Last Updated: December 27, 2019 (Refresh Now)
Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smartwatch with Speaker Heart Rate GPS NFC and Smartphone Notifications
Last Updated: December 27, 2019 (Refresh Now)
7.7
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
368
Old Reviews
0
Unverified
68
Spam Test
WARN
Yes
USB
1181.1 meters
SIZE
Yes
GPS
8192 GB
MEMORY
Review Analysis - 300 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Software Platform
84google, apps, fossil, google assistant, android wear
+69%
-31%
" ... This is a beautiful watch with great apps and functionality. ... "
" ... I have many apps running on my phone and it is making the battery run down fast. ... "
" ... Wear OS is a love-it-or-hate-it experience, and I love it ... however, I am steeped in the Google ecosystem (i.e. ... Pixel 3 Phone, Google Home products, et. ... For those of us in the 1st Party Google camp, this is about as close to a "Pixel Watch" as you can get. ... "
" ... I find that the extra RAM makes a huge difference in the way Wear OS works. ... "
" ... Notifications pop up immediately, it is easy to navigate, very customizable, and it definitely is water resistant but the integration of Wear OS doesn't come close to that of other manufacturer's ecosystems. ... "
" ... As the title suggests, this watch is my #1 pick for the best Wear OS devices of 2019. ... "
" ... Unlike other reviews I have had no issue with battery life or working with my iPhone 8 and the latest version of iOS. ... "
" ... I also programmed one of the buttons with Alexa. ... "
Battery Life
68battery, watch, charge, day, hours
+60%
-40%
" ... A nice product, keep in mind the battry lasts for 1 day. ... "
" ... The battery life could still be better, even with the battery saver modes. ... "
" ... This product advertises that it is capable of untethered GPS, long lasting battery and much more. ... "
" ... There are modes to increase battery life if you need a longer stretch, and they're easy to select. ... "
" ... Battery life is really good just don't expect it to get you through a month or weeks. ... "
" ... Nice product but need work on battery ... "
" ... The battery will last from 7am to 12 to 1am usually. ... It definitely feels that once you start really putting a load on the watch, the battery life significantly decreases. ... It's worth noting I don't have an issue with the battery life, some may think this watch should have an unrealistic battery life. ... "
" ... Battery life is actually good even with heavy usage like constant IMs and emails, often read from the watch. ... The battery modes are sticky - e.g. ... "
Design
57looks, looks great, elegant, stylish, smartwatch
+100%
" ... 1.Nice design . ... "
" ... It's very classy looking on him as well. ... "
" ... Love the way it looks. ... "
" ... it looks great, it is very responsive. ... "
" ... -The watch itself is beautiful. ... It's a beautiful timepiece. ... Shockingly beautiful watch. ... "
" ... Very nice design, great belt. ... "
" ... Feels and looks great ... "
" ... Fantastic, looks and feels solid and premium. ... "
Apps
38google, wear os, google assistant, fossil, smartwatch
+66%
-34%
" ... It integrates better with Google Fit and other apps. ... "
" ... Best Android watch available. ... "
" ... Software limitation should improve with time since Google does a nice job with it ... "
" ... I like that you have the option for 2 quick apps with the top and bottom buttons. ... "
" ... 3) Let the watch install system and app updates to catch up to current. ... "
" ... I havent install other application from Google app store. ... "
" ... Great watch for us Google dependent. ... "
" ... I have many apps running on my phone and it is making the battery run down fast. ... Will write more when I get the right combination for battery life and apps ... "
Display Clarity
31display, watch, brightness, bezel, wrist
+68%
-32%
" ... Screen is great and menu is easy to navigate. ... "
" ... Display is crisp and allows for small font to really add utility. ... This is more pronounced with white display. ... The display is large enough, however, so this is more of an easthetic issue than a functional one ... "
" ... The screen looks nice and has a high ppi. ... "
" ... Really nice feeling and material althought the screen can be damage with minor scratches so be safe with that. ... "
" ... The galaxy watch has the spinning bezel. ... I'm using a watch face off the play store that gives me options to show on the screen. ... "
" ... Very sleek & fashionable look, simple set up, easy-to-understand functions that more than match my Apple Watch, clear display, great watch faces. ... "
" ... The always on display is helpful in not needing the wrist getures activated. ... "
" ... 1) Display is beautiful ... 3) The watch bezel allow you to navigate the menu quickly ... "
Product Reliability
