photo: Smart watch for iPhone
We decided to choose the best smart watch for iPhone, because the Apple Watch is not suitable for everyone! If you're an iPhone owner looking for a new smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 5 is a good choice, but not the only one.
There are a number of iOS-compatible smartwatches on the market with features that have yet to be included in an Apple device.
Wear OS is compatible with iOS, as are Samsung Galaxy and Gear smartwatches. Thus, iPhone users have a variety of options to choose from.
Apple Watch Series 5
For iOS users, the Apple Watch 5 series is as close to a perfect smartwatch as it gets today. It's perfect for iOS and offers a huge range of features, including LTE - and now the watch can be kept with the display always on. The Series 5 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes, with plenty of room for the new features introduced in watchOS 6.
With built-in GPS for tracking outdoor workouts and water resistance, plus fitness tracking with the iconicMove, Stand and Calorie rings, the Series 5 is a powerful system. There is still no built-in sleep tracking, but this issue can be resolved using a third-party app.
The Series 5 offers an FDA-certified ECG monitor that can be used to detect cardiac arrhythmias.
Battery life is still a major issue, and despite all the improvements, Apple can still only offer 24 - 48 hours, which is simply not enough for many.
Price: $399
Amazfit Bip U Pro
Review price: $69.99 / £63.99.
If you're looking for a cheaper option than the Apple Watch without sacrificing features, the Bip U Pro is worth a look.
It is a continuation of the Amazfit Bip S and improves on its predecessor with more intelligence and an extensive list of fitness features.
The boxy design is made of plastic, but there's room for a 1.43-inch HD color screen and room for an optical sensor that measures heart rate and blood oxygen levels.
There's built-in GPS like the Bip S, and the 5ATM water resistance rating again provides swim tracking support. Outdoor tracking was fairly reliable for us, although we found the pinnacle heart rate accuracy during exercise lacking. Instead, it is much better suited for continuous heart rate monitoring.
It mostly retains the basic functionality of a smartwatch, but includes Amazon Alexa, which works when connected to your phone. It lacks the standalone voice assistant that you'll find on more expensive Amazfit watches. What's here works well.
To top it all off, there's a promise of up to 9 days of battery life, which you can get if you don't run or bike outside every day.
For the money, you'll be hard-pressed to find a watch that delivers as much. You do make compromises, but there's definitely more good than bad here.
Apple Watch Series 3
Yes, the Apple Watch Series 5 is expensive, but Apple has now dumped the market by offering the Series 3 for just $199.99. You'll get what used to be the best smartwatch for iPhone users at a price that's below lagging competitors.
What's more, Apple Watch Series 3 runs watchOS 6 software, so all the latest features, watch faces, and apps will stay on the older model. However, features that rely on hardware, such as ECG, always-on display, or fall detection, are not supported. You still get GPS for location tracking, 4G/LTE for cellular support, Apple Pay, swim tracking and heart rate monitoring, basically all the basic features.
Price: $199.99
Pebble Time
We have reviews of several Pebble smartwatches on our site, but the company was recently acquired by Fitbit and has gone out of business. You can still buy most Pebble models, but they are no longer supported or updated.
However, they still continue to work, i.e. you will receive notifications, fitness data. Pebble watches also have amazing battery life. If you are interested in Pebble, then we would recommend the Pebble Time device to you as the cheapest device currently available for sale.
Pebble Time price: $199
Huawei Watch GT2e
Huawei Watch GT2e is not much inferior to its predecessor GT2, except for the visual design, which has a sportier look.
But the watch makes a great alternative to the Apple Watch due to its 14-day battery life, which is the market leader's main drawback.
It boasts a rich 1.39-inch AMOLED display, and many people find smartwatches with a round dial to be much more attractive than square devices.
Sports enthusiasts enjoy a variety of sport profiles, including swimming (thanks to its 5ATM water resistance), cycling and excellent running functionality. This is achieved through a huge number of metrics, as well as Firstbeat VO2 Max and recovery.
The only downside to this watch is that due to the lack of third-party plugins, you can't upload data to Strava, and there are no other apps to use.
To the point
Which smartphone to choose
Sleep tracking is also excellent - and while it wasn't as informative or in-depth as Fitbit's, the data is in one event park. And let's not forget that the Apple Watch requires the use of a third-party app to track sleep - and solving this problem during long battery life is quite a headache. Huawei Watch GT2e is excellent value for money.
