If you’re an Android user who has been staring longingly at the wrists of people with smartwatches, but haven’t had the impetus (or the cash) to buy one yourself, this may be your chance. The last-gen Google Pixel Watch 2 is currently on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Google for about $149, a savings of $100 off of its usual price of $249 and only $4 more than its lowest past price of $145.
The 41mm Pixel Watch 2 is Google’s second try at creating a smart watch that would compete with the Apple Watch, and while it doesn’t quite come up to the standards of the latest Google Watch 3, it is still a solid and useful device. It comes with sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management, Emergency SOS and fall detection, and a safety check feature for when you’re trying to get home okay in tricky situations. It also has a battery that will last you all day — something that its predecessor lacked. Read our review.
On the other hand, if you’re determined to get the latest model of Google’s watch, the 41mm version of the Pixel Watch 3 is also on sale at Amazon and Google for $299.99, which is $50 off its usual price of $349.99. Our reviewer found that the Watch 3 offered a multitude of tweaks and improvements that added up to a better experience, including a brighter display and smaller bezel, even better battery life, and a bunch of fitness and health updates, including custom running workouts and a revamped daily readiness score. Read our review.
On the other hand…
If you’re an Apple Watch enthusiast, Nomad is running a sale in honor of 10 years of the Apple Watch where you can get $10 off all sorts of Apple Watch accessories by using the code 10YEARS at checkout. It includes such things as the Rocky Point Band, a snazzy titanium watch band; a 65W power adapter, and the Base One Max 3-in-1 charger.
I recently unearthed my old Ultimate Ears UE Boom speaker, which I got over 10 years ago, and while it still works, I’m wondering whether I should update using Woot’s sale of the latest Wonderboom Play Bluetooth speaker for $36.99, a savings of $53 over the market price of $89.99. Ultimate Ears speakers are known for their great sound, and the WonderBoom Play offers up to 10 hours of music per charge along with an IP67 rating, so it’s perfect for summer parties.
If you’re looking for a low-cost but efficient tracker, the UGREEN FineTrack Smart Finder is now available at Amazon for $12.59 using the on-page coupon, which is a savings of $7.40 over its usual $19.99 price. The FineTrack uses the Apple Find My network to help you keep track of your keys, bags and other items; it features a replaceable battery (and doesn’t require a case).
And finally, back to Google: the Pixel Buds A-series wireless earbuds are on sale at Amazon for $59, $40 off the usual $99 price. These are not Google’s top-level earbuds, but they are comfortable and offer good sound and IPX4 water resistance. Read our review.
The Series 10 is a pretty minor refresh, but the iterative updates over the last-gen Series 9 are welcome. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
In September, Apple launched its latest smartwatch, introducing the Apple Watch Series 10 alongside a black rendition of the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Each wearable has its own pros and cons, as does the second-gen Apple Watch SE, but the recent introduction of the new wearables also means there are now more Apple Watch models on the market than ever before — and a lot more deals to be had.
But with all of those options, which one should you pick? Generally speaking, you want to buy the newest watch you can afford so that it continues to receive software updates from Apple. The latest update, watchOS 11, launched in September on the Apple Watch Series 6 and newer, ultimately leaving those still using an older Series 4 or Series 5 behind.
That being said, picking up a watch from the latest (or a recent) generation ensures you’re getting a smartwatch with an updated design, a robust number of features, and plenty of sensors.
Now, let’s get to the deals.
The best Apple Watch Series 10 deals
The Apple Watch Series 10 represents the latest wearable in Apple’s flagship Series lineup. It features the new S10 SiP chip, faster charging, and a wide-angle OLED display that’s brighter, larger, and easier to read than that of previous models. It weighs half as much as the Ultra, too, and is about 30 percent thinner despite its new 42mm and 46mm sizing. Other upgrades include an added depth and water temperature sensor, as well as a new FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection feature, the latter of which is also available on the last-gen Series 9 and Ultra 2.
