These are the best smartwatches in 2023

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UPDATE: 06/30/2023 11:00 EST BY ROLAND UDVARLAKI

We included some of the best and latest smartwatches from Mobvoi, Fitbit, Garmin, HUAWEI, and more.

The smartwatch market hasn’t changed a lot in the past few years, and Apple has dominated the market with its Apple Watch. There hasn’t been a large selection of exciting smartwatches, but a renewed hope from device makers have introduced a few new changes and innovative devices in the past two years. OEMs are now back at the drawing board, developing new smartwatches and ensuring they can meet the new, higher demand with innovative designs, impressive new features, and a deeper focus on health and outdoor activity.

New smartwatches are now arriving every year, and they feature bigger and more updates than before. Garmin has started pushing its devices even harder, and some can now also offer unlimited battery life. Samsung’s devices are better than ever, and we’re even hearing rumors of Google working on a second generation for its Pixel Watch. If you’re in the market for a brand-new smartwatch, you’ve come to the right place.

We have an excellent article showcasing all of the smartwatches that can let you take an ECG, and we also have another guide showing you all the smartwatches that work with both iOS and Android smartphones.

Best Premium Smartwatches

The Apple Watch Ultra is one of the latest and most durable smartwatches in Apple’s lineup. It starts at $799 and comes in a single 49mm Titanium case with GPS and Cellular connectivity on board. It’s powered by the latest Apple S8 chip, and it features a large 2-inch LTPO OLED, Crack Resistant display. It has a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and is the brightest display yet on a smartwatch in this category.

The watch has all the fitness and health features you expect from an Apple Watch, and it works seamlessly with iPhones. It’s tested to Military-grade MIL-STD 810H, which is a first on an Apple Watch, and it still features the IP6X dust resistance, and WR100, as well as the internationally recognized EN13319 certificates.

Early reports suggest the Apple Watch Ultra has the longest battery life yet on an Apple Watch, and users report battery life of 2-3 days on a single charge. Casual users will likely be able to get three days out of it, while more active users should expect at least a comfortable 2-day battery life.

The Apple Watch Series 8 starts at $399, and it’s one of the best premium smartwatches for people who want a stylish, and excellent smartwatch to go with their iPhones. The watch is available in several colors, including Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Red. The watch is also available in Stainless Steel, which comes in Silver, Graphite, and Gold finishes.

The 41mm model sports a 1.69-inch display, while the larger 45mm watch comes with a 1.9-inch LTPO OLED, Crack Resistant screen. Both models feature a slim, 1.7mm bezel, and have up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness, making them easily visible in direct sunlight.

We also have an excellent guide explaining the differences between the Apple Watch Series 7 vs the Apple Watch Series 8

The watch is powered by the latest Apple S8 chip, and it can track blood pressure, heart rate, sleep, and hundreds of sports activities. It’s also IP6X dust waterproof and WR50 water resistant for up to 50 meters, which means that diving and swimming shouldn’t be an issue. It’s a highly accurate smartwatch, and it can usually last between 12-48 hours on a single charge, depending on how many tracking and GPS services you rely on.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has the largest battery yet, which can be found in a Samsung-made smartwatch. The 45mm Titanium casing feels premium and elegant, and it sports the Exynos W920 chip, and a 590mAh battery. Early reviews indicate that it can last anywhere from one day to three days on a single charge, depending on the activities tracking, and how often the GPS is enabled. That’s very respectably for a Wear OS running smartwatch, and it’s one of the best we’ve seen so far.

Like the Apple Watch, the Watch 5 Pro can track all heart-elated activities. There’s a blood pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and more. It lets you track your sleep, fitness, and other essential activities to keep you in shape. It’s highly accurate, and while the watch works best with Samsung devices, it works great with most Android smartphones.

