We purchased the The 8 Best Smartwatches so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full products reviews.
The best smartwatches connect to your phone and serve as a second screen for notifications, fitness tracking, and other functions. Apple Watch OS, Samsung Tizen, Fitbit OS, and Google Wear are all popular smartwatches operating systems. These platforms’ smartwatches include a variety of sensors and wellness features that let you track your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep, stress, and more.
Smartwatches with standalone LTE and GPS connectivity, which can track your runs and provide onboard music storage, are available for the more outdoorsy types.
Continue reading to learn about the best smartwatches to buy.
The Apple Watch Series 6 (Check latest price on Amazon) remains the best all-around smartwatches for iPhone users, with a comprehensive suite of fitness tracking and health and wellness features, as well as communication capabilities, style and customization options, and more. The most significant improvements to Series 6 come in the form of a blood oxygen sensor and new Blue and (Product)RED case color options.
Aside from that, the screen is a little brighter, the interface is a little snappier, and the watchOS 7 update adds cute new faces, sleep tracking, and other useful features. Owners of the Series 5 should probably skip this model, while owners of older editions will appreciate the always-on display and other recent improvements. If you don’t care about health sensors, the Apple Watch SE may be a better option.
Screen Size: 1.78 inches | Weight: 1.1oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE| Battery Life: All day | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
Best for New Features: Samsung Galaxy Watch3
The Samsung Galaxy Watch3 (Check latest price on Amazon) has a traditional wristwatch silhouette with a clever rotating bezel that you can use to navigate through menus, similar to the previous Galaxy Watch model (there’s no Galaxy Watch 2, oddly enough). Although Samsung has thankfully shed nearly 10g from the largest model through smart trims and tweaks, it still looks polished and has a weighty feel to it.
Less appealing is the fact that the battery life has been reduced, the app ecosystem is limited, and the price has increased by $70-80 depending on the model. Samsung’s premium watch is still a good choice, especially for Android users. On the iPhone, however, iOS limitations make it a weaker option than the rival Apple Watch Series 6 or Apple Watch SE, which both benefit from Apple’s tight integration and robust app selection.
Screen Size: 1.4 inches | Weight: 1.9oz Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE | Battery Life: 340mAh | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
If getting motivated to move is a challenge, the Fitbit Versa 3 can assist you in changing your habits. This updated version of the popular Versa 2 adds more health tools and connected features to keep you active and connected around the clock. Pure Pulse heart-rate tracking technology has been improved, allowing for more accurate resting heart rates as well as measuring heart rate in cardio and other active exercise zones. You can also set goals for daily intensity minutes to ensure that you’re meeting your cardiovascular health objectives. New onboard GPS is another ally in your corner, allowing you to leave your smartphone at home while out on your next bike ride, walk, or run.
If your phone is nearby and the Fitbit app is open, you can use Amazon Alexa to set reminders to begin a workout at a specific time and even respond to texts and calls if you’re an Android user. Users with Pandora or Deezer subscriptions can also improve their workouts by downloading playlists directly to their devices. While the Spotify mobile app is open and active, the Spotify app only allows you to control playlists. The Fitbit companion app also gives you access to more detailed information about your sleep patterns, heart rate, and activity level. For a more in-depth look at your health and metrics such as SPO2 (blood oxygen levels) over time, you’ll need the new SPO2 watch face and the Fitbit Premium subscription.
The Fitbit Versa 3 (Check latest price on Amazon) was lightweight and small enough for our product reviewer’s petite wrist, but she did have some issues with button and touchscreen responsiveness, as well as some GPS tracking inconsistencies. Overall, she thought it was a good motivator and wellness tracker with some cool smart features and a good level of connectivity.
Size: 1.59 inches | Weight: 1.5oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Battery Life: 6+ days | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
Best Value: Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE (Check latest price on Amazon) is a budget-friendly alternative to the top-of-the-line Apple Watch Series 6, omitting a few key features while lowering the price. The Apple Watch SE retains most of the familiar feature set from Apple’s popular smartwatches, including robust fitness tracking, communication features, waterproofing, and heart rate sensing, starting at $279 (vs. $399 for the Series 6).
The always-on display from the Series 6 and Series 5 before it, however, is gone, with the screen turning off to save energy when your wrist isn’t raised. It also lacks electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood oxygen sensors, which limits its health detection capabilities. The body, which is only available in three colors and is made of aluminum, has fewer color and material options. Even so, if the health sensors aren’t a big selling point for you, the SE model will save you a lot of money.
Screen Size: 1.78 inches | Weight: 1.27oz Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE| Battery Life: Up to 18 hours | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
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Best for Active Samsung Users: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 (Check latest price on Amazon) is an excellent choice for Samsung users who are interested in fitness and want many of the same features as the Apple Watch. Yoona, one of our reviewers, found the Active2 to be just as comfortable and close-fitting as the previous model, with the addition of a bezel, which many users requested. While the bezel on the Samsung Galaxy Watch3 isn’t physical, it is touch-activated and simulates the rotating motion of a physical dial.
