Before buying a smartwatch, carefully consider why you want one in the first place. For example, are you looking for a watch that help you build better sleep habits or train for your next race? Or do you care only about meeting your step goal and seeing notifications on your wrist? Most people likely fall somewhere in between.
The good news is that you can narrow down your options with just three questions. Do you use an iPhone or an Android device? How much are you willing to spend? And how do you plan to use it?
You'll also want to consider comfort, size and style. A smartwatch isn't useful if you don't enjoy wearing it. Comfort is especially important if you're looking for a smartwatch to use as a sleep tracker.
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Early smartwatches were clunky, expensive and limited in functionality, but there are plenty of worthwhile options on the market today. The best modern smartwatches expertly balance quality design and health and fitness tracking alongside smart features that take some of the burden off your phone. They typically cost anywhere between $200 and $1,000 depending on your needs, but prices will always vary depending on the brand.
Answering this question will dictate which choices are available. Brands like Fitbit, Garmin, and Withings make smartwatches that are compatible with both iPhones and Android phones. But some of our top picks are only compatible with one platform or the other.
The Apple Watch only works with the iPhone, while Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6 and Google's Pixel Watch 2 are only compatible with Android devices. If you're considering the Galaxy Watch 6, know that the ECG feature is only supported on Samsung's Galaxy devices, unless you side load Samsung's Health Monitor app onto a non-Galaxy phone.
Smartwatches come in several different price brackets, and finding which one is right for you depends on your budget and what you want from a smartwatch.
Google's Pixel Watch.
Most mainstream smartwatches fall around the $300 to $400 range, although you may pay a higher price for extras like LTE connectivity or a fancier finish. These watches provide health monitoring tools, fitness tracking and the ability to replicate some of your phone's functionality. These are the right choice if you want a well-rounded experience, especially when it comes to health and wellness. The Apple Watch Series 9, Fitbit Sense 2, Google Pixel Watch 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 fall into this category.
Below are some examples of features you'll find on smartwatches in this price range.
Features will vary depending on the model, but that's the general package you can expect from watches at that price. Some watches have their own specific extras, too.
The $399 Apple Watch Series 9, for example, has car crash detection and an ultra wideband chip that should make it function better as an iPhone locator and a digital key for your car and home. Google's $350 Pixel Watch 2 and $300 Fitbit Sense 2 have sensors that can passively monitor for signs of stress, while Samsung's $270 Galaxy Watch 6 can measure body composition. Garmin's $349 Forerunner 255 has more of a fitness focus, with built-in programs for triathlon and duathlon training. Fitbit and Garmin's watches also typically excel in battery life over watches from Apple, Google and Samsung. The latter, however, offer a larger selection of third-party apps.
The second-gen Apple Watch SE.
You can also find smartwatches that cost around $250, give or take. These watches include many of the features mentioned above, but not all of them. If you mostly want to see notifications on your wrist, make mobile payments, track workouts and don't care much about deeper health insights, this type of watch is the right choice. Watches like the Apple Watch SE and Fitbit Versa 4 are examples of value-priced smartwatches.
While watches in this price range are usually the right choice for many people, it's important to remember what you're missing. The $249 second-gen Apple Watch SE, for example, lacks an always-on display, ECG, blood oxygen measurements and a temperature sensor. But it has the same software, high- and low-heart-rate notifications, car crash detection, fall detection and selection of exercise modes as the Series 9.
The $230 Fitbit Versa 4 has many of Fitbit's most notable fitness features -- like active zone minutes, sleep tracking, built-in GPS and the daily readiness score (which requires a Premium subscription). You can also get phone notifications and access Amazon's Alexa on your wrist, and can access Google Maps and the Google Wallet. But you'll need the pricier $299 Fitbit Sense 2 to get Fitbit's more sophisticated health capabilities, like sensors that scan for potential signs of stress, ECG and a skin temperature sensor.
