Best Smartwatches

The post Best Smartwatches appeared first on Android Headlines.

Apr 3, 2025 - 21:59

Smartwatches can do a great many things these days compared to the first few years they were a thing, and there are also a ton more options out there, which can make choosing a smartwatch a little bit more difficult, especially if you’re trying to find the best option for you. For some, it can even be a grueling decision because the number of choices you have can feel overwhelming.

Do you go with the cheapest option and forego some features? Or is it better for you to just pay up and get whatever the most expensive option is, so you don’t miss out on functionality? Then, of course, what do you choose when there are tons of options that fit into both of those categories? This is why we’ve put together a list of the best smartwatches out there. So you can remove the guesswork from this equation and narrow your choices down significantly.

A smartwatch is meant to be your companion for simple daily tasks you might not need your phone for. It’s not meant to be a complete replacement for it. Merely a device that makes your daily life easier by taking care of some of those simpler tasks. For instance, I like to use the Google Maps app on my watch for navigation, because then I can just lift my wrist and quickly glance at the next step in the directions to see where I’m going.

Whether you’re looking for the best overall smartwatch or something that is easier on the wallet without compromising too much on features, we’ve got you covered.

Best Smartwatch Overall: Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Lifestyle Image

When it comes to overall quality, features, and general usefulness on a day-to-day basis, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 really is the best option overall. Now, there is some nuance to this because it doesn’t get the full experience if you use the watch without an iPhone. You can also pair it with an Android phone, but you won’t get the full experience either, and you’ll need an iPhone initially to complete the setup of the watch. So there’s no getting around not having an iPhone for at least this step.

All of that aside, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 simply gives the best overall smartwatch experience, even if you do really need to be on the Apple ecosystem to get everything out of it. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 gives decent battery life, although nothing earth-shattering. What really makes it so good is the general ease of use and how it’s tapped into basically everything you could want the watch for. Notifications are easily manageable with the Smart Stack feature, and don’t even get me started on Double Tap.

Apple really made getting things done on the watch a lot more convenient with Double Tap, and this is coming from someone who uses a Pixel Watch 3 daily and loves it because of how convenient so many things are now. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also Apple’s most durable smartwatch to date. Plus, it has some really awesome functions like the button on the side for quickly launching various apps or features.

The nighttime watch faces are pretty great, too. Although you might find these more useful if you spend a lot of time outdoors even while it’s dark, and need to check your watch often. Speaking of the display, it gets pretty bright with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, and this is why you want something like those nighttime watch faces. They make viewing the display at night way easier on the eyes.

Additionally, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a much wider array of training features than any other smartwatch out there. Making it perfect for people who are really into their fitness and trying to take it to the next level. At $769, it’s certainly not an inexpensive smartwatch, but if you want the best, especially if you use an iPhone, this is it.

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Best Smartwatch For Android Users: Google Pixel Watch 3

If you’re using an Android phone, then the Pixel Watch 3 is the best option for you. You do get a few streamlined features if that Android phone is a Pixel phone. However, for the most part, the functionality is the same no matter if your phone is a Pixel phone or not. I’ve been using this all the time since my review of it last year and I have liked it better than the Galaxy Watch 7, or any other Galaxy Watch or smartwatch I’ve tested.

One of the reasons why I love it is the style. I think it looks super clean, and that’s something you can’t say about a lot of smartwatches out there. Style aside, one of my favorite things about this watch is the battery life. It easily lasts me close to three full days before needing to throw it on the charger. That being said, your experience with battery life may vary. I do use the watch daily, but I’m also not wearing it from the beginning of the day to the end. I usually take it off for a few hours at some point and set it on the desk.

Which means that some parts of the day it gets no real use. Without a doubt, that contributes to it lasting longer for me than it might for some. However, it should easily last most people up to a second day. I also really love that it incorporates this new Morning Brief feature. If I wear the watch to sleep, I can wake up with a morning brief just like on my Pixel 8. And this is nice because it gives me a quick refresher on how I slept, in addition to the weather, and a few other details about the day.

