What are the best smartwatches?

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Here’s the Deal

35 Options Considered

Best smartwatches	Price	RAM	Display
-- Huawei Watch	$350	512MB	1.4in AMOLED 400x400px 286ppi
-- Apple Watch	-	–	–
-- Tag Heuer Connected	$1500	–	–
-- Sony Smartwatch 2	-	–	–
-- LG Watch Urbane	$349	512MB	1.3in P-OLED 320x320px 254dpi

Huawei Watch

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Top Pro

Fantastic display

A 400x400 screen lights up the show, and it is powered by OLED technology. This is the highest resolution screen on any Android Wear watch, providing crisp text and punchy colors. The display is fairly large at 1.4" as well, allowing room to read more in incoming texts/emails etc. See More

Top Con

Lacking some hardware

There is no ambient light sensor, so you will have to manually adjust brightness when you step outside/back inside. There is also no GPS and no NFC. While the hardware is good, it can be hard to fork out a premium price for a watch that is lacking useful hardware additions. See More

Specs

Display:1.4in AMOLED 400x400px 286ppi

Connectivity:Bluetooth 4.1

CPU:Snapdragon 400 1.2 Ghz

Top Pro

Great design

The Huawei Watch brings a fully circular display - without the 'flat tire' which the Moto 360 has - and it does so while maintaining a small bezel around the screen. See More

Top Con

Poor battery life

You can get a full day of use from the watch, but not much more (with ambient mode on. If you disable it, you can stretch out the battery life to up to two days). See More

Top Pro

IP67 dust and water proof

While you shouldn't submerge it, you don't need to worry about getting it wet when washing your hands or out in the rain. See More

Top Pro

Popular, well supported OS

Android Wear is the software on the Huawei Watch. It is pretty easy to use, and there are a number of apps available for it. It is one of the most widely supported watch OSs, and works with iPhones as well as Androids. See More

Apple Watch

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Top Pro

Works well with iPhone

Health apps downloaded on iPhone can be integrated with Apple Watch See More

Top Con

Expensive

Apple Watch is said to cost $349 USD. See More

Stuart Kearney's Experience

I've had the new Series 4 watch for the last few days and I'm really surprised how much I like it. It's my first smartwatch and I intended to return it after playing with it for a week or so to see what all the hype was about. I can't speak to the issues people had with the older version but the screen and interface is big and useful enough for this to be a really powerful device. The watch face is customizable far beyond what I was expecting. I'm a bit of a data nerd and I feel like I have a mini dashboard on my wrist for things like upcoming calendar appointments, timezones in countries with family and the obvious things like weather. There's a lot of awesome health functionality I've not yet had a chance to play with, but if you're wondering what else makes is so great I'd probably say the notifications are pretty neat. I like not having to always have my phone out to check if an email or text is important. Overall really like it. Haven't encountered any downsides yet. See More

Top Pro

Digital Crown

The Digital Crown allows you to zoom in and out with various applications and can be used as a button. See More

Top Con

Works only with iPhones

You need to have an iPhone (5 or later) to pair this smartwatch. It will not work with any other device, and has limited capabilities on its own (and still require the iPhone for the initial setup). See More

Top Pro

First -rate app support

Top Pro

Heart rate sensor

Top Pro

Haptic feedback for notifications

Top Pro

Sensitive touch

Allows for taps and presses to be registered as two different types of input. See More

Top Pro

Siri / Digital Assistant Support

You can use Siri directly from the Apple Watch, allowing you to call or text, but also to get directions, and more. See More

Top Pro

Great fitness app support

The Apple Watch integrates with virtually every well-known fitness and calorie tracking app out there. See More

Top Pro

Customizable watch faces

Can customize the watch faces with "complications" such as weather forecast, traffic, meeting schedule, etc… or your own photos. See More

Top Pro

Can unlock your Mac

If you have a Mac with sufficient Bluetooth chip support the Apple Watch can be used in place of your password or touch ID to login/unlock the system when in proximity. See More

Top Pro

Standalone phone calls

Series 3 can make and receive phone calls by itself, without the need to connect to a smartphone. See More

Tag Heuer Connected

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Top Pro

Attention to detail for both hardware and software

In Tag's custom watch faces, shadows appear under the hands. Dials on the display match up nearly perfectly with other Tag watches, and by default they have disabled the ability for notifications to pop up in ambient mode, keeping to their clean yet sophisticated look - although you can change this if you choose. See More

Top Con

Thick

The watch is very chunky at 12.8mm - much thicker than other Android Wear watches which are typically around 10-11mm thick. See More

