The greatest smartwatches we’ve tried are more sophisticated than before. These days, they serve as a digital wallet, a comprehensive health and fitness tracker, and a smartphone extension—even when your phone is far away.
In addition to measuring heart rate and detecting elevations, modern smartwatches may also contact you to emergency services automatically in the event of a fall. Some models also come with features like blood oxygen (SpO2) and electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements.
Nevertheless, the top smartwatches go above and beyond, accommodating a wide range of functions and applications while meeting your daily demands. Of course, there’s also style: a lot of smartwatches include interchangeable faces and straps to match your unique style.
Pick our top Smart Watches
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Pros:
- 3,000-nit display
- Strong processor
- Increased operational altitude
- Option for a carbon-neutral build
- Outstanding characteristics for connectivity
Cons:
- Very few novel features
- No way to prolong the battery life
After using the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for a few hours, it’s clear that, despite its slight specs increase, it’s still an enhancement over the excellent original. However, with its incredible screen, that’s probably enough to make it the best Apple Watch ever.
The most drastic watch overhaul Apple has ever tried was with the original Apple Watch Ultra. It was the greatest Apple Watch we had ever seen, completely unique, a huge breakthrough, and something to be applauded. Since the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is essentially the same watch, it is likewise excellent.
Although the screen is brighter—Apple’s brightest screen ever, in fact—the majority of the improvements are being brought about by the watchOS 10 operating system and Apple’s new S9 SiP chip. Similar to the Apple Watch Series 9, the S9 chip enables a number of additional functions, including the remarkable hands-free Double Tap functionality. With the help of this creative new gesture, you may take calls, end timers, begin exercises, and more—all without using your hands.
Other features like Siri are no longer required to establish a cloud connection, and the Depth app has undergone a few tweaks to round out the updates. Utilizing recycled materials both inside and outside the watch, it has also strengthened its environmental credentials. This philosophy is also embraced by young bands, who place more of an emphasis on sustainability and innovative design.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Pros:
- Brighter, larger screen than the model before it
- Excellent choice of apps
- With a digital bezel, scroll quickly.
- Great observations about sleep
- Skin temperature sensor that is active
- Dependable automated identification of exercise
- Two case sizes with the option of LTE access
Cons:
- Battery life of one day
- Small problems with the accuracy of heart rate during exercise
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 builds upon many of the features of its predecessor, adding additional health features like fall detection and a high-heart-rate alert, as well as an updated processor and RAM that give improved speed and efficiency overall. It looks great paired with a Samsung phone and has a well-designed appearance. Although it’s readily comparable to its competitors, its daily battery life isn’t as horrible as I first feared. Still, it’s not where I’d like it to be.
I’ve had the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 for a full week. Through Samsung Health, I’ve been tracking my sleeping patterns, distance traveled, level of general activity, amount of water consumed, and more. I’ve tested out the functionality of third-party apps on Samsung’s One UI Watch 5 by using Whatsapp, Spotify, Strava, and other apps.
The apps we were able to use had quick screen refresh rates and responsive times, which made the whole experience silky smooth. The external and internal design is also well-done. Most importantly, I’ve exhausted the battery and kept track of how much power the GPS exercises take away from the watch.
The final outcome? It is obvious that it has the ability to displace the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 as the best smartwatch on our list. It boasts a number of exciting new features, like more RAM and processing speed as well as the ability to store documents other than cards in Samsung Wallet, such plane tickets.
Google Pixel Watch 2
Pros:
- increased battery life compared to the previous version.
- Features of Fitbit for fitness and health
- 100% recycled metal housing with IP68 rating
- Responsive performance
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Cozy design
Cons:
- Expensive
- Certain health measures necessitate a premium membership.
- Not a built-in compass
- Available only in one size
While maintaining the same style, Google’s Pixel Watch 2 replaces certain important parts for increased functionality, a brighter screen, and a longer battery life than most Apple Watches. It also incorporates practical safety, fitness, and health elements that are effective in practice. With all of this, it might be a strong candidate for best Wear OS watch, best Fitbit gadget, and best smartwatch overall—depending on the OS on your phone.
For the most part, that’s a good thing; the Google Pixel Watch 2 generally follows the same path as its well-received predecessor.
The new smartwatch appears to have the same design. To improve usability, Google did modify the digital crown a little. The screen and measurements remain identical to those of the original Google Pixel Watch. But appearances can be a little misleading. Google maintains that the cover glass is still as robust despite being thinner, and the body is now composed of lightweight, recycled aluminum. When combined, they reduce the weight by a significant amount, according to Google.
More significantly—perhaps even more so—this watch features a significant platform update along with new parts. With its upgraded quad-core processor and Wear OS 4.0, it’s likely the greatest Wear OS watch available right now, if not the greatest smartwatch ever.
Apple Watch Series 9
Pros:
- Powerful processor
- Bright display
- Double-tap gesture for hands-free operation
- On-device Siri
- Precision Finding for iPhone 15 family
- Carbon neutral build option
Cons:
- Familiar design
- Same 18-hour battery life
- Identical design and sizes
- watchOS 10 covers most bases on older watches
It’s evident that the Apple Watch Series 9 is basically more of the same again, but with a twist, after a week with the device and a demonstration of some of the capabilities that weren’t accessible at launch. Thanks to the improved S9 chip, Double Tap appears to be one of the truly practical, revolutionary new features that will be utilized on a daily basis when discussing an Apple flagship model for the first time. Though the choice for a brighter screen is always good, and the move towards more environmentally safe materials is welcome, I’m still dissatisfied that there hasn’t been any improvement in battery life.
