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Apple Watch SE vs Fitbit Sense – Which is a Better?

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Fitbit Sense released alongside a lower-end Versa 3 is Fitbit’s most advanced smartwatch, it’s equipped with the most advanced features like ECG, stress, and body temperature measurements. The Sense is very compact and lightweight, and as well as features two voice assistants; Alexa and Google Assistant with a long battery life that keeps you going for about four days. Meanwhile, Apple Watch SE which is a new guy in the Apple smartwatch family and was released alongside the higher-end Apple Watch 6 lacks ECG, blood oxygen tracking, and always-on display, yet a comprehensive fitness smartwatch that is also very lightweight and equipped with lots of fitness tracking features, 32GB high storage capacity and more. Which is better between the Apple Watch SE vs Fitbit Versa 3? We have gathered all the specs and features of these two, this comparison post takes a look at the differences between these two to help you make a more informed buying decision.

Apple Watch SE GPS/Cellular Features

FEATURESApple Watch SE (GPS)Apple Watch SE (Cellular)
Display1.78 inches
Brighter than Series 3
1.78 inches
Brighter than Series 3
Share Watch FacesYesYes
Add Widget to Watch FaceYesYes
Always-On DisplayNoNo
MaterialsAluminumAluminum
Storage32GB32GB
Memoji App
Allows you to send emojis as sticker in messages or use it as your watch face.
YesYes
Family Setup
Allows family members who don't own an iPhone to still enjoy all the features of an Apple Watch by adding and assigning numbers to different Apple Watches which can be managed from a single iPhone.
NoYes (Cellular)
Smart Money With Apple CashYesYes
Find my App
A feature that lets you know the location of family members.
NoYes (Cellular)
Cycling Maps
A feature that guides cyclists by showing direction, suggesting lanes, and more.
YesYes
Hearing Protection
Alerts you when you have reached the maximum recommended listening dose for the week, and also allows you to set maximum volume for your headphone.
YesYes
Handwashing App
Guides you to wash your hand for up to 20 seconds recommended by WHO. Also reminds you to wash your hands when you get home.
YesYes
Sleep TrackingYesYes
Incidental Fall DetectionNoYes (Cellular)
International Emergency Calling
Allow you to call emergency contacts almost anywhere in the world.
NoYes (Cellular)
Blood Oxygen Tracking
Monitors your blood oxygen to determine how well your blood absorbs oxygen.
NoNo
ECG tracking
Allows you to take an electrocardiogram test on your wrist that's capable of detecting irregular heart rhythm and can help you prevent atrial fibrillations.
NoNo
Fitness+
Apple introduces a fitness service that features workout plans and coaching from professionals around the world. $9.99/month after the first 3 months.
YesYes
ProcessorS5 chip dual-core processor and W3 wireless chip

2x faster than S3
S5 chip dual-core processor and W3 wireless chip

2x faster than S3

Source: iculture.nl

Apple Watch SE Pros

  • Premium and lighwight design.
  • A sophisticated fitness tracker; incidental fall detection, sleep tracking and more..
  • Massive 32GB storage.
  • Moderate price for a decent Apple watch.

Apple Watch SE Cons

  • 18 hours battery life isn’t so impressive.
  • Texting feature isn’t so great.
  • It doesn’t show the time spent in different stages of your sleep.
  • The volume isn’t so great especially when anwsering call from the watch, you can bearly hear what the other person is saying.

