Smartwatches can do a great many things these days compared to the devices from more than five years ago, and with so many options out there now finding the best ones to consider is a little more challenging than before.
We’ve put together a list of the top 10 best smartwatches that are worth your time so there’s less work for you to do.
While not every smartwatch can be on this list and some consumers may not find one that works for them, these are still some of the best smartwatches on the market for various reasons.
If you’re looking for a new smartwatch, consider any of the ones in the list below as they might be perfect for you.
Top 10 Best Smartwatches – Summary
Below you’ll find a short summary on the list of top 10 best smartwatches we’ve picked for this month.
As there’s still plenty of time to reach all those fitness goals. The summary includes the cost of each tracker, and where to buy if you’re short on time.
Below the summary you’ll find a slightly longer description of each item along with the where to buy links.
| Smartwatch cost | Where to buy | |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic | From $351.98 | Amazon, Samsung, Best Buy, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, B&H |
| Amazfit GTS | From $119.99 | Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, Walmart |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 | From $218.79 | Amazon, B&H, Walmart, Target, Best Buy |
| Fitbit Sense | From $199.95 | Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, Target, Adorama |
| Fossil Gen 5E | $159 | Amazon |
| Garmin Fenix 6 Series | From $399 | Amazon, B&H, Walmart, Target, Best Buy |
| Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR | $195 | Amazon |
| Fitbit Versa 3 | From $179.95 | Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, Target, Adorama |
| Garmin Instinct Solar | From $299.95 | Amazon, B&H, Target, Best Buy |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 | From $399.99 | Amazon, B&H, Target, Best Buy, Samsung |
Top 10 Best Smartwatches – List
Here we’ll discuss a little bit more detail about each watch in the list, and showcase any trailers for them if applicable.
We’ll also have buy links below the information about each watch so you have quick access to where you can pick them up if you’re looking to buy.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is the latest and greatest from Samsung. And the more traditionally-styled option of the brand’s two new watches in the Galaxy Watch 4 series. It’s also the better option of the two thanks to a couple of features the standard Galaxy Watch 4 model doesn’t have. Namely the rotating bezel.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic comes in both Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, and LTE models. And Samsung offers various watch case color options as well as a wide range of different straps to choose from.
Wear OS 3 with a top layer of One UI Watch 3 powers the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic’s software and user experience. Which means you get the best of both worlds thanks to Google’s bigger collection of apps, as well as Samsung’s better performance and battery life.
The watch officially starts at a price of $349.99. Although, most retailers are offering special promotional pricing on both models right now during the pre-order phase.
Amazfit GTS
You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get one of the best smartwatches out there. The Amazfit GTS is a great smartwatch with loads of features and it only costs $130. Which is less than some fitness trackers.
This also doesn’t run Wear OS or Tizen, and it comes with a surprisingly long battery life of up to 14 days. Now keep in mind that battery life will certainly vary by user depending on how you use the watch, as using the GPS continuously can bring the battery life way down. But no matter what you should get a solid week out of it without the GPS. Or close to it give or take a day.
When it comes to features, the Amazfit GTS packs in standard things like smartphone notifications, fitness tracking for running, walking, cycling, and more, and it has a 5ATM water resistant rating so you don’t have to worry about it getting wet.
There are also multiple color options and strap choices to fit your personal style.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Every smartwatch on this list is great for a number of reasons, but the best smartwatch overall is definitely the Galaxy Watch Active 2.
It has a sleek understated design with stylish design options including multiple colors, different straps, and a nice metal body with buttons that don’t protrude out too much.
When it comes to functionality the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has advanced sleep tracking features to help you get a better night’s rest, which is important for taking on the following day.
It automatically tracks various types of workouts shortly after you start doing them. So you won’t usually have to worry about starting them manually. If you’re going for a walk, just start going for a walk and it’ll detect it.
The same goes for runs, cycling and and a variety of other workout types. It also supports Samsung Pay, heart rate tracking, built-in GPS, deep Spotify integration, and a whole lot more.
There’s an LTE model too. Though that one will cost a bit more than the standard model. If you’re looking for the best all-around smartwatch, definitely consider this one.
Fitbit Sense
The Fitbit Sense is one of two new smartwatches that Fitbit launched earlier this Fall, and is currently the company’s top-tier option in terms of features and price.
The Sense has many things going for it, such as ECG monitoring with the pairing of an ECG app, as well as an Sp02 sensor, but one of its standout features is the stress management. All too often people pay less attention than they should to how stress is impacting their life.
The Fitbit Sense can help by giving you metrics to go over. To which you can try and adjust different things in your day to day life that can help lower your stress.
Here’s how it works. You use the EDA-scan app on the watch, which was designed to detect electrodermal activity. This activity may indicate your personal response to stress, and from there you can track stress trends over time in the Fitbit app.
The app also gives you a stress score, and if you’re a Fitbit Premium member you can see even further granular breakdowns of your stress data. Of course beyond the stress management it also has heart rate tracking, Fitbit Pay, Active Zone Minutes, activity tracking, sleep tracking and more.
It even has support for Google Assistant and Alexa, and has customizable watch faces.