While the improvements are certainly welcome, the Series 10 isn’t a vast departure from the prior model, the Series 9. That being said, it’s currently on sale at Walmart right now in the 42mm sizing with GPS starting at $329 ($70 off), which remains its second-best price to date. The 46mm variant, meanwhile, is on sale at Amazon and Walmart starting at $359 ($70 off) — which is also the second-best price we’ve seen — while the LTE models can be had at Amazon and Walmart starting at $399 ($100 off).
In 2023, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 9 alongside the second-gen Ultra. It uses Apple’s last-gen S9 SiP chip and a second-gen ultra wideband chip, which allows for onboard Siri processing and precision finding with select iPhone models. It also features a brighter, 2,000-nit display and support for Apple’s nifty “double tap” feature — two minor additions that are also present on the Series 10.
The Series 9 has been out for more than a year, but specific configurations have become increasingly difficult to find with the arrival of Apple’s latest watch. Luckily, the Series 9 is still on sale at Best Buy in the 41mm / GPS configuration starting at $279.99 ($119 off) or in the 45mm / LTE configuration starting at $343.99 (about $185 off).
The Apple Watch SE received a refresh in late 2022. It has the same chipset as the Series 8, which is great, but with fewer sensors, no always-on display, and a slightly outdated design compared to the Series 8, Series 9, and Series 10. Those omissions might take this out of the running for some people, but it still may be exactly what you’re after. Best of all, it starts at $249 for the 40mm Wi-Fi / GPS model, which is $30 less than the previous generation’s baseline cost. Opting for cellular connectivity bumps the starting price up to $299 for the 40mm size (44mm adds $20 to each configuration).
Right now, the best deal on the latest Apple Watch SE can be found at Amazon, where you can pick the 40mm model with GPS for an all-time low of $169.97 (about $79 off). The 44mm / GPS config, meanwhile, is available at Amazon for $199.97 (about $79 off). If you want the LTE configuration, the 44mm model is currently on sale at Walmart starting at $199 ($130 off), or in the smaller 40mm sizing at Walmart starting at $239 ($60 off).
The latest Apple Watch Ultra launched at $799 in September with GPS and LTE support, much like the original model. The ultra-capable smartwatch has the most features, sensors, and ruggedness of any Apple Watch model available thus far, along with a display that’s 50 percent brighter than the first Ultra. The 49mm smartwatch also packs Apple’s S9 SiP and second-gen ultra wideband chips, just like the Apple Watch Series 9, while maintaining long-lasting battery life, precise GPS tracking, and a bevy of diving-friendly sensors.
In recent months, we saw the Apple Watch Ultra 2 dip to as low as $642 ($157 off) in select configurations. Right now, however, it’s only on sale at Amazon with a Trail Loop or an Ocean Band starting at $734.89 (about $64 off), or with an Alpine Loop starting at $739 ($60 off). You can also pick it up at Best Buy with an Alpine Loop, a Trail Loop, or an Ocean Band starting at $739 ($60 off), which is a deal we rarely see at Best Buy.
While all of the Apple Watch models and colorways covered here are encased in aluminum (except the Ultra 2, which has a titanium build), Apple does make a more premium range built out of stainless steel and titanium. These offerings are functionally and aesthetically similar to their aluminum counterparts, with slightly refined colors and finishings — polished for the stainless steel and brushed for the titanium. However, they start at much steeper prices of $699 and above. They, too, can often be found on sale, but they’re never discounted as low as the standard base models, so we don’t include them here.
April 24th will be the 10th anniversary of the day the first Apple Watch shipped to customers. A decade is a major milestone in the gadget world, but you won’t see a lot of anniversary-themed fanfare to mark the occasion. Instead, Apple is dubbing the 24th as Global Close Your Rings Day — and it has some research from its studies to convince people why they should partake.
Global Close Your Rings Day is exactly what it sounds like. If you close all three rings — move, exercise, and stand — you’ll get a limited edition badge and 10 animated stickers in the Messages app. You can also pick up a physical pin inspired by the award at Apple Stores while supplies last.
Apple has often used these types of limited edition award badges to motivate users, especially tied to holidays or other events. But for folks who are less motivated by fitness gamification, Apple is also throwing its own research data into the mix. Based on its Apple Heart and Movement Study, the company says people who close their rings most of the time were 48 percent less likely to have poor sleep and 73 percent less likely to have elevated resting heart rate levels. They are also 57 percent less likely to feel elevated stress.