30watch, days, day, gen, weeks
+60%
-40%
" ... Last one he had always worked great. ... "
" ... Was very new on the market and I'm sure I paid more then what it will probably be in a few months. ... "
" ... Hasn't broken it yet. ... "
" ... Got it for my husband, he can't stop playing with it for few days now. ... All worked well, flawlessly. ... "
" ... First impression after a day of use. ... "
" ... To start with I pre-ordered this watch and have been using it every day for the last several months. ... "
" ... After about a week, daily use has been a breeze. ... "
" ... I had this watch for five days now. ... "
Device Compatibility
30connected, iphone, google, wifi, speaker
+70%
-30%
" ... I waited for a watch that has NFC for mobile payments / Google Pay. ... SPEAKER / MUSIC / MEDIA ... "
" ... I also programmed one of the buttons with Alexa. ... "
" ... This Smartwatch its for sure a good one, But int a friendly device for all in general. ... "
" ... Looks great and synced up very well with my Android phone. ... "
" ... It is connected tojust about everything that I need. ... "
" ... I have to say this is my first smart device if I exclude the phone. ... "
" ... Absolutely floored by the slim design of Fossil Watch, how easily it connected with my Note 10. ... "
" ... I had to do this with the Apple Watch as well. ... "
Comfort
30watch, wear, comfortable, wearing, strap
+77%
-23%
" ... It's a beautiful watch and very comfortable. ... "
" ... I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch nonstop for a couple years now but always felt like I had to sacrifice a bit of fashion to do so. ... "
" ... Washed my hands with it in all the time. ... "
" ... Great watch just like having a phone on my wrist ... "
" ... This watch on the other hand is fast, responsive and amazing. ... "
" ... I have a small wrist but still looks fine on a smaller wrist in my opinion. ... "
" ... It is comfortable, though a leather strap might be more so. ... "
" ... I'd say it's still not perfect but it feels like a good watch in the end. ... "
Band
24band, wrist, strap, 22mm, wrists
+96%
-4%
" ... I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch nonstop for a couple years now but always felt like I had to sacrifice a bit of fashion to do so. ... "
" ... Bands can be swapped also witch is a plus. ... "
" ... I got the brown leather strap, it has rubber on the inside which I really like as I was worried about sweating on leather. ... "
" ... Strap accommodates large wrists ... "
" ... Loved the watch had to order tools to remove watch links to fit my wrist. ... "
" ... I bought this watch because the stainless steel band looks better than some plastic band. ... "
" ... I have a small wrist but still looks fine on a smaller wrist in my opinion. ... "
" ... The hardware is amazing,, the wristband is soft feeling yet has a high quality feeling. ... "
Charging
24charging, watch, charger, day, battery
+54%
-46%
" ... I charge the watch every night anyway. ... "
" ... Now a 4 hour 20 minute round and the watch still has at least 30% charge left, a huge improvement. ... Pop it on the charger while getting ready for the day and the watch is ready to go quickly with a full charge. ... "
" ... I usually charge overnight and have ~30% battery at the end of long days. ... Battery settings allow for daily or weekly charging ... "
" ... I can use 2 days my watch after I charge it. ... "
" ... Visually the watch is very cool, the battery drains quite quickly on Bluetooth, it will last less thank 3 days between charges. ... "
" ... After charging and pairing to my smartphone, I was thrilled at the amount of options, that were intuitive and simple to use, on this device. ... "
" ... The battery lasts all day and then I put it on the charger when I go to bed. ... "
" ... I would really like it better if it had wireless charging. ... "
Overall performance
20responsive, slow, smooth, speed, sluggish
+75%
-25%
" ... The software is flawless, very fast. ... "
" ... For the most part, I would have to say the Gen 5 is very smooth and responsive. ... "
" ... Nice to have a smartwatch with good performance. ... "
" ... The chipset allows for very smooth transitions and very quick responses. ... "
" ... Performance:- 4/5 ... "
" ... It's much much faster and more responsive than the others. ... "
" ... Products of good quality and speed in the office ... "
" ... I've only had it for about 2 weeks and I'm impressed by its functionality and overall performance. ... "
Build Quality
20stainless steel, band, smartwatch, charging, build quality
+85%
-15%
" ... Very nice design, great belt. ... "
" ... Fantastic, looks and feels solid and premium. ... "
" ... The brown leather band is super cool and unique. ... "
" ... The build quality of this watch is great. ... "
" ... The hardware is amazing,, the wristband is soft feeling yet has a high quality feeling. ... "