Top Pro

Very comfortable to wear

The Tag Heuer Connected is by far the most comfortable smartwatch to wear, which is what you'd expect from a 150 year old watch maker. See More

Top Con

Not for everyone

At $1500, the Connected is squarely targeted at the premium watch buyers. It isn't designed to be something to replace your $50 Timex, and is priced outside of what most people can afford. See More

Top Pro

Powerful performance

This is the first Android Wear watch that has gone with a processor other than the Snapdragon 400 (ignoring the original Moto 360's ancient TI OMAP 3 processor). It uses a dual core Intel Atom Z34XX processor clocked at 1.6GHz. This is very powerful for a watch, and you shouldn't worry about performance even years down the road. This is also the first smartwatch we've seen to include a full 1GB of RAM - all the others have 512MB. See More

Top Pro

Transflective display

Like the Sony Smartwatch 3, the Connected uses a transflective LCD display. this means that it doesn't use the backlight in ambient mode, instead it reflects ambient light around it. Outdoors it is very visible in even direct sunlight, however when ambient light is low you won't be able to see the screen (although it also won't glow on your wrist). See More

Top Pro

IP67 Water resistance

While not meant for submersion, don't worry about splashes, spills, or rain. See More

Top Pro

Lightweight

For its size, the watch is very lightweight. At 52g, it's one of the lightest Android Wear watches available. See More

Top Pro

High quality materials

The Connected uses a black sandblasted titanium bezel and aluminum lugs. The numbers on the bezel are raised out of the bezel slightly, adding to the premium look and feel. See More

Top Pro

Future exclusive hardware

After 2 years, you will be able to upgrade to a special edition Carrera (another $1500) which will only be available for Tag Heuer Connected owners. See More

Top Pro

Classic design

Just by looking at it, you wouldn't be able to tell its a smartwatch - it looks just as classy as any regular high end watch See More

Sony Smartwatch 2

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Top Pro

Interchangeable Watchbands

Although the Sony Smartwatch 2 only comes with watchband in the box the Smartwatch 2 can be used with Sony' options or any 24mm watchband. See More

Top Con

Unimpressive Display

The Smartwatch 2 uses a 1.6-inch 220 x 176 pixel LCD. This results in a disappointing 176 PPI. See More

Top Pro

IP57 Waterproof

The Sony Smartwatch 2 can withstand 30 minutes of being being under 1 meter of water See More

Top Con

Sluggish Software

The interactions with the software are not of the quality you would come to expect after using a modern smartphone, in particular the scrolling is laggy and the tap detection is buggy. See More

Top Pro

Minimalistic Design

The design is consistent with the style of the Sony Xperia range, being very minimalistic and clean. See More

LG Watch Urbane

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Top Pro

Classical style

The bezel isn't too large, and especially from a distance it could be mistaken for a regular watch. It's the type of watch that you can wear everyday, even to work without looking like a computer on your wrist. See More

Top Con

Bulky

The G Watch R is 10.9mm thick and weighs 66g. It will take some time to get used to wearing it, especially if you previously haven't worn a watch. See More

Specs

Display:1.3in P-OLED 320x320px 254dpi

Battery:410 mAh

Dust & water resistance:IP67

Top Pro

Water and dust resistant

The product is IP67 certified. The certification guarantees that the product can be submerged up to a meter in water at room temperature for up to 30 minutes. See More

Top Con

Can't pinpoint location

Some smartwatches have built-in GPS which allows them to track runs without needing to carry your phone with you, allowing you to use your watch as a fitness tracker. The Urbane doesn't have this ability. See More

Top Pro

Compatible with most Android Wear apps

Because it is round there will be a few apps that don't work properly, but the vast majority of apps will work. See More

Top Pro

Replaceable watch bands

Urbane has standard 22mm watch bands which are widely available, so it's easy to find a replacement that suits you. See More

Top Pro

Decent battery life

The watch will always allow for at least a full day (unless you are constantly playing games on it), but usually will last for 2 full days even with ambient mode on (always on). The OLED display helps with this - with a black background for watch faces the display isn't lighting up the black pixels, greatly reducing the power draw in ambient mode. See More

Top Pro

Basic fitness tracking

There is a PPG Heart rate monitor on-board, and it will track your heart rate. It will also keep track of how many steps you've taken each day. See More

Top Pro

Increased working range

If your watch is out of bluetooth range of your phone, it will connect to available Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi takes more power than bluetooth, but it allows you to not have to carry your phone all the time and still receive notifications. See More

Xiaomi Mi Band 2

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Top Pro

Same functionality of competitors for half the price or less

You get step tracking, sleep tracking, vibrate notifications, call notifications, clock, alarm, custom actions (via third party apps), heart rate reader (albeit not the most precise one) for the fraction of the cost of the competitors. See More

