12 Best Smartwatches in 2024: The Only Guide You’ll Need
Jul. 4, 2024With the ever-evolving technology scene, Smartwatches have become more than just fitness and daily wear devices, they’re companions that show personalized health suggestions and keep us up to date with connected experiences with just a flick of a wrist. If you’re considering getting one for yourself, finding the best one in this giant market could be hard. Hence, let’s look at some of the best smartwatches you can buy.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 – Best Overall Smartwatch
Coming to the cons of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the major one as you may have guessed is that it only works with iOS. Besides, 49mm could be too large for smaller wrists, and the Ultra 2 is IP6X rated. Although the “X” might suggest the Watch wasn’t tested for water resistance, Apple claims it cansurvive up to 100 metersunder ISO standard 22810.ProsConsExceptionally rugged Titanium buildExpensiveBright OLED displayWorks only with iOS100m water resistance49mm size could be too bigGreat speakers
While Watch Ultra 2 is superior, the best overall smartwatch for a wider audience is the Apple Watch Series 9 if you’re looking for something that fits your budget. It features an OLED display just like the Watch Ultra 2 which gets as bright as 2000 nits.
The Apple S9 is the fastest wearable SoC Apple has ever produced and paired with the improvements in WatchOS 10, it makes up for a well-rounded package for iPhone users. The Watch 9 is available in two sizes — 41mm and 45mm, is waterresistant up to 50 meters, and comes with 32GB onboard storage and 1GB RAM. One of the biggest cons of the Watch 9 is its battery as it’s rated to last less than a day.
If you’re looking for something more inexpensive, you might want to check out the Apple Watch SE 2. Sure it misses out on an Always-on Display, SpO2, ECG, and temperature tracking, but for $200, it’s a solid overall package for the budget-conscious.ProsConsAvailable in multiple sizesBattery lifeBright OLED display50m water resistanceWatchOS 10 is great
The best smartwatch for Samsung users is, hands down, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. The watch features a bright AMOLED display and astainless steel build. It comes with everyone’s favorite rotating bezel to navigate through Google’s Wear OS. Performance-wise, it features Samsung’s updated Exynos W930, a dual-core SoC that brings minor improvements over the last-gen W920.
The battery capacity of the watch is 425 mAh and Samsung rates it for40 hours. While that’s better than most Wear OS watches it’s still not enough to get through two complete days. Besides, a few features like ECG and various feature syncs only work with Samsung smartphones. The watch comes in two sizes — 43mm and 47mm.ProsConsBright AMOLED displayMarginal improvements over its predecessorDecent battery lifeSlightly expensiveIP68 Water resistanceNo iOS compatibilityWearOS 4 with four major Wear OS updatesSome features work only on Samsung smartphones
The best Google Smartwatch is the Pixel Watch 2 without a doubt. The original Pixel Watch felt like a beta product whereas the Pixel Watch 2 should’ve been the first Pixel Watch. Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 on the Watch 2 improved the performance and battery backup significantly. Google also added an array of new sensors such as skin temperature,SpO2, EDA, and ECG.
Some of the major cons of the Pixel Watch 2 are its unchanged design and its size availability (41mm only). Besides, the display bezels are pretty huge and the watch uses a proprietary connector for bands. The battery capacity, whilelasting for a solid day, isn’t as good as other Wear OS offerings in the market right now.
