The best smartwatches pair with your phone, acting a second screen to provide notifications, fitness tracking features, and more. They come with a wide array of sensors and wellness features, allowing you to track heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep, stress, and more.
For the more outdoorsy types, you can get smartwatches with standalone LTE and GPS connectivity, allowing it to track your runs and providing onboard music storage. Depending on your use case, you may want to take a look at our roundup of the best fitness trackers and the best smartwatches for women.
If you’re an iPhone user, it’s simple - just buy the Apple Watch Series 7. Otherwise, read on for our picks.
The Apple Watch Series 7 is still the best all-around smartwatch for iPhone users, boasting a new, larger screen that really does make a difference to what was already the best smartphone out there.
Best overall
Apple Watch Series 7
Robust health/fitness tracking
New larger screen
Speedy and responsive
Modest upgrade over Series 6
Still needs to charge daily
It’s got a robust suite of fitness tracking and health and wellness features, including blood oxygen and ECG tracking. For the most part, it’s a modest update - but our tester found that the screen, 20% larger than the Series 6, really does make the Series 7 a lot more usable. In fact, thanks to refractive edges, in person it looks even bigger than it actually is. Apple even managed to cram a full keyboard onto it, which is (just!) usable with one finger.
Elsewhere, there are some small updates to the Series 6, but nothing to write home about, with the exception of a new faster charging cable, which Apple claims (and our tester agrees) can charge the Watch from 0% to 80% in 45 minutes and to 100% in 75 minutes. Given the Watch can track your sleep, this is a useful boost - it means you can wear the Watch overnight, and charge before bed or while you shower in the morning.
On paper, the screen is really the only update here. But given the Series 6 was our previous pick, and still head and shoulders above the competition, that’s not a disaster. Overall, this is undoubtedly the best smartwatch on the market, and the larger screen means that even for Series 6 owners, it’s an update worth considering.
Screen Size: 1.9 inches | Weight: 1.1oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE| Battery Life: All day | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
“The Apple Watch Series 7 is by far the best Smartwatch on the market, and the bigger screen size makes it a compelling upgrade for owners of previous versions” — Mark Prigg, Product Tester
The Samsung Galaxy Watch3 feels very similar to the previous Galaxy Watch model (there’s no Galaxy Watch 2, weirdly enough), opting for a traditional wristwatch silhouette with a clever rotating bezel that you can use to navigate through menus. It looks polished and still has a weighty feel to it, although Samsung has thankfully shed nearly 10g from the largest model through smart trims and tweaks.
Best for New Features
Samsung Galaxy Watch3
Lighter, refined design
Clever rotating bezel
Fitness and health features
Loads of watch faces
Battery life loses a step
Weak software ecosystem
Limited onboard storage
ECG limited to Samsung phones
Less great is the fact that the battery life has also been cut down, that the app ecosystem is lacking, and that the price has bumped up $70-80 depending on model. Still, Samsung’s premium watch is a good option, particularly for Android users. However, iOS limitations make it a weaker option on the iPhone side than the rival Apple Watch Series 6 or Apple Watch SE, both of which benefit from Apple’s tight integration and strong app selection.
Screen Size: 1.4 inches | Weight: 1.9oz Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE | Battery Life: 340mAh | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
“Samsung’s distinctive rotating bezel remains the largest defining element of the Galaxy Watch3, and it’s a really clever way to navigate the watch’s menus.” — Andrew Hayward, Product Tester
If motivation to move is a struggle, the Fitbit Versa 3 does a capable job of helping you shift your habits. This latest version of the popular Versa 2 doubles down with more health tools and connected features that will keep you active and dialed in 24/7. Highlights include more accurate Pure Pulse heart-rate tracking technology for both resting heart rate and measuring heart rate in cardio and other active exercise zones. You can also set goals around daily intensity minutes to make sure you’re hitting your marks for cardiovascular health. Another ally in your corner is new onboard GPS, which allows you to leave your smartphone at home while you’re on your next bike ride, walk, or run.
