Top Smart Watch Brands

Garmin sets the standard in fitness tracking with advanced metrics like VO2 max, body battery energy monitoring, training readiness, and Pulse Ox for SpO2 measurement. The Forerunner 165 and Fenix 8 offer in-depth running metrics, including cadence, stride length, and recovery time. The Venu 3 focuses more on everyday health, with features like sleep tracking, stress monitoring, and women’s health tracking. Garmin’s comprehensive training tools make it a top choice...

Garmin excels in battery life, with the Fenix 8 offering up to 16 days in smartwatch mode and solar-powered options extending this even further. The Forerunner 265S can last up to 15 days, while the Instinct 2 Solar provides extended use with solar charging capabilities. This makes Garmin watches ideal for long-distance athletes or outdoor adventurers who need a reliable device without frequent recharging.

Garmin watches are built to endure harsh conditions, especially models like the Fenix 8 and Instinct Crossover, which meet MIL-STD-810G standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance up to 100 meters. Many models feature sapphire crystal for scratch resistance and titanium or stainless steel options. The Instinct series is particularly known for its rugged, military-grade design, making it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.

Garmin smartwatches include GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO for precise tracking, NFC for Garmin Pay, Bluetooth for connecting headphones and receiving notifications, and Wi-Fi in higher-end models for syncing data without a phone. Models like the Venu 3 and Epix Pro support music storage and streaming services, though the app ecosystem is less extensive compared to Apple and Google.

Samsung employs advanced health sensors across all its lineups, which include ECG, SpO2-blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, skin temperature, and continuous heart rate monitoring. Galaxy Watch Ultra offers advanced GPS with increased precision and specialized outdoor features that make it suitable for a wide range of hiking and running activities. The Watch 7 and FE present general all-around fitness metrics, support over 90 workout modes, and hence are good for...

With typical use, the Galaxy Watch Ultra can last up to 48 hours on a single charge, which makes it one of the longer-running Samsung smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch 7 gives you up to 40 hours of battery life, while the FE gives a good 24-36 hours, depending on use. Though Samsung's battery life mightn't hold up quite as well against some outdoor-focused rivals, the fast-charging feature helps balance that...

Samsung smartwatches, like the Galaxy Watch Ultra, underline durability with sapphire crystal displays and casings of stainless steel or titanium. The Galaxy Watch 7 boasts an improved IP68 and 5ATM water resistance rating, fit for swimming and outdoor exposure. In the Ultra model, this goes up a notch in terms of increased shock resistance to where the action is outdoors, making it really strong for active users.

Samsung's smartwatches run on WearOS, which includes access to the Google Play Store, along with compatibility with Google Wallet and Samsung Pay. They all feature GPS, NFC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi connectivity, although LTE options can also be had for phone-free usage. The Galaxy Watch Ultra features music storage and streaming via such services as Spotify. This integration with Samsung's ecosystem, along with third-party apps, adds to the appeal of these...

The Series 10 and Ultra 2 include advanced sensors like ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, and continuous heart rate tracking. They support detailed sleep tracking, fall detection, and fitness metrics through Apple’s activity rings. The Ultra 2 also offers precision dual-frequency GPS, making it more suitable for outdoor adventurers.

The Series 10 offers about 18 hours of battery life, with power-saving settings extending usage. The Ultra 2 improves on this with up to 36 hours, making it more suitable for longer activities but still trailing behind some endurance-focused competitors.

The Series 10 and Ultra 2 use sapphire crystal on stainless steel and titanium models, providing scratch resistance. The Ultra 2 is rated WR100 for water resistance and meets MIL-STD 810H standards, making it suitable for diving and rugged outdoor conditions.

Apple Watches support GPS, NFC for Apple Pay, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and LTE (in select models), allowing users to stay connected without their phones. Features like Siri and music storage enhance the user experience, while seamless integration with iPhones remains a standout aspect.

While all wearables from Xiami offer complete fitness tracking features, it is the Xiaomi Watch S3 that takes things a notch higher by offering 12-channel heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, and sleep analysis. The Smart Band 9 and Smart Band 8 Active have sleep tracking, step count, and even women's health management, making them well-suited for casual users. The Redmi Watch 4 comes with support for more than 100 workout...

Where Xiaomi particularly shines is in battery performance-for instance, the Xiaomi Watch S3 boasts up to 15 days on a single charge with typical usage. Other great examples include the Redmi Watch 4 and Smart Band 9, each offering up to 14 days, while the Watch 2 Pro will give you up to 7 days of use despite its running Wear OS. This renders Xiaomi an excellent option for users...

Xiaomi smartwatches make use of stainless steel and sapphire glass to add strength and scratch resistance. The Watch 2 Pro houses 5ATM water resistance, too, making it a great candidate for everything from swimming to common usage. While Xiaomi does create solid build qualities, it lacks some of the rugged certifications found in outdoor-focused brands like Garmin but focuses more on everyday wear and general durability.

