The very best smartwatches for 2025

Smartwatches do extra than simply observe your steps and ship telephone alerts to your wrist. The very best smartwatches go even additional, providing you with the power to pay for a cup of espresso, take calls and connect with apps like Spotify all with out whipping out your smartphone.

Chances are high, in the event you’re studying this, you already know all the advantages of a smartwatch. You’re prepared to speculate, or improve from an ageing accent, however we wouldn’t blame you in the event you in the event you didn’t know the place to begin. There are dozens of smartwatches accessible now, together with GPS running watches, fitness trackers that appear like smartwatches and multi-purpose units. Plus, you’ll wish to contemplate elements like sturdiness, battery life and working system earlier than you spend some huge cash on a brand new wearable. We’ve examined and reviewed most main smartwatches accessible at present and these are our high picks.

Desk of contents

Greatest smartwatches of 2025

Apple

Learn our full Apple Watch Series 10 review

Whereas the Series 10 is one more iterative replace to the Apple Watch, this wearable stays on the high of our checklist as a result of Apple is aware of easy methods to add small however helpful options over time with out fixing what isn’t damaged. The Collection 10 is barely thinner and lighter than its predecessor, and it has a touch bigger display that makes use of a wide-angle OLED panel for higher viewing angles. Each of these issues, certainly, make it simpler to see and work together with textual content and graphics on the display from all totally different positions.

Apple additionally elevated the effectivity of the Watch’s battery with this newest mannequin, so most customers ought to see a slight enhance in battery life. The Watch continues to be technically rated for 18 hours of battery life, however you’ll probably get extra juice out of it even with a GPS-tracked run thrown in throughout the day. Whereas we nonetheless want the Apple Watch had a multi-day battery life like rivals from Garmin and Fitbit do, any battery beneficial properties are a plus — particularly for many who wish to benefit from the brand new sleep apnea monitoring characteristic that the Collection 10 has in watchOS 11. This new characteristic permits the Watch to trace respiratory throughout sleep and be aware any disturbances in a 30-day interval. Contemplating the Watch has had comparatively primary sleep monitoring options till now, this can be a welcomed addition.

In any other case, the Collection 10 does every little thing proper that the Collection 9 did. It stays a wonderful health monitoring watch and a good way to obtain all the most important alerts out of your iPhone in a extra discreet manner. Anybody with a Collection 9 or 8 is perhaps disenchanted by the Collection 10 as a result of it’s not reinventing the wheel, and due to this fact might not really feel like an enormous improve. However these coming from an older Apple Watch mannequin, or a completely totally different wearable, will discover an enormous distinction in efficiency, options and charging pace.

$300 at Target

Google / Engadget

Learn our full Google Pixel Watch 3 review

It solely took three iterations, however Google lastly bought it proper with the Pixel Watch 3. It’s probably the most totally realized Pixel Watch but, and one which any Android fan would get a whole lot of use out of. The most recent mannequin, which now is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes, has a barely bigger round show that’s brighter than ever and might attain as much as a 60Hz refresh charge. It could actually additionally drop down to only 1 nit of brightness if you’re carrying it to sleep, which not solely makes for a greater expertise total, but in addition contributes to its longer battery life. You’ll stand up to 24 hours out of the Pixel Watch 3, which is an enormous enchancment over the earlier era and extra in step with competing units from Apple and Samsung.

The Pixel Watch 3 can also be an incredible exercise monitoring machine, with options like auto exercise detection and customized working plans, plus the power to trace metrics like Cardio Load. There’s Fitbit smarts in right here, identical to in earlier Pixel Watches, so that you’re coated in the case of each day exercises, steps, sleep and extra. The one draw back to that is that in the event you’re eager about extra in-depth teaching, these options are hidden behind the Fitbit Premium paywall.