Best Fitness Tracking
Fitbit Versa 3
Onboard GPS
Lightweight design
Voice assistant integration
Music storage with Deezer and Pandora
Music control only with Spotify
Message reply/call answering for Android
SPO2 monitoring limited
Our product reviewer found the Fitbit Versa 3 lightweight and small enough for her petite wrist but did note issues with button and touchscreen responsiveness and some GPS tracking inconsistencies. Overall, though, she found it a solid motivator and wellness tracker with some appealing smart features for a decent level of connectivity.
Size: 1.59 inches | Weight: 1.5oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Battery Life: 6+ days | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
“In true Fitbit brand fashion, the Fitbit Versa 3 supports wellness in a big-picture way.” — Yoona Wagener, Product Tester
The Apple Watch SE is a lower-priced alternative to the top-of-the-line Apple Watch Series 6, cutting a couple of key features while slashing the price tag in the process. Starting at $279 (vs. $399 for the Series 6), the Apple Watch SE maintains most of the familiar feature set from Apple’s popular smartwatch, including robust fitness tracking, communication features, waterproofing, and heart rate sensing.
Best Value
Apple Watch SE
More affordable than Series 6
Fast and responsive
Stellar fitness tracking
OK battery life
No always-on display
No ECG or bloody oxygen sensors
Fewer style options
No third-party faces
However, it loses the always-on display from the Series 6 and Series 5 before it, turning the screen off to conserve energy when your wrist isn’t raised. It also lacks the electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood oxygen sensors, limiting some of its health detection capabilities. There are also fewer color and material options available for the body, which solely comes in aluminum in three colors. Still, if the health sensors aren’t a big selling point of the Apple Watch experience for you, then you can save a lot of cash by going for the SE model.
Screen Size: 1.78 inches | Weight: 1.27oz Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE| Battery Life: Up to 18 hours | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
“The Apple Watch has gradually become a more robust and useful wearable device in time, and the SE model still provides the vast majority of that experience at the lower entry price.” — Andrew Hayward, Product Tester
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 is a great choice for fitness-oriented Samsung users who want many of the same assets the Apple Watch offers. Our reviewer, Yoona, found the Active2 to offer the same comfortable and close fit from the previous model and it added on a feature that many users requested: a bezel. While the bezel isn’t a physical one like on the Samsung Galaxy Watch3, it’s touch-activated and simulates the same rotating motion of a physical dial.
Best for Active Samsung Users
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2
Touch bezel
More accurate heart-rate tracking
Spotify playlist storage
Limited number of apps
Other new perks include the improvement of the heart rate monitoring system. The Active2 now features eight sensors and a new curved design that better captures heart rate at all times—and issues alerts if readings look too low or high. There’s also talk of an ECG feature just like on the Apple Watch, but it’s yet to be released in the U.S.
As an added fitness-tracking motivator, the Active2 now also includes swimming on its list of seven automatically tracked workouts. And other health-focused apps for tracking sleep and guided breathing round out the experience. While the fitness app integrations include big names like Strava and MyFitness Pal, the broader selection of third-party apps from the Tizen store continue to be a bit limited. If you’re a premium Spotify subscriber, though, you’ll be able to store playlists to your device and even forego Bluetooth headphones since the Active2 has a built-in speaker. If you have a Samsung phone, you have the advantage of WPC Qi wireless device-to-device charging functionality, which allows you to place the watch directly on your smartphone for a battery boost.
