Fossil Group’s forays into the smartwatch market have been limited to fashion-focused wearables with a prime focus on connectivity and health monitoring. The company has yet to create a wearable that would be appealing to athletes or even average fitness users.
Fossil Gen 6 follows the same philosophy with a couple of new additions like the SpO2 sensor, the fastest chip by Qualcomm, fast charging support, and a promise of a WearOS 3 upgrade that is yet to be fulfilled.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, on the other hand, is the latest release by the Korean-based manufacturer and is set to be the Apple Watch for Android phones. Hands down, it is a superior watch in every way, including battery performance, fitness tracking features, and smartwatch software.
Here, we will do a detailed Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6 comparison and find out in detail what makes these two watches different from each other.
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Table of Contents
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: General Comparison
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Fossil Gen 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | August 10, 2022 | August 10, 2022 | September 1, 2021 |
| Predecessor | Galaxy Watch 4 | Galaxy Watch 4 Classic | Fossil Gen 5 |
| Company | Samsung | Samsung | Fossil |
| Operating System | WearOS (One UI) | WearOS (One UI) | Wear OS by Google |
| Compatible Smartphones | Android (Works best with Samsung) | Android (Works best with Samsung) | Android, iOS |
| Competition | Fitbit Sense, Ticwatch Pro 4G, Garmin Venu 2 | Garmin Fenix 7, Garmin Instinct 2, Polar Vantage 2 | Apple Watch 7, Fitbit Sense, Ticwatch Pro 3 |
| Sensors | Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor | Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor | Accelerometer, Altimeter, Ambient Light, Compass, Gyroscope, Off-body IR, PPG Heart Rate, SPO2 |
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: Price and Value
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Fossil Gen 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth/GPS | 40mm: $279 | 44mm: $299 | $449 | About $300 |
| LTE | 40mm: 329 | 44mm: $349 | $499 | No LTE Model |
GW5 (Galaxy Watch 5) like its predecessor gives you a reasonable discount if you pick a smaller size (40mm) or go for the Bluetooth Model. The standard 40mm GW5 with only Bluetooth connectivity costs around $280.
On the other hand, Fossil Gen 6 pegs a discount on the strap material. The watch with silicone and leather strap versions is priced at around $300 while the stainless steel bracelet model is $320.
Though the price difference is marginal, we would be tempted to go for the Galaxy Watch 5 as it offers a lot more value in terms of features.
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: Design and Display
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Fossil Gen 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 40mm: 39.3 x 40.4 x 9.8 mm |44mm: 43.3 x 44.4 x 9.8 mm, 33.5g | 45.4 x 45.4 x 10.5 mm | 44 x 42 x 11.5 mm |
| Buttons | 2 Buttons | 2 Buttons | 2 Buttons |
| Weight | 40mm: 28.7g | 44mm: 33.5g | 46.5g | 43 g |
| Colors | Graphite, Silver, Sapphire, Pink Gold | Black Titanium, Gray Titanium | Gunmetal Stainless Steel, Purple Silicone, Rose Gold-Tone Stainless Steel, Smoke Stainless Steel, Smoke Gunmetal Stainless Steel, Black Silicone, Brown Leather, Green Camo Grosgrain |
| Band Size | 20mm (M/L) | 20mm (M/L) | 22mm (M/L) |
| Casing Material | Aluminum | Titanium | Stainless steel case |
| Strap Material | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone |
| Screen Size | 40mm: 1.2 inches (396×396 Pixels) | 44mm: 1.4 inches, Super AMOLED (450×450 Pixels) | 1.4 inches | 1.28 inches |
| Screen Type | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED | Color AMOLED |
| Screen Resolution | 40mm: 396×396 Pixels; 44mm: 450×450 Pixels | 450×450 Pixels | 416 x 416 pixels |
| Screen Protection | Sapphire Crystal Glass | Sapphire Crystal Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Always-on Display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rotating Bezel | Touch | Touch | No |
| Waterproofing | 5 ATM (up to 50m) | Suitable for Shower, Swimming | 5 ATM (up to 50m) | Suitable for Shower, Swimming | 3 ATM (up to 30m) | Suitable for Shower, Swimming |
One thing is clear, Fossil Gen 6 has a classy appearance with pusher buttons and a digital crown on the side. It has a large bezel around the screen, no wonder that despite having the same casing size, the Fossil Watch features a 1.28 display whereas the Galaxy Watch 5 has a 1.4-inch display.
The digital crown on the Fossil Gen 6 is countered by a touch bezel on the Galaxy Watch 5 that lets you navigate the UI just like you would in Galaxy Watch 4 and the old Active 2.
Both watches are available in multiple colors and make use of high-quality materials. Straps are swappable and can be changed at your convenience.
However, in the durability department, the Galaxy watch takes the lead with sapphire glass protection and solid water resistance. Sapphire glass is the gold standard in the industry, and by all accounts, a 5 ATM rating is greater than the 3 ATM water resistance you get on Fossil Watch.
As far as the display resolution is concerned, both watches have AMOLED panels and support always-on watch faces. Here again, Galaxy Watch 5 has a slightly higher screen resolution at 450 x 450 pixels making it one of the sharpest smartwatch displays on the market.