Whereas Put on OS 5 may use a bit extra polish, the mixing with the Google Assistant on the Pixel Watch 3 is helpful so you should use voice instructions to verify on issues like climate forecasts, calendar alerts, map instructions and extra. We additionally recognize the addition of quicker charging on the Pixel Watch 3, so you may go from 0 to 100 in a bit much less time than earlier than. That’ll turn out to be useful in the event you’re actually eager on utilizing the watch as a sleep tracker. General, the enhancements Google made on this version of the Pixel Watch helped push it over the sting as a worthy competitor to the Apple Watch and a high choose for Android customers on the lookout for their subsequent wearable.

$350 at Amazon

Photograph by Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Garmin is understood for its prowess on this planet of health watches and the Garmin Forerunner 165 is the watch I examined that I wished to put on probably the most after I went out for a run. The experience of the Forerunner line is within the title, and Garmin actually excels at making complete but pleasant GPS running watches in flavors that may go well with all types of athletes, from newbie to skilled. The Forerunner 165 stands out with its light-weight design, vivid AMOLED touchscreen, simple button controls, correct built-in GPS and its capability to trace exercise stats simply in addition to all-day exercise knowledge.

Beginning a run with the Forerunner 165 is as straightforward as urgent a single button — the top-right button on the case actually has “run” embossed onto it, and it takes you to the exercise profile menu the place you may select the train you wish to observe. Run is the primary choice, however you’ve greater than 25 profiles to select from together with observe run, treadmill, stroll, power, swim and extra. When working exterior, the GPS took a median of 15-20 seconds to lock onto my location, however you don’t have to attend for it to take action — press the run button once more to start and the GPS will catch up by itself.

The Forerunner expertise has benefited vastly from the continual enchancment of the Garmin Join cellular app. The beforehand clunky, complicated app has been effectively refined with the intention to customise its homepage the exercise and exercise stats you care about probably the most, together with issues like Physique Battery, Sleep Rating, menstrual cycle info and extra. It’s straightforward to dive into your most lately tracked exercise and get within the weeds with tempo, cadence, coaching impact (cardio or anaerobic), energy and stamina stats.

Garmin places the battery lifetime of the Forerunner 165 at 11 days in smartwatch mode, and I discovered that to be largely correct even with a handful of GPS-tracked runs thrown in. The corporate claims you’ll stand up to 19 hours of battery life with steady GPS use, which needs to be sufficient for many runners and athletes competing in long-haul races. You can too get the 165 with music storage in-built or not, with the previous permitting you to retailer music regionally on the watch so you may pay attention with a pair of Bluetooth headphones.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 will set you again $250 with out music storage, or $300 for the mannequin with music storage in-built. That’s on the decrease finish of the worth spectrum for GPS working watches; you might simply spend $500 or extra in the event you’re not sure about what you want and what’s simply additional fluff. Whereas Garmin does have a couple of cheaper units, the Forerunner 165 strikes the proper stability of characteristic set and value that may enchantment to seasoned runners and people who are simply diving right into a extra regimented working routine.

$250 at Garmin

Fashionable smartwatches: Fossil and extra

Michael Kors Access Gen 5e MKGO at CES 2021 — Fossil

Sure, there are nonetheless firms on the market attempting to make “trendy” hybrid smartwatches. Again when wearables had been novel and usually ugly, manufacturers like Fossil, Michael Kors and Skagen discovered their area of interest in trendy smartwatches that took cues from analog timepieces. You even have the choice to select up a “hybrid” smartwatch from firms like Withings and Garmin – these units appear like basic wrist watches however incorporate some restricted performance like exercise monitoring and coronary heart charge monitoring. They continue to be good choices in the event you desire that look, however fortunately, wearables made by Apple, Samsung, Fitbit and others have gotten way more enticing over the previous few years.

In the end, the one factor you may’t change after you purchase a smartwatch is its case design. If you happen to’re not into the Apple Watch’s squared-off corners, all of Samsung’s smartwatches have spherical circumstances that look a bit of extra like a conventional watch. Most wearables are supplied in a alternative of colours and you’ll pay additional for premium supplies like stainless-steel for additional sturdiness. When you determine on a case, your band choices are limitless – there are dozens of first- and third-party watch straps accessible for many main smartwatches, and for each bigger and smaller wrists, permitting you to alter up your look everytime you please.

