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Fossil Gen5e Review: Affordable and Compact Smartwatch

Fossil Gen5e when you look at it the first time is a very compact and desirable smartwatch, It packs all the features that a regular exerciser would want in the watch. It has a smaller case than the Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch. Since theres’ some decisions that fossil has taken to cut down on hardware let’s see if it all bothers the performance of the watch or not.

Design

Gen5e has an amazing design and does not have a big dial as the regular Gen 5 watch has. The watch I was using had leather-like silicone straps on it. The watch felt really amazing while I was wearing it. It’s matched to a 42mm chrome stainless steel case, which is the same size as the older Gen 5 watch but without the two buttons flanking the crown. This gives it a neater look without drastically compromising functionality. The Gen5e has a 42mm case and has 18mm strap which would fit most people.

This is where the good news ends, and things that let the Gen 5E down start to appear. The watch’s bezel is smooth, curved, and aid to swiping across the screen, but the screen’s bezel is almost obnoxiously large. The Gen 5E’s screen measures 1.19-inches so it’s quite small, and combined with the big, black case, really emphasizes the big, black screen bezel. It reminds me of fitness-orientated smartwatches, rather than one made by a top watch designer.

Fossil had made me used to the digital crown that’s present on the Gen 5 watches and the Gen5e lacks it. Due to this, performing actions on the watch becomes a bit difficult and you have to use the screen to do all the task rather than the crown. I  haven’t missed the two extra buttons on the watch case.

Screen, Software, and Performance.

The 1.19-inch touch screen is just about right for a smartwatch. These screens aren’t for watching a video or playing games, they’re for displaying at-a-glance information, and for this, it’s perfectly usable. The 390 x 390-pixel resolution provides the same 328 pixel-per-inch density you find on the larger Gen 5 watch, so it’s plenty sharp enough, and pleasingly colorful too. There are dozens of Fossil watch faces to choose from, and they’re wonderfully varied. You can add aftermarket watch faces from the play store as well.

The watch is running the 2.23 version of Google’s Wear OS software installed, However, recent fitness and design updates are onboard, such as the new-look weather Tile and the ability to call Google Assistant with a long press of the crown. The watch also has Fossil’s most recent new features, including the Wellness app and the Extended Battery mode.

Fossil’s own fitness tracking system makes very basic use of the Snapdragon 3100’s co-processor in an effort to save battery life. There are just two workout options — indoor and outdoor — and you get time elapsed, distance, and heart rate data on the screen. The Gen 5E doesn’t have built-in GPS, so it’s not really for serious sportspeople anyway, but Google Fit is also onboard should you want more targeted tracking.

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The Fossil Gen 5E is smooth and fast but the notification support is flawed a bit on the watch. On Some days the watch showed all the notifications which were coming on my phone and some days the watch showed me very few notifications. It’s becoming a bit of a joke advertising notification support on Wear OS because the frequency with which they arrive is often laughable.

The Fossil Gen 5E has the old Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor inside, and not the newer Snapdragon Wear 4100 seen in the other smartwatches which are present in the market. It’s paired with 1GB of RAM. Is it a disaster? Happily, and perhaps surprisingly, it’s not. It reacts quickly to touch, there is almost no slowdown during normal operation, and even power-intensive apps like Maps and Google Play are manageable. However, it’s not what you’d call spritely, and the Snapdragon Wear 4100 improves performance and battery life significantly, so even if it is usable, there is a far superior option out there and that’s annoying.

Battery

The battery life is entirely based on your use. Fossil’s quotes 24 hours use is about right. If you turn it off overnight and don’t track any activities, then it’ll last two working days. With a full charge in the morning, average use, and tracking a 30-minute workout with Fossil’s own app, it lasts a single day.

Price and availability

The Fossil Gen 5E smartwatch has a selling price of Rs.18495, but can be purchased for less from a variety of offline retailers. At the time of writing, the Fossil Gen 5E is on sale for Rs.18495 through several outlets and is of great value at this price, but the stock may be hard to find.

Fossil Gen5e Smartwatch Review
  • Design
  • Performance
  • Battery
  • Software
3.3

Our Take on Fossil Gen5e

The Fossil Gen 5E looks great on wrist, is for the most part is speedy and pleasant to use, and is cheaper and more versatile in size and design than the regular Gen 5 smartwatch. However it’s lacking a purpose, as it’s not well-equipped enough to be a serious fitness tracker, and the hardware is old, which hurts its desirability and overall longevity. Its defining feature is solid quality for the money, now that discounts have brought it well under Rs.20000

Sachin Agarwal
Sachin Agarwalhttps://www.indiantechguys.com
Meet Sachin Agarwal, a passionate social media enthusiast and a self-proclaimed geek with an unbreakable bond with technology. Currently serving as a Senior Manager in On-Demand Delivery at Reliance Jiobp, Sachin's fascination with technology remains unwavering while others his age may have experienced numerous breakups. Throughout his journey, Sachin has earned countless treats from friends who sought his expertise in resolving laptop and computer issues. Technology runs in his veins, making him the go-to Tech Advisor for everyone fortunate enough to know him. Now, with Indian Tech Guys as his platform, Sachin aims to share his vast knowledge and insightful reviews with the world, establishing himself as the "Sachin of Technology." Join him on this exciting venture as he explores and embraces all things tech.
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