Fitbit Sense Features

FeaturesSense
SMART FEATURES
Display1.58 inches AMOLED
Ambient lightYes
Always-on-display
Just glance to see what you need during workouts or when your hands are full. (will require frequent charging)
Yes
Syncs Wirelessly
Automatically sync to most popular iOS and Android devices to show your stats, trends and progress on your Fitbit dashboard.
Yes
Amazon Alexa Voice Assistant
Check the weather, set timers, control your smart home devices, and more, powered by Amazon Alexa. Amazon Alexa not available in all countries
Yes
Google Voice Assistant
Check the weather, set timers, control your smart home devices, and more, powered by Google Voice.
Yes
Music Storage
Store and play 300+ songs on your smartwatch—plus download your favorite Pandora stations or Deezer playlists. Paid subscriptions required. Pandora is US only.
Yes
Make Payments
Use your credit and debit cards to make secure purchases anywhere that accepts tap-and-pay.See participating banks
Yes
Smart Notification
See call, text, or calendar notifications on screen & get push notifications from smartphone apps.
Yes
Connect With Wireless Headphones
Listen to your favorite tunes without the wires.
Yes
Connect and Control Music on Spotify
Control your music, songs, and browse recent playlists and podcasts all from your wrist. Works with phone nearby; Spotify Premium subscription required. Not available in all countries.
Yes
Sleep Mode
Use the sleep mode to mute smartphone notifications and stop your screen from turning on at night.
Yes
Do Not Disturb Mode
Use do not disturb mode when you want to mute call, text, calendar, and app notifications during the day.
Yes
Access Apps On Watch
Access your favorite apps for fitness, sports, news, travel, transit, and more with a simple tap.
Yes
Loudspeaker and Microphone
Has a loudspeaker that allows you to play music aloud and as well make and receive calls via Bluetooth connection to the phone.
Yes
EXERCISE FEATURES
Real-Time Using Built In GPS
See your real-time pace and distance without a phone, then get a map of your route in the Fitbit app.
Yes
Real-Time Using Phone GPS
See your real-time pace and distance by connecting to your phone's GPS, then get a map of your route in the Fitbit app.
No
Workout Intensity Map
After outdoor exercise, check your workout intensity map in the Fitbit app to see your heart rate zones throughout your route.
Yes
Active Zone Minutes
Feel a buzz when you reach your target heart rate zones during exercise and celebrate when you earn extra minutes outside of workouts.
Yes
Active Minutes
Calculates active minutes through metabolic equivalents (METs). This metric, which factors in your body mass, is used to estimate exercise intensity.
Yes
Personalized Reminders
Stay on track toward your goals with personalized reminders that remind you to stay active, get hydrated, stick to a sleep schedule and more.
Yes
SmartTrack Exercise Recognition
Automatically record select exercises like running, biking and more & see detailed workout information in the Fitbit app.
Yes
20 Preset Workout Modes
Choose from 20+ exercise modes like run, bike, swim, yoga and more, set a goal, and get real-time stats during your workouts.
Yes
Swimproof
Water-resistant up to 50M, so you can wear your tracker or smartwatch in the shower, pool, and beyond.
Yes
Onscreen Workout Coach
Get personalized on-screen workouts that play on your wrist, coach you through each move and adapt based on your feedback.
Yes
Sedentary Reminder
See how long you've been active throughout the day and get reminders to fit in a few extra steps when you've been sitting a bit too long.
Yes
See Your Heart Rate Zones
Use your personalized fat burn, cardio, and peak heart rate zones to optimize your effort during workouts.
Yes
HEALTH FEATURES
EDA Scan App
The on-wrist EDA Scan app detects electrodermal activity—which may indicate your body’s response to stress—and reveals a graph in the Fitbit app to illuminate it.
Yes
ECG tracking
Monitors your heart rate and can help you detect irregular heart rhythms which can lead to AFib is left untreated
Yes
Cardio Fitness Score (VO2 Max.)
Get a better understanding of your fitness level and see how you can improve over time with a personalized Cardio Fitness Score.
Yes
Complete Sleep Tracking
See your time spent in light, deep and REM sleep stages and get sleep insights to help you improve. https://www.fitbit.com/us/technology
Yes
Female Health Tracking
Know your body on a deeper level using your tracker or smartwatch with the Fitbit app to follow your cycle, record symptoms and more.
Yes
Guided Breathing Session
Find moments of calm throughout your day with personalized breathing sessions based on your heart rate.
Yes
SpO2 Sensor
Allows you to see how well your blood utilizes oxygen.
Yes
24/7 Heart Rate Tracking
Use 24/7 heart rate to better track calorie burn, see your resting heart rate trends and get real-time guidance to optimize your workouts.
Yes
Resting Heart Rate
Wear your tracker or smartwatch all day and night to record your resting heart rate and track heart rate over time.
Yes
24/7 Activity Tracking
Track steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, hourly activity, and stationary time.
Yes
Altimeter
Counts floors climbed
Yes
Sleep Score
Based on your heart rate, time asleep and restlessness, this personalized score helps you better understand your sleep quality each night.
Yes
Sleep Tracking
Understand your rest with automatic sleep tracking and silent alarms on your wrist & bedtime reminders and helpful tips in the app.
Yes
All Day Calorie Burn
Better understand the total number of calories you burn—all day and during workouts—to manage your weight and stay on track toward your goals.
Yes
Battery Life6 days+
Fast ChargingYes

