Garmin Lily 2 vs Fitbit Sense 2: A closer look at features & style

Gone are the days when fitness trackers and smartwatches were bulky unattractive looking things. Now, they blend functionality with style. Two devices exemplifying this trend are the Garmin Lily 2 and the Fitbit Sense 2, both noteworthy contenders for your wrist space. The first, introduced in January 2024, is specifically designed for women, while the Fitbit, released in September 2022, is suitable for all users. Each device boasts its own unique appeal.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

This side-by-side comparison delves into the nuances that set the Garmin Lily 2 and Fitbit Sense 2 apart. While the watches share some common ground in terms of basic functionalities they diverge significantly in other areas.

Key takeaways

The Garmin Lily 2, crafted with an elegant design and enhanced health tracking features, is specifically tailored for women who value a fusion of fashion and fitness in a compact device. In contrast, the Fitbit Sense 2 caters to a broader audience, offering advanced sensor technology and built-in GPS for those who prioritize detailed health metrics and robust outdoor activity tracking. However, it offers these detailed insights at a slightly higher cost.

View on Garmin; View on Amazon (Garmin Lily 2; Fitbit Sense 2).

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Hardware
Technical specs
Features
Bottom line

Garmin Lily 2 vs Fitbit Sense 2: Hardware

Look & feel

Starting with their shape, the Garmin Lily 2 maintains a classic round form, a design choice that appeals to users who favor traditional watch styles. This round form-factor enhances the wearability of the device, making it suitable for various wrist sizes and fashion choices. In contrast, the Fitbit Sense 2 adopts a square shape, aligning more with modern smartwatch designs and offering a different visual appeal.

In terms of build, the Garmin Lily 2 features an upgrade to anodized aluminum for its case, adding a touch of sophistication and durability to its appearance. The bezel material is also anodized aluminum, ensuring a consistent look across the series. The lens is made of Corning Gorilla Glass 3, offering robust protection against scratches and impacts. The Fitbit Sense 2, on the other hand, includes an aluminum watch case and buckle, with the classic band made of a durable material similar to that used in many sports watches. The woven band is crafted from a comfortable polyester, also featuring an aluminum watch case and buckle.

Regarding physical buttons, the Garmin Lily 2 opts for a sleek design with no physical buttons, relying entirely on a touchscreen interface. This contributes to a more streamlined and minimalist aesthetic. The Fitbit Sense 2 includes one physical button, providing a tactile element to the user experience and potentially making navigation more straightforward for some users.

Display, colour options, water resistance

The display types also differ between the two models. The Garmin Lily 2 utilizes a TFT LCD with 16-level grayscale, which, while not as vibrant as a color display, offers clarity and legibility. The Fitbit Sense 2 boasts an AMOLED display, known for its bright, vivid colors and sharp contrasts, enhancing the visual experience.

Color options for both models are varied, catering to personal style preferences. The Garmin Lily 2 offers a range of choices, including Sport Edition and Classic Edition in various colors and materials like nylon and leather. The Fitbit Sense 2 is available in colors like Carbon/Graphite Stainless Steel and Lunar White/Soft Gold Stainless Steel, providing options for different tastes.

Both models boast a water resistance of 5 ATM, ensuring durability and reliability in various environments, whether during workouts, swimming, or daily wear. This feature underscores the practicality of both series, designed to withstand the rigors of everyday use while maintaining their aesthetic appeal.

Sensor technology

As far as sensor technology, the Garmin Lily 2 and Fitbit Sense 2 showcase distinct features tailored to their respective user bases. The Garmin Lily 2 is equipped with an accelerometer, the Gen 4 Elevate heart rate sensor, an SpO2 sensor for blood oxygen monitoring, and an ambient light sensor. These provide a comprehensive suite of health and fitness tracking capabilities.

However, it lacks built-in GPS, relying instead on connected GPS via a paired smartphone. This design choice prioritizes compactness and aesthetic appeal. Additionally, the Lily 2 has NFC capability, allowing for contactless payments through Garmin Pay, a convenient feature for on-the-go transactions. It’s worth noting that the Lily 2 does not offer onboard music storage, focusing instead on essential smartwatch functionalities.

On the other hand, the Fitbit Sense 2 comes with a robust array of sensors, including a 3-axis accelerometer, an optical heart rate monitor, a Pulse Ox sensor for blood oxygen levels, and multipurpose electrical sensors compatible with the ECG app and EDA Scan app. It also features an altimeter and an ambient light sensor. So quite a long list.