Elements to think about earlier than shopping for a smartwatch

Compatibility

Apple Watches solely work with iPhones, whereas Put on OS units play good with each iOS and Android telephones. Smartwatches made by Samsung, Garmin, Fitbit and others are additionally suitable with Android and iOS, however you’ll want to put in a companion app in your smartphone.

The smartwatch OS may even dictate the sort and variety of third-party apps you’ll have entry to. Many of those aren’t helpful, although, making this issue a reasonably minor one within the grand scheme of issues.

Value

The very best smartwatches usually value between $300 and $400. In comparison with finances smartwatches, which value between $100 and $250, these pricier units have superior working methods, communications, music and health options. In addition they typically embrace perks like onboard GPS monitoring, music storage and NFC, AMOLED shows, and lengthy battery life, issues that finances units usually don’t have.

Some firms make specialised health watches: These can simply run north of $500, and we’d solely suggest them to critical athletes. Luxurious smartwatches from manufacturers like TAG Heuer and Hublot may attain sky-high costs, however we wouldn’t endorse any of them. These units can value greater than $1,000, and also you’re often paying for little greater than a model title and a few needlessly unique number of construct supplies.

Battery life

Battery life stays one in every of our largest complaints about smartwatches, however there’s hope as of late. You’ll be able to count on two full days from Apple Watches and most Put on OS units. Watches utilizing the Snapdragon Put on 3100 processor assist prolonged battery modes that promise as much as 5 days of battery life on a cost — in the event you’re prepared to close off most options except for, you realize, displaying the time. Different fashions can final 5 to seven days, however they often have fewer options and lower-quality shows. In the meantime, some health watches can final weeks on a single cost. If lengthy battery life is a precedence for you, it’s value trying out the watch’s specs beforehand to see what the producer estimates.

Communication

Any smartwatch value contemplating delivers name, textual content and app notifications to your wrist. Name and textual content alerts are self explanatory, but when these imply quite a bit to you, contemplate a watch with LTE. They’re costlier than their WiFi-only counterparts, however mobile connectivity permits the smartwatch to take and obtain telephone calls, and do the identical with textual content messages, with out your machine close by. So far as app alerts go, getting them delivered to your wrist will allow you to look all the way down to the watch face and see in the event you completely must verify your telephone proper now.

Health monitoring

Exercise monitoring is an enormous cause why individuals flip to smartwatches. An all-purpose timepiece ought to perform as a health tracker, logging your steps, energy and exercises, and most of at present’s wearables have a coronary heart charge monitor as effectively.

Many smartwatches’ health options embrace a built-in GPS, which is helpful for monitoring distance for runs and bike rides. Swimmers will need one thing water-proof, and fortunately most all-purpose units now can face up to not less than a dunk within the pool. Some smartwatches from firms like Garmin are more fitness focused than others and have a tendency to supply extra superior options like heart-rate-variance monitoring, restoration time estimation, onboard maps and extra.

Well being monitoring on smartwatches has additionally seen advances through the years. Each Apple and Fitbit units can estimate blood oxygen ranges and measure ECGs. However the extra reasonably priced the smartwatch, the much less probably it’s that it has these sorts of superior well being monitoring options; if amassing these sorts of wellness metrics is vital to you, you’ll should pay for the privilege.

Music

Your watch can’t solely observe your morning runs but in addition play music when you’re exercising. Many smartwatches allow you to save your music regionally, so you may join wi-fi earbuds through Bluetooth and hearken to tunes with out bringing your telephone. People who don’t have onboard storage for music often have on-watch music controls, so you may management playback with out whipping out your telephone. And in case your watch has LTE, native saving isn’t required — you’ll be capable of stream music immediately from the watch to your paired earbuds.

Shows

Most wearables have touchscreens and we suggest getting one which has a full-color touchscreen. Some flagships just like the Apple Watch have LTPO shows, which stands for low-temperature polycrystalline oxide. These panels have quicker response occasions and are extra energy environment friendly, leading to a smoother expertise when one interacts with the touchscreen and, in some circumstances, longer battery lives.

