Fossil smartwatch is one of the most popular and classy smartwatches. Designed in a very attractive style, this smartwatch comes from the brand Fossil, a start-up that has proven itself in terms of quality and efficiency of its products and its smartwatches are no exception.
Fossil smartwatch is a great idea of a gift for somebody you love or appreciate. This product is one of the best you can have right now. More than just a watch, it becomes your assistant and it allows you to access important information or notifications without having to take out the phone.
The American fashion house released its first smartwatch in 2003 and has since released over 30 other models. Fossil has the widest variety when it comes to smartwatches even when competing with the biggest companies of the smartwatch world like Apple, Samsung and Fitbit. With a blend of different sizes, colors, and finishes, the fashion house offers over a hundred possible design combinations.
The fashion house has now reached a fifth-generation with their smartwatches, constantly improving their software and aesthetic to better suit consumer’s need. Not only that, but the company also offers hybrid watches which combine the looks of a traditional watch with the functionality of a smartwatch.
So with such a wide variety to choose from, how do you know which model is the right one for you? With all the information available on the market today, here are something you should consider when buying a smartwatch:
- Design: A watch is the first thing you put on in the morning and the last thing you take off at night. It is not only a gadget but a fashion accessory and it has to match your style. If you are choosing a Fossil design, you’re in luck. They offer anything from neon watch straps, crystal-embellished dials and a customizabile watch face to the classic and elegant combination of stainless steel case and leather strap.
- Interface: This comes down to personal preference. Smartwatches usually come with either buttons or a touchscreen. With buttons, you have more precision when selecting items on your screen but it does take longer to do so compared to a touchscreen. With a touchscreen, the reaction time is faster when navigating through your apps but it does get difficult to select small items, especially on a smaller screen.
- Functionality: Is a hybrid enough for you or do you need the newest smartwatch generation? If you want to make and receive calls and text messages on your smartwatch, you should prioritize these features and choose a model accordingly. If all you need is activity tracking and notifications support, you could buy a hybrid and save yourself some money.
We know it’s complicated to narrow it down to just one model, even from the same brand so we did the hard part for you. Here are the best Fossil smartwatches:
Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR
The Gen 5 Carlyle HR is the newest kid on the block from the brand. This Fossil smartwatch has a 44 mm circular, classical dial and comes in 3 color options. The 22 mm strap is interchangeable at this Fossil smartwatch, as always, but fresh out of the box the watch comes with either a silicone or leather strap. It has a simple, elegant design and its minimalist look will work in a formal or casual environment.
With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor, Fossil focuses on improving battery life for this device. The battery lasts significantly longer compared on this Fossil smartwatch to other models from the brand. This device can go 24 hours between charges, going up to 36 with light use. Some features like the background heartbeat monitor and the GPS drastically cut down on the battery’s life span. The watch also offers an Extended battery mode which will prolongate the battery’s life for up to 5 days but it does limit its functionality to a basic setup. A magnetic rapid charger is included in the box which cuts the charging time from 0% to 100% to about an hour an a half.
The Gen 5 features a 1.28-inch display and a 416 X 416 resolution. The screen has an auto-brightness mode that is a lifesaver on a sunny day, the sunlight booster making the screen easy to read even with bright, direct light exposure. There is plenty of preset option for your dial but you can also personalize your face with photos from your own Facebook or Instagram gallery.
The Carlyle HR is an efficient activity tracker, it can monitor your steps, heart rate and calories you burned with the help of the Google Fit app. It comes equipped with a Heart rate monitor, an Accelerometer, an Altimeter, and a Gyroscope. The untethered GPS is particularly useful when working out outside, it can track your distance and speed without having to be connected to your phone.
This Fossil smartwatch has a 50 m waterproof design so it can be used when swimming or showering. Remember it is a smartwatch not a diving watch, it needs to be used in shallow water only.
This Fossil smartwatch has an impressive 8 GB of storage space and you will be surprised what a difference it makes. Not only is the Gen 5 faster compared to its Gen 4 version but the extra GB allows you to download and listen to your favorite Spotify playlists without having to compromise.
The Gen 5 smartwatches are powered with Google’s Wear OS and they are compatible with iPhone and Android phones. Even though Fossil watches had a rocky start when paired with iOS devices, they seem to have resolved their differences with the newest updates.
