The Gen 5E is the latest smartwatch from Fossil, it’s not a successor to Gen 5 that was released last year, but a lower-end smartwatch that comes in two sizes with a lower 4GB storage alongside loudspeaker, microphone, and also equipped to track your daily activities with Snapdragon 3100 chip under the hood. The Gen 4 Sport which was the first Fossil smartwatch to have the 3100 chip also has a lot of features in common with the Gen 5E which makes this comparison an interesting one. Featured in this comparison post is Fossil Gen 5E (44mm) vs Gen 4 Sport (43mm), compare these two head-to-head to find out the differences and to help you decide which is a better smartwatch for you.
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Fossil Gen 5E (44mm) vs Gen 4 Sport (43mm): Specifications Compared
Product Info | ![]() Fossil Gen 5E (44mm) Full Specifications, Features and Price |
![]() Fossil Gen 4 Sport (43mm) Specifications, Features and Price |
---|---|---|
Price | $240.44 | $234.99 |
ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
Device name | (44mm), Fossil Gen 5E | Fossil Gen 4 Sport (43mm) |
Device type | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
Gender | Men | Unisex |
Release date | October, 2020 | November, 2018 |
Predecessor | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist | Fossil Gen 3 Sport |
Successor | — | — |
Versions | — | — |
BODY | BODY | BODY |
Dimension | 44 x 44 x 12 mm | 43 x 43 x 12 mm |
Weight | — | — |
Shape | Circular | Circular |
Case material | Stainless steel | Aluminum |
Strap material | Leather, Silicone, Stainless steel | Silicone |
Bezel material | Stainless steel | Aluminum |
Strap size | 22 mm | 20 mm |
Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
Water resistance | 3ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
Durability test | — | — |
Swim-proof | Yes | Yes |
Color | Black case/black silicone, Black case/black steel, Black case/brown leather | Black, Blue, Gray |
DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
Display size | 1.28 inch | 1.2 inches |
Display type | AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, Full color |
Display resolution | 416 x 416 px | 390 x 390 px |
Pixel density | — | — |
Always on | Yes | Yes |
Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
Input type | Digital crown, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
Bluetooth | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE |
Bluetooth calling | Yes | No |
GPS | Yes | Yes |
NFC | Yes | Yes |
Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
RAM | 1GB | 512MB |
ROM | 4GB | 4GB |
Memory card slot | No | No |
CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
Technology | None | None |
SIM type | None | None |
Band | — | — |
NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
Email alert | Yes | Yes |
Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes |
MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes |
Loudspeaker | Yes | No |
Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Camera | No | No |
Radio | No | No |
SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
Altimeter | — | Yes |
Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
Barometer | No | No |
Compass | No | No |
ECG | No | No |
Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
HRM | Yes | Yes |
Pulse oximeter | No | No |
Thermometer | No | No |
Other sensors | — | — |
ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
Blood oxygen | No | No |
Blood Pressure | No | No |
Calories | Yes | Yes |
Distance | Yes | Yes |
ECG tracking | No | No |
Fitness Level | — | — |
Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
Steps | Yes | Yes |
Stress | Yes | Yes |
Incidental fall detection | No | No |
Menstrual cycle | No | No |
VO2 Max | — | — |
Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes |
Swim-heart tracking | No | No |
On-screen workout | No | No |
Sport modes | Yes | Yes |
BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
Battery capacity | 310mAh | — |
Battery life | Regular: 24hrs+ | Regular: 24hrs+ |
Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock |
Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
Solar power | No | No |
PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
Chipset | Snapdragon 3100 | Snapdragon 3100 |
CPU | 1.2GHz Quad-core (4x ARM Cortex A7) | — |
GPU | Adreno 304 | — |
Operating system | Wear OS | Wear OS |
MISC | MISC | MISC |
Companion app | Fossil Q App | Fossil Q App |
Compatibility | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ |
Payment system | Google Pay | Google Pay |
Interchangeable strap | 22 mm, Yes | 20mm, Yes |
Voice command | Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant |
Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
Box content | Charger, Fossil Gen 5E, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fossil Gen 4 Sport, Manual, Straps |
Price | $240.44 | $234.99 |
Which is Better?
Although each of these two is a decent Wear OS smartwatch, the Gen 5E is a better smartwatch than Gen 4 Sport. With 1GB RAM paired with 3100 chip it certainly offers a slight better performance than Gen 4 Sport with lesser memory. Moreover, the Gen 5E has a more premium build than Gen 4 Sport eventhough, the later is a more befiting choice for sport activities, thanks to its lightweight design.
The Gen 5E has a loudspeaker that Gen 4 Sport lacks, as a result, you can make and receive calls directly from the Gen 5E via Bluetooth connection of a paired phone as well as play media files aloud which are not possible with Gen 4 Sport.
In other words, Gen 5E is a more comprehensive smartwatch than Gen 4 Sport which is a cheaper alternative.