Plus, if I wear the watch to sleep, it now has an automatic bedtime mode to help conserve battery life. The watch now recognizes when you fall asleep and will go into bedtime mode on its own. You used to have to turn this on manually on the older Pixel Watch models. Not anymore. Naturally, it’s a really great watch for reading notifications thanks to the haptic crown on the side.

It also does a great job of tracking my activities automatically. So, if I do decide to do a little more exercise on any given day, I know the Pixel Watch 3 is going to keep track of that data so I can look back at it later. Best of all, it now has a bigger display than the past two Pixel Watch models. You can still get it with the smaller display, but you have the option of a bigger one now, which is just great if you don’t like smartwatches with small screens.

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Best Smartwatch For Samsung Users: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

AH Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Review (9)

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a really nice watch, but I think for the majority of Samsung users, the Galaxy Watch 7 is the best smartwatch out there. It has most of the same features as the Galaxy Watch Ultra but it comes in at a significantly lower price point. So you get to spend much less money and get most of the same functionality. Really the biggest things you lose out on are the quick launch button, the nighttime watch faces, and the more durable build. It also has a slightly bigger watch face.

All of that said, you will still get mostly everything else. Like options for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi only or LTE for connectivity, all the fitness tracking, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, Google Maps, and everything else you get with Wear OS 5. Battery life is still really good, even if the Galaxy Watch Ultra does last you a little longer.

So all in all, I think giving up a few of those more advanced or cool features is the better value, given the money you end up saving. What I think a lot of users will love about this watch is the touch bezel. It’s not as good as the rotating bezel like Samsung had on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, but it’s pretty close. You can also navigate basically any part of the UI with it. I found this was most useful when scrolling through the app list, or really any of the menus.

I think the Galaxy Watch 7 has the best display of any smartwatch, too. At least when it comes to smartwatches, you’d use with Android. While the display on the Pixel Watch 3 is pretty great, I think Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 offers just a bit more clarity. Battery life is fine, though I do expect most people will have to charge it daily with some exceptions. Just don’t get this watch expecting it to last you several days before it needs a charge.

What makes this watch stand out more from most other options is the Galaxy AI. While I didn’t use this for too much, it came in very handy for the smart replies. Basically, if a message came in and I needed to respond to it, Galaxy AI could help me respond by giving me smart responses to choose from. The main benefit of this for me was when I needed to respond hands-free, or if I just didn’t want to take the extra time to type the message out or speak it with the voice option.

Buy at Samsung

Best Smartwatch For Long Battery Life: Garmin Instinct 2X Solar

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar

If battery life on your smartwatch is one of your main concerns, then you should really throw every other option out the window and stop at the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. While it doesn’t run on Wear OS and that’s going to prevent it from getting certain features, like Google Maps and Google Wallet, not having Wear OS is what helps the battery last so long on this thing.

So, how long will the battery last? Well, in smartwatch mode, that’s where you’re not using the GPS tracking, this can last for UP TO 40 DAYS! Yes, up to 40 days. That is incredibly good, and it’s not just the lack of Wear OS that helps the watch achieve this. It’s essentially a black and white display. And if you utilize the solar charging function, the battery life could be potentially endless. For this to work, the watch will need at least three hours of direct sunlight per day. So on the days when you’re outside quite a bit, this will help extend the battery life even further.

Another thing worth mentioning is that while this doesn’t have Google Pay, it does have Garmin Pay, which is just Garmin’s version of a contactless payment system. It works at the same types of tap-to-pay checkout stands as Google Pay and Apple Pay so you won’t really lose out on this if you like using it.