" ... Customizable and so far no scratches. ... "
" ... I got the brown leather strap, it has rubber on the inside which I really like as I was worried about sweating on leather. ... "
" ... I HIGHLY recommend anyone in the market for an affordable, versatile and durable timepiece to invest in this amazing technology. ... "
Features
17watch, mode, smart, extended mode, turned
+76%
-24%
" ... Like the faces and notification features. ... "
" ... I was excited to see a smartwatch that was finally sleek and good looking that had all the features I was looking for. ... However none of these features met my expectations. ... "
" ... You can also customize the extended mode to enable a few features which get turned off. ... "
" ... Each year they add 1 noticable feature/improvement. ... "
" ... It offers functionality and ease of use over tons of features. ... I am able to squeeze two days out of it but I have to customize the features and eliminate some pretty cool ones. ... "
" ... I mean its kind of point less to turn off the smart features on the watch just to make it last through the day. ... "
" ... All of the features work well. ... "
" ... (pretty much every smart feature in a single watch) ... "
Call quality
15calls, call, answer, answer calls, wrist
+60%
-40%
" ... This watch allows me to avoid those pesty scam calls while at work yet keep in touch should any issues arise with mom. ... "
" ... The call option and speaker is cherry and crystal clear. ... "
" ... I like the speaker for dialogue, podcasts and phone calls but wouldn't recommend for music listening unless it's a quiet setting and you're desperate to hear that song that's stuck in your head. ... "
" ... Phone function is loud and clear. ... "
" ... with my galaxy note 10+ requires a watch restart every morning to insure phone call capability on the watch. ... "
" ... Works like a charm and with the most recent update you indeed can answer and talk through the watch. ... "
" ... Decent enough audio and mic to make phone calls on those rare occasions when I don't use SMS. ... "
" ... Notifications and phone calls are easily handled by this wonderful Fossil watch. ... "
Sleep Tracking
13tracking, battery life, track, native, heart
+69%
-31%
" ... I have not tried the sleep tracking yet, but I'm sure it will be accurate. ... "
" ... It is very sleek and looks very good and it functions well but I wouldn't sleep with it on. ... "
" ... The battery life is great, with normal use you can expect 1.5 days, so just charge it overnight (which would limit sleep tracking in itself). ... "
" ... The carlyle also have an awesome sleep tracking. ... I particularly use an Android app called sleep, and it keeps track of my sleep using the phone and the watch simultaneously. ... "
" ... Aside from less-than-optimal battery life (I usually run on extended at night during sleep tracking, and Daily during the work day), this is a great smartwatch. ... "
" ... A couple nights I wore it to track sleep and was able to charge during my morning routine for a full battery. ... "
Ease of Use
12setup, watch, use, setting, set
+100%
" ... Customization is easy ... "
" ... The setup was easy and it's easy to use. ... "
" ... It's a good watch, looks nice and easy to operate. ... "
" ... a bit tricky to set up but once its done, its great ... "
" ... The performance is swift and straight forward. ... "
" ... Super easy setup. ... "
" ... Set-up was easy. ... "
" ... I am not a techie and found the setup to be easy and quick. ... WearOS was easy to navigate. ... "
Controls
12buttons, watch, wrist, crown, use the watch
+58%
-42%
" ... The styling is perfect the buttons are way better then the 3rd gen watch. ... "
" ... I also programmed one of the buttons with Alexa. ... Before entering the house, I simply press the Alexa button and turn on the desired lighting. ... Now, with a push of a bottom and a whisperer command, I can adjust the lighting and even pause my program. ... "
" ... I also love being able to control my music through the watch. ... The quick controls really help me with spotify. ... "
" ... Love the mappable buttons and rotating crown. ... "
" ... I like that you have the option for 2 quick apps with the top and bottom buttons. ... "
" ... 3) The watch bezel allow you to navigate the menu quickly ... "
Sound Quality
12music, unless, quiet, hear, watch
+92%
-8%
" ... Unless I'm in an absolutely silent room, you can't hear it even on Max volume and it's very scratchy sounding. ... "
" ... SPEAKER / MUSIC / MEDIA ... "
" ... Great smartwatch, but the speaker got crackely after a week. ... "
" ... I don't have any issues with lagging and the speaker works really nicely. ... "
" ... The speaker is nice, not too loud, not too quiet. ... "
" ... excellent speaker, nice display and fetching style. ... "
" ... In built Speaker sound is good ... "
