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Four smart watches on a green glowing background Credit: Reviewed / Apple / Samsung / Google

The Best Smartwatches of 2025

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Four smart watches on a green glowing background Credit: Reviewed / Apple / Samsung / Google

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Editor's Choice Product image of Apple Watch Series 11

Apple Watch Series 11

Check Price at Amazon

With two case sizes (42mm, 46mm) and two finishes (aluminum, titanium), the Series 11 is visually versatile. When it comes to operation, it excels. Read More

Pros

  • Better battery life (now 24 hours)
  • More durable screen
  • Hypertension monitoring and Sleep Score are smart additions

Cons

  • Doesn’t work with Android
  • No satellite connectivity on this model
  • Same S10 chip as last year’s model
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Editor's Choice Product image of Apple Watch SE 3

Apple Watch SE 3

Currently
Unavailable

Apple's base-level smartwatch is nothing to scoff at. We love its health features, durability, and universal appeal—you don't need to own an iPhone. Read More

Pros

  • Always-On display
  • More durable
  • Fast-charging
  • Don’t need to own an iPhone

Cons

  • Limited health tracking compared to pricier models
  • Large bezels around display
3
Editor's Choice Product image of Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

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Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6 is a stylish wearable with a pleasant software experience and decent battery life. Read More

Pros

  • Stylish design
  • Bright display
  • Solid battery life

Cons

  • Some features require Samsung smartphone to use
4
Editor's Choice Product image of Apple Watch Ultra 3

Apple Watch Ultra 3

Check Price at Amazon

Built for people who love adventure, the Ultra 3 features satellite service, a more rugged size and shape, and a battery that can go for 42 hours. Read More

Pros

  • Larger, brighter and more durable display
  • Satellite connectivity
  • Hypertension monitoring and Sleep Score

Cons

  • Not cheap
  • Still bulky
5
Editor's Choice Product image of Google Pixel Watch 2

Google Pixel Watch 2

Check Price at Amazon

With improved battery life, the same good looks and smooth functionality, the Google Pixel Watch 2 is a smart choice for Android users. Read More

Pros

  • Improved battery
  • Excellent fitness tracking options
  • Stylish

Cons

  • Limited app options
  • Irritating charger
  • Best Smartwatch Overall Apple Watch Series 11
  • Best Value Smartwatch Apple Watch SE 3
  • Best Smartwatch For Android Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
  • Most Adventure-proof Apple Watch Ultra 3
  • Most Sytlish Android Smartwatch Google Pixel Watch 2
  • Other Smartwatches We Tested
  • How We Test Smartwatches
  • What You Should Know About Smartwatches
  • Read More About Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers on Reviewed

A good smartwatch allows you to put your phone away and still keep on top of your digital life. Tracking your schedule, staying in touch with the people that matter, and tracking your health and fitness, are all just a wearable device away.

After extensively testing the top smartwatches for years, we can say with confidence that the Apple Watch Series 11 (available at Amazon for $429.00) is the best smartwatch you can buy, thanks to its brilliant design, intuitive usability, and loads of useful features.

If the Series 11 is too pricey, the Apple Watch SE 3 (available at Amazon) does a fine job as a stand-in for a much lower price, offering a very similar design and many of the same features. If you’re an Android phone owner (particularly those with Samsung phones), you’ll want to look at our best pick for Android, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (available at Amazon).

But there are a few other great options below, and we've run them all through our rigorous testing procedures so you can find your Dick Tracy accessory of choice.

A black Apple Watch sits on a green ellipsis
Credit: Reviewed / Apple
Best Smartwatch Overall
Apple Watch Series 11

Like clockwork (pun intended), Apple has launched its latest flagship Apple Watch, the Series 11, which boasts improved battery life, enhanced durability, and advanced health features compared to the Series 9 and 10.

