Fossil Gen 4 vs Gen 5 Smartwatch Comparison [All The Differences]

It has been a while since Fossil has launched its 4th and 5th generation of smartwatches with a host of new technology features. These wearables provide great functionality and design combination which is why they’re quite popular.

Fossil Unisex 46MM Gen 5 Garrett HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Black (Model: FTW4038)

Fossil Men's Gen 4 Explorist HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch, Color: Smoke Grey (Model: FTW4012)

Price not available

$274.99

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-

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Fossil Unisex 46MM Gen 5 Garrett HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Black (Model: FTW4038)

Price not available

-

Buy on Amazon

Fossil Men's Gen 4 Explorist HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch, Color: Smoke Grey (Model: FTW4012)

$274.99

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Buy on Amazon

Many people have hailed Fossil products as all-inclusive, both in terms of design and functioning, and the Gen 5 Carlyle smartwatch is no exception to this. But it also comes with a higher price tag. It is, therefore, reasonable to ask whether it is worth spending the extra money on the new device, and how it fares against its predecessor, the Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR.

Following is an in-depth comparison of both the watches and how they stand up when they are neck to neck. From the chipset fitted into the watch’s new battery life, fitness trackers, sensors, connectivity, and design – this comprehensive comparison post has everything.

The Design

Fossil Unisex 46MM Gen 5 Garrett HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Black (Model: FTW4038)

Fossil Men's Gen 4 Explorist HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch, Color: Smoke Grey (Model: FTW4012)

Price not available

$274.99

-

-

Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Fossil Unisex 46MM Gen 5 Garrett HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch, Color: Black (Model: FTW4038)

Price not available

-

Buy on Amazon

Fossil Men's Gen 4 Explorist HR Heart Rate Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch, Color: Smoke Grey (Model: FTW4012)

$274.99

-

Buy on Amazon

The Fossil Gen 4 Q Explorist has a metal design. The case of this watch is 45 mm in length and breadth and has a thickness of 13 mm. On the other hand, the Gen 5 watch has a smaller case which is also made of metal but is only 44 mm in length and breadth. However, it is slightly thinner than the Gen 4 watch, at 12 mm.

Moreover, both the watches have water resistance up to three ATMs. The Gen 4 watch has two buttons on its right-hand side and you can customize these buttons to open whatever app you want to. This watch also has a crown in the middle, between these buttons, which can be rotated and will help you skip through menus.

The Gen 5 Fossil smartwatch has an optical heart rate sensor on the back, which is missing in its predecessor. This makes the case bulge a little bit and it is certainly noticeable, compared to the flat back design of the Gen 4 watch.

Just like the Gen 4 smartwatch, it also has three buttons on the right-hand side and they also serve the same purpose. You can use the crown for switching between menus and the other two for opening some particular apps.

It should also be noted that the Gen 4 casing material is aluminum, whereas the Gen 5 is made of stainless steel. Moreover, the strap of the Gen 5 watch is made of stainless steel and is quite sturdy and long-lasting. On the other hand, the Gen 4 smartwatch has leather straps with silicone backing.

All in all, the design of both watches is more or less similar. Although the Gen 5 smartwatch case is a little smaller in size than the Explorist HR, the difference is hardly noticeable and you won’t miss the 1 mm. However, the bulge at its back maybe a little uncomfortable for some users. Although the thinner chassis of the Carlyle may be considered desirable, do bear in mind this bulge which may make it a little less comfortable than you want.

The Display

The Fossil Gen 4 smartwatch comes with a 1.44-inch AMOLED display, whereas the fossil Gen 5 smartwatch has a smaller display at 1.28 inches, although it is also AMOLED. Moreover, the Explorist HR has a pixel density of 459 PPI and a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels. On the other hand, the Carlyle has a slightly better resolution at 416 x 46 pixels and a pixel density of 460 PPI.

However, I would recommend you to not pay attention to this particular difference. There is no noticeable difference between a pixel density of 459 PPI and 460 PPI. The human eye is incapable of differentiating anything between such fine margins. For all intents and purposes, it can be considered that both the smartwatches have the same pixel density.

What can be considered of defining feature and a deal-breaker is that the Explorist HR does not have the always-on feature, whereas the Gen 5 smartwatch does. The always-on feature allows you to look at your smartwatch and see the time or check the notifications without having to press any buttons. This feature is especially useful when you are working out and don’t want to get your sweaty fingers near your smartwatch.

Since this feature is absent in the Explorist HR, it is certainly a drawback on the behalf of this gadget. However, Gen five also has a smaller display than the Gen 4. The rest of the display features off-board the smartwatches are the same.

For instance, both of them have customizable watch faces, so it makes no difference when you are picking one of these two. Other common features of the display include corning gorilla glass protection, water-resistance, and dustproof display, sweat resistance, etc.