Screen Size: 1.4 inches | Weight: 1.48oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE| Battery Life: 340mAh | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters
“A device called Active2 should have the chops to track exercise and wellness, and this watch delivers even better than the original Active.” — Yoona Wagener, Product Tester
The Amazfit GTS is a stylish and compact wearable that won’t weigh you down or clash with your wardrobe. This fashionable device seems to take much of its inspiration from the Apple Watch by matching the square-shaped display and single-button design. The GTS also comes with a flexible and comfortable silicone sport-type band in a range of colors to suit your mood and style. The 348x442 AMOLED display is vibrant and easy to read and highly customizable, thanks to editable main-screen widgets on either the digital or analog watch face. In watch mode (without Bluetooth or heart-rate monitoring and other smart settings active), the manufacturer claims up to 46 days of battery life. In typical use mode with smart features active, the Amazfit GTS has the potential to last up to 14 days and charges in just about 2 hours.
Best Budget
Amazfit GTS Smartwatch
Bright display with customizable widgets
Lightweight and comfortable form factor
Solid GPS and workout tracking
Certain settings aren’t straightforward
Unintuitive app
Battery life doesn’t match 14-day claim
While the proprietary software isn’t as intuitive as what bigger players in the fitness tracking game offer, the Amazfit GTS is a capable basic tracker. It measures heart rate 24/7, logs sleep metrics, comes with 12 popular exercise modes programmed onto the device for more in-depth workout analysis, and is also suited for swimming workouts in water up to 50 meters deep. This slim and streamlined fitness tracker includes other handy traits for everyday convenience such as calendar and text notifications, a stopwatch, and the ability to navigate playlists and queue podcasts from your smartphone.
Screen Size: 1.65 inches | Weight: 1.66oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Battery Life: 14 days| Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters (3ATM)
“Along with the crisp and easy-to-read display, the GTS’s biggest asset is the flexible and durable silicone with a healthy selection of notches and two tabs to keep the band in place once you’ve latched it.” — Yoona Wagener, Product Tester
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS smartwatch is a sporty wearable with a large build featuring a prominent display. While the overall design is smaller and lighter than the prior model, the dual-layered touchscreen is still a showstopper. The 1.4-inch 450x450 Retina AMOLED display is bright and touch-responsive. In smart mode with all connectivity features activated, this display can work for up to 72 hours before needing a charge. But the marquee feature of the watch is the efficient, low-light display on top of the AMOLED layer. Use this feature manually or rely on the watch to activate it when your battery dips to 5 percent. While you’re waiting between charges, this watch conveniently still functions as a time-telling device. If you’d like to use it exclusively as a timepiece, Essential Mode offers up to 45 days of use.
Best GPS
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS
Battery-saving dual display mode
Up to 72 hours between charges
Competent fitness tracking
Theater mode convenient for turning off display
Wear OS and TicWatch health widget redundancies
Bulky for sleeping
Lacks some advanced health features
Impressive battery aside, the TicWatch Pro 3 also offers an impressive array of connectivity and fitness features. With an Android phone, easily respond to texts and phone calls. Both Android and iOS users can receive notifications to their wrists and stay on top of wellness around the clock with Google Fit and TicHealth and TicExercise apps. There is a bit of an overlap between the fitness offerings, but certain advanced monitoring for sleep and blood oxygen saturation is exclusive to the TicWatch offerings. While the fit could present challenges for wearers with smaller wrists, this watch offers a well-rounded smartwatch experience if you can find a comfortable fit.
Screen Size: 1.4 inches (dual)| Weight: 1.48oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE, GPS | Battery Life: 72 hours | Water Resistance: IP68 (no soap and water)
“Android users that can find a great fit will enjoy well-rounded connectivity and fitness tracking.” — Yoona Wagener, Product Tester
The Fossil Gen 5 Smartwatch is a wearable that design-conscious shoppers will appreciate. It’s available in leather, silicone, and stainless steel band options including rose gold and blush leather hues. While it appeals to the wearer who wants a smartwatch that fits any daily wardrobe choice, don’t expect it to offer stellar fitness tracking accuracy. It does feature a built-in heart-rate monitor and you can swim with it in water 98 feet deep, but the readouts in the Google Fit app have been met with mixed reactions from users.