Since Apple has debuted a new Sleep Score that analyzes the quantity and quality of your sleep, it’s fitting that the Apple Watch Series 11 now lasts up to 24 hours between battery charges, compared to up to 18 hours of battery life on previous models. Our hands-on testing (wrist-on testing?) has confirmed this.

Another new feature is the “fast charge,” where just 15 minutes of charging yields as much as 8 hours of battery.

The FDA-approved hypertension monitoring can alert you to possible high blood pressure—starting after you've enabled this feature in the Health app on iPhone and you've worn the watch for 30 days. (If Apple Watch suspects you have hypertension, consult your physician, of course.) This feature adds to the bevy of other health features found on previous Apple Watch models, like an integrated ECG, blood oxygen metrics, possible sleep apnea, and more.

Apple Watch Series 11 looks and feels like its predecessor, which isn’t a bad thing, but the proprietary cover glass has been strengthened to offer twice the scratch resistance on the aluminum models (titanium models already boast a tough sapphire front crystal). All models have water and dust resistance.

Although the Apple Watch Series 11 shares the same processor as the Apple Watch Series 10 and lacks the satellite feature of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, we still highly recommend it as your first or next smartwatch.

Pros

  • Better battery life (now 24 hours)

  • More durable screen

  • Hypertension monitoring and Sleep Score are smart additions

Cons

  • Doesn’t work with Android

  • No satellite connectivity on this model

  • Same S10 chip as last year’s model

$429.00 from Amazon


$429.00 from Best Buy


$429.99 from Target


$429.00 from Abt

Credit: Reviewed / Apple
Best Value Smartwatch
Apple Watch SE 3

Not everyone has the budget for the flagship Apple Watch Series 11 or the larger and more adventure-proof Apple Watch Ultra 3, nor does everyone need all the bells and whistles that come with these models.

The good news is that the entry-level Apple Watch SE 3 is a very capable smartwatch for about half the price, which has been upgraded in every respect compared to its predecessor.

Available in 40mm and 44mm case sizes, Apple Watch SE 3 now rocks an “always on” display (a feature previously found only in more expensive models), along with support for the one-handed double tap and wrist flick gestures, 18 hours of battery life (and fast-charging for the first time), and on-device Siri.

In other words, Apple has trickled down some of the more premium features to its more affordable Apple Watch SE 3, and this is something we reviewers always like to see.

Apple claims the new SE's face glass is four times more resistant to cracks than the previous Apple Watch SE 2 from 2022. However, since we still need to use the watch, we didn't attempt to test its durability by smashing it.

When it comes to personal health, Apple Watch SE 3 includes some bonus health and safety features that are also found in Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, including the new Sleep Score, retrospective ovulation estimates, sleep apnea notifications, fall and crash detection, and Emergency SOS. However, it lacks the capability to check for atrial fibrillation with ECG, monitor blood oxygen levels, or provide hypertension monitoring, features found in the pricier newer models.

If you prioritize more in-depth health metrics, consider the Apple Watch Series 11 or Apple Watch Ultra 3. However, if you don’t require those advanced features, the Apple Watch SE 3 offers a great alternative without breaking the bank.

Pros

  • Always-On display

  • More durable

  • Fast-charging

  • Don’t need to own an iPhone

Cons

  • Limited health tracking compared to pricier models

  • Large bezels around display

A close up of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Credit: Reviewed / Christian de Looper

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 sports a bigger and brighter screen.

Best Smartwatch For Android
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 replaces the Galaxy Watch 5 as our favorite smartwatch for Android users. Available in two different variants—the sleek, standard version and the beefier, Classic iteration of the watch, which comes with a rotating bezel used for UI navigation—it's a device designed to suit the widest variety of wrists possible. We tested the former, which comes in 40mm and 44mm lug sizes, available with or without cellular connectivity in three different colorways: gold, graphite, and, silver.

