The Fitbit Versa 3 is supposed to create a strange balancing act. It is more expensive than most fitness trackers and has in-house competition with Fitbit Sense.
The Fitbit Versa 3 appears in our sports watches theme world but could just as well run on the fitness trackers (theme world). In fact, we would rather assign them (and the scythe) to sports watches due to their size and price. Fitbit was already part of Google, but you didn’t notice anything about the products or software.
Fitbit has changed the closure compared to its predecessor. There used to be a metal pin; there is now a click mechanism, i.e., older bracelets are not compatible; we really liked the metal bracelet on the Versa 2. In any case, we would advise buyers to use a different bracelet. The supplied silicone bracelet is not very breathable and, with its two loops, is difficult to close. Better is a dedicated sports armband from Fitbit or one with leather or metal.
There is little innovation in the setup. To start the clock, you need the corresponding Fitbit app on your smartphone. If you are logged in there, you can add the clock again. An assistant guides you through the setup of the clock, including setting up Alexa and WiFi. What is new is that in addition to Alexa, the Google Assistant is actually also supported.
The square screen is a bit thick, but it is not too bulky, thanks to its rounded corners. Fitbit uses an OLED display, and that is a good thing. The content, especially when you work with a strong contrast to the black background, looks great. The information can be seen clearly, even in strong light. All in all, a successful design, as we think, may be a bit more massive than the sickle. But the Versa 3 is smaller.
Huawei was not yet (publicly) involved with smartwatches. A few years later they released their first smartwatch. In 2015, Huawei still preferred Wear OS (formerly Android Wear). They moved away from that at the end of 2018 and that was a good move (especially with current politics in mind).Â
The Huawei Watch GT 2e, an update of the Watch GT 2 that is already on the market. The Watch GT 2e offers an AMOLED display, 2 weeks battery life, various watch face designs, numerous internal sensors, measurement of the oxygen content of the blood (SpO2), Firstbeat metrics, and support for numerous sports.
The Huawei Watch GT 2e is packaged in a black cardboard box with gold-colored elements. On the front of the box is an image of the smartwatch and on the back is a label with some specifications. The smartwatch is immediately visible when opening the packaging. When removing the first flap, a box with documentation can be found on the right. In the room next to it are the USB-C cable and charging unit.
The biggest difference between the charging unit of the GT 2 Pro and GT 2e is the way in which the smartwatch can be charged. The GT 2 Pro can be placed in any position on the unit and then charging will start automatically. With the Huawei Watch GT 2e, charging is activated by placing it, with the back, on the 2 charging points.
Pros and Cons
| Fitbit Versa 3 | Huawei Watch GT 2e |
| Google Assistant & Alexa Built-in | Gorgeous OLED display |
| Measures blood oxygen level while sleeping | Accurate heart-rate tracking |
| Strong battery life | Dual-mode GPS for activity tracking |
| Voice assistants | Excellent 10-14 days battery life |
| Limited apps | No third party applications |
General
| Fitbit Versa 3 | Huawei Watch GT 2e | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Brand | Fitbit | Huawei |
| Model | Versa 3 | GT 2e |
| Release date | Aug 2020 | March 2020 |
| Compatibility | Android + iOS | Android + iOS |
| Colors | Pink Clay, Soft Gold Aluminium, Midnight | Graphite Black, Lava Red, Mint Green |
Technical Specifications
| Fitbit Versa 3 | Huawei Watch GT 2e | |
| Storage | 4GB Rom | 4GB Rom |
| Display | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Touch Screen | Yes | Yes |
| Screen Resolution | 300 x 300 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Water Resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
| Sensors | – Accelerometer – Gyro – Light – Gps | – Accelerometer – Gyro – Heart rate – Barometer – Compass – SpO2 |
| Battery | 6 days | 14 days |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes |
| Water-Resistant | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistance Depth | 50 m | 50 m |
| Dimensions | 40 x 40 x 12.35 mm | 53 x 46.8 x 10.8 mm |
| Weight | 42 g | 43 g |
Fitbit Versa 3
The runtime of the Fitbit Versa 3 is, in reality, around four to five days with a few training sessions, a little less if you use the GPS excessively. The clock is full again in about an hour using the charging adapter supplied. Thanks to a quick charge function, you can charge it for just under 15 minutes over a day.
