Pros and cons between Sense and Sense 2

[ItsAngiie]

So after using this watch for 2 weeks now I'm still not satisfied with the product, I find this to be a more advanced tracker then a smart watch bc it misses out on these "hundreds  of apps that it's advertised to have. And totally got tricked when it says that it's a "sense 2" so me as a costumer thinks that this is an upgrade from the former sense but NOPE this is more like a downgrade. So now I'm contemplating if I should return this watch and instead buy the former sense. 

But what exactly is the difference? 

Apart from the sense having music, access to the calender etc. 

Is there a more advanced smartwatch then the sense? And no I don't want the Google pixl  watch bc I'd rather buy a Samsung one (bc when they advertise something those things actually works but when Google advertise something (like taking over fitbit downgrading the shhhh out of it and launch something thats half half) they just trick there customers just like they did with the sense 2!) 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[TLinkins · Accepted solution]

Differences

• different designs
  • Sense 1 has a stainless steel ring and an inductive home button while Sense 2 trades those for an aluminium design that is slimmer and lighter, and with a physical home button
• different user interfaces
• Sense 2 has cEDA sensor for continuous stress tracking
• Sense 2 has Google Wallet and Google Maps
• Sense 2 may have slightly-better heart rate / sleep tracking since it may have newer sensor hardware and tracking algorithms
  • however, reviews (see Quantified Scientist, DC Rainmaker, Desfit) indicate heart rate tracking is still horribly inaccurate. Only sleep tracking is good
• Sense 2 has 20 additional exercises over the Sense 
• Sense 2 lacks third-party apps
• Sense 2 lacks any music control
• Sense 2 lacks snore detection
• Sense 2 cannot use WiFi
• Sense 2 does not have Google Assistant
• Sense 2 is missing certain Fitbit apps that were on the Sense 1 eg. Agenda

Is there a more advanced smartwatch than the Sense

• There are 2 main "true" smartwatch operating systems out there: Wear OS by Google and watchOS by Apple
  • They have actual ecosystems including an app store with third-party apps, and support NFC payments. 
• Nothing beats the Apple Watch Ultra if you're an iPhone user. For Android users, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, currently, arguably represents the best Wear OS has to offer.
  • Both come with reduced battery life (compared to Fitbit), however
• Another decent ecosystem that technically fulfills the criteria above (third-party apps, NFC-payment support) is Garmin's
  • The Venu 2 Plus is decent; I personally consider it Garmin's version of what the Sense 2 was supposed to be (a proper health-and-fitness smartwatch). Sensor-wise compared with the Sense 2, Venu 2 Plus doesn't have a skin temperature sensor, EDA sensor nor a working ECG sensor (it has an ECG sensor but it's deactivated) but is otherwise identical. Similar battery life compared with Fitbits (it's actually better; up to 9 days). It even supports Google Assistant / Siri / Bixby. While Garmin has superior heart rate tracking, its sleep tracking is still not very good in 2022 - so take note if that's important to you.
• The last flagship Fitbit device that fulfilled the smartwatch definition was the Fitbit Sense. 
  • Given Fitbit's current circumstances, personally I no longer consider Fitbit a smartwatch maker. If you're just looking for fitness trackers that lack features other fitness trackers have, like music controls and calendar, then Fitbit is still not too bad an option.

[ItsAngiie]

Wow that was an amazing explanation, thank you. So in other words sense is more advanced in more things then the sense 2? 

I should have written the question better, I mean is there a more advanced fitbit smartwatch then the sense? Is the fitbit versa the newest one more advanced then the fitbit sense 2? I would still like to have a fitbit but probl just not fitbit sense 2 as of now. 

[TLinkins]

If you ask me, the Sense 1 is a better smartwatch than the Sense 2; in fact the Sense 2 is more a "feature" watch than a smartwatch. Only go with the Sense 2 if you absolutely must have continuous EDA tracking (and can live with the consequential, colossal loss of smartwatch functionality) or if you catch a killer deal on the Sense 2 - like I did with my USD 80 Sense 2.

The newest Versa, the Versa 4, is NOT more advanced than the Sense 2. Like the Sense 2, it is a crippled monstrosity of what a proper successor to the Versa 3 (to the Sense 1 in the case of Sense 2) would've been.

Edit: To answer your question, no. The Sense 1 is Fitbit's most advanced smartwatch currently. 

[Patrick421]

The Samsung 5 Pro is great. I got it after I bought the sense 2, since the sense was so disappointing. So far, really good watch, and about 2 days of battery life. Also has all the bells and whistles anyone could dream of..

Blood pressure and ECG are pretty cool too. Their temperature sensor is not used but it is waiting for being used.

The things sense 2 is better at are:

- Battery life

- The App helping you with your health control and guidance based on the data gathered from the watch is the best I've seen

- It is smaller, and lighter (this can be a plus or a minus, depends who you ask)

[ItsAngiie]

I was thinking of getting it first but have had a Samsung watch before and I loved it but the battery was so god **ahem** bad that I got mad at it, and so many times forgot to charge it so I just left it in the drawer eventually. Most of my products is Samsung but if they ever do get to fix the battery I would buy the watch in a heartbeat!