Another benefit this watch has over almost anything that isn’t from Garmin is the GPS. Garmin smartwatches have the best GPS, and the Instinct 2X Solar is no exception. The watch is incredibly rugged and durable as well. So don’t be alarmed if it gets bumped up against stuff, and don’t be afraid if it gets wet. It’ll be fine. What you might really like is the built-in LED flashlight. I’m always looking for stuff in the dark when I need to leave the house early or when I get home super late. A feature like this usually saves the day.

The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar also has several training features and multiple exercise tracking modes. That’s in addition to sleep tracking, heart rate tracking, smartphone notifications, and more. There’s not a whole lot this watch can’t do. It will also currently only run you $290. That is, unless it goes back to its regular $449.99 price.

Buy at Amazon

Best Budget Smartwatch: Amazfit Active 2

Amazfit Active 2 featured image

Not all smartwatches have to cost hundreds of dollars. In fact, if you’re looking for something that won’t empty out your wallet, the Amazfit Active 2 is an amazing option since it only costs $99. While you might think you’ll lose out on a bunch of features, the Amazfit Active 2 has everything most average users would need. Sleep tracking, fitness tracking, you name it. It has heart tracking, too, of course. Plus, it looks pretty good.

It also works with both Android and iOS, so it doesn’t matter which smartphone platform you use. Battery life isn’t too bad either. You can get about 10 days out of it with a single charge. That’s not going to compare to the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar. However, it beats out every Wear OS smartwatch out there. That’s one of the details about this watch that I think most people will really love. That they won’t have to charge it every single night.

Although, since you aren’t charging it nightly, this could cause you to forget to charge it when needed. Because you aren’t doing it as often. All that really means is that you have to be more diligent about charging the watch when necessary. The Amazfit Active 2 has a huge number of workout modes as well. Over 160, to be exact. That’s certainly a leg up on many other smartwatches out there, and it’s one of the things that Amazfit has done well for a while.

Plus, the Active 2 has GPS tracking and turn-by-turn navigation if you need it. It might not be Google Maps, but it serves the same function, and that’s really what’s most important. At the end of the day, what you’re looking for is something that’s inexpensive, and this is pretty inexpensive. That’s especially true when you consider all the features that it offers. If the cost of the smartwatch is one of your main concerns, this ensures you get something nice without breaking the bank.

Buy at Amazon

Best Smartwatch For Outdoor Enthusiasts: Garmin Fenix 8 Solar

Garmin Fenix 8 Solar

Outdoor enthusiasts typically need a lot from a smartwatch, and that includes something that not only lasts them a long time between charges, but something that’s as durable as they come. The Garmin Fenix 8 Solar is the cream of the crop in these areas while providing lots and lots of functionality. Unlike the Instinct 2X Solar, the Fenix 8 Solar comes with a color display, so things might be a little easier to see.

Because of this display and some of the Fenix 8’s extra functions, the battery life won’t last as long as the Instinct 2X Solar. However, the Fenix 8 still lasts a respectable maximum of 48 days with solar charging in smartwatch mode. That assumes the watch gets 3 hours of direct sunlight per day in 50,000 lux conditions. In GPS mode, it can still last up to 149 hours. This is more than a few days in a row. So, yeah, it’s not going to die on you anytime soon.

Feature-wise, it’s very similar to the other Instinct 2X Solar. It has an LED flashlight, built-in GPS, and it’s waterproof and dustproof. Other features like the advanced strength training and the Garmin Coach can help you reach your best self and keep you on the path to continued exercise to stay fit.

You’ll also really like the Garmin Messenger function that lets you engage in two-way text messaging right from your wrist. That being said, this does require that both the sender and the receiver have the Garmin Messenger app installed on their phones. So that’s worth keeping in mind. It also has several other features, like the Endurance Score. This helps you understand how prepared you are for longer training sessions with prolonged effort.

Overall, this is the best option for anyone who spends a lot of time exercising, running, and being outdoors for that next adventure. It’s also quite expensive at $1,199.99. But then again, it’s a smartwatch that does pretty much everything.

Buy at Amazon

The post Best Smartwatches appeared first on Android Headlines.