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Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch with Speaker:
A fossil (Fossil Gen 5 – Fossil Sport Smartwatch ) is one of the last watch companies to stick with Google’s Wear OS platform. Every year, the company releases several smartwatches, some of which are among the best-looking Wear OS watches on the market.
Despite this, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the new Fossil watch as much as I did — many Wear OS watches are sluggish and don’t last a full day on a single charge.
The latest Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Smartwatch is unlike anything else. Its new hardware, updated specs, and custom battery modes make it one of the best Wear OS experiences available right now.
Read our full analysis of the Fossil Gen 5 Smartwatch to learn why you should buy one.
Analysis of the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Smartwatch: The Big Picture:
The Gen 5 Carlyle Smartwatch is one of the few Wear OS watches to run on the newer Snapdragon 3100 chipset, and it comes with a few unique features such as custom battery modes, plenty of RAM for output, and even an in-built speaker.
It may be one of the best Wear OS watches on the market right now, but it faces stiffer competition outside of the relatively small Wear OS bubble.
Is it really up to the task of competing with the Apple Watch, Fitbit Versa, and Samsung Galaxy Watch?
Fossil Sport Smartwatch Review
- Display: 1.28-inch AMOLED
- 416 x 416 resolution 328ppi
- Case size: 44 x 12mm
- Strap size: 22mm
- Weight: 99.79g
Design and Display Quality:
If you’re familiar with the Fossil sports smartwatch, the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle smartwatch will feel right at home.
It has a large, bright 1.28-inch AMOLED display with a sharp pixel density of 328ppi and three programmable pushers on the right side, the centre of which is a rotatable crown, similar to previous Fossil watches.
The buttons are simple to push, and the spinning crown is a fun alternative to swiping your finger over the tiny screen. It doesn’t have a revolving bezel like the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but it’ll suffice.
It comes with a black silicone strap, but metal and leather straps are also available. The straps are, of course, interchangeable, so you can use any 22mm brace you have lying around.
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Hardware and Performance of The Watch:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC
- 1GB of RAM
- 8GB of onboard storage
- Three custom battery modes
- GPS
- Heart rate sensor
- Bluetooth/Wi-Fi
The Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle is probably the most stacked Wear OS watch you can buy, aside from the $1,000 Montblanc Summit 2, Suunto 7, and Skagen Falster 3.
It’s driven by the Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, which isn’t new, but it’s better than the one Mobvoi is still using. Thankfully, the Fossil watch’s upgrade to the 3100 pays off in terms of results.
I only found the watch stutter when I opened the Google Play Store and pulled up the keyboard. Aside from that, I have no issues.
The Snapdragon 3100 processor and 1GB of RAM are required for every Wear OS watch:
The 1GB of RAM, almost double that of other Wear OS watch or Fossil sports smartwatch offers buttery smoothness.
Fossil also provided 8GB of onboard storage, which is more than enough for apps and music. That much storage space is great for people who want to exercise when leaving their phones at home.
The Fossil Sport smartwatch watch also includes NFC for Google Pay contactless payments, as well as GPS and an optical heart rate monitor.
These are normally the first products to go as producers want to save money, so it’s great to see them included here. Clearly, Fossil isn’t attempting to cut corners.
This year, Fossil says, the heart rate monitor has been updated.
It’s difficult to find any hardware flaws with the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle:
The inclusion of a speaker module is perhaps my favorite feature of this hardware. This should be a requirement for everyone to Wear OS watches/Fossil sports smartwatches.
You will hear stuff said back to you if you talk to your watch via Google Assistant. It’s fantastic.
You can also listen to music through the watch’s mic, but I doubt anyone will do so (probably the same people who like to look at photos on their watch).
Battery performance:
The battery life is adequate. It’s better than the typical Wear OS watch, which lasts less than a day in my experience, but it’s no Fitbit or Galaxy Watch.
I can typically get through a full day on a single charge, but I usually don’t have enough battery life to wear it overnight for sleep monitoring. The always-on monitor was switched off when I tested it, so expect an even shorter battery life if you leave it on.
With the GPS and heart rate monitor switched on, the Fossil sports smartwatch lost around 10% of the battery during a three-mile run.
Wear OS doesn’t seem to have the best power-saving features on its own, so Fossil included three custom battery modes (for a total of four) to help your computer last a little longer.
Regular mode:
The first is the regular mode, which keeps every function — venue, always-on display, NFC, mic, and everything else — switched on at the same time. Obviously, this is the fastest way to kill your battery.
