The perfect smartwatches for Android

Editor’s word: Fossil confirmed to us that it’s leaving the smartwatch enterprise. Because of this, we’ve eliminated its Gen 6 smartwatch from this listing as we consider different choices.

After a protracted stretch of slim pickings, the final couple of years have been large for Android smartwatches. Now there are extra good choices than ever.

However that is nonetheless a transitional period. Whereas we’re inspired by the stronger third-party app choices, the market remains to be fragmented. Put on OS 4 is already right here for Samsung’s Galaxy Watches and each variations of the Pixel Watch — and now, the OnePlus Watch 2. Nonetheless, the bigger ecosystem remains to be catching up. Some options, like Google Assistant, should not but out there on sure Put on OS 3 smartwatches. It could come by way of an replace someday sooner or later, however it’s been a protracted wait up to now. 

Should you’d moderately wait till Put on OS settles down a bit, there are platform-agnostic smartwatches and health watches you should buy within the meantime. In any other case, you’ll need to pay attention to the chip and Put on OS model powering your watch. Mobvoi, for example, solely simply began rolling out Put on OS 3 to its eligible Put on OS 2 watches. Talking of Mobvoi, its TicWatch Professional 5 was the primary to sport the brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus within the US, and whereas it’s an awesome watch, you could wish to wait till there are extra W5 Plus watches to select from. The Pixel Watch 2 has the W5 (no Plus) chip, and the end result thus far has been zippier efficiency and higher battery life. The OnePlus Watch 2 additionally has the W5 Plus, however we’re nonetheless placing that one by way of its paces.

As long as you retain the aforementioned caveats in thoughts, Android customers have extra smartwatch choices than ever earlier than. I’ve rounded up my high picks, but when none of those is the correct match, you may all the time take a look at our health tracker information. 

Sizes: 43mm, 47mm / Weight: 77g, 85g / Battery life: As much as 30 hours with AOD, 40 with out AOD / Show kind: At all times-on OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: As much as 50 meters, IP68 / Music storage: 16GB

If in case you have a Samsung telephone, you’ll get probably the most mileage out of a Samsung smartwatch. And of the three watches Samsung has in its present lineup, I like to recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Traditional.

First off, it’s received a rotating bodily bezel — and mentioned bezel is now 15 % thinner than the Galaxy Watch 4 Traditional. The up to date design is sleeker than its predecessor, and the bigger show is simpler on the eyes and is simply barely larger at 43mm and 47mm. I’ve small wrists, however the 47mm was nonetheless fairly snug for on a regular basis put on. It’s launching with Put on OS 4, which provides prolonged battery life, and eventually, cloud backups. One UI 5 Watch additionally provides some minor well being and sleep monitoring enhancements, however it will finally make its option to older fashions. Whereas I choose the Traditional, the bottom Watch 6 mannequin could be the higher possibility in order for you a smaller, lighter, sleeker, and cheaper smartwatch.

Total, the Galaxy Watch 6 sequence is an iterative replace, however I admire that battery life has improved to the purpose the place I’m not anxious whether or not it’ll final me the whole day. In fact, your mileage will fluctuate relying in your particular person use and which settings you allow. For instance, turning on steady SpO2 sensing at night time could make the battery drain quicker, however utilizing bedtime mode can mitigate that so that you solely lose 10–15 % in a single day as an alternative of 25–30 %.

Final yr’s $449.99 Galaxy Watch 5 Professional can even get you an awesome general expertise. It’s not an enormous improve from the Galaxy Watch 4, however the primary advantages of the Professional over different fashions are additional sturdiness, neat GPS options, and battery life. I like to recommend selecting the Professional in case you’re a weekend warrior or if multiday battery life is your high precedence. We received as much as 65 hours in testing, although in case you allow the always-on show, you’ll extra seemingly get round 48 to 50 hours. Nonetheless, that’s a notable bump over the Galaxy Watch 6 sequence, the bottom Watch 5, and the Watch 4 lineup. Software program updates (and greater batteries on newer fashions) have improved the battery life on these watches, however you’ll nonetheless must cost them each day or each different day. And the Pixel Watch solely lasts round 24 hours.