All in all, this is a relatively low-key way to celebrate the Apple Watch’s 10th anniversary, especially since all Apple Watch owners know the device never takes a day off from poking you to close your rings.
Samsung’s smart home platform SmartThings now works with Matter 1.4, the latest version of the interoperable smart home standard, adding compatibility with things like water heaters, heat pumps, and solar panels that use the spec. The company has also introduced new smart home automation triggers, as well as a broadcast feature for SmartThings-connected speakers.
Matter 1.4 makes it easier to use one device with multiple platforms at once, and also adds more granular control. While the 1.3 spec added support for controlling robot vacuums, with 1.4, your smart home platform can direct them to clean a specific room. However, support for much of the spec is optional. We’ll learn more about how Samsung is implementing it later, but for now, here’s what it mentions in its release:
The latest version of the standard includes a wide range of energy management devices — such as water heater, heat pump, solar power device, battery storage device, mounted on/off control switch and mounted dimmable load control device.
So far, Home Assistant is the only other platform with (not quite full) Matter 1.4 support, while Amazon, Apple Home, and Google still lag behind.
Along with the Matter update, Samsung has made it possible to broadcast voice messages through SmartThings-connected speakers from the SmartThings app, whether you’re in or out of your home. It also updated SmartThings routines so that you can use recurring events to trigger something, such as a smart bulb changing colors on someone’s birthday. Samsung also says SmartThings can now automatically do things like turn off your lights or open your curtains based on your actual sleep and wake times — if you have a paired Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Ring.
After a long stretch of slim pickings, the last couple of years have been huge for Android smartwatches. Now there are more good options than ever.
But the market is fragmented. Wear OS 5 is here for Samsung’s Galaxy Watches, Google’s Pixel Watch 3, and soon, the OnePlus Watch 3 when it ships later this month. However, the larger ecosystem is catching up. Some features, like Google Assistant, are not yet available on certain Wear OS 3 smartwatches, and Wear OS 4 still isn’t widely available. Even so, the Android wearable ecosystem is barreling ahead.
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How we test smartwatches
Smartwatches are meant to help you keep track of your notifications, as well as your health and activity. We do a mix of benchmark testing and experiential, real-life testing. That means snoozing with them, taking them out on GPS activities like runs and hikes, working up a sweat in several workouts, and comparing how they do against long-term control devices for heart rate, sleep, and GPS accuracy. It also means evaluating how easy they are to pair, how annoying are notifications, and in the case of Android watches, checking to see if features are universally available across different phone makers (i.e., do all the Galaxy Watch features work if you have a Pixel phone?) Some factors we consider in our rankings are durability, performance, accuracy versus consistency in metrics, and of course, battery life.
Processor
Android smartwatches have long been foiled by outdated processors. Is the chip under the hood powerful enough to run Wear OS or the platform’s own proprietary operating system smoothly?
Ecosystem
Does a watch work better within one company’s product ecosystem versus another? Will you have to buy a new watch if you switch phones?
Smart features
These days, most wearables are capable fitness trackers. However, they’re not all capable of controlling your smart home, contactless payments, or interacting with digital assistants.
Support
Is this device likely to last you a while, or will you need to upgrade sooner than you’d like? How communicative is the OEM about forthcoming changes?
Battery life
Can you get through the day without reaching for a charger? If not, does it support quick charging?
If you’d rather wait until Wear OS settles down a bit, there are platform-agnostic smartwatches and fitness watches you can buy in the meantime. Otherwise, you’ll want to be aware of the chip and Wear OS version powering your watch. Mobvoi, for instance, has generally been a step behind Google and Samsung in rolling out the latest version of Wear OS. Meanwhile, you might want to pay attention to whether a watch is running the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus or the base W5 chip. The W5 Plus has some extra processing advantages, but for the record, the base chip isn’t bad. The Pixel Watch 3 and OnePlus Watch 2 both sport the W5 and have notably improved performance and battery life.