Top Con

Heart rate monitor is very unreliable

Along with frequently not working at all, it has a tendency to be quite inaccurate. It struggles to read the HR when you're sweating as well so isn't useful during exercise. See More

Specs

Waterproof:Splash resistant

Companion app platforms:iOS, Android

Top Pro

Good product for the price

It's a great option if you're not looking to invest a lot of money but still want a tracker with a decent set of features. See More

Top Con

Very unreliable build quality

There are many reports of the track malfunctioning right out of the box or after only a few hours of use. This includes the LED display not working, the heart rate function not working, and buyers being sent used products. See More

Moto 360 (2nd gen)

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Top Con

LCD Display

LCD displays aren't the best choice for a smartwatch. They require more power than Amoled or other display types, especially when in ambient display mode (when the screen is always on). See More

Top Pro

Automatically adjusts brightness

The Moto 360 is one of the few watches which will change the brightness depending on how bright the area is around you. This is very convenient when you use the watch outdoors as you don't have to manually adjust the brightness each time you step outside. The light sensor is located in the small black semi-circle at the bottom of the display. See More

Top Con

Chunky

At 11.4mm, it's a bit thick. As slick as the design is, you still have a tiny computer sitting on your wrist. See More

Top Pro

Great design

With minimal bezels, the Moto 360 looks stunning. While it does have a 'flat tire', it's pretty small and required to have such slim bezels as well as the ambient light sensor. See More

Top Con

Poor battery life with ambient mode

Half of the time (with ambient mode enabled) the Moto 360 won't last the full day. With ambient mode off it will last a full 24 hours, however then you don't have the convenience of an always on display. See More

Top Pro

Customizable hardware

Through Moto Maker you can choose either a 42mm or 46mm size, the bezel color, case color, band (2 leather options or 3 metal options), and the default watch face. The larger 46mm size, micro knurl bezel, gold case or metal bands will increase the price slightly. See More

Sony Smartwatch 3

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Top Pro

Water proof

While it can't deal with deep water pressure, you have nothing to worry about when washing your hands or getting it wet in the rain as it is rated IP68. You can also wash the band and unit off to remove any dust or debris that can accumulate on the underside of the central unit or in the cracks between the unit and the band without worrying at all about water damage. See More

Top Con

No heart-rate meter

The Smartwatch 3 lacks a sensor that can measure your heart-rate. See More

Top Pro

Brightness works well in all scenarios

The display on the Smartwatch 3 uses transflective screen technology (this is instead of IPS or OLED technology) - it reflects ambient light instead of using its own backlight. This makes it easily visible in ambient (always-on) mode even when outside in direct sunlight (as a matter of fact, that's when it is easiest to see), and also saves a lot of power in ambient mode because it doesn't require a backlight. In a dark room, you won't be able to see the time...although this can also be counted as a pro because your wrist won't glow in dark rooms like OLED or IPS watches will. In addition, it is one of the few smartwatches that include an ambient light sensor (required for auto brightness). So when the screen is on, it knows when to automatically turn up or down the brightness. See More

Top Con

Unattractive design

The watch doesn't look at all like a traditional watch. It looks and feels much like a mini computer on your wrist. See More

Top Pro

Android Wear

Android Wear has the most apps available, and there is no worry that it will be discontinued anytime soon. See More

Top Con

Propriety straps

The device pops out and you can put in in a new band, although only certain bands will fit it. These bands tend to be expensive, and there only a few options (different colored silicon or stainless steel). See More

Top Pro

Future Ready

Future ready with built in Wi-Fi, NFC, and GPS built in. See More

Top Con

Poor screen colors

The display is a transflective display, and the colors it produces are greatly muted when compared to OLED or even IPS displays. See More

Top Pro

Running companion

The built-in GPS will drain the battery quickly, but it allows you to track activity more precisely. If you go on walks or runs, apps can track them without needing to bring your phone. Android Wear lets you sync some music onto the watch, which can be paired to bluetooth earbuds/headphones. This fully lets you leave your phone at home, and use the watch for GPS and music at the same time. See More

Top Pro

USB charging

You can charge the SmartWatch 3 using the same charger that you use to charge your phone. This means that if you brake/lose your charger, it is easy and cheap to replace. It also means that if you go traveling, you can only bring one charger instead of a different one for your phone and watch. See More

Top Pro

Able to track movement

GPS is built in so you can use fitness apps or navigation without the phone to track your movement. See More

