If you’re diving into the world of fitness trackers, you will quickly find that you have hundreds of options to choose from. Fitbit is one of the most ubiquitous names in the smart watches industry. And of course, Samsung is synonymous with a technology power player.
We’re putting the Fitbit Sense and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 head-to-head to explore their core features, exciting benefits, and key considerations so that you can buy the Android-compatible wearable that makes the most sense for your needs.
Design and Build
Both the Fitbit Sense and Galaxy Watch 3 are durable for just about anyone, from the casual exerciser to the truest of athletes. They are dustproof and water-resistant, branded with damage-resistant glass, and sweat resistant. In fact, they’ll both work in up to 50 meters underwater.
The Fitbit Sense is made of aerospace-grade aluminum and stainless steel. Compared to earlier models, Fitbit has announced that the Sense is extremely flexible and comfortable, an important criterion for any piece of equipment you’ll have on during activity.
Compare prices and choose your favorite supplier from this list:
| Product | Supplier | |||
| Fitbit Sense | Amazon | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | eBay | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit | View offer | ||
| Fitbit Sense | Target | View offer |
The Galaxy Watch 4 is made with military-grade resistance materials that can keep the watch running through strong vibrations, contact falls from far distances and extremely hot and cold temperatures.
| Product | Supplier | |
| Galaxy Watch 4 | Amazon | Check Price |
| Galaxy Watch 4 | eBay | Check Price |
| Watch 4 Classic | eBay | Check Price |
| Galaxy Watch 4 | Target | Check Price |
The Fitbit Sense leans into the sleek, sportier look and feel of a smartwatch with a square face. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is stylish as well, looking more like a traditional watch with a circular face. The Samsung comes in two size options: 41 and 45 mm. Both can swap out straps with endless colors and finishes. With the Samsung offers, the face itself also comes in three colors: Mystic Black, Mystic Silver, and Mystic Bronze.
Both smartwatches seamlessly connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with the Samsung Galaxy having an added benefit of LTE connectivity.
Display
Both smartwatches have easy-to-use touchscreen displays. They utilize AMOLED technology, which means they’ll display images clearly and in full color. Even when the screen is off, the user can always find the current date, time, and notifications. The Fitbit’s screen size is significantly larger, at 1.58” AMOLED compared to Samsung’s 1.2” AMOLED. However, Samsung ranks hire in resolution; Fitbit’s is 336 x 336 px, and Samsung’s is 360 x 360 px.
Size
From a design perspective, both watches have thin bands (20 mm and 22 mm, respectively) and are lightweight. However, there are some slight size differences to note. The Fitbit Sense is 48.2 grams compared to the Samsung Galaxy’s slightly heavier 53.8 grams. Other Fitbit specs are 40.4 mm in height and 40.4 in width. Galaxy 3 is 46.2 mm in height and 45 mm in width.
Battery life
The Fitbit Sense takes the cake when it comes to battery life. It can last up to 6 days on a single charge. In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy 3 can last up to a reported 2 days. Of course, both numbers can vary based on average use.
The Galaxy Watch 3 uses a wireless charger to power up. The Fitbit Sense comes with a slim magnetic charger.
Wellness and fitness
Many smartwatch purchasers will spend a great deal of time evaluating the fitness and health features. The Fitbit Sense will get you the farthest in this category. A particularly unique feature is a skin temperature sensor, which can help measure a fever or menstrual cycle. The ECG sensor and Active Zone Minutes feature make for a particularly accurate heart-rate monitor. What’s more, you can download the results of your ECG sensor and share it with your doctor. Another great sensor is the EDA (electrodermal activity). When the user places his or her palm over the face of the watch, it detects changes in sweat level, which translates to data that measures the body’s reaction to stress. Speaking of stress, the watch also has the option to add in guided breathing sessions.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 has essential fitness features and some notable perks. Users will find running analysis, SpO2 monitoring, sleep tracking, and an ECG feature. There is even a built-in run coaching tool. Thanks to the Samsung Health app, you can access a library of home workout videos and cast it onto a larger TV screen while the watch still keeps track of all your health stats. The Galaxy also features fall detection and can notify an emergency contact of an incident as long as there’s a network connection.
Smart features
The Fitbit Sense and Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 have fun and practical smart features. The Sense has Fitbit Pay, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. The watch has a built-in microphone and speaker.
The Galaxy has Samsung Pay, Bixby assistant, and SOS calls. This model has a whopping 8 gigs of ROM that can store additional music, apps, and files.
Cost
Most major technology retailers will carry both the Fitbit Sense and the Galaxy Watch 3. You can find the Fitbit Sense Advanced Smartwatch starting at $290 on Amazon. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 can also be found on Amazon starting at $189.99.
In what ways is the Fitbit Sense a winner?
- Built-in GPS tracker
- Measures stress levels
- Skin temperature sensors
- Active Zone Minutes feature
- Advanced heart rate technology (Pure Pulse 2.0)
- 6-day battery life
- Lightweight and thin for physical activity
In what ways is the Galaxy Watch 3 a winner?
- Built-in GPS tracker
- LTE connectivity
- Military-grade durability
- Two size options and three color options
- Compass feature
- Stroke counter for swimming
- New and improved health and fitness features
- Significant storage
The Fitbit Sense vs the Galaxy Watch 3, which should you buy?
At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with either the Fitbit Sense or Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. Both offer GPS tracking, heart-rate monitoring, activity tracking, mobile payments, and are highly durable. While both are also great for working out, the Fitbit Sense is sleekier and has a sweat-resistant band. It also has significantly more health sensors. The Galaxy Watch 3 does come at a slightly higher price point, which does bring along several additional smart connectivity perks and a more customizable look. Ultimately, the decision is up to you.
Interested in the latest releases? Check out the all-new Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Fitbit Charge 5.
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Emma brings over a decade of freelance copy and content writing experience and is our Editor, Social Media Manager, and regular contributor. Specializing in long-form content such as blogs, articles, lead magnets, and white papers, Emma also provides businesses with email marketing, website copy, and landing pages.
