As with any wearable technology, finding the right smartwatch depends on your biggest priorities around functionality and fit. That means compatibility with your phone’s operating system as well as matching your expectations for wellness monitoring, customization with additional apps, and comfort and versatility for daily wear. Well-roundedness is the name of the game with any of the best smartwatches. One of the most wallet-friendly versions of the Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 3, is our top pick for bargain hunters based on its unbeatable versatility. If you’re an iPhone user and you want a companion smartwatch, this sophisticated wearable is hard to beat. We’ve considered and reviewed top fitness-oriented, hybrid, and full-blown smartwatches from other well-known brands to help you find your first or next smartwatch for less. You’ll enjoy the same sleek styling that’s a mix of sporty and contemporary along with basically all of the smartwatch features you could ask for—including onboard GPS and a swim-proof build for detailed workout tracking, all-day heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, Apple Music access, and contactless Apple Pay. As an Apple device, this watch also works seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. While you won’t get to enjoy the latest Apple Watch innovations such as an onboard ECG monitor, the blood oxygen app, or the ability to make phone calls and send texts with cellular connectivity, battery life is similar to the newest version of this watch at about 18 hours. That will get you through most of the day, but this device still requires a daily charge. Considering the rich array of features at your disposal, though, this isn’t unreasonable for dedicated iPhone and Apple users interested in adding a compatible wearable to their routines. A speaker and microphone combination makes Google Assistant accessible with a simple voice prompt and allows for convenient smart home device control and Bluetooth calling when your (Android) phone is near. Connectivity also includes Wi-Fi, NFC, and GPS. In addition to connected features, this watch includes sensor technology to support activity tracking, including swimming, workouts, and sleep. Personalization is also easy, thanks to thousands of watch faces to choose from. The Gen 5 Carlyle also has enough memory to support your favorite fitness and productivity apps from the Google Play store. For detailed fitness data, an alternate app could be preferable since metrics are limited in the Google Fit app. And while there are several battery modes that can help extend battery life, the use of smart features diminishes the battery after about one day. Luckily, this watch recharges quickly: 50 minutes will restore the battery to 80 percent. As an exercise tracker, the Fit lives up to its name. Despite the lack of onboard GPS, workout metrics are generally accurate for casual daily exercising tracking. Plus, the handful of useful smart features (including canned text replies with a Galaxy smartphone), the stellar week-long battery life, and military-grade durability for just around $100 make this watch a steal for the right user. Sophisticated wellness and fitness tracking aside, the Versa 2 also comes with advanced smart features including NFC payment, Alexa integration, and the ability to reply to text messages—if you have an Android phone and it’s nearby. This device is also capable of storing music (up to 300 songs with a premium Deezer or Pandora account), but limits Spotify users to playback functionality. To top it off, the watch comes with a pretty impressive battery life of over six days. While heart rate monitoring and built-in GPS sensors are thoughtful touches that rival more expensive models, the Bip can’t really compete when it comes to customization power with adding additional apps or widgets, responding to texts, or other advanced wellness features. It also lacks music playback control on your connected smartphone. That being said, if you want the essentials, this affordable wearable obliges while also boasting up to 45 days of battery life. Parents won’t have to worry about durability or a secure fit since the manufacturer reports that the band is designed specifically for children and is splashproof. Beyond fit, all apps and games revolve around learning opportunities with time-telling lessons, brain teasers, and activity-based games that encourage movement and play. While the feature set is limited beyond these learning tools and charging requires using the provided micro-USB cord, the benefit of limited connectivity is that adults can protect young ones against potential vulnerabilities from online content. These details help make the Kidizoom DX2 a safe, gentle way to introduce smartwatches and wearable technology to children ages 4 and older. For Android users, we recommend the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle, which offers great classic watch looks with convenient smart features such as NFC pay, Google voice assistant, and Bluetooth phone calls. We look at overall user experience (UX), by seeing how easy to the smartwatch is to setup, how many apps it’s compatible with, how well it syncs to your phone, and the general fluidity of the operating system. We also consider any additional features that are included like heart rate monitoring, GPS, and fitness tracking. To test battery life, we charge the smartwatch up to full, and then use it over the course of a day to see how much it drains. To make our final judgement, we look at the competition, and see how the smartwatch stacks up against rivals in a similar price range. The majority of the smartwatches we test are purchased by us; sometimes newer releases are provided by a manufacturer, but it has no bearing on the objectivity of our evaluation.
About Our Trusted Experts
David Dean is a writer who specializes in consumer and travel tech. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and other major publications. Emmeline Kaser is an experienced product researcher and reviewer in the field of consumer tech. She is a former editor for Lifewire’s product testing and recommendation round-ups. Emily Ramirez has written for Lifewire since 2019. She specializes in wearable technology, VR, and gaming, and has been previously published in the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute and MIT Game Lab. She liked the Amazfit Bip for its affordable price and useful suite of features. Jason Schneider has almost a decade of experience writing for tech and media companies. Specializing in audio, wearable, and other devices, he’s previously been published in Greatist and Thrillist. He praised the TicWatch Pro 4G for its always-on connectivity and ability to track runs and other fitness activity.
What to Look for in Smartwatches
Platform/Compatibility - Smartwatches require a solid working relationship with a smartphone, so make sure your model is compatible. Many models are iOS- and Android-friendly, but be sure that you have the most current operating system so you won’t miss out on features that are restricted to one particular OS over the other. Some smartwatches, for example, offer canned text replies for Android but not iOS. Fitness and Wellness Features - In addition to smart features for daily connectivity and productivity, smartwatches are also known for their fitness tracking traits for a variety of indoor and outdoor workouts. Ensure that the model you choose offers the detail and technology you’re looking for, such as wrist-based heart monitoring and the ability to track extras such as sleep data, VO2 max, and blood oxygen saturation. Battery Life - The best smartwatches should last at least one day, if not two, before requiring a charge. If multi-day longevity is important, consider models that lack smart features and a lot of extras, which can drain the device. Alternatively, models that offer battery-saving modes could help you enjoy the features you’ll use most while also extending battery power.