Huawei Watch GT 2e
The smartwatch will last for 7 days with Bluetooth, a heart rate monitor, display that is always on (Always-on-Display / AOD). When AOD is switched off, it is possible to bridge 14 days on 1 battery charge. Huawei’s claim, in which they say that the smartwatch can last up to 14 days, is certainly correct.
Activity Monitoring
| Fitbit Versa 3 | Huawei Watch GT 2e | |
| Step counter | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes |
| Distance travelled | Yes | Yes |
| Raised floors | No | No |
| Sleep monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Measuring stress levels | No | No |
| Date & Time Display | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm Clock | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate measurement | Yes | Yes |
| Calorie intake | No | Yes |
| Hydration levels | No | No |
| Other Watch Functions | – Goal Setting – Reminder – Social Integration – Stopwatch – Real-time coaching | – Call Receive – Music Control – Responds to Notifications |
Fitbit Versa 3
The sleep tracking is great. The watch is easy to wear at night, and it measures the various phases of sleep clearly and transparently. With the excellent app, you can see which phases you go through and when. Fitbit also gives tips on when to go to bed, and a do not disturb mode is also included. The integrated alarm clock has an intelligent function that is supposed to wake the sleeper if he wakes up anyway.
Like its predecessor, the Fitbit Versa 3 can be optionally available as a virtual credit card. In practice, this works very easily – as long as you use an account with a corresponding bank. Then you have to define a PIN. With this, you can activate the payment function. In practice, it works quickly and reliably; we have successfully paid with the watch several times. Incidentally, Fitbit offers its own prepaid Visa card topped up and used for Fitbit Pay.
Huawei Watch GT 2e
This watch does not have its own WiFi adapter, NFC, or SIM card input, but there is the possibility of saving music locally and saving your route with the GPS route. One can use the watch partly independently, but it is not intended to do that for days. If the smartwatch is no longer linked for a time, the time will no longer run correctly.
- Oxygen saturation / SpO2 (VO2Max): SpO2 is not measured continuously, but you have to switch it on manually. You have to let your arm lie still for about 1 minute, after which you will receive the values. This is between 90-100 for a healthy person.
- Heart rate sensor (TruSeen 3.5): This keeps track of your heart rate throughout the day and can send a signal at a preset value. If that happens, it is important to determine whether it is because of intensive exercise or whether it has a medical cause. In that case, it is wise to consult a specialist.
- Stress level (TruRelax): With the smartwatch, you can keep track of your stress level. We don’t know exactly what the trigger for that is, but presumably, movement, sleep, and heart rate monitor stress. You may be able to reduce stress through breathing exercises in the watch.
- Sleep monitoring (TruSleep 2.0): It is possible to monitor your sleep rhythm by wearing a watch at night. With this, you can see, among other things, whether you are sleeping enough and how often you may wake up.
- Alarm clock: It is possible to set an alarm clock via the smartwatch. If you set an alarm clock via the phone, it is also possible to switch off or snooze the alarm via the smartwatch.
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Smart Features
| Fitbit Versa 3 | Huawei Watch GT 2e | |
| Smartphone notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless payments | No | No |
| Music storage and playback | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming services | No | No |
| Virtual Assistant | Yes | No |
| Meteorology | Weather forecast | Weather forecast |
Fitbit Versa 3
The watch can always be connected to the smartphone, and incoming messages or calls are then shown on display. Thanks to a microphone and speakers, you can even make calls over the clock. That works okay, but the quality varies depending on the volume and the type of ambient noise.
Huawei Watch GT 2e
The notifications are easy to read from the AMOLED screen, but newer notifications can quickly overshadow them. In general, you can only see the latest messages from a conversation or email. Reading a message completely is not pleasant on these types of smartwatches. That’s because you first have to go to the main menu, and from there, you slide from the bottom to the top. Only plain text is shown, and no emoticons.
