One of the best smartwatches for 2025

Smartwatches do extra than simply monitor your steps and ship cellphone alerts to your wrist. One of the 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, when you’re studying this, you already know all the advantages of a smartwatch. You’re prepared to take a position, or improve from an growing older accent, however we wouldn’t blame you when you when you didn’t know the place to begin. There are dozens of smartwatches out there now, together with GPS operating watches, health trackers that appear like smartwatches and multi-purpose units. Plus, you’ll need to take into account 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 out there immediately and these are our high picks.

Desk of contents

Greatest smartwatches of 2025

Fashionable smartwatches: Fossil and extra

Sure, there are nonetheless firms on the market making an attempt to make “modern” hybrid smartwatches. Again when wearables had been novel and customarily ugly, manufacturers like Fossil, Michael Kors and Skagen discovered their area of interest in fashionable 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 when you favor that look, however fortunately, wearables made by Apple, Samsung, Fitbit and others have gotten rather more engaging over the previous few years.

Finally, the one factor you may’t change after you purchase a smartwatch is its case design. Should you’re not into the Apple Watch’s squared-off corners, all of Samsung’s smartwatches have spherical circumstances that look slightly extra like a standard watch. Most wearables are supplied in a alternative of colours and you may pay additional for premium supplies like chrome 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 out there for many main smartwatches, and for each bigger and smaller wrists, permitting you to vary up your look everytime you please.

Components to contemplate 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.

Worth

One of the best smartwatches usually value between $300 and $400. In comparison with price range smartwatches, which value between $100 and $250, these pricier units have superior working techniques, communications, music and health options. Additionally they usually embody perks like onboard GPS monitoring, music storage and NFC, AMOLED shows, and lengthy battery life, issues that price range 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 severe 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 identify and a few needlessly unique collection of construct supplies.

Battery life

Battery life stays one among our greatest complaints about smartwatches, however there’s hope as of late. You may 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 — when you’re prepared to close off most options other than, 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 price testing the watch’s specs beforehand to see what the producer estimates.

Communication

Any smartwatch price contemplating delivers name, textual content and app notifications to your wrist. Name and textual content alerts are self explanatory, but when these imply rather a lot to you, take into account a watch with LTE. They’re costlier than their WiFi-only counterparts, however mobile connectivity permits the smartwatch to take and obtain cellphone 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 right down to the watch face and see when you completely must examine your cellphone proper now.

Health monitoring

Exercise monitoring is a giant cause why individuals flip to smartwatches. An all-purpose timepiece ought to operate as a health tracker, logging your steps, energy and exercises, and most of immediately’s wearables have a coronary heart charge monitor as nicely.

Many smartwatches’ health options embody 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 stand up to no less than a dunk within the pool. Some smartwatches from firms like Garmin are extra health centered 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 essential to you, you’ll must pay for the privilege.

Music

Your watch can’t solely monitor your morning runs but in addition play music whilst 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 cellphone. Those who don’t have onboard storage for music often have on-watch music controls, so you may management playback with out whipping out your cellphone. 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 sooner 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 immediately. Some smartwatches have this characteristic on by default whereas others allow you to allow it through tweaked settings. This sensible characteristic permits you to look down at your watch to examine the time, well being stats or some other data you’ve set it to point out on its watchface with out lifting your wrist. This may little doubt have an effect on your machine’s battery life, however fortunately most always-on modes dim the show’s brightness so it’s not operating at its peak unnecessarily. Cheaper units gained’t have this characteristic; as an alternative, their touchscreens will robotically flip off to preserve battery life and also you’ll must deliberately examine 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 data, you may maintain your smartwatch as much as an NFC reader to pay for a cup of espresso in your means house from a run. Remember that completely different watches use completely different fee techniques: Apple Watches use Apple Pay, Put on OS units use Google Pay, Samsung units use Samsung Pay and so forth.

Apple Pay is without doubt one of the hottest NFC fee techniques, with assist for a number of banks and bank cards in 72 completely different international locations, whereas Samsung and Google Pay work in fewer areas. It’s additionally essential to notice that each NFC fee assist varies by machine as nicely for each Samsung and Google’s techniques.

Different smartwatches our specialists examined

Apple Watch Extremely 3

The Apple Watch Extremely 3 might be overkill for most individuals, however it has a ton of additional options like additional waterproofing to trace diving, an much more correct GPS and the most important battery of any Apple Watch to this point. Apple designed it for essentially the most rugged amongst us, however to your common particular person, it probably has extra options than they’d ever want. Should you’re significantly clumsy, nevertheless, its excessive stage of sturdiness may very well be an awesome cause to contemplate the Apple Watch Extremely 3.

Apple Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 is much less feature-rich than the flagship mannequin, however it’s going to most likely suffice for most individuals. We truly regard the Watch SE as the perfect smartwatch possibility for first-time consumers, or individuals on stricter budgets. The hole has narrowed between the SE 3 and Apple’s essential flagship smartwatch, too, so you will not must make as many compromises.