We love the Galaxy Watch 6's sleek design and thoughtful user interface, which make the device a pleasure to wear and use. Samsung's outstanding interface is accentuated by the Watch 6's bright, crisp 2,000-nit display. During testing, we found that it was viewable in most lighting situations, even under bright sunlight. We were also impressed by its excellent fitness tracking features, which we would argue to be competitive with the best that Apple currently has to offer. That said, its Biometric Impedance Analysis (BIA) abilities, for measuring body composition, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Boasting Wear OS 4, along with Samsung's One UI 5 Watch skin, using the Watch 6 as part of your day feels pleasantly smooth. There's not a lot of bloat to slow you down. And while you won't find nearly as many apps to use on this, or any Android-centric smartwatch, as you might with an Apple Watch, Google's growing catalog of software for wearables offers more than enough to keep most users happy.

There is one thing that sticks in our craw about the Galaxy Watch 6, however. During testing, we discovered that some features were only available to users who paired the watch with a Samsung phone.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review.

Pros

  • Stylish design

  • Bright display

  • Solid battery life

Cons

  • Some features require Samsung smartphone to use

$299.99 from Amazon


$279.00 from Walmart

A green smartwatch on a green elliptical background
Credit: Reviewed / Apple
Most Adventure-proof
Apple Watch Ultra 3

Those who prefer a larger and more ruggedized smartwatch in the Apple family tend to gravitate towards the Apple Watch Ultra series, as long as the budget permits. This third-gen offering does not disappoint, if our time with this techy timepiece is any indication.

As with its predecessors, this larger, 49mm titanium Apple Watch offers a slew of health, fitness, safety, and connectivity features, but has been upgraded in a few key areas.

Despite its larger and brighter 3,000-nit display with narrower bezels, the adventure-ready Apple Watch Ultra 3 gets a battery boost of up to 42 hours (or, in a pinch, up to 72 hours on low-power mode). With fast charging, you can juice up the watch in just 15 minutes, equivalent to 12 hours of battery life.

Like the Apple Watch Series 11, health features have been expanded to hypertension monitoring. That is, after 30 days of wearing the watch, it can notify you of possible high blood pressure. While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is too bulky to wear to bed, it also supports Sleep Score (through the Health app on iPhone), which analyzes the duration and quality of your sleep.

If you find yourself off the grid (while, say, camping), Apple Watch Ultra 3 now has built-in satellite support, allowing you to text emergency services, message friends and family, and share your location, even if there’s no cellular or Wi-Fi in your part of the woods. There is no charge for this service right now.

If you believe bigger and brighter is better, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is your best bet, especially for sports enthusiasts and adventurers.

Pros

  • Larger, brighter and more durable display

  • Satellite connectivity

  • Hypertension monitoring and Sleep Score

Cons

  • Not cheap

  • Still bulky

$799.00 from Amazon


$799.00 from Best Buy


$799.00 from Abt

A Google Pixel Watch sits on a counter top displaying the message 'How can I help?'
Credit: Reviewed / Christian de Looper

The Google Pixel Watch is one good-looking piece of wrist candy.

Most Sytlish Android Smartwatch
Google Pixel Watch 2

The Google Pixel Watch 2 isn't markedly different from the original version of the wearable. That's a good thing: Google's first foray into building its own smartwatch gave us a capable, stylish timepiece that looks different from everything else on the market. In our opinion, the Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 2 are the most stylish wearables an Android user can invest in right now.

Faster, boasting more capable health sensors and longer battery life, the Pixel Watch 2 gives users what they're looking for: incremental improvements that improve the day-to-day use of the device.

However, it's not all improvements all the way down. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google has introduced a new charger that uses pogo pins to charge the wearable. It's said that this helps to eliminate heat, during the charging process. Many users, including our reviewer, found that the new charging system made it more difficult to juice the smartwatch up.

Read our full Google Pixel Watch 2 review.

