The seven finest Android smartwatches in 2024

After a protracted stretch of slim pickings, the final couple of years have been large for Android smartwatches. Now there are extra good choices than ever.

But that is nonetheless a transitional period. While we’re inspired by the stronger third-party app choices, the market continues to be fragmented. Wear OS5 is right here for Samsung’s Galaxy Watches and the Pixel Watch 3. However, the bigger ecosystem continues to be catching up. Some options, like Google Assistant, should not but out there on sure Wear OS 3 smartwatches, and Wear OS 4 nonetheless isn’t extensively out there. Even so, the Android wearable ecosystem is barreling forward.

If you’d quite wait till Wear OS settles down a bit, there are platform-agnostic smartwatches and health watches you should buy within the meantime. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay attention to the chip and Wear OS model powering your watch. Mobvoi, as an example, took perpetually rolling out Wear OS 3 to its eligible Wear OS 2 watches. It simply introduced rollout for Wear OS 4. Speaking of Mobvoi, its TicWatch Pro 5 was the primary to sport the brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus within the US, and whereas it’s an incredible watch, chances are you’ll need to wait till there are extra W5 Plus watches to select from. That stated, the bottom W5 chip can also be fairly good. The Pixel Watch 3 and OnePlus Watch 2 each sport the W5 and have notably higher efficiency and battery life.

So lengthy as you retain the aforementioned caveats in thoughts, Android customers have extra smartwatch choices than ever earlier than. I’ve rounded up my prime picks, but when none of those is the fitting match, you’ll be able to at all times take a look at our health tracker information. 

Sizes: 43mm, 47mm / Weight: 77g, 85g / Battery life: Up to 30 hours with AOD, 40 with out AOD / Display kind: Always-on OLED / Global Positioning System: Built-in Global Positioning System / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: Up to 50 meters, IP68 / Music storage: 16GB

If you might have a Samsung telephone, you’ll get probably the most mileage out of a Samsung smartwatch. And of the 4 watches Samsung has in its present lineup, I like to recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Although Samsung simply launched the Galaxy Watch 7, there wasn’t a refresh for the Classic. That means you should be seeing some good offers for the Classic quickly, if not already. It’s not usually that I like to recommend a last-gen system, however such is my deep love for the bodily rotating bezel.

But, in order for you the most recent and best, the Galaxy Watch 7 gives an upgraded 3nm Exynos W1000 chip and a brand new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor. It’s a marginal enchancment over final yr’s fashions, however I don’t really feel like Samsung launched something this yr that requires having them. It additionally has Wear OS 5 and One UI 6 Watch, however that’ll finally make its means again to the older watches, too. Mostly, I like to recommend the 7 should you want a smaller dimension, don’t care concerning the rotating bezel, and wish one thing a smidge extra futureproof.

The Classic’s rotating bezel is 15 % thinner than the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The up to date design is sleeker than its predecessor, and the bigger show is simpler on the eyes and is simply barely larger at 43mm and 47mm. I’ve small wrists, however the 47mm was nonetheless fairly snug for on a regular basis put on. It’s launching with Wear OS 4, which provides prolonged battery life, and — lastly — cloud backups. One UI 5 Watch additionally provides some minor well being and sleep monitoring enhancements, however this may finally make its solution to older fashions. While I want the Classic, the bottom Watch 6 mannequin will be the higher possibility in order for you a smaller, lighter, sleeker, and cheaper smartwatch.

For extra outdoorsy people, the $649.99 Galaxy Watch Ultra may be the extra good choice. Of all Samsung’s watches, it has the very best battery life, lasting round three days in our testing. (Though, we by no means received the total 100-hour estimated battery life.) It’s received dual-frequency Global Positioning System, a brand new multisport exercise, an emergency siren, elevated sturdiness, 10ATM of water resistance, and a Quick Button, which acts as a customizable shortcut button. It’s mainly an Apple Watch Ultra for Android.

Meanwhile, should you’re on a finances, there’s the brand new $199.99 Galaxy Watch FE, which is basically a rebadged Galaxy Watch 4.

The Samsung Health app additionally delivers a superb total health monitoring expertise, particularly since you’ll be able to allow turn-by-turn navigation for mountaineering and biking actions. We weren’t too impressed with nightly SpO2 readings, however Samsung’s total sleep monitoring continues to enhance. You additionally get built-in Global Positioning System, physique composition evaluation, irregular coronary heart price notifications, fall detection, emergency SOS options, and EKGs. Most not too long ago, Samsung’s added a brand new Energy rating, AI-powered wellness insights, FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, and a complicated AGEs Index metric for metabolic well being. While the Energy rating is broadly correct, I discovered the AI-generated options to be hit and miss and the AGEs Index to be extra gimmicky than helpful. The latter function can also be restricted to the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra.

