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The Fossil Gen 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 are two of the newest Wear OS smartwatches on the market. But which one is really worth someone’s hard-earned money? A year ago, it wasn’t very important to compare two Wear OS watches. But in 2021, the platform will get a much-needed makeover.
Wear OS 3, which was made by Google and Samsung, promises better performance, longer battery life, and better app support. Wear OS 3, which has been an afterthought for the past few years, could be the software that makes real Apple Watch competitors.
Fossil and Samsung are the first companies to make new Wear OS devices. Fossil has been one of the few brands to stick with Wear OS since 2015, when it released its first Wear OS smartwatch. Samsung gave up on Wear OS years ago in favour of its own operating system, Tizen. But in 2021, it will say goodbye to Tizen and go back to Wear OS. Here’s a closer look at how the Fossil Gen 6 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 compare in the new Wear OS landscape.
Fossil Gen 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Comparison Table
Fossil Gen 6 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 | |
---|---|---|
Size | 42mm & 44mm | 40mm & 44mm |
Display | 1.28″ AMOLED 416 x 416-pixels | 1.4 inches AMOLED 450 x 450 pixels |
RAM | 1GB | 1.5GB |
Storage | 8GB | 16GB |
Price | $229 | from $299.99 |
Fossil Gen 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Design and Display

The pusher buttons and digital crown on the side of the Fossil Gen 6 give it a classy look. It has a large bezel around the screen, which is why the Fossil Watch has a 1.28-inch screen while the Galaxy Watch 5 has a 1.4-inch screen even though they both have the same size case. The Fossil Gen 6 has a digital crown, but the Galaxy Watch 5 has a touch bezel that lets you navigate the interface just like the Galaxy Watch 4 and the old Active 2.
The Galaxy watch is the best because it is protected by sapphire glass and can handle water well. Sapphire glass is the best in the business, and a 5 ATM rating is definitely better than the 3 ATM rating that Fossil Watch has. In terms of resolution, both watches have AMOLED screens and can show always-on watch faces.
Again, the Galaxy Watch 5 has a screen with a slightly higher resolution. It has 450 x 450 pixels, which makes it one of the sharpest smartwatch screens on the market. You can buy this smartwatch from its official website.
Fossil Gen 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Battle of Wear OS
There are a lot of things that are the same between the Fossil Gen 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. But your main decision will be based on why you want to buy a smartwatch. You might be interested in the new Fossil Gen 6 if you want a smartwatch with a stylish look and a wide range of features. Even though it’s not as smart as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, people who want a fashionable wearable might not mind its flaws.
If you’ve used wearables before, you know that Samsung makes some of the best Android smartwatches on the market. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is the newest model. It has a lot of features that users might like more than the Fossil Gen 6. First of all, it’s the first watch to run on the new Wear OS 3 platform. You can get this from its official website.
Fossil Gen 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Battery life

The Fossil Gen 6 claims to have a battery life of up to 24 hours, but in our experience, it only lasts about a day. Even more so if the screen is set to always be on. When the screen is on all the time, it can feel like it drains about 10% an hour. You do have some smart battery modes that let you choose between time-only and extended battery life to make sure you get 24 hours. The most you can stay here is a day.
In terms of how long Samsung says its Watch 4 will last, the story is the same. Based on the tests we’ve done, we’d say about two days, and that’s with the screen turned off. It’s more like a day when it’s turned on. It also has a mode that saves power, but it’s not a very restrictive mode, so you can still use a lot of its features while saving battery life.
Which should you buy?
You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 if you want to use Wear OS 3 and see all the great new features of this platform. You also get some features that you won’t find on the Fossil Gen 6 smartwatches, like ECG and BIA sensors, optional LTE connectivity, and a better health and fitness tracking suite. Even people who don’t care as much about fashion will like how simple the Galaxy Watch 4 models look.
Also, if style is important to you, the Fossil Gen 6 is a better choice. As long as you know that Wear OS 3 won’t be out for a long time, you might be fine with this choice. You’ll also have to accept that the Fossil Gen 6 isn’t nearly as smart as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent performance
- Interesting new software
- Lightweight design
Cons:
- Concerns with BIA sensor
- Battery life can be inconsistent
Fossil Gen 6 pros and cons
Pros:
- Sleek design
- Fast speeds and smooth navigation
- Great display
Cons:
- Not for swim workouts
- Limited fitness apps
FAQs
Which is better Samsung watch or Fossil watch?
The Galaxy Watch 5 is miles ahead of the Fossil Gen 6 when it comes to fitness and health tracking. Both smartwatches have basic health features like continuous health tracking, SpO2 monitoring, sleep tracking, and so on. However, the Galaxy Watch 5 has more advanced health features.
Which watch is better than Galaxy Watch 4?
But the high-end Galaxy Watch 5 has a titanium case and a sapphire crystal screen cover, which are both better than the stainless steel and glass of the Watch 4 Classic.
Is Fossil Gen 6 worth buying?
The Fossil Gen 6 looks great and has a great screen. The big, colourful screen is bright enough almost all of the time, and the touch also works really well. This watch also makes it easy to read text messages, alerts, and emails.