best-selling smartwatches of the brand: Fossil Gen 5 Vs 5e. Do you want to find out how they are similar and how they differ? Stay tuned!
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Fossil Gen 5 Vs 5e: analysis and features
At first glance we can already see differences in terms of design. The question is to analyse whether these differences remain only superficial, or whether they are also reflected in the technical features.
What are the similarities between the Fossil Gen 5 and 5e smartwatches?
In this section we will explain the similarities shared by the two protagonists of our review, which are not few:
1) Contactless payments: integrated NFC
If you are used to making contactless payments, you should know that both have Near Field Communication (NFC), the technology that allows this type of payment. So, on both you’ll be able to pay via Google Pay.
2) Screen type: AMOLED
As you will see below, the size of the dial is not the same on both smartwatches, but there is one thing they do share. Both the Fossil Gen 5 and 5e have an AMOLED screen, so you won’t notice any difference in image quality.
3) Battery life: 4 variable modes
If we look at the battery, it is important to highlight three aspects. Firstly, both have a battery life of approximately 1 day, with no major differences.
In addition, both have fast charging, so that in one hour you can recharge the battery enough to continue using it.
The third common factor related to the battery is that you can optimise it by choosing one of the 4 available battery modes, which are the same in both smartwatches. So, you can choose between:
- Daily mode, so that you wear it normally during the day and charge it at night.
- Watch mode: if you only use the smartwatch as a traditional watch, without taking advantage of any of the additional features, the battery lasts for several days.
- Extended mode, which consists of only using certain features during the day, without continuous use, and charging it every few days.
- Personalised mode: you can choose which features are important to you, so the smartwatch only activates the ones you choose.
4) Health monitoring: heart rate and sleep
If you want to monitor your sleep phases or check your heart rate, you can do so with either smartwatch. And if you have Google Assistant, you can sync it to both the Fossil Gen 5 and 5e.
5) Water resistant up to 30 metres
In case you didn’t know, one of the ways to measure the tolerance of watches and other electronic devices to water is in atmospheres (ATM), which refers to the amount of pressure the watch can withstand. In this case, both the Fossil Gen 5 and 5e reach 3 ATM. To give you an idea, this is equivalent to a submersion of approximately 30 metres.
Differential elements between the Fossil Gen 5 and 5e smartwatches
Now that you know how they are similar, it’s time to find out which are the aspects in which the two smartwatches differ, which will surely be more useful to you when choosing:
1) Dimensions: the 5e is the mini version
If we were to summarise the comparison in general terms, we would emphasise that the Fossil Gen 5e is the smaller brother of the Gen 5, the mini version. Thus, the screen of the Fossil Gen 5 has a diameter of 1.28 inches, compared to the 1.19 inches of the 5e.
A difference in size that may be decisive for some users, depending on whether they prefer the larger or smaller dial.
Also, it is important to note that while the Fossil Gen 5e can be purchased in two different dial sizes (44 and 42 mm), the Fossil Gen 5 is only available in 44 mm.
2) Aesthetics: rotating crown and different number of buttons
It is easy to see that, aesthetically, there are clear differences between the two smartwatches. In both cases it is possible to change the strap and alternate between silicone and leather straps. However, the visual line of the Fossil Gen 5 is somewhat more sporty than that of its smaller brother, although they are not as sporty as the Garmin watches.
Another important difference is that the Fossil Gen 5e is surrounded by a cogwheel, which the Gen 5 lacks. The Gen 5 has three buttons on the left loop, two more than the Gen 5e, which has only one button. On the Gen 5, you can change and adjust the settings with its rotating crown.
3) Storage: the big brother is twice as big as the 5e
Turning now to the internal storage capacity of the two smartwatches, we see another clear difference. While the Fossil Gen 5 can hold up to 8 GB, the Fossil Gen 5e is down to 4 GB.
This can make an important difference, for example, when it comes to storing music for automatic playback.
4) Navigation: Built-in GPS
We have already seen the main aesthetic difference between the two protagonists of our review, and now it is time to look at the most important variation at a functional level.
The Fossil Gen 5 has a built-in GPS, and allows you to keep track of the routes you take every day, a feature that often appeals to sports enthusiasts.
The Fossil Gen 5e, on the other hand, has no built-in GPS, so you’ll have to carry your smartphone with you if you want to track your route.
5) Price: almost 100 euros difference
It is surprising that the Fossil Gen 5 costs almost 300 euros, compared to just over 200 euros for the 5e. However, don’t forget that the former is equipped with GPS and has a larger screen, which favours this economic difference.
Fossil Gen 5 Vs 5e: our conclusion
After analysing both smartwatches, it is worth doing a general review to evaluate both options. However, we always recommend that you identify, in advance, your main needs or define what you expect from each device. This will make it easier for you to know which criteria to look at more closely.
The Fossil Gen 5 has a larger dial, features GPS and offers a more attractive touch thanks to its rotating crown. On the other hand, the Fossil Gen 5e is smaller, does not have GPS but is much cheaper, with a difference of around 100 euros.
The choice will be conditioned, above all, by the use you want to make of the smartwatch. If you usually go out for sports and want to use it to keep track of your activity, listen to music while you run or monitor your routes, we recommend you opt for the Fossil Gen 5.
If you don’t usually do physical activity or the GPS integration is not that important to you, the Fossil Gen 5e is a cheaper alternative that shares the rest of the features, such as sleep or heart rate monitoring.
In short, think about how you are going to use your smartwatch for the most part and you will have the answer to which of the two is the best choice for you.
Ranking: Amazon’s 5 most popular smartwatches
If you still have doubts and are not sure which smartwatch to choose, don’t worry. We show you the list of the 5 best-selling smartwatches on Amazon so you can see what other users choose.
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