Garmin's $250 Venu Sq 2 offers a long battery life (an estimated 11 days) and many health and fitness features for the price (GPS, blood oxygen measurements and sleep tracking). But it doesn't have a speaker or microphone for taking calls, onboard music storage (unless you buy the $299 Music Edition) or access to Google Play Store apps.
It's hard to find new smartwatches that cost less than $200, although there are some options out there. If you want to pay less and don't necessarily care about using apps, you might want to consider a fitness tracker instead. (Fitbit also works with certain insurance companies to provide devices for members, so it's worth checking if your provider offers this benefit).
The Withings ScanWatch Horizon
Hybrid smartwatches are a cross between a smartwatch and a regular wristwatch. These types of watches usually resemble classic analog watches, and therefore lack some smart features you may find on devices like the latest Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.
For example, hybrid watches usually have standard, round analog watch faces with hands for the hour and minute rather than color touchscreens. Don't expect to get a full-screen view of your incoming alerts; that's what a regular smartwatch is for. Hybrid watches are designed to be more discrete, so they typically include a small screen located on the watch face for showing notifications and fitness stats. Hybrid watches also usually offer significantly longer battery like compared to standard smartwatches, which is one of their biggest benefits.
Examples of hybrid watches include the Withings ScanWatch and ScanWatch Horizon, Garmin Vivomove lineup and Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid. These watches typically cost around the same price as regular smartwatches, meaning you can expect to pay around $150 to $500 depending on the model. A hybrid watch is best for those who prefer the look of classic watches and prioritize having long battery life over smart features like color touchscreens and full app stores.
The Garmin Epix Gen 2.
There's another major smartwatch category to consider: premium fitness-focused watches. These devices usually have everything you'd find in regular flagship smartwatches, but with more rugged designs and additional characteristics aimed at sports enthusiasts. If you're training for a marathon or work in remote environments that may require a more precise GPS signal, one of these watches may be for you.
You can expect to pay between $500 and $1,000 for these types of watches. Garmin's Epix Gen 2 and Fenix 7 Standard start at $800 and $650 respectively, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available for $799.
You may wonder what makes these watches better for fitness buffs than their cheaper counterparts. While the specifics will vary, expensive fitness watches tend to have better durability, longer battery life, more accurate location positioning, customizable buttons and extra features that target specific sports, like running, scuba diving or golf.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, for example, has a 36-hour battery life compared to the Series 9's 18-hour battery life, water resistance of 100 meters compared to the Series 8's 50 meters, a depth gauge with a water temperature sensor, dual-frequency GPS, a titanium build, a larger screen and a programmable Action button.
Compared to the Forerunner 255, Garmin's Fenix and Epix watches also have increased water durability (100 meters versus 50 meters), lengthier battery life, dual grid mode for showing location coordinates in different formats, customizable hotkeys and an array of golf-oriented features. (The Forerunner 255 still has plenty of running-focused tools, like a race predictor to help with marathon training, since it's largely aimed at runners.)
The Fitbit Sense 2.
The best times to buy a smartwatch are generally around Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when the most discounts are available. For example, several Garmin devices and Fitbit wearables saw discounts last year.
If you're shopping at any other time during the year, the biggest factor you'll want to consider is when the new version of the smartwatch you're interested in might launch. Doing so ensures that you'll avoid paying a potentially high price for a device that may be outdated shortly. Plus, older models may go on sale once the new version launches.
Here's a look at when the major smartwatch makers tend to release new smartwatches based on previous launches.
The Fitbit Charge 5
If you want to spend less than $200 and don't care about features like LTE connectivity, virtual assistants or third-party apps, a fitness tracker could be the right choice.
Fitness trackers typically provide health metrics like sleep and activity tracking, heart rate, multiple exercise modes and blood oxygen saturation in a smaller (and less expensive) package, but skimp on some smart features like those mentioned above. Since fitness trackers usually have smaller screens, you also won't be able to see as much information at a glance as you would on a smartwatch.