You gained’t see vital beneficial properties with the latter, although, as a result of the additional battery primarily will get used up when these units have always-on shows, as most flagship wearables do at present. Some smartwatches have this characteristic on by default whereas others allow you to allow it through tweaked settings. This good characteristic means that you can look down at your watch to verify the time, well being stats or another info you’ve set it to indicate on its watchface with out lifting your wrist. This may little question have an effect on your machine’s battery life, however fortunately most always-on modes dim the show’s brightness so it’s not working at its peak unnecessarily. Cheaper units gained’t have this characteristic; as a substitute, their touchscreens will mechanically flip off to preserve battery life and also you’ll should deliberately verify your watch to activate the show once more.

NFC

Many new smartwatches have NFC, letting you pay for issues with out your pockets utilizing contactless funds. After saving your credit score or debit card info, you may maintain your smartwatch as much as an NFC reader to pay for a cup of espresso in your manner dwelling from a run. Take into account that totally different watches use totally different cost methods: Apple Watches use Apple Pay, Put on OS units use Google Pay, Samsung units use Samsung Pay and so forth.

Apple Pay is likely one of the hottest NFC cost methods, with assist for multiple banks and credit cards in 72 totally different international locations, whereas Samsung and Google Pay work in fewer areas. It’s additionally vital to notice that each NFC cost assist varies by machine as effectively for each Samsung and Google’s methods.

Different smartwatches our specialists examined

Apple Watch Extremely 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 might be overkill for most individuals, but it surely has a ton of additional options like additional waterproofing to trace diving, an much more correct GPS and the largest battery of any Apple Watch up to now. Apple designed it for probably the most rugged amongst us, however on your common particular person, it probably has extra options than they’d ever want. If you happen to’re significantly clumsy, nevertheless, its excessive stage of sturdiness may very well be an incredible cause to think about the Apple Watch Extremely 2.

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is much less feature-rich than the flagship mannequin, however it’s going to most likely suffice for most individuals. We really regard the Watch SE as one of the best smartwatch choice for first-time patrons, or individuals on stricter budgets. You’ll get all of the core Apple Watch options in addition to issues like fall and crash detection, noise monitoring and Emergency SOS, however you’ll should do with out extra superior {hardware} perks like an always-on show, a blood oxygen sensor, an ECG monitor and a pores and skin temperature sensor.

Garmin Forerunner 745

Garmin watches normally will be nice choices for probably the most energetic amongst us. The Garmin Forerunner 745 is a wonderful GPS running watch for critical athletes or those that prize battery life above all else. Once we examined it, we discovered it to offer correct distance monitoring, a killer 16-hour battery life with GPS turned on (as much as seven days with out it) and assist for onboard music storage and Garmin Pay.

Amazfit Bip 6

The Amazfit Bip 6, an $80 smartwatch from Zepp Well being, didn’t fairly make the minimize. As a health tracker, it’s respectable, but it surely’s a irritating smartwatch. For exercises, the built-in GPS tracks runs and rides with out your telephone and, mixed with the guts charge and blood oxygen sensors, collects a very good quantity of knowledge to create correct photos of your exertion ranges, cadence and tempo. It’s remarkably light-weight however doesn’t really feel low-cost and the AMOLED display is vivid and sharp. It’s not an always-on show, however lifting your wrist wakes it reliably.

The sleep monitoring knowledge is on par with what we measured on different smartwatches and there’s even a each day readiness rating that compares your sleep high quality and the day past’s exertion to estimate how bodily ready you’re for the day forward — just like what Pixel Watches, Fitbit units and Garmin watches provide. And for the reason that watch battery lasts for over per week on a cost, you might be much more apt to put on it to mattress than a watch it’s a must to cost each day.

We weren’t anticipating an $80 machine to be a critical Apple Watch challenger, however the Bip 6’s glitches and overly sophisticated interface (each on the app and on the watch itself) had been disappointing. Throughout per week of testing, I bought a number of repeated notifications, even after they had been deleted, together with options to face after I was actively doing chores round the home. The watch faces usually are not customizable, so it was exhausting to get the data I wanted at a look (the Zepp app has plenty of paid watch faces that will have what I wished, however I didn’t wish to pay $3 for one thing that’s free elsewhere).

