Fitbit Versa 4 vs Garmin Descent G1
🗓️ Release Year
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: 2022
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: 2022
🏃 Activity
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Fitbit Versa 4 provides comprehensive activity tracking, capturing steps, distance, calories burned, and floors climbed with precision. Its Active Zone Minutes feature is a key tool for optimizing workout effectiveness by tracking time spent in personalized heart rate zones. The integrated built-in GPS facilitates accurate real-time pace and distance monitoring for outdoor activities such as running, cycling, and hiking, offering valuable data without requiring a paired smartphone.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Garmin Descent G1 is a robust dive computer and outdoor GPS smartwatch designed for recreational divers and active individuals, built for durability and reliable tracking. It offers precise tracking for dive-specific metrics, alongside comprehensive tracking for steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. Its activity profiles cater to both underwater and topside sports, providing essential data for monitoring performance in various environments.
❤️ Health Monitoring
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Utilizing advanced PurePulse 2.0 technology, the Versa 4 offers continuous 24/7 heart rate monitoring, providing insights into resting heart rate trends and real-time heart rate zones during exercise. It integrates advanced sleep and stress management features for a more holistic view of the user's well-being.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: This device provides continuous wrist-based heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and detailed sleep analysis for insights into daily well-being and recovery. The integrated Pulse Ox sensor allows for blood oxygen saturation monitoring, useful for assessing acclimatization at altitude and contributing to dive planning and safety.
🔋 Battery Life
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: A significant advantage of the Versa 4 is its impressive battery life, offering over 6 days of power on a single charge. The inclusion of fast charging capabilities means a full day's power can be acquired in just 12 minutes, minimizing downtime and ensuring consistent tracking.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Descent G1 offers strong battery life, providing up to 25 hours in dive mode and up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, ensuring sufficient power for multiple dives and consistent daily tracking without frequent recharging.
😴 Sleep Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Detailed sleep tracking on the Versa 4 monitors sleep duration and analyzes sleep stages (light, deep, and REM). It provides a comprehensive Sleep Score and personalized insights within the app to help users understand and improve their sleep quality effectively.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: Sleep tracking on the Descent G1 monitors sleep stages and provides valuable insights into sleep quality, contributing to a better understanding of recovery essential for both athletic performance and dive readiness.
📍 GPS Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Equipped with built-in GPS, the Versa 4 accurately tracks real-time pace and distance for outdoor activities independently of a smartphone. Post-workout, users can review detailed route maps and intensity zone breakdowns directly within the Fitbit app.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: Equipped with built-in GPS, the Descent G1 provides accurate outdoor activity tracking and basic mapping capabilities on the surface. This GPS functionality is also integrated into dive logging for recording entry and exit points, enhancing the utility for documenting dive locations.
🏋️ Workout Modes
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Supporting an extensive library of over 40 workout modes, the Versa 4 caters to a wide array of physical activities, from running and cycling to swimming, HIIT, strength training, and yoga. During workouts, it displays live performance statistics, including heart rate, pace, and calorie burn, to inform training intensity.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Descent G1 supports a variety of multisport and individual workout modes, including dedicated profiles for diving (single-gas, multi-gas, freediving), swimming, running, biking, hiking, and strength training, providing relevant metrics for each activity.
💫 Exercise Recognition
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The integrated SmartTrack technology offers automatic detection and recording of common exercises such as walking, running, cycling, and elliptical workouts. This feature streamlines the tracking process, ensuring activities are logged even if the user forgets to manually start a workout.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The device includes automatic exercise detection for common activities such as swimming, running, and cycling through its Move IQ feature, ensuring these basic movements are captured in your activity log alongside detailed dive data.
🍎 Compatibility
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Versa 4 ensures broad compatibility with both Android and iOS devices, connecting via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Android users benefit from Google Fast Pair for quick and effortless initial setup.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Descent G1 is compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, connecting via Bluetooth for seamless data synchronization, dive log management, and smart notifications.
📲 App Support
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Synchronization with the feature-rich Fitbit app provides users with a centralized platform for comprehensive health tracking and in-depth fitness insights. Compatibility with popular third-party applications like Strava, Google Fit, Apple Health, and MyFitnessPal allows for seamless data integration into existing fitness ecosystems.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: Synchronization with the comprehensive Garmin Connect app is central for topside activity and health tracking, while the Garmin Dive app is specifically designed for detailed dive log management, analysis, and sharing, providing a complete ecosystem for both fitness and diving data.