The change to Put on OS means you’re getting a way more sturdy third-party app expertise than on Tizen-powered Samsung smartwatches, just like the Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Watch Lively lineup. You additionally get extra flexibility on providers than with every other Put on OS watch. For instance, if you wish to kick Bixby to the curb in favor of Google Assistant, you may. In order for you a extra in-depth take a look at how the Galaxy Watch 5 stacks up in comparison with the Pixel Watch particularly, you may take a look at our Versus video. (The vast majority of the factors nonetheless apply to the Watch 6, as not an entire lot has modified.)

Samsung Well being additionally delivers a very good general health monitoring expertise, particularly since you may allow turn-by-turn navigation for mountain climbing and biking actions. Samsung is increasing this to incorporate walks and runs with One UI 5 Watch. We weren’t too impressed with nightly SpO2 readings, however Samsung’s general sleep monitoring continues to enhance. You additionally get built-in GPS, physique composition evaluation, irregular coronary heart fee notifications, fall detection, emergency SOS options, and EKGs. 

We don’t essentially advocate the Galaxy Watch 6 sequence or 5 Professional in case you don’t have a Samsung telephone. EKGs require the Samsung Well being Monitor app, which is proscribed to Samsung telephones. Additionally, whilst you can customise the buttons to launch your digital assistant of alternative, the shortcut for contactless funds is difficult coded to Samsung Pay / Pockets — which can also be gated to Samsung telephones until you sideload the APK — and requires you to join Samsung’s service. You may work round it, however all Samsung watches work finest with different Samsung gadgets.

Learn my full evaluate of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 sequence.

Sizes: 41mm / Weight: 31g / Battery life: Roughly 24 hours with AOD enabled / Show kind: At all times-on OLED / GPS: Constructed-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Security Sign with Fitbit Premium / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

The $349.99 Google Pixel Watch 2 is a major enchancment over the unique. The Galaxy Watch 6 lineup will nonetheless get you a extra polished general expertise, however the Pixel Watch 2 is the higher alternative for Android customers who aren’t on a Samsung smartphone.

That’s due to ecosystems. Some options of Samsung’s watches solely work with Samsung telephones. Broadly talking, the Pixel Watch doesn’t care what Android telephone you will have; you’ll get the identical expertise regardless. That mentioned, its name screening function will solely work in case you pair it with a Tensor-equipped Pixel telephone. It’s a bit of disappointing, however in comparison with Samsung, the Pixel Watch 2 doesn’t gatekeep well being options based mostly on what telephone you will have. It’s additionally all the time going to have the newest updates to Google providers like Google Maps, Google Pockets, YouTube Music, and Google Assistant as a result of, effectively, it’s Google’s smartwatch. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google additionally added Calendar and Gmail to its listing of supported apps. Talking of which, shopping for the Pixel Watch 2 can even get you a six-month trial of Fitbit Premium and a one-month trial of YouTube Music. 

An important improve from final yr is that the battery reliably lasts 24 hours with the always-on show enabled. A few of that is because of the extra power-efficient Put on OS 4 and a brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor. (It additionally means zippier efficiency general.) It’s additionally switched to a pin-charging system, which interprets to a lot quicker charging. You will get about 50 % in half-hour, and a full cost takes about 75 minutes. Due to a firmware replace, the unique Pixel Watch now prices extra slowly — so the distinction is additional noticeable.

In comparison with final yr, Google has additionally performed a greater job this yr of integrating Fitbit’s well being and health options. The Pixel Watch 2 now has a multipath sensor that allows 40 % extra correct coronary heart fee monitoring for vigorous workouts. Plus, you may make the most of coronary heart fee zone and tempo coaching — options different health smartwatches have had for a very long time. The train views are additionally simpler to learn. It additionally now has a pores and skin temperature sensor and the Fitbit Sense 2’s steady electrodermal exercise sensor (cEDA). This implies the Pixel Watch 2 is now able to proactive stress monitoring. When indicators of physiological stress are detected, you’ll be prompted to replicate in your temper, take a stroll, or do a respiratory train. It’s imperfect, however it’s top-of-the-line implementations of mindfulness options we’ve seen up to now.