Advertising particulars state that the Bip 6 can auto-detect exercises, together with strolling and bike driving. Throughout testing, I walked a couple of times per day for over one mile and went on two bike rides, however no exercise was ever detected. The watch integrates with Apple Well being, so I used to be capable of see the way it compares to the information my Apple Watch gathers. After per week of carrying the Bip 6, with no adjustments to my each day routine, I averaged 400 fewer energy burned and a couple of.4 fewer miles tracked every day. That was presumably the largest disappointment of all. — Amy Skorheim, Senior Reporter

Smartwatch FAQs

Is there a distinction between a smartwatch and a health tracker?

Whereas smartwatches and health trackers share some similarities, they’re designed for barely totally different functions.

A health tracker is primarily centered on well being and exercise monitoring. It retains tabs in your steps, coronary heart charge, sleep and exercises, and a few even provide superior metrics like blood oxygen ranges and stress monitoring. Health trackers are usually extra compact, have longer battery life and are constructed with exercise in thoughts.

A smartwatch, alternatively, is sort of a mini smartphone in your wrist. It presents health monitoring options, but in addition enables you to do issues like reply to texts, take calls, use apps and management good dwelling units. Many smartwatches assist voice assistants, cellular funds and even LTE connectivity, so you may depart your telephone behind in some circumstances.

If you happen to primarily need well being and exercise monitoring with lengthy battery life, a health tracker is the way in which to go. If you need a extra related expertise with additional options, a smartwatch is the higher alternative.

How lengthy do smartwatches final?

How lengthy a smartwatch lasts largely relies on two issues: battery life and total sturdiness.

Smartwatch battery life varies quite a bit relying on the model, options and the way you utilize it. Primary fashions with e-ink shows or monochrome screens can final per week or extra, whereas full-featured smartwatches just like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch often want a cost every single day or two. If you happen to’re utilizing options like always-on show, GPS monitoring or LTE connectivity, count on the battery to empty quicker.

Bodily, a very good smartwatch ought to final a number of years earlier than you might want to improve. Premium fashions with scratch-resistant glass, water resistance and robust construct supplies have a tendency to carry up effectively over time. Nevertheless, software program assist issues too — manufacturers like Apple and Samsung sometimes present updates for not less than a couple of years, whereas some finances smartwatches might not get long-term software program assist.

You’ll be able to count on to cost most smartwatches each day or each few days, and in the event you handle them, they need to final 3-5 years earlier than an improve is important.

How a lot must you spend on a smartwatch?

How a lot you must spend on a smartwatch relies on what options you want and the way typically you propose to make use of it.

If you happen to simply need the fundamentals — step monitoring, notifications, coronary heart charge monitoring and primary health monitoring — yow will discover some stable budget-friendly choices from manufacturers like Amazfit, Fitbit and a few Put on OS fashions. These often have respectable battery life however might lack premium options like LTE, superior well being monitoring or third-party apps.

Within the mid-range smartwatch value bracket, you’ll discover widespread fashions just like the Apple Watch SE and Fitbit Versa collection. These provide a very good mixture of health monitoring, good options and design high quality. You’ll get higher construct supplies, extra correct sensors and app assist, however battery life would possibly nonetheless be restricted to a day or two.

Excessive-end smartwatches just like the Apple Watch Extremely, Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely and Garmin Fenix/Epix collection provide superior well being monitoring, rugged designs, LTE connectivity and longer software program assist. These are nice for critical athletes, outside adventurers, or anybody who needs the newest and best options.

If you happen to simply desire a easy smartwatch for notifications and health monitoring, a finances or mid-range mannequin will do the job. However if you would like a premium really feel, superior well being monitoring or LTE connectivity, it’s value spending a bit extra. For most individuals, $200 – $350 hits one of the best stability of options and worth.

Do all smartwatches have GPS?

Not all smartwatches have built-in GPS. Some depend on your telephone’s GPS, whereas others have it built-in for impartial monitoring.

