Smartwatches are incredibly useful if you live an active lifestyle. They are the perfect companions to track your workouts, the miles you’ve run or your heart rate at any point.
However, there are so many to choose from, and it can be difficult to decide which smartwatch will be a better fit for you. Should you get a sports watch over a more traditional tracker? Are they waterproof? There are a few things to consider before opting for the best option. Two similar devices from two popular brands are broken down so that you can make the right choice.
Fossil doesn’t have a plethora of different devices to choose from. Instead, it updates the operating system and internal components of each iteration. The Gen 6 is the sixth generation of their smartwatches, whose watches have many strap options and are available at Amazon.
Fossil claims that Gen 6 is the fastest smartwatch and most advanced available, and it is easy to see why they say that. It makes use of the Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chip, which allows you to open apps and perform functions 30 percent faster than the Gen 5 models.
It uses 1GB of RAM and has 8GB of storage. That is enough to store a lot of music when you need to go for a run. It also comes pre-installed with a variety of apps like Nike Run Club, Spotify, Google Maps and Google Assistant.
The sleek and elegant design uses Bluetooth 5 to connect to mobile devices, which allows you to make and receive voice calls. The smartwatch also supports wireless charging and can recharge up to 80 percent capacity in just 30 minutes.
It has a built-in oxygen blood sensor, heart rate monitor and is waterproof up to 3 ATMs (bars). The 1.28-inch color AMOLED display is touch-sensitive, and the battery can last over 24 hours. In terms of tracking, it is capable of keeping tabs on your activity levels, steps, sleep and cardio levels. It also has a built-in GPS.
Other input methods include two additional power buttons, a rotating home button and voice control.
The smartwatch needs to be tethered to a mobile phone in order for you to make and receive calls. That’s isn’t such a bad thing, but sometimes you don’t want to go jogging with a mobile phone in your pocket.
The Gen 6 is powered by Google’s Wear OS, but it doesn’t support Wear OS 3 yet. There have been many complaints that the operating system can be clunky and frustrating, so Wear OS 3 would have been a welcome change. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait to get it.
The Venu 2S is Garmin’s updated offering on the original Venu model. It is slightly smaller than the previous version, and it is much better suited for those with smaller wrists. It uses Garmin’s own proprietary operating system and retails for around $399. It is available at Amazon.
The Venu 2S has been made with sleek designs and functionality in mind. It is available with a host of strap options, which are perfectly suited for almost any occasion. There are also several face trim colors available, ranging from silver and gold to rose and black.
The glass on the watch face has been supplied by Corning Gorilla, and the Glass 3 technology makes sure it can withstand light bumps and scratches. The AMOLED display is a touchscreen and measures 1.1 inches with a resolution of 360-by-360 pixels.
The battery life is exceptional, but it also depends on how you use the smartwatch. In normal smartwatch mode, it will last around 10 days, and you’ll get an extra 24 hours if it’s in battery saver mode. However, when using the GPS with music, you’re looking at a run time of about 7 hours.
For tracking of activities and health statistics, it has a Health Snapshot feature. From its 2-minute session, you’ll get information about your heart rate, oxygen level, respiration and stress. A report can then be generated through the Garmin Connect app.
If you need a bit of help with your workouts, the Venu 2S has easy-to-follow, animated cardio, strength and HIIT workouts preloaded. You can also create your own workout routine by choosing from the 1,400 exercises available.
For all the great things that the Venu 2S comes with, there are naturally some aspects that some users might not enjoy. For example, it is packed with trackers and sensors, but only a limited number of third-party apps are available.
Moreover, it also doesn’t have a microphone, so you won’t be able to make or receive calls on your wrist. You can see who is calling but need to communicate through the mobile device or connected headset.
Both smartwatches have similar-sized displays and use AMOLED technology for brightly colored visuals. What’s more, both are available in a wide range of styles and watch straps. So, regarding the aesthetic value, the two models are strikingly the same.
However, these comparisons and contrasts are only at a glance, and you must dig deeper into the components to see how they stack up against each other. Fossil Gen 6’s processor is a bonus, but it seems wasted on its incompatibility with Wear OS 3.
However, the Fossil Gen 6 is $100 cheaper than the Garmin Venu 2S. So, if the price is a constraint for you, then the Fossil Gen 6 will be perfect. Yet, if you are looking for more features, tracking and help with workouts, the Garmin Venu 2S is the way to go.
It has a smaller screen than the Fossil, but its battery life of over 10 days is excellent. Overall, it edges out over the Gen 6, allowing for more tracking, health statistics and assistance with workouts through animations.
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
