If you want to keep track of your heart rate during a run or monitor your sleep, any of the top wearables will come through for you. Two popular options come from Samsung and Google, and we’re going to look at the Fitbit Versa 4 vs. Galaxy Watch4. Both devices have come a long way, but we think you’ll be surprised by how closely they compare when it comes to fitness.
Fitbit Versa 4 vs. Galaxy Watch4: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Fitbit Versa 4 | Galaxy Watch4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | September 23, 2022 | August 27, 2021 |
| Sizes | 40mm | 40mm, 44mm |
| Display | 1.58-inch AMOLED | 1.2 or 1.4-inch AMOLED |
| Resolution | 336 x 336 | 396 x 396, 450 x 450 |
| Processor | Unknown | Exynos W920 |
| Memory | Unknown | 1.5GB |
| Storage | 4GB | 16GB |
| Health Tracking Sensors | Heart Rate, SpO2 | Heart Rate, ECG, SpO2, BIA |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, NFC | Bluetooth, 5.0, NFC, Dual-Band WiFi |
| Water Resistance | ATM5 | ATM5 |
| Battery Life | 6 days | 40 hours |
| Weight | 37 grams? | 26 or 30 grams |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS | Android |
- Get readings for your BMR. body water, MBI, skeletal muscle and more
- Monitor your heat and oxygen levels at night
- Advanced workout tracking for six activities
- Better your run with coaching technology
- Call, text, and stream music from your wrist
Fitbit Versa 4 vs. Galaxy Watch4: What’s the Difference?
What makes a fitness tracker a smartwatch and what kinds of features does a smartwatch need to put it in the class of a wearable designed for fitness? Those are questions that come to many consumers’ minds with today’s wearables, and something we aim to answer in our breakdown. Fitbit Versa 4 and Galaxy Watch4 may not share the same design language but are closer when it comes to fitness than most people might think.
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Style and Display
Fitbit wearables have a similar design language, which the company carried from the Versa 3 to the Fitbit Versa 4. The watch has a 1.58-inch AMOLED touchscreen display with a resolution of 336 x 336. It’s essentially the same panel found on the Fitbit Sense 2, and this watch is also the same size at 40mm x 41mm x 11mm.
The biggest difference from the previous model is the addition of a physical button in place of a capacitive (touchscreen) one. It’s a stylish watch that’s comfortable and light on the wrist. The Versa 4 is available in four colorways; Black/Graphite, Waterfall Blue/Platinum, Pink Sand/Copper Rose, and Beet Juice/Copper Rose.
Samsung’s 40mm Galaxy Watch4 is comparable in size, but with a smaller display and a completely different design. Their wearable has several action buttons along with a round face and a more casual vibe. There’s also a 44mm model with a larger 1.4-inch panel, although both versions have AMOLED touchscreen displays. Samsung doesn’t give people as many models to choose from, but they have a better selection of bands.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder — or the user in this case. Both watches are attractive with a modern sense of style, but we feel the Galaxy Watch4 would be easier to wear in casual settings. The resolution is better on both versions of the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 as well.
Tech Specs
Samsung has always used premium chipsets in its flagship devices and have never been slack with either memory or storage. The Galaxy Watch4 is no exception, so there’s a Snapdragon Exynos W920 under the hood. It’s an efficient chip, backed by 1.5GB of memory. That’s enough to keep apps snappy on this wearable, and there’s also 16GB of onboard storage to work with.
While Fitbit is no stranger to smartwatches and fitness trackers, they aren’t as forthcoming about the Fitbit Versa 4 specifications. Information on the chipset or how much memory it has is scantly, except the fact it has 4GB of storage space. That’s less than half of what you’ll get from the Watch4 and something to keep in mind depending on how you intend to use the Versa 4.
Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC for both of these wearables, along with dual-band Wi-Fi on the Galaxy Watch4. You can’t connect the Fitbit Versa 4 to the internet. Although it has the feature, it’s disabled, which does extend battery life but kills several features in the process. The Galaxy Watch4 and Fitbit Versa 4 have the same basic sensors like gyroscopes and GPS but slightly different for measuring health metrics.
Sensors
For years, there were two distinct wearables: fitness trackers and smartwatches. The line blurs a bit more with each generation, so it’s not uncommon to find classy or casual smartwatches that can keep track of your health.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch4 is a fantastic example. The company included an optical heart rate sensor and an electrical heart rate sensor or ECG on the Watch4. It also has a BIA sensor which measures body fat and can measure blood oxygen levels through your skin. Samsung’s BioActive sensor array handles the most critical metrics, similar to what you’ll get from the Fitbit Versa 4.
Fitbit’s wearable will also monitor your heart rate through an optical tracker and can check your SpO2 through infrared and red sensors. It doesn’t have a body fat or BIA sensor or an ECG. You would need to use the Fitbit Sense 2 to track those statistics. While the body fat measurement may not be useful for some people, the lack of an ECG gives the Galaxy Watch4 a significant advantage.
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Features
The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 and Fitbit Versa 4 are designed for daily use and have comparable features on the surface. Users can navigate and use apps through buttons or touchscreen displays, and both are compatible with several of the same watch apps.
You can keep track of how many steps you take throughout the day or calories burned with either wearable. These watches can also make payments with NFC or use Alexa through the Versa 4. You have access to more than 40 exercise modes with the GPS and 24/7 heart rate monitoring.