Price: $250
Misfit Phase
Just like the Withings Steel HR (see below), the Misfit Phase device cannot be called a full-fledged smartwatch, in the sense that it does not have a touch screen or an electronic dial. But this device can be connected to your phone via Bluetooth to monitor your physical activity and receive notifications directly on your wrist.
This watch has a very beautiful design. We also liked Misfit's smartphone companion app.
Misfit Phase Price – $155
Fitbit Versa 2
Like many smartwatches these days, the Versa 2's strengths lie in fitness. The watch has a waterproof design, swim tracking, and a built-in heart rate monitor to measure your workout intensity.
However, they don't have built-in GPS, a feature you'll have to pay a little extra to buy a Fitbit Ionic.
Fitbit has taken things a step further by adding Alexa on the wrist, an interesting and potentially useful change.
You can also expect the usual Fitbit fitness tracking features, including arguably the best sleep monitoring features of any wearable.
As for the main features of the Smart Watch, it supports notifications for messages and from third-party apps, and also contains the Spotify app for streaming and managing music. You'll also be able to download apps from Fitbit's growing app store, and there's support for contactless payments through Fitbit Pay.
It's a great alternative to the Apple Watch, thanks to its five-day battery life, but at the same time, excellent sleep and health tracking features.
Fitbit also offers the Versa Lite Edition, which is very similar to the Versa 2, only cheaper. But you'll have to live with them without features like Alexa and swimming.
Price: $199.95
Amazfit GTS
It's certainly a shameless Apple Watch clone, but Amazfit has so much going for it with the Amazfit GTS—and it's not just the $149 price tag that's interesting.
The display is always on, with about a week of battery life with all advanced features enabled, which is certainly more than the Apple Watch's one-day offering.
The built-in GPS is accurate, as is your heart rate unless you're doing HIIT. And as a fitness tracker, it's a truly excellent gadget, and Mio's PAI Score works.
Sleep monitoring is also excellent, with accurate graphs, properly recorded wake-ups, and a sleep scoring feature. Yes, this is not the original, but in terms of functionality and price it’s a good choice
Price: $149.99
If you prefer a round watch face option, the Amazfit GTR might be for you.
The 1.39-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 454x454 (for the 47mm version) looks great, and there are plenty of vibrant watch faces to choose from.
There's also a 42mm version for smaller wrists and with the 24-day battery life claimed on the larger model. There's GPS and heart rate monitoring, and you can get it all for just $179.
In our testing of the 47mm model, battery life was half that claimed by Amazfit - although still an impressive 12 days. This is achieved through a custom OS, but this means that third-party applications will not be available, like on the Apple Watch or Wear OS.
Price: $179
The best smartwatches for iPhone owners
For iPhone owners, the Apple Watch is certainly an ideal choice, but it is expensive. Battery life leaves much to be desired. And if battery life is the determining factor when choosing gadgets, there are many other alternatives. Let's look at the most popular of them.
The wearable electronics market cannot ignore the army of iPhone owners. It is quite natural that lovers of Apple phones have access to a large number of smartwatches from different manufacturers running on different operating systems. There really is a lot to choose from.
Apple Watch SE
It's not the best Apple Watch, but it's the easiest to recommend considering its feature-to-cost ratio.
Don't treat it like a cheap Apple Watch. They are slightly more expensive than their main competitors from Huawei and Amazfit.
The Apple Watch SE only lacks a few features compared to the Series 6. The user will not have an always-on display (AOD), so you will still have to tilt your wrist to see the time. In addition, there are no ECG and SpO2 sensors, which deprives the gadget of in-depth health monitoring functions.
There's a larger screen available than the boxy Series 3, plus GPS, sports and fitness tracking, a swim-resistant design, LTE capabilities, Apple Pay... everything that makes the Apple Watch many users' favorite smartwatch.
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Built into the case is the always-on altimeter from the Series 6, all the new watchOS 7 features, and the S5 chip should enable software updates for years to come.
However, the battery life of one day (up to 36 hours during the test) is a serious disadvantage compared to the competition.
If the lack of high-tech medical functions is not critical, we recommend taking a closer look at the Apple Watch SE.
Apple Watch SE review
Apple Watch Series 6
The Series 6 is the best Apple Watch with the most features and advanced technology for health monitoring if features like ECG and blood oxygen levels are an important factor in your choice.