Garmin Forerunner 745

Garmin watches generally might be nice choices for essentially the most lively amongst us. The Garmin Forerunner 745 is a superb GPS operating watch for severe 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 first rate, however it’s a irritating smartwatch. For exercises, the built-in GPS tracks runs and rides with out your cellphone and, mixed with the guts charge and blood oxygen sensors, collects a superb quantity of knowledge to create correct footage 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 every day readiness rating that compares your sleep high quality and yesterday’s exertion to estimate how bodily ready you’re for the day forward — just like what Pixel Watches, Fitbit units and Garmin watches supply. And because the watch battery lasts for over per week on a cost, you could be much more apt to put on it to mattress than a watch it’s a must to cost every day.

We weren’t anticipating an $80 machine to be a severe 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 acquired a number of repeated notifications, even after they had been deleted, together with strategies to face after I was actively doing chores round the home. The watch faces will not be customizable, so it was arduous to get the data I wanted at a look (the Zepp app has numerous paid watch faces that will have what I needed, however I didn’t need to pay $3 for one thing that’s free elsewhere).

Advertising and marketing particulars state that the Bip 6 can auto-detect exercises, together with strolling and bike driving. Throughout testing, I walked a few 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 in a position to see the way it compares to the info my Apple Watch gathers. After per week of sporting the Bip 6, with no adjustments to my every day routine, I averaged 400 fewer energy burned and a pair of.4 fewer miles tracked every day. That was presumably the most important 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 completely 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 supply 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 gives health monitoring options, but in addition permits you to do issues like reply to texts, take calls, use apps and management sensible house units. Many smartwatches assist voice assistants, cell funds and even LTE connectivity, so you may depart your cellphone behind in some circumstances.

Should you primarily need well being and exercise monitoring with lengthy battery life, a health tracker is the best way to go. If you would like a extra linked expertise with additional options, a smartwatch is the higher alternative.

How lengthy do smartwatches final?

How lengthy a smartwatch lasts principally is determined by two issues: battery life and total sturdiness.

Smartwatch battery life varies rather a lot relying on the model, options and the way you employ 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 day by day or two. Should you’re utilizing options like always-on show, GPS monitoring or LTE connectivity, count on the battery to empty sooner.

Bodily, a superb smartwatch ought to final a number of years earlier than that you must improve. Premium fashions with scratch-resistant glass, water resistance and powerful construct supplies have a tendency to carry up nicely over time. Nevertheless, software program assist issues too — manufacturers like Apple and Samsung usually present updates for no less than a couple of years, whereas some price range smartwatches might not get long-term software program assist.

You may count on to cost most smartwatches every day or each few days, and when you care for them, they need to final 3-5 years earlier than an improve is critical.

How a lot do you have to spend on a smartwatch?

How a lot it’s best to spend on a smartwatch is determined by what options you want and the way usually you propose to make use of it.

Should you simply need the fundamentals — step monitoring, notifications, coronary heart charge monitoring and primary health monitoring — you could find some stable budget-friendly choices from manufacturers like Amazfit, Fitbit and a few Put on OS fashions. These often have first rate 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 in style fashions just like the Apple Watch SE and Fitbit Versa sequence. These supply a superb mixture of health monitoring, sensible 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 sequence supply superior well being monitoring, rugged designs, LTE connectivity and longer software program assist. These are nice for severe athletes, out of doors adventurers, or anybody who needs the most recent and biggest options.

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

Do all smartwatches have GPS?

Not all smartwatches have built-in GPS. Some depend on your cellphone’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’ll monitor your runs, walks, bike rides and hikes without having to be linked to your cellphone. It’s essential for severe athletes or anybody who needs correct location monitoring with out carrying a cellphone.

Some price range and mid-range smartwatches (like some Fitbit and Amazfit fashions) don’t have built-in GPS however can use your cellphone’s GPS when linked through Bluetooth. This works tremendous when you often carry your cellphone whereas understanding, however it’s much less handy when you favor to depart it behind.

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

Can you permit your cellphone at house and nonetheless use a smartwatch?

Sure, however it is determined by the smartwatch and what you need to do with out your cellphone.

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

Even with out LTE, some smartwatches can nonetheless do lots on their very own, together with monitor 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 sensible house units.

If going phone-free is essential to you, search for a smartwatch with LTE and built-in GPS for the perfect expertise.

Can a smartwatch make calls and not using a cellphone?

Sure, a smartwatch could make calls and not using a cellphone — however provided that it has the best options.

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

In case your smartwatch doesn’t have LTE, it will probably nonetheless make calls, however solely when linked to your cellphone through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It primarily acts as a distant speaker and microphone to your cellphone’s calls. Watches like the usual Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch (Wi-Fi variations) can do that. Nevertheless, in case your cellphone isn’t close by or linked 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 and not using a cellphone 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 right down to compatibility, options and ecosystem integration.

Apple smartwatches (Apple Watch) solely work with iPhones. In case you have an Android cellphone, you may’t use an Apple Watch in any respect. Android smartwatches (Put on OS, Samsung Galaxy, Garmin and many others.) principally 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 cellphone, go for a Put on OS or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

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

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

If battery life is essential to you, the Apple Watch lasts a couple of 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.