You can expect two full days from Apple Watches and most Wear OS devices. Battery lifeīattery life remains one of our biggest complaints about smartwatches, but there’s hope as of late. These devices can cost more than $1,000, and you’re usually paying for little more than a brand name and some needlessly exotic selection of build materials. Luxury smartwatches from brands like TAG Heuer and Hublot can also reach sky-high prices, but we wouldn’t endorse any of them. Some companies make specialized fitness watches: Those can easily run north of $500, and we’d only recommend them to serious athletes. They also often include perks like onboard GPS tracking, music storage and NFC, which budget devices generally don’t. Compared to budget smartwatches, which cost between $100 and $250, these pricier devices have advanced communications, music and fitness features. The best smartwatches generally cost between $300 and $400. Many of these aren’t useful, though, making this factor a fairly minor one in the grand scheme of things. The smartwatch OS will also dictate the type and number of on-watch apps you’ll have access to. Smartwatches made by Samsung, Garmin, Fitbit and others are also compatible with Android and iOS, but you’ll need to install a companion app. Regardless of which category you fall into, the list of factors you’ll want to consider before deciding which is the best smartwatch for you to buy is a long one, and we'll help you make sense of it.Īpple Watches only work with iPhones, while Wear OS devices play nice with both iOS and Android.

Chances are, if you’re reading this guide, you’ve probably already decided that it’s time to upgrade whatever's on your wrist - be it a standard timepiece or an aging smartwatch.

Today, the wearable world is filled with various high-quality options, and a few key players, like the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Fitbit Versa, have muscled their way to the front of the pack with their smart features. The market wasn't as saturated as it is today, and features were more limited. Just a few years ago, the case for buying a smartwatch was unclear. All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

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