But fitness bands do offer basic smartphone companion features, such as the ability to show call and text notifications and set timers and alarms. Another benefit is that you'll likely get longer battery life from a fitness band than a traditional smartwatch. Check out some of our favorite fitness trackers.
If you want a simple and minimalist health tracker that skips the phone notifications entirely, consider a smart ring like those made by Oura and Movano. But keep in mind these devices can still be just as expensive as a smartwatch. Samsung is also launching its wellness-tracking Galaxy Ring later this year, so Android users interested in smart rings may want to wait.
Still not sure where to start when buying a smartwatch? Check out CNET's guide to the best smartwatches for our top picks, which range from below $300 all the way up to $1,000. Most tech and health companies release their new products later in the year, but our current list includes our favorite choices based on what's available today. That includes the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9, Google Pixel Watch 2, Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Garmin Epix 2 among others.
We test smartwatches by tracking workouts with them, wearing them overnight while sleeping, testing how well they automatically detect exercises, relying on them for notifications when away from our phones and running the battery down to see how long they last. We also take readings from the various health sensors and ascertain what they add to the overall experience. Our goal when testing smartwatches is to assess their overall value by evaluating which features they offer, how well these watches execute those functions and how the whole package compares to the competition.
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Smartwatches do everything from sending text, call, app, and email notifications to tracking activities and monitoring health markers. The most important things to consider when choosing a new smartwatch are the features you'll use most, as well as the smartphone operating system you use.
Our top pick is the Apple Watch Series 9. Although it's only compatible with iOS, it's easy to navigate and offers robust health and fitness tracking tools. For Android users, we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. It has a durable, rugged design and multi-day battery life.
While most smartwatches track activities, they're not all full-fledged fitness trackers. Dedicated fitness trackers provide a variety of trackable activities and often provide in-depth progress-tracking data, monitor rest and recovery, and create workout recommendations. For information on these, check out our guide on the best fitness trackers.
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Best overall: Apple Watch Series 9 - See at Amazon
Best budget: Fitbit Versa 3 - See at Walmart
Best for Android: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro - See at Amazon
Best for Pixel users: Google Pixel Watch - See at Amazon
Best for fitness: Garmin Epix Pro - See at Garmin
Best premium Apple Watch: Apple Watch Ultra 2 - See at Amazon
Best Fitbit: Fitbit Sense 2 - See at Amazon
Best with bezel: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic - See at Amazon
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The Apple Watch has been one of the best smartwatches you can buy for several years and the Series 9 is yet another high-quality, full-featured wearable that's a must-own for iPhone users. This deal price is the best we've seen so far on this model. Clip the coupon at Amazon for the full discount.
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The Apple Watch Series 9 remains atop the smartwatch pack thanks to its excellent blend of health and fitness tools, smartwatch functionality, and overall effectiveness. For iOS users, there's no better wearable to buy and it's so good that it may even sway those who don't have an iOS device to get one.
When the Series 9 was released in September of 2023, it didn't represent a massive generational leap over the prior year's release, the Apple Watch Series 8. However, it did introduce a few new features that improved its accessibility and it also debuted a fast new processor chip.
The new additions include faster on-device Siri access, updated Smart Stack functionality, a brighter display, and, perhaps the most notable new feature, the Double Tap Gesture. The Double Tap Gesture allows users to tap their index finger and thumb together twice to interact with the primary button of any app. For instance, it can answer or hang up a phone call, start or stop a timer, and snooze an alarm.
The Apple Watch Series 9 offers the perfect blend of smartwatch features and health and fitness tracking capability, and may even sway some people to buy an iPhone in order to use it.
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While this new gesture is great for when you have your hands full yet still need to interact with your Apple Watch, it's a huge advancement in its accessibility. Now, users who may not be able to easily use the touchscreen can still make use of the watch's apps. This coupled with the Series 9's on-device Siri access completely changes how the watch can be used.