The watch sports 16GB of storage, enabling users to store music and applications, and it also has NFC with support for Samsung Pay and Google Pay. The watch is running One UI Watch 4.5, based on Wear OS 3.5. The watch is also 5ATM, IP68, and MIL-STD-810H certified, meaning that it can withstand swimming, rain, sweat, and dust.

The Google Pixel Watch is the first smartwatch from the company, and it’s the latest new watch to feature the new Wear OS 3.5 software. The device comes with a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with the Always-on display feature, and it has up to 1000 nits of peak brightness, making it excellent in direct sunlight.

The watch is powered by the Exynos 9110 chipset, and it has 2GB of memory, and 32GB of storage to store your favorite apps, music, and watch faces. As mentioned before, it sports the latest Wear OS 3.5 update, and Google promises that it will receive at least 3 years of OS updates, making it an excellent option for new smartwatch buyers.

The watch has all the tracking features you would expect, and it boasts an ECG sensor and a Fitbit integration, providing even more insights into your health and other activities. It’s excellent for improving your sleep, relaxing, and enhancing your activities with accurate and up-to-date measurement information.

While the Pixel Watch only comes with a relatively small 294 mAh battery and an aging chipset, it supports fast charging, and Google claims that it can last a full day on a single charge. The company also says that it can go from flat to 50% in 30 minutes, making the everyday charging slightly less frustrating.

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  Garmin Instinct 2 Solar

  Best for Outdoor users and fitness tracking

  The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar is one of the best smartwatches for those who live a healthy and very active lifestyle and often wander outdoors, in bright, sunny environments. The more sunlight the watch receives, the longer it will stay topped up, essentially providing unlimited battery life. 

  Pros

  • Durable and reliable
  • Great tracking features
  • Long battery life

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  Garmin Instinct 2X Solar

  Unlimited Battery Life

  The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar smartwatch provides a rugged feel and design with all the fitness features you need. It has unlimited battery life with solar charging, and it can seamlessly connect with any smartphone using the Connect IQ app.

  Pros

  • Strong, reliable and durable
  • Long battery life
  • Accurate tracking and GPS

  Cons

  • Low-resolution display
  • Large and heavy

The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar and the Instinct 2X Solar are unique smartwatches, and they offer an unlimited battery life – assuming you always have plenty of sunlight around you. Both smartwatches feature a rugged design and can be submerged for up to 100 meters. They’re shock and thermal-resistant and reinforced with a polymer case. There’s also a Gorilla Glass screen protector to protect the screen from scratches.

The watches feature plenty of smart features, allowing you to sync and display notifications, calendar information, track activities, and measure various sports and other actions. There’s also Garmin Pay, which lets users make contactless payments, and it can also seamlessly sync with the Garmin Connect app to save all progress across all mobile operating systems. The watch also has GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellites built-in for more precise tracking.

The solar technology allows the watch to have an unlimited battery life, assuming the person spends at least 3 hours outside in 50,000 lux condition (for reference, it can go over 100,000 lux over summer at noon), which is very impressive. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time outside, it’s a great smartwatch that lets you forget that charging exists. The Instinct 2 was succeeded by the Instinct 2X, but if you have a lower budget, the previous generation will offer most of the same functionality for less.

Best for most people

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is one of the best smartwatches for Android, especially for Samsung users. The Watch 5 runs Wear OS 3 by default, and it can be customized to your liking and sync up with your Samsung smartphone seamlessly. If you’re feeling fancy, you can also customize your own watch faces using the desktop application.

The 40mm version comes with a 1.2-inch, while the 44mm sports a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display with Always-on functionality. It’s powered by the Samsung Exynos W920 chipset, and it has 1.5GB of memory, and 16GB of storage to store your favorite songs, applications and system files. It’s 5ATM, IP68, and MIL-STD-810H rated, so swimming, dust, and sweat will be the last of your worries.