We don’t essentially suggest the Galaxy Watches should you don’t have a Samsung telephone. EKGs and sleep apnea detection require the Samsung Health Monitor app, which is restricted to Samsung telephones. You can work round it, however all Samsung watches work finest with different Samsung units.

Read my full evaluate of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 sequence.

Sizes: 41mm, 45mm / Weight: 31g for 41mm, 37g for 45mm / Battery life: Roughly 24 hours with AOD enabled / Display kind: Always-on OLED / Global Positioning System: Built-in Global Positioning System / Connectivity: LTE (optionally available), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Safety Signal with Fitbit Premium / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

The $349.99 Google Pixel Watch 3 is finished taking part in catch-up. It’s an annoying fact that when you’ve got a Samsung telephone, a Samsung smartwatch might be the only option for you. However, for everybody else, I extremely suggest the Pixel Watch 3.

There are a number of updates to the Pixel Watch 3, however the gist is that it’s a extra refined watch that additionally expands into new territory. One main replace this yr is that there at the moment are two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. You get further display actual property on the bigger watch, however the bezels are additionally smaller on the 41mm mannequin this yr. (If you’re attempting to choose between sizes, I want the 45mm.) The shows are brighter as effectively, starting from a minimal of 1 nit to a most of two,000 nits.

Health and health additionally get a number of updates, particularly for runners. There’s a brand new Cardio Load metric that gauges the cardiovascular depth of the workout routines you’ve been doing over a set time frame. It’s just like Garmin’s Training Load metric. You’re additionally given a Cardio Load goal primarily based in your health objectives, readiness, and present exercise. Runners additionally get a brand new dashboard filled with type evaluation metrics in addition to the flexibility to program customized exercises. In addition, you will get AI-generated urged exercises. And should you’re in Europe, the Pixel Watch 3 can now detect should you now not have a pulse and name emergency providers.

The Pixel Watch 3 additionally provides a bunch of nifty Google integrations. It’s wonderful when you’ve got a Google-powered good dwelling as a result of now you can instantly view and work together along with your Nest Doorbell or digicam feeds. You also can use the watch as a distant on your Google TV, and there are new Google Home Tile / problems that make controlling your property out of your wrist a breeze. Also new this yr are offline Google Maps, the flexibility to unlock Pixel telephones, and a Call Assist function that lets a caller know you want an additional minute to choose up your telephone.

That stated, whereas the Pixel Watch was initially framed as a look ahead to any Android telephone, a number of updates this time round imply you’ll get the very best expertise with a Pixel telephone. But in comparison with Samsung, there isn’t fairly as a lot lock-in. Health options, for instance, can be found to everybody as long as you might have a Fitbit account. Extra excellent news: Google eliminated sure metrics, just like the Daily Readiness Score, from the Fitbit Premium paywall. Mostly, the options locked to Pixel telephones are issues like the flexibility to unlock your telephone with the watch and use of the Recorder app.

One factor to be conscious of is sturdiness. While the domed show is gorgeous, we cracked the display on the unique Pixel Watch and received deep scratches on the Pixel Watch 2. (Thankfully, we haven’t tousled the Pixel Watch 3.) Google doesn’t supply any restore choices, however you will get the Preferred Care prolonged guarantee if you wish to be ready ought to one thing occur. It’s not ultimate because it’s restricted to the US and Canada, nevertheless it’s a step in the fitting path.

Read my full Google Pixel Watch 3 evaluate.

Sizes: 47mm with 22mm straps / Weight: 49g case, 80g with strap / Battery life: Up to 100 hours in good mode, 48 with AOD on, and 12 days in power-saving mode / Display kind: OLED touchscreen / Global Positioning System: Dual-frequency Global Positioning System, Beidou, Global Positioning System, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

The $299.99 OnePlus Watch 2 is what a glow-up seems to be like. While the unique OnePlus Watch was horrible, this watch helps fill the void that Fossil left when it stated it was pulling out of Android smartwatches — specifically, a viable different to Google and Samsung.