So long as you keep the aforementioned caveats in mind, Android users have more smartwatch options than ever before. I’ve rounded up my top picks, but if none of these is the right fit, you can always check out our fitness tracker buying guide.
Best smartwatch for Samsung phones
Sizes: 43mm, 47mm / Weight: 77g, 85g / Battery life: Up to 30 hours with AOD, 40 without AOD / Display type: Always-on OLED / GPS: Built-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: Up to 50 meters, IP68 / Music storage: 16GB
If you have a Samsung phone, you’ll get the most mileage out of a Samsung smartwatch. And of the four watches Samsung has in its current lineup, I recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Although Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 7 in August, there wasn’t a refresh for the Classic. That means you ought to be seeing some good deals for the Classic soon, if not already. It’s not often that I recommend a last-gen device, but such is my deep love for the physical rotating bezel.
If you want the latest and greatest, the Galaxy Watch 7 offers an upgraded 3nm Exynos W1000 chip and a new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor. It’s a marginal improvement over the 2023 models, but I don’t feel like Samsung introduced anything last year that requires having them. It also has Wear OS 5 and One UI 6 Watch, though Samsung is rolling out the newer OS to older watches (including the Galaxy Watch 6). Mostly, I recommend the 7 if you prefer a smaller size, don’t care about the rotating bezel, and want something a smidge more futureproof.
The Classic’s rotating bezel is 15 percent thinner than the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The updated design is sleeker than its predecessor, and the larger display is easier on the eyes and is only slightly bigger at 43mm and 47mm. I have small wrists, but the 47mm was still quite comfortable for everyday wear. It’s launching with Wear OS 4, which adds extended battery life, and — finally — cloud backups. One UI 5 Watch also adds some minor health and sleep tracking improvements, but this will eventually make its way to older models. While I prefer the Classic, the base Watch 6 model may be the better option if you want a smaller, lighter, sleeker, and cheaper smartwatch.
For more outdoorsy folks, the $649.99 Galaxy Watch Ultra might be the more sensible choice. Of all Samsung’s watches, it has the best battery life, lasting around three days in our testing. (Though, we never got the full 100-hour estimated battery life.) It’s got dual-frequency GPS, a new multisport activity, an emergency siren, increased durability, 10ATM of water resistance, and a Quick Button, which acts as a customizable shortcut button. It’s basically an Apple Watch Ultra for Android.
Meanwhile, if you’re on a budget, there’s the new $199.99 Galaxy Watch FE, which is essentially a rebadged Galaxy Watch 4.
The Samsung Health app also delivers a good overall fitness tracking experience, especially since you can enable turn-by-turn navigation for hiking andcycling activities. We weren’t too impressed with nightly SpO2 readings, but Samsung’s overall sleep tracking continues to improve. You also get built-in GPS, body composition analysis, irregular heart rate notifications, fall detection, emergency SOS features, and EKGs. Most recently, Samsung added a new Energy score, AI-powered wellness insights, FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, and a confusing AGEs Index metric for metabolic health. While the Energy score is broadly accurate, I found the AI-generated features to be hit or miss and the AGEs Index to be more gimmicky than useful. The latter feature is also limited to the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra.
We don’t necessarily recommend the Galaxy Watches if you don’t have a Samsung phone. EKGs and sleep apnea detectionrequire the Samsung Health Monitor app, which is limited to Samsung phones. You can work around it, but all Samsung watches work best with other Samsung devices.
Sizes: 41mm, 45mm / Weight: 31g for 41mm, 37g for 45mm / Battery life: Roughly 24 hours with AOD enabled / Display type: Always-on OLED / GPS: Built-in GPS / Connectivity: LTE (optional), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Safety Signal with Fitbit Premium / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB
The $349.99 Google Pixel Watch 3 is done playing catch-up. It’s an annoying truth that if you have a Samsung phone, a Samsung smartwatch is probably the best choice for you. However, for everyone else, I highly recommend the Pixel Watch 3.
There are several updates to the Pixel Watch 3, but the gist is that it’s a more refined watch that also expands into new territory. One major update is that there are now two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. You get extra screen real estate on the larger watch, but the bezels are also smaller on the 41mm model. (If you’re trying to pick between sizes, I prefer the 45mm.) The displays are brighter as well, ranging from a minimum of 1 nit to a maximum of 2,000 nits.