Extended battery mode:
Extended battery mode is one level down from regular/daily mode. This mode allows you to schedule Bluetooth to switch on and off during the day, allowing the watch to detach from your phone at bedtime so you don’t waste battery.
Except for button-to-wake, notifications, and vibration, everything is turned off in this mode.
Custom mode:
Custom mode is my favorite because it allows you to turn on or off something you want. Except for the always-on monitor and NFC, I keep everything switched on.
This configuration allowed the Fossil watch to last for more than a day on a single charge, but not much longer.
Time-only mode:
Finally, there’s the time-only mode, which displays the time, date, and a Fossil logo on a black screen (not always on). Depending on how much battery you start with, this allows the watch to last days or even weeks on a single charge.
New updates:
In August 2020, the Fossil Gen 5 received a major update that included a number of design changes and new features. It can now monitor sleep in its native state, which is unusual for Wear OS watches.
With the addition of a new Wellness app, it now has access to battery-saving exercise modes as well as the ability to monitor VO2 max. It also got a new Phone app tile and a simpler interface for custom battery modes.
Fossil’s solutions to Wear OS issues:
In the tech world, Wear OS has a poor rep. I wouldn’t suggest the prestige is undeserved, but I believe it is exaggerated.
I recall how convenient it is to have easy access to Google Assistant, Calendar, and the many other Google applications I use on a daily basis every time I strap a Wear OS device to my wrist.
The new Tiles function is also really cool. But there is one flaw: I can’t get Google News to display headlines in the latest Tiles feature for the life of me. That was the only strange thing I found during the evaluation era.
Wear OS also fits well for Android phones and is no longer the buggy mess it once was.
Google vs Fossils on Wear OS:
However, I understand why people are hesitant to purchase a Wear OS unit. Google takes its time releasing updates (both minor and major), so if anything goes wrong with your system, you can have to wait a while for it to be fixed.
It clearly does not devote nearly as much attention to Wear OS as Apple does to watchOS. Large function changes don’t happen all that much.
Instead, Google enlists the support of third-party watchmakers to make up for Wear OS’ flaws. In the case of Fossil, this is working out very well.
It seems that Google does not place as much emphasis on Wear OS as Fossil does:
Wear OS devices have historically struggled to last all day on a charge, but the Gen 5’s custom battery modes make it possible.
Without enough RAM, the OS can be sluggish and buggy, but this Fossil sport smartwatch included more RAM than we’re used to seeing on Wear OS devices. This guarantees a pleasant experience.
Wear OS shouldn’t deter you from purchasing the Fossil Gen 5, but you should be aware of what you’re getting yourself into.
Which things should you consider while buying Fossils Gen 5 Carlyle (Pros and cons):
Pros
- The display is clear and bright.
- There are a lot of cool watch faces pre-installed.
- Custom battery modes are very useful.
- GPS, NFC, and a heart rate monitor are all included.
- Fitness monitoring that is accurate.
- The built-in speaker is extremely useful.
Crons
- The battery isn’t great, but it’s better than average.
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Tips on how to use Fossils sport touchscreen smartwatch.
STEP 1: Charge your Fossil sport smartwatch. When you connect it to your battery, it will turn on automatically until it has received enough fuel.
STEP 2: On your mobile, download the Wear OS by GoogleTM software. To pair your computer and configure it to your tastes, follow the instructions.
STEP 3: Create a Wifi connection. This enables your watch to link to the Google Play Store and ensures that it is running the most recent apps. To add a network, go to “Settings” and then “Connectivity.”
2. How far away can I be with the Fossil sport smartwatch?
You should have at least 10 metres (or 30 feet) of connectivity in general. Your smartwatch will link to your home Wi-Fi network in any region that is covered by your home network.
3. Fossil sport smartwatch how to turn off battery saver mode?
You must restart the watch by pressing and holding the power button to exit battery saver.
4. How to update Fossil sport smartwatch?
When the update becomes available, you will be notified.
To open the Google Play Store, press the notification on your watch’s screen.
Press the Update All. Everything will be completed, and the update will begin.
Expert opinion:
Even in early 2021, the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Smartwatch is the best Wear OS watch you can purchase. It excels in almost all areas, including efficiency, aesthetics, and customizability. I just wish the watch could last longer on a charge without having to switch sensors on and off, but that seems to be a Wear OS issue rather than a Fossil issue.
With this smartwatch, Fossil nailed it:
You’ll love the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle if you’re a Wear OS fan. Even if you’re not completely sold on Wear OS, the Fossil watch is likely to make you reconsider your position.
With this Fossil sport smartwatch, Fossil nailed the hardware. Let’s hope Google puts the same amount of work into Wear OS.