💡 Smart Features
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Beyond fitness, the Versa 4 offers notable smart features, including the reception of call, text, and app notifications. Integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant provides convenient voice control. Support for Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet enables contactless payments directly from the wrist.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: Beyond its primary focus on diving and sports, the Descent G1 includes practical smart functionalities such as on-wrist notifications for calls, texts, and calendar alerts. It also features essential utilities like a compass, barometric altimeter, and thermometer, valuable for outdoor navigation and environmental awareness.
💦 Water Resistance
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: With a 5 ATM water resistance rating (up to 50 meters), the Versa 4 is built to withstand swimming, showering, and general water exposure, making it a versatile companion for various activities.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: With a robust water resistance rating to 100 meters (10 ATM) and built-in dive computer functionality, the Descent G1 is specifically designed for scuba diving, freediving, and other underwater activities, providing essential dive data and safety features for recreational use.
⌚ Display Quality
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The device features a bright and highly responsive AMOLED touchscreen display. An always-on display mode offers convenient at-a-glance access to information, and customizable watch faces allow for personalization of the visual interface.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Descent G1 features a sunlight-readable, monochrome display with good contrast, optimized for visibility in various lighting conditions, including underwater and bright sunlight. While not a color screen, it provides clear and easy-to-read data.
👌 Ease of Use
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Versa 4 is designed for intuitive interaction, featuring a responsive touchscreen complemented by a haptic side button for efficient navigation. Its seamless synchronization with the Fitbit app facilitates effortless data tracking and analysis.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The device utilizes a user-friendly interface with a combination of buttons, designed for easy navigation and access to features both on land and underwater, prioritizing reliable operation in challenging conditions over touchscreen complexity.
✨ Design and Comfort
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Versa 4 features a sleek and lightweight aluminum case paired with a comfortable soft silicone band, ensuring suitability for all-day wear. The design supports interchangeable bands, offering options for personalization to match individual style preferences.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Descent G1 features a rugged and durable design built for the demands of outdoor activities and diving. It maintains a comfortable fit for all-day wear and dives, balancing robust construction with practical wearability.
🩸 SpO2 Monitoring
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: An integrated SpO2 sensor allows for tracking blood oxygen levels specifically during sleep. This provides valuable data that can help users identify potential breathing irregularities during the night and gain insights into their respiratory health.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: An integrated Pulse Ox sensor is a key feature, allowing for monitoring blood oxygen saturation levels during sleep and at altitude, providing crucial data for assessing physiological status and contributing to dive safety considerations.
💖 ECG Functionality
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: It is important to note that the Fitbit Versa 4 does not support ECG (Electrocardiogram) monitoring.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: It is important to note that the Garmin Descent G1 does not support ECG (Electrocardiogram) functionality.
🧘 Stress Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: Stress levels are monitored through the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). The Versa 4 provides access to guided breathing exercises and mindfulness tools within the app, offering practical resources for stress management.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Descent G1 tracks stress levels throughout the day based on heart rate variability and offers guided breathing exercises to help users manage stress, contributing to overall well-being and focus, important for both athletic and diving performance.
🩹 Recovery Tracking
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The Daily Readiness Score is a key feature that assesses the body's preparedness for strenuous activity by analyzing sleep quality, recent activity levels, and heart rate variability. This helps users make informed decisions about when to push their limits and when to prioritize rest.
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: The Body Battery energy monitoring feature provides insights into the body's energy reserves based on activity, stress, and sleep data, helping users understand their physiological readiness for training or the need for rest. This is a key feature for optimizing recovery, essential for demanding sports and diving activities.
💳 Subscription
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: The core functionalities of the Versa 4 are available without a subscription. However, access to advanced insights, a wider range of guided workouts, and more in-depth sleep tracking features requires a Fitbit Premium subscription ($9.99/month or $79.99/year).
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: A significant benefit of the Garmin platform is that all core features and data tracked by the Descent G1, including its dive computer functionalities and access to the Garmin Connect and Garmin Dive apps, are available without an additional subscription fee, providing comprehensive value for a capable and rugged dive-focused smartwatch.
🏷️️ Price
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: $229.95
Check Fitbit Versa 4 Price *2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1: $799.99
Check Garmin Descent G1 Price ** If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you