Beyond those updates, the Series 9 is still a powerful health and fitness tracker, offering several tools like blood oxygen sensing, sleep tracking, and stress management. There are also new mental health tools available within its Mindfulness app that allow users to log how they feel at certain times throughout the day.
The Apple Watch has long been a quality wearable and the Series 9 continues that trend, offering something for every type of user. It delivers a premium smartwatch experience, has powerful health and fitness tracking tools, and is not only the best Apple Watch you can buy but the best smartwatch, too.
Read our full review of the Apple Watch Series 9.
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A quality smartwatch doesn't have to cost a fortune and Fitbit's Versa 3 is the best example of why. It offers a robust smartwatch experience with a variety of health and fitness tracking, third-party app support, and a long-lasting battery.
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Although the Versa 4 is Fitbit's latest model, the Versa 3 remains the better option of the two. For starters, its compatibility with third-party apps gives it a massive leg up over the Versa 4, and it's also a much more accurate tracker in terms of GPS tracking and syncing.
The third-party app support is probably the most important aspect of why the Versa 3 is a standout. Since Fitbit decided to end third-party app support on the Versa 4, the Versa 3 remains the last Fitbit smartwatch that offers that functionality.
Fitbit's Versa 3 may be a last-generation wearable but with third-party app support, it's a far better smartwatch than the current-gen Versa 4.
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This translates into a much better smartwatch experience because you don't have to solely rely on whatever apps come pre-installed. Having the option to customize what you use is one of the best features of any smartwatch.
The Versa 3 excels beyond the app support and fitness tracking, too. It also acts as a fluid extension of your smartphone, offering text, email, call, and app notifications that are easy to read, especially on the watch's big, bright watch face. Having such a large screen is also good for quickly viewing any workout stats or navigating through an app.
It also offers health-tracking features like menstrual cycle tracking, in-depth sleep monitoring, and an always-on heart rate monitor. Fitbit may be more well-known for its no-frills activity trackers but the Versa 3 is an excellent full-featured smartwatch.
Read our full review of the Versa 3.
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Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the best fitness tracker for Android users thanks to its multi-day battery life, an intuitive operating system in WearOS, and a wide variety of advanced health and fitness tracking.
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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro continued the Galaxy Watch line's reign as the best Android smartwatch you can buy, and it did so via a few key upgrades over the existing line.
First, it houses a larger battery that allows it to go several days before a recharge. It also has a ruggedly durable design that caters to the active user. And when paired with one of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch bands, you can easily tailor it to function however you prefer to wear it.
These new features represent an extremely similar innovation cycle to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Watch 5 Pro has all the hallmarks of its non-Pro kin, the Watch 5, albeit with a few add-ons that make it especially useful for fitness-focused folks and outdoor enthusiasts.
It's also a powerful smartwatch. Call, text, email, and app alerts are easy to interact with on the large, bright watch face and it uses the latest iteration of Wear OS which is fluid and intuitive to navigate. It allows for deep customization, too, including several different watch faces that can display certain relevant information. I found this to be one of its best features as I could tailor what data or fitness stats it always showed on the home screen.
Samsung's Watch 5 Pro was the brand's answer to the Apple Watch Ultra, and it delivered. It has multi-day battery life, can track a variety of activities, and offers a suite of health features. It's the best for Android users by far.
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Health-focused users will also appreciate its variety of wellness features, including in-depth sleep tracking, as well as a unique body composition scanner that can inform you of your body fat percentage, water weight, and BMI. This isn't as accurate as a reading you may get at the doctor but it's still a handy tool.
For the fitness crowd, the Watch 5 Pro is stellar. Not only is there a wide range of trackable workouts, like cycling, running, and weight lifting, but there are plenty of niche activities including skiing and hiking. There's also a handy track-back option that functions like a breadcrumb feature to track your exact hiking routes. However, this only works for hiking and cycling but hopefully, future updates make it available for things like trail running, too.
