Something all smartwatches have in common is that they can do cool tricks, so you need this best smartwatch buyers guide to help you navigate the good from the bad. It all depends on your requirements, be it fitness tracking, a voice assistant or reliable GPS.
These things work best when paired with a smartphone, but some smartwatches can do this independently, which is really handy.
We’ve looked at the best smartwatches in 2021 from Garmin to Fitbit and, of course, Apple. This best smartwatch buyers guide will go over devices on Wear OS, Tizen and Watch OS.
Take into account factors that will be important to you, such as price, design, battery life and features. Then look at the alternatives we mention and see which suits you best.
Without further ado, here our best smartwatch buyers guide.
Table of Contents
Apple Watch 6
The Apple Watch 6 remains firmly at the top of most lists like this, and it is, without doubt, the best smartwatch for iPhone users. It’s ranked above the Apple Watch SE because, well, it does more!
The Apple Watch 6 works perfectly with Apple products, naturally. If you have an iPhone or even a Mac, you can benefit from having an Apple Watch. For example, you can use your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac!
The 6 specifically, it’s not a lot different from the previous version, the Series 5. New features include blood oxygen monitoring and an upgrade on the chipset. Other than this, it’s the same device.
If you like the bells and whistles of a fitness watch with advanced data as well as incredible smartwatch features, the Apple Watch will always be one of the best choices you can make.
Pros
- Bold colour additions; red and blue
- Highly customisable
- Works perfectly with other Apple products
Cons
- No headline upgrade feature or design
- Battery life needs improvement
Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE is the second-best smartwatch on the market in 2021. Why? It’s like an Apple Series 6 Lite. Again, another sensational choice for iPhone users. If you’re an Android lover, don’t worry, we’re getting there.
The Apple Watch SE does everything the 6 does, for the most part. And it costs far less. The SE comes with a top of the line spec, that iconic design and a host of features that you can’t get on most alternatives.
On brand for Apple, the battery life isn’t great. There’s no always-on display, and it doesn’t have the ECG and blood oxygen monitoring options. But, you can still use Apple Pay, it’s water-resistant to 50m and has all the motion sensors you could need.
If you’re after bang for your buck, you cannot go wrong with the Apple Watch SE.
Pros
- Iconic design
- Superb price for Apple Watch
Cons
- Lacks ECG, blood oxygen monitoring and always-on display
- Poor battery life (though this is always the case with Apple)
Read our comparison of the Apple Watch SE and Series 6, here.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
The best smartwatch you can get right now if you’re on Android is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. It does pair with iPhones too, though. This is Samsung’s most acclaimed smartwatch yet. It’s the successor to the Galaxy Watch 2, naturally. It kept a lot of the design but added refinement.
The Galaxy Watch 3 has a unique feature, a rotating bezel. Which means navigation around the watch is a pleasure, especially so compared to using the display, which is typical for most smartwatches.
There are plenty of apps available, though not as many as Apple or Google’s offering (Watch OS and Wear OS, respectively). You do get all the basics though, including some decent fitness, health and wellbeing tracking. It has a gorgeous sporty design, too.
Features are limited if you’re an iPhone user. But, as we’ve said, you should opt for an Apple Watch if this is the case. Overall, the Galaxy Watch 3 is the real deal for Android users if you want something that looks good and has a host of fitness and smartphone features to boot.
Pros
- Premium look and feel
- The rotating bezel is unique
Cons
- Battery life could be better
- Expensive
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Samsung took the better parts of the original Galaxy Watch and put them into the sportier, lighter, slimmer and more comfortable Galaxy Watch Active 2. Additional features from the predecessor include the rotating bezel and an LTE version. You can compare the Active 2 to the Galaxy 3 here.
On the whole, not a lot has changed apart from this. It’s a sensational watch at a reasonable price. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 boasts a 1.2-inch display with 360 x 360 resolution. Bright and bold, but subtle on the wrist.
It’s packed with top-of-the-line fitness features, as you should expect from a Tizen device. This includes 39 sports modes, ECG, heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, stress monitoring and a health app. It does have the capability to monitor your blood pressure, but this is pending approval, and you’ll have to wait for the update. Read more about how blood pressure smartwatches work
Now, it’s certainly more cost-accessible than the Apple Watch 6. There was an expected increase from the original, but it’s still excellent value compared to others on this list of best smartwatches. Including the Galaxy Watch 3.
