Table of Contents
What to Look for in a Smar twatch in 2022
In the previous several years, smartwatches have gone a long way. They are no longer a novelty item, and they can help you lessen your dependency on your smartphone. However, there are a few things to consider while purchasing a new smartwatch.
The first thing you should think about is compatibility. You want a wristwatch that communicates with your smartphone. The Apple Watch, for example, is only compatible with iPhones. So, if you’re an Android user, the Apple Watch isn’t for you.
Second, if you enjoy fitness and sports, be sure your wristwatch can track your activities and exercise. While the majority of smartwatches include basic fitness monitoring, the amount of activities or regimens that may be tracked varies. If you don’t want to bring your smartphone with you, the existence of GPS in a wristwatch is also useful for charting runs or bike excursions.
Another important consideration is battery life, which is one of the most common concerns regarding smartwatches. Many popular smartwatches have battery life of barely a day or two on a single charge. If you don’t want to charge another gadget on a regular basis, choose a smartwatch that can last at least a few days, if not a week.
Finally, the design and construction of your wristwatch are critical. You want something that you’ll still want to wear once the novelty wears off, as well as something that fits comfortably around your wrist.
With everything out of the way, it’s time to get into our suggestions.
Related: How to Install Google Assistant on Samsung Galaxy Smartwatches
Best Smartwatch Overall: Apple Watch Series 8
Pros
✓ Huge selection of apps available
✓ Excellent fitness and health tracking
✓ Faster charging
✓ Improved dust and waterproofing
Cons
✗ Mediocre battery life
✗ Expensive compared to other smartwatches
The Apple Watch is still the world’s most popular smartwatch, thanks to its beautiful design, plethora of downloadable applications, and continuous advancements with each new model. The Apple Watch Series 8, although being a minor upgrade, continues to demonstrate why Apple deserves to be at the top.
In practically every regard, the watch looks identical to the Series 7. The 45mm variant has the same 1.9inch sapphire display, body proportions, and buttons as the 35mm model. There are a few additional color options, but that is the extent of the visual changes. The improvements are all on the inside.
It can monitor your blood oxygen level, perform an ECG, and check your heart rate, much as the Series 7. The new temperature sensor and additional motion sensors are where the 8 begins to vary. The former assists in tracking your body’s cycles, while the latter may detect a crash more accurately and automatically launch an emergency call.
The Series 8 includes watchOS 9. This, like the watch, is an incremental OS upgrade rather than a total rewrite. There are various upgrades to fitness apps, as well as new tools to take advantage of the extra sensors. A menstrual cycle tracker and a more thorough sleep monitor are among them.
Even with the always-on display turned on, the battery may last up to 18 hours. If you use low-power mode, that estimate increases to 36 hours. Even yet, the Apple Watch’s battery life is one of the few areas where it falls short of its competitors, notably the Galaxy Watch 5. Because of the fast-charge capabilities, charging is much faster. A full charge takes only 45 minutes.
If you currently have a Series 7 Apple Watch, upgrading to the Series 8 may not be worth you unless some of the new features are game changers for you. However, whether you are upgrading from a previous model or purchasing your first wristwatch, the Apple Watch Series 8 should be at the top of your selection.
Best Budget Smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 2 Mini
Pros
✓ Long battery life
✓ SpO2 and heart-rate sensors
✓ Attractive design and bright display
Cons
✗ No third-party app support
✗ Trouble locking in GPS signal
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a smartwatch, the Amazfit GTS 2 Mini is an excellent deal. It has a stylish style that will look great with everything from corporate dress to gym gear. The smartwatch also has a brilliant OLED display.
The Amazfit GTS 2 Mini also has health and fitness tracking functions, including the ability to monitor your heart rate, stress levels, and sleep. Furthermore, the watch contains over 70 sports modes for tracking exercises and a SpO2 sensor for measuring blood oxygen levels.
