Fitbit Versa 4 vs Garmin Descent G1 Solar
🗓️ Release Year
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: 2022
2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1 Solar: 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 Solar: The Garmin Descent G1 Solar is a robust dive computer and outdoor GPS smartwatch designed for recreational divers and active individuals, built for durability and extended operational time through solar charging. It accurately tracks dive-specific metrics, alongside comprehensive tracking for steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes. Its activity profiles cater to both underwater and topside sports, offering reliable data for prolonged training and exploration 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 Solar: 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, with sustained monitoring capabilities thanks to solar power input.
🔋 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 Solar: A key highlight of the Descent G1 Solar is its exceptional battery life, significantly extended by solar charging. It provides up to 25 hours in dive mode and up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, with the potential for even longer durations in smartwatch mode with sufficient solar exposure, making it an ideal companion for multi-day diving trips and expeditions where charging is limited.
😴 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 Solar: Sleep tracking on the Descent G1 Solar 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. Consistent tracking is supported by the device's battery management and solar capabilities.
📍 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 Solar: Equipped with built-in GPS, the Descent G1 Solar 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 during extended outdoor excursions.
🏋️ 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 Solar: The Descent G1 Solar 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, with the battery capacity to track even long sessions facilitated by solar charging.
💫 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 Solar: 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, contributing to seamless tracking over extended periods.
🍎 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 Solar: The Descent G1 Solar is compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, connecting via Bluetooth for seamless data synchronization, dive log management, and smart notifications, ensuring connectivity is maintained even during prolonged periods in the outdoors.
📲 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 Solar: 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, leveraging the extended operational time provided by solar charging.
💡 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 Solar: Beyond its primary focus on diving and sports, the Descent G1 Solar 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, all powered for the long haul by solar charging.
💦 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 Solar: With a robust water resistance rating to 100 meters (10 ATM) and built-in dive computer functionality, the Descent G1 Solar 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 Solar: The Descent G1 Solar features a sunlight-readable, monochrome display with good contrast, optimized for visibility in various lighting conditions, including underwater and bright sunlight. This display integrates the solar charging lens while providing 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 Solar: 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, suitable for outdoor and dive use.
✨ 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 Solar: The Descent G1 Solar features a rugged and durable design built for the demands of outdoor activities and diving, incorporating a solar charging lens. It maintains a comfortable fit for all-day wear and dives, balancing robust construction with practical wearability and extended utility.
🩸 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 Solar: 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, with continuous monitoring supported by the extended battery life.
💖 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 Solar: It is important to note that the Garmin Descent G1 Solar 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 Solar: The Descent G1 Solar 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 Solar: 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, with reliable data available due to the device's battery performance.
💳 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 Solar: A significant benefit of the Garmin platform is that all core features and data tracked by the Descent G1 Solar, including its dive computer functionalities and access to the Garmin Connect and Garmin Dive apps, are available without an additional subscription fee, providing comprehensive and enduring value for a rugged, outdoor-focused dive smartwatch with solar-enhanced battery life.
🏷️️ Price
1️⃣ Fitbit Versa 4: $229.95
Check Fitbit Versa 4 Price *2️⃣ Garmin Descent G1 Solar: $899.99
Check Garmin Descent G1 Solar Price ** If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you