The days of writing off even the best smartwatches as gimmicks are firmly behind us. They are taking us away from our smartphones, replacing wallets, keeping us fit, saving lives and they finally look like the kind of connected timepieces you’d want to have peeking out from underneath a shirt sleeve.
The good news is that in 2021, you can find strong smartwatch options whether you’re willing to spend the kind of money reserved for a traditional Swiss watch timepiece or you’re willing to sacrifice high grade materials for something that will serve up phone notifications and keep you moving during the day on a budget.
It’s not just tech companies like Apple and Samsung that are playing in this space now. Designer watchmakers and some less known tech names are proving that the options for prospective smartwatch owners are as abundant as they have ever been.
1.Apple Watch SE - Best Smartwatch for iOS for the Money
Pros:
excellent haptics
good health tracking
solid activity tracking
50-metre water resistance
good battery, comfortable
quick-swap straps
Apple Pay
Cons:
screen not on all the time
only works with an iPhone
sleep tracking not great
no ECG.
Case size: 40mm or 44mm
Case thickness: 10.4mm
Weight: 30.5 to 36.4g depending on version
Processor: S5
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 32GB
Operating system: WatchOS 7
Water resistance: 50 metres (5ATM)
Sensors: gyro, HR sensor, light, microphone, speaker, NFC, GPS/GNSS, compass, altimeter
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5, wifi n, NFC, optional 4G requiring eSIM and compatible plan
2.Fitbit Sense - Best Fitness and Health Smartwatch for iOS
Attractive design with large, always-on color display
Excellent battery life
Measures blood oxygen level
Features an ECG app
Robust stress management and sleep tracking features
Supports Amazon Alexa, Fitbit Pay, Spotify
Expensive
Touch screen responsiveness could be better
Band release latch can be accidentally triggered
Small third-party app selection
Phone OS Compatibility:Android, iOS
Watch OS:Fitbit OS
Processor:N/A
Display Size:1.59 inches
Display Type:AMOLED
Fitness Features:Accelerometer, GPS, Heart Rate Monitor
Estimated Battery Life:6 days
Separate App Store:Yes
Phone Call Capacity:No
3.Apple Watch Series 6 - Best Overall Smartwatch for iOS
Measures blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) on demand
Always-on altimeter for real-time elevation tracking
Improved wrist-down screen brightness
WatchOS 7 adds a handwashing countdown timer and sleep tracking
Fast new processor
Best third-party app selection
Attractive new watch colors and band options
Expensive
Offers only a slight battery life improvement
Specificatons
Display Type:OLED
Phone OS Compatibility:iOS
Watch OS:watchOS
Processor:Apple S6
Display Size:1.57 inches
Fitness Features:Accelerometer, GPS, Heart Rate Monitor
Estimated Battery Life:18 hours
Separate App Store:Yes
Phone Call Capacity:Yes