Apple's smartwatch is the first to feature an SpO2 sensor to monitor blood oxygen saturation, and measures ECG to detect Afib.
Besides the advanced health features, the always-on display is another selling point over the Apple Watch SE. As are the case materials. The Series 6 is the only stainless steel version and is a cut above in terms of design (and price). There's also a wider choice of colours, with gold, blue and red body colours, in addition to the usual silver, rose gold and grey. A great option for those looking for something special.
There's a built-in GPS sensor, sports tracking, water resistance up to 5ATM, and all the key Apple Watch features. There is also an always-on altimeter for climbers and hikers.
Unfortunately, problems persist over battery life.
The developer promises 18 hours, but in the test we managed to get about 36 hours of battery life. Of course, this greatly depends on the intensity of use. Using the Apple Watch to track your sleep means you have to think about when to charge the device, which may not always be convenient.
Apple Watch Series 6 in-depth review
Apple Watch Series 3
Yes, the Apple Watch Series 5 is expensive, but Apple is not going to give up its position in the budget segment. Thus, the cost of Series 3 has been significantly reduced, which seriously increases the chances.
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Moreover, Apple Watch Series 3 works with the current version of watchOS 6 software (at the time of the review, of course), so the buyer will have access to all modern functions, watch faces and applications. However, hardware-based features such as ECG, always-on display (AOD), or fall detection are naturally not supported. GPS for location tracking, 4G/LTE for cellular support, Apple Pay, swimming and heart rate monitoring are still available.
All the core features are still available and it's a great deal today.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
In our opinion, the Galaxy Watch 3 is the best Apple Watch alternative for iPhone users. It's priced in line with the Apple Watch Series 6 and, like Apple's smartwatches, comes in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm.
However, from a design point of view, they are not similar to each other. Galaxy Watch 3 has a round dial and a design reminiscent of a classic wristwatch.
They will be of interest to those who do not like the square design of the Apple Watch.
The highlight of the device is the AMOLED screen with a resolution of 360x360 pixels, as well as the mechanical rotating bezel on the front panel, which is used to physically control the menus on the screen, similar to the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch. Of course, you can also use the touch screen.
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Samsung has added fall detection and ECG (not yet available in our country), as well as blood pressure detection (also not available yet) and SpO2 to detect blood oxygen levels.
However, there is no news when ECG or blood pressure monitoring will be available outside of Korea. Anyone buying a Galaxy Watch 3 should understand that they'll have to wait for who knows how long to be able to use these key features.
Galaxy Watch 3 in-depth review
Huawei Watch GT2e
There's not much new to this model compared to its predecessor, the GT2. Except for the appearance, which has become a little sportier.
But it's a great alternative to the Apple Watch primarily because of its 14-day battery life, which is the market leader's main concern.
The Chinese watch boasts a 1.39-inch AMOLED display, and many people find smartwatches with a round screen much more attractive on the wrist than square devices.
They also have rich functionality. Sports enthusiasts get a range of sport profiles, including swimming (with up to 5ATM waterproofing), cycling and excellent running monitoring. Not only are the standard metrics included, but also VO2 Max and recovery data from Firstbeat.
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The only downside is that due to the lack of synchronization, you cannot upload data to Strava, and there is no synchronization with other third-party applications.
Sleep tracking was also excellent, and while it wasn't as informative or in-depth as Fitbit's, the data was comparable.
For Russian and European users, Huawei Watch GT2e offers excellent value for money.
Huawei Watch GT2e review
Amazfit Bip S
If you want a cheaper alternative to the Apple Watch, then there's nothing better than the Amazfit Bip S.
The design and build, of course, are not of high quality, with a transflective screen and a plastic body, but the gadget is equipped with many necessary functions.
Bip S has built-in GPS, water resistance up to 5ATM with swim tracking, and 10 sports profiles. There is support for notifications, heart rate and sleep data 24/7.
And most importantly, Bip S work stably. It's an incredibly attractive smartwatch for the money, and while it's nowhere near the accuracy of Fitbit and Apple, the number of metrics is encouraging.
The step data is already quite accurate, so the only sensor that has problems with accuracy is the heart rate sensor. During the test, it crashed at a moderate intensity.