Pros

  • Improved battery

  • Excellent fitness tracking options

  • Stylish

Cons

  • Limited app options

  • Irritating charger

$249.00 from Amazon


$218.44 from Walmart


$179.99 from Target


Other Smartwatches We Tested

Product image of Apple Watch Series 9
Apple Watch Series 9

Formerly the winner of our Best Smartwatch award before it got ousted by the 2025-released Series 11, the Apple Watch Series 9 is an excellent smartwatch. Unfortunately, it’s only compatible with Apple’s iPhone—Android users will have to look to one of our other Editor’s Choice Award winners for the smartwatch of their dreams. Available in 41mm and 45mm lug sizes, the Series 9 is designed to fit a wide variety of wrists. Its case is made from a number of different materials with a wide variety of colors and band choices, so you’re sure to find a style and price point for this smartwatch that’ll agree with your fashion and fiscal sensibilities.

Powered by Apple’s S9 SiP chip, the Series 9 is faster and more power-efficient than ever before. However, instead of pushing this power efficiency in the direction of improved battery life, it was decided that superior processing power, with the same all-day battery life as the previous generation Apple Watch enjoyed, was the way to go. Many of the tasks asked of Siri are now performed right on the watch, with no need for Internet connectivity. You’ll find that voice dictation thrown at the Series 9 is a little more accurate than it has been with past models of the wearable, too.

Like most smartwatches in this guide, the Apple Watch Series 9 comes packing a plethora of fitness-tracking features, the ability to relay notifications from your smartphone, take phone calls, and respond to messages. What sets the Series 9 apart, however, is watchOS: Apple’s smartwatch operating system. Constantly evolving, the latest version of watch OS makes it easier to find what you’re after intuitively, with as little fuss as possible.

And there’s a lot to find: no smartwatch offers more high-quality apps for download and customization of the user experience. If your use of Apple products goes beyond the Apple Watch and iPhone, you’ll find that the Series 9’s first-party apps like Music, Podcasts, Reminders, and Home will make accessing the content from Apple’s ecosystem easy; its smart home devices, like the HomePod or Apple TV, are controllable from your wrist. It will even help you find your iPhone if you misplace it with precision tracking.

That said, like most Apple products, the Series 9’s innovations only represent a small, incremental update over the capabilities of last year’s Apple Watch, the Series 8. If you own one, or even a Series 7, we don’t feel that you’ll notice much of a difference were you to upgrade. Those who own earlier iterations of the Apple Watch, however, will appreciate the Series 9’s larger display, speed, and understated good looks.

Read our full Apple Watch Series 9 review.

Pros

  • Faster processor

  • Brighter screen

  • Great fitness-tracking features

Cons

  • Aging design

  • Battery could be better

$404.00 from Walmart

Product image of Apple Watch SE (2022)
Apple Watch SE (2022)

Our former Best Value winner is still a good deal for now, although Apple replaced this model in the fall of 2025 with the Apple Watch SE3.

If you’re an iPhone user, the Apple Watch SE is a great way to step into the world of smartwatches. This 2nd-generation SE model adds a faster processor, improved features, and a few new ones to the SE original—most notably crash detection, which can alert family members and emergency responders in the event of a car collision.

Available in 40mm and 44mm sizes in your choice of three colors, the Watch SE starts $30 below the previous model, a surprising but welcome move on Apple’s part. Like all other Apple smartwatches, the SE is a stylish, extremely versatile wrist companion. It links with your iPhone like no other smartwatch brand (including the otherwise impressive Fitbit Versa 3), allowing you to make and take phone calls, send and receive text messages, run countless apps, stream music, and much more.

It’s also an activity and lifestyle-tracking champ, able to log just about any exercise you can think of (everything from swimming to pickleball) and monitor your sleep. It’s less polished in automated activity-tracking than the Versa 3. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have nearly the same battery life: Expect about 24 hours from the SE, versus anywhere from 4-7 days on the Versa.

Apple still offers relatively few watch face options, but at least you can dress up the external look of the watch by choosing from hundreds of band styles and colors. However, if you want an always-on display, you’ll have to look to the pricier Watch Series 8, which also adds features like blood oxygen level, temperature-sensing, and advanced women’s cycle-tracking.