The Galaxy Watch 5 features all the health measurement features you expect, including blood oxygen levels, sleep tracking, steps, heart rate, and more. ECG is also possible; however, you’ll be required to have a Samsung-branded device for that to work. The battery is also larger than last year’s Galaxy Watch 4 and supports faster charging speeds.

The Apple Watch SE 2nd Generation was unveiled in September, alongside the new iPhone 14 series of flagships, the Apple Watch Series 8, and the Apple Watch Ultra. It’s a more affordable option when compared directly to the Apple Watch S8. While it sports most of the same functionalities and a similar design, there are a few rather apparent ways Apple made it look more budget-friendly.

For starters, the smartwatch starts at just $249 for the 40mm GPS variant, while the 44mm GPS model will only set you back $279. It’s available in three colors, Starlight, Midnight, and Silver, and it supports most of the same bands as the standard Apple Watch S8.

The 40mm watch a 1.57-inch OLED display, while the 44mm variant sports a 1.78-inch panel. There are some noticeable bezels on all sides, and the battery can only last for about a day before it has to be recharged. There’s no fast charging, and using the GPS for longer workout sessions could kill the watch even faster. That being said, if you don’t want the Always-on Display feature, and more advanced sensors, then the Apple Watch SE 2 is an excellent option on the budget. We recommend it for those who want to get in shape or live healthier lives.

The Fossil Gen. 6 smartwatch is one of the best-looking devices on the market. It will also be one of the first smartwatches to receive the new Wear OS 3 update, which should significantly improve the smartwatch’s performance and usability. The device is powered by the Snapdragon Wear 4100+ chipset, and it’s capable of tracking most of the important fitness activities you would need.

The watch also sports a continuous heart rate monitoring sensor, which can track your sleeping activities, and workouts. It has a large 1.28-inch display with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage, and it even has a microphone to help you take calls on-the-go. It has GPS, NFC, and just about all the features you need, including a 3ATM water resistance level.

The Fossil Gen 6 is available in 42mm and 44mm stainless steel cases and sizes. It will start at $299 and $319, depending on your chosen model.

The HUAWEI Watch 4 Pro has a beautiful, stylish design made of premium materials. It comes with a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display with crisp and accurate colors. The Watch 4 Pro also features an ECG sensor, and it’s an excellent alternative for Europeans who might be able to get their hands on it the watch, although it does come at a fairly steep price tag.

The HUAWEI Watch 4 Pro features improved sensors that let users track heart rate, body temperature, and many other readings with ease. It has an ECG sensor, and many sports modes built-in to help users track their activity and workouts. It’s accurate, and it’s 5 ATM rated, meaning that even divers can use it for up to 30 meters deep. The watch can be used to sync notifications, use supported third-party apps, and more. It has GPS, NFC, and this particular model even comes with LTE, so you’re always connected.

The Movboi TicWatch Pro 5 is the latest smartwatch from the company, and it comes with the new Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 wearable platform. It’s powerful, and it still comes with the proprietary dual display technology that conserves battery, providing users with up to an 80-hour battery life. It’s stylish, elegant, and includes fast charging that lets users go from 0-65% in just 30 minutes.

The TicWatch Pro 5 features several new features, and many classic ones with improved capabilities. The watch can track your heart rate, a wide variety of sports activities, sleep, and many more. It can sync up with your smartphone, enable you to control music, see the weather and calendar, and so much more.

If you’re after a rugged smartwatch that runs Wear OS, the TicWatch Pro 5 might be worth considering, especially if you want something unique that stands out and has a long battery life.

Best for fitness and casual users

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus and Venu 2S are made of stainless steel casing, and feature an industry standard 20mm, quick-release bands. It sports a 1.3-inch AMOLED display with an optional always-on mode, weighing just 51 grams. The watch has a built-in GPS, and it’s also 5 ATM water certified.

The Venu 2 Plus provides 24/7 health monitoring features, including heart rate, advanced sleep-tracking, breathwork activities, fitness age, respiration, Pulse OX, stress monitoring, women’s health, and many more. It supports more than 1,400 exercises, and the Garmin Coach planner can help you improve your health.