[ItsAngiie]

Aw exactly what I thought. 

I'm actually more and more ready to change my watch and get the sense 1 instead. 

Do you know if it has the same notification possibility like the sense 2? Like right now I've put in so I get notification from my messenger, insta, mail, snaphat and so on, so I know if i should go check my phone or not? And does it allow voice calls like the sense 2? 

I know I could check out the futures but most sites doesn't explain this to well. And you seem to know a lot about the sense 1 🙂 

[Jdsenter]

@ItsAngiie The original Sense, has everything a smart watch should have, I use Android and also have an iPhone on my profile, but my watch syncs only with my Android device. 

Phone calls (as long as your phone is within Bluetooth range)

The speaker is not the best and sometimes the microphone doesn't always sound clear, but it does work.

Notifications works rather well and the list at least on Android is all of my apps installed on my device.

EDA is manual, but if you don't do anything a stress management score still registers.

ECG is also manual but AFib will alert you if it detects one.

All other functions including voice assistant, music, WiFi for updates and music transfer if you use the apps 

Oh yeah Apps and watch faces are available, and a flash light app, things that should be part of the UI.

I have looked at an Apple Watch, Sense 2 and pixel watch but as long as my original Sense works, I will continue to use it. The last Fitbit advanced smart watch. 

[ItsAngiie]

No but seriously this really sounds like I should change. Unfortunately I just got noted that I can't return it 😭 I much rather have the sense 1

[Killroy-TM]

Sorry to read your sob story on the return of the Sense 2 and can't believe that this is happening to you in a normally consumer friendly Europe. I returned my Sense 2 within the 45 days in the USA. All they required was the original packing material. HOWEVER they stated that my credit card had been refunded which was not the case so I opened a dispute with my CC company.

Fitbit is now owned by Google and Google can't be trusted so that should enter in your equation of what watch to purchase next. I bought a discounted Sense 1 using Amazon since Fitbit no longer sells the Sense 1 on their website. I have my smartwatch back and am very happy.

Quick run down on the comparison. cEDA is the only thing that the Sense 2 has and Sense 1 does not have. However in using it for a month it became an annoyance by asking me how do you feel after the incident that triggered that question was 10 minutes ago. So I turned that feature off and regard it as more of a gimmick then being useful. The 20 additional exercises are an overkill for me since it has the 5 that I use mostly like biking, swimming, walking, elliptical and running are all on the Sense 1.

Biggest drawback of the Sense 2 for me are the notifications. It will receive the notifications and buzz but will not display them UNLESS you wake up the screen by either a gesture or button pressing or screen tapping. Then you will see the icon of the app that sends it and the subject. Then after starring like an idiot at a blank screen you finally get the full message. The Sense 1 buzzes and displays the notification and all you have to do is move the eyes.

My verdict stick the Sense 2 where the sun don't shine and get a Sense 1 or the other non Google options that were mentioned in this thread.

[ItsAngiie]

Lol awesome reply 😂 thank you for your honesty. 

I couldn't agree more, the "how do u feel" get on my nerves bc its so often. And with a 4 month old baby I don't want to waste my time to scroll on the watch and put in how I feel. So annoying. 

I will definitely try to return it. I bought it on Amazon so maybe they can take this one back and change it to the sense 1 if they mean I can't return and get the money back. I should have bought another smartwatch from the beginning, but I waited just for this watch to drop bc I thought it would be an upgrade to the sense 1 but oh my oh my was I wrong. 

[KB9WNS]

My Sense 1 starting having issues so I bought the Venu 2 and had a 6 month opportunity to compare both of them side by side.  As I do high intensity interval training the Venu 2 with it's chest strap capability is my current choice.  My Sense 1 finally died in August and is no longer usable.  When FitBit fixes the hardware reliability issues, adds music and adds chest strap capability maybe I will consider FitBit again.

[gschoen]

I'd agree the original Sense is the best Fitbit, with the Versa 3 close behind. For the best fitness smartwatch overall I'd nominate Garmin, which has an almost infinite number of choices (going to nearly infinite prices) but still plenty of mainstream options that compete well with Fitbit like the Venu. For competitive and pro athletes Garmin is the hands down winner. Nearly every other smartwatch (Apple, Samsung, Google, Fossil, etc.) has abysmal battery life compared to Garmin and Fitbit which makes them unsuitable if fitness tracking is the priority. 

[NatomCZ]

I think I've had enough issues with Sense 2. I guess I'll leave it for use for family members who mainly care for step counting. I'm going to leave the Fitbit ecosystem and go for Garmin Epix. Garmin seems to be in different league when it comes to sports activities tracking - can also be extended with a chest strap for activities where it makes more sense (pun intended) like kettlebell drills where the kb comes into contact with your forearm. 

[cwagner58]

I almost bought a Sense 2 but for me it would be a downgrade.  I really don't care about all of the stress apps and would rather have the functions on the Sense that were left off of the Sense 2.  If it came to that I would go to Samsung watch again.  I loved mine but switched back to fitbit because I like the food intake tracking better in fitbit.  But I will just have to adapt if it comes to that.