Otherwise, the Apple Watch SE will prove to be more than enough of a smartwatch, and the newly lowered price makes it even more compelling. Calling it a budget watch seems almost unfair because its price belies its capabilities. This is an easy choice as the best all-around smartwatch for sheer value.

Read our full Apple Watch SE review.

Pros

  • More for less

  • Great iPhone integration

  • Crash detection

Cons

  • Still no always-on display

  • Inconsistent exercise detection

Buy now at Amazon

Product image of OnePlus Watch 2
OnePlus Watch 2

Addressing the criticisms of its predecessor, the OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a dual-chip architecture, featuring the BES 2700 ultra-low-power Bluetooth chipset and the Snapdragon W5 chipset. This innovative setup ensures seamless performance by efficiently managing tasks and conserving battery life, promising a lasting and responsive user experience throughout the day.

Available in Black Stainless Steel or Silver Radiant Steel finishes, with a 22mm interchangeable band, the smartwatch meets military-grade certification and boasts IP68 and 5ATM water-resistant ratings. This durability extends to its functionality, with features like an action button for quick access to workouts, ensuring versatility in various environments, from the gym to everyday wear.

The OnePlus Watch 2 shines in its functionality, equipped with Wear OS 4 and a range of Google apps pre-loaded for seamless integration with Android devices. Offering over 100 sports tracking modes, including auto workout detection and high-precision dual-frequency GPS, the smartwatch caters to fitness enthusiasts. Despite some minor drawbacks such as reduced battery life with the always-on display and the absence of certain health tracking features like ECG and menstrual cycle tracking, the OnePlus Watch 2 stands out as a compelling midrange option, delivering exceptional value for Android users seeking a reliable and feature-rich smartwatch experience.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 2 review.

Pros

  • Easy to manipulate the screen, use the app

  • Fantastic battery life and quick charging

  • Lots of Watch Face options to personalize the look

Cons

  • Only comes in one larger size

  • No ECG app, menstrual cycle tracking

  • Always-on display significantly reduces battery life

Buy now at Amazon

Product image of Apple Watch Ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best wearable that the Cupertino-based company has ever made. But it costs far than most people need to pay for a smartwatch and is perhaps tougher than your average weekend warrior needs it to be. So, who’s it for? Well, anyone that takes their outdoor adventures seriously. With its ultra-durable build quality, up to three days of battery life between charges (in low power mode: around 32 hours with regular use), and an always-on Retina LTPO OLED display with a maximum of 3,000 nits of brightness, so that it can still easily be read in bright sunlight, this is a smartwatch for those who take their outdoor time seriously.

It comes packing 64GB of storage, perfect for keeping offline topographical maps handy, a Night Mode watch face to help those trekking under the stars to maintain their night vision and an incredibly loud alert siren to help rescue personnel locate you in the woods, or, if you’re very lucky, scare away a hungry bear.

It’s also for those anyone with large wrists or who prefer their timepieces to be large and in charge. Its 1.93 x 1.73 x 0.57-inch case has a 49mm lug and weighs 2.17 ounces. Thanks to its larger size, the Ultra 2 is able to pack in one more button than other Apple Watches currently offer. This button is programmable and can be customized to meet your needs. Heck, it can even do duty as a dive watch. Of course, it also does everything else that any current generation Apple Watch is capable of: body metrics tracking, exercise tracking, GPS route finding, messaging, access to Siri, providing notifications sent from your connected iPhone and the ability to load hundreds of apps on to it to make it the ultimate EDC tool.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this device. If you can afford one, feel you need one for your outdoor endeavors or simply want it because of its chonky good looks, you won’t be sorry you purchased it. But because of how much it costs—and how capable its sibling, the Apple Watch Series 9 is at a much lower price—we’ve placed the Apple Watch Ultra 2 further down this list than you might expect.

