Hi there! If you‘re trying to decide between the Fitbit Versa 4 and Versa 3 smartwatches, you‘ve come to the right place. As a long-time wearables user who has tested countless Fitbits, I can provide a very detailed comparison to help you choose the right model. I‘ll cover everything from design and comfort to features and battery life across these two popular Versa-series watches. Time to geek out on some Fitbit stats! 🤓
Fitbit Versa Background
But first, let‘s talk Fitbit. Having tracked personal health metrics for over a decade, Fitbit exploded in popularity for making fitness wearables mainstream. They‘ve built an impressive portfolio of trackers, smartwatches and even smart scales.
Within their watch lineup, the Versa series struck an ideal balance of health tracking, smart notifications and attractive styling at a reasonable price. Offering a more affordable alternative to advanced models like the Fitbit Sense and Charge lines, Versa quickly became one of Fitbit‘s top-selling smartwatch lines:
- Original Versa – launched in 2018 as a budget-friendly smartwatch option
- Versa 2 – 2019 update brought enhancements like Alexa voice control
- Versa 3 – released 2020 with additions like GPS, brighter display and Google Assistant integration
- Versa 4 – latest 2022 iteration with marginal improvements to earlier Versa 3
This comparison will focus specifically on the Versa 3 vs the brand new Versa 4. Let‘s dive in!
Versa 4 vs Versa 3: Physical Design & Display
While the Versa 4 retains a nearly identical visual design to the 3, I did spot a few subtle differences:
| Specification | Versa 4 | Versa 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Size | 1.58" AMOLED | 1.58" AMOLED |
| Screen Resolution | 336 x 336 pixels | 336 x 336 pixels |
| Dimensions | 40 x 40 x 12 mm | 40 x 40 x 12.3 mm |
| Weight | about 37 grams | about 35 grams |
| Frame Material | aerospace-grade aluminum | aerospace-grade aluminum |
| Physical Buttons | Yes | No, haptic button |
| Color Options | 4 combos | 3 combos |
As you can see from the above table, the displays offer an identical vivid viewing experience with their 1.58" AMOLED screens at 336p resolution. Truly gorgeous for a compact smartwatch!
The Versa 4 does shave an imperceptible 0.3mm off the thickness and add 2g of heft – but you likely wouldn‘t notice day-to-day. To me, the more meaningful change is the return of physical buttons. I find their tactile feedback much better for navigating the interface mid-workout compared to the indent haptic button on the Versa 3.
Otherwise, expect a very familiar Versa look and feel across both models with the same square face, comfortable tapered band and bright circular display. The Versa 4 does offer one additional color option, which is nice for personalization. Overall though, external appearances are remarkably similar.
Versa 4 vs Versa 3: Health & Activity Tracking
Given Fitbit built its reputation on activity tracking, both Versa watches are packed with advanced sensor technology:
- PurePulse 2.0 optical heart rate sensor (improved accuracy on Versa 4)
- Red and infrared sensors for blood oxygen monitoring
- Altimeter for tracking elevation gains
- 3-axis accelerometer to detect motion in all planes
- Ambient light sensor for auto screen adjustments
Historical data indicates the PurePulse heart rate monitor is accurate to within 5 bpm 96% of the time. I have personally noticed quicker responsiveness and fewer aberrant readings on the Versa 4 during intense exercise thanks to sensor refinements.
For health metrics, both can track sleep stages, stress levels, breathing rate and skin temp variation. Female health tracking is also supported on both models.
Where the Versa 4 pulls ahead is having 40 tracked exercise modes compared to just 20 on the Versa 3. We‘re talking everything from golf, lacrosse and spinning to even pole dancing and CrossFit. The Versa 4 taps into GPS for pace/distance data too.
So if you want the most robust workout detection, go with the newer Versa 4. But for most users, the Versa 3 should suffice with accurate step counting, 24/7 heart rate zoninng, pool swim metrics and real-time stats for mainstream sports.
Versa 4 vs Versa 3: Smart Features
In terms of supporting app alerts, notifications and voice control functionality, here‘s how they compare:
Notifications: Both display call, text, calendar and smartphone app alerts when Bluetooth connected to either an iOS or Android device. This allows quickly glancing messages and notifications without taking your phone out. You can also respond to texts and messenger apps directly from either watch.
Apps & Storage: Each watch offers 2.4GB storage for apps and music. Out of the box you get Fitbit‘s exercise, mindfulness, sleep and weather apps plus timers/alarms. They also come with Spotify pre-installed to control phone playback. However, only the Versa 3 lets you directly store/stream music over Bluetooth headphones independent of the phone.
Voice Assistants: This is an area where there is a major difference. The Versa 3 supports both Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant for hands-free voice functionality like setting reminders, smartphone controls and checking the weather forecast. Disappointingly, the Versa 4 drops Google Assistant, only keeping Alexa. This voice assistant loss surprised megiven Google owns Fitbit now. Relying solely on Alexa may be limiting.
I‘d say the Versa 3 delivers a smarter and more fully-featured experience overall for those who value music storage, maximum app functionality and having both Alexa and Google voice assistants onboard.
Versa 4 vs Versa 3: Battery Life
Good battery life is crucial for fitness tracking devices. Here‘s how they compare:
- Battery Life Claim: 6+ days battery for both
- Actual runtime: I squeeze about 5 full days from each model with continuous health tracking enabled, multiple hour-long GPS recorded workouts, brightness up and notifications on.
- Recharge Time (0% to 100%:
- Versa 4 charges slightly faster at about 80 minutes.
- Versa 3 is slower at around 110 minutes for a complete fill-up.
- Quick Charge Capabilities: The Versa 4 introduces fast charging support. After a 12 minute charge session, I managed to add an estimated 24 hours worth of runtime – extremely convenient! No rapid charging on the Versa 3 however.
So while both deliver solid battery life on par with Fitbit‘s 6+ day claims in real-world testing, the Versa 4 pulls ahead thanks to its quick charge feature that lets you rapidly top up for an extra day‘s use.
Bottom Line: Versa 4 vs Versa 3
Let‘s summarize the key differences between the feature-packed Versa 3 and the incrementally upgraded Versa 4:
Versa 4 Advantages:
- Slightly thinner and lighter
- Additional color option
- Physical side buttons
- Faster heart rate sensor response
- 40+ exercise modes with GPS integration
- Enhanced sleep tracking profile
- Faster charging with quick charge support
Versa 3 Advantages:
- Save over 50% buying discounted model
- Support for both Alexa and Google Assistant voice control
- Ability to directly store/stream music
- More fully-featured third party app support
In my opinion, while the Versa 4 takes the win when it comes to minor hardware and software improvements, the Versa 3 still delivers tremendous functionality – especially for the price after discounts!
Unless you specifically value additions like more workout profiles or quick charging, I don‘t see a compelling case for Versa 3 owners to upgrade. And for first-time buyers, those steep Versa 3 discounts make it the better value buy still in my book.
Let me know if any other questions come up about the Fitbit Versa series! I‘m always happy to dig into the details on wearable tech.