The Watch 5 Pro isn't without its drawbacks, though as the experience is a bit better when using a Samsung phone compared to something like the Google Pixel. It's not a major red flag but is something to keep in mind. Some features, like the ECG function which tracks heart rhythms, are only accessible via an app exclusive to Samsung phones.
Even with those issues, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the best Android smartwatch you can buy. It's a quality health and fitness tracker and an exceptional smartwatch. For Android users, it doesn't get better than this.
Read our full review of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
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Google's Pixel Watch is an excellent smartwatch that's lightweight, fluid and intuitive to use, and has a sleek, classic design.
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Google's Pixel Watch is one of the most polarizing wearables I've tested. For as good of a smartwatch as it is, it's a frustratingly terrible fitness tracker, which is especially strange considering Google owns Fitbit.
But the main reason it gets the nod here, and why it's one of the best smartwatches for Android, is that it is a truly great smartwatch. Wear OS is intuitive to use, making the interface easy to navigate, plus it's compatible with several apps and extremely easy to interact with calls, texts, emails, and app notifications. As an effective extension of your smartphone, it shines.
However, those looking for a smartwatch that also does well in the fitness department should take heed: it's a very inaccurate watch in terms of GPS tracking and syncing. I had the most trouble when trying to get an accurate reading of my pace while running or cycling.
Perhaps the best feature of the original Pixel Watch is its ability to function exactly the same on any Android phone, regardless of brand or model. Not even the Galaxy Watch can say that.
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I found the watch to be off by as much as a minute and a half to two minutes on my normal mile time while running, which created a significant discrepancy. I always end up around the same spot during a 30-minute run, yet the Pixel Watch would tell me I ran far shorter than I typically do. That kind of info is useless to anyone training for a specific race or event.
Aside from those discrepancies, though, the Google Pixel Watch remains an excellent smartwatch. Not every smartwatch wearer needs something accurate down to .01 miles and instead wants a reliable smartwatch capable of displaying notifications and being the stand-in to their smartphone when they need it. That's exactly what you get with the Pixel Watch.
Read our full review of the Google Pixel Watch.
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The Epix Pro from Garmin does it all: it tracks a variety of activities, has a week-long battery life, and offers highly accurate GPS. It's not discounted often, so being able to save $200 during is an excellent deal.
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There aren't many things the Garmin Epix Pro can't do. From its endless number of trackable activities and week-long battery to its accurate GPS tracking, no-frills but useful notification system, and a suite of health-tracking features, it's more than just a quality fitness tracker, it's the best fitness tracker. Period.
But since we're talking about smartwatches, it's worth pointing out it excels at that, too. Its call, text, and app notifications are on the basic end of the smartwatch spectrum but they're still easy to interact with and the watch still serves as a reliable extension of your smartphone. It may not have all the bells and whistles of something like the Series 9 or Watch 5 Pro but it gets the job done.
Plus, the amount of extras that come with it makes it an especially great pick for fitness-focused folks or anyone who enjoys spending time outside. It offers in-depth activity tracking for things like running, cycling, weight training, and snowboarding, and does more than just track heart rate and time. It can log actual workout reps and track actual ground you cover via GPS, while also providing a detailed map of your route.
Garmin's Epix Pro is the best fitness tracker thanks to a wide variety of trackable activities, battery life that lasts up to a week, and one of the most accurate GPS we've tested.
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It's also a comprehensive health tracker with in-depth sleep and stress monitoring and a handy recovery tool that adjusts how much rest it recommends you need based on your daily activity.
I found the recovery feature quite useful, especially when I wanted to push myself but decided to take it easy based on the watch's recommendation, knowing I wouldn't be at my best. This input ultimately changed the way I worked out each week and I started to feel far better on a week-to-week basis in terms of soreness and what my overall recovery timeline was like.
This only scratches the surface of what the Epix Pro can do, too, as the watch literally learns your day-to-day behavior and adapts to suit you best. This includes the workout recommendations but it also helps manage stress levels, when to go to bed and wake up, and how often you should have a rigorous workout.
