As an avid smartwatch collector and fitness tech specialist for over 8 years, few questions arise in my inbox more frequently lately than users wondering how premier wrist wearables like the Fitbit Sense and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 compare.
With similarly advanced utility crammed into sleek chassis priced around just $200, both fitness watches certainly seem alluring. Let‘s methodically scrutinize every facet from hardware design to special features so I can provide my expert recommendation on which is the better buy.
Smartwatch Showdown Overview
The Fitbit Sense and Galaxy Watch 4 series represent two of the most compelling smart fitness wearables available today:
Fitbit Sense – With advanced health sensors like EDA for stress tracking, ECG, SpO2, skin temp sensors and up to 6-day battery life crammed into a striking square watch case, the Sense caters heavily to athletic users wanting maximum workout metrics.
Galaxy Watch 4 – Sporting gorgeously rounded styling with intuitive rotating bezels, the Galaxy Watch 4 focuses more on blending fitness fundamentals like heart rate with smartwatch conveniences via apps, payments and optional LTE connectivity.
Although their strengths differ slightly, both watches aim to artfully blend 24/7 activity tracking with notifications, music controls, adjustable bands and more. Let‘s see how their designs, displays, features and capabilities compare!
Design and Dimensions
Kicking off with the physical watch hardware itself, the Fitbit Sense and Galaxy Watch 4 share some key size specs but differ vastly when it comes to aesthetics.
Fitbit Sense Design
Clad in aerodynamic graphite, silver or gold aluminum, the Fitbit Sense exudes an athletic vibe from all angles. Its square 1.58" touch display flows smoothly into the curved case sides and indentations for bands anchor each corner securely.
Dimensions
- Length – 1.59 inches (40.5mm)
- Width – 1.59 inches (40.5mm)
- Thickness – 0.49 inches (12.5mm)
- Weight – 1.17 oz (33.1 grams)
Galaxy Watch 4 Design
The Galaxy Watch 4 family sports elegantly contoured circular bezels wrapping stunning 1.2" or 1.4” touch displays. Everything from the buttons to the lugs stand out with intricate, fashionable details.
It ships in 40mm and 44mm standard sizes plus slightly larger “Classic” models – pick between luxurious silver, black, pink or green colors.
Dimensions (44mm standard model)
- Diameter – 1.41 inches (41mm)
- Thickness – 0.43 inches (11mm)
- Weight – 1.07 oz (30.3 grams)
My Take – Shoppers wanting a ruggedized, athletic tracker will gravitate to the Sense’s sleek contours and durable casing. But anyone seeking a versatile, fashionable smartwatch will likely prefer traditional circular profiles of the Galaxy Watch 4 series. Both definitely alluring.
Display Technology
With advanced OLED touchscreens serving as the main interface for everything from notifications to navigation, display quality greatly impacts the user experience.
Fitbit Sense Display
- 1.58” AMOLED panel
- 336 x 336 pixels
- 1000 nits max brightness
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Galaxy Watch 4 Display
- 1.2"/1.4” Super AMOLED panel
- 450 x 450 pixels
- 1000 nits max brightness
On paper, both watches promise excellent visibility even under intense direct sunlight up to 1,000 nits brightness.
But Samsung’s Super AMOLED tech with a dense 450ppi resolution compared to Fitbit’s 336ppi edge out the win for clarity and sharpness. Vibrant colors really pop with dark, inky blacks thanks to stellar contrast – you can clearly discern every detail.
Health Sensors and Tracking
As advanced health tracking platforms, both the Sense and Galaxy Watch 4 incorporate a staggering array of sensors to quantify daily activity, sleep, workouts and overall wellness. Let‘s unpack their toolkit and see how they stack up.
Fitbit Sense Sensors
- Heart rate – Continuous, resting + workout
- SpO2 blood oxygen saturation
- ECG heart rhythm
- EDA sensors for stress tracking
- Skin temperature sensor
- Accelerometers/altimeter – steps, floors
- High + low heart rate alerts
- Menstrual health tracking
- Motion/position sensors
Galaxy Watch 4 Sensors
- Heart rate – Continuous + intervals
- SpO2 blood oxygen saturation
- ECG heart rhythm
- Accelerometer – steps
- Gyroscope – position/motion
- Barometer – floors climbed
- Sleep cycle automation
- V02 max – cardio fitness
The Galaxy Watch 4 covers all the essential activity metrics but the Fitbit Sense pulls ahead with its added sensors for monitoring stress, skin temp variation and women‘s health. These provide deeper personal insights you won‘t glean from the Galaxy Watch 4.
Battery Life
No one wants to scramble for a charger mid-day, so comparing expected runtime on a single charge is imperative.