Source: DCrainmaker.com

Fitbit Sense Pros

  • Elegant, sleek and lighweight design.
  • Added inbuilt GPS.
  • Improved heart rate and temprature tracking.
  • Onboard music storage.
  • ECG and stress tracking.
  • Bluetooth caling with loudspeaker added.
  • Long battery life.
  • Moderatly priced.
  • Screen is bright and crisp
  • You can choose between Alexa and Google Assistant.

Fitbit Sense Cons

  • You can only install apps from the Fitbit app.
  • You can only store only 5 watch faces at any time on the watch.
  • You can only add personal music from a desktop computer or laptop.
  • Hreat rate tracking isn’t so accurate.
  • You can answer calls, but you can’t initiate a call from the watch yet except through Google Assistant.
  • SpO2 tracking only works when you sleep.

Apple Watch SE vs Fitbit Sense – Specifications Compared

Fitbit SenseApple Watch SE (44mm) (GPS)
fitbit sense full specsApple Watch SE (44mm) full specs

ABOUT DEVICE

Device nameFitbit SenseApple Watch SE (44mm) (GPS)
Device typeSport/Fitness smartwatchSport/Fitness smartwatch
Predessesor____
SuccessorFitbit Sense 2--
Released dateSeptember, 2020September, 2020
Ideal forUnisexUnisex

DISPLAY

Display typeAMOLEDLTPO OLED
Display size1.58 inches1.78 inches (44mm)
Display resolution336 x 336 pixel448 x 368 pixels (44mm)
Pixel density300.74 PPI--
Input typeTouchscreen
Haptic button
Touchscreen
1 Physical button plus
Digital Crown with haptic feedback
Always-onYesNo
Customizable watch faceYesYes

BODY

ShapeSquare/curvedRectangular/curved
Dimension40.5 x 40.5 x 12.4 mm44 x 38 x 10.4 mm
Weight--36.2 grams
Casing materialAluminumAluminum
Strap/band materialSiliconeSolo loop
(silicone)

Braided loop
(Silicone and Polyester)
Bezel MaterialStainless steelCeramics
Strap size140 - 180 mm (small)
180 - 220 mm (large)
125 - 210mm
Interchangeable band YesYes
Screen protectionCorning Gorilla Glass 3Ion-X glass
Water resistant/ProtectionYes, 5ATMYes, IP68, 5ATM
Swim-proofYes, recommendedYes, recommended
Color(s)Carbon/graphite
Lunar white/soft gold
Space gray
Gold
Silver
Red
Blue

MEMORY

RAM--1GB
Internal storageAbout 4GB32GB
Memory card slotNoNo

CONNECTIVITY

BluetoothBluetooth v5.0 LEBluetooth v5.0
Bluetooth callingYesYes
Wi-FiYesYes
NFCYesYes
Payment systemFitbit PayApple Pay
GPSGPS/GLONASSA-GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QZSS

CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY

TechnologyNoNo
SIMNoNo
BandNoNo

NOTIFICATIONS

Email alertYesYes
SMS alertYesYes
Calls alertYesYes
Event reminderYesYes
WeatherYesYes
Third-party appsYesYes
Text responseYesYes

