Should you upgrade from the Skagen Falster 2 to the Falster 3?
Important improvements
Skagen Falster 3
Pros
- Better performance + storage
- New Snapdragon Wear 3100
- New smart battery modes
- Larger case size
- Built-in speaker
Cons
- Expensive
If you had your share of issues with the Falster 2, it's more than likely that the Falster 3 will solve most — if not all — of them. It offers the same core features with better performance, a bigger case, a built-in speaker, and more.
Affordable predecessor
Skagen Falster 2
Pros
- Crisp, clear display
- Onboard GPS
- Google Pay
- Heart-rate monitoring
- Activity tracking
Cons
- Mediocre battery life
- Laggy Snapdragon Wear 2100
- No built-in speaker
The Falster 2 succeeded in some key areas but failed in others. It's a solid smartwatch, but performance often falls flat. It can handle activity tracking and other basic functions, but don't expect much more.
While the Skagen Falster 2 had some high points, the lows are what stuck out to most users. The laggy performance seemed the be the most common complaint, which was mainly due to the old Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor. The disappointing 512 MB of memory and 4GB of storage didn't help with these issues. Last but not least, the battery would last for a day or less depending on usage. There weren't multiple battery modes to make it last longer, either. Not to mention that you need to wait two hours for it to charge back up.
If these problems sound familiar, you'll be relieved to know that the Skagen Falster 3 has done an incredible job of eliminating them. You can expect better performance with the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, 1GB of memory, and 8GB of storage.
While one-day battery life is still present, you have a variety of modes to help extend it. Rapid charging has arrived as well with the watch reaching 80% in just 50 minutes. Did we mention there's also a built-in speaker on the Falster 3? As you can see, there are a lot of valid reasons to consider upgrading despite the expensive price tag.
Similar design
Pictured: Skagen Falster 2
If you're familiar with the Skagen Falster 2, you know that it's all about offering a lightweight, minimalist design. The modest 40 mm case is just 11 mm thick and sports a 20 mm interchangeable that's available in silicone, leather, or stainless steel mesh. The always-on display is colorful and crisp with seamless touchscreen navigation and a rotating crown.
The design isn't the only thing that's similar. Both the Falster 2 and the Falster 3 are equipped with a lot of the same core features, like built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, Google Pay, music storage and controls, Google Assistant, fitness tracking, and waterproofing. Both of these smartwatches also provide you with notification support.
| Falster 3 | Falster 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.3-inch AMOLED | 1.2-inch OLED |
| Sensors | Heart rate, accelerometer, altimeter, ambient light, gyroscope | Heart rate, accelerometer ambient light, gyroscope |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth® Smart Enabled / 4.2 Low Energy | Bluetooth® Smart Enabled / 4.1 Low Energy |
| Water Resistance | 3 ATM | 3 ATM |
| Battery life | 1 day and new smart modes | 1 day |
| Onboard GPS | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| NFC payments | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Google Assistant | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Interchangeable bands | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Built-in speaker | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Snapdragon Wear 3100 | ✔️ | ❌ |
The new successor remains true to the sleek design elements of the Falster 2 with a few tweaks. Upon first glance, you might not notice a difference. Look again and you'll see the case is larger this time around at 42 mm, which most users will appreciate. The watch lugs are slightly more pronounced, too. You also get stylish new band options, which are 22 mm on the new edition. You can choose from three bands, including blue silicone mesh, gunmetal steel mesh, and silicone-backed brown leather.
Improved performance
Pictured: Skagen Falster 3
As we mentioned earlier, the Falster 3 has made the most strides when it comes to performance. Not only do you have the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor as well as improved memory and storage, but you also have multiple smart battery modes. You might recognize them from the new modes that were also made available on the Fossil Gen 5 smartwatches.
The daily mode enables key sensors, including the always-on display while extended battery mode turns off most sensors except heart rate and notifications. You also have custom mode, which lets you turn on/off any sensor you want. Then there's the less popular time-only mode, which only tells the time.
Another notable improvement is the new rapid charging feature, which allows your watch to reach an 80% charge in under an hour. You also have a built-in speaker, so you can hear Google Assistant answers, notification sounds, music, and phone calls without having your Bluetooth headset connected.
Bottom line
The bottom line here is that the Skagen Falster 3 had made some impressive strides in the areas that needed it most. It's no secret that the biggest gripe most people had about the Falster 2 was the performance, which is pretty important on a smartwatch. While some of that could be attributed to Wear OS, there's no way around the fact that the limited memory/storage and an outdated processor were also to blame. The Falster 3 fixes that and seals the deal by throwing in smart battery modes, a built-in speaker, and a larger case. When all is said and done, this is a worthy upgrade through and through.
Now that the Falster 2 is available at such an attractive price point, the flaws might not seem so bad. This is especially true if you're new to smartwatches and don't want to spend a lot when you're just starting out. It handles all of the basics with ease, including fitness tracking with GPS, heart-rate monitoring, music storage and controls, Google Pay, and more. It's not bad for beginners or budget shoppers, so long as you can handle buggy performance. However, if the question comes down to which is the better option, the Falster 3 wins this round by a long shot.
Important improvements
Skagen Falster 3
A worthwhile upgrade
The Falster 3 might be on the high end of the smartwatch price range but it's with good reason. All the improvements you've been waiting for have finally arrived. You'll have smart battery modes, rapid charging, better performance, and a built-in speaker.
Affordable predecessor
Skagen Falster 2
Great smartwatch despite some flaws
$149 at Amazon $197 at Walmart
While many users had complaints about the Falster 2, it's still a solid choice for certain people. If you're content with fitness tracking, GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and Google Pay, this is a nice starter smartwatch at a fair price. With that said, be prepared for some lag.
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