Health and fitness also get several updates, especially for runners. There’s a new Cardio Load metric that gauges the cardiovascular intensity of the exercises you’ve been doing over a set period of time. It’s similar to Garmin’s Training Load metric. You’re also given a Cardio Load target based on your fitness goals, readiness, and current activity. Runners also get a new dashboard full of form analysis metrics as well as the ability to program custom workouts. In addition, you can get AI-generated suggested workouts. And if you’re in Europe or the US, the Pixel Watch 3 can now detect if you no longer have a pulse and call emergency services.
The Pixel Watch 3 also adds a bunch of nifty Google integrations. It’s excellent if you have a Google-powered smart home because you can now directly view and interact with your Nest Doorbell or camera feeds. You can also use the watch as a remote for your Google TV, and there are new Google Home Tile / complications that make controlling your home from your wrist a breeze. Also new are offline Google Maps, the ability to unlock Pixel phones, and a Call Assist feature that lets a caller know you need an extra minute to pick up your phone.
That said, while the Pixel Watch was initially framed as a watch for any Android phone, several updates this time around mean you’ll get the best experience with a Pixel phone. But compared to Samsung, there isn’t quite as much lock-in. Health features, for example, are available to everyone so long as you have a Fitbit account. Extra good news: Google removed certain metrics, like the Daily Readiness Score, from the Fitbit Premium paywall. Mostly, the features locked to Pixel phones are the Recorder app and things like the ability to unlock your phone with the watch.
One thing to be mindful of is durability. While the domed display is beautiful, we cracked the screen on the original Pixel Watch and got deep scratches on the Pixel Watch 2. (Thankfully, we haven’t messed up the Pixel Watch 3.) Google doesn’t offer any repair options, but you can get the Preferred Care extended warranty if you want to be prepared should something happen. It’s not ideal since it’s limited to the US and Canada, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Best alternative to Google and Samsung smartwatches
Sizes: 47mm with 22mm straps / Weight: 49g case, 80g with strap / Battery life: Up to 100 hours in smart mode, 48 with AOD on, and 12 days in power-saving mode / Display type: OLED touchscreen / GPS: Dual-frequency GPS, Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB
The $299.99 OnePlus Watch 2 is what a glow-up looks like. While the original OnePlus Watch was horrible, this watch helps fill the void that Fossil left when it said it was pulling out of Android smartwatches — namely, a viable alternative to Google and Samsung.
The 47mm case is big for petite wrists, and unfortunately, it only comes in one size, but it’s made of durable stainless steel and sapphire crystal. Plus, it houses a 500mAh battery. That, plus a dual-chip architecture and novel dual OS system, results in super long battery life. How long a smartwatch lasts will, of course, depend on your individual usage, but I got nearly four days with normal use. That’s incredible for a flagship.
It also has Wear OS 4, making it the only third-party Wear OS watch running the latest software (Watch 2 users can also expect to receive OS 5 updates in Q3). It has Google Assistant from the get-go — a big achievement since that’s been a problem with other third-party Android watches. Plus, you get access to the Google Play Store for a robust app ecosystem. On the fitness side of things, OnePlus added dual-frequency GPS. That’s a plus if you’re outdoorsy and frequent challenging GPS environments like dense forests or crowded cities.
The main things you’re giving up are LTE connectivity and some features like EKGs, atrial fibrillation detection, native period tracking, and fall detection. The lack of cellular is a bummer, as it means you really should keep your phone on you when you’re out and about. Still, the $300 price tag is a competitive one and may be worth the trade-off given battery life.
That said, OnePlus also recently announced the OnePlus Watch 3, which will have Wear OS 5, a rotating crown that actually scrolls, better battery life, an improved GPS antenna, and a bunch of new health features. I’m still in the process of testing it, so stay tuned for that review. (In the meantime, here’s my hands-on.) You might want to keep in mind, however, that the Watch 3 is $30 more expensive. On the bright side, this also means we’ll probably see discounts on the remaining OnePlus Watch 2 inventory in the coming weeks.
Sizes: 50mm with 24mm straps / Weight: 44.3g / Battery life: Up to 80 hours / Display type: OLED touchscreen and secondary ultra-low power display / GPS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, Beidou / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB
Mobvoi’s TicWatch lineup has its devoted fans for a reason: super long battery life. The $249.99 TicWatch Pro 5 is no exception. It’s got an estimated 80 hours of battery life with standard use, a secondary ultra-low power display, and a massive (for a smartwatch you wear on your wrist, at least) 628mAh battery. I didn’t quite get 80 hours in my testing, but I did get a solid 48-60 hours with heavy GPS use. That outclasses most of the watches in this category (except the OnePlus Watch 2) and is useful for backpackers and endurance athletes. It might not hold a candle to a top-of-the-line Garmin, but it’s also a smarter watch for a fraction of the price.
Battery life aside, the Pro 5 is a good option for fitness-focused people who aren’t keen on giving up smart capabilities for a Garmin or Polar. It’s also more durable. This time around, Mobvoi has also added a digital crown so you don’t have to worry about scrolling through menus with sweaty fingers. The flatter side button also reduces the risk of accidental presses.
The Pro 5 also has an ingenious method of displaying heart rate. When you lift up your arm, the backlight changes color depending on which heart rate zone you’re in. That means you can instantly gauge whether to up the intensity or slow your roll. The Pro 5 also adds new training metrics, like VO2 Max and recovery time.
The TicWatch supports stress tracking, all-day blood oxygen monitoring, fatigue assessments, as well as atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeat detection. For outdoorsy types, it also has access to multiple GNSS systems, and there’s a new barometer and compass app, as well as a one-tap measurement app that gives you a quick look at five metrics (heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, respiratory rate, and overall heart health).
It’s also pretty capable on the productivity front. You get contactless payments, access to the Play Store, notifications, and the ability to take calls. It’s also the only Android smartwatch available in the US with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus chip, which is a plus in terms of futureproofing. The only major concerns are the 50mm case that may not suit smaller wrists and the lack of a digital assistant.
And good news! Mobvoi announced the rollout of Wear OS 4 in September, meaning all Pro 5 devices should be running the newer operating system at this point.
Sizes: 37mm with 18mm straps / Weight: 45g / Battery life: Up to 39 days / Display type: OLED display / GPS: Tethered GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: N/A
Hybrid smartwatches are an excellent way to keep things simple and subtle. The $249.95 Withings ScanWatch Light gets you the basics like push notifications, timers, and alarms. On the health front, you can track steps, sleep, menstrual cycles, and GPS workouts. (That said, GPS is tethered from your phone, not built in.) The design reminds me of a classier Swatch, particularly if you get the more colorful options in a minty green or pale blue. But the big reason the Light has dethroned our previous pick, the Garmin Vivomove Sport, is its extra-long battery life. Withings estimates it lasts up to 30 days on a single charge, and I got pretty close to that in testing with 25 days. Despite the Vivomove’s more appealing $180 price tag, it only lasts about five days.
If you want a bit more out of a hybrid, you can also opt for the ScanWatch 2. It’s an extra $100, but you get EKGs and atrial fibrillation detection, temperature sensors, SpO2 readings, and an altimeter for measuring elevation. It also looks a bit more elegant on the wrist, partly because of a secondary dial that tracks your daily step progress.
If neither matches your style, the Vivomove Sport is still a good option that gets you access to Garmin’s in-depth platform. Its Vivomove Trend is a slightly more upscale option that also supports Qi charging.
Sizes: 41mm with 18mm straps; 45mm with 22mm straps / Weight: 40g for the 3S; 47g for the 3 / Battery life: Up to 10 days for 3S; 14 days for 3 / Display type: OLED touchscreen / GPS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 8GB
Garmin is best known for making rugged GPS watches that have excellent fitness features but aren’t so smart otherwise. But the $449.99 Venu 3 caters to people who want top-notch fitness tracking without sacrificing productivity features.
It’s got a colorful and vibrant always-on OLED display and comes in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Like its predecessor, the Venu 2 Plus, it also has a microphone and speaker so you can take and make calls directly from the wrist. It also has a clever workaround for digital assistants — it uses Bluetooth to work with whatever assistant is already on your phone. You’d think more fitness trackers would do this, but they don’t. It worked well in testing, though digital assistants aren’t always the smartest at understanding commands.
The Venu 3 doesn’t have the best third-party app ecosystem, but it has Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music for offline playback. Android users can also send quick responses for texts, and the watch works with either iOS or Android for folks who want to keep their options open. It also has fall detection, live tracking, and contactless payments.
As for health features, it has Garmin’s latest heart rate sensor, which enables its FDA-cleared EKG app to detect atrial fibrillation. Otherwise, you get built-in GPS, continuous heart rate monitoring, all of the advanced coaching features in the Garmin Connect app, and Garmin’s famous in-depth health data. The Venu 3 also improves sleep tracking with nap detection and adds audio-guided meditation sessions. There’s also a new wheelchair mode.
This isn’t the most hardcore Garmin that money can buy, but it’s definitely the smartest. The price is a bit high compared to most smartwatches, but by Garmin standards, it’s middle-of-the-pack.
Size: 43mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 29.5g for standard, 31.7g for premium / Battery life: Up to 10 days / Display type: OLED touchscreen / GPS: Five GNSS systems / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage:N/A
Amazfit’s made a name for itself making budget wearables that punch far above their weight. The $99.99 Amazfit Active 2 is no exception.
The Active 2 is a surprisingly spiffy watch considering its price. The standard version has a stainless steel case with tempered glass, and if you shell out $30 extra, you can get the premium model with sapphire crystal and an extra leather strap. Normally, I don’t get compliments while wearing budget smartwatches, but I got several while wearing this one.
While it doesn’t run Wear OS, its proprietary Zepp OS makes for a platform-agnostic smartwatch. Feature-wise, you get all the basics and then some. That includes things like continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen rate, heart rate variability, stress tracking, alerts for abnormally high and low heart rate, and skin temperature tracking. You also get offline maps with turn-by-turn navigation, 160 different sport activity profiles, and a new strength training activity that automatically tracks reps. The Active 2 doesn’t have dual-frequency GPS, but it has the next best thing: access to all five of the major GNSS satellite systems. As far as health tracking goes, it also emphasizes trendy metrics like a readiness score and has a revamped sleep tracking algorithm. Battery life is estimated at about 10 days, though as a heavy user, I got around eight to nine in my testing.
Something that sets the Active 2 apart at this price range is access to an AI assistant on wrist and AI chatbots within the Zepp app. The Zepp Flow assistant (on wrist) is a little finicky, but you can use it to control your watch’s on-device settings and basic queries like asking for the weather. The Zepp Aura AI bot costs an extra $77 yearly, and you can ask it to deliver insights into your readiness and sleep scores. I found it hit or miss, but at least it’s well-integrated into the app, snappy, and most importantly, optional. More useful is the Zepp Coach, which you can use to generate custom training plans.
All in all, I don’t have much to gripe about this watch, which is wild given how affordable it is. It certainly delivers an outsized bang for your buck. Just make sure you wipe off any sweaty fingers, since its touchscreen doesn’t handle them well.
Update, April 6th: Adjusted pricing/availability, added several related links, and updated the copy to reflect that Google’s Loss of Pulse Detection feature is now available in the US, as well as Europe.
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O armazenamento ou acesso técnico é necessário para o propósito legítimo de armazenar preferências que não são solicitadas pelo assinante ou usuário.
Estatísticas
O armazenamento ou acesso técnico que é usado exclusivamente para fins estatísticos.O armazenamento técnico ou acesso que é usado exclusivamente para fins estatísticos anônimos. Sem uma intimação, conformidade voluntária por parte de seu provedor de serviços de Internet ou registros adicionais de terceiros, as informações armazenadas ou recuperadas apenas para esse fim geralmente não podem ser usadas para identificá-lo.
Marketing
O armazenamento ou acesso técnico é necessário para criar perfis de usuário para enviar publicidade ou para rastrear o usuário em um site ou em vários sites para fins de marketing semelhantes.
