The best Fossil smartwatches (Feb. 2021): Gen 5, Hybrid HR, and more

Fossil Gen 5 LTE specs

Skagen Falster 3: The best Skagen smartwatch

The Skagen Falster 3 fixes all the performance and battery issues that plagued the first two Falster smartwatches. It has essentially the same specs as the Fossil Gen 5 (above), as well as its fantastic custom battery modes that really help it eke out as much battery as possible. There’s also a built-in speaker, so you can hear Google Assistant talk to you and answer phone calls directly on the watch through Bluetooth.

Really, whether you should buy the Fossil Gen 5 or Skagen Falster 3 depends entirely on which design you like more. The specs, performance, and pretty much everything else are the same between both devices. However, the Skagen Falster 3 is newer so sales are a bit more rare.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Skagen Falster 3.

Fossil Hybrid HR: Fossil’s best hybrid smartwatch

The Fossil Hybrid HR is nearly identical to the Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR in functionality. The main differences between the two are the overall build quality, the companion app, and the price.

While our Fossil Hybrid HR (Collider model) looks wonderful, its build quality is noticeably lacking compared to Skagen’s offering. However, you might find this one on sale more often. The watch was announced in 2019, so it receives regular discounts on Amazon and Fossil’s website.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Fossil Hybrid HR.

Fossil Hybrid HR specs

Fossil Gen 5E: The best cheap Fossil smartwatch

If you’re after the Fossil Gen 5 but want something a bit smaller, look no further than the Fossil Gen 5E. Available in 42 and 44mm sizes, the Gen 5E smartwatches boast many of the same Gen 5 features at just $250.

The Fossil Gen 5E has the same processor, same amount of RAM, custom battery modes, built-in speaker, and NFC for Google Pay as the Gen 5. However, the Gen 5E has a slightly smaller display, 4GB of storage instead of 8GB, and you only get connected GPS instead of built-in GPS. Also, it has a physical pusher on the side, but it’s not rotatable to scroll through Wear OS.

While the Gen 5E sounds like a decent smartwatch overall, we’d recommend buying the standard Gen 5 if you can find it on sale.

Michael Kors Lexington 2 and Bradshaw 2: The best Michael Kors smartwatches

Michael Kors fans will love the Lexington 2 and Bradshaw 2 smartwatches. Announced at IFA 2019, these two classy smartwatches bring Fossil’s generation 5 upgrades to the Michael Kors brand. That means both of these watches have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 3100 SoC, 1GB of RAM, a built-in speaker, and custom battery modes like the Fossil Gen 5.

The Lexington 2 is more expensive than the Bradshaw 2, but functionality should be the same across both devices.

Michael Kors Lexington 2 and Bradshaw 2 specs

Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3: Another great Gen 5 smartwatch

The Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 is expensive, but damn is it a nice watch. It features all the same specs as Fossil’s other fifth-generation watches, complete with a speaker for answering calls and hearing Google Assistant replies. It has a sportier, lighter design compared to the other options on our list. It also comes in a ton of different colorways.

Related: The best smartwatches you can buy

Emporio Armani Smartwatch 3 specs

Diesel Fadelite: The best looking Fossil Group smartwatch

The Diesel Fadelite is one of our favorite looking smartwatches of all time. It doesn’t even look like a smartwatch! It comes in four colorways, but the clear (above) is by far our favorite. There are also transparent blue, black, and red colors if you’re not digging the all-clear look.

The Diesel Fadelite has the latest Snapdragon 3100 processor, but only 512GB of RAM while other competing Wear OS watches have 1GB of RAM. We’ve found the best Wear OS performers have the 3100 SoC and 1GB of RAM, so performance might be an issue. We haven’t reviewed the Fadelite yet, though, so we can’t vouch for its performance or battery life.

Diesel Fadelite specs

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Why you should trust the editor

Not only does Jimmy Westenberg love wearables, he loves helping people find the right devices to suit their needs. He’s been our resident fitness reviewer at Android Authority since 2016, and in that time has reviewed dozens of fitness products and other wearables.

Through his rigorous testing of fitness products and deep knowledge of health devices and services, you can rest assured knowing Jimmy will give you honest recommendations.

Looking for even more recommendations? Check out even more coverage below: