Both Fitbit and Apple have established themselves in the world of wearables, and both manufacture incredible devices, which is why it might be a little hard to settle on a watch.
If you want an in-depth comparison between Fitbit vs. Apple Watch devices, keep on reading for all the details.
Short Answer
If the difference between both devices ought to be summed up in a few lines, it would be that the Fitbit Sense is more minimal, affordable, and focuses more on fitness-tracking and activity.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch SE acts more like an extension of your smartphone that you can control thoroughly from your wrist, including voice commands, plenty of apps, and better displays, but of course, at a higher price.
Fitbit vs. Apple Watch: Full Comparison
Now that you know the core difference and which crowd each company targets, let’s compare these differences to see just how much they vary and to get a better perspective regarding the individual features on a Fitbit Sense vs. Apple Watch SE.
Display and Design
Let’s start with the more affordable, activity-focused device. Unlike most Fitbit devices, the Sense is a unique addition to the line instead of being an upgrade or improvement on a preceding device. It’s categorized as a smartwatch, like the Versa ones, original Ionic, and the Blaze and Surge (no longer available).
Its 1.58-inch AMOLED display is pretty large and readable, especially with a solid resolution of 336 x 336 pixels. Not to mention, the colors are quite vivid and appealing, making the use of the watch enjoyable and the color-coded icons a lot easier to navigate.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch SE is the watch right before the latest in the line of Apple Watches, falling between the Series 5 and 6.
The Apple Watch SE comes with a solid, always-on retina display with 324 x 394p resolution, which on a 1.5-inch screen gives you an incredible 326 PPI.
Add to that, it comes with an Ion-X glass one display, fall detection, noise monitoring, and offers faster performance with a dual-core S5 SiP (System in Package), which enables it to pack so much technology into a very compact body.
FItness Features
Like all the older Fitbit models, the Sense comes with the ability to track distance covered, calories burned, heart-rate, and to track sleep. But the good news is that with the advanced sensors, the watch is able to give you a more detailed and accurate reading of how well you slept and just how long you spent in each stage: REM, light, and deep.
What’s more, the Fitbit Sense comes with EDA scan and stress management tools, measuring skin temperature for more accurate readings, as well as heart-rate notifications to alert you if you’ve gone above or below the average recommended rate.
Not to mention, the device comes with solid activity tracking, including swimming, as it’s waterproof up to 160 feet. It prepares cardio fitness scores for you, reminds you to move and reach your daily goals, as well as track pace and distance with GPS.
On top of that, it’s worth mentioning that it also comes with built-in GPS tracking, which is a lot more convenient than having to connect your smartphone to be able to track your outdoor activities.
Moreover, it has options like a workout intensity map to check your heart-rate throughout your journey as well as Active Zone Minutes, which generates a buzz when you reach target heart rates during your workouts, and consequently helps you burn more calories.
And for the female crowd, the Fitbit Sense comes with menstrual health tracking, which enables you to keep track of your period, symptoms, and other information that could make your visits to your gynecologist a lot more fruitful.
Like all of the previous models, the Apple Watch SE comes with heart-rate monitoring and built-in GPS. Not to mention, there’s an always-on altimeter and a better accelerometer, which give you better and more accurate readings of your activity.
It comes with the well-known and motivational 3-ring system that encourages you to stand, walk, and exercise (calorie ring) to reach daily goals and an overall more active and healthy lifestyle. Also, it’s swimproof up to 160 feet.
However, there’s no ECG or SpO2 sensor, which aren’t indispensable for fitness tracking, but still make it a lot easier and more effective to track your fitness level, ideal effort, and heart-rate during exercise, and help you regulate your workouts.
Still, you can use it to track plenty of activities, including cycling, running, yoga, tennis, swimming, and even functional training for strength.
Read also: Suunto vs Garmin
Smart Features
Not only does the Sense allow you to control music from your wrist, but it also comes with built-in storage for onboard music. Also, the smartwatch comes with built-in Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, as well as smartphone and smartwatch apps.
And in the case that you want to leave your phone behind and travel light for a quick run, you won’t have to worry about grabbing your wallet as the device comes with NFC payments.
Alternatively, for $100 less than the Series 6, the Apple Watch SE gives you all the functionality and high-end performance you need with a screen that’s 30% larger than previous models. The SE also comes with a digital crown for better navigation, speakers, and a mic. Additionally, its compact body is well-protected and durable as the back is made of ceramic and sapphire crystal.
Also, the SE comes with a compass and enhanced second-generation speakers and mic. Not to mention, it has a wider capacity for onboard storage of music or photos of up to 32GB. However, it’s only available in grey and silver, and gold.
There are 2 GB of onboard music, and you can get phone access from the watch itself with haptic feedback upon receiving notifications.
Battery Life
The battery life on the Fitbit Sense is advertised to be 6 days. However, with all the features turned on coupled with the always-on screen, its functionality would probably last for a shorter duration.
It’s worth mentioning that its battery life is still capped at 18 hours like the previous models, which is a bit of a bummer, though understandable with everything it has to offer, despite being a lot inferior to the Fitbit Sense.
Pros and Cons
Fitbit Sense
Pros:
- Looks incredibly sleek and appealing
- Detailed dashboard when viewing on a desktop
- Interchangeable straps give it versatile looks
- Rugged and durable
Cons:
- Not as responsive as the Apple Watch SE
- Screen resolution is inferior to the Apple Watch SE
Apple Watch SE
Pros:
- Can replace your smartphone
- Smoother performance with more advanced chips and processors
- Stats can all be checked from your wrist without a need for a desktop app
- Fantastic display with high resolution
- Compass, always-on altimeter, and SOS emergency features
Cons:
- Doesn’t look as sleek as the Fitbit Sense
- Quite pricey
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Final Thoughts
Now that you know all the ins and outs of each line of wearables, hopefully, it’s easier for you to make up your mind. Are you going to save up some bucks and get a solid fitness and activity tracker that is represented in Fitbit Sense, or do you want a more futuristic, advanced smartphone replacement that you can wear on your wrist for some extra money for the Apple Watch SE?