Fitbit Sense Battery Life
- Capacity – 266mAh lithium polymer
- Runtime – 2 to over 6 days per full charge
- 5 days with typical usage
- Just under 3 days with always-on display
- Charging time – About 1.5 hours
Galaxy Watch 4 Battery Life
- Capacity – 247mAh lithium ion
- Runtime – Up to 40 hours
- 1.5 to 2 days realistic usage
- Charging time – 30 minutes for 45%
The Galaxy Watch lets you track workouts, field notifications and more for a solid 24-36 hours typically before needing a top up.
But the Fitbit Sense‘s superior battery capacity enables 2 to 6 full days depending on usage, lasting over 4 days even with the always-on display constantly sipping power.
Connectivity
Maintaining a solid connection enables key features like notifications, contactless payments or streaming without your phone nearby.
Fitbit Sense Connectivity
- Bluetooth 5.0
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz
- NFC for Fitbit Pay
- GPS + GLONASS
- No LTE option
Galaxy Watch 4 Connectivity & Cellular
- Bluetooth 5.0
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
- NFC for Samsung Pay
- GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
- Optional LTE enables standalone functionality
For on-the-go use without hauling a smartphone, the LTE cellular configuration available for the Galaxy Watch 4 grants you more freedom. Receive or make calls and texts, play offline playlists from your wrist and access apps using your mobile data plan.
But the Fitbit still provides ample synchronization of notifications, taps into WiFi for updates and maps recorded workouts via built-in GPS when in reach of your phone.
Voice Assistants
Controlling watch functions via voice eliminates pecking at tiny app icons. Let‘s examine the capabilities.
Fitbit Sense Voice Assistants
- Amazon Alexa built-in
- Google Assistant
Galaxy Watch 4 Voice Assistant
- Bixby only
- No Google Assistant yet
Oddly, Samsung‘s otherwise cutting-edge Galaxy Watch 4 lacks integration with Google Assistant. You must rely on their proprietary assistant Bixby which trails Alexa and Google‘s maturity and skill set documentation.
So the Fitbit Sense pulls ahead supporting both Alexa and Google for versatility.
Fitness & Health Metrics
With advanced wearables like these tracking every step you take, examining the scope of their workout analysis and health data tools helps find the best system.
Both watches cover the basics like continuous heart rate, hourly step counts and sleep cycle automation. But delve into the advanced metrics and personalized insights and key advantages emerge:
Unique Fitbit Sense Features
- Active Zone Minutes
- Daily readiness scores
- SpO2 sleep monitoring
- Guided health programs
- Fitbit Premium analysis
Unique Galaxy Watch 4 Perks
- Body composition stats
- Fall detection alert
- Ongoing coaching
Between the two, Fitbit Sense‘s holistic health approach again edges out the win for helping you achieve total wellness goals faster.
Price Comparison
Given all the technology tucked inside these tiny wrist modules, they deliver tremendous value helping quantify fitness and streamline everyday tasks.
| Watch Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Fitbit Sense | $199.95 |
| Galaxy Watch 4 | $249.99 |
| Galaxy Watch 4 Classic | $349.99 |
The Fitbit Sense offers the best balance of advanced health tracking and notification support under $200.
But the Galaxy Watch 4 provides stellar bang for buck as well – even the LTE model still comes in under $350. Ultimately both compete as very affordable fitness smartwatches.
Final Verdict
Comparing all facets back to back – health tracking, stamina, design, connectivity and smart features – one model stands tall as the best option for most shoppers wanting a complete smart fitness companion.
For Serious Fitness Fans – Fitbit Sense
The Fitbit Sense excelling with over half a dozen days battery life even under heavy usage provides profound appeal for endurance athletes in training. Marathon runners, triathletes and fitness fanatics crave both deep workout analytics and extreme runtime to continuously track everything from heart rate zones to recovery scores across weeks of training.
Throw in innovative sensors for monitoring stress, skin temp variation and menstrual health absent on the Galaxy Watch 4, and the Fitbit Sense caters directly to performance driven fitness demands.
For Stylish Smartwatch Users – Galaxy Watch 4
Focused more heavily on fusing fitness fundamentals into a fashionably versatile circular watch design, the Galaxy Watch 4 rates as the best crossover smartwatch for most buyers. Between optional LTE for untethered functionality, Samsung Pay, apps via Google Play and intuitive rotating bezels in a classically stylish chassis, it artfully balances activity tracking with smartwatch conveniences.
Unless you crave extreme endurance for marathon level training, the Galaxy Watch 4 strikes an ideal blend of fitness and lifestyle wearable.
Both the Fitbit Sense and Galaxy Watch 4 series make choosing a capable fitness smartwatch at affordable pricing a joy rather than chore. Let your priorities for health tracking depth versus stylish versatility guide which model lands on your wrist!