However, the sports and fitness tracking features are generally impressive, and the inclusion of GPS means the device is great for running.
It will be difficult to find a watch at this price that can offer comparable functionality to the Bip S. It's not perfect, but it's a really budget smartwatch to recommend.
Detailed review of Amazfit Bip S
Amazfit GTS
A smartwatch similar to the Apple Watch, but Amazfit offers a lot of good things and costs significantly less than Apple's device. Therefore, they certainly deserve attention.
The display is always on, and the gadget has about a week of battery life with all functions enabled, which is very good.
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The built-in GPS is quite accurate, as is the heart rate if you're not particularly into sports. As a fitness tracker it's great, and using the Mio PAI Score just adds weight to the activity monitoring. This allows you to reduce the statistics of monitoring daily activity and health to just one indicator. And, in our opinion, this algorithm deserves attention.
Sleep monitoring is also excellent, with accurate graphs, minutes of wake-ups correctly recorded by the Sleep Score feature.
Of course, using Amazfit devices is not so fashionable. But from the point of view of ease of daily use, we recommend them.
A detailed review of Amazfit GTS is available on our website
Amazfit GTR
If you prefer a round watch option, the Amazfit GTR might be right for you.
The 1.39-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 454x454 (for the 47mm version) looks great. Plus, there are plenty of cute watch faces to choose from. There is also a 42mm version for smaller wrist sizes. And the battery life of up to 24 days, declared by the manufacturer (for the older model), is an excellent advantage. There is also GPS and heart rate monitoring. At a low cost, the gadget definitely deserves attention.
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Well, now, a fly in the ointment. During our test of the 47mm model, battery life was half that claimed by Amazfit. Although, the 12 days that the watch showed are still an excellent result. Such indicators become a reality due to the original operating system. The other downside of a native OS is that you can't install third-party apps, unlike WatchOS or Wear OS.
Review of the device on our website
Fitbit Versa 2
If Samsung or Wear OS aren't an option, there are always Fitbit gadgets available. And the lack of official representation of the company in our market is not a problem for those who know English.
Traditionally for the American manufacturer, the strength of the gadget is physical activity monitoring. The device is waterproof up to 5ATM, which allows you to track swimming workouts, as well as an optical heart rate sensor. But there is no built-in GPS. If you really need it, then you'll have to look towards the Fitbit Ionic.
Compared to the first Versa, Fitbit has added support for the Alexa voice assistant, which is a welcome change. This will be appreciated, for example, by smart home owners, since issuing voice commands to Alexa is very simple.
There are also basic activity tracking features, including what we consider to be the best sleep monitoring on the wearables market.
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Key smart features include various notifications and SMS, support for Spotify music streaming and a music player. It has its own Fitbit app store and contactless payments Fitbit Pay (sorry, not available in our country).
The device supports Android, iOS and even Windows, which sets it apart from Apple watches. Autonomy up to five days is a good indicator.
Fitbit also offers the Versa Lite Edition, which is very similar to the Versa 2 but cheaper. There is no support for Alexa or swimming mode.
More details about Fitbit Versa 2 in our review
More about Fitbit
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Samsung has already released the Galaxy Watch Active 2. It is a sports watch and quite elegant. The built-in battery ensures active operation of the gadget for several days. The device is equipped with GPS, an optical heart rate monitor and is capable of tracking swimming in the pool.
The watch runs on the Tizen operating system and has a sufficient number of different applications developed specifically for this OS. Samsung also offers contactless payments. They even have Bixby voice assistant, although Samsung's smart assistant still can't communicate in Russian.
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is an option where you can get a lot of watches for a small price.
Galaxy Watch Active 2 review on our website
Garmin Vivoactive 4
This is a Garmin smartwatch that offers the benefits of notifications and great smart capabilities combined with versatile sports monitoring that supports up to 20 activities.
The Gadget competes with the Apple Watch with its sports component, including running (indoor, outdoor, treadmill), cycling (indoor and outdoor), swimming (pool only), golf, strength training, cardio, and elliptical trainers. , indoor rowing, yoga and others. A set sufficient for most athletes. And, yes, of course there is moisture protection up to 5 atm.
Of course, you can track all of this on your Apple Watch, but your Garmin watch and Garmin Connect app put much more emphasis on your workouts. If you love studying workout data, this is a great choice.