The 47mm case is large for petite wrists, and sadly, it solely is available in one dimension, nevertheless it’s made from sturdy stainless-steel and sapphire crystal. Plus, it homes a 500mAh battery. That, plus a dual-chip structure and novel twin OS system, ends in tremendous lengthy battery life. How lengthy a smartwatch lasts will in fact rely in your particular person utilization, however I received almost 4 days with regular use. That’s unbelievable for a flagship.

It additionally has Wear OS 4, making it the one third-party Wear OS watch working the most recent software program. It has Google Assistant from the get-go — an enormous achievement since that’s been an issue with different third-party Android watches. Plus, you get entry to the Google Play Store for a sturdy app ecosystem. On the health facet of issues, OnePlus added dual-frequency Global Positioning System. That’s a plus should you’re outdoorsy and frequent difficult Global Positioning System environments like dense forests or crowded cities.

The fundamental stuff you’re giving up are LTE connectivity and a few options like EKGs, atrial fibrillation detection, native interval monitoring, and fall detection. The lack of mobile is a bummer, because it means you actually ought to preserve your telephone on you while you’re out and about. Still, the $300 price ticket is a aggressive one and could also be well worth the tradeoff given battery life.

Read my evaluate of the OnePlus Watch 2.

Sizes: 50mm with 24mm straps / Weight: 44.3g / Battery life: Up to 80 hours / Display kind: OLED touchscreen and secondary ultra-low energy show / Global Positioning System: Global Positioning System, GLONASS, GALILEO, Beidou / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 32GB

Mobvoi’s TicWatch lineup has its devoted followers for a purpose: tremendous lengthy battery life. The $249.99 TicWatch Pro 5 is not any exception. It’s received an estimated 80 hours of battery life with commonplace use, a secondary ultra-low energy show, and an enormous (for a smartwatch you put on in your wrist, not less than) 628mAh battery. I didn’t fairly get 80 hours in my testing, however I did get a stable 48-60 hours even with heavy Global Positioning System use. That outclasses many of the watches on this class (besides the OnePluS Watch 2) and is helpful for backpackers and endurance athletes. It won’t maintain a candle to a top-of-the-line Garmin, nevertheless it’s additionally a wiser look ahead to a fraction of the worth.

Battery life apart, the Pro 5 is an effective possibility for fitness-focused individuals who aren’t eager on giving up good capabilities for a Garmin or Polar. It’s additionally extra sturdy. This time round, Mobvoi has additionally added a digital crown so that you don’t have to fret about scrolling by menus with sweaty fingers. The flatter facet button additionally reduces the chance of unintentional presses.

The Pro 5 additionally has an ingenious methodology of displaying coronary heart price. When you raise up your arm, the backlight modifications shade relying on which coronary heart price zone you’re in. That means you’ll be able to immediately gauge whether or not to up the depth or gradual your roll. The Pro 5 additionally provides new coaching metrics, like VO2 Max and restoration time.

The TicWatch helps stress monitoring, all-day blood oxygen monitoring, fatigue assessments, in addition to atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeat detection. For outdoorsy varieties, it additionally has entry to a number of GNSS techniques, and there’s a brand new barometer and compass app, in addition to a one-tap measurement app that provides you a fast have a look at 5 metrics (coronary heart price, blood oxygen, stress, respiratory price, and total coronary heart well being).

It’s additionally fairly succesful on the productiveness entrance. You get contactless funds, entry to the Play Store, notifications, and the flexibility to take calls. It’s additionally the one Android smartwatch out there within the US with the most recent Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Plus chip, which is a plus by way of futureproofing. The solely main considerations are the 50mm case that will not go well with smaller wrists and the shortage of a digital assistant.

And excellent news! Mobvoi simply introduced that Wear OS 4 is rolling out this month.

Read my full evaluate of the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5.

Sizes: 37mm with 18mm straps / Weight: 45g / Battery life: Up to 39 days / Display kind: OLED show / Global Positioning System: Tethered Global Positioning System / Connectivity: Bluetooth / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: N/A

Hybrid smartwatches are a superb solution to preserve issues easy and delicate. The $249.95 Withings ScanWatch Light will get you the fundamentals like push notifications, timers, and alarms. On the well being entrance, you’ll be able to observe steps, sleep, menstrual cycles, and Global Positioning System exercises. (That stated, Global Positioning System is tethered out of your telephone, not inbuilt.) The design jogs my memory of a classier Swatch, notably should you get the extra colourful choices in a minty inexperienced or pale blue. But the large purpose the Light has dethroned our earlier choose, the Garmin Vivomove Sport, is its extra-long battery life. Withings estimates it lasts as much as 30 days on a single cost, and I received fairly near that in testing with 25 days. Despite the Vivomove’s extra interesting $180 price ticket, it solely lasts about 5 days.

