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Best Smartwatch: The Top Wearables You Can Buy Right Now
Absolutely the best smartwatches for your wrist
(Picture credit: Samsung, Apple and Fossil)
A new champion has ascended to the pinnacle of our smartwatch rankings, claiming the coveted title of best overall. What unites the top smartwatches is their remarkable versatility, acting as miniature, wrist-worn computers capable of a wide array of functions. These devices are more than just timekeepers; they’re extensions of our digital lives. Imagine effortlessly searching the web with just your voice, thanks to integrated voice assistants. Picture yourself navigating unfamiliar streets with built-in GPS, ensuring you always know where you are. Consider the peace of mind offered by continuous heart rate monitoring, proactively safeguarding your cardiovascular health and potentially alerting you to any irregularities.
These smartwatches truly shine when paired with one of the best smartphones available, seamlessly synchronizing notifications, calls, and data. However, their independence is also a key selling point. Many models offer cellular connectivity, allowing you to make calls, send texts, and stream music even without your phone nearby. This makes them ideal for workouts, outdoor adventures, or simply leaving your phone at home while remaining connected.
Our rigorous testing process encompasses all the top-tier wearables currently available, from the sleek Apple Watch, renowned for its user-friendly interface and advanced health features, to the fitness-focused Fitbits, celebrated for their activity tracking and sleep analysis. We also evaluate the rugged and feature-rich Garmin watches, popular among athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, and the stylish Samsung watches powered by the Tizen operating system, known for their rotating bezels and vibrant displays. Furthermore, we thoroughly assess Wear OS, Google’s own wearable operating system, the Android equivalent of Apple’s watchOS. Wear OS offers a vast ecosystem of apps and customization options, catering to a diverse range of users.
During our comprehensive review process, we meticulously evaluate each smartwatch across multiple key criteria. We scrutinize the design, considering aesthetics, comfort, and build quality. We thoroughly explore the features, assessing the breadth and depth of functionalities, including fitness tracking, health monitoring, and smart home integration. We rigorously test the battery life, measuring how long each device lasts on a single charge under various usage scenarios. We analyze the specifications, examining the processor speed, memory capacity, and display quality. We factor in the price, comparing the value proposition against the competition. Finally, we rank each smartwatch against its peers, considering all these factors to determine its overall performance and position it within our carefully curated list. This list is constantly updated, ensuring you always have access to the most current and comprehensive information to make an informed decision when choosing your next smartwatch.
Quick Comparison: Top Smartwatch Specs
| Model | OS | Battery Life | GPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 | Tizen | ~2 Days | Yes |
| Apple Watch 6 | watchOS | 18 Hours | Yes |
| Fitbit Sense | Fitbit OS | 6 Days | Yes |
| Fossil Gen 5 | Wear OS | 24+ Hours | Yes |
| Amazfit Bip | Custom | 45 Days | Yes |
1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Our best smartwatch on the planet right now
| OS | Tizen OS |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS |
| Display | 1.2″ or 1.4″ 360 x 360 Super AMOLED |
| Processor | Dual-core 1.15GHz |
| Battery Life | ~3 days on 45mm |
The best smartwatch money can buy right now is the Galaxy Watch 3 from Samsung, which is the company’s most accomplished wrist wear yet. It is a sequel to the Galaxy Watch from 2018, and it retains a lot of that device’s design elements but refines them. The Galaxy Watch 3 features a novel rotating bezel that makes navigating around the smartwatch a pleasure. We find that a lot easier than trying to use the display, which is something you have to do on a lot of other smartwatches on this list.
Overall, the Galaxy Watch 3 is the complete package if you’re looking for a smartwatch to track your fitness, look good on your wrist, and a whole lot more.