Best for Rapid Charging
Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle
Sleek design
Built-in Google Assistant
Water resistant to 98 feet
Rapid charging possible
Not great at fitness tracking
Still, it’s handy for built-in GPS tracking and general health and fitness stats such as steps taken, inactivity, heart rate, and calories burned, which means it can help motivate you to keep moving. The built-in speaker is another function that lends to everyday convenience. Use Google Assistant voice commands to check the weather or set your smart thermostat to a comfortable temperature. Other daily-use conveniences include Google Pay integration so you can skip fumbling for your wallet at checkout, the ability to receive Bluetooth phone calls as long as your phone is nearby, and 8GB of storage for music. This model also offers improved battery life over the previous generation with three battery modes and a quick-charging function that brings your watch to 80 percent in just one hour.
Screen Size: 1.28 inches | Weight: 3.5oz | Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | Battery Life: 24 hours | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters (3ATM)
If you’re looking for a streamlined smartwatch with some fitness-tracking finesse, the updated Skagen Falster 3 has a lot to like. This model features improved battery life over the previous generation and will get you through a full day of activity before requiring a charge. Even if that’s not incredibly long, this wearable comes with a rapid charger to restore the battery to 80 percent in just 50 minutes. The Falster 3 is also incredibly sleek with stainless steel mesh and silicone band options for daily wearability.
Best for Minimalists
Skagen Falster 3
Classic and stylish
Good customization options
Waterproof
USB-C charging and magnetic charging station
Supports GPS tracking
Finicky fitness tracking
Weak battery
Touch sensitive interface
This smartwatch doesn’t just look stylish, it also offers the versatility you want in a smartwatch with Google Assistant and contactless pay, plus the added perk of a swim-proof build with untethered GPS. Go ahead and leave your phone at home while you swim laps or jog. Although, if you’re expecting a call, you’ll still want to bring that along so you can answer mid-workout.
While the analytics you’ll see in the complementary Google Fit app should be considered more as ballpark insights rather than highly accurate metrics, there’s still value in that for those who mostly want encouragement to stay active. You’ll also get the usual step tracking, heart-rate monitoring, and smartphone notifications.
Screen Size: 1.65 inches | Weight: 1.44oz Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC | Battery Life: One day | Water Resistance: Up to 50 meters (3ATM)
“The watch body is fairly thin at 11mm, and the screen is circled by a stainless steel bezel making for a sturdy and stylish design.” — Rebecca Isaacs, Product Tester
What to Look for in Smartwatches:
Operating system compatibility: There’s little sense in investing in a smartwatch that doesn’t work with your smartphone. While most smartwatch operating systems including Wear OS and Tizen are compatible across operating systems, some—like the Apple Watch—require a dedicated device. Others simply function more optimally with a certain OS. Samsung watches, for example, work with iPhones and a variety of Android devices, but are really unlocked when used with a Samsung smartphone.
The Apple Watch Series 7 (view at Apple) is our top pick for best smartwatches. While you need an iPhone to use it, it’s hard to beat the long list of health and tech features and the larger screen that many competing models strive to match. If you’re an Android user, the Samsung Active Watch3 (view at Samsung) offers a more streamlined build than before and comes with desirable health features, some of which overlap with the Series 6.
Fit and style: If you want a wearable that transitions well, smartwatches can flex to fit your schedule. While many models favor a silicone band that’s friendly to sweat, you can purchase alternate styles and fabrics such as leather and swap them out as needed. Smartwatch faces are another design aspect to consider when purchasing a wearable for your lifestyle. Maybe you want a device that plays the part of an analog watch with an always-on display. If you don’t mind the look of a fitness-centric smartwatch, the size of the face and strap width could be keys for finding an ideal middle ground between sporty and versatile.