If you desire a bit extra out of a hybrid, you may as well go for the ScanWatch 2. It’s an additional $100, however you get EKGs and atrial fibrillation detection, temperature sensors, SpO2 readings, and an altimeter for measuring elevation. It additionally seems to be a bit extra elegant on the wrist, partly due to a secondary dial that tracks your each day step progress.

If neither matches your model, the Vivomove Sport continues to be a superb possibility that will get you entry to Garmin’s in-depth platform. Its Vivomove Trend is a barely extra upscale possibility that additionally helps Qi charging.

Read my full evaluate of the Withings ScanWatch 2 and Light.

Sizes: 41mm with 18mm straps; 45mm with 22mm straps / Weight: 40g for the 3S; 47g for the three / Battery life: Up to 10 days for 3S; 14 days for 3 / Display kind: OLED touchscreen / Global Positioning System: Global Positioning System, GLONASS, GALILEO / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 8GB

Garmin is finest recognized for making rugged Global Positioning System watches which have wonderful health options however aren’t so good in any other case. But the $449.99 Venu 3 caters to individuals who need top-notch health monitoring with out sacrificing productiveness options.

It’s received a colourful and vibrant always-on OLED show and is available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Like its predecessor, the Venu 2 Plus, it additionally has a microphone and speaker so you’ll be able to take and make calls instantly from the wrist. It additionally has a intelligent workaround for digital assistants — it makes use of Bluetooth to work with no matter assistant is already in your telephone. You’d suppose extra health trackers would do that, however they don’t. It labored effectively in testing, although digital assistants aren’t at all times the neatest at understanding instructions.

The Venu 3 doesn’t have the very best third-party app ecosystem, nevertheless it has Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music for offline playback. Android customers also can ship fast responses for texts, and the watch works with both iOS or Android for people who need to preserve their choices open. It additionally has fall detection, stay monitoring, and contactless funds.

As for well being options, it has Garmin’s newest coronary heart price sensor, which permits its FDA-cleared EKG app to detect atrial fibrillation. Otherwise, you get built-in Global Positioning System, steady coronary heart price monitoring, all the superior teaching options within the Garmin Connect app, and Garmin’s well-known in-depth well being information. The Venu 3 additionally improves sleep monitoring with nap detection and provides audio-guided meditation classes. There’s additionally a brand new wheelchair mode.

This isn’t probably the most hardcore Garmin that cash should purchase, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly the neatest. The value is a bit excessive in comparison with most smartwatches, however by Garmin requirements, it’s middle-of-the-pack.

Read my Garmin Venu 3S evaluate.

Size: 46mm with 22mm straps / Weight: 34g / Battery life: Up to 14 days / Display kind: OLED touchscreen / Global Positioning System: Dual-frequency and 6 GNSS techniques / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 2.3GB

Amazfit’s made a reputation for itself making finances wearables that punch far above their weight. I’ve been constantly impressed by the GTR line of smartwatches over time, and the $199.99 GTR 4 is not any exception. 

Not solely does it have a traditional look, however you additionally get 14 days of battery life and a shade, always-on OLED show. New to the GTR 4 is dual-band Global Positioning System — a function that Apple and Garmin solely not too long ago launched to their higher-end smartwatches. Or, should you prefer to plan your personal path runs or hikes, you’ll be able to import your personal Global Positioning System routes, too. It tracks 150 sports activities and options all-day steady coronary heart price monitoring. You also can monitor stress, sleep, and SpO2 ranges. For good options, you’ll be able to take calls on the wrist, and it has two digital assistants: Alexa and a proprietary offline assistant. The system additionally syncs with Strava and Adidas Running. 

The GTR 4 isn’t the very best smartwatch round. Flagship watches can do every thing the GTR 4 can do however in a sleeker, extra polished bundle. However, they’ll’t do it at this value. If value is your fundamental precedence, this will get you unbelievable bang on your buck. Plus, you’ll be able to continuously discover Amazfit units on sale. The icing on the cake is it really works simply as effectively on Android because it does on iOS.

Read my full evaluate of the Amazfit GTR 4.

Update, September twelfth: Swapped out the Pixel Watch 2 for the Pixel Watch 3.