The wrist accessory of this Fossil smartwatch has an incorporated microphone and speaker combo so you can easily make calls, respond to your smartphone notifications and activate your Google Assistant without even touching the screen. The speaker allows for a new feature, audible alerts for your notifications. Don’t worry, the alerts are actually quite subtle and they come in handy when you are not necessarily close to your phone.
We should also mention that Fossil chose to keep the three side buttons on the Gen 5 Carlyle HR. The middle one is still used for standard Wear OS function and the rotating crown helps to scroll up and down through your apps or notification. The other two buttons of this Fossil smartwatch are still assignable to your desired apps and they are a breeze to set up.
This Fossil smartwatch had an NFC chip added so it’s now easier than ever to make a contactless payment with your watch through Google Pay.
Check priceFossil Q Founder Gen 2
The Fossil Q Founder Gen 2 is without a doubt one of the biggest smartwatch models on the market. The case has a whooping 45 mm in diameter and is 14 mm thick. Apart from its big size, this Fossil smartwatch has a minimalist design. The case is made out of durable stainless steel and you can choose a strap to match your style from the 22 mm Fossil strap collection. With only one side button and a sleek appeal, the watch is surely an understated model.
The Q Founder has a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor and runs on Google’s Wear OS. It has a circular 1.5-inch touchscreen display with a 360 x 326-pixel resolution. It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, although some features are limited to Android usage.
The Q Founder has a built-in activity tracker so it will easily track your steps, distance and calories burned. This data can be easily synced on all your devices when using Google Fit or a third party fitness app. Keep in mind, the auto-sync is only available with Android phones.
This wrist-wear has an incorporated speaker and microphone combo which means you can use it to interact with your Google Assistant without touching the screen. Replying to texts, e-mails or checking your notifications is easy enough with the interactive interface.
The Fossil Q Founder Gen 2 charges wirelessly on the provided inductive charging dock. This Fossil smartwatch will require nightly charging, the battery runs quickly even with medium usage. With light use, the battery might last up to 24 hours.
Check priceFossil Sport
The Fossil Sport smartwatch is as the name suggests a fitness targeted smartwatch. This Fossil smartwatch is one of the few watches that offer two sizes to choose from: a 41 mm and a 43 mm. This model is not only versatile when it comes to size but when it comes to color too. The Sport comes in a variety of case and band combinations, the most popular ones being light blue, blush pink, neon yellow, black and gold, and the list goes on.
It is suitable for both men and women due to the customizable color scheme and the wrist options will sit nicely on both a thinner or a wider wrist. Regardless of the chosen color choice, the case of this Fossil smartwatch is made out of the same aluminum and nylon composition.
This helps the watch be as light as possible and it protects it from sweat or other wear marks at the same time. Weighing only 36 g for the 41 mm model and 40 g for the 46 mm, this Fossil smartwatch will not drag you down when working out. The wrist accessory comes with a 22 mm strap that is interchangeable with other bands from the range.
The Sport has a circular case with three buttons on the side. The middle button works as a rotating wheel and helps navigate through apps and notifications. You can simply access the Wear OS menu by pressing the middle button once and with a long push on the same button, you can activate the Google Assistant.
The other two buttons of this Fossil smartwatch are left to be set up at your discretion. You can use them as shortcuts to your two most used apps like Google Pay and Spotify. This wearable operates on Wear OS which has its faults but with the Sport, most of the latest features are available so it shouldn’t cause any problems. Unfortunately, there is no proprietary Fossil sports and fitness app so you are limited to Google Fit or a third-party app of your choosing. This is only available for Android devices when paired with an iOS device, on the other hand, your only choice is Google Fit.
The Sport has a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor which works towards enhancing battery life but it doesn’t perform as great when it comes to providing the best Wear OS experience. Although the processor is meant to enhance battery life, the battery cycle is still short compared to other smartwatches. It can go up to 2 days between charges but no more than that.
The Fossil Sport comes with an incorporated microphone so you can easily give commands to your Google Assistant. This Fossil smartwatch also supports Google Pay.
The Sport comes with a GPS and a heart rate sensor so you will be able to take it to your workouts without needing to bring your phone as well. This Fossil smartwatch has 5 ATM waterproof certification so it is perfectly safe to wear when swimming in shallow water.
Check priceThe Fossil Q Venture HR
The Fossil Q Venture HR wearable combines the well-known, elegant design of the Fossil classic watch with the versatile features of a smartwatch. Fossil put a lot of time into designing this watch and it surely shows. The Q Venture HR comes with a 40 mm circular core which is only 13 mm thick giving the watch an overall sleek look.
