The infamous calculator watch has been around since the 1970s, but watches have finally reached the point that they're, well, smart. With everything from app support to smartphone notification mirroring to heart rate monitoring, the latest smartwatches do a lot more than just tell time. But which one should you buy?
We've rounded up our favorites to help you decide. It's also important to know what to look for, so make sure to check out our buying guide at the end.
Pick a Watch That Works With Your Phone
Naturally, the first thing you should consider before you buy a smartwatch is compatibility. We include these details in our reviews of each product.
All Apple Watch models run watchOS, Apple's smartwatch operating system, and work only with iOS devices. Apple's latest wearables—the Series 9, the Ultra 2, and the Watch SE— require an iPhone XS or later with iOS 17 or later and do not work with Android handsets.
Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatches run Wear OS 4 with Samsung's One UI 5 Watch software. They require a smartphone running Android 10 or higher with more than 1.5GB of RAM. Note that although you can pair the Watch 6 with non-Samsung Android phones, some features work only with Samsung handsets, including irregular heart rhythm notifications, phone separation alerts, and the Camera Controller app.
Google's Pixel Watch 2 runs Wear OS 4 and works with most phones running Android 9.0 or newer via the Google Pixel Watch app, which requires a Google Account to log in. It's not exclusive to Pixel phones and should pair just fine with devices from any other Android phone maker, including Samsung.
Most of the other smartwatches on this list are compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.
Which Platform Offers the Best Smartwatch Apps?
What separates a smartwatch from a dumb watch? Lots of things, but as smartphones have taught us, apps might be the most important.
Most of the watches we like feature full-fledged app stores that bring everything from Spotify, Yelp, and—yes, a calculator—to your wrist. Much like smartphones, app availability is a good way to determine which product to get, so make sure to check out the app selection for each watch before you make a final decision.
If you're looking for apps, Apple is your best bet. The App Store lets you browse and download third-party watchOS apps directly on the watch, including popular favorites like AllTrails, Calm, Pandora, Peloton, Shazam, Spotify, Starbucks, and Strava, just to name a few.
The Apple Watch still has the largest number of high-quality apps and big-name developers, but Google's Wear OS platform is catching up.
Google Maps on the Pixel Watch 2 (Credit: Will Greenwald)Samsung's latest smartwatches feature popular Google apps like Assistant, Maps, and the Play Store, alongside Samsung's Bixby, Buds Controller, Pay, and more. The Pixel Watch features all the Google standbys, including Assistant, Gmail, Home, Maps, the Play Store, and Wallet.
Other popular apps available for download via the Google Play Store on Wear OS smartwatches include Amazon Music, Calm, Deezer, Easy Voice Recorder, KakaoTalk, Samsung Internet Browser, SmartThings, Spotify, Stocard, Todoist, and WhatsApp.
How Are Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers Different?
Unless you want a gadget on both of your wrists (not the best look), you should pick a smartwatch that also works as a fitness tracker. Most smartwatches are capable of tracking basic activity, like steps, but you need to pay close attention to additional features.
Most of the smartwatches on our list feature GPS connectivity, which means they can record your runs without the help of a companion device (the Garmin Lily is an exception). Most modern smartwatches also have an optical heart rate sensor that can take continuous and on-demand heart rate measurements.
Fitbit Versa devices are fairly affordable and track plenty of fitness and sleep metrics, but have less in the way of third-party apps, so there are some trade-offs. Look closely and choose a watch that tracks the activities and health metrics you want to monitor. Some smartwatches offer advanced health-tracking features, including the ability to take an ECG and measure your SpO2 level.
Which Smartwatches Have Cellular and Are They Worth the Money?
A cellular connection allows you to make calls, send texts, stream music, download apps, and do anything else that requires an internet connection—all without your phone. The cellular Apple Watch Series 9 carries a $100 premium over the base model (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi only), and then you also have to pay for a separate data plan—most carriers charge an additional $10 per month per smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch 6 series and the Google Pixel Watch 2 are also available with cellular connectivity.
Whether this convenience is worth it for you depends on how you plan to use your watch. If you want to stream music while you exercise and leave your phone at home or in the locker room, a cellular connection can certainly come in handy. If you always have your phone on you, however, you can probably save money and skip it.
How Long Do Smartwatches Last?
You don't want a smartwatch with good battery life, right? Good, because you're not going to get it. Features like an always-on display and GPS tracking are nice, but they drain battery life quickly. Watches with full-color, smartphone-like displays, like the Apple Watch and Wear OS watches, generally only last about a day on a charge.
There are a few exceptions, including the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which offer multi-day battery life. In general, you get much better battery life with a Fitbit or Garmin watch. They typically last around six days on a single charge.
How Much Should You Spend on a Smartwatch?
Smartwatches can be very expensive, but that doesn't mean you need to spend a lot of money to get a good one. Yes, the $1,000+ Apple Watch Hermès is sure to draw a lot of attention, but for that price, you could buy five Fitbits.
If you're a first-time smartwatch buyer, consider the less-expensive route first in case you wind up not wearing it all that much. The Wyze Watch (which starts at $29.99) is an affordable option, but be sure to read our review so you're aware of its limitations.
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 (Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)What's the Best Android Watch?
As mentioned, all of the models on this list work with Android phones except for the Apple Watch.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is our current favorite for its streamlined design, excellent health and safety features, and useful calling and texting capabilities. Outdoor adventurers might prefer the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which offers a more durable titanium case, an even stronger sapphire crystal glass display, longer battery life, and a few outdoor-specific navigation features.
What's the Best-Looking Smartwatch?
Let's not forget: You're also going to wear this thing. And unlike your Timex, it's probably not going to remain in style for years. Smartwatch design is rapidly changing, so hold out until you find something you actually want to wear. And keep in mind that smartwatches are still gadgets. The coming year is sure to bring new iterations of pretty much every watch on this list, not to mention completely new ones.
The battle for wrist real estate is quickly heating up. That's good news for consumers because this pace of innovation is likely to result in more capable—and more stylish—devices. I wouldn't be surprised if this list reads completely differently the next time you see it. But if you're looking for the best smartwatch available today, the options here are the finest we've tested.
For more, check out our roundups of the best Android watches and the best Samsung watches.