The fact it does all this while also being a reliable smartwatch makes it one of the premier wearables you can buy.
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The Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers a near-similar smartwatch experience to the Series 9 but at a much steeper price tag. While it may not be the preferred choice for casual users, it's worth the extra investment for advanced athletes or those who spend time outdoors.
This is mainly due to the features and internal hardware tailored to tracking activities like cycling, diving, and climbing. These features include a brighter screen that can be more easily seen in high-lighting conditions, tracking compatibility for freediving, scuba diving, and wakeboarding, and improved altitude readings.
The Ultra 2 also features a bulkier, more durable design than the Series 9, as well as a battery that lasts upwards of two full days, instead of needing to be recharged daily. The increased battery life is a huge improvement compared to the Series 9 (and other smartwatches in this guide) since less time on the charger means more time using it for how it's intended.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best option for outdoor enthusiasts and those who want longer battery life.
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However, my favorite feature of the Ultra 2 is its Action Button, which can be programmed to open several different apps including the fitness-tracking app, the stopwatch, or the shortcuts app. The Action Button is especially helpful for activities because instead of starting after a short three-second countdown, like on the Series 9, it allows you to press the button once you're situated and ready to go. This also helps wait for the GPS to sync.
Other notable features include the new Double Tap Gesture, which also debuted on the Series 9, and faster on-device Siri access. It also has the new S9 processor chip, as well as the updated ultra-wideband chip that improves its location accuracy.
Although the Ultra 2 offers many features geared toward the advanced athlete, it's still a quality wearable for the casual user. It has the same health and fitness tracking tools as the Series 9 while offering similar smartwatch functionality.
Read our full review of the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
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Fitbit's Sense 2 combines the brand's advanced health and fitness features with decent smartwatch capability, unique sleep tracking, and a clean design reminiscent of the Apple Watch.
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For a smartwatch that excels as a reliable sleep tracker, Fitbit's Sense 2 is at the front of the pack. It not only tracks your sleep each night and provides in-depth data but it also offers unique recommendations on how to improve your rest via several metrics. There are plenty of wearables that try to offer this level of insight but the Sense 2 does it best.
What sets the Sense 2 apart is how comprehensive the data it provides is. For example, after a night of sleep, the Fitbit app displays metrics showing how well I rested. These include time spent in REM, deep, and light sleep, as well as other factors like time spent awake, how restless I might have been, and what my heart rate was.
The Fitbit app can then recommend ways to improve my sleep to better my nightly score. This may include certain workouts, when to work out, or how to keep a consistent sleep schedule. Once I got the hang of using the recommendations, they made a noticeable difference.
The Fitbit Sense 2 is Fitbit's best wearable overall as it offers premium smartwatch capability and a suite of health and fitness tracking tools.
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It's worth noting that one major hurdle to having all the sleep data available is to have Fitbit Premium, the subscription part of the Fitbit app. Memberships run for $10 per month or $80 per year, and are worth the investment, especially for those intent on using the extra data.
Fitbit Premium also provides a unique Daily Readiness Score that analyzes your prior day's activity and rest and creates a numbered score to represent how hard to push yourself. There are in-depth health insights, like heart rate variability, available to subscribers, as well.
Aside from its capability as a sleep tracker, the Sense 2 is also an excellent fitness tracker. It offers tracking for a variety of activities like running, cycling, and strength training and also uses a skin temperature sensor, has heart rhythm (ECG) readings, and debuted Fitbit's real-time stress tracker. The stress tracker is especially useful for the feedback it provides on how to lower stress throughout the day.
And while the Fitbit Sense 2 is one of the best smartwatches, its actual smartwatch experience leaves a little to be desired. Yes, it gets notifications like calls, texts, and app updates, but the fact Fitbit removed third-party app support and Google Assistant access is disappointing. There's also no way to store or play music via the watch.