So, the bottom line is – there is a marginal size difference between the displays of the two smartwatches, I would also add that just like the pixel density and resolution, the difference is barely noticeable, so make your decision wisely.

The Sensors

When it comes to sensors, both the smartwatches are more or less the same. Each has an optical heart rate sensor at its back and an untethered GPS system.

The heart rate sensors in both these smartwatches are massively improved in terms of efficiency as well as precision. It uses an optical light system to check the volume of blood flowing through your veins, which gives you a more accurate reading. Moreover, this sensor is also battery efficient. It does not tax your battery and can also keep a record of your heart rate at any point, whether you are on the move or not.

This nifty little feature can also automatically track your heart rate during the multiple exercises you have logged with the connected google fit app. It can take a manual heart rate reading as well. Both these watches will also give you heart rate graphs which will show your progress throughout the workouts.

I think the sensors are very well integrated into the designs of the watch, you can check the beats per minute on your watch face with just a glance. Now coming to the untethered GPS this allows users to track their bike rides, hikes, runs and walks via google fit or a third-party app. But that’s not the best part, the best part is that you don’t have to bring your phone with you.

Both these watches can track your location and your distance covered on their own. Both of them also have an accelerometer to measure your linear acceleration but lack the sensor for monitoring the blood oxygenation level. They also had a gyroscope for tracking the orientation of the device.

Therefore, so far, it seems that both these smartwatches are performing identically. But the major difference is noticeable when you check the compass and barometer sensors, both of which are present in the Carlyle but absent in the Explorist.

A compass is necessary for navigation software, maps, as well as gaming. The barometer can measure air pressure and predict weather changes. The Carlyle can perform both these functions, but the Explorist cannot. Therefore, unless these two features are extremely important to you, there is practically no incentive for splurging on the Carlyle.

Activity & Fitness Tracking

As already stated above both the smartwatches have built-in GPS which means that you can track your runs, hikes, walks, etc. Even if you are not connected to your smartphone. They also have heart rate monitors for keeping an eye on your heart rate and both the smartwatches are also water-resistant to the same level, that is, 3 ATM.

The data that is recorded by both the smartwatches during your runs or swims is extremely accurate, but I must point out that the heart rate monitor on both the smartwatches is not as accurate as some other smartwatches in the market, like the Apple series 5.

They also come with preinstalled workout apps like Google Fit, and you also have the freedom to download more apps related to fitness from the play store. Having said that, the tracking on Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle is much more accurate and refined than the Gen 4. Whether it is the swimming data, heart rate monitoring or other fitness tracking features camera overall, Gen 5 seems to be more precise.

Although both the smartwatches can track your steps as well as your distance, certain features are only available in the Carlyle HR Gen 5. Some of them include sleep tracking, pace measuring, extensive sleep reporting, route tracking, etc. All of these features are missing in the Gen 4 smartwatch.

Some features that are present in both the smartwatches and perform more or less the same art calories burned during workouts, extensive activity reports, detection of other ideas of workouts automatically common goal setting, and multi-sport modes which allow you to switch between tracking different workouts automatically.

Therefore, it is clear that the Gen 5 outperforms the Gen 4 by quite a lot in this particular area. However, it should be noted that some of these features are either not used extensively by the layman or can be easily dragged by using third party apps on your smartphone or your smartwatch. Therefore, it is worth considering whether some of these features are worth spending the extra money or

The Hardware

The Gen 4 Explorist smartwatch it runs on Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset. It has 512 MB of RAM and can store data up to 4GB. It can also make payments Using Google pay, as it comes with an NFC chip right inside the watch. The operating system is Wear OS and it is extremely easy to use. It also comes preloaded with all the apps that you may need.

On the other hand, the Gen 5 smartwatch has better hardware specs than its predecessor. For one, it runs on Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, which makes it much faster and smoother than the Explorist. Indeed, it is running on a completely next Gen of processors.

But that’s not all. It also has a much higher RAM. At 1 GB of RAM, you can certainly notice the difference in the ease of operation and navigation in this smartwatch, compared to its predecessor. The internal storage capacity has also been bumped to 8 GB, which allows you room to store a lot of mode music and data only or Gen 5 smartwatch, compared to the Gen 4.

The new processor on the Carlyle is not just more powerful, but it also saves energy common giving you extended battery life. All in all, the better memory, chipset, and RAM make the then 5 Carlyle an obviously superior choice.

The Battery Life

Talking about battery life, this is where the Gen 4 shines. It has been a much more powerful battery at 350mah, compared to the 310mah battery of the Gen 5 watch. However, despite having a more powerful battery, the actual power usage of both the smartwatches is not that different.

First of all, talking about the Gen 4 smartwatch, the battery life will last you for or day, more or less. You’ll have to charge the smartwatch every night in order to use it the next day. But the good thing is that it takes about an hour to charge it fully, so you won’t have to keep it plugged in for very long.

