The only real downsides are that its app offering is behind Apple and Google’s and Fitbit, unlike Garmin, asks you to pay a subscription to access all the post-workout analytics the Versa 3 offers, which feels a bit cheeky. The Apple Watch Series 9 offers a broad suite of built-in lifestyle, fitness, health, and safety tools, plus the best selection of third-party apps for any smartwatch. The newest version features an impressively bright 2,000-nit display (up from 1,000 nits last generation) for improved outdoor visibility without an impact on battery life. Its new S9 SiC chip enables even more features, like on-device Siri processing, precise directional device finding with the iPhone 15 family, and a double-tap gesture for one-handed operation. With these upgrades, the Series 9 remains the best iPhone-compatible smartwatch for most buyers. Who It's For All three Apple smartwatches on this list require an iPhone Xs or later with iOS 17 or later and do not work with Android handsets.

The biggest upgrade for the SE 2 is the included S8 chipset, which is the exact same processor found within the far pricier Apple Watch 8. This means that you’re getting the same speedy performance of Apple’s latest wearable, so when it comes to day to day use, you’re not penalised by opting for the cheaper watch. Sleek, trendy fashionable design, with curved corners, flat frame side with a single rectangular button on the left side. Looking at the design, the wearable is a sport smartwatch with a good waterproof rating. It has an IP68 rating, and with its good rating, the smartwatch is safe to wear while washing your hands, even in rain, sweat. The smartwatch is also dust proof, no worries on wearing it on your daily activities. Safety features include Emergency SOS, Fall Detection, and irregular heart rate and rhythm notifications. Cellular SE models also now support international emergency calling, so you can reach emergency services in more than 120 countries and regions without your phone while traveling. On the health front, we especially like the automatic 20-second handwashing timer. Who It's For What really helps the TicWatch to stand out (particularly against the Pixel Watch) is its phenomenal battery life. Under the right circumstances, it’s entirely possible for the Pro 5 to get from Monday to Friday on a single charge which just absolutely decimates the competition in this area. Even the latest Samsung watches struggle to get past two-days of use.

Let's not forget: You're also going to wear this thing. And unlike your Timex, it's probably not going to remain in style for years. Smartwatch design is rapidly changing, so hold out until you find something you actually want to wear. And keep in mind that smartwatches are still gadgets. The coming year is sure to bring new iterations of pretty much every watch on this list, not to mention completely new ones.

Google's Pixel Watch 2 runs Wear OS 4 and works with most phones running Android 9.0 or newer via the Google Pixel Watch app, which requires a Google Account to log in. It's not exclusive to Pixel phones and should pair just fine with devices from any other Android phone maker, including Samsung. We were impressed how many features Fitbit managed to cram into the tiny square chassis, despite the Versa 3 costing nearly a third of the Garmin Fenix 7.The Pixel Watch 2 works with most phones running Android 9.0 or newer via the Google Pixel Watch app, which requires a Google Account to log in. It is not compatible with iPhones. To complete the sporty look, the smartwatch has a flexible, skin friendly silicon strap. Making it have a sport, trendy style and design. Though it has limited access to apps, the Fitbit Versa 4 is an excellent fitness-focused smartwatch. We appreciate its attractive, comfortable design which offers a few improvements over the last generation, including a slimmer case, a physical button, and a more responsive touch screen. The latest model offers 40 exercise modes, up from 20 last generation.

The Series 8 uses the same end-to-end display that was brought in for the Apple Watch Series 7, which makes great use of larger watch faces, including Modular Max which crams a ton of information into the watch face. Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatches run Wear OS 4 with Samsung's One UI 5 Watch software. They require a smartphone running Android 10 or higher with more than 1.5GB of RAM. Note that although you can pair the Watch 6 with non-Samsung Android phones, some features work only with Samsung handsets, including irregular heart rhythm notifications, phone separation alerts, and the Camera Controller app. But while the wide selection of wearables is great for choice, it can also make the decision of which to buy a difficult one. With so many wearables focusing on specific types of user and the market, and many still costing a fair amount of cash, how can you be sure that you’re getting the right smartwatch for your needs? In addition to the improved mapping, Garmin has added a new heart rate sensor which, in theory, should produce more accurate results than before. In testing however, we struggled to see any noticeable difference with the newer sensor, so if you want the most accurate data possible then we still recommend grabbing a chest-worn heart rate strap.The Galaxy Watch 6 is the best Apple Watch alternative for most Android users. It comes in small (40mm) or large (44mm) sizes, three different aluminum case colors (graphite, gold, or silver), and two connectivity options (with or without LTE), thus accommodating a wide range of buyers. Outdoor adventurers might prefer the still-available Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which offers longer battery life, a more durable titanium case, an even stronger sapphire crystal glass display, and a few outdoor-specific navigation features.