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No activity type is tracked to the level of detail used by dedicated Forerunner or Fenix devices, so metrics such as recovery time calculations, training load level, training status, VO2 Max and the like are not available to the user. The Vivoactive 4 is more of an all-rounder, making it a great competitor to Apple for athletes.
We also note good sleep monitoring, using a pulse sensor, which records data on the stages of sleep and information on breathing during sleep.
Both seven days of battery life as a smartwatch and 13 hours with GPS activated on the Vivoactive 4 seem like serious advantages.
Garmin Vivoactive 4 review
Learn more about Garmin
Michael Kors Access Runway
Fossil produces a line of stylish smartwatches running WearOS. Michael Kors Access is a bright representative of the family.
The fashion collection is clearly aimed at the fair half of humanity, but the manufacturer positions it as unisex.
Michael Kors smart watches have a case made of high-quality materials and an excellent appearance. Wearing such a watch is very practical, because it will suit almost any situation. The gadget's arsenal includes an NFC sensor for contactless payments Google Pay, GPS, a heart rate monitor and moisture protection.
Learn more about Michael Kors
Buy Michael Kors Access
Ticwatch E2
Mobvoi has launched a budget Ticwatch line in hopes of capturing some of the Pebble's popularity. It's a shame they have a completely different approach. Ticwatch E2 has a high level of moisture protection, allowing you to go swimming.
The Wear OS device has a GPS sensor and heart rate monitor. OLED display 1.4 inches with a resolution of 400 x 400.
It's a good alternative to the monotony of other brands, but with Wear OS capabilities.
Garmin Venu
With dedicated modes for running (indoor, outdoor, treadmill), cycling (indoor/outdoor), swimming (pool only), golf, strength training, cardio, elliptical, rowing, yoga and more activity, Garmin Venu is more than just a smartwatch.
The excellent 390 x 390 AMOLED touchscreen display rivals the Apple Watch. The watch is equipped with Garmin activity monitoring technology - an excellent choice for amateur and professional runners. Synchronize with Garmin Connect and use the entire arsenal of the application, from in-depth training analysis to stress indicators and body load measurement. There is also a Pulse Ox sensor to provide the user with even more metrics.
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Due to the AMOLED screen, battery life is less than the company's other gadgets, but the watch should still provide about five days of use in smartwatch format, with one or two short runs or workouts. GPS battery life is approximately 8 hours. This is significantly less than the Vivoactive, but there is no doubt that the Venu looks better.
Garmin Venu review
Garmin Vivomove HR
The Vivomove HR is a hybrid watch that comes with a lot of features. The unisex format is equally suitable for both women and men.
The next version, Vivomove 3, is ready. However, it is precisely when a new generation is released that the previous one can be bought at an excellent price.
The strength of the gadget is the hidden display, beautifully integrated into the classic dial. It becomes visible only when you click on it and displays a large amount of data, including daily activity, heartbeat, phone messages and application notifications, and even stress data.
Up to 14 days in watch mode and up to five days with active watch use is an excellent indicator of battery life.
Detailed review of Garmin Vivomove HR
Source: wear-gadget
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Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Keep in mind that Samsung is about to release the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, which could mean the end of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 altogether. But, not a fact, and given the good offers on Watch Active 2, they are worth considering.
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Best Wear Apps: Essential Downloads for SmartWatch Life
The sporty, sleek battery offers similar battery life to the Apple Watch, but makes up for it by having GPS, swim tracking, and a reliable heart rate monitor.
They run Samsung's Tizen operating system, with an expanded range of downloadable apps available, although they don't match the number of apps on the Apple Watch.
You pay Samsung for contactless payments, and they have Bixby, although Samsung's smart assistant is still a bit dumb and you're unlikely to use it.
At an impressively low price, there aren't many better options than the Galaxy Watch Active.
Price: $200
Garmin Vivoactive 4
Vivoactive 4 benefits from notifications and smart features with jack-of-sports support that supports up to 20 activities.
It competes with the Apple Watch by focusing more on sports tracking such as running (indoor, outdoor, treadmill), cycling (indoor and outdoor), swimming (pool only), strength training, cardio, elliptical workouts, indoor rowing, yoga and more. They also have a water resistance of 5ATM.
You can track all of this through your Apple Watch, but Garmin watches and Garmin Connect put a lot more emphasis on learning. If you like to dig into workout data, this is an obvious choice.
