In the event you’re new to the world of health and well being monitoring through wearables and you’ve got a Samsung Galaxy telephone, you may be contemplating getting an reasonably priced smartwatch first to check the waters earlier than diving right into a extra premium possibility. It may also be one thing for a teen or tween that they’ll use to maintain on prime of schedules, chores, and well being.
Two good fashions to contemplate are the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE vs. Galaxy Watch 4. The previous is the newer of the 2, launched in summer season 2024 and designed for brand spanking new customers. The latter is an older mannequin however was premium on the time of its launch. Which do you have to select? Let’s have a look.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE may be an entry mannequin, nevertheless it’s no slouch within the type division. It’s obtainable in a 40mm measurement and employs a design based mostly on the opposite, extra premium fashions within the line with a round face and two facet buttons.
The 1.2-inch Tremendous AMOLED display is fabricated from sapphire crystal glass, so it’s sturdy, and guarded in opposition to scratches and scuffs. The display is a full colour all the time on show providing 396 x 396 pixel decision.
Obtainable in Black, Pink Gold, or Silver with new watch bands which have blue and orange stitching, you may customise the watch face to make it your individual. The band is one-click type so it’s simple to swap out for different colours and kinds. The watch meets 5ATM and IP68 scores for each water and dirt resistance, together with MIL-STD-810H requirements so that you might be assured that it’s nicely made.
Like all different Samsung Galaxy smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch FE can seamlessly join with Samsung Galaxy units, like smartphones, tablets, and earbuds. Use options like Discover My Telephone from the watch to find a misplaced machine, remotely management a Samsung smartphone digital camera, and pay for gadgets on the go together with Samsung Pockets. You too can retailer ID playing cards, like a driver’s license and pupil ID from Samsung Pockets as nicely. You should utilize it with different Android telephones, too, however you received’t get as seamless an expertise.
With Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and built-in GPS, there’s an LTE possibility if you wish to get a separate mobile plan for this watch to stay related wherever you might be, even with out your telephone (assume morning run, in a gathering whereas your telephone is at your desk, or on the fitness center). It additionally comes loaded with apps like Google Maps and YouTube Music due to WearOS.
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
By comparability, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is produced from armor aluminum and is available in a 40mm or bigger 44mm (stainless-steel) measurement, nice for many who have bigger wrists or need one thing much less dainty. It’s obtainable in Black, Inexperienced, and Silver (44mm model) or Black, Pink Gold, and Silver (40mm model) and has the identical two facet keys for dwelling and again. The interchangeable bands are fabricated from snug fluoroelastomer that doesn’t irritate the pores and skin, as we present in our evaluate of the smartwatch a couple of years in the past .
Outfitted with both a 1.4-inch or 1.2-inch round Tremendous AMOLED full-color, always-on display, the smaller model provides 396 x 396 decision and it’s 450 x 450 for the bigger 44mm version. The display is fabricated from Corning Gorilla Glass DX+, so it’s sturdy as nicely. You’ll be able to get pleasure from loads of customized watch faces with this mannequin as nicely, and even a full QWERTY keyboard in the event you’re adventurous sufficient to try composing a message from the tiny display.
The bigger mannequin has a much bigger 316mAh battery however in the event you go for the smaller one, it’s the identical 247mAh battery because the Galaxy Watch FE. Our reviewer discovered that it lasted a few day and a half with typical utilization. The Galaxy Watch 4 meets the identical 5ATM and IP68 ranking in addition to MIL-STD-810G, a step down from MIL-STD-810H. The latter is the newest revision of the specification which includes some further testing, however you may relaxation assured that each smartwatches are fairly sturdy.
With the older Bluetooth 5.0 spec, there’s an LTE possibility for this watch as nicely. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 additionally comes with NFC and built-in GPS. However there’s no entry to the brand new Samsung Pockets (although you may presumably use the Samsung Pay).
As with each Samsung Galaxy Watch , you may join this one seamlessly to your Samsung Galaxy smartphone and different units throughout the Galaxy ecosystem. This watch additionally has Google Assistant built-in, which some customers would possibly discover useful.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Specs
When it comes all the way down to the naked bones specs, these two smartwatches are fairly related in some ways.
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Header Cell – Column 0 Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Compatibility
Android 11.0 or larger
Android 6.0 or larger
OS
WearOS powered by Samsung, One UI 5 Watch
WeearOS powered by Samsung
Colours
Black, Pink Gold, Silver
Black, Inexperienced, Silver (44mm), Black, Pink Gold, Silver (40mm)
Swappable Band
Sure
Sure
Battery Life
247mAh (WPC-based wi-fi charging)
361mAh (44mm), 247mAh (40mm)
App
Galaxy Wearable app
Galaxy Wearable app
Coronary heart Charge Monitoring
Sure
Sure
GPS
Sure
Sure
Sleep Monitoring
Sure
Sure
Swimproof
5ATM, IP68
5ATM, IP68
Telephone Notifications
Sure
Sure
Blood Oxygen
Sure
Sure
Cell Pay
Samsung Pockets
Samsung Pay
Storage
16GB
16GB
Display Measurement
1.2 inches
1.4 inches (42mm), 1.2 inches (40mm)
Display Kind
Tremendous AMOLED
Tremendous AMOLED
Display Decision
396 x 396
450 x 450 (44mm), 396 x 396 (40mm)
Dimensions
39.3 x 40.4 x 9.8mm
44.4 x 43.3 x 9.8mm (44mm), 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8mm (40mm)
Weight
26.6 grams
30 grams (44mm), 26 grams (40mm)
When evaluating the 40mm measurement of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 to the same-sized Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, are quite a lot of similarities between these two units.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Options
(Picture credit score: Supply: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)
Now comes the query, what can these watches do and the way do they function?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE runs an Exynos W920 twin core 1.18GHz processor, an older model of what you’ll discover within the newer Galaxy Watch 6 and the identical processor from the Galaxy Watch 4 in addition to the Galaxy Watch 5. It’s powered by WearOS with Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch.