Pebble Color

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LG G Watch R

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Top Con

Discontinued

The LG G Watch R has been discontinued in favor of the new LG Watch Urbane. It is no longer available from the Google Play Store, and the only Amazon listings are over $600. See More

Top Pro

Can be customized with any 22mm watch strap

Top Con

Expensive

The watch is expected to cost around $290 - it could be argued that the watch is overpriced for the amount of benefit it produces. See More

Top Pro

Appears to be a traditional watch

The LG G Watch R is not nearly as attention seeking as other smartwatches. See More

Top Con

Low app compatibility because of the circular screen

Many apps are made to accommodate square screens, so the G Watch R's circular screen may result in frequent compatibility issues. See More

Top Pro

Great specs for fast speeds

The G Watch R has 4GB of internal storage, a 1.2GHz processor, and 512MB of RAM. See More

Top Con

Inconsistent voice command accuracy

This watch is highly accurate for short commands like setting a timer or asking for directions, but longer commands are often misinterpreted. See More

Top Pro

Glare resistant high quality 320x320 resolution

The G Watch R has a sharper resolution than the previous version, and is meant to promote visibility in direct sunlight. See More

Top Con

Two day battery life

While the battery in this watch is much better than some of the alternatives, it still has a long way to go in order to become a competitor with the top smart-watches in terms of battery life. See More

Top Pro

Water and dust resistant

It's IP67 certified. See More

Top Con

No ambient light sensor

Top Pro

Completely round display

Many users seem to hate square watches because they look antiquated and clunky. The G Watch R is refreshing to many folks because of its attractive round face. See More

Top Con

Lacks a GPS sensor

Top Pro

PPG heart-rate sensor

Top Pro

Waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes

This watch will do fine in the rain, shower, or while washing hands - but it shouldn't be submerged in water frequently. See More

Asus Zen Watch

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Top Pro

Amazing value

This smartwatch has powerful hardware (for a watch) and costs only $99. It's the best value smartwatch out there that doesn't compromise much on design - arguably the most important factor when choosing a smartwatch. See More

Top Con

Clingy clasp

The clasp is as thick as the watch itself, and can easily get caught on clothing See More

Top Pro

Screen fits more content

The Amoled display provides rich colors are true blacks which is even more important on a watch (likely it will be displaying black very frequently). From a functionality standpoint, a square display fits more content on it, especially when the entire UI is based on rectangular cards. See More

Top Con

Poor battery life

During a heavy day (with ambient mode enabled for the convience), the Zen Watch's battery could clunk out after just 14 hours. You could put it into flight mode to stretch the battery time to about 20 hours, to keep the always-on mode enabled but then it isn't performing the functions of a smartwatch anymore. See More

Top Pro

Android Wear

Top Pro

Bio sensor

The bio sensor measures your pulse, and keeps track of your relaxation level throughout the day (a lower pulse means you are more relaxed). It's neat to see what part of the day you are stressed out during, and if you notice patterns during high stress times you can change that. See More

Microsoft Band 2

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Top Pro

Guided workouts

Nobody else has it. See More

Top Con

Poor notification support

The Band 2 will vibrate when a notification comes in, and the notification will scroll across the display. After it's scrolled through, you can't read that notification from the watch anymore. You will see an icon for that app that received a notification and a number indicating how many notifications that app has received, but to view the notification you will need to pull out your phone. See More

Top Pro

Lots of sensors

The Band 2 comes with a complete array of sensors, including a heart rate sensor, GPS, ambient light sensor, UV sensor, galvanic skin response sensor and barometer as well as a few others. See More

Top Con

Bulky clasp

Under the clasp is a sensor that determines whether it's being worn or not (so it can save power when not in use), which adds bulk. See More

Top Pro

Fits well on the wrist

The Microsoft Band 2 comes in 3 sizes to ensure it fits: Small (145-165mm or 5.7-6.5"), Medium (160-190mm or 6.3-7.5"), or Large (185-215mm or 7.3-8.5"). See More

Top Pro

Splash resistant

While not fully waterproof (don't submerge it), you can get the Band 2 a bit wet. Washing your hands, or walking in the rain won't cause any damage. See More

Top Pro

Naturally curved display

The display is curved, which makes it feel more natural to use and wear. You also won't be hitting it as often as other watches because it doesn't stick out as far from your wrist as other fitness trackers. The OLED display doesn't light up black pixels, meaning the background blends in perfectly with the bezels making for a more pleasing look as well as saving battery life when displaying mostly black colors. See More

Asus Zenwatch 2

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Top Con

No heart rate monitor

Most smartwatches have a built in heart rate monitor, however the ZenWatch 2 doesn't. See More