But I wouldn't view these as reasons to not buy a Sense 2, especially if you're looking for a smartwatch with premium sleep tracking. It's one of the best Fitbits you can buy and while it is a so-so smartwatch, it gets the job done when needed while offering a suite of advanced health and wellness features.
Read our full review of the Fitbit Sense 2.
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Samsung's latest smartwatch, the Watch 6 Classic, brings back the rotating bezel from the Watch 4 line, and it makes navigating the excellent Wear OS 4 operating system that much smoother and easier. Right now it’s on sale for the first time — just clip the on-page coupon to bring it down to only $300.
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Samsung's Galaxy Watch line of smartwatches has stood as the best Android smartwatch you can buy for years. With the recent release of the Watch 6 Classic, it looks to stay that way for at least another generation.
One of the best additions Samsung introduced on the Watch 6 Classic was to bring back the rotating bezel last seen in the Watch 4. With the rotating bezel, navigating the watch's interface and menus is fluid and easy, especially during workouts or when wearing gloves. This isn't to say the touchscreen is hard to navigate but sometimes I'd find it took a little longer to respond to a screen swipe than it would if I just simply spun the dial.
The watch's improved battery life is also a welcome update. Outside of the Watch 5 Pro, most Galaxy Watches would need to find their way to a charger at least once a day to recharge. This wasn't ever a deal breaker as even our top pick, the Apple Watch Series 8, requires the same daily charging.
Samsung's latest Galaxy Watch, the Watch 6 Classic, sees the return of a rotating bezel that some may find easier to use than the touchscreen native to the Watch 5 Pro and Watch 6.
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However, having a watch with a battery that lasts more than one day ensures you can squeeze all the functionality out of it. You can use it as a smartwatch and fitness tracker during the day while also using it as a sleep tracker at night. The Watch 6 Classic's longer battery allowed me to do exactly that during my time with it.
Of course, not all Watch 6 users will make use of every bell and whistle but even casual wearers will find plenty to utilize. Outside of the available activities and sleep tracking, there's also a stress tracker, a heart rhythm reader (ECG), a body composition analyzer, a temperature sensor, and a cycle tracker.
The highlight of these is the body composition analyzer, which I used to chart my body fat percentage and muscle mass, as well as the stress tracker, which tracked my specific stress levels at different times throughout the day and suggested methods for trying to lower it.
I also just really enjoyed wearing the Watch 6 Classic. It has a comfortable, lightweight design that felt equally as good to wear while working out and sleeping as it did while sitting at my desk.
The watch looks good on the wrist, too, featuring a classic round watch face design that looks and feels premium. I could see it being slightly too big for folks with smaller wrists, though it was the perfect size on my arm (and I like larger watch faces). But do keep this in mind if you don't like big watch faces.
My lone nitpick with the Watch 6 Classic is that it's not all that different from the previous generation of Watch 5. It does use the latest Wear OS, though that can also be downloaded on the Watch 5. What this means, though, is that upgrading to the Watch 6 Classic is best done by those wearing the Watch 4 or older — and Watch 5 users can take a beat and wait for the release of next year's Watch 7.
Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
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It's important to know how you intend to use a smartwatch before you start shopping for one. Maybe you want a wearable with a smaller watch face or prefer a certain strap material. You may even want one that offers robust health and fitness tracking capabilities.
Here's what to consider before purchasing:
Use case: While all smartwatches offer similar functionality of telling time and displaying various call, text, email, and app notifications, some are better suited to certain uses than others. For example, the Fitbit Sense 2 excels as a sleep tracker in addition to being a reliable smartwatch. If you don't need sleep tracking, the Sense 2 may not be a good fit.
Sizing: Smartwatches come in a variety of sizing options, both in terms of the actual watch face and the watch strap it comes with. While some folks may benefit from a larger watch face and prefer the amount of data they can see on it, others may find big watches to be too cumbersome and may prefer something smaller and sleeker. This is especially true for those with smaller wrists.