" ... 5) Speaker quality. ... Good for music. ... "
Heartrate
12heart rate, tracking, heart rate sensor, heart rate monitoring, monitor
+83%
-17%
" ... The heart rate sensor has pulsing green lights. ... "
" ... I keep the heart rate tracker on and plenty of other stuff. ... "
" ... I do not know how I can calibrate the heart rate monitor to accurately record my heart rate. ... "
" ... I am still figuring out all the features but I do like how it tracks my steps and heart rate. ... "
" ... I love the heart rate monitor and Cardio app. ... "
" ... Pros - comfort, easy to use, heart rate monitor, auto manages apps ... "
" ... Really like the heart monitor. ... "
" ... This watch has all of that as well as water resistance, heart rate monitoring, step tracking, weather, GPS, alarms, and more. ... "
Price
11price, watch, money, dollars, waste
+55%
-45%
" ... Worth the buy! ... "
" ... The price while steep for a watch was worth every dollar. ... "
" ... Worth the money for the upgrade. ... "
" ... It's worth every penny, the quality still impresses me. ... "
" ... However, this watch has genius level functionality, incredible toughness and the price point can't be beat. ... "
" ... Bottom line is after 3 other trys, I finally found the one I love but at a little more heafty price. ... "
Setup
10easy, watch, use, setting, super
+100%
" ... Best smart watch I have owned, didn't take very long to setup. ... "
" ... Set-up was easy. ... "
" ... Easy to setup and use ... "
" ... The setup was easy and it's easy to use. ... "
" ... The packaging was sleek, the setup was completely seamless and it syncs with all of the Google (Gsuite) functions already incorporated into my work and personal life. ... "
" ... Setting up the watch was easy and enjoyable. ... "
" ... initial setting up was easy. ... "
" ... I am not a techie and found the setup to be easy and quick. ... "
Screen Protection
10watch, also, screen protector, scratches, scratch
+60%
-40%
" ... Really nice feeling and material althought the screen can be damage with minor scratches so be safe with that. ... "
" ... I think the screen is better too. ... "
" ... We paired it with a 3 pack of tempered glass screen protectors we also got and it works brilliantly! ... "
" ... Despite what the reviewers claim, I've never had any problem seeing the screen in any light. ... "
" ... The face is incredibly scratch resistant and the brightness is perfect. ... "
Pedometer
8tracking, fitness, counts, tracks, heart rate
+88%
-13%
" ... This watch is great for seeing notifications when I'm away from my phone and tracking steps. ... "
" ... Ionic has some smartwatch features but mainly for fitness. ... "
" ... For tracking fitness, I like that the watch is counting my steps, and that I can see my overall accomplishments for the day. ... "
" ... text, check the weather, track your steps, workouts . ... "
" ... Great step up from my Gen 2 Fossil Founder. ... "
" ... I am still figuring out all the features but I do like how it tracks my steps and heart rate. ... "
" ... Reminding me to get up and move as it counts my steps and heartbeat and the connectivity to my phone is seamless. ... "
Returns
7unit, returning, returned, replacement, hours
-100%
" ... I had to return it only because of this reason. ... "
" ... Returned within a few days. ... "
" ... I was wrong, and I sent it back. ... "
" ... Returning after a few hours. ... "
" ... it died and then it just never came back on. ... "
" ... Amazon sends our a replacement unit. ... I have lost trust in Fossil products and will not be returning the exchange unit for a refund. ... "
Volume
6loud, unless, quiet, music, hear
+100%
" ... The speaker is nice, not too loud, not too quiet. ... "
" ... SPEAKER / MUSIC / MEDIA ... "
" ... Phone function is loud and clear. ... "
" ... In built Speaker sound is good ... "
" ... Unless I'm in an absolutely silent room, you can't hear it even on Max volume and it's very scratchy sounding. ... "
" ... 5) Speaker quality. ... "
Lagging
6day, restart, lag
+33%
-67%
" ... The software was sluggish and hanging/freezing from day 1. ... "
" ... - BIGGEST ISSUE: Notifications stop alerting randomly requiring a reset (2x a day) (documented online as well with fix of "Just restart it") ... "
" ... The ticwatch is slow, buggy and laggy. ... "
Cleaning
6look, watch, interface, looks, elegant
+100%
" ... The interface is so smooth and clean. ... "
" ... It's got a nice, clean look and although the spec sheet will tell you it's the same thickness as any of the others, it's actually much slimmer in appearance. ... "
" ... The UI is very clean and easy to use with very few glitches and lag. ... "
" ... From a fashion standpoint, the watch looks clean and has an elegant look to it. ... "
" ... Clean interface and very usable. ... Watch design is very minimal and plain which gives it a clean sophisticated look. ... "