Read our full review of the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Pros

  • Rugged

  • Improved UI

  • On-board Siri processing

Cons

  • Battery could be better

  • Some features unavailable at launch

  • Plenty of competent competitors

Buy now at Amazon


$719.00 from Walmart

Product image of Fitbit Versa 3
Fitbit Versa 3

Along with being one of the best smartwatches, the Fitbit Versa 3 is our best fitness tracker upgrade as well. We were most impressed by how much this fitness-first watch has to offer for the price, especially against the likes of Apple and Samsung.

Unlike the Versa 2, Fitbit added a dedicated GPS to the Versa 3, so you won’t need to tap into your phone’s GPS to track where and how far you run or walk. The watch's automated fitness tracking is incredibly responsive, too, without any notable delays or issues with tracking the wrong type of workout.

The Fitbit Versa 3 also has a long battery life and comes with plenty of other features and apps, making this platform-agnostic smartwatch great for iPhone and Android owners alike (something we can’t say about watches from Apple or Samsung). But the Versa 3 is especially good for Android owners; while both iPhone and Android owners can answer calls (not place them) from the Versa 3, Android owners can also voice-dictate a reply to text messages.

One major downside to the Versa 3: unlocking premium features like in-depth health analytics, sleep data, Calm app meditations, and Fitbit workout videos costs $10 per month or $80 per year. (You can read more about it here). Compared to Apple Fitness+, which costs the same as Fitbit’s subscription, Fitbit doesn’t integrate its paywalled features as seamlessly, and as our health and fitness team noted, its workout videos feel a lot like watching workout videos on YouTube.

Things like in-depth sleep analytics are already part of Apple’s and Samsung’s watch ecosystems for no additional cost. Still, if you're looking for a device-agnostic smartwatch with plenty of features, this is among the best out there.

Read our full FitBit Versa 3 review.

Pros

  • Automated fitness tracking

  • Always-on display

  • Battery life

Cons

  • Button design

  • Premium-feature paywall

  • Usability quirks

Buy now at Amazon


$128.00 from Walmart

Product image of Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5

With it’s dual-layered screen, the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 is a bit of an oddity in the smartwatch universe: Its main OLED display does all of the things you’d expect a smartwatch to do: touch interactions, show off the device’s colorful OS interface and allow you to access its full range of capabilities, while the low-powered display laid over top of it takes care of basic tasks such as, well, telling you the time. During testing, we weren’t able to tell how its low-powered secondary display affected the Pro 5’s battery life. But we were able to go three days before the watch needed to be recharged, putting it in the same battery space as the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

At the time we reviewed the Pro 5, it was running on Google’s Wear OS 3.5 operating system. Thanks to the wearable’s relatively speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chipset, it handled daily tasks such as notifications, navigating various widgets and apps with ease. The Pro 5 also proves to be an impressive fitness tracker, with over 100 different activities that users can choose to track.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on when or if this otherwise-solid smartwatch will receive any software updates, or for how long Mobvoi plans to support the device. We were also disappointed by the fact that, despite it being fast and running the latest Watch OS, the Pro 5 lacks support for Google Assistant.

Read our full review Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 5.

Pros

  • Up-to-date OS

  • Excellent build quality

  • Intuitive Interface

Cons

  • No Google Assistant Access

Buy now at Amazon

Product image of Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar
Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar

Specifically tailored for adventurers, the Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar focuses on a robust toolset for enjoying and surviving in the outdoors, with smartwatch features taking a backseat. It's a device that emphasizes navigation, tracking metrics, and an impressive battery life that can last days or even weeks. Its 1.14-inch matrix display is clear in extreme conditions and its backlight ensures visibility in the dark. We liked how easy the Vertical was to navigate, using its well-spaced buttons and touchscreen even while wearing gloves.