Fossil Gen 5E
- Price: $159
- Where To Buy: Amazon
If you like the Wear OS ecosystem but want something that is going to last you up to multiple days on a single charge, then you want or should at least consider the Gen 5E from Fossil.
Like the original Gen 5 collection, the Gen 5E comes with a lot of great features, and one of those is the new multi-day battery modes that can be created so you can stretch the life of the watch out before needing to put it back on the charger.
While this is a a feature of the software update that the Gen 5 also got, the Gen 5E has two things going for it that probably make this a better option. It comes in a new smaller 42mm size that the Gen 5 does not com in, and it comes with a smaller price tag too at $249.
That drop in price though does remove a few things that are on the regular Gen 5. Such as the altimeter, the ambient light sensor, and the compass.
However, this watch does do everything else that the regular Gen 5 can do. It even has the capability to remote start your Toyota vehicle with the Toyota Remote Connect app. Which is pretty cool.
Garmin Fenix 6 Series
Smartwatches come in a few different forms and the Fenix 6 series from Garmin is the best form for any outdoorsy type that wants a smartwatch that offers loads of multisport features.
Now, this isn’t an inexpensive smartwatch. On the contrary it’s rather expensive. And the price can get pretty high up there depending on the model you choose. Such as the Fenix 6 Pro Solar.
But the base model starts at around $588, and offers smartphone notifications, a heart rate sensor for tracking your heart rate, built-in GPS (with GPS being Garmin’s specialty), a Pulse Ox sensor, and a rugged design to make sure it lasts throughout all of your insane excursions.
With all the features, you’d think that battery life would be an issue. But it’s not. It has multiple modes depending on how you want to use it. In smartwatch mode for example it can last up to 14 days. It can last even longer in expedition GPS activity mode with a battery life of up to 28 days.
If you want continuous GPS you’re looking at about 36 hours. So maybe a day and a half. But let’s say you want to save battery life because you know you’ll be gone a while. Battery saver mode can help the watch last for up to 48 days.
Granted you will lose some of the smarter features, but the point is longevity here. Garmin even built in safety and tracking features that can alert people to your position. If you engage in multisport and are outdoors often, you may want to consider this over anything else.
Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR
- Price: $195
- Where to buy: Amazon
The Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR is the perfect smartwatch for anyone that doesn’t want a full-blown smartwatch hanging out on their wrist. While you won’t get access to a touchscreen or a bevy of apps, what you do get is a nice-looking timepiece that does what watches are intended to do. Tell time. It also gets smartphone alerts, tracks your steps, tells you what the weather is and more.
One of the best features though is its battery life. This watch can last for more than two weeks on a single charge. That will obviously vary based on how you use it, but that’s a longer battery life than most other smartwatches. And that means you won’t have to toss it on the charger every night.
It also tracks your heart rate and you can see calendar updates too. Plus it has mechanical watch hands so the whole thing looks more traditional. Which is a big part of its appeal.
Fitbit Versa 3
The Fitbit Sense is a great smartwatch if you want things like the stress management and the ECG feature, but that stuff comes at a cost.
A solution here could be the Fitbit Versa 3. It’s $100 less than the Sense, and it comes with a lot of the same features, one of the best ones being the ability to track your heart rate variability.
The Versa 3 doesn’t have the stress management features that the Sense has, but with the heart rate variability tracking you can at least potentially keep an eye on it in a way.
The heart rate variability feature tracks the variation of time between each heartbeat. Which can be an indicator of things like fatigue, illness, and even stress. You need to be a Fitbit Premium member to access this feature. In addition to it, you have all the familiar things about the most recent Fitbit devices, like active zone minutes, heart rate tracking, Fitbit Pay, apps, smartphone notifications and more.
Plus, the Fitbit Versa 3 comes in a range of color options for customization.
Garmin Instinct Solar
The Garmin Instinct is in many respects, like a multitude of other Garmin smartwatches out there but it has its differences.
For one, it’s well under the price you pay for the most basic version of the Fenix 6. Beyond that, it has a solar charging capability which means if you live in a more sunny location, is likely perfect for you. Provided you’re outside enough to take advantage of it.
Aside from the solar charging, it also has a feature called the body battery energy monitor, which as the name suggests can help you track your body’s energy reserves so you know when to get up and go and when to take a breather.
It also has numerous different sports apps and tracks various sports and exercise activities, a pulse-ox sensor, built-in GPS and route tracking, smart notifications, a calendar, and a whole lot more. It even comes in more than a few fun color options. All of that definitely makes this one of the best smartwatches on this list.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3 was made official in the beginning of August, and has now hit the market. It’s Samsung’s most ambitious smartwatch to date and brings back a very popular feature. The rotating bezel.
Aside from that, it also features the capability to measure your oxygen levels and check your blood pressure. Two new features that Samsung has introduced alongside familiar staples such as heart rate monitoring.
It comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and is packed to the gills with options for customization. You can choose from a range of different straps from leather to silicone, and the Galaxy Watch 3 has access to over 50,000 different watch faces. Making it possible to have a smartwatch that is truly unique to you.
Like the Galaxy Watch Active 2, the Galaxy Watch 3 is also very focused on user health. So if you want the best of the best without giving up fitness features, this is it.
2021-12-21 15:07:08