" ... It's clean, it's modern, and it made me happy. ... Very clean and bright. ... "
Fit
6watch, stay, connection, would, hold
+83%
-17%
" ... Looks cool but will not stay synced to iPhone ... "
" ... I would prefer a connection that snaps, has a strong magnet, and you can feel confident in the connection. ... "
" ... Very nice design, great belt. ... "
" ... I'm pleasantly surprised how this watch has seamlessly fit into my life. ... "
" ... Infinitely more attractive than any Fit Bit or Apple Watch I've ever owned or seen. ... "
Watchfaces
5watch, like, number, love, fossil
+100%
" ... Like the faces and notification features. ... "
" ... Works well, exactly what I expected, I like the option for different watch faces ... "
" ... The vast number of watch faces is great. ... "
" ... Comes with a bunch of cool fossil faces, is light and stylish. ... "
Notifications
5wrist, watch, texts, text, smartwatch
+60%
-40%
" ... It's nice having the audible notifications on my wrist because while active you can't always feel the quick vibration. ... "
" ... I suppose I could say I like the notifications, too, though I am not too sure how much that helps my life versus the identical notifications on my phone! ... "
" ... Texts and emails are very easy to read and amazingly easy to respond to. ... "
GPS
5battery, watch, hours, etc, wi
+80%
-20%
" ... I used the Sport as a golf GPS watch and if the round went over 4 hours the watch was toast. ... "
" ... Since then I removed the draining battery factors such as gps, wi-fi etc which were ON all the time. ... "
" ... And yes I’ve owned like 10 other watches like this, I’m into tech, and I know to have the gps on and all your basics of how to set up a smart watch. ... There’s newer models than ionic, but the ionic is the only Fitbit with a dedicated gps in the watch itself and is highly accurate, has a fairly accurate heart rate monitor too. ... "
" ... NFC, GPS, local storage, activity tracking, etc. ... "
Bluetooth
5watch, wifi, wi, slow, pairing
+40%
-60%
" ... I think the only way you can get close to the 24 hour suggested is if you turn off every thing but time, including Bluetooth (which in my opinion is most of the reason a smartwatch is considered "smart" so it can connect to your phone) is the only way you can accomplish this. ... "
" ... 4) weak blue tooth. ... "
" ... Not through the usual Bluetooth interface. ... "
Water Resistance
5watch, shower, pool, waterproof, running
+100%
" ... He has even tested the waterproof/resistant feature by wearing it in the shower. ... "
" ... I haven't tested the watch in water yet and I might not do that anytime too soon as I don't hit the water too often. ... But I'm sure it's better than my Huawei watch and I took that into the pool a few times. ... "
" ... It looks great, fully charges in about an hour and unlike some products, it's actually water proof. ... I've tried the activity tracker both in the pool and while running and it is a huge asset. ... "
" ... -No issues with water resistance ... "
As Gift
4loves, got, son, husband
+100%
" ... This was a gift. ... "
" ... It was a gift for my boyfriend in England and he absolutely loves it. ... "
" ... Excited, got this for Xmas gift for my husband. ... "
" ... We got this as a gift for our son and he loves it! ... "
Memory
4watch, processor, 1gb, wear os, snappy
+75%
-25%
" ... I find that the extra RAM makes a huge difference in the way Wear OS works. ... "
" ... It has the new 3100 processor, and 1GB of ram which helps keep the watch snappy and does provide a bit more battery life. ... "
" ... Much better than previous models - 1 GB of RAM makes all the difference. ... "
Size
4perfect size, lighter, elegant, design
+100%
" ... Very nice design, great belt. ... "
" ... Size, performance, feel, etc are all great. ... "
" ... It's MUCH lighter than previous generations. ... "
For Running
3running, first, tracking, review, pool
+100%
" ... Good at tracking runs etc. ... "
" ... And that was without getting a workout in. ... "
" ... I've tried the activity tracker both in the pool and while running and it is a huge asset. ... "
For Kids
3son, watch, got, gift
+100%
" ... Husband loves it. ... "
" ... We got this as a gift for our son and he loves it! ... "
Marketplace
3new, looks great, arrived
+67%
-33%
" ... Received this item several days sooner than promised. ... "
Touch Sensitivity
3watch, touch, screen, response
+67%
-33%
" ... Carlyle gen 5 nice size touchscreen. ... "
" ... The touchscreen makes it a pleasure to type out a response. ... "
Weight
3small wrist, good
+100%
" ... Very light weight and not too bulky on a small wrist. ... "
" ... The thing I notice the most is the weight. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Size: 1181.1 meters
Connectivity
USB: Yes
GPS: Yes
Memory
Memory: 8192 GB
Display
Display Size: 28 inches