Fossil's new smartwatch review: Bang for your buck?

Fossil Gen 5E: Rs 18,495 

Have you noticed people's wrists lately? Expensive wristwatches and jewellery have been replaced by trendy, functional smartwatches and fitness bands. Gone are the days when a high-end timepiece or sparkling diamonds were highly coveted. Now, the sparkle has been replaced by the little 'foot' as I call it. Everyone is tracking steps! 

In a market brimming with options for all wallets, Fossil offers its Gen 5E smartwatch, the newest addition to its Gen 5 smartwatches. The company says it's more "affordable" at Rs 18,495. While this is more expensive than what plenty of other brands are offering under Rs 10,000, let’s see if this new watch is a bang for your buck. 

How does it look? 

No one is going to buy a watch that promises the world but looks clunky on the wrist. The Fossil Gen 5E comes in two sizes, 44mm and 42mm. I strapped on the 42mm with the delicate pink strap. The bling encircling the crown will add a nice touch only if you're into bling, else stop reading this review because if you're not a bling-lover, you won't be interested in this watch. 

The 1.19-inch AMOLED touchscreen offers plenty of real estate to view notifications and the display leaves no room for complaints, even in bright daylight. What I did miss was the rotating crown found in more expensive Fossil smartwatches.  

What I do love are the slim bezels, which give it the looks of a premium watch. It's light and easy to strap on and won't weigh your wrist down. 

Pro tip: if you're going to use it during workout, ditch the fancy metal straps and opt for silicone straps which you will have to buy separately. Perhaps, the brand should've thrown in a pair in the box? 

How does it perform? 

Before I get into a nauseating list of features and specifications, let’s be frank, you'll be using this to track fitness and health metrics along with some notifications because that's what most smartwatch users do. The processor here is a slightly older one from Snapdragon possibly to save costs and that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. The watch is responsive and quick in performing most tasks without any lag. The user interface is easy to get accustomed to ONLY AND ONLY IF you're a Google WearOS user. 

As someone, who is hooked to her Apple Watch perpetually, I did face some issues in shifting to Google WearOS but given the huge price difference between iOS and WearOS gadgets, one can't complain. 

What I found lacking surprisingly in the age of COVID-19, was the lack of an SPO2 or blood-oxygen sensor. At nearly Rs 19,000, Fossil should have added this feature to its bag of offerings. 

Can you track your fitness goals? 

Well, if you're particular about hitting that 10K step count, daily activity can be tracked easily. But remember this, no matter which smartwatch you strap on, always underestimate the step count! You will need to sync the watch with the Google Fit app for a curated health analysis featuring sleep metrics, heart rate, cardio health, and step count. 

Is the watch independent of the smartphone? Yes and no. You can receive calls on the watch but the sound quality isn't great. 

Here's some good news -- this watch is splash-proof so, feel free to go for a run in the rain with it. 

How long will it last? 

Fossil doesn't say much about the watch's battery life except that it comes with smart battery modes to extend the watch's use. So, like all smartwatches, it will depend on your use. I wear my smartwatch from the moment I wake up to the time I hit the snooze button. So, for me, the watch lasted for around 10 hours, which is in line with expectations at this price point. Of course, it could have been better. 

Is the Fossil Gen 5E for you? 

If you're a Google WearOS user and are looking for a good-looking smartwatch under Rs 20,000, then the Fossil Gen 5E offers plenty of features without putting an extra burden on your wallet. However, at this price point, the SPO2 sensor is a must and the watch misses out on that. But if that's not something you need, then this watch looks premium and is a great addition on your wrist. 

Fossil Gen 5E Specifications 

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 processor 
• Powered by Google Wearos 
• 4 GB storage 
• 1 GB RAM 
• 300 mAh battery 
• Water-resistant up to 3ATM