Of course, these watches don't match the insane level of detail used by dedicated Forerunner or Fenix devices - so you'll miss things like recovery, training load, training status, VO2 Max and the like. It's more of a jack-of-all-trades device, which makes it a great smartwatch.
Notification support is excellent, although there's no way to answer or receive calls from the watch like you can on the Apple Watch.
You'll get decent fitness tracking, and sleep is aided by a heart rate sensor that will provide advanced sleep stages and information about your breathing while you sleep. Hardcore stuff.
And if you turn off the heart rate monitor, you get seven days of battery life and 13 hours of GPS.
Price: $269.99
Polar M600
Polar's first Android Wear smartwatch doesn't look like a smartwatch at all, but it's still a quality product nonetheless.
It gives you all the benefits of Wear, including notifications and support for various applications, but by and large this fades into the background when you look at Polar's sports functions, such as GPS, heart rate sensor, Polar Flow software.
Although, among the Polar models, the M600 watch is quite expensive and in design it cannot be compared with the Watch Series 2, however, in terms of its sports functions, this device gives Apple a head start.
Polar M600 price – $299
Skagen Falster 3
Falster 3 really cannot compete technically with Apple. And if you're more interested in the looks of a smartwatch than its features, performance, apps or biometrics, then this is a worthy alternative to the Apple Watch.
They run on Fossil Group's Gen 5 platform with Google's Wear operating system in the background. This means they are powered by the latest Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, improved memory, water resistance and heart rate monitoring. And the battery life is only 24 hours.
At 42mm, it's midway between the two Apple Watch sizes, and boasts a case with great-looking (if unpretentious) bands. The 1.3-inch AMOLED display is really impressive, with good colors for some of Skagen's well-designed watch faces.
The beauty of the Falster 3 continues to be its refinement, and at 11mm there are so many devices out there that look this sleek on the wrist.
The performance of the watch itself is excellent, although the accuracy of the heart rate sensor is not good enough when working out. However, the design and strap are hardly suitable for sweaty workouts - so this is an option for everyday wear.
The only real downside here is Wear OS. The platform is stagnating, particularly with poor health and wellness scores. But the design of the Falster 3 is very good, making it a gadget for those who care more about style than function.
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FITNESS BRACELET APP
Price: $299
Mondaine Helvetica No 1 Smart
Again, if you only need the Apple Watch for its mediocre fitness features, then the Mondaine smartwatch is a much more attractive alternative.
Swiss classic watch manufacturers are not going to sit still and let Apple take over their market. And Helvetica No 1 Smart from the luxury brand Mondaine confirms this. Just like the Withings Activité, the Helvetica combines a classic watch face with a fitness watch face.
This watch lacks a notification function, but does have some sports functions (in fact, the manufacturer installed the same MotionX sensors as in Jawbone and Nike trackers). Overall, if you care more about style than Twitter notifications, then Mondaine Helvetica is definitely your choice.
Price Mondaine Helvetica No 1 Smart – $289
Ticwatch E2
The Ticwatch E2 builds on the Ticwatch E with its waterproof design. They run Wear OS and have a ton of features, including GPS and heart rate monitor, and now sports swimming tracking. It's important to note that it's priced at just $159.99, making it the most affordable Apple Watch alternative.
The watch has a 1.4-inch OLED display with a crisp 400 x 400 resolution, which matches the Apple Watch screen well. The design is fun and quirky, and it's a welcome break from the same-old-brand monotony - but with the confidence and stability of Wear OS.
Price: $159.99
Fossil generation 6
Review price: $299.99 / £289.99.
If the look of the TicWatch Pro 3 doesn't quite suit you and you still want the Wear OS option this new Wear version will get, you might want to take a look at the Fossil Gen 6 instead.
You'll then be given seven different looks to choose from, suitable for both men and women.
You also have the choice of a 44mm or 42mm case, and both come with beautiful stainless steel cases.
The AMOLED displays do the trick, along with a rotating crown and two programmable push buttons if you need quick access to your favorite smartwatch features.
It currently runs on Wear OS 2, giving you notifications, access to the Google Play Store, payments, speaker and microphone for making calls, all powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ platform to deliver good and fast performance.
Along with GPS and heart rate monitor, you now get a SpO2 sensor to monitor your blood oxygen levels, and Fossil adds some of its own software bits to make it more unique.
