A digital wearable is a must-have nowadays. These smartwatches are extensions of your smartphone, fitness trackers and health monitors, all in one fashionable piece of tech. Whether you are an Android or iOS user, a runner or someone just looking for your outfit's statement piece, here are our top smartwatch picks for every budget and need.
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What we look for in smartwatches
Battery life: The best smartwatches should last you a full day with average use. This means battery life should be 12 to 24 hours at full charge as you work out, casually browse or receive notifications.
Brand and compatibility: Whether Android or iOS, the smartwatches need to fit into your other electronics' ecosystem.
Weather-resistantf: As a fitness device, the smartwatches need to withstand the elements. Most have an IP rating, which lets you know how water or dust-resistant your device is.
Best overall smartwatch
The Series 9 is their latest Apple Watch and packs a bright, intuitive display and various health and fitness features, including calorie tracking, blood oxygen levels and sleep tracking. You can also take an ECG and get notifications if the Apple Watch ever detects an irregular heart rhythm. There are both fall detection and crash detection, which will help you call emergency services in an instant. You'll also get cycle tracking, where there Apple Watch catch can check for temperature changes and predict your ovulation estimates. And, you can mix and match with watch bands, allowing you to style this watch differently daily.
Operating system: watchOS
Battery life: Up to 36 hours on low power mode
Water resistance: 50 meters swim-proof
Best budget smartwatch iOS users
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For those who only need a timepiece to fill out their Apple ecosystem without breaking the bank, the SE 2nd Gen is an amazing budget option. The SE has a shorter battery life than the Series but can replicate most of its functions fairly well. It offers both crash and fall detection and can measure your heart rate and calories during your workouts. It doesn't have a blood oxygen sensor and doesn't offer cycle tracking, but it's still one of the best (and most affordable) smartwatches on the market.
Operating system: watchOS
Battery life: Up to 18 hours on low power mode
Water resistance: 50 meters swim-proof
Best Samsung smartwatch
Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6 is sleek and lightweight and can track everything from your heart rate to your sleep. Sleep tracking is pretty robust, even measuring how many times you snored per night and understanding and tracking different sleep stages. It syncs with your Galaxy smartphone so you can easily access texts and notifications on your wrist, and you can even use this watch to track your BMI, water intake, skeletal muscle readings and more. It's also got one of the widest displays, making it easier to read and keep track of your notifications.
Operating system: WearOS powered by Samsung
Battery life: Up to 40 hours
Water resistance: IP68 (waterproof to a depth of 164 feet for 10 minutes)
Best Google smartwatch
The Google Pixel Watch is my personal pick. While iOS is not supported, the watch's slick minimalist design, modern user interface and waterproof capabilities make it stand out amongst its peers. It has heart rate, blood oxygen and skin temperature tracking, similar to the Apple Watch. There's an ECG app too and fall detection in case of an emergency. It's water resistant too and features an always-on display like some of the other picks on this list so you're always connected to your smartphone.
Operating system: Wear OS 4.0
Battery life: Up to 24 hours
Water resistance: water resistant up to 50 meters
Best fitness-only smartwatch
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If you want a no-frills smartwatch, this one from G-Shock will do the trick. It's 200 meters water resistant, more than any other option on this list. It's also shock resistant and can be solar charged, saving you the hassle of constantly plugging it into a charger. It provides heart rate and sleep measurement, and can also last a full two months with the power-saving function - the longest battery life I've ever experienced on a smartwatch.
Operating system: Na
Battery life: Up to 2 months with power-saving
Water resistance: water resistant up to 200 meters
Best smartwatch for kids
Your kid won't require their own smartphone to work this watch. It connects through an app on both iOS and Android devices and parents have full control over who their kids can reach out through the watch and can also use it as a sa GPS to keep track of their little ones. The watch is built to encourage children to get moving. Walking and completing tasks will get your kids access to movement-based smartwatch-only games that are accessible through the Fitbit Aracde. Kids will also have their own Tamagotchi-style Eejie virtual play persona that they can feed, interact with and grow over time.
Operating system: WearOS
Battery life: 16+ hours
Water resistance: up to 50 meters
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