Google has additionally launched new private security options. Security Verify is a proactive timer that may ship your location to family members in case you’re in a pickle. You set an exercise (i.e., taking public transportation or strolling alone) and a timer length. Should you don’t verify in when the timer goes off, your location will mechanically be shared together with your emergency contacts. One other neat function is Security Sign. Should you get an LTE watch and have a Fitbit Premium subscription, you don’t want an lively LTE plan with a purpose to make the most of emergency providers.

One factor to be conscious of is sturdiness. Whereas the domed show is gorgeous, we cracked the display on the unique Pixel Watch and received deep scratches on the Pixel Watch 2. Google doesn’t supply any restore choices, however with the Pixel Watch 2, it has began providing its Most popular Care prolonged guarantee, so you will have extra alternative choices ought to one thing occur. It’s not splendid because it’s restricted to the US and Canada, however it’s a step in the correct path.

Learn my full Google Pixel Watch 2 evaluate.

Sizes: 50mm w/24mm straps / Weight: 44.3g / Battery life: As much as 80 hours / Show kind: OLED touchscreen and secondary ultra-low energy show / GPS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Beidou / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

Mobvoi’s TicWatch lineup has its devoted followers for a motive: tremendous lengthy battery life. The $249.99 TicWatch Professional 5 is not any exception. It’s received an estimated 80 hours of battery life with commonplace use, a secondary ultra-low energy show, and a large (for a smartwatch you put on in your wrist, not less than) 628mAh battery. I didn’t fairly get 80 hours in my testing, however I did get a stable 48-60 hours even with heavy GPS use. That outclasses many of the watches on this class and is beneficial for backpackers and endurance athletes. It may not maintain a candle to a top-of-the-line Garmin, however it’s additionally a better look ahead to a fraction of the worth.

Battery life apart, Mobvoi’s watches are an awesome different to the Fossil Gen 6, and the Professional 5 is an efficient possibility for fitness-focused individuals who aren’t eager on giving up good capabilities for a Garmin or Polar. It’s additionally extra sturdy than Fossil’s style watches or the Pixel Watch. This time round, Mobvoi has additionally added a digital crown so that you don’t have to fret about scrolling by way of menus with sweaty fingers. The flatter aspect button additionally reduces the danger of unintentional presses.

The Professional 5 additionally has an ingenious methodology of displaying coronary heart fee. Once you carry up your arm, the backlight adjustments coloration relying on which coronary heart fee zone you’re in. Which means you may immediately gauge whether or not to up the depth or gradual your roll. The Professional 5 additionally provides new coaching metrics, like VO2 Max and restoration time.

The TicWatch helps stress monitoring, all-day blood oxygen monitoring, fatigue assessments, in addition to atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeat detection. For outdoorsy varieties, it additionally has entry to a number of GNSS techniques, and there’s a brand new barometer and compass app, in addition to a one-tap measurement app that offers you a fast take a look at 5 metrics (coronary heart fee, blood oxygen, stress, respiratory fee, and general coronary heart well being).

It’s additionally fairly succesful on the productiveness entrance. You get contactless funds, entry to the Play Retailer, notifications, and the flexibility to take calls. It’s additionally the one Android smartwatch out there within the US with the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus chip, which is a plus by way of futureproofing. The one main issues are the 50mm case that will not go well with smaller wrists and the shortage of a digital assistant.

Learn my full evaluate of the Mobvoi TicWatch Professional 5.

Sizes: 37mm with 18mm straps / Weight: 45g / Battery life: As much as 39 days / Show kind: OLED show / GPS: Tethered GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: N/A

Hybrid smartwatches are a wonderful option to preserve issues easy and delicate. The $249.95 Withings ScanWatch Gentle will get you the fundamentals like push notifications, timers, and alarms. On the well being entrance, you may monitor steps, sleep, menstrual cycles, and GPS exercises. (That mentioned, GPS is tethered out of your telephone, not in-built.) The design jogs my memory of a classier Swatch, notably in case you get the extra colourful choices in a minty inexperienced or pale blue. However the large motive the Gentle has dethroned our earlier decide, the Garmin Vivomove Sport, is its extra-long battery life. Withings estimates it lasts as much as 30 days on a single cost, and I received fairly near that in testing with 25 days. Regardless of the Vivomove’s extra interesting $180 price ticket, it solely lasts about 5 days.