The smartwatch also comes with a magnetic charging plate included within the box. You just have to connect the watch to the plate and it will start charging. This is a pretty secure method, and there are no chances of toppling over due to minor disturbances.

However, this model does not come with any battery saver modes. This means that if you’re not using the smartwatch, you cannot switch it to another mode to save the battery. It’s pretty much all or none with the Gen 4 Explorist.

On the other hand, despite having a smaller battery, Gen five also manages to last a whole day without needing to be charged. This is because it has several power-saving modes with which you can extend the battery life. Precisely, for sale has given you the option to choose between four of them.

The first one is the daily mode, in which everything is turned on and the watch consumes the most energy in this mode. The second one is the extended battery mode in which Bluetooth and some other features, like sleeping, are turned off during a particular time of the day, allowing you to save some juice.

The third mode is time only mode which turns your smartwatch into a regular watch. Everything will be turned off and you’ll only be able to check the time. In this mode, the smartwatch can Go on for one week with just a single charge.

My favorite and the 4th mode is the custom mode. As the name indicates, this is where you can customize all that you want. From tweaking the brightness of the watch to turning the heart rate of when you are sleeping or just sitting at your that’s working, to turning off the Google assistant when not required – there is no limit to what you cannot do with this feature.

On top of all this, Gen five also has a wireless charging option, which makes it much more convenient and easier for you to charge the device. Considering all this, it is no surprise that the verdict is in favor of the Gen 5 smartwatch in this particular category.

Compatibility

Gen 4 smartwatches can connect with all the smartphones that either have Android 4.4 or above and ios 9.3 or above. It can also connect with your smartphone using Wi-Fi. However, there is no option for automatic syncing, you will have to do this manually. The Bluetooth version available on this smartwatch is 4.1, which is a little bit dated and could have used an upgrade.

The Gen 5 has the same compatibility, it runs with Android 4.4 or above and ios 9.3 or above. However, the main is that Gen 5 has the latest Bluetooth version of smart v4.2 LE. This is why it also connects much easier and faster than its predecessor. Unlike Gen 4, it also has the ability to sync with your smartphone automatically.

All in all, both the smartwatches have more or less the same compatibility and connectivity features. The Bluetooth upgrade does help the Gen 5 a little bit, though, as does the automatic syncing feature.

Extra Features

The Fossil 4 and 5, both smartwatches have everything from voice commands, stopwatch, vibrating alerts, call control, silent alarm, and a variety of other features. However, and the main difference between the two, and the biggest deal-breaker would be that you cannot use your Gen 4 smartwatch to locate your smartphone if there is a theft or loss of the phone. It also cannot answer calls.

Both of these shortcomings have been rectified with the Gen 5 smartwatch, while also bringing with it a host of other features. The Carlyle can also be used to answer calls right from your wrist and it is able to locate your smartphone. This is a pretty big deal because the Gen 5 can literally save you thousands of dollars in case of loss of phone, while this is not the case with the Gen 4.

Other features that are common to both the smartwatches are notifications, call control, silent alarm, vibrating alerts, integration with social networks, voice commands, etc. Both of these devices also offered music playback, a free app on your smartphone that is compatible with the watch, exercise diary, ad-free experience, syncing to the cloud, etc.

However, there are certain features that are missing in both the smartwatches, like a smart alarm or inactivity alerts that urge you to move if you are sedentary for a while. Both devices also do not have a passcode which would allow you to keep your data private, and there is no option for life coaching.

Other missing features include personalization of the appearance of the app, syncing with existing calendars, and compatibility with Windows Phones and devices. They also cannot use cellular technology, drag elevation, or monitor my God like temperature, cadence, perspiration, etc.

All in all, comparing these two smartwatches, it is clear that the Gen 5:00 is way superior in this particular area.

The Price

The Gen 4 smartwatch can be bought for a little over $100. You can also choose between a variety of colors like gunmetal, blue, black, rose gold for my smoke Gray, and silver. Although most of the straps are made of leather and silicone comment there are certainly some models that have straps made from stainless steel.

The Gen five smartwatch is a little bit expensive and the starting price is $219. It is available in just three colors, namely, black, Brown, and smoke. Therefore, the choices are limited to this model.

The Pros and Cons

Fossil Gen 5: The Pros and Cons

Fossil Gen 4 Pros and Cons

The Verdict

In a nutshell, it is clear that the Gen 5 wins hands down Because of its faster chipset, extra storage space, ability to answer phone calls, ability to track your smartphone in case there is a theft or loss, fast navigation, And a host of other features that make it truly stand out when compared to its predecessor.

However, it is also more expensive and lacking in Some other areas like smaller display size, no improvement in screen resolution, etc. Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not these extra features are desirable for you or not, and whether or not they are worth the extra money.