Fitbit Versa 4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro are two of the most popular smartwatches on the market, packed with health, fitness and convenience features. But which one reigns supreme? This comprehensive comparison outlines the key differences and similarities to help you determine the best option for your needs and budget.
Design
The Versa 4 features a square watch face with rounded corners, available in black, pink sand and blue colors. It has one side button and a touch display. Weighing just over 26 grams, the lightweight Versa 4 is comfortable for all-day and night wear.
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro sports a classic circular watch design in black and gray titanium colors. The rotating bezel allows for easy navigation of the touch display. At 46 grams, it’s heavier than the Versa 4 but still comfortable enough for continuous wear.
While both watches feature durable, swim-proof designs, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro edges out the Versa 4 with a sturdier titanium casing and sapphire crystal display glass.
Display
The Versa 4’s 1.32” AMOLED display renders visuals with superb clarity and vibrant color. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro display measures 1.4” with an always-on Super AMOLED panel delivering stellar brightness, contrast and visibility even in direct sunlight.
While the displays have subtle size and technology differences, both deliver exceptional image quality making either a top pick for visual experience.
Battery Life
One key advantage of the Versa 4 over the Galaxy Watch5 Pro is significantly longer battery life—up to 6 days versus the Watch5 Pro’s approximately 3 days. For users wanting maximum battery endurance before needing to recharge, the Versa 4 is the undisputed winner.
Connectivity and Compatibility
Bluetooth 5.0 LE powers smooth connectivity between the Versa 4 and compatible devices. It pairs with both Android phones and iPhones. Lacking built-in GPS, a connected phone is required to track pace and routes.
Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity comes standard on the Galaxy Watch5 Pro along with Wi-Fi, LTE and GPS support. It also connects with Android and iOS devices. With onboard GPS, phone-free outdoor activity tracking elevates this watch’s capabilities.
Fitness & Health Tracking
As advanced fitness smartwatches, both devices track steps, calories, heart rate, sleep stages and more. Each watch covers over 20 exercise modes with the option to manually log workouts as well.
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro uniquely features ECG monitoring, trip detection and blood oxygen level tracking. The Versa 4 lacks these advanced health sensors but provides exercise and recovery metrics the Watch5 Pro doesn’t have. For the widest range of health stats, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro triumphs.
Smart Features
You’ll enjoy intuitive access to notifications, apps, payments, music and assistants on both watches. Customizable faces and bands allow personalization too.
With support for Samsung Pay, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro enables contactless payments. The Versa 4 notably powers Amazon Alexa voice control. But the Galaxy Watch5 Pro boasts compatibility with more third-party apps, giving it an edge in smart functionality.
Price
Retailing from $229.95, the Fitbit Versa 4 costs approximately $100 less than the $329 Galaxy Watch5 Pro. Those with tight budgets might view the Versa 4’s lower price and core features as the better overall value.
The Verdict
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro clinches the win for those wanting a fully decked out smartwatch with advanced health sensors, connectivity and battery saving modes. The always-on display, intuitive bezel navigation and extensive app support also give it broad functionality perfect for athleisure, outdoor and business uses.
With a lighter, more comfortable design and cheaper price going for it, the Versa 4 takes the crown for more casual users happy with its capable fitness tracking in a compact form factor. Alexa voice assistant integration enhances this Fitbit as a solid mid-range smartwatch choice too.
So whether the Versa 4 or Galaxy Watch5 Pro ultimately wins out comes down to balancing your budget with the features that matter most for how you’ll use your wearable. Either way, you’ll enjoy an impressively smart wrist companion tracking your goals on the go!
Evolution of Fitbit Versa
Fitbit launched their first smartwatch, the Fitbit Ionic, in 2017. While it featured advanced health and fitness tracking, the Ionic didn’t gain traction for everyday use. Learning from their first attempt, Fitbit next released the Versa smartwatch line targeting mass appeal.
Debuting in 2018, the original Versa watch blended health insights with smart notifications in an affordable, swim-proof design. The Versa Lite edition followed in 2019 at an even lower price point. Slimming down certain features like onboard music storage, the Lite opened Fitbit’s versatile, fitness-focused wearables to wider demographics.
The Versa 2 launched later in 2019 with the addition of built-in Alexa, Spotify app control and advanced sleep tracking. Battery life increased to over 4 days between charges adding convenience.
Jumping to the Fitbit Versa 3 in 2020, integrated GPS finally enabled phone-free pace and route tracking for outdoor workouts. The Versa 3 also monitored blood oxygen levels during sleep and supported Google Assistant voice control.