As a fitness tracker, the Vertical is top-notch. Housing an array of health-tracking sensors, it’s adept at monitoring activities, from general fitness to specialized outdoor adventures. We love that it can store offline maps in its memory: a feature that makes it ideal for venturing into areas without cellular coverage.

That said, it lacks many of the niceties people expect from a premium smartwatch. It doesn't include offline music storage, tap-to-pay or cellular texting capabilities. We also noticed that there can sometimes be a very small amount of lag between when a UI element is chosen and when the watch takes action.

Read our full Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar review.

Pros

  • Attractive design

  • Great fitness-tracking features

  • Solar-powered

Cons

  • Lacks many popular smartwatch features

  • Premium Price

Buy now at Amazon


$839.00 from Walmart


How We Test Smartwatches

The Best Smartwatches
Credit: Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser

The only way to test smartwatches is to wear them.

Like the smartphones they’re designed to tether with, smartwatches are becoming more competent and, consequently, more complicated. Many allow folks to customize their user experience with downloadable apps and watch faces. Most come packing perks like onboard GPS navigation and available cellular hardware (for a markup) that allow you to find your way and stay in touch via text message and phone calls, with or without a smartphone.

In order for us to recommend a smartwatch, it needs to do a few basic things well:

  • It should be built well and capable of standing up to casual abuse.
  • It should be fashionable and comfortable enough that you’ll actually want to wear it
  • Its user interface should be easy to navigate
  • Its display should be visible in direct sunlight
  • It needs to provide enough battery power to get you through the day
  • It shouldn’t cost more than your smartphone

Beyond these basics, we also pay attention to whether or not each smartwatch in our guide has access to downloadable apps and if they're actually useful. We pay attention to how quickly each smartwatch responds to commands, whether its speakers and microphone work for a hands-free conversation (where applicable), and if the watches provide the at-a-glance information we need quickly enough to make leaving your smartphone in your pocket worthwhile. We also test health and fitness features, which are increasingly part of the smartwatch experience.

Finally, what a smartwatch doesn’t do is just as important as what it does. We take note of how much unnecessary information each wearable pumps and how easy it is to decide which notifications we wanted to see and which we’d be happier not hearing about until we check our smartphones.

Each smartwatch on our list was worn for at least four days and many for much longer. We try out the full range of functionality, from fitness tracking to messaging to third-party apps, and score every aspect. We also examine the ease of setup, functionality, and how each watch looks and feels. We then weigh and compare the results in our smartwatch rubric to determine precisely how they measure up.

What You Should Know About Smartwatches

Smartwatches vs. Fitness Trackers

The line between the best smartwatches and the best fitness trackers isn’t always clear. Just like fitness trackers, smartwatches include health and fitness tracking features, alongside GPS and heart rate monitoring, but they also tend to offer better smartphone notifications and larger touchscreens.

Smartwatches are also more likely to support third-party apps, have microphones and speakers, and boast extra functionality like mobile payments, voice assistants, and customizability.

Terms You Should Know

You don’t necessarily need to know what goes on under the hood of your smartwatch to enjoy it. However, understanding a few names and definitions will help you better decide which smartwatch is best for you.

Android: Google’s open-source Android operating system runs the majority of the smartphone handsets in the world (although you can also find it used to operate some tablets and laptops, too). Popular phone models such as the Google Pixel, the Samsung Galaxy, and OnePlus use Android.

iOS: Apple’s iOS operating system is the backbone of what makes Apple’s mobile devices tick. Without it, all those apps that you use to stay productive—and sometimes fritter away your time with—wouldn’t be able to work.

Wear OS: When Google first offered an operating system for wearable devices, it was called Android Wear. However, to differentiate between smartwatches and other mobile gear, Google changed its wearables operating system name to Wear OS. You’ll find it running on a number of the smartwatches featured in this guide, including the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

watchOS: Apple’s operating system for the Apple Watch, watchOS is based on the company’s iOS operating system, sharing many of the same features and visual elements. For Apple Watches it's been optimized for use on the small display and to leverage health monitoring, notification, and other features.