Pros
- High-end premium design
- Rotating digital bezel
Cons
- Only a handful of new features for the price increase
- Limited functionality for iPhone users
Fitbit Sense
The Fitbit Sense is the latest offering from Fitbit, and it’s a whopper. It has all the latest tech packed inside so you’re able to track fitness like never before. The Sense comes with a temperature gauge (which is unique, even the Apple Watch 6 can’t do this), SP02 counter, heart rate monitor and stress management support.
The battery is a winner; you’ll get up to 6 days so unlike either the Apple or Samsung offerings, you don’t need to worry about charging it every day.
What’s generous is the 6 months of free Fitbit Premium that comes with the watch, so you can enjoy all the advanced features like guided meditations and more in-depth data for a while before you decide to pay for it.
Pros
- Compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Fitness watch with smart features
Cons
- Position of side button means it’s often unintentionally triggered by your wrist
- Sleep tracking isn’t the best
See how the Fitbit Sense stacks up against the Apple Watch 6, here.
Fitbit Versa 3
If you really don’t want something from Apple or Samsung, and the Sense isn’t within budget, don’t worry! The Fitbit Versa 3 could be a great choice for you. It’s one of the best fitness trackers on the market that comes with smartwatch features.
You get built-in GPS, a sleek design, and the navigation is a dream. As with all Fitbit watches, it’s more geared towards fitness, so don’t go for this if you’re more interested in features.
However, if you’re more experienced with fitness wearables, this is an affordable, comfortable and reliable option.
Pros
- Built-in GPS is a great feature considering the price
- Lightweight and comfortable
Cons
- Side button can be fiddly
- No offline Spotify
Read our comparison of the Fitbit Versa 3 and Sense, here.
Fitbit Versa Lite
The third option on this list of best smartwatches from Fitbit is the Versa Lite. This is an affordable version of the famous Fitbit Versa, but with fewer features.
The Fitbit Versa Lite naturally offers excellent fitness features and good battery life. The device itself is slim and lightweight so you can keep it on all of the time and not notice.
The features you don’t see on the Lite compared to the original Versa, Versa 2 and 3 are no built-in GPS, no Fitbit Pay and the screen isn’t quite as good. If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with this well-established fitness tracker brand.
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Solid battery life
Cons
- No built-in GPS
- Lacks on-screen workouts
Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar
We couldn’t write a list of the best smartwatches on the market without talking about Garmin. The Fenix 6X Pro Solar has a huge 1.4-inch display, considerably bigger than any others in the Fenix range. This is to host small solar panels to get its power from the sun.
Garmin means business when it comes to fitness tracking. You get advanced heart rate monitoring, altitude tracking, sleep tracking and advanced training support. On top of that, there is VO2 Max estimates, pace advice and over 200 sport modes.
Pros
- Built-in GPS
- Preloaded maps to use offline
- Garmin Pay
- Huge battery life up to 21 days
- Smart notifications on your wrist
- Bluetooth and Wifi
- Military-grade resistance to water, shock and temperature
Cons
- Expensive compared to alternatives (but worth it)
TicWatch Pro 3
The TicWatch Pro 3 is an awesome Wear OS watch that you can use with an iPhone or Android device and certainly deserves a place on a list of best smartwatches. It has a healthy battery life and some intelligent features.
Inside you’ll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset. This has 1GB of RAM, so apps load and run quickly and smoothly.
Smartwatches typically don’t have a great battery life, so this wearable stands out. This device will go on for up to a month without needing to be charged. Of course, this varies with use, and you’ll optimise this by using it in ‘Essential Mode’. The price is less than most of the other brands on the list, which is another benefit considering battery life.
Pros
- Battery lasts up to 30 days in Essential Mode
- Latest and fastest chipset
Cons
- The interface isn’t user-friendly for everyone
- Sleep tracking isn’t as accurate as others on the list
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this useful! We’ve put together what we think is the best smartwatch buyers guide, but we welcome your comments! Don’t forget to check out the individual reviews of the watches we’ve covered if you’re thinking about buying.
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Last Updated on May 10, 2021
Maygen is a multifaceted writer, proofreader and an experienced smartwatch industry writing and editing professional.