Featured in this comparison are three generations of Fossil smartwatches; the Gen 3 Explorist, Gen 4 Explorist and the newest Gen 5 Calyle – three fine Wear OS smartwatches with outstanding designs. While the Gen 3 and 4 have Snapdragon 2100 chip under the hood, the Gen 5 has the more advanced 3100 chip. Compare the Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5 specs and features to find out the differences and which is the best choice for you.
Table of Contents
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: Specifications Compared
| Product Info |
 Fossil Gen 3 Explorist Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fossil Gen 4 Explorist Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fossil Gen 5 Calyle Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | - | $8.99 | $199.00 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Fossil Gen 3 Explorist | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist | Fossil Gen 5 Calyle |
| Device type | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch |
| Gender | Men | Men | Men |
| Release date | September, 2017 | August, 2018 | August, 2019 |
| Predecessor | Fossil Gen 2 Explorist | Fossil Gen 3 Explorist | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist |
| Successor | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist | Fossil Gen 5 Calyle | — |
| Versions | — | — | — |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 46 x 46 x 12.5 mm | 45 x 45 x 13 mm | 44 x 44 x 12 mm |
| Weight | — | — | — |
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap material | Leather | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Water resistance | IP67 | 3ATM | 3ATM |
| Durability test | — | — | — |
| Swim-proof | No | Yes | Yes |
| Color | Blue, Gold, Silver | Black, Gray, Rose-gold, Silver | Black, Brown, Smoke |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.44 inch | 1.4 inches | 1.28 inch |
| Display type | AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, Full color |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 px | 454 x 454 px | 416 x 416 px |
| Pixel density | — | — | 326 ppi |
| Always on | — | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.1 | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | Yes |
| GPS | No | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | No | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 512MB | 512MB | 1GB |
| ROM | 4GB | 4GB | 8GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None | None |
| Band | — | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | No | — | Yes |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | No | No | Yes |
| Compass | No | No | Yes |
| ECG | No | No | No |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | No | No | No |
| Thermometer | No | No | No |
| Other sensors | — | — | — |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | No | No | No |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | - | - | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Incidental fall detection | No | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle | No | No | No |
| VO2 Max | — | — | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | No | No | No |
| On-screen workout | No | No | No |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | — | — | 310mAh |
| Battery life | Regular: Up to 24hrs | Regular: 24hrs+ | Regular: 24hrs+ |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar power | No | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 2100 | Snapdragon 2100 | Snapdragon 3100 |
| CPU | — | — | — |
| GPU | — | — | — |
| Operating system | Wear OS | Wear OS | Wear OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Fossil Q App | Fossil Q App | Fossil Q App |
| Compatibility | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ |
| Payment system | None | Google Pay | Google Pay |
| Interchangeable strap | 22 mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes |
| Voice command | Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Fossil Gen 3 Explorist, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fossil Gen 4 Explorist, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fossil Gen 5 Calyle, Manual, Straps |
| Price | $8.99 | $199.00 |
SEE ALSO
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: What’s the Difference?
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: Display/Body
Going by the size, the newer Gen 5 Calyle has the smallest case size, this makes it a more compact watch compared to the other older generations, and off course is a better fit for people with smaller wrist size.
Although, the Gen 3 and 4 with wider display size will allow you see more at a glance compared to the Gen 5 with a slight smaller display size.
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5:Memory/Storage
The Gen 5 with 1GB RAM and Snapdragon 3100 chip under the hood has a much better performance than the Gen 3 and 4 with the 2100 chip and 0.5GB RAM.
Moreover, the Gen 5 also has 8GB onboard storage capacity which is twice what you get with the Gen 3 or 4. This will allow you take more of your favorite tracks with you.
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5:Media
The Gen 5 has microphone and loudspeaker, while the Gen 3 and 4 lack loudspeaker but have microphone. As a result, you can make and receive calls directly from the Gen 5 via Bluetooth calling which isn’t possible with the Gen 3 or 4.
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5:Battery Life
Although each of these three has a quite abysmal short battery life, the Gen 5 with the 3100 chip under the hood and featuring battery saver modes will last a bit longer than the other two.
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: Which is Better?
The Gen 5 Calyle is clearly the best choice. It has a more distinguishing design, higher storage and memory capacity in addition to the more advanced 3100 chip which leaves it with a slight longer battery life and much faster performance.
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: Editor’s Pick