Top Pro

Long battery life

While almost all smartwatches need recharging daily, the ZenWatch 2 can last 2 days with regular usage. See More

Top Con

Large bezel

The watch screen is fairly small relative to the overall size of the face. The AMOLED display helps the screen blend in with the bezel when using a watch face with a black background. See More

Top Pro

Elegant design

The simple design of the Zenwatch 2 gives it an elegant look. The slightly curved display and the stainless steel body make for an attractive watch. See More

Top Pro

Popular, well supported OS

Android Wear is one of the best supported watch OSs with many apps and active development. It uses the card design to show notifications, and offers features such as an always on display mode (called "ambient display"). See More

Samsung Gear 2

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Top Con

Limited Compatibility

Although the Gear 2 is compatible with a solid amount of Samsung devices, if you ever decide to go on a fling with one of Google's irresistible Nexus phones your Gear 2 will be practically useless. The Gear 2 is only compatible with Samsung devices like the -Galaxy S5 -Galaxy S4 (Active, Zoom, and Mini) -Galaxy SIII -Galaxy Mega -Galaxy Note 2 and 3 -Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition -Galaxy Note Pro -Galaxy Tab Pro See More

Top Pro

1.63 inch Super AMOLED Touchscreen

Although the screen (320x320 pixels) is not as easily readable in sunlight as other smartwatches like the Pebble with its e-ink display. The Gear 2 is still designed to be used outside and the AMOLED display provides other advantages over e-ink displays. Smartwatches with e-ink displays cannot use a camera or many apps that the Gear 2 can. See More

Top Pro

Standalone Music Player

The Gear 2 features a standalone music player with 4 GB of space and the ability to connect to a bluetooth headset. This is an improvement over the Galaxy Gear and the Pebble smartwatches that can only control your phone's music player. See More

Top Pro

Infrared Sensor

The infrared sensor allows the Gear 2 to use Samsung's WatchOn app to control your TV. See More

Top Pro

1GHz Dual Core Processor

The Gear 2 also gets an upgrade from the 800MHz single core of the original Galaxy Gear. This upgrade will likely allow for more powerful apps and more software upgrades. See More

Top Pro

2 Megapixel Camera

The 2 megapixel camera is a slight improvement from the Galaxy Gear and a useful addition to a smartwatch. Although the position of the camera makes it impossible to have a video chat on your wrist. See More

Top Pro

Up to Three Days of Battery Life

Although the battery is not as long lasting as the Pebble smartwatches. Three days is still far better than charging the original Galaxy Gear every night and not too inconvenient. See More

Top Pro

Improved Design

Top Pro

Interchangeable Straps

Watches are as personal as clothing, but most people are likely to own only one smartwatch. The Gear 2 provides a solution with interchangeable straps even after you buy it. This was not possible on the original Galaxy Gear because the camera was built into the strap. See More

Top Pro

Fitness Features

The Gear 2 has the usual fitness Features like a pedometer and a fitness mode. But the Gear 2 like the Galaxy S5 includes something unique, a heart rate sensor. See More

LG G Watch

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Top Con

Display slightly lacks blacks

Mostly noticeable in direct sunlight, the LG G Watch black levels are somewhat lacking. See More

Top Pro

About 2 days of battery life

The G Watch has a 400 mAh that lasts for roughly 2 days of typical use. See More

Top Con

Corroding charging pins (can be solved with a software update)

Multiple people are reporting corroding charging pins. Additionally, LG has said that they won't be addressing the issue and there's even a unified attempt from the community to pressure LG in fixing the issue. LG has released a software patch to address this issue. It should be resolved after applying the patch. See More

Top Pro

Clear, responsive IPS display

The G Watch has a clear, responsive 280x280 IPS LCD with slightly noticeable lack of deep blacks. See More

Logitech Folio Keyboard for iPad

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Microsoft Band

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Top Con

Easy wear and tear

The inner material of the watch begins to wrinkle and tear within a year if you wear your watch a lot. See More

Top Pro

Very good Cortana Integration

Specs

Waterproofing:Splash resistant

Top Con

Short battery Life

Very short battery life. With daily use, notifications on etc you will get 2 days out of it at most. After a year in, the battery life will get even shorter. See More

Top Pro

Touchscreen that works

The rectangular screen allows for a nice touch screen experience. See More

Top Pro

Cross Platform and Knows everything...

Works on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone platforms. See More

Top Pro

Comfortable and Light

Not a burden to wear. See More

Top Pro

Monitors sleep

Tracks the hours you sleep and how well you sleep within those hours. Monitors how frequent you wake up and lets you know what your heart rate was through the night. Very awesome feature. See More

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