Fitbit Sense vs Garmin Venu vs Apple Watch

Design

The bigger the screen size is, the better the user experience.

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays are formed of organic materials that emit light. They have higher contrast ratios and wider viewing angles compared to LCDs. AMOLED and POLED are types of OLED displays.

The device is dustproof and water-resistant. Water-resistant devices can resist the penetration of water, such as powerful water jets, but not being submerged into water.

Damage-resistant glass (such as Corning Gorilla Glass or Asahi Dragontrail Glass) is thin, lightweight, and can withstand high levels of force.

Gorilla Glass is one of the most popular brands of chemically strengthened glass, manufactured by Corning. Several versions have been developed, the newer ones being more durable and providing better damage resistance.

Resistance to sweat makes it ideal for use while doing sports.

You can operate the device easily, by pressing the screen with your fingers.

The watch band is removable and can be replaced by any standard watch band of the correct size, allowing you to customise it to your liking.

The device has an electronic display to present information to the user.

Sensors

Your blood oxygen level is a measurement how much oxygen is reaching your muscles. It is important because low levels mean that you will become easily fatigued during exercise. The more exercise you do, the better your blood oxygen levels will become.

A heart rate monitor can help show your fitness levels, enabling you to calculate a suitable intensity of exercise.

GPS enables global positioning, useful in map, geo-tagging or navigation apps.

An accelerometer is a sensor used to measure the linear acceleration of a device. A common application is detecting when a device changes between vertical and horizontal positions.

With a temperature sensor you can monitor changes in temperature to measure your exertion levels and avoid hyperthermia.

A compass is useful for gaming, maps, and navigation software.

This measures barometric air pressure. It can predict weather changes, for example a sudden drop in air pressure could mean a storm is coming. When calibrated correctly it can be used to determine altitude, which helps GPS devices to lock on quicker and with greater accuracy.

A gyroscope is a sensor that tracks the orientation of a device, more specifically by measuring the angular rotational velocity. Initially, they were built using a spinning rotor to detect changes in orientation, like twisting or rotation.

A cadence sensor measures the number of pedal revolutions per minute when you are cycling. It enables you to monitor how fast you are pedaling.

Activity tracking

It can track your sleep, such as how long you sleep for and the quality.

It tracks how far you travel.

It tracks how many steps you take throughout the day, allowing you to see how active you have been.

This is useful if you are on a strict training diet or if you are trying to lose weight. It can also help to boost your motivation.

Measuring pace shows how much time it takes to travel one kilometer or one mile. For example, in running, a 4 minute kilometer would be a very good pace.

Your activity data is analysed to give you reports, available to view through the app or website. This allows you to see how active you have been and to help you make improvements.

Your sleep data is analysed to give you a report, available to view through the app or website. This allows you to see the quality of your sleep and to help you make improvements.

The device automatically detects when you start an activity such as jogging, saving you from entering it manually at a later time.

With a route tracker you can add your route onto a map. It is helpful if you plan to do the same route again, or want to share it with your community.

Connectivity

It is compatible with a range of iOS devices such as iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch.

It is compatible with a range of Android devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The device can connect to Wi-Fi.

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

ANT+ is a wireless protocol similar to Bluetooth Smart, and is very power efficient. It is mainly used for fitness monitoring devices such as heart rate monitors and cadence sensors to connect to other devices (e.g., sports watches, smartphones, and cycling computers).

The device syncs all of your data wirelessly, without the need for cables.

The device automatically syncs your data when in range of your computer or smartphone.

NFC (near-field communication) allows a device to perform simple wireless transactions, such as mobile payments. Note: this feature may not be available in all markets.

Devices that use cellular technology can connect to mobile networks. Cellular networks have much wider signal coverage than Wi-Fi.

Battery

With a longer battery life, you don’t have to worry about charging the device as often.

Battery power, or battery capacity, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can store. More battery power can be an indication of longer battery life.

With a long battery life, you can train for several hours a week and only have to recharge the device every few weeks.

The time it takes to fully charge the battery.

In power save mode you can still check what time it is and other basic functions. A long battery life is good if you wear the device day to day.

There is less chance that you will run out of battery during an adventure.

It supports a wireless charging standard such as Qi. To charge the device, you simply put it down on a compatible charging pad.

An indicator shows you when the device has low battery.

The battery can be recharged and used over again.

Features

The device has a speaker and microphone that allow you to answer calls made to your smartphone.

The device has a feature that allows you to find your smartphone if you have misplaced it.

The device alerts you to incoming calls on your smartphone, and allows you extra control such as muting or rejecting the call.

If you get a notification such as a call or message, the device will vibrate on your wrist or make a noise to alert you.

Through continuous heart rate monitoring, the device is able to detect an irregular heartbeat and alert the user.

ECG stands for electrocardiogram and measures the electrical activity of the heartbeat, which is a more in-depth reading of heart health than blood pressure alone. Note: This feature may not be available in all markets.

The device can wake you using vibration, so as not to disturb anyone else sleeping in the room.

Vibrating alerts have a variety of uses, such as interval training.

Fall detection is a feature that relies on accelerometers and other sensors to differentiate between regular movement and a fall. If the wearer falls, the device can perform functions such as sounding an alarm or displaying an alert.

Miscellaneous

You can listen to your own music when working out. This can make exercising more enjoyable and motivate you to push yourself further.

You can download the app for free, from platforms such as Google Play or the App Store.

You can add widgets to the home screen. This allows you to have more flexibility and to see information at a glance, without going into the app.

It has an exercise diary, allowing you to easily keep track of your previous workouts.

Your data is synced to the cloud, ensuring it is always backed up in case you lose or change your device.

You can personalize the appearance of the app - for example, choosing a different theme or colors.

Adverts can be distracting and obtrusive. Apps and blogs without ads are more aesthetically pleasing, nicer to use, and make the content stand out.

You can create or find existing routes to sync to the app.

You get a notification when you are due to get your period.