The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Fitbit Sense 2 were released back in 2022, showing great improvements and capabilities from their predecessors. But choosing between one of them is a hectic task, as both smartwatches cost the same $249.
Below, we’ll be comparing these smartwatches to help you find your ideal fitness companion. Read through the last to find out which one we choose and why.
Key Takeaways
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 resembles a shiny circular design with two buttons and a microphone on the right and a rotating bezel at the top. In contrast, the Fitbit Sense 2 features a squarish design with rounded corners and a button with a microphone on the left and a speaker on the right. Whichever watch you choose, you will get advanced health tracking and Bluetooth calling support.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Fitbit Sense 2: Comparison
| Device name | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Device type | Smartwatch | Smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | August, 2022 | September, 2022 |
| Versions | Standard edition | Standard edition |
| Body | ||
| Dimension | 44.4 x 43.3 x 9.8 mm | 40.5 x 40.5 x 11.2 mm |
| Weight | 33 grams | 36 grams |
| Shape | Round | Square |
| Case material | Aluminium | Aluminium Alloy |
| Strap material | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | — | — |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Screen protection | Sapphire Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Display | ||
| Display size | 1.3 inch | 1.58 inch |
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Display resolution | 450 x 450 pixels | 336 x 336 pixels |
| Pixel density | 455 PPI | 299 PPI |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | — | — |
| Internal Storage | 2.3 GB | 2.3 GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| Cellular Connectivity | ||
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | — | — |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | No | No |
| Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery life | 24 hours | 06 days |
| Charging type | Plug Charger | Plug Charger |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No |
Price
One of the important aspects of a smartwatch comparison is the price, and luckily both the Samsung Watch 5 and the Fitbit Sense 2 offer budget pricing.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 comes in two variants—40 mm and 44 mm—with Bluetooth and LTE models. The price starts at $279 for the 40 mm Bluetooth model and $329 for the 40 mm LTE model, and goes up to $299 for the 44 mm Bluetooth model and $349 for the 44 mm LTE model.
Meanwhile, the Fitbit Sense 2 is only available in a 40 mm model, priced at $249. It comes in Shadow Grey / Graphite Aluminium, Lunar White / Platinum Aluminium, and Blue Mist / Soft Gold Aluminium.
Design and Display
Talking about design, both of these smartwatches come in different designs, with circular for the Galaxy Watch 5 and square for the Sense 2.
The Watch 5 features a rotating bezel for navigating through means and other functionalities on the watch. It also comes with two buttons on the right: the top one is to return to the home screen or previous menus, and the bottom one is for power on-off or wake-up action.
In contrast, there’s only one single button on the Sense 2 used for functions like turning on the watch, accessing quick settings, or returning to the main screens. It is a touchscreen watch, so you can swipe up-down or side-to-side to hover through its UI or access other functionalities.
Measuring 44.4 x 43.3 x 9.8 mm and weighing 33.5 grams, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 comes in Graphite, Silver, Pink Gold, and Sapphire, while the Fitbit Sense 2 measures 40.5 x 40.5 x 11.2 mm, weighs 37.6 grams and comes in Graphite, Platinum, and Soft Gold colorways.
If we talk about their displays, the Galaxy Watch 5 boasts a 1.4”, 450 x 450 pixels, 455 PPI, Super AMOLED display surrounded by an aluminium and scratch-resistant glass (sapphire) on top. In comparison, the Sense 2 boasts a 1.58”, 336 x 336 pixels, 317 PPI, AMOLED display housed in an aluminium casing with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top.
Both offer 5 ATM ratings for water resistance, making them usable while swimming or showering.
Health Tracking
Both devices offer advanced health tracking to help users stay fit and healthy.
The Galaxy Watch 5 features Samsung’s 3-in-1 BioActive sensor, and the watch’s improved curved design helps to get closer to your skin for more accurate readings. The device is also capable of tracking heart rate, SpO2 (blood oxygen), skin temperature, stress tracking, menstrual cycle tracking, and a BIA sensor that reads body fat, skeletal muscle, body water, basal metabolic rate, and more.
Talking about the Sense 2, it has a multi-path optical heart rate sensor, cEDA (measures electrical activity of the heart), SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation), a skin temperature sensor, menstrual cycle tracking, blood glucose tracking, advanced stress tracking, and follow along breathing exercises to relieve stress.
These devices also feature some advanced health tracking, such as an ECG that measures irregular heart rhythms to detect signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), sleep tracking (including deep, light, and REM stages), providing a sleep score to get a better understanding of your sleep, and other data.
Fitness Tracking
If we talk about fitness tracking, the Fitbit Sense 2 only has a few sports modes, such as running, cycling, swimming, and biking. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 can track over 90 sports modes, from intense HIIT workouts to yoga flows.
The Watch 5 also features auto-workout tracking that tracks various popular activities such as swimming, hiking, running, cycling, and more.
Some additional activities, like steps, distance, and calorie tracking, are available on both of these devices. These devices also come with their own dedicated apps, which offer more comprehensive data and metrics for your overall health and fitness.
Smartwatch Features
In terms of smartwatch features, both devices have Bluetooth calling support via an in-built speaker and a microphone, music streaming, and NFC for contactless payments.
Both devices also come with in-built voice assistants—Google and Bixby on the Galaxy Watch 5 and Amazon Alexa on the Sense 2. They also have Google Maps support for easy navigation and smart notifications.
Both smartwatches are compatible with a wide range of iOS and Android devices, plus Bluetooth connectivity allows for seamless data syncing and notifications. Plus, they also offer Wi-Fi connectivity to access various online features on your watch.
You can also opt for the Galaxy Watch 5 LTE model, which provides various advantages like connectivity without a phone, making calls, sending texts, and using apps independently.
Battery Life
When it comes to battery life, the Galaxy Watch 5 can last for up to 24 hours in between charges, and with features like an always-on display, it drops to 21 hours, so you will need to plug it in every day to use health tracking at night. However, the good thing about this watch is that only 8 minutes of charging can offer heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep tracking for a full night. Plus, charging only takes about 1.5 hours to fully charge the device.
Meanwhile, the Sense 2 can last for up to 6 days in between charges. Even with heavy usage such as GPS, an always-on display, and health tracking, the watch can still survive for up to 2 days. It also supports fast charging, so only 12 minutes of charging can provide a whopping 12 hours of battery life, which is pretty impressive and takes 1.5 hours to fully charge it.
Verdict
Both are excellent devices in this price range, offering various advanced health tracking features that you don’t get even on other pricey devices, such as an ECG, a skin temperature sensor, and menstrual cycle tracking.
But which one you should choose between these two smartwatches comes down to your style preference and wrist size. Why? The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 comes in 40 mm and 44 mm sizes, suitable for individuals with different wrist sizes, and offers a circular design. In comparison, the Fitbit Sense 2 comes in a single 40 mm size but offers a square design.
So, whichever watch you choose, you can’t go wrong with these two excellent smartwatches.
Read more of Galaxy Watch 5 and Sense 2 comparisons below: