Modern smartwatches offer much more than style. They come with voice assistants, crash detection, and support for calls and texts — and they last a long time on a single charge. These watches are widely used for health and fitness tracking, thanks to advanced sensors and a wide range of apps.
Our DEVICE INSIDERS specialists thoroughly tested various top-rated smartwatches, examining battery life, durability, and features. They also consulted athletes, fitness gurus, and healthcare experts to understand their preferred smartwatch capabilities.
After thorough testing and expert input, we concluded that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 stands out as the top smartwatch — thanks to its updated processor, extended battery life, ample storage, titanium build, sleep tracking, women’s health features, and comprehensive workout metrics.
For non-Apple users, we also evaluated smartwatches from Samsung (Galaxy Watch 6 Classic), Google, Garmin, and Amazfit.
Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Best Smartwatch
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Big, vivid screen | Lacks offline maps |
| Automatic crash detection & emergency alert | Potentially oversized for smaller wrists |
| Water-resistant up to 100 metres | |
| Additional buttons and dual-speaker system | |
| Extended battery life |
Specifications:
- Screen: 49mm OLED sapphire glass, 410 x 502 px
- Battery: Up to 36 hours
- Size: 49 x 44 x 14.4 mm
- Weight: 61.3 grams
- Water/Dust Protection: 100m water-resistant, IP6X-rated
- Connectivity: LTE available
For eight years, the Apple Watch kept its original design — until 2022, when Apple introduced the Watch Ultra for outdoor enthusiasts. The Ultra 2 upgrades its predecessor with a faster processor, a significantly brighter screen, double the storage, and recycled titanium construction.
Apple Watch Series 9: Best for iPhone Users
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Temperature monitoring for sleep & ovulation tracking | Battery life falls short of two days |
| Crash detection with emergency alert | |
| Water resistance: WR50 | |
| Enhanced workout metrics |
Specifications:
- Screen: OLED, 396 x 484 px
- Battery: ~18 hours
- Size: 45 x 38 x 10.7 mm
- Weight: 38.8 grams (aluminium)
- Water Protection: Up to 50 metres, IP6X
- Connectivity: LTE available
Launched in 2023, the Series 9 features a unique gesture control — tapping your index finger and thumb together — to manage your phone. It supports enhanced Siri even without a live connection, and its Crash Detection can sense car accidents and automatically contact emergency services.
Google Pixel Watch 2: Best Galaxy-Class Watch
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| FitBit integration | Limited workout customization |
| Advanced safety features | Only available in one size |
| Compact and comfortable | |
| Improved battery life |
Specifications:
- Screen: AMOLED, 320 ppi
- Battery: 24 hours with AOD
- Size: 41 x 41 x 12.3 mm
- Weight: 31 grams (excluding band)
- Water Protection: 5 ATM
- Connectivity: LTE available
The Pixel Watch 2 boasts extended battery life over its predecessor, thanks to a slightly larger battery and a modern Qualcomm processor for more efficient performance.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: Best Smartwatch 2024
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Brighter and larger screen | Bigger screen may consume more battery |
| Samsung’s signature rotating bezel | |
| Latest One UI 5 software |
Specifications:
- Screen: 1.5″ 480×480 Super AMOLED (47mm) / 1.3″ 432×432 (43mm)
- Battery: Up to 40 hours
- Size: 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm (47mm) / 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm (43mm)
- Weight: 59g (47mm) / 52g (43mm)
- Water/Dust Protection: 5ATM / IP68 / MIL-STD-810H
- Connectivity: LTE available
Running WearOS 4 and OneUI 5, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offers a smooth experience with an upgraded Exynos W930 chip and increased RAM. It includes ECG, blood oxygen, skin temperature, and heart rate sensors, plus USB-C quick charging and 30+ hours of battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Best Samsung Smartwatch
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Lightweight titanium case | Large size may not fit smaller wrists |
| Durable sapphire glass AMOLED screen | Blood pressure certification is time-consuming |
| Large battery for extended use | |
| Supports Google Wear OS 3 apps |
Specifications:
- Screen: 1.4″ Super AMOLED, 450 x 450 px
- Battery: 2–3 days
- Size: 45.5 x 45.5 x 15.0 mm
- Weight: 46.5 grams (excluding strap)
- Water Protection: 5 ATM, IP68
- Connectivity: LTE available
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features blood oxygen measurement, ECG, sleep tracking, body composition analysis, and a skin temperature sensor — features usually found in high-end GPS sports watches costing twice as much.
Apple Watch SE: Best Value Smartwatch
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Elegant design | Battery falls short of two days |
| Great value for features offered | Sleep tracking provides limited info |
| Wide range of health & fitness tracking | |
| Strong third-party app support |
Specifications:
- Screen: OLED, 368 x 448 px
- Battery: Up to 18 hours
- Size: 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm
- Weight: 36.5 grams (aluminium)
- Water Protection: Up to 50 metres
- Connectivity: LTE available
Starting at just $249, the Apple Watch SE is a highly recommended choice for iPhone users looking for great value in a feature-rich smartwatch.
Garmin Venu 3S
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stunning AMOLED screen | High cost |
| Battery lasts over a week |
Specifications:
- Screen: AMOLED, 390 x 390 px
- GPS Battery: Up to 21 hours
- Size: 41 x 41 x 12 mm
- Weight: 27g (40g with band)
- Water Protection: 5 ATM
- Connectivity: No LTE
Garmin’s Venu 3/3S is primarily sports-focused, but competes well with the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch. It features a bright screen, 1-week+ battery, wrist calls, and voice commands via a connected phone.
Amazfit GTR 4
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Stunning AMOLED screen | No Google Assistant support |
| Attractive, polished design | |
| Comprehensive health & wellness features | |
| Affordable pricing |
Specifications:
- Screen: 1.43″ AMOLED, 466 x 466 px
- Battery: Up to 14 days
- Size: 46 x 46 x 12.4 mm
- Weight: 34 grams (excluding strap)
- Water Protection: 5 ATM
- Connectivity: No LTE; Alexa integration available
The Amazfit GTR 4 supports Amazon Alexa and Bluetooth calls. It’s a stylish, feature-rich smartwatch under $200 — though it lacks mobile payments and has a limited app store.
Garmin Vivomove Trend
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent battery life (hybrid design) | Only available in 40mm |
| Analog hands with digital display | Limited third-party app support |
| Wireless charging |
Specifications:
- Screen: 254 x 346 px
- Battery: Up to 5 days
- Size: 40.4 x 40.4 x 11.9 mm
- Weight: 43.3 grams
- Water Protection: 5 ATM
- Connectivity: No LTE
The Vivomove Trend blends classic analog watch aesthetics with modern smart features — customizable widgets, automatic sleep tracking with sleep score, blood oxygen monitoring, and optical heart rate sensing.
Polar Grit X Pro
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sturdy, tough design | Slightly large in size |
| Tracks a wide range of activities | No NFC contactless payments |
| No onboard music storage |
Built for adventure enthusiasts, the Polar Grit X Pro is water-resistant up to 100 metres with scratch-resistant sapphire glass. It features integrated maps, turn-by-turn navigation, overnight recovery tools, phone notifications, music control, and 24/7 heart rate monitoring.
Quick Comparison
| Smartwatch | Price | Battery Life | Display |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | $799 | 36 hours | 49mm |
| Apple Watch Series 9 | $399 | 18 hours | 45mm |
| Google Pixel Watch 2 | $350 | 24 hours | 41mm |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic | $400 | 40 hours | 43mm / 47mm |
| Apple Watch SE | $216 | 18 hours | 44mm |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | $380 | 72 hours | 46mm |
| Garmin Venu 3S | $450 | 10 days | 41mm |
| Amazfit GTR 4 | $200 | 14 days | 46mm |
| Garmin Vivomove Trend | $270 | 5 days | 40mm |
| Polar Grit X Pro | $530 | 7 days | 47mm |
Which Watch is Best for Me?
iPhone user? The Apple Watch is your best bet — it’s designed specifically for the Apple ecosystem. Garmin and Amazfit watches work well with both Android and iPhone. Android user? Go with a Samsung Galaxy Watch — it integrates seamlessly with Android devices.