Winner: Galaxy Watch 5
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: Smart Features
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Fossil Gen 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | WearOS | WearOS | WearOS |
| Connectivity Options | Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi(802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4+5GHz), GPS, LTE | Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4+5GHz), GPS, LTE | Bluetooth 5.0 LE, GPS, NFC SE, WiFi |
| Processor | Exynos W920 | Exynos W920 | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 4100+ |
| RAM | 1.5GB RAM | 1.5GB RAM | 1 GB |
| Storage | 16GB | 16GB | 8 GB |
| Speaker & Mic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Companion App | Galaxy Wearable | Galaxy Wearable | Fossil Hybrid App |
| Contactless Payment (NFC) | Samsung+Google Pay | Samsung+Google Pay | Google Pay |
| Standalone Calling and Texting | Yes (LTE model) | Yes (LTE model) | No |
| Voice Assistant | Bixby, Google Assistant | Bixby, Google Assistant | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Timer & Alarms | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Popular Apps | Strava, Spotify, Google Maps, Youtube Music, Google Keep, Google Pay, Nike Run Club | Strava, Spotify, Google Maps, Youtube Music, Google Keep, Google Pay, Nike Run Club | Strava, Spotify, Google Maps, Nike Run Club, Google Pay |
Fossil Gen 6 is compatible with both Android and iPhone but Samsung’s watch works only with Android smartphones.
A brief look at the hardcore specs of both watches is enough to show that the Galaxy Watch 5 is the stronger smartwatch. It has a faster Exynos processor based on a 5nm process, more RAM (almost 0.5 GB), and double the storage of the Fossil Gen 6.
The fact that Fossil Gen 6 is yet to get the promised upgrade to Wear 3 further tilts the balance in Galaxy Watch 5 favor. The latter already has the latest platform on board and has already received a couple of platform updates.
If we take the speed and experience out of the equation, both watches offer almost similar bells and whistles. Both have support for a Voice assistant and can make NFC payments via Google Pay, but most importantly both can stream music from Spotify and a handful of other streaming platforms.
The LTE model of the Galaxy Watch 5 does have one advantage, and that’s the eSIM support. This means that you can make and receive calls on your watch even when it’s not connected to your phone.
Winner: Galaxy Watch 5
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: Health and Fitness Features
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Fossil Gen 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Monitoring | Yes (Advanced) | Yes (Advanced) | Yes (Basic) |
| Stress Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG Monitoring | Yes | Yes | No |
| Blood Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Body Composition | Yes | Yes | No |
| Blood Pressure Tracking | Yes | Yes | No |
| Workouts | 30+ | 30+ | 35+ |
| Automatic Workout Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Tracking | Yes +Glonass/Beidou/Galileo | Yes +Glonass/Beidou/Galileo | Yes |
Fossil Gen 6 still has a long way to go to come even closer to the classic Galaxy Watch 3, the Galaxy Watch 5 in that sense is almost a decade ahead.
Though both these watches cover the basics like heart rate, sleep, and stress tracking, Galaxy Watch 5 offers more insights. It uses an advanced sensor to take blood pressure readings and also has an ECG monitor. Galaxy Watch has FDA approval for most of these features. Over the years a new Bioelectrical impedance analysis sensor also became a staple of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Watch devices.
This sensor uses a method called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to estimate body composition by sending a small electrical signal through your body and measuring the resistance. The data is then used to calculate things like body fat percentage, muscle mass, and water content. One can dispute its usability but the important thing is that it is exclusive only to Galaxy Watches so far.
Samsung and Mobvoi were smart enough to build their own apps to track various health metrics. But, it is not the same with Fossil. They are relying on Google Fit to provide health and fitness insights to users. Google Fit is a great platform, but it is not as comprehensive as Samsung Health or TicHealth.
As far as sports and workout tracking is concerned, Fossil Gen 6 is a poor choice for any serious athlete or fitness buff. Samsung Watch also doesn’t cut a good figure in this department but it does offer more than Fossil. For instance, take the improved GPS accuracy in the Galaxy Watch 5 that makes it at par with the likes of the Apple Watch and Garmin.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: Battery Performance
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Fossil Gen 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Size | 40mm: 284mAh | 44mm: 410mAh | 590mAh | 300mAh |
| Expected Battery Performance | Almost 50 hours | Almost 80 hours | Almost 24 Hr + multi-day Extended Mode |
| Fast Charging Support | Yes | Yes | No |
Fossil watches are notorious for having some of the worst battery life in the smartwatch game, and the Gen 6 is no different. In our testing, the Fossil Gen 6 lasted just over 18 hours on a single charge with the always-on display turned off.
For Galaxy Watch 5, we mostly relied on the experience of other reviewers. Samsung claims the Galaxy Watch 5 will last for 50 hours on a single charge, but none of the reviewers managed to eke out the promised battery performance. Samsung watch fell short, with a maximum run time of just 36 hours with the most advanced features turned off. That is still double what we got out of the Fossil Gen 6.
Both watches offer fast charging support, and with almost 15-20 minutes of charging, you can get enough juice to track sleep for a night.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fossil Gen 6: Final Verdict
Fossil Gen 6 might be able to persuade the die-hard fanboys of the brand, but it’s hard to see how it’s a better option compared to the Galaxy Watch 5. In almost all departments, the Galaxy Watch 5 comes at the top, be it value for money, battery performance, latest OS, or superior hardware. However, the fact that it can only be paired with an Android phone and offers the best experience with only Samsung phones might hold some people back.