Most Xiaomi smartwatches have GPS, NFC for contactless payment, and Bluetooth for easy pairing with smartphones. The Watch 2 Pro supports Wear OS, opening access to Google services and third-party apps that develop its smart functions. The Xiaomi Watch S3 has dual-band GNSS for accurate positioning, thus being a good choice for outdoor tracking. However, in terms of ecosystem integration for this model, the availability of applications is more modest...

Advanced health tracking is possible with the Huawei Watch 4 Pro, such as ECG and arterial stiffness detection, while comprehensive SpO2 monitoring is available. The HUAWEI TruSense system offers the Watch GT 5 high-accurate heart rate monitoring and in-depth sleep and stress analysis, making it the perfect gadget for a fitness/health-oriented user. Watch Ultimate supports multi-band GPS and route back navigation, outdoor activities are covered. The Watch Fit 3 covers...

Huawei’s Watch GT 5 offers impressive battery longevity, with up to 14 days in its 46mm model and up to 9 days with typical use. The Watch Ultimate matches this with its long-lasting battery life, suitable for extended outdoor use. Even the Watch 4 Pro, which features more advanced health tracking, can achieve up to 7 days in power-saving mode. This makes Huawei a strong choice for users prioritizing long...

The Huawei Watch Ultimate is built for extreme conditions, featuring 10 ATM water resistance up to 100 meters, suitable for free diving. The Watch 4 Pro uses sapphire crystal to provide scratch resistance, while the body casing in titanium ensures a strong and premium build and feel. The Watch GT 5 uses solid materials, and both versions of 46mm and 41mm are suitable to wear every day. While Huawei has...

Their products also feature NFC for contactless payments, Bluetooth calling, and Wi-Fi, with access to apps via the Watch AppGallery. Multi-band GPS on the Watch GT 5 provides better accuracy when tracking outdoors. The Watch Ultimate has been optimized for adventurers with route back navigation for remote trails. While Huawei's smartwatches work well with both Android and iOS, the app ecosystem is limited compared to Google Wear OS.

Amazfit's Balance gives advanced metrics: body composition analysis, heart rate monitoring, and SpO2 tracking. The Cheetah Pro lets runners have AI-powered Zepp Coach™, which tailors a personalized training plan with precision in GPS tracking. The T-Rex Ultra features outdoor sports with route navigation and offline maps, while the Band 7 is an essential health tracker in compact form. Consequently, the tracking with Amazfit is all-inclusive, from a wide range of...

Amazfit's strong suit is in the longevity of its batteries, especially with models such as the T-Rex Ultra, which goes up to 20 days of battery life in standard mode. The Balance and Active have 14 days of typical use, and even their most compact-the Band 7-can last up to 14 days. This makes Amazfit one of the strongest options for those desiring extended use without having to recharge so...

While the T-Rex Ultra and Falcon are built with military-grade durability in mind, specifically 10 ATM water resistance and tough builds for harsh conditions, the GTR Mini and Balance are a bit more refined in their materials: most of the front area is dominated by AMOLED glass with scratch-resistant glass. The rugged ones will surely be apt for outdoor enthusiasts, while the lighter options, like the Band 7, tend to...

Every one of Amazfit's smartwatches supports dual-band GPS, NFC ( for some regions) , and Bluetooth to connect to the Zepp App for syncing. Music control is possible, for example, with the Balance and T-Rex Ultra; real-time coaching is enabled with the Cheetah Pro, thanks to app integrations. The GTR Mini and Active provide notifications and basic controls, although through a more limited app ecosystem than would be the case...

Polar is great at detailed training and recovery metrics. The V3 Vantage includes Wrist-ECG, skin temperature tracking, and SpO2 monitoring for more advanced health insights. Running power and detailed training load analysis are housed in the Pacer Pro for performance runners. The Ignite 3 includes FitSpark for personalized workouts and Nightly Recharge for sleep recovery analysis, making it suitable for holistic fitness tracking. Polar focuses on data precision and guidance...

Polar watches are known for their excellent battery life, especially in their training modes. The Grit X2 Pro does support up to 100 hours in training mode when power-saving features are enabled, and that actually makes it ideal for ultra-endurance activities. The V3 Vantage will give you roughly 40 hours of continuous GPS tracking, which is decent enough to take you through marathon training. However, the Pacer Pro manages up...

The Polar Grit X2 Pro is built for endurance, with MIL-STD-810G certification for shock, temperature, and water resistance up to 100 meters, while the Grit X2 Pro Titan further gives strength to durability through its lightweight titanium case. The V3 Vantage gets sapphire crystal for scratch resistance, so its durability extends in excruciating training sessions. Polar watches are built to withstand tough conditions, making them reliable companions for outdoor enthusiasts.