Samsung Health runs circles around the Fitbit app when it comes to personalized health tracking. Also, we feel theecosystem lock-in is tighteron the Pixel Watch 2, meaning, to fully enjoy it, you’ll need a Pixel phone. It’s not the best Wear OS smartwatch but it’s the best Google smartwatch you can buy.ProsConsAMOLED displayTighter ecosystem lock-inFast chargingThree major updates vs four on SamsungIP68 Water resistanceNo iOS compatibilityWearOS 4 with four major Wear OS updatesSubpar battery lifeGreat performanceThick bezels in the displayAvailable in only one size (41mm)
Thebest Wear OS smartwatchfor Android is the Galaxy Watch 6. The Watch 6 Classic still caters to a particular niche but if you want none of the rotating bezel but instead need a sleeker everyday watch, the Watch 6 will serve you well. For starters, it features the same processor, battery, display, storage, and software as the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
However, the main differences are in the price and the sizes. The Watch 6 comes in two sizes — 40mm and 44mm but the good thing is that the larger chassis packs in the same battery capacity as the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
The sensors are all the same, including theBioActive Sensor, Temperature, Light, Gyro, SpO2, Skin Temperature, and ECG. The Watch 6 starts at almost $100 less than the Classic, and for the price-to-value proposition, it’s one of the best smartwatches for Android.ProsConsBright AMOLED displayMarginal improvements over its predecessorDecent battery lifeSlightly expensiveIP68 Water resistanceNo iOS compatibilityWearOS 4 with four major Wear OS updatesSome features work only on Samsung smartphonesGreat personalized health tracking with Samsung Health
And alas, the smartwatch with the best battery life is, hands down, the OnePlus Watch 2. It’s OnePlus’ first Wear OS smartwatch and features an exceptional battery life that canlast for around 3 daysthanks to the 500 mAh capacity. Combined with RTOS, you can stretch it further. The watch comes in one size, i.e., 47mm and there’s no LTE variant on offer. There’s a 1.43-inch AMOLED display on offer with the fastest charging speed in the segment.
The storage and RAM are 32GB and 2GB and the watch has aStainless Steel chassis. One of the major drawbacks, however, is that OnePlus only offers two major Android updates. If nothing but the battery life matters to you, the OnePlus Watch 2 is one of the best in battery life.ProsConsAMOLED displayOnly two promised major updatesIP68 Water resistantAvailable only in 47mm sizeExcellent Battery LifeNo LTE variantExcellent build quality
If we had to pick one of the best fitness-focused smartwatches, the Garmin Venu 3 ticks all the boxes. For starters, it offers up to14 days of batterylife which is more than any other smartwatch on this list. The display is a touchscreen OLED panel and the dial size available is 45mm. It works on both Android and iOS. What makes the Venu 3 a good offering is that it still does things a smartwatch should do while being a fitness-focused device.
Some of its fitness features includebody battery energy monitoring, sleep tracking, workout tracking to track over 30+ workouts, nap detection, heart rate, stress tracking, women’s health tracking, respiration, fitness age, VO2, and much more.
As for the Smartwatch features, it can send you notifications which you can respond back to using the watch’s keyboard, take calls, view photos, control music, and turn on safety tracking. The Garmin App offers tons of customizations, and there’ssupport for music streamingapps like Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music.ProsConsAMOLED displayProprietary charging plug5 ATM Water resistantAvailable only in 45mm sizeExtensive health trackingExpensiveExcellent build quality
Wear OS’ biggest drawback is that the battery life of the watches doesn’t last for more than 2-3 days. If you have charging anxiety and need a smartwatch that could run for a week or two on a single charge, you might want to consider a non-Wear OS smartwatch like the Amazfit Balance. If you’ve never heard of Amazfit, the company is owned by Huami, which is in turn a partner of Xiaomi.
The Amazfit Balance is one of the recent offerings from Amazfit and it’s easily one of the best non-Wear OS smartwatches for many reasons. First up, the watch comes with all sorts of fitness features, including an AI-powered fitness coach in Amazfit’s latest Zepp OS 3.5. There’s support for Body composition measurement,offline maps, readiness, sleep tracking, VO2, SpO2, and lots of other health tracking features.
Amazfit claims14 days of batterylife on the Balance and five days with AOD on, which is better than any Wear OS watch right now. For an asking price of $229, it’s easily our top recommendation for the best non-Wear OS smartwatch.ProsConsAMOLED displayProprietary charging plugWater resistant up to 50 metersAvailable only in 46mm sizeExtensive health trackingExcellent build qualityGreat connected app experience
Most inexpensive smartwatches are glorified fitness trackers that can barely do any “smartwatch” stuff. The best inexpensive smartwatch that’s the closest to a smartwatch is the CMF Watch Pro. For those unaware, CMF is a Nothing sub-brand that offers affordable smartphone accessories and a smartphone itself, recently.