FITNESS TRACKING

Sleep apneaNoNo
Sleep trackingYesYes
StepsYesYes
Floors climbedYesYes
Heart rate monitoringYesYes
CaloriesYesYes
DistanceYesYes
StressYesYes
VO2 Max.YesYes
Blood oxygenYesNo
Blood pressureNoNo
Menstrual cycle trackingYesYes
Swim trackingYesYes
Under-water heart rate trackingNo__
Preloaded mapsNoNo
On-screen workout modesYesNo
Triathlon modeNoYes
ECG TrackingYesNo
Preloaded sport modesYes, 20Yes
Safety trackingNoYes

MEDIA

Audiomp3/mp4mp3/mp4
Music streamingNoYes
Bluetooth musicYesYes
RadioNoNo
LoudspeakerYesYes
MicrophoneYesYes
CameraNoNo

SENSORS

PLATFORM

Operating system (OS)Fitbit OSWatchOS 7
Chipset--Apple S5, 64bit
CPU--Dual core
GPU--PowerVR

BATTERY

Type of batteryNon-removable lithium polymerNon-removable Li-ion battery
Battery capacity ----
Battery lifeMixed usage: up to 6 days+Mixed usage: 18 hrs
Charging typeUSB based charging dockMagnetic charging
Charging timeAbout 1-30 minsAbout 1-2 hours
Battery saver modeYesYes
Solar powerNoNo
Rapid chargingYesNo

CLOCK FEATURES

Time/DateYesYes
StopwatchYesYes
AlarmYesYes

OTHER FUNCTIONS

Control cameraYesYes
Music controlYesYes
Find phoneYesYes

MISC

Compatibility Android 8.0+, IOS 14.0+

Check supported devices
iPhone 5s+
iOS 12+
Companion appFitbit AppApple watch APP
Voice commandYes (Alexa & Google Assistant)Yes

BOX CONTENTS

Fitbit SenseApple Watch SE (44mm)
Strap (small and large)Straps
Charging cableMagnetic charging cable + USB adapter
Quick start guideQuick start guide
NOTE: We can't guarantee that all the information on this table are 100% correct. Read full disclaimer. Please, report an error.
Official SiteOfficial Site

Which is Better?

Going by the design, fitness tracking features, media, and other features, it’s obvious each of these two is a fine smartwatch that’s very lightweight and comfortable ensuring you can wear any of these two all day long if you so wish. Each of these two is also a comprehensive fitness smartwatch that can help you stay fit and reach more fitness goals. And when you consider the presence of both a loudspeaker and microphone, each of these two will allow you to make and receive calls directly from the watch.

However, if you’re more interested in more fitness tracking features, Sense is a more comprehensive fitness smartwatch. It features ECG, body temperature, stress, and blood oxygen tracking which Watch SE lacks. Although, the SpO2 measurement feature of Sense isn’t a complete one, as you only get your blood oxygen levels when you sleep and wake up with the watch. Nevertheless, it’s good to note that this feature is at least present in the Sense.

Fitbit Sense also features an always-on display which Watch SE lacks, and it has longer battery life. You can expect to get up to 4 days at least with Sense compared to Watch SE which lasts barely a day.


On the flip side, Watch SE offers you 32GB of storage which is far more than 4GB of Sense. It also allows you to type and reply to notifications received unlike Sense that only allows you to use your voice, preset replies, or emojis to reply. Furthermore, Watch SE features SOS emergency, fall detection, and international emergency calling that allows you to call emergency contacts almost anywhere in the world. Although, you will need the Cellular model of Watch SE to have access to international emergency calling.

Verdict

While Fitbit Sense is a more comprehensive fitness smartwatch with the presence of ECG, stress, blood oxygen tracking, and more, Watch SE is a more comprehensive lifestyle smartwatch. Interestingly enough, both smartwatches are priced about the same.

I go with Fitbit Sense, it has a longer battery life and is a more comprehensive fitness tracker.

Apple Watch SE review

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