Double Tap, a truly exciting new function that may be used every day, is finally included to the flagship Apple Watch with the Apple Watch Series 9—a feature that has been somewhat iteratively updated before. When it becomes accessible later this year, the gesture is guaranteed to create a stir, and for the little time I had with it, I enjoyed using it.
We also appreciate the addition of a brighter screen and on-device Siri, which guarantees the secure processing of health-related queries. As usual, not much else has changed, but for the majority of users, the Watch 9 will be the best Apple Watch. There are certain outliers, such as the Apple Watch SE 2, which is a true value for money, or the Ultra 2, which is a true luxury model.
The watch’s eco-friendly goals are commendable, and switching to Ultra Wideband radio technology will benefit future iPhone models that utilize the technology. Because Ultra Wideband has a stronger connection, the enhanced Find Devices feature, for instance, provides higher accuracy and can even tell you how many feet your phone is from your watch. Though it will undoubtedly be included in all upcoming phones and watches, this technology is now only compatible with the iPhone 15 and Series 9.
Garmin Venu 3S
Pros:
- Long battery life
- Comprehensive health and sleep metrics
- Helpful reports and insights like Body Battery and Morning Report
- Large screen
- No subscription required to access health metrics and reports
Cons:
- Design doesn’t feel as premium as other similarly priced watches
- Small app ecosystem
- Slow app downloads
- Separate apps for managing health insights and watch faces
- No home button
With an impressive screen and extensive sports tracking, the Garmin Venu 3 is a potent lifestyle tracker. On top of its sleep tracking and advice, it offers excellent meditation-based guidance, wheelchair user tracking, and doorbell visual warnings, all made possible by the AMOLED display, speakers, and microphone. Not inexpensive, but with a wealth of abilities to support that cost.
Unlike most movie trilogies, the Garmin Venu 3 is the third in a series of watches, and it’s actually the best one. This is, without a doubt, one of the greatest Garmin watches available.
This wristwatch and health tracker combo is rather well-balanced, just like the others in the Venu line.
Basically, this means that the Garmin Venu 3 looks fantastic with a vibrant AMOLED screen, rivaling the greatest Apple watches in terms of visual appeal. This watch can last up to two weeks without needing to be recharged, in contrast to Apple Watches, which can only survive for about 18 to 36 hours.
Some of the more expensive running capabilities, such as the Race Predictor and Training Readiness score, which are available on the Garmin Forerunner 265 for instance, are absent from this device. However, you do receive more health insights, a wheelchair user-specific training metrics report, an evening report, and sophisticated sleep tracking and recommendations.
Amazfit GTR 4
Pros:
- Comprehensive feature set for the price
- Two digital assistants
- Multiband GPS
- Turn-by-turn navigation
- Nice OLED display
- Long battery life
Cons:
- Default strap feels chintzy
- No NFC for contactless payments
- Switching from metric to imperial sometimes doesn’t stick
A low-cost smartwatch used to resemble the inexpensive wearable that it was. Indeed, the initial Amazfit gadgets were bulky, brightly colored plastic objects. We really liked them, but you had to shell out a little more money if you wanted your smartwatch to look nice. But the Amazfit GTR 4 shows that compromises are no longer an option.
For a price that, to be honest, begs belief, it’s a fully functional smartwatch that looks and feels elegant in addition to being packed with intelligent and fitness-focused features. By far the best inexpensive smartwatch we’ve used is this one.
The Amazfit GTR 4 is an extremely affordable watch for its excellent functionality and appearance.
It has an elegant matte silver finish and a slim aluminum frame that fits comfortably around the wrist. It looks luxurious. It has just two controls: a shortcut button at the bottom of the same edge and a clickable spinning crown at the top of the right side. Both are incredibly pleasant to use.
Plus, it’s comfy to wear. You may purchase the watch with a leather or nylon loop band, however the one I received for review came with a black elastomer strap. Regardless of your selection, however, changing out straps is simple thanks to the standard 22mm spring pin mechanism. Its tempered glass display top and 5 ATM (50m) water resistance rating should ensure that it looks beautiful for a long time. There wasn’t even much of a scratch on it after a few months of wear.
Fitbit Versa 2
Pros
- Improved lightweight design
- Always-on display option
- Good battery life
Cons
- Lacks GPS
- No offline Spotify playback
- No integration with Apple Health or Google Fit
Fitbit demonstrates that less is more with the Versa 2. With a few tweaks and the addition of a somewhat awkward voice assistant, the fitness brand has taken all the elements that made the original wristwatch an appealing entry-level device and improved upon them to create an almost flawless fitness tracker with smartwatch benefits. Although it’s one of Fitbit’s top fitness watches, you’ll need to always have your phone with you because it doesn’t have a GPS chip.
The company’s first real wristwatch, the Fitbit Versa 2, has withstood the test of time admirably. It is still among the greatest Fitbits available, and especially worthwhile if you have to replace it soon because the Fitbit Versa 3 now features on-board GPS. if you’re trying to find a cheap wristwatch.
Fitbit found it difficult to compete with the likes of the Apple Watch and Garmin’s running watches after the release of its first wristwatch, the Ionic. The Fitbit Versa then made an appearance, which drastically changed the company’s trajectory. Fitbit naturally responded swiftly with the Versa 2 and, eventually, the Versa 3.
Fitbit has once more demonstrated with the Versa 2 that a great fitness watch doesn’t always have to break the bank or require a ton of features.