The Watch Pro features a square 1.96-inch AMOLED display with GPS, the ability to take calls on the watch, and a whopping13 days of batterylife. The watch is IP68-rated and has surprisingly good health features, including stress and SpO2 tracking.
The Watch Pro cancontrol musicand turn the screen bright to act as a flashlight. It can also show the weather forecast, find your phone, and view notifications from the phone but you cannot respond to them. Overall, for an asking price of $69, you cannot go wrong with the CMF Watch Pro.
The best budget Wear OS smartwatch you can buy right now is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 for Android. The Galaxy Watch 5 launched for $269 but the prices have plummeted extremely since then; It’s now selling for $159 for the 44mm Bluetooth variant whereas, for $20 more, you could get the LTE variant of the same.
The Watch 5 features Exynos W920, Sapphire crystal display protection, and isIP68 water resistant. It brings marginal improvements over the Galaxy Watch 4, which you could also get but Watch 5 still has2 more years of software supportremaining, compared to 1 more year on the Watch 4. Sure, you will need a Samsung device to unlock all features, but for what it is, it’s one of the best budget Wear OS smartwatches you can get right now.ProsConsAMOLED displayBattery doesn’t last for more than a dayIP68 Water resistanceNo iOS compatibilityWearOS 4; Two more years of updates remainingSome features work only on Samsung smartphonesSamsung Health
The best smartwatch for kids is the Apple Watch SE 2 40mm. While you could give your younger kids something like the recently launched Fitbit Ace LTE, the Watch SE 2 is a bit more future-proof for when they grow up a little and get a smartphone. The Watch SE’s 40mm size and small dial are perfect for small hands.
It’s got health tracking and monitoring, but what puts it on top of the competition is the Schooltime feature. You can manage your kid’s Apple Watch using iCloud Family Sharing andschedule Schooltime, which is a Do Not Disturb mode that suppresses all notifications. Besides, you’ve got Apple’s comprehensiveFind My featuresthat can ensure your kid’s safety, making the Apple Watch SE 2 one of the best smartwatches for kids. Just make sure you buy the cellular variant.ProsConsOLED displayThe battery doesn’t last for more than a day50 meters water resistantNo Android compatibilityExcellent iCloud location, health, and family management for kidsNo Always-on Display
Luxury smartwatches sell due to the brand image and not the specifications or the experience they provide. Hence, most luxury smartwatches aren’t great specifications-wise but you could still brag about owning one. Although there are many luxury smartwatches that can break the bank, one that’s both a luxury and a pretty decent offering is the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Sport Edition.
Switch watchmaker TAG Heuer needs no introduction. The Calibre E4 costs a whopping $1,850. There’s a Porsche Edition of the watch which costs just shy of $2000. The Calibre E4 is available in two sizes — 42mm and 45mm and comes with an OLED display protected bySapphire Crystal, a 430 mAh battery, a fixed ceramic bezel in a steel enclosure, and Snapdragon Wear 4100+ with Wear OS 3.0. By far the best thing about the watch is that it’scompatible with both Android and iOS.ProsConsLarge AMOLED displayRuns an ancient Wear OS versionExceptional build qualityLacks SpO2, Skin Temperature, and many health sensors
Some of the best premium smartwatches you can buy right now are the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. If you’re looking for slightly inexpensive models, the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Galaxy Watch 6 or Pixel Watch 2 will do fine. The best and cheapest “smartwatch” you can buy is the CMF Watch Pro.
For the budget-conscious, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Apple Watch SE 2 are both excellent options and serve multiple use cases, including if you’re looking for a great watch for kids. As for the best battery life, the OnePlus Watch 2 with its 3-day battery life is unbeatable. If you want the best non-Wear OS watch, the Amazfit Balance is the device to go for thanks to its 14-day battery life.
What are your thoughts on this list of best Smartwatches? Let us know in the comments if there’s a smartwatch we didn’t mention that deserves to be on the list.
