The difference between a smartwatch and a fitness bracelet, and which is better?

 

Smartphones are perhaps the most popular today, but a strong competitor is coming from afar, which is wearable devices, which are divided into two types: fitness trackers and smartwatches. Because they have so many overlapping features, many people think that a fitness tracker and a smartwatch are two sides of the same coin. That is why, in the following lines, we review the most important differences between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker, to remove the confusion and any confusion between them, and learn about the features that each device provides and what you should take into account when making a purchase decision.

 

Similar to the eternal rivalry between Android and iPhone, there has been a hidden conflict between wearable devices, specifically between the smartwatch and the sports bracelet or as it is called the fitness tracker (Smart Band). Although fitness trackers existed long before smartwatches, the latter was able to dominate the wearable market thanks to its powerful features, which included monitoring notifications, seeing email messages, and even answering calls instead of the phone.

 

On the other hand, fitness trackers had only sensors whose function was simple and limited to sending data about your sports activities to the smartphone, but the gap between the watch and the fitness tracker began to decrease over time, although both devices are similar in some The functions, however, are completely different.

 

Smartwatch

 

I must say that every smartwatch is a fitness tracker and not the other way around because a smartwatch is a small computer strapped to your wrist and this small computer is nothing but a combination of a regular watch, a tracker, and a smartphone.

 

How is that? The smartwatch is able to provide the functions and features that we find in a fitness tracker, and this includes measuring the rate of oxygen in the blood and heart rate. It can also track the sports activities you do, such as calculating the number of steps while walking, running, riding a bike, and other exercises.

 

Also, the smartwatch is a traditional watch through which you can tell the time with ease, but at the same time it is a mini smartphone, through which you can check mail messages, see notifications and even answer calls and listen to songs, and because there are versions of them that work with a SIM card, the smartwatch can It works independently from your smartphone.

 

Fitness tracker (smart band or sports bracelet)

 

From its name, we can describe it as a device that can be worn on the wrist like a smartwatch. What has increased the popularity of fitness trackers in the recent period is that they come in a smaller size than smartwatches, which means that they are comfortable and light. The function of these smart devices is that they are able to track the exercises and various sports activities that you do thanks to the sensors they own that calculate steps and monitor It tracks your sleep and even measure your heart rate, oxygen, and calories burned while exercising.

 

The differences between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker

 

We may have explained some of the differences between both devices while taking a quick look at them above, but here we will review in more detail the most important differences between the smartwatch and the fitness tracker:

 

Size: Fitness trackers come in various stylish and modern designs like smartwatches but when it comes to size, the fitness tracker is the winner as it comes in a light size to be comfortable when doing different sports.

 

Screen: Smartwatches had an advantage over a display because most of them had an LCD screen (some had an OLED screen), while fitness trackers often came without a screen (like Amazon Hello) and some had a regular screen because they were meant to collect data. However, during the recent period, fitness trackers with smart and advanced screens have appeared, such as the “Amazfit Band 5” and “Xiaomi Mi Band 4” similar to smartwatches.

 

Functions: Fitness trackers focus on sports and health, so they collect data about the exercises you do and monitor and measure vital functions in the body, while smartwatches come with some functions of a fitness tracker along with other additional functions, including remote control of the phone (taking pictures or play songs), answer calls, check notifications and messages and can use some applications without a problem.

 

Battery life: Fitness trackers have a long-lasting battery life (two weeks or more) because they are designed to work on limited and simple functions, unlike a smartwatch that cannot work for a full day before charging it again (the most popular Apple Watch can work for about 18 hours depending on the use).

 

Price: The prices of smart watches are high compared to fitness trackers, perhaps because of their ability to provide most of the functions of fitness trackers along with other additional features related to the smartphone, and there are types of them that work with a chip and can make phone calls without the need for a smartphone.

 

Fitness trackers have evolved a lot and there are versions of them that can display notifications and messages just like the smartwatch (the most important smart watch manufacturers, Apple and Samsung), however, fitness trackers are still designed with one purpose of focusing on your health, monitoring your daily activity and most importantly The sports bracelet manufacturers are Garmin and Fitbit (owned by Google).

 

What is right for you?

 

If your eyes can't stay away from your smartphone screen all day and you want it to stay that way, then a smartwatch will be the right choice for you as it is not only a natural extension of a phone but comes with most of the functions of fitness trackers. As for the price, different types of smartwatches start at a reasonable price.

 

If you are a fan of exercise and sports, you should use one of the fitness trackers because it is designed with one purpose to track sports and monitor health and you can wear it all day and you will not feel anything whether you are running, swimming or jumping and most importantly, its price is cheap compared to any smartwatch. In the end, after we have learned about the features and the most important differences between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker, you must realize two things, your needs and your budget are what you should rely on when making a purchase decision.