Excessive-end and fitness-focused smartwatches, just like the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Garmin fashions have their very own built-in GPS. This implies they will observe your runs, walks, bike rides and hikes without having to be related to your telephone. It’s essential for critical athletes or anybody who needs correct location monitoring with out carrying a telephone.

Some finances and mid-range smartwatches (like some Fitbit and Amazfit fashions) don’t have built-in GPS however can use your telephone’s GPS when related through Bluetooth. This works effective in the event you often carry your telephone whereas understanding, but it surely’s much less handy in the event you desire to go away it behind.

Some very primary or finances smartwatches skip GPS totally and rely solely on step monitoring or movement sensors. These are effective for informal customers who don’t want location monitoring.

Can you allow your telephone at dwelling and nonetheless use a smartwatch?

Sure, but it surely relies on the smartwatch and what you wish to do with out your telephone.

In case your smartwatch has LTE or mobile connectivity , you may make calls, ship texts, stream music, use maps and even entry apps with out your telephone close by. Nevertheless, you’ll want a separate knowledge plan out of your service, which often comes with an additional month-to-month value.

Even with out LTE, some smartwatches can nonetheless do loads on their very own, together with observe exercises and GPS routes (if they’ve built-in GPS), play music offline (in the event that they assist downloads from Spotify or Apple Music), might contactless funds with options like Apple Pay and Google Pockets and management good dwelling units.

If going phone-free is vital to you, search for a smartwatch with LTE and built-in GPS for one of the best expertise.

Can a smartwatch make calls with out a telephone?

Sure, a smartwatch could make calls with out a telephone — however provided that it has the proper options.

Some smartwatches have built-in LTE connectivity, that means they will work independently out of your telephone. You may make and obtain calls, ship texts, stream music and use apps so long as you’ve a cellular knowledge plan for the watch. Nevertheless, you’ll must pay for a separate mobile plan and battery life drains quicker when utilizing LTE.

In case your smartwatch doesn’t have LTE, it could actually nonetheless make calls, however solely when related to your telephone through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It primarily acts as a distant speaker and microphone on your telephone’s calls. Watches like the usual Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch (Wi-Fi variations) can do that. Nevertheless, in case your telephone isn’t close by or related to Wi-Fi, calling gained’t work.

Some fitness-focused smartwatches (like sure Garmin, Fitbit and Amazfit fashions) don’t have a built-in speaker or microphone, to allow them to’t make or obtain calls in any respect — solely present notifications.

If calling with out a telephone is a should, ensure that to decide on an LTE mannequin with a built-in mic and speaker.

What is the distinction between an Android and Apple smartwatch?

The largest distinction between Android and Apple smartwatches comes all the way down to compatibility, options and ecosystem integration.

Apple smartwatches (Apple Watch) solely work with iPhones. In case you have an Android telephone, you may’t use an Apple Watch in any respect. Android smartwatches (Put on OS, Samsung Galaxy, Garmin and many others.) largely work with Android telephones, however some additionally assist iPhones with restricted options. In case you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is your best option. In case you have an Android telephone, go for a Put on OS or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Apple Watch (watchOS) has one of the best app assist with seamless integration into Apple’s ecosystem (iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Pay, Apple Health+, Siri and many others.). Android smartwatches provide extra selection, with entry to Google companies (Google Assistant, Google Pockets and Google Maps), and a few assist Amazon Alexa or Samsung’s Bixby.

When it comes to design, Apple Watch has a single design however is available in totally different sizes and supplies. It’s smooth, however your solely actual customization comes from bands and watch faces. Android smartwatches, alternatively, are available tons of types and types (Samsung, Google Pixel Watch, Garmin, Fossil and many others.), that means you may choose a spherical watch, a rugged design or a luxury-looking mannequin.

If battery life is vital to you, the Apple Watch lasts a few day or two per cost, relying on utilization and mannequin. Many Android smartwatches (particularly Garmin, Amazfit or Mobvoi TicWatch) final a number of days and even weeks on a single cost.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.

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