In order for you a bit extra out of a hybrid, you can too go for the ScanWatch 2. It’s an additional $100, however you get EKGs and atrial fibrillation detection, temperature sensors, SpO2 readings, and an altimeter for measuring elevation. It additionally seems to be a bit extra elegant on the wrist, partly due to a secondary dial that tracks your each day step progress.

If neither matches your fashion, the Vivomove Sport remains to be a very good possibility that will get you entry to Garmin’s in-depth platform. Its Vivomove Development is a barely extra upscale possibility that additionally helps Qi charging.

Learn my full evaluate of the Withings ScanWatch 2 and Gentle.

Sizes: 41mm w/ 18mm straps; 45mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 40g for the 3S; 47g for the three / Battery life: As much as 10 days for 3S; 14 days for 3 / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 8GB

Garmin is finest identified for making rugged GPS watches which have glorious health options however aren’t so good in any other case. However the $449.99 Venu 3 caters to individuals who need top-notch health monitoring with out sacrificing productiveness options.

It’s received a colourful and vibrant always-on OLED show and is available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Like its predecessor, the Venu 2 Plus, it additionally has a microphone and speaker so you may take and make calls immediately from the wrist. It additionally has a intelligent workaround for digital assistants — it makes use of Bluetooth to work with no matter assistant is already in your telephone. You’d suppose extra health trackers would do that, however they don’t. It labored effectively in testing, although digital assistants aren’t all the time the neatest at understanding instructions.

The Venu 3 doesn’t have the perfect third-party app ecosystem, however it has Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music for offline playback. Android customers may also ship fast responses for texts, and the watch works with both iOS or Android for people who wish to preserve their choices open. It additionally has fall detection, reside monitoring, and contactless funds.

As for well being options, it has Garmin’s newest coronary heart fee sensor, which allows its FDA-cleared EKG app to detect atrial fibrillation. In any other case, you get built-in GPS, steady coronary heart fee monitoring, all the superior teaching options within the Garmin Join app, and Garmin’s well-known in-depth well being knowledge. The Venu 3 additionally improves sleep monitoring with nap detection and provides audio-guided meditation periods. There’s additionally a brand new wheelchair mode.

This isn’t probably the most hardcore Garmin that cash can purchase, however it’s positively the neatest. The worth is a bit excessive in comparison with most smartwatches, however by Garmin requirements, it’s middle-of-the-pack.

Measurement: 46mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 34g / Battery life: As much as 14 days / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: Twin-frequency and 6 GNSS techniques / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 2.3GB

Amazfit’s made a reputation for itself making funds wearables that punch far above their weight. I’ve been constantly impressed by the GTR line of smartwatches over time, and the $199.99 GTR 4 is not any exception. 

Not solely does it have a traditional look, however you additionally get 14 days of battery life and a coloration, always-on OLED show. New to the GTR 4 is dual-band GPS — a function that Apple and Garmin solely not too long ago launched to their higher-end smartwatches. Or, in case you wish to plan your personal path runs or hikes, you may import your personal GPS routes, too. It tracks 150 sports activities and options all-day steady coronary heart fee monitoring. You may also monitor stress, sleep, and SpO2 ranges. For good options, you may take calls on the wrist, and it has two digital assistants: Alexa and a proprietary offline assistant. The system additionally syncs with Strava and Adidas Operating. 

The GTR 4 isn’t the perfect smartwatch round. Flagship watches can do every thing the GTR 4 can do however in a sleeker, extra polished package deal. Nonetheless, they’ll’t do it at this worth. If worth is your fundamental precedence, this will get you unbelievable bang in your buck. Plus, you may steadily discover Amazfit gadgets on sale. The icing on the cake is it really works simply as effectively on Android because it does on iOS.

Learn my full evaluate of the Amazfit GTR 4.

Replace March 18th, 10:12AM ET: Swapped Garmin Vivomove Sport with the Withings ScanWatch Gentle.