Regardless of its reasonably priced value and entry-level goal, the Galaxy Watch FE has loads of sensors. At its coronary heart is Samsung’s superior BioActive Sensor, which is designed to not solely monitor your exercise but additionally present customized and actionable suggestions that can assist you enhance.
Like the newest Samsung smartwatches, the main focus is on sleep and serving to you get the very best relaxation attainable. There are superior sleep options like the flexibility to watch sleep patterns, sleep teaching, and help in making a sleep-friendly surroundings.
For coronary heart well being, there are a great deal of monitoring options. Together with monitoring 24/7 coronary heart price, the watch can ship HR Alerts when it detects abnormally excessive or low coronary heart charges. It additionally has an Irregular Coronary heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) function that screens coronary heart rhythms and advises if atrial fibrillation (Afib) is suspected. The Watch additionally measures blood strain and ECG, including extra knowledge to the holistic image of your well being and wellness.
For train, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE can monitor greater than 100 totally different exercises and present progress proper in your wrist. There’s superior operating evaluation for runners, which tracks total efficiency that can assist you maximize effectivity and supply steerage and insights. Runners may even admire the flexibility to make use of customized coronary heart price zones to set their very own customized objectives based mostly on bodily capabilities.
Moreover, the Watch provides Physique Composition monitoring, which gives physique and health knowledge that can assist you monitor progress. As a bonus, it even sends motivational messages to information and encourage you alongside the best way.
(Picture credit score: Supply: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)
As famous, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 runs on the identical Exynos W920 twin core 1.18GHz processor, so that you received’t get a snappier expertise from this watch than you’ll with the newer Galaxy Watch FE, regardless of the latter being an entry mannequin whereas the Watch 4 was a premium mannequin when it launched in August 2021. Nevertheless, our Galaxy Watch 4 reviewer discovered that every thing ran rather well on the smartwatch when he examined it means again when, saying the machine did every thing requested of it virtually instantaneously.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 operates with Put on OS powered by Samsung as nicely. You’ll be able to entry varied Google apps due to Put on OS, like Google Maps in addition to third-party ones like Spotify and Calm.
This watch has a Samsung BioActive sensor, too, which might monitor actions and metrics like coronary heart price, bioelectrical impedance evaluation (although you must manually enter your weight every time to get the information), ECG, and extra.
You received’t get the identical deep sleep monitoring and insights however our reviewer discovered that the Galaxy Watch 4 did a reasonably good job monitoring sleep, together with phases, and offering a sleep rating. You too can entry sleep teaching by way of the Samsung Well being app. Nonetheless, if sleep monitoring is necessary to you, this may be a deciding issue between the 2. You do, nonetheless, get options like physique composition, which leverages the BIA evaluation.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Which do you have to purchase?
(Picture credit score: Supply: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)
In the event you’re on a good price range, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE gives an virtually equivalent expertise to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 but it’s about $100 cheaper. That makes it a reasonably good worth possibility that might be thought of outdated lengthy after the Galaxy Watch 4 reaches that time (it arguably already has).
With each watches, you get a slower, outdated processor and shorter battery life in comparison with extra premium fashions, that are arguably two fairly massive concessions. Contemplating that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is simply $100 greater than each, you may be higher off simply going with that mannequin, even when it’s important to wait longer to avoid wasting up a bit extra.
There isn’t actually a compelling purpose to go for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 when evaluating these two, past the bigger measurement possibility with a barely larger decision display and longer battery life. When evaluating apples to apples with the 40mm model of each, the Galaxy Watch FE will present sufficient after which some to justify selecting it as an alternative.
It’s additionally necessary to needless to say the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is prone to launch quickly. When it does, you’ll most likely have the ability to discover even higher offers on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 fashions. By that point, the Galaxy Watch 4 might be even farther within the rear-view mirror, making it a much less interesting possibility, even for brand spanking new customers.
Between these two, in the event you’re useless set on the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, go together with the Galaxy FE. Newer is nearly all the time higher, and that watch has related specs to the Galaxy Watch 4 with different new options you received’t discover. It’s going to additionally future-proof your buy a bit of longer till you save up for one thing higher. Then, you may select from amongst the very best Android smartwatches which, coincidentally, consists of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6.
Save a couple of dollars
You’ll get a virtually premium expertise with the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE with out spending a fortune and be assured that you’ve got the newest and biggest. However on condition that it’s not considerably lower than the step-up Galaxy Watch 6, you may be higher off getting that mannequin, or ready for the Galaxy Watch 7 to launch and that one to return down additional in value.
Its time is up
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 was a superb watch when it launched, and it’s nonetheless not far behind the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE by way of specs. In actual fact, it’s pretty on par with it. However it’s older, outdated, and never the kind of product you wish to purchase proper now. In the event you’re getting related options, persist with the newest, particularly because it’s supplied on the identical value.