This is the most customizable watch in the Fossil range. The case comes in a variety of different colors, black, silver, gold being just some of them. Different finishes are also available for the case, the crystal-embellished dial being one of Fossil’s best sellers. You can pick the strap from a range of materials and colors. The 18 mm strap comes in leather, silicone and stainless steel and it can be easily replaced if you choose to switch up your style.
There are three preset faces available on the Venture HR: a classic display on a black background, a digital clock on marbled background and an analog clock. All of these can be adapted to your preferences and you can, of course, add a face of your choosing.
The touchscreen display of this Fossil smartwatch has a quick reaction time but, if you prefer, you can use the three buttons on the right of your watch to navigate through your apps or notifications.
The Venture HR has 4 GB of storage space which means you can download and listen to music offline with Spotify. This gadget runs on Wear OS and it comes with the basic apps like Google Assistant or Google Pay pre-installed.
This Fossil smartwatch comes with an innovative optical heart rate monitor located directly on your wrist. The wrist based placement of the monitor is supposed to give a more accurate reading of the user’s heart rate. Also, this has an independent GPS incorporated which means it will find a signal without relying on your phone’s GPS.
The Venture HR has a swim-proof design but make sure you choose a silicon strap if you plan on using it in water environments.
Battery wise, this Fossil smartwatch will last a full day between charging cycles. There is a low battery mode which will extend its life-span to two days but even that is a stretch. With this model, however, there is a fast charge option that will take this Fossil smartwatch from 0% to 100% in about an hour.
Check priceFossil Q Explorist HR
The Fossil Q Explorist HR has been through a make-over for the fourth generation and is now the updated, improved version that we were all waiting for. The company focused on bringing more fitness features to this Fossil smartwatch while still keeping its impressive looks.
The Q Explorist HR is one of Fossil’s best-looking watches for men and its distinctive look is emphasized even more with the fourth generation. The new 46 mm size (the older model was 42 mm) is definitely hard to miss and the stainless steel bezel makes it stand out even more. The 22 mm straps are interchangeable and like with most Fossil wearables, there are plenty of color options to choose from.
The new Explorist HR has a bright 1.4 inch AMOLED display with an impressive 454 x 454-pixel resolution. The three side buttons didn’t go anywhere. The middle button is preset to launch the app menu and when long pressed it will activate Google Assistant. The other two buttons you can easily set up as shortcuts to your preferred apps.
The Explorist has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor and runs on Google’s Wear OS.
The heart rate sensor was moved to the back of the case. Fossil chose this placement with most of their newer models and this wrist placement of the monitor is meant to provide a better reading of your heart rate. With this also comes a built-in GPS so the offers the whole package when it comes to fitness tracking. But the stand out feature of the Gen 4 is the water proof design. Unlike its older version, the new Explorist has a 3 ATM swim proof certification. Having said that, the watch does not come with a silicone strap when you first purchase it so if you want to take it swimming, you will have to buy a water resistant strap as well. The fitness data is easy to navigate and it is delivered to all your devices through the Google Fit app.
The new version of this Fossil smartwatch has an NFC chip included which means you can now make contactless directly from your Explorist through Google Pay.
The battery life on this Fossil smartwatch is average at best, it will last a full day with medium use but you will have to charge it on a nightly base.
Check priceFossil Q Grant
The Fossil Q Grant is one of Fossil’s hybrid smartwatches. It looks identical to a classic round dial watch, it has a 42 mm case size and 22 mm interchangeable strap. This Fossil smartwatch is available in 9 colors, with the most popular options being black, silver and gold. This hybrid has an analog watch face and it offers a Roman numerals time reading.
This Fossil smartwatch features of the Grant include alerting you of your smartwatch notifications through subtle vibrations or hand movements and sleep monitoring and activity tracking. You can see your activity data in the companion app available on your smartphone and you can set up goals to track on your device.
The communication between the hybrid and your smartphone is done via Bluetooth. The watch is compatible with both iPhone and Android phones. The Grand also offers to Take a Picture and Control your Music features. The buttons on this watch are customizable and can be set up to control your phone’s camera or play a song from your playlists.
The battery life on this device is astonishing, it can last up to 12 months with enabled Bluetooth and everyday use.
The watch is 50 m water-resistant so it is perfectly safe to take it swimming, just make sure you don’t do so with the leather strap…
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