Fossil Gen 6 is the latest Wear OS smartwatch to join the likes of the Galaxy Watch 4 series which also runs on the Wear OS platform. Although, the Gen 6 will not run on Wear OS 3 like Galaxy Watch 4 until next year. However, the Gen 6 comes with a few additions which its predecessor Gen 5 lacks. Fossil Gen 6 is powered by Snapdragon 4100+ and as well features an Spo2 sensor that enables blood oxygen monitoring. In this post, we compare the differences between Fossil Gen 5 vs 6, so you know what is new and if it’s worth upgrading if you already own the Gen 5 or older models.
Fossil Gen 5 vs 6 Full Technical Specifications Comparison
| Product Info |
 Fossil Gen 5 Calyle Specifications, Features and Price |
 Fossil Gen 6 (44mm) Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $21.99 | $249.65 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Fossil Gen 5 Calyle | Fossil Gen 6 (44mm) |
| Device type | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch |
| Gender | Men | Men |
| Predecessor | Fossil Gen 4 Explorist | Fossil Gen 5 |
| Successor | — | — |
| Models | — | — |
| Date released | August, 2019 | September, 2021 |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.28 inch | 1.28 inch |
| Display type | AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, Full color |
| Resolution | 416 x 416 px | 416 x 416 px |
| Pixel density | — | 326 ppi |
| Customizable watchface | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 3 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
| Always-On | Yes | Yes |
| BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap material | Stainless steel | Leather, Silicone, Stainless steel |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Color | Black, Brown, Smoke | Black/black silicone band, Black/Brown leather band, Black/Green Camo Grosgrain band, Smoke/Smoke stainless steel band |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Dimension | 44 x 44 x 12 mm | 44 x 44 x 12 mm |
| Weight | — | N/A |
| Waterproof rating | 3ATM | 3ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes | Yes |
| Durability test | — | — |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes, Bluetooth v4.2 LE | Bluetooth v5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 1GB | 1GB |
| ROM | 8GB | 8GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Network technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Reply messages | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox. | No | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | No | No |
| Thermometer | No | No |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
| HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING | HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING | HEALTH & FITNESS TRACKING |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | No | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No |
| Fall detection | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle | No | No |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
| Onscreen workout | No | No |
| Preloaded sport modes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | 310mAh | 310mAh |
| Battery life | Regular: 24hrs+ | Regular: 24hrs+ |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging duration | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar power | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Operating system | Wear OS | Wear OS |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 3100 | Snapdragon 4100+ |
| CPU | 1.2GHz Quad-core 4x ARM Cortex A7 | 1.7 GHz Quad-core CPU ARM Cortex A53 |
| GPU | Adreno 304 GPU | Adreno 504 GPU |
| MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS |
| Companion app | Fossil Q App | Fossil Q App |
| Compatibility | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ | Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ |
| Payment system | Google Pay | Google Pay |
| Customizable strap | 22 mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes |
| Voice Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant | Yes, Google Assistant |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Fossil Gen 5 Calyle, Manual, Straps | Charger, Fossil Gen 6, Manual, Straps |
| Price | $21.99 | $249.65 |
Difference Between Fossil Gen 5 and 6
- Gen 6 comes in Two Sizes
- Performance – Snapdragon 4100+ Powers Gen 6
- Fossil Gen 6 Features Spo2 Sensor
- Fossil Gen 6 Has a Longer Battery Life
- Fossil Gen 6 Features Bluetooth v5.0
The first difference between Gen 5 and 6 is the available sizes. Gen 6 comes in two sizes; 44mm and 42mm unlike Gen 5 that’s only available in 44mm size.
Fossil Gen 6 (44mm) Available colors
The 44mm is compatible with 22mm straps while the 42mm is compatible with 18mm straps. All Models have cases made of stainless steel with straps available in different materials like leather, silicone, and stainless steel. Both watches are also rated 3ATM which means that these watches are waterproof up to 30 meters and can be worn to the shower or for other shallow-water activities.
The main difference between Gen 5 and 6 is the new chip that powers the device. Snapdragon had released the 4100+ chip last year, a 12nm chip that succeeds the 28nm snapdragon 3100 chip. Fossil claims a 30% boost in performance which is a welcome development from the Gen 5 that has kept its own and perhaps the most popular Wear OS smartwatch.
Another difference between Gen 5 and 6 is that the new watch now features an Spo2 sensor that enables blood oxygen monitoring. This will allow you to see how well your blood utilizes oxygen. Blood oxygen monitoring is becoming a regular feature on many smartwatches and even smart bands. Beyond this, both Gen 5 and 6 will track your daily activities like your steps, calories, heart rate, and sleep. Each of these two also has an altimeter that enables floor counting as well as an inbuilt GPS for outdoor activity tracking.
With a 30% boost in performance and the presence of a QCC1110 co-processor that takes care of always-on display mode and other little tasks, the Gen 6 will have a slightly longer battery life than Gen 5. Although, both are rated 24hrs+ of battery life. There are battery saver modes that can help you get a little longer battery life from any of these two.
Another difference between Gen 5 and 6 is the Bluetooth version. The Gen 6 comes with Bluetooth v5.0 which will enable faster transfer and connectivity.
Fossil Gen 6 (44mm) Features
- Has a 1.28 inches AMOLED display, while navigation is via touchscreen and 3 physical buttons.
- Features clock, setup alarm, reminders, weather forecast and more.
- Customizable watchface, choose from the many available watchfaces on Playstore.
- Find your phone, control music on your phone or control camera on phone.
- 22mm interchangeable straps.
- 8GB storage capacity that allows you to store and play your favorite tracks on the watch as well stream music from popular services.
- Comes with microphone that allows you access Google Assistant, and allows you to carryout simple tasks simply with your voice.
- Make and receive calls directly from the watch via Bluetooth connection to your phone.
- Waterproof, rated 3ATM (which means 30 meters waterproof). Great for showering and shallow water swimming. Not ideal for diving or deep water swimming.
- Tracks your heart rate, calories, steps, distance, floors climbed, and more.
- Equipped to track your sleep in stages, and allows you to see your sleep trend overtime.
- Equipped with inbuilt GPS that enables you to track outdoor activities such as locations, routes and pace.
- NEW: Features an SpO2 sensor that allows you to measure your blood oxygen levels.
- Features Google Pay that allows you to make payment directly from the watch.
- 24hours+ battery life, and about 2 days with battery manager enabled.
Should You Upgrade?
What I normally do is sell my older smartwatch and buy a newer version. So, if the 4100+ chip that promises up to 30% boost in performance, the presence of Spo2, and slightly longer battery life means more to you, then it’s worth upgrading to the Gen 6. Moreover, while the Gen 5 will not be upgraded to the new Wear OS 3, the Gen 6 is expected to run on Wear OS 3 by next year, and that is an even bigger reason to upgrade as the new operating system offer a better UI and features than Wear OS 2.
Fossil Gen 6 Prices
