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- Sense 2 is Fitbit’s flagship smartwatch with extra well being and wellness-centric options.
- The Versa 4 goals to be a fitness-focused wearable, however is suffering from connectivity and monitoring points.
- We in contrast the 2 premium Fitbits to see which is the higher purchase.
Fitbit’s smartwatch lineup is led by two totally different flagship wearables: the Versa 4 and the Sense 2. Whereas they each provide an almost similar general expertise, there are just a few distinct variations that set them aside.
Certainly, the Sense 2 affords just a few extra extras than the Versa 4, together with EKG readings, pores and skin temperature sensing, and real-time stress monitoring, a set of superior instruments that debuted with the watch’s launch. It additionally affords all of the options discovered on the Versa 4 and prices $300.
In the meantime, the Versa 4 would not embrace Fitbit’s newest and biggest well being sensors, but it surely prices $100 much less. However resulting from minimal upgrades over the older era Versa 3 and a few connectivity and monitoring points we encountered in our testing, it would not stay as much as that customary.
Under, we examine these two Fitbit smartwatches head-to-head to see which one is best and who would profit from sporting each. That is how the 2 stand collectively.
The Fitbit Sense 2 is a premium health and health-centric wearable that introduces new options like real-time stress monitoring and pores and skin temperature sensing, but it surely falls a bit of brief when it comes to the sensible options it affords.
The Fitbit Versa 4 disappoints as a fourth-generation smartwatch, because it lacks third-party app assist, has points with health monitoring, and would not enable music storage.
Fitbit Sense 2 vs. Fitbit Versa 4: Specs at a look
Fitbit Sense 2 vs. Fitbit Versa 4: Design
Each the Sense 2 and Versa 4 are nearly similar clones of one another and have a design much like the generations that got here earlier than. Every has the identical sq. watch face with refined rounded edges in addition to a display dimension of 336 x 336 pixels.
Different similarities embrace a water resistance of fifty meters and the power to make use of the identical interchangeable watch straps. They each even have a small facet button that can be utilized at the side of the watch’s touchscreen controls.
One space the place they differ, nevertheless, is with their case dimension. Whereas the Versa 4 measures 40.4mm, the Sense 2’s case dimension is 40.5mm. Though that is technically a distinction in dimension, it’s so minimal that it’s tough to note which watch is which when they’re sitting subsequent to one another.
Though maybe the most important distinction between the 2 comes right down to the colours accessible. The Versa 4 is on the market in Graphite, Platinum and Copper Rose, whereas the Sense 2 is available in Shadow Gray, Lunar White and Mushy Gold.
Fitbit Sense 2 vs. Fitbit Versa 4: Smartwatch efficiency
One of many major nitpicks we’ve got with these watches is their disappointing lack of smartwatch capabilities. Particularly, neither watch helps third-party app entry, nor do they permit any type of music storage or playback by way of one thing like Spotify (ie a third-party app). Every of those is (or Must be) attribute of recent smartwatches.
Due to this, the Sense 2 and Versa 4 each fall brief when it comes to precise smartwatch efficiency. Positive, they get notifications like texts, emails, and telephone calls, however these are the naked minimal you’d anticipate finding on any laptop computer within the “sensible” class.
Moreover, they each solely provide Amazon Alexa voice help assist, not Google Assistant, which is a bit odd contemplating Google owns Fitbit. Alexa works fantastic on each watches, though a smartphone should be tethered to the watches for the characteristic to really work.
Fitbit Sense 2 vs. Fitbit Versa 4: Well being and health monitoring
The primary distinction between the Versa 4 and Sense 2 comes right down to their particular person well being and health monitoring efficiency. And whereas the Versa 4 appears designed to be extra of a legit health tracker, it is really the Sense 2 that proves to be the extra dependable on a regular basis wearable.
We discover that the Sense 2 connects to a GPS sign a lot quicker than the Versa 4, which might have a huge impact on health monitoring. Ready for the Versa 4 to attach is usually a irritating expertise, however doing so is crucial to make sure correct monitoring. Throughout our Versa 4 testing, we determined to ditch the GPS connection earlier than just a few runs and located monitoring accuracy to be as a lot as 1/eighth of a mile. Though it appears minimal, this distinction can have a major influence in your mileage.
To illustrate the Versa 4 logs you in in about 9 minutes. If you happen to issue within the 1/eighth of a mile discrepancy, you would possibly even have run that mile in nearer to eight minutes. It’s a enormous distinction for anybody coaching for a marathon or any kind of working occasion. We by no means encountered this drawback with Sense 2.
The Sense 2 edges out the Versa 4 when it comes to accessible well being monitoring instruments. Along with its new pores and skin temperature sensor, it affords real-time stress monitoring by way of a cEDA sensor in addition to an ECG app. The EKG app is especially attention-grabbing because it is ready to observe your coronary heart rhythm and might assess for indicators of Afib. Whereas solely a health care provider can diagnose Afib, the EKG app can not less than detect potential indicators of it.
Commonplace monitoring options like coronary heart fee, blood oxygen ranges, menstrual cycles and coronary heart fee variability are additionally accessible on each the Sense 2 and Versa 4.
Fitbit Sense 2 vs. Fitbit Versa 4: Battery life
Maybe one of the best characteristic native to each the Sense 2 and Versa 4 is their battery life, which lasts round six days relying on the way it’s used. Throughout our testing, we constantly hit the six-day estimate, even in periods after we used the GPS regularly (which might have a tendency to empty the battery a bit of quicker).
In comparison with one thing like an Apple Watch, which regularly requires a day by day recharge, the prolonged battery lifetime of the Sense 2 and Versa 4 is a large benefit. Additionally, each watches want about 12 minutes on the charger to go from 0% to a full day of battery life.
Which one do you have to purchase?
Each the Sense 2 and Versa 4 are comparable watches that largely signify the Fitbit expertise. However due to the Versa 4’s shortcomings in each smarts and health monitoring, it pales compared to the Sense 2.
That is to not say that Sense 2 is not with out its personal faults. The shortage of third-party app assist and the power to retailer or play music maintain this wearable again from being a legit smartwatch. What in the end provides it the sting over the Versa 4 is its higher GPS connectivity, its new pores and skin temperature sensing and stress monitoring options, and entry to EKG apps and coronary heart fee knowledge.
But when these superior options aren’t one thing you want or essentially care about, then you definitely’re higher off saving $100 and investing within the Versa 4 (or the extra spectacular Versa 3) as a substitute.
If you happen to’re trying to improve from one thing just like the first-generation Sense, a Versa 2 or 3, and even one among Fitbit’s fundamental trackers just like the Cost or Encourage, the Sense 2 is a good choice. It might go away you wanting a bit of extra within the smartwatch division, but it surely’s nonetheless a step above every part else within the model’s lineup.