Last Updated on March 14, 2024 by Senior Editor
Featured in this comparison are three generations of Fossil smartwatches; the Gen 3 Explorist, Gen 4 Explorist and the Gen 5 Calyle which is succeeded by Fossil Gen 6. While the Gen 3 and 4 are powered by the Snapdragon 2100 chip, Gen 5 has the more advanced 3100 chip. These three have a similar design and each is also fitness-focused, although the Gen 5 has more fitness tracking features. We compare the Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5 specs and features to find out the differences and to help you make the right choice.
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: Specifications Compared
| Product Info |
 Fossil Gen 3 Explorist Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fossil Gen 4 Explorist Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fossil Gen 5 Calyle Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | - | $172.00 | $227.99 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Fossil Gen 3 Explorist | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist | Fossil Gen 5 Calyle |
| Device type | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch |
| Gender | Men | Men | Men |
| Release date | September, 2017 | August, 2018 | August, 2019 |
| Predecessor | Fossil Gen 2 Explorist | Fossil Gen 3 Explorist | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist |
| Successor | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist | Fossil Gen 5 Calyle | Fossil Gen 6 |
| Versions | — | — | — |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 46 x 46 x 12.5 mm | 45 x 45 x 13 mm | 44 x 44 x 12 mm |
| Weight | — | — | — |
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap material | Leather | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Interchangeable strap | 22 mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Water resistance | IP67 | 3ATM | 3ATM |
| Durability test | — | — | — |
| Swim-proof | No | Yes | Yes |
| Color | Blue, Gold, Silver | Black, Gray, Rose-gold, Silver | Black, Brown, Smoke |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.44 inch | 1.4 inches | 1.28 inch |
| Display type | AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, Full color |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 px | 454 x 454 px | 416 x 416 px |
| Pixel density | — | — | 326 ppi |
| Always on | — | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v4.1 | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | Yes |
| GPS | No | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | No | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 512MB | 512MB | 1GB |
| ROM | 4GB | 4GB | 8GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None | None |
| Band | — | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | — | — | — |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | No | No | No |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | - | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle | No | No | No |
| VO2 Max | — | — | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | No | No | No |
| On-screen workout | No | No | No |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | — | — | 310mAh |
| Battery life | Regular: Up to 24hrs | Regular: 24hrs+ | Regular: 24hrs+ |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 2100 | Snapdragon 2100 | Snapdragon 3100 |
| CPU | — | — | — |
| GPU | — | — | — |
| Operating system | Wear OS | Wear OS | Wear OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Fossil Q App | Fossil Q App | Fossil Q App |
| Compatibility | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ |
| Payment system | None | Google Pay | Google Pay |
| Voice command | Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Fossil Gen 3 Explorist, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fossil Gen 4 Explorist, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fossil Gen 5 Calyle, Manual, Straps |
SEE ALSO
Fossil Gen 3 vs 4 vs Gen 5: What’s the Difference?
Display/Body
Going by the size, the Gen 5 Calyle has the smallest case size. This makes it a more compact watch compared to the other older generations, although the difference in case size is very small. All three watches have a touch-sensitive display with three physical buttons that enable effortless navigation. AMOLED powers the display of each of these three, so you can expect a decent display quality.
Memory/Storage
The Gen 5 with 1GB RAM and Snapdragon 3100 chip under the hood has a better performance than the Gen 3 and 4 with a 2100 chip and 0.5GB RAM each. There isn’t any significant difference between the 2100 and 3100 chips except for the co-processor that handles always-on display and other small tasks. However, the 1GB RAM inclusion can significantly boost the performance of the Gen 5. It’s on this note, that we believe it has a better performance than older generations.
Moreover, the Gen 5 also has 8GB onboard storage capacity which is twice what you get with the Gen 3 and 4. This will allow you to take more of your favorite tracks with you.
Media
The Gen 5 has a microphone and loudspeaker, while the Gen 3 and 4 lack a loudspeaker but have a microphone. As a result, you can make and receive calls directly from the Gen 5 via Bluetooth calling which isn’t possible with Gen 3 or 4.
All three watches feature Google Assistant which will allow you to use your voice to carry out simple tasks.
Fitness Tracking
There is no heart rate sensor in the Gen 3, as a result, it can’t track your heart rate. There is also no inbuilt GPS in the Gen 3. Meanwhile, the Gen 4 and 5 are equipped with both GPS and heart rate sensors. These two will track your heart rate 24/7 and if you go for an outdoor workout with your Gen 4 or 5, you will be able to track your routes and locations which you can view later in the companion app.
Battery Life
Although each of these three has a quite abysmal short battery life, the Gen 5 with the 3100 chip under the hood and featuring battery saver modes will let you go longer from a single charge than the other two.
On average, you should expect about 24hrs of battery life with any of these three.
Which is Better?
The Gen 5 Calyle is clearly the best choice. It has a more distinguishing design, and higher storage and memory capacity in addition to the more advanced 3100 chip which leaves it with a slightly longer battery life and much faster performance.