About one week ago, I received the Fossil Gen 5E for review. Fossil watches have been on my radar for quite some time, but I’ve always hesitated due to the battery trade-offs compared to dedicated GPS running watches. However, I’m happy to finally have my hands on one of these devices for testing.
Fossil has several Wear OS models, and the Gen 5E sits in the mid-range category. I was particularly interested in how it performs during longer GPS sessions and how consistent the heart rate tracking is during structured workouts.
Interestingly, while it lacks some of the advanced sensor suite found in higher-end multisport watches, it covers the core essentials well. GPS, optical heart rate, step tracking, and activity metrics are all present.
Lawrence was straightforward, though battery life will likely remain the key limitation compared to dedicated sports watches. That said, the build quality feels solid and the display is responsive.
While I haven’t yet had a chance to fully stress-test it over multiple long sessions, initial impressions are positive. I’ll continue updating my thoughts here as I work toward the full review.