Fitbit’s latest model, the Versa 4 released in 2022, tweaks the design for a thinner, lighter profile. Quicker charging, an on-wrist Daily Readiness Score to optimize workouts and over 40 exercise modes round out the enhancements.
Over just four generations, Fitbit’s Versa series stands out for bringing ever more health insights and smart connectivity into an accessible, mainstream smartwatch.
History of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Series
Samsung entered the fledgling smartwatch space in 2013 with the Galaxy Gear. As an inaugural model, it focused mainly on notifications from its ecosystem of Galaxy smartphones. This experimental device didn’t gain much consumer traction and was quickly superseded.
Making strides towards a stand-alone product category, the Galaxy Gear S launched in 2014 with phone call support and GPS tracking untethered from a synced phone. Still, the device lacked a compelling blend of form and function that resonated with consumers.
In 2017, Samsung rebranded its smartwatch line as the Galaxy Watch series. Earlier generations were retroactively named the Galaxy Gear S1 through S3 reflecting evolutionary design changes.
The Galaxy Watch in 2018, previously Gear S3, fine-tuned the circular style while expanding health sensors like heart rate monitors along with access to apps and intelligent reminders.
The Galaxy Watch Active from 2019 put advanced wellness tracking in a lightweight minimalist design. Blood pressure monitoring, ECG readings and fall detection generated robust health data insights.
Building on that foundation, 2022’s Galaxy Watch5 Pro leverages a durable yet comfortable titanium casing. More advanced sleep coaching, workout guidance and body composition scanning culminate in Samsung’s most powerful smartwatch yet.
In just under a decade, Samsung persevered to shape the Galaxy Watch lineage into a widely appealing smartwearable merged with comprehensive health tracking.
6 Must-Know Facts Comparing the Fitbit Versa 4 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro
- The Galaxy Watch5 Pro battery lasts around 60 hours versus the Versa 4’s 6 days.
- Onboard GPS allows the Watch5 Pro to accurately map outdoor activity sans a paired phone.
- The Versa 4 costs roughly $100 less than the pricier premium Watch5 Pro.
- Each watch enables contactless payments, but only Samsung Pay works with the Galaxy Watch5 Pro.
- Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Scores help optimize training while the Galaxy Watch5 Pro lacks this recovery metric.
- With an ECG sensor and advanced sleep coaching, the Watch5 Pro captures more in-depth health data.
Recent Press and Reviews
The Fitbit Versa 4 launched to generally favorable reviews in fall 2022. Critics praised the smooth rounded square design, vibrant always-on display and motivating fitness features. Long battery life proved an advantage over competing smartwatches as well. Less advanced health sensors compared to pricier models leaves room for improvement however.
Early reviews applaud the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro’s premium yet comfortable titanium design. The expansive Super AMOLED touchscreen display with rotating bezel makes navigating intuitive too. Built-in GPS functionality performs reliably for tracking outdoor workouts sans a phone. Shorter battery life compared to the Versa 4 emerges as the main drawback so far.
What Does the Future Hold?
No details on a Versa 5 model have been unveiled yet. But based on the four-year pace between past version updates, Fall 2023 seems reasonable for a potential Fitbit Versa 5 launch. Expected enhancements may include additions like blood pressure monitoring, ECG sensors and glucose tracking given recent innovations in wearable health tech.
Samsung typically refreshes its smartwatch line annually, making a Galaxy Watch6 unveil plausible for late summer 2023. Rumors point to potential benefits like further battery optimization, increased durability and sensors that can measure BMI and body fat percentage.
Both Fitbit and Samsung seem poised to keep advancing smartwatch functionality to balance holistic health tracking with intelligent connectivity and convenience features.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the battery last on each watch?
The Fitbit Versa 4 battery sustains up to 6 days while the Galaxy Watch5 Pro lasts around 60 hours max.
Can I make phone calls directly on the watches?
Yes, when synced to an Android or iPhone, both watches enable answering calls or texts from your wrist.
Do the watches support contactless payments?
Fitbit Pay comes integrated on the Versa 4 and Samsung Pay on the Galaxy Watch5 Pro for tap and go payments.
Which smartwatch has more sensors to track health metrics?
With ECG, blood oxygen, sleep cycle and trip detection sensors, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro tracks more in-depth health data overall.
Can I listen to offline music on the watches?
You can download playlists for offline listening on both devices when synced to a music streaming app.
Which smartwatch has built-in GPS support?
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro features onboard GPS allowing it to accurately track outdoor activity without a paired phone.
