7 Best smartwatches on the market in 2024

The popularity of wearable technology has increased significantly in recent years and the smartwatch market is set to continue to sizably grow, with smartwatches as we know them being around for about a decade. Devices like the Apple Watch and Fitbits have gone a long way in popularising the technology and if you travel for work regularly, you’ll probably see quite a few other commuters wearing them.

Though with the capability to be used for a range of functions—from tracking workouts, engaging in mindfulness, to monitoring heart rates, texting your friends and making phone calls—the appeal of smartwatches isn’t surprising. Here are some of the best devices you can get today.

The Apple Watch is arguably the most popular series of smartwatches currently available, and the Series 8 is the latest out of their mainline smartwatch offerings. In terms of design, it’s quite like the Series 7, with a few similar features including a sport band and a magnetic USB-C fast charging cable. However, new safety features include fall and crash detection, for extra peace of mind.

The series 8 can track sleep, heart rate and blood oxygen like previous models, and is IP6X dust-resistant and water-resistant—with an all-day battery to keep it running.

Please note: Apple watch Series 8 requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later.

 

Samsung’s has iterated on their Galaxy Watch range with the Watch 6, now with thinner bezels and a larger screen than previous models. Handily, being one of the most durable Galaxy watches to date, it’s dust resistant and also water resistant up to 50 metres, so you can even go for a swim.

You can use the integrated Samsung pay to order your coffee on the way to work, as well as text and make calls. Also featured are interchangeable straps, if you ever feel like changing up the look of your watch.

 

Google recently made their foray into the smartwatch market with the Pixel Watch, which resulted in a very sleek and minimalist-looking end product. And if you’re already heavily into Google’s ecosystem with applications, like Google Calendar and Gmail, this may be the perfect choice for you.

In terms of features, you can log your daily step count, calories and sleep for keeping track of your health—along with a built-in ECG and emergency SOS function. The Pixel Watch is made to last, with a battery life of up to 24 hours and featuring components like Gorilla Glass 5, it’s designed to be sturdy and survive everyday bumps and scrapes.

Please note: The Pixel Watch is only compatible with Android phones.

 

The Apple Watch SE is the accompanying piece to Apple’s main series watch, though it can do much of the same things, from daily activity tracking and steps to heart rate.

The SE comes in at a lower price point than Apple’s series watches, it measures up in a slightly smaller size range too, from 40mm to 44mm. You can also make your purchases on the go, take calls and listen to music and podcasts (with the GPS model) and is 20 percent faster than the previous generation SE watch.

Please note: The Apple Watch SE is only compatible with iOS and iPhones.

 

Fitbit’s watches have become somewhat of a staple in the smartwatch department and with 40 exercise modes, it’s an invaluable package for any fitness fanatics out there. The Versa 4 comes with internal GPS and a very long battery life of reportedly up to six days, which is great for repeat use in training or exercising.

The watch is also lightweight and comfortable enough for extended use, with the capability to text and send voice replies when your phone is also within a reasonable distance.

 

Garmin is a lesser-known smartwatch brand, but don’t ignore their offerings.

They have many different devices across varying price points, with the Venu 2 sitting at the higher end, coming in blue and black with an AMOLED screen and 25 built-in sport and exercise tracking apps—including cardio, yoga and Pilates. You can also download hundreds of songs onto your watch and connect to headphones for music on the go, even without a phone.

The Sense 2 from Fitbit is another top contender as far as high-performing smartwatches go, with a standard, minimalist design and up to six days battery life for extended day-to-day use. It has several health features including an EGP app and a stress management and a health metrics dashboard, helping you to keep good track of your health—perfect for fitness fanatics or anyone that wants to know.

The watch also comes with a small strap (140-180mm) and a large strap (180mm-220mm), to fit a variety of wrist sizes and is compatible with iOS 13 and higher and Android 8.0 and higher.

Read more: 6 Smartwatches that'll make your phone jealous

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