Unlike the Garmin Lily 2, the Sense 2 is equipped with built-in GPS and Glonass, providing more accurate location tracking for outdoor activities without the need for a smartphone connection. The Sense 2 also includes NFC for contactless payments, aligning with modern smartwatch conveniences. However, like the Lily 2, it does not support music storage.

Battery life

The Garmin Lily 2 maintains its predecessor’s battery life of up to 5 days, a notable achievement considering the addition of the more advanced Gen 4 Elevate sensor. This upgrade enhances the watch’s health and fitness tracking capabilities without compromising battery longevity.

On the other hand, the Fitbit Sense 2 also boasts a robust battery life, offering over 6 days of usage on a single charge. This extended battery life is particularly impressive given the Sense 2’s range of sensors, and a high-resolution AMOLED display. Of course, with GPS switched on, the battery life will rapidly decline.

Garmin Lily 2 vs Fitbit Sense 2: Technical specs

Here’s a detailed tech specs comparison table for the Garmin Lily 2 and Fitbit Sense 2:

Garmin Lily 2 vs Fitbit Sense 2: Features

The Garmin Lily 2, with its upgraded Gen 4 Elevate heart rate sensor, offers precise tracking of heart rate, a crucial metric for fitness enthusiasts. It also includes an SpO2 sensor for monitoring blood oxygen levels, an essential tool for understanding overall health and wellness. The Lily 2’s focus on women’s health is evident in its menstrual cycle tracking feature, providing valuable insights into reproductive health. However, it lacks built-in GPS, relying on connected GPS for location tracking during outdoor activities. This might be a limitation for users who prefer independent location tracking without the need to carry a smartphone.

The Fitbit Sense 2 is a showcase of Fitbit’s advanced technology, featuring a wide array of sensors. It includes multipurpose electrical sensors for detailed stress monitoring, along with the ability to take ECG readings. The Sense 2’s built-in GPS and Glonass provide accurate location tracking, a significant advantage for outdoor fitness activities. Additionally, the Sense 2 offers innovative features an altimeter for counting floors climbed, skin temperature measurement and oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring, further broadening its health tracking capabilities. This makes the device a comprehensive tool for both physical and mental well-being, catering to a diverse range of health and fitness needs.

Smartwatch-type features

When it comes to smartwatch-type features, both devices offer a range of functionalities that enhance everyday convenience. The Garmin Lily 2, while focusing on essential smartwatch features, allows for contactless payments through Garmin Pay, a handy feature for quick transactions. However, it does not support onboard music storage or cellular connectivity, emphasizing its role as a fitness-first device.

The Fitbit Sense 2, in addition to its health and fitness capabilities, also includes NFC for contactless payments, aligning with modern smartwatch conveniences. It also offers a high-resolution AMOLED display, enhancing the user experience with vivid visuals. Like the Lily 2, the Sense 2 does not support music storage, focusing more on health and fitness tracking than multimedia capabilities.

Garmin Lily 2 vs Fitbit Sense 2: Price

In terms of pricing, the Garmin Lily 2 and Fitbit Sense 2 are positioned in a competitive market segment. The Garmin Lily 2 is priced starting at $250, reflecting its focus on style and essential health tracking features. The Fitbit Sense 2, with its advanced health monitoring capabilities and built-in GPS, is priced slightly higher at around $300.

It’s worth noting that there is a Fitbit Premium Membership which stands in contrast to Garmin’s approach to fitness tracking and health insights. While Fitbit offers this optional monthly subscription service to enhance user experience with personalized insights, advanced sleep tracking, guided programs, and extensive workout libraries, Garmin opts for a different model. With Garmin devices, users gain access to a comprehensive suite of health and fitness features directly with the hardware purchase, without the need for an additional subscription.

Garmin Lily 2 vs Fitbit Sense 2: Final thoughts

As we conclude this comparison between the Garmin Lily 2 and the Fitbit Sense 2, it’s clear that the landscape of fitness trackers and smartwatches has evolved significantly. These devices are no longer just functional gadgets; they are stylish accessories that cater to a wide range of preferences and needs.

The Garmin Lily 2, with its elegant design, is a perfect fit for women seeking a stylish yet functional wearable. It focuses on women’s health and combines fashion with fitness in a compact form. In contrast, the Fitbit Sense 2 is a versatile tool for a broader audience. It stands out with its comprehensive health tracking, including detailed stress monitoring and ECG readings, and is equipped with features like built-in GPS, appealing to those who value detailed health metrics and robust outdoor activity tracking.

The choice between them ultimately hinges on personal preference. It depends on whether one seeks specialized women’s health features or prefers a more general, all-encompassing approach to health and fitness monitoring.

View on Garmin; View on Amazon (Garmin Lily 2; Fitbit Sense 2).

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