Polar smartwatches have GPS and Bluetooth for syncing with the Polar Flow app, offering a wide range of analytics and training plans. Route guidance and full navigation can be enabled on the Grit X2 Pro and Vantage V3, while the Ignite 3 supports basic music controls and push notifications. In general, Polar smart features center around workouts; though they're nicely integrated to both iOS and Android, app ecosystem is really...

All of Honor's devices have health features, but it covers the spectrum from there. The Watch 5 brings 24/7 heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, and sleep analysis. The Watch 4 Pro ups the ante with e-SIM capabilities, so users can get health data even when they go out of their phone's reach. Both the GS Pro and GS3 come with GPS tracking for outdoor sports, and even include stress monitoring,...

Honor is predominantly known for its outstanding battery performance in its smartwatches. Probably the best of them is the GS Pro, with up to 25 days of battery life in power-saving mode, making it an excellent choice for long-term use. Otherwise, a typical use would be provided by both Watch 4 Pro and Watch 5: 10-14 days, which means reliability without frequent charging. Long battery life is also provided in...

he Honor Watch 4 Pro and GS Pro have stainless steel casings, while the latter comes with MIL-STD-810G durability for outdoor usage and rough conditions. The GS Pro is good to go in extreme temperatures and shocks, making it ideal for adventure lovers. The Watch 5 and Band 7 feature robust builds with 5 ATM water resistance, suitable for swimming and day-to-day use. Honor focuses on durability, ensuring the watches...

The features in the Honor Watch 4 Pro include eSIM for standalone calling and messaging, plus Bluetooth connectivity to easily pair with a smartphone. The Watch 5 and GS Pro also add GPS and NFC for the convenience of contactless payment. For their part, the principal functions of the Band 6 and Band 7 are to deliver notifications and provide basic music control. While the app ecosystem is limited compared...

The Pixel Watch 3 bundles all of Fitbit's deeper health metrics, including its Daily Readiness, Cardio Load, and Target Load, to help users optimize their workouts. The Pixel Watch 2 has heart rate tracking, skin temperature monitoring, and even stress management, and offers in-depth insights with your EDA sensors. Fitbit Premium gets you just about all sleep tracking and wellness metrics you could imagine. That leads to both setting a...

With the always-on display feature turned on, both Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 are rated to as long as 24 hours of battery life, which is good enough to get you through a full day's use but still lags some competitors pushing multi-day battery performance. Thankfully, fast charging does somewhat offset this, offering a big charge boost in minimal time.

Both the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 have stainless steel casings, while their display protection features are by Corning Gorilla Glass. They have 5 ATM water resistance and IP68 dust resistance ratings to allow them into the water for swimming and for almost all general outdoor uses. Boosted display brightness on the Pixel Watch 3 enhances toughness with respect to keeping visibility in bright conditions, although the focus...

Both Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 are running with Wear OS 4, Google Play Store apps, Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Wallet for contactless payments support. Each wearable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE option, and built-in GPS allow for more precise location tracking. With this comes integration with the Google ecosystem, allowing users to control Nest devices, send messages, and invoke Google Home commands directly from the wrist—one of...

The APEX 2 Pro and VERTIX 2 excel in providing advanced metrics like training load, recovery insights, and running power. The Pace 3 focuses on running-specific metrics, offering high-precision GPS and AI-powered training plans through the COROS app. The VERTIX 2 and VERTIX 2S offer altitude acclimation and spO2 monitoring, making them suitable for mountain sports and high-altitude training. While COROS provides comprehensive fitness metrics, its focus is more on...

COROS is well known for class-leading battery life, and the VERTIX 2 also claims an incredible up to 140 hours in full GPS mode and up to 60 days in standard mode. It's a given choice for ultra-endurance events. The APEX 2 Pro has up to 75 hours in GPS mode, while the Pace 3 offers up to 30 days of regular use. But even at a more modest size,...

The Vertix 2 and Vertix 2S boast ruggedness with 10 ATM water resistance, down to military-grade durability against extreme environments. The Apex 2 Pro also boasts glass sapphire and construction from titanium, making it resistant enough for daily wear and demanding training; meanwhile, Pace 3 boasts a lighter build without compromising the sturdy, hardy design suited for more substantial training. COROS's focus on using solid materials within their devices makes...

COROS watches provides notifications on calls, texts, and some apps, though the experience is basic compared to more established ecosystems like Wear OS or watchOS. COROS doesn't include NFC payments, which isn't quite fair to those who want to make contactless payments with their smartwatch—something competitors like Apple and Samsung provide. And there is no capability for streaming music directly from the watch, which might be a disappointment for audiophiles...