The watch has a microphone and speaker, although there’s not enough storage space for much music. Watch faces are download,able and can track your heartbeat 24/7, but some of the cooler Fitbit features are behind a paywall in their app. These include a Daily Readiness Score, Sleep tracking features, and Partner Workouts.
While the Versa 4 is mainly geared towards health and fitness, Samsung took a more balanced approach with the Galaxy Watch4. The same health tracking features is offered with a different UI and the Samsung Health app. It offers Advanced Workout Tracking and Snore Detection through the built-in mic. It can connect you with Bixby and other key Google services while you’re on the go, thanks to Google’s WearOS.
Runners will appreciate the VO2 Max feature, and the watch has the same waterproof rating as the Versa 4. This watch has more storage space and a wider selection of watch faces. While some premium fitness features exist, you’ll get more access from this wearable overall. What you won’t get is access to an iPhone, WearOS. Versa 4 works with Android or iOS.
Battery Life
When buying a smartwatch, battery life is critical, even if most are relatively easy to charge. Nobody wants to remove their watch to charge it halfway through the day. That won’t be a problem with the Versa 4 or Galaxy Watch4, and it’s an area where Fitbit has a massive advantage.
The Fitbit Versa 4 may miss a few key features, but its battery life is amazing, lasting up to six days per charge. That depends on usage, but we found that most users could get between four to five days of power under normal conditions. You can charge the watch back up in around an hour and a half, but it doesn’t have turbo-charging or other special features.
Given the features available on the Galaxy Watch4 and Wi-Fi, you can’t expect the same battery life. Samsung says the watch has 40 days of juice, but a more accurate estimate would be half that number. In most cases, you’ll never need to charge up midday although you will need to top off the watch at the end of the day. The watch has Qi wireless charging and battery life is more than respectable, but the recharging times are slow at close to two hours
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Pricing
The Fitbit Versa 4 arrived in late 2022 while the Galaxy Watch 4 came out a little over a year before. While newer, it’s only around $10-20 more than the older watch from Samsung, which means two things. Samsung wearables hold their value, and the Versa 4 isn’t a device in the same class.
You can purchase the Watch4 from Samsung, Amazon, and various other retailers online and locally across the globe. The Fitbit Versa 4 is also available through Fitbit or the Google Store, along with a slew of online shops. As a bonus, users will get 6 months of Fitbit Premium with the Versa 4.
Pricing is consistent across all colors on both smartwatches, but the Galaxy Watch4 LTE variant raises the price considerably.
Fitbit Versa 4 vs. Galaxy Watch4: 6 Must-Know Facts
- The Fitbit Versa 4 has an upgraded heart rate sensor.
- Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch4 during the Samsung Unpacked 2021 event.
- WearOS enabled users of the Galaxy Watch4 to choose from more languages.
- The Fitbit Versa 2 was the first wearable to feature Alexa functionality.
- Fitbit’s first fitness tracking device was named the Fitbit Tracker.
- 1.69-inch screen
- Health metrics dashboard
- Water resistant up to 50 meters
- Daily Stress Management Score
- Includes a 6-month Premium membership
Fitbit Versa 4 vs. Galaxy Watch4: Which One Wins?
The Samsung’s Galaxy Watch4 is a superior device in almost every way to the Fitbit Versa 4 until you consider battery life and compatibility. It’s definitely the best choice if you want a simple device to track your fitness during workouts but still limited compared to similar devices from the company. That said, if you have an iPhone, the choice is relatively simple, thanks to Samsung.
The Versa 4 has excellent fitness tracking features, even if some are hidden behind a paywall once the free trial runs out. The battery life is impressive and it’s comfortable, although the lack of Wi-Fi and extra sensors on the Galaxy Watch4 give it a serious edge. Google and Fitbit can fix some of the issues with the Versa 2, but we feel the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 is the better option.
- Get readings for your BMR. body water, MBI, skeletal muscle and more
- Monitor your heat and oxygen levels at night
- Advanced workout tracking for six activities
- Better your run with coaching technology
- Call, text, and stream music from your wrist
- 1.69-inch screen
- Health metrics dashboard
- Water resistant up to 50 meters
- Daily Stress Management Score
- Includes a 6-month Premium membership
Do Fitness Watches Really Help Wearers Get Fit?
A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association reported that people who wear fitness trackers are more likely to meet the recommended daily physical activity guidelines than those who don’t wear trackers. This supports another study, this one published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, which found that people who use fitness watches/trackers are more likely to adhere to their exercise goal than people who don’t wear this technology.
These devices can also be used to monitor health metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and sleep quality, track changes over time, and identify potential health issues.
Fitbit Versa 4 and the Galaxy Watch4 Technology Updates
The Fitbit Versa 4 made it’s debut in September 2022 and since then, there’s been mixed reviews among users. Some consumers praise the smartwatch for it’s heart rate monitor and built-in GPS navigating system. Others don’t think the high price tag is worth the lack of features.
Samsung, on the other hand, has already released the next version of the Galaxy Watch4 – the Galaxy Watch5. Samsung’s newest smartwatch released in August 2023 with a thinner body, larger display, better LTE connectivity, and more improvements over the Galaxy Watch4.
Up Next
- 5 Reasons to Avoid a New Smartwatch Today — Do you need a smartwatch or do you just need a basic timepiece?
- 6 Reasons to Avoid a New Fitness App Today — Will a fitness app help you reach your health goals, or will it hinder your progress?
- 10 Reasons to Buy a Smart Scale Today (And Which Are Best) — A smart scale does more than measure your weight. Find out how they can become a health ally.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com.