You get 24 hours of battery life with a fast charging feature that again gives you a full day after an hour of charging.
Fossil has proven it knows how to make stylish smartwatches, and that's not changing. We don't know what Wear OS 3 will look like on the Gen 6, but it will get it and make this good smartwatch even better.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
Review price: $229/£199.
The GTR Pro 3 was one of three new smartwatches launched by Zepp Health in 2022 under the Amazfit brand, joining the GTS 3 and GTR 3.
The Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is a new addition to the lineup and packs a 1.44-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 pixels into a 46mm body, which is certainly big enough to compete with the Series 7.
The new generation BioTracker 3.0 is responsible for determining heart rate, blood oxygen, breathing rate and stress levels. You can also measure key biometrics with one touch, which will record your heart rate, breathing rate and SpO2 in a single scan.
The Pro version adds speakerphone, Wi-Fi, music storage and Bluetooth calling for the first time - and these features are not available on the GTR 3 or GTS 3. It also features an app store, although nowhere near the level of the Apple App Store and currently does not have large third-party applications.
At $229/£199, it's more than Amazfit's usual price, but significantly cheaper than the Apple Watch SE and Series 7. And the 12-day battery life is also a big reason to choose it over the Apple Watch.
If you're looking to save money, the GTS 3 features a 1.75-inch AMOLED display with a 72% screen-to-body ratio and a whopping 341 ppi. It is also the lightest at 24g.
According to Amazfit, the rounded-face GTR 3 offers the same 450mAh battery as the Pro version but can last 24 days on a charge. It's smaller at 1.39 inches and has a lower display aspect ratio, so it has a larger bezel and a smaller display.
We found it to be an elegant smartwatch performer that is easy to use and packed with features. It's far from a complete app store, although some software bugs and tracking accuracy issues are key shortcomings here. It offers good value for money, and you'll find better smartwatches elsewhere at this price, but there's still a fair amount to like here.
Garmin Vienna
Featuring dedicated modes for running (indoor, outdoor, treadmill), cycling (indoor/outdoor), swimming (pool only thanks to 5ATM water resistance), strength training, cardio, elliptical training, indoor rowing, yoga and more The Garmin Venu is more than just a smartwatch.
The brilliant 390 x 390 AMOLED touchscreen display rivals the Apple Watch, but it has Garmin sports tracking technology under the hood - making it a great choice for serious runners.
Everything connects to Garmin Connect, from in-depth workout analysis to metrics like stress score and body load. There's also a Pulse Ox sensor to add even more data.
You sacrifice some battery life for the AMOLED screen, but you still get five days of use for runs and workouts. The GPS battery life is 8 hours - significantly less than the Vivoactive - but there's no doubt that this watch is better looking.
Price: $399.99
Fossil Q Founder
Fossil is one of the few classic watch makers trying to get into the smartwatch market. The Q Founder's provenance is evident in its distinctive stainless steel bracelet. It's quite thick, although some people like it. In any case, there is a version with a leather strap.
The Fossil Q Founder watch runs on Android Wear OS and supports not only Android smartphones, but also iPhones. The RAM capacity is 1 GB, which is at least twice as much as most competitors, so “everything flies”.
Unfortunately, as in Moto 360, there is an annoying “flat wheel” effect at the bottom of the screen, because... there is a light sensor there (so that the display does not reflect on it). If you're not too bothered by the black section, then the Q Founder is a great choice for those who don't want to wear something too technical.
Fossil Q Founder Price – $295
Garmin Vivomove HR
The Vivomove HR is a sports hybrid that comes with a lot of features. Its killer feature is the sleek, discreet display that appears on the watch face when pressed. On this screen you'll be able to see a whole bunch of information, including activity data, resting heart rate, smartphone notifications, and you'll be able to check your stress levels.
If you care about battery life, then this is also a good option: two weeks in watch mode and about five days of regular use of all smartwatch functions.
Price: $199
Tag Heuer Connected
It's time to talk about the most expensive smartwatches on Android Wear. More luxurious smartwatches simply haven’t been invented yet.
The Connected looks like a classic Tag, with stunning build quality and a range of impressively detailed dials. Of course, everything works on Android Wear, but Tag managed to configure the system much more efficiently than its counterparts from LG, Motorola, etc. In this regard, Tag is definitely a winner.
Tag Heuer Connected price: $1500