2. Apple Watch 6
The best Apple Watch money can buy
| OS | watchOS 7 |
| Compatibility | iOS |
| Display | 1.78″ OLED (Always-on) |
| Sensors | SpO2, ECG, Heart Rate |
| Battery | 18 hours |
Apple hasn’t taken the top spot in our best smartwatch list, but this is the best device you can get if you own an iPhone. It works seamlessly with Apple’s phones. The Apple Watch 6 – alongside the Apple Watch SE – is Apple’s latest wearable. It introduces SpO2 monitoring for blood oxygen saturation and faster charging. We have chosen Samsung’s smartwatch as the best option for everyone due to cross-platform compatibility, but it’s a very close race.
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Adding in a digital rotating bezel for a nominal price bump. Samsung shrank the best parts of the Galaxy Watch into this sportier smartwatch that is slimmer, lighter and, arguably, more comfortable. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 features a 1.2-inch 360 x 360 display that is bright and beautiful yet small enough to be strapped around your wrist comfortably.
Pros
- Great haptic digital bezel control.
- Nice minimalist design.
- Decent battery life (2 days).
Cons
- Fewer third-party apps than Apple/Wear OS.
- Price increased from original Active.
4. Fossil Gen 5 Smartwatch
The Best for Wear OS
Fossil has developed a lot of expertise in the wearable tech space. The Fossil Gen 5 is a top-end watch with a lower price tag than the Apple or Samsung flagships. It features GPS, a lightweight design, and runs on the Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, which provides a smoother experience than older Wear OS watches.
Pros
- Sleek minimalist design.
- 1GB RAM makes Wear OS fast.
- Battery modes feature extends life.
Cons
- Poor speaker quality.
- Battery still around 24 hours in standard mode.
5. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3
The watch with two screens
One of our favorite Wear OS watches is the TicWatch Pro, specifically the new Pro 3. It features the new Snapdragon Wear 4100, which nukes complaints about performance. The unique feature here is the dual-layer display. On top is a transparent LCD display that shows the time and heart rate when the battery is low (Essential mode). Beneath that is a vivid OLED screen for smart features.
- Processor: Snapdragon Wear 4100
- Display: Dual-layer (AMOLED + FSTN LCD)
- Battery: Up to 72 hours in Smart Mode, 45 days in Essential Mode
- Sensors: SpO2, Heart Rate, GPS
6. Fitbit Versa 3 / Sense
Fitbit’s best smartwatches
The Fitbit Versa 3 and the new flagship Fitbit Sense represent the best of fitness-first smartwatches. The Sense introduces EDA (electrodermal activity) scanning for stress management, alongside ECG and skin temperature sensors. The Versa 3 is a more affordable version that still includes GPS and excellent sleep tracking.
Pros
- Excellent battery life (6+ days).
- Best-in-class sleep tracking.
- Google Assistant and Alexa built-in.
Cons
- Button interface can be finicky.
- Some advanced health metrics require Fitbit Premium subscription.
7. Amazfit Bip
The best cheap smartwatch
You do not necessarily have to pay big bucks to get a capable smartwatch with fitness-tracking function. The ultra-affordable Amazfit Bip costs less than $80, yet works with iOS and Android and comes with GPS and a heart rate monitor. Health-tracking features are fairly solid, and the Bip’s transflective color display is easy on the eyes and doesn’t drain the battery. Speaking of battery life, you can expect around 45 days of regular usage.
Pros
- Apple Watch-like design.
- Built-in GPS.
- Incredible 45-day battery life.
- Very affordable.
Cons
- Heart rate and steps not always accurate.
- Low-resolution graphics.
- Cannot reply to notifications.
Conclusion
After testing dozens of the best smartwatches, our top pick is the Apple Watch Series 6 for iOS users due to its polished software and health features. For Android users, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the clear winner with its rotating bezel and robust Tizen OS. If battery life is your priority, look at the Fitbit Sense or the TicWatch Pro 3.
A passionate tech enthusiast with a deep focus on PC hardware, gaming rigs, and performance tuning, Bertine Gaynor has spent years exploring the latest innovations in processors, GPUs, and custom builds. On DigitalUpbeat.com, he shares hands-on reviews, performance breakdowns, and expert insights to help readers make smart hardware choices. When not testing components, he’s often optimizing setups for peak efficiency or diving into the latest tech trends shaping the future of computing.