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus supports Siri, Google, and Bixby voice assistants and lets users use Garmin Pay for contactless payments. Those looking for an all-around excellent fitness tracker can find the Venu 2 Plus for about $450 in the US, and £400 in the UK.

The new Garmin Fenix 7 series comes in three sizes and variants: 42mm Fenix 7S, 47mm the standard Fenix 7, and 51mm Fenix 7X. The larger 7X sports an LED flashlight with adjustable red or white lights while doing activities at night. All three models have improved solar charging, and Garmin claims they can last for up to 578 hours with GPS, using the 7X model. The Fenix 7S and 7 get up to 162 and 289 hours, respectively, which is still a lot, and great to see.

The Fenix 7 comes with a 1.3-inch display, and it also has a 10ATM water rating certificate, and 32GB of built-in storage. The watch can track all sports activities and 24/7 respiratory rate, alongside other more advanced features.

The Garmin Fenix 7 series aren’t cheap. We have included it in the “Best for fitness and casual users” because it’s an excellent fitness tracker with all the essentials built in, and even more, albeit, at a premium price tag. If you’re looking to step up your game and live a very active health style, this is one of the best smartwatches on this list.

The Fitbit Sense 2 is an excellent wearable and fitness tracker. The watch supports electrocardiogram (ECG) functionality and it’s approved by the FDA. It can track your fitness activities on your wrist, and a wide variety of sports modes. The watch is also compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, and it’s available in three color options.

The Sense 2 has a 1.58-inch display. It’s sharp, colorful, and it’s bright enough to be used outside, even in direct sunlight. It’s water-resistant for up to 50 meters, meaning it’s safe to swim with it in a pool or at the beach. It supports fast charging and can provide a full day’s worth of charge in just 12 minutes, while a 10-80% charge will only require about 40 minutes. The watch can track your oxygen saturation levels (SpO2), heart rate, ECG, skin temperature, GPS, sleep, and many more. It’s one of the best smartwatches on the market, it can last for up to six days on a single charge.

The Fitbit Versa 4 is great for fitness enthusiasts who are looking for a Fitbit on a budget. The Versa 4 has built-in GPS, a 1.58-inch bright display, and an Always-on display feature. It’s available in four different colors and straps, and it’s water-resistant for up to 50 meters, making it excellent for swimmers. It’s also worth mentioning that even though the Fitbit brand is now owned by Google, the watch still works the same way on Android and iOS, and you can even use Google Assistant as your voice assistant for reminders.

The Versa 4 can last for about five to seven days on a single charge, and Fitbit claims it can give you a day’s worth of power relatively quickly. The watch can track all the sports activities you need, and it’s one of the most accurate trackers on the market at this price tag. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, then the Fitbit Versa 4 is right up there among one of the best wearables don’t the market.

The new Amazfit GTR 4 and GTS 4 are the latest smartwatches from Amazfit. They’re already available in the United States and will soon be available in Europe and other parts of the world at affordable prices. The main difference between the two devices is the battery life and the display. The GTR 4 features a 1.43-inch rounded HD AMOLED display, while the GTS 4 sports a 1.75-inch square HD AMOLED display. Both devices have Always-on Display features, and can track more than 150+ sports activities.

The Amazfit smartwatches work with both iOS and Android smartphones, and it can seamlessly track all of your activities using the Zepp applications, and other third-party apps. It has Amazon Alexa built-in, and the GTR 4 can last for up to two weeks on a single charge, while the GTS 4 will give you more than a week’s worth of battery in just a single charge.

If you’re looking for an all-around beautiful and simple smartwatch that can do it all, then the Amazfit GTR 4 and GTS 4 smartwatches are some of the best on the market at this price tag. We also have an excellent article comparing the Galaxy Watch 5 vs the Amazfit GTR 4.