Improvements to the heart rate monitoring system are among the other new features. The Active2 now has eight sensors and a new curved design that captures heart rate more accurately at all times and issues alerts if readings appear to be too low or high. There’s also talk of an ECG feature, similar to the Apple Watch, but it hasn’t been released in the United States yet.
Swimming has been added to the Active2’s list of seven automatically tracked workouts as an added fitness motivator. Other health-related apps, such as sleep tracking and guided breathing, round out the experience. While big names like Strava and MyFitness Pal are among the fitness app integrations, the Tizen store’s overall selection of third-party apps remains limited. If you have a premium Spotify subscription, you can save playlists to your device and even skip using Bluetooth headphones because the Active2 has a built-in speaker. If you have a Samsung phone, you have the advantage of WPC Qi wireless device-to-device charging functionality, which allows you to place the watch directly on your smartphone for a battery boost.
Screen Size: 1.4 inches | Weight: 1.48oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE| Battery Life: 340mAh | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
The Amazfit GTS (Check latest price on Amazon) is a fashionable and compact wearable that won’t add bulk to your outfit. By matching the square-shaped display and single-button design, this fashionable device appears to be heavily influenced by the Apple Watch. A flexible and comfortable silicone sport-type band in a variety of colors is included with the GTS to match your mood and style.
Thanks to editable main-screen widgets on either the digital or analog watch face, the 348×442 AMOLED display is vibrant, easy to read, and highly customizable. The manufacturer claims a battery life of up to 46 days in watch mode (without Bluetooth, heart-rate monitoring, or other smart settings active). The Amazfit GTS can last up to 14 days in typical use mode with smart features turned on, and it charges in about 2 hours.
The Amazfit GTS is a capable basic tracker, even if the proprietary software isn’t as intuitive as what larger players in the fitness tracking game offer. It monitors heart rate 24 hours a day, logs sleep data, has 12 popular exercise modes pre-programmed for more in-depth workout analysis, and can be used to swim in water up to 50 meters deep. Other useful features for everyday convenience include calendar and text notifications, a stopwatch, and the ability to navigate playlists and queue podcasts from your smartphone on this slim and streamlined fitness tracker.
Screen Size: 1.65 inches | Weight: 1.66oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Battery Life: 14 days| Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters (3ATM)
Best GPS: Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS (Check latest price on Amazon) smartwatches is a sporty device with a large display and a large design. The dual-layered touchscreen is still a show-stopper, despite the overall design being smaller and lighter than the previous model. The 1.4-inch Retina AMOLED display with a resolution of 450×450 pixels is bright and responsive to touch. This display can work for up to 72 hours in smart mode with all connectivity features enabled before requiring a charge. The watch’s most notable feature, however, is the efficient, low-light display that sits atop the AMOLED layer. Use this feature manually or let your watch do it for you when your battery drops below 5%. While you’re waiting between charges, this watch conveniently still functions as a time-telling device. If you’d like to use it exclusively as a timepiece, Essential Mode offers up to 45 days of use.
Aside from its impressive battery, the TicWatch Pro 3 has an impressive range of connectivity and fitness features. Texts and phone calls are simple to respond to on an Android phone. With Google Fit and the TicHealth and TicExercise apps, Android and iOS users can receive notifications on their wrists and stay on top of their wellness around the clock. Although there is some overlap between the fitness and TicWatch offerings, certain advanced monitoring for sleep and blood oxygen saturation is unique to TicWatch. While the fit may be an issue for those with smaller wrists, if you can find a comfortable fit, this watch offers a well-rounded smartwatches experience.
Screen Size: 1.4 inches (dual)| Weight: 1.48oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE, GPS | Battery Life: 72 hours | Water Resistance: IP68 (no soap and water)
The Fossil Gen 5 Smartwatches (Check latest price on Amazon) is a stylish wearable that will appeal to fashionistas. It comes with rose gold and blush leather bands and is available in leather, silicone, and stainless steel. While it appeals to those who want a smartwatch that goes with any outfit, don’t expect it to provide accurate fitness tracking. Although it has a built-in heart rate monitor and can swim in water up to 98 feet deep, users have had mixed reactions to the readouts in the Google Fit app.
Still, it comes with built-in GPS tracking as well as general health and fitness stats like steps taken, inactivity, heart rate, and calories burned, which can help motivate you to stay active. Another feature that contributes to everyday convenience is the built-in speaker. To check the weather or set your smart thermostat to a comfortable temperature, use Google Assistant voice commands. Other useful features include Google Pay integration, which eliminates the need to dig through your wallet at checkout, the ability to receive Bluetooth phone calls as long as your phone is nearby, and 8GB of music storage. This model also offers improved battery life over the previous generation with three battery modes and a quick-charging function that brings your watch to 80 percent in just one hour.
Screen Size: 1.28 inches | Weight: 3.5oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Battery Life: 24 hours | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters (3ATM)
The Final Word
Our top pick for best smartwatches is the Apple Watch Series 6. While it requires an iPhone to use, it’s difficult to beat the long list of health and tech features that many competing models try to match. If you’re an Android user, the Samsung Active Watch3 has a more streamlined design than the Series 6 and includes useful health features, some of which overlap.
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