The GTS 2 Mini’s battery life is another feature, lasting more than five days with an always-on display and intensive activity. If you are a light user and disable the always-on display, you may extend the backup to more than a week.
Among other things, the wristwatch supports Amazon’s Alexa speech assistant, so you can ask it to check the weather, set alarms, create lists, and much more. The wristwatch has GPS for charting your runs and bike trips, but it takes a long time to lock on to the GPS signal.
Furthermore, the GTS 2 Mini does not accept third-party apps, so you are limited to the programs that are pre-installed on the wearable. But that’s the price you’ll have to pay for a low-cost wristwatch.
Best Fitness Tracker: Garmin Venu 2
Pros
✓ Bright AMOLED display
✓ Excellent battery life
✓ Plenty of tracking options
Cons
✗ Limited smart features
✗ No mic
✗ Expensive
The Garmin Venu 2 is a functional fitness watch with a stylish appearance. It has a subtle appearance that many people would love. You also get a stunning AMOLED screen that is bright enough to be viewable in direct sunshine.
As a fitness-centric watch, it boasts a plethora of useful features that fitness aficionados will like. The Garmin Venu 2, for example, can measure indoor climbing, bouldering, snowboarding, and other activities in addition to running, walking, and cycling. There are also sophisticated training options that allow you to target specific muscle groups or track your weight training statistics. In addition, the watch includes high-intensity exercise timers to help you work up a sweat. There are almost 25 different exercise modes in all.
The Garmin Venu 2 is also swim-proof, boasts a heart-rate monitor, and a SpO2 sensor to measure blood oxygen levels.
The app selection is restricted, but you get most smartwatch essentials, including as phone alerts, audio playback, and NFC payment compatibility via Garmin Pay. The wristwatch supports both Android and iPhone, however iPhone alerts cannot be responded to. You’ll need another smartwatch if you want that capability.
It’s worth mentioning that the Venu 2 lacks several smartwatch capabilities seen on other popular smartwatches, such as inbuilt maps and a voice assistant. However, the Venu 2’s battery life compensates for its lack of smart capabilities. With an always-on display and heavy usage, it may last up to three days. Turning off the always-on display function extends the battery life to six days.
The Garmin Venu 2 is available in two color variants and a single 45mm size. The Garmin Venu 2S, which has the same functions as the Venu 2 but comes in a 40mm size and four colors, is also available.
Best Smartwatch for Battery Life: Fitbit Versa 3
Pros
✓ Can last upto six days
✓ Bright and crisp display
✓ Plenty of fitness and health features
Cons
✗ Limited selection of apps
The Fitbit Versa 3 is a good choice if you want a smartwatch that doesn’t sacrifice on fitness and smart features while still providing an excellent battery life. It lasts around six days without an always-on display and with moderate usage. Even with the always-on display turned on, you’ll get three days of battery life. The watch also supports quick charging, which gives you 24 hours of battery life in only 12 minutes.
The Versa 3 has an attractive design and a bright and sharp AMOLED screen that is easy to read in direct sunlight. Furthermore, the Fitbit App Gallery gives you access to over 10,000 watch faces, allowing you to customize your smartwatch exactly as you want it.
It also has several health and fitness aspects. The basic all-day tracking of steps, heart rate, hourly activity, calories burnt, floors climbed, and more is included. Furthermore, the watch encourages you to be physically active by displaying Active Zone Minutes.
Active Zone Minutes are earned by working out in the Fat Burn, Cardio, or Peak heart-rate zones. There is also a GPS, a SpO2 sensor, and sleep monitoring support.
While there aren’t as many applications for the Fitbit wristwatch as there are for the Apple Watch Series 7 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, you do receive the most useful smart features such as alerts, call taking, voice assistants, music playing, and more.
The Fitbit Versa 3 comes in a single size and five colors.