Compatibility: While iPhone users shouldn't buy an Android smartwatch, and vice versa, there are other compatibilities to keep in mind when shopping. For instance, some wearables, like Samsung's Watch 5 Pro and Watch 6 Classic, function better on a Samsung-branded phone than they do on a different Android device like the Google Pixel. Some features aren't available while the overall experience is slightly different.
Battery life: Battery life is one of the most important considerations when shopping for a smartwatch and directly impacts how you use it. For instance, the Apple Watch Series 9, our pick as the best smartwatch overall, requires daily charging. This is fine for folks who can put it on the charger each night but may not suffice for those who travel frequently, or who may not have access to a portable charger.
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Each of the smartwatches included in this guide went through a variety of tests to determine how well they performed across these four categories: Features, fit & comfort, ease of use, and value.
Here's how each category specifically factored into the decision process:
Features: This is one of the most important considerations for any smartwatch, and is what separates something like the Apple Watch Series 8 from something that didn't make our guide, like the Fitbit Versa 4. A wearable with features like third-party app support, the ability to play or store music, and others like sleep tracking or an always-on display truly fits the bill of being a quality smartwatch.
Fit & comfort: If a smartwatch is uncomfortable to wear, then you'll be far less likely to want to wear it very often. And since a smartwatch is supposed to be a suitable extension of your phone, track your daily activity, and monitor your sleep, you need to wear it a lot. We took into consideration how the watch band feels, how lightweight it is while wearing at night, and whether it stays comfortable while commuting, working out, etc.
Ease of use: Learning curve is another important factor since knowing how to get the most out of your smartwatch without fumbling through menus is a vital part of the experience. There will be a learning period with any new smartwatch but the ones that are intuitive and easy to navigate from the jump are the ones that stick out. The Apple Watch Series 9 is one of the easiest watches to navigate, hence the reason why it's our top overall pick.
Value: Value can often be subjective and is influenced entirely by how a user utilizes a certain smartwatch. For instance, not everyone needs the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Athletes or those who spend a lot of time outside who also need a powerful smartwatch will get a lot of value out of it while someone who is just casually active may not need all the bells and whistles. But value is still an important aspect we considered because smartwatches aren't cheap and you want to ensure that your investment is a wise one.
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This largely hinges on two things: how you intend to use the smartwatch and, perhaps most importantly, what smartphone you have. For instance, the best Apple Watches only work on iOS devices while the best Android smartwatches only work on Android devices.
So, while we think the Apple Watch Series 9 is the best overall smartwatch, regardless of smartphone operating system, it's still only usable by one group of users: those with an iOS device.
Consider how you intend to use the smartwatch, too. If you want something that accurately tracks activities and has several health-tracking tools, a pure smartwatch likely isn't going to be the "best" for you. Similarly, if you want the best pure smartwatch experience, a dedicated fitness tracker won't be the best fit.
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No. Some smartwatches work exclusively on a certain operating system. For instance, the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 only work on iOS devices while wearables such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Google Pixel Watch only work on Android devices.
However, many wearables work on iOS and Android, including the Garmin Epix, the Fitbit Sense 2, and the Fitbit Versa 3. Always cross-reference which operating system a certain smartwatch requires with the operating system of your smartphone before purchasing.
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No, the Apple Watch is only compatible with devices running iOS. While you can still wear an Apple Watch if you own an Android phone, you won't be able to get anywhere near the full functionality out of it like accessing any tracked data or downloading apps.
Unlike smartwatches from Garmin and Fitbit, which work with iOS and Android devices, the Apple Watch only works with iOS devices.
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No, Android smartwatches, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and Watch 5 Pro, as well as the Google Pixel, are only compatible with devices running the Android operating system. Folks with iOS devices should avoid purchasing these watches if they want to ensure the full functionality of their smartwatch.
If you want a device-agnostic smartwatch, opt for the Garmin Epix or Fitbit Sense 2.