Battery life: Most smartwatches are built to get you through at least one full day of work and workouts, if not a few. It’s not atypical to recharge a smartwatch battery every few days, though most people will prefer a device that lasts closer to five days on a single charge. But battery longevity really depends on how you use your wearable. If you’re the adventurous type who’s always on the move, you’re better served finding a device that has some big battery chops. Additional services such as cellular connectivity, music streaming, health-tracking features, and an always-on display can put added stress on battery levels.
Fitness tracking: Smartwatches cover a wide net of “smart” services, from smart notifications alerting you to texts and emails to being able to directly respond and make phone calls, streaming and storing music, and contactless payment convenience. But the other big part of the smartwatch equation is fitness tracking. There are many models that can provide a helpful nudge in the right direction. Otherwise, if you want an all-in-one smartwatch and fitness tracker, you’ll want to look for more specialized models that offer advanced performance tracking, precise GPS, and multisport or dedicated support for your specific sport.
About Our Trusted Experts
Yoona Wagener has reviewed numerous smartwatches and fitness trackers for Lifewire from brands such as Garmin, Withings, and Samsung. As an avid runner, she’s a big fan of fitness trackers.
- Which women’s smartwatch is best?
- Women’s smartwatches offer the same features as most smartwatches like health tracking, lifestyle management, fitness, and activity tracking. However, they may be more oriented toward suiting your style and feature smaller straps and sized to accommodate more svelte wrists, and they may have features like menstrual cycle tracking. Among our top choices are the Galaxy Watch Active2 for Android and Samsung users, the Fitbit Versa 3, and the Apple Watch Series 7.
- What is the best smartwatch for kids?
- The best smartwatch for kids is the Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2. We’re partial to it because of the friendly design, the inclusion of activity tracking, and some built-in features like an adventure game. It’s a good way to keep kids moving and for parents to track their activity and fitness.
- What is the best smartwatch for fitness?
- The best fitness-oriented smartwatch is the Galaxy Watch Active2. It’s a more sporty taking on the Galaxy Watch3, without making serious compromises to features. You still get the latest sensors like blood oxygen monitoring, stress tracking, and general activity tracking. You should also take a look at our list of the best fitness trackers if you don’t need or want all the smartwatch features.
Women’s smartwatches offer the same features as most smartwatches like health tracking, lifestyle management, fitness, and activity tracking. However, they may be more oriented toward suiting your style and feature smaller straps and sized to accommodate more svelte wrists, and they may have features like menstrual cycle tracking. Among our top choices are the Galaxy Watch Active2 for Android and Samsung users, the Fitbit Versa 3, and the Apple Watch Series 7.
The best smartwatch for kids is the Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2. We’re partial to it because of the friendly design, the inclusion of activity tracking, and some built-in features like an adventure game. It’s a good way to keep kids moving and for parents to track their activity and fitness.
The best fitness-oriented smartwatch is the Galaxy Watch Active2. It’s a more sporty taking on the Galaxy Watch3, without making serious compromises to features. You still get the latest sensors like blood oxygen monitoring, stress tracking, and general activity tracking. You should also take a look at our list of the best fitness trackers if you don’t need or want all the smartwatch features.
Jason Schneider has a decade of experience covering tech and writing for media companies. He specializes in reviewing audio equipment, but has also tested a variety of other devices including smartwatches, laptops, and fitness trackers.
Andrew Hayward is a Chicago-based writer and product tester who’s been writing for Lifewire since 2019. Previously published by TechRadar, Polygon, and Macworld, he’s reviewed a variety of mobile devices and wearables.
Rebecca Isaacs has been writing for Lifewire since 2019 to test and review gadgets. She specializes in wearables and mobile tech.
Ajay Kumar is a Tech Editor at Lifewire with over a decade’s experience in the industry. He specializes in mobile devices and has previously been published at PCMag and Newsweek where he reviewed hundreds of phones, tablets, and other products.
Mark Prigg is a VP at Lifewire and has over 25 years experience reviewing consumer tech at newspapers and magazines, including the Daily Mail, London Evening Standard, Wired and The Sunday Times.
