The Fitbit Versa 3 vs The Fitbit Sense

I decided it was finally time to retire my Fitbit Versa 2. I have had it since December 2019 when they first came out and it has stuck with me through all the abuse that I’ve given it over the past year in a half. It has been stepped on, slammed against walls, covered in spray paint, dunked in dishwater, and even had nail polish remover spilled on it, yet it is just now deciding to throw in the towel.

Due to it not charging and the screen being very dim, I decided to bite the bullet and get a new one. Naturally, I would like to upgrade, but which is the better option?

Now for the pros and cons. I am literally writing this while gathering the information and will make my final decision at the end.

The Fitbit Versa 3

The Versa 3 was released at the end of September 2020, so it has been out almost a year. Seems like a good time frame to get all of the kinks worked out. It took the positive concepts of the Versa 2 and added a GPS function and Google Assistant integration. This model was also enhanced by adding Active Zone Minutes, faster charging, and a display with a higher resolution.

The Fitbit Versa 3 currently retails for $229 on Amazon.

The Pros

Physical

One thing I really like is that to swap out bands on the Versa 3, you only have to press a button instead of worrying about those annoying little pins that I drop and lose 80% of the time.

Charging

This model supports a battery life that lasts up to six days. Six days! I had to charge my Versa 2 every two to three days. It has a bright, always-on AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) display, which is a fancy way of saying that it has a very clear and bright picture.

Features

It features advanced sleep-tracking, which can help detect sleep disorders, and see trends in sleep disturbances, which could be affecting your health. An onboard GPS allows you to record your runs, rides, and hikes so that you can see your pace and distance.

For those of you who actually work out regularly, the Versa 3 can give you heart rate zone notifications. They will notify you as you enter different zones such as fat burn, cardio, or peak.

Finally, the Versa 3 also monitors other health aspects such as SpO2 (blood oxygen levels), breathing rates, and variations in skin temperature while you sleep.

Interaction

A built-in mic and speaker were added to allow for text dictation and call taking. You are also able to call up voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Since I have an Amazon Echo in my home, this would be very handy.

Cons

Physical

Instead of a physical button on the side, like my current Versa 2, the Versa 3 has an indented haptic side button, which would take some getting used to.

Features

The Versa 3 does lag between swipes and takes more time to load than it would on an Apple or Galaxy watch. It can also be slow to sync to your app.

Users have reported that the GPS tracking could be stronger.

As a Spotify subscriber, I really don’t like that there is no support for offline Spotify music, even though I can control the Spotify app from the watch.

Limited apps for this device have also been mentioned as a dislike for the Versa 3.

Interactions

Notification replies are only Android-friendly. Incoming call notifications will show up if you have an Android phone or an iPhone, but only Android users will be able to respond to messages from the watch with quick replies or by dictating a response.

There is no preview option for you to see a summary of your sleep on your watch face when you wake up in the morning; you have to physically go into the app to see your stats.

The Fitbit Sense

The Fitbit Sense was also released in September 2021 and has a lot of similarities to the Versa 3. I guess that’s why they are so hard to choose between. The Sense is referred to as an “advanced health smartwatch”, so it would probably be ideal for athletic people or those with health concerns.

It is currently the most expensive Fitbit, but is it worth it?

The Fitbit Sense typically retails for $299.00 on Amazon.

Pros

Physical

The body of the Sense is made of aluminum with a polished, medical-grade stainless steel finish. The steel ring is required to get some of the more advanced sensor reading and provides more resistance to erosion.

Charging

The Sense also boasts a 6-hour battery life, but only 12 hours with the GPS feature on.

Features

The biggest change that came with the Sense was the integration of a stress management feature. It gives you a Stress Management Score that is able to calculate how your body responds to stress based on your heart rate, sleep, and activity level data.

It utilizes a new technology. An Electrodermal Activity (EDA) sensor measures changes in the resistance of the skin to a small, undetectable electric current in response to sweat secretion. This allows it to measure the intensity of emotion and compare it to the mood that you log yourself.

A skin temperature sensor can assist with indicating the onset of a fever illness, as well as tracking menstrual phases for women.

Cons

Physical

Like the Versa 3, it does not have a physical side button, (which some may look at as a pro)but the haptic sensor.

I have seen reviews where the wrist strap fits poorly and is awkward to put on by yourself. The strap is called an Infinity Band and you must push a peg through the best hole for the fit and then close it through a loop. It sounds a lot like a normal watchband, but users say that it is not secure and have had their watch fall off.

Features

In order to make the most of the Stress Management feature, you will have to become a Fitbit premium member to get a detailed breakdown of how your score is calculated.

A lot of the “cooler” features and apps require a Fitbit premium subscription to access, which I am not a fan of.

Interactions

The Sense also allows you to take to incoming calls, but like the Versa 3, only Android users will be able to respond to messages from the watch with quick replies or by dictating a response.

Takeaway

So basically there are three main features that the Fitbit Sense offers that the Fitbit Versa 3 does not:

Electrodermal activity (EDA) monitoring (for the stress management feature)

Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring (for the heart health tracker feature)

Skin temperature monitor

If those features are what you are looking for in a smartwatch, then the $70 price increase may very well be worth it. Unfortunately, those do not interest me, so I feel like paying $70 more would not be worth the investment. That said, I have placed an order for the Fitbit Versa 3 and it should be here in 2 days. Not having a smartwatch is driving me insane!

I will update you on my review of the Fitbit Versa 3 when it arrives and I get a chance to use all the features!

***Note: I have not received any payment for the endorsement of the Fitbit brand***

Sources

Fitbit Versa 3 review: A smartwatch that over delivers on health features

Should I buy the Fitbit Versa 3? Pros and cons considered

Fitbit Sense

***Note: This story was originally published on Medium.com by the author.***