Best Smartwatch for Kids: TickTalk 4
Pros
✓ GPS for location tracking
✓ Secure calling and messaging
✓ Cameras for video calls
Cons
✗ Big and bulky
✗ No geofencing
The TickTalk 4 is a smartwatch with a lot of features for kids. This wristwatch has GPS location tracking, two-way communication, text support, and parental settings. Your youngster may also make video calls to family members and send video/photo messages using the inbuilt selfie cameras.
In terms of safety measures, there is an SOS button that may be configured to phone 911 or your parents. Furthermore, the wristwatch does not enable internet access and may only make and receive calls from a maximum of 53 parent-approved contacts.
To keep kids involved, a pre-installed iHeart Radio Family app lets them to enjoy music, podcasts, and tales for free. You can also establish daily step targets for your child, and there is built-in assistance for activity monitoring.
The TickTalk 4 seems enormous and cumbersome since it is contained in a thick, water-resistant shell to make it more durable, and some children may not want to wear it. In addition. You may use AT&T or T-Mobile SIM cards, but the plans will be more expensive.
Best Android Smartwatch: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Pros
✓ Made from high-quality materials
✓ Modern, stylish design
✓ Very good fitness features
✓ Easy customization through the Play Store
Cons
✗ Battery life could be better
Samsung is trying hard to bridge the gap with Apple, the undisputed market leader in smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch 5, Samsung’s second wearable to employ Google’s Wear OS, is a positive step forward. This appealing and feature-rich smartwatch is a compelling alternative to the Apple Watch, especially if you’re already a fan of the Samsung ecosystem.
The Galaxy Watch 5 retains the characteristic circular shape of all Samsung smartwatches, although with a more contemporary design than previous versions. The watch body is constructed of aluminum, and the display is made of sapphire, which is far stronger than the Gorilla Glass used in many other expensive smartwatches.
There are two watch sizes available, 40mm and 44mm, as well as various different colors. There is also a Pro variant, which replaces the aluminum body with titanium and includes a larger battery. The adoption of standard strap lugs by Samsung provides you even more adaptability, allowing you to use any watch strap with a 20mm fitting.
One of the primary objectives of smartwatches is health, and the Galaxy Watch 5 has a plethora of fitness capabilities. The Samsung Health app allows you to track a variety of physical activities, as well as heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, sleep patterns, and body composition information. Because to its IP68 waterproof rating, you may even wear it while swimming.
Previous Tizen-powered Samsung smartwatches suffered from a lack of applications. With the recent move to Wear OS, you can now install new applications and watch faces through the usual Google Play Store. A little detail, but one that significantly increases the Galaxy Watch 5’s attractiveness. The only minor letdown is the battery capacity, which is adequate but might be better.
Best Apple Smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 8
Pros
✓ Excellent health and fitness tracking
✓ Larger display with small bezel
✓ Great water and dust protection
Cons
✗ Battery life could be better
✗ Quite expensive
The Apple Watch is the best option if you own an iPhone. The two gadgets complement one other perfectly, and it makes perfect sense. The Apple Watch Series 8 improves on previous versions, and the outcome is unexpectedly amazing.
The Series 8 retains the thinner bezel introduced in the Series 7, allowing for a bigger display with virtually any increase in watch size. The sapphire screen, better water and dust resistance, rapid charging, and 41mm or 45mm variations all help.
The watch’s health and wellness functions are considerably more extensive. It can monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, perform an ECG, and sleep. The Series 8’s new sensors also allow you to monitor body temperature, allowing you to follow your body’s cycles, including menstrual periods.
WatchOS 9 includes various new features, including as new exercise views and improved methods to track your fitness progress. There are also new apps that make use of the new sensors. Extra motion sensors can detect an accident more precisely and instantly alert one of your emergency contacts.
One of the few drawbacks of the Apple Watch Series 8 is its subpar battery life. The projected 18 hours of usage on a full charge isn’t terrific, and even with the new low-power mode, you’ll only get 36 hours before needing to plug in.