Tizen OS: Developed and primarily used by Samsung, the Tizen operating system was designed to reduce its dependence on Google’s Android OS. When used in Samsung’s Galaxy Watches, Tizen OS is a powerful, easy-to-navigate operating system. Samsung has recently incorporated Wear OS into its smartwatch experience for a sort of hybrid of Tizen and Wear OS.

How to Choose a Smartwatch

Smartwatches vary wildly in price and feature sets, but there are several elements beyond budget that can help you narrow down your choice.

Which smartphone do you use? Even smartwatches that can be used as standalone devices with their own mobile data connection are designed to be tethered to a smartphone. The Apple Watch runs watchOS and will only work with an iPhone. Samsung watches running Tizen OS work with Android phones or iPhones, while newer Samsung watches (Galaxy Watch 4 and up) are designed for Android only. Wear OS smartwatches currently work with Android or iOS, but there are limits on the functionality with iOS. Before you pick a smartwatch, check up on its compatibility.

Which features do you need? If fitness tracking is vital, look for heart rate sensors and GPS support. If you want to pay from your wrist, check up on the mobile payment system and make sure your bank is supported. If you want to leave the smartphone at home, look for a smartwatch with onboard storage and cellular data support but bear in mind that you’ll need a mobile plan for it (usually $10 per month or more).

What style do you want? Watches are also fashion accessories, so you’ll want to choose a smartwatch that looks good on. While we are starting to see smaller and more elegant designs, with some smartwatches offered in two sizes, many are still chunky. One of the best things about smartwatches, however, is the ability to customize the watch's face. You may also want to consider how easy it is to change bands and how many types are available.

How much battery life do you need? Battery life is still a big problem for smartwatches, with the most full-featured devices requiring daily charging. If you’re happy with a routine that involves placing your smartwatch on the charger every night alongside your phone, take your pick. If you want to go several days between charges, you may want to look at a hybrid smartwatch, which will lose some features but pay the debt back with incredible battery life (some offering weeks without a charge).

Read More About Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers on Reviewed

Meet the testers

Marc Saltzman

Marc Saltzman

Contributing Writer

@marc_saltzman

Along with Reviewed and USA TODAY, Marc has been a freelance journalist for more than 20 publications, is a 16-time author (including Apple Watch For Dummies and Game Design: Secrets of the Sages), hosts the syndicated Tech It Out radio (and podcast), and is host of Tech Impact television show (on Bloomberg TV and FOX Business).

Based in Toronto, Marc specializes in consumer electronics, games and apps, smart home innovations, automotive tech, and future trends.

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Séamus Bellamy

Séamus Bellamy

Writer

@@SeamusBellamy

Séamus Bellamy was a senior editor on Reviewed's Electronics Team. After returning to freelancing, he now writes for them. Before coming to Reviewed, his work was featured in The New York Times, The Globe & Mail, BBC World, Macworld, and Maximum PC.

See all of Séamus Bellamy's reviews
Simon Hill

Simon Hill

Contributor

@IamSimonHill

Simon Hill is a freelance technology journalist with a decade of writing experience covering everything from smartphones to smart home gadgets. For the last few years, he served as Associate Editor at Digital Trends where he wrote features, reviews, analysis, how-tos, and more.

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Christian de Looper

Christian de Looper

Contributor

@cdelooper

Christian de Looper is a consumer tech journalist with over a decade of experience. De Looper has covered all areas of the consumer tech industry, from smartphones to smart homes — and has attended all of the major trade shows, including CES.

De Looper has always been interested in consumer technology, but his love for gadgets and electronics blossomed into a full-blown passion when he started writing about it while completing his degree in audio production.

Since then, he has written for many of the top tech publications, including Digital Trends, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, and many more. He loves getting his hands on all of the latest gadgets, but when he’s not reviewing tech, he can be found hanging out with his family or producing music.

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