The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (2024)

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (1)

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WE'VE COME A long way from the humble pedometer. Innovation. Iteration. Hyper-personalization. These words describe the advancement of the latest smartwatch tech offerings. Who knew it would soon be possible to send and receive texts, calls, and emails right from a GPS-enabled, mini-supercomputer strapped to your wrist? Well, here we are. If you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, there's a lot to consider. No matter your choice of watch, certain specs and features are must-haves for the best smartwatches for men. At a minimum, you want seamless smartphone compatibility, tech-forward solutions under the hood, a handsome design aesthetic, and long-lasting battery life. A semi-reasonable price is nice too.

When shopping for the best smartwatch, consider which option will work for you. You'll want to make sure that any smartwatch you buy is compatible with your iOS- or Android-based phone. One important point: While the Apple Watch will only work with iOS, other smartwatches may be compatible with both Android and Apple devices. Note that while a smartwatch that isn’t Apple-branded may be compatible with your Apple device, this won’t necessarily guarantee a 100% seamless software experience.

It's also essential to consider how smartwatch favorites measure up against your fitness, task, and everyday activities. Look for heart rate, step, and sleep monitors. Ready to upgrade your smartwatch (or shop for your very first)? To help narrow down your options, our in-house gear test team did the dirty work to research, evaluate, and compare dozens of top-selling models. These are our picks for the best smartwatches for men in 2024.

Best Smartwatch for iPhone

Watch Series 9

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Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (10)Beautiful Always-On Retina display
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (11)Integrated crash detection
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (12)Excellent battery life, especially in low power mode
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (13)Long list of health-tracking features
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (14)Sleek interface
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (15)Pricey
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (16)Not a huge leap forward from the previous generation

Apple continues to set the standard for all things tech, and that includes smartwatches. The Apple Watch Series 9 isn’t a giant leap forward from the previous generation. In a sea of feature-rich smartwatches, a few clever features still set this one apart.

First is the best-in-class skin heart rate sensor. For health tracking enthusiasts, it’s a game changer, allowing you to track even more vitals like fertility and cycles, plus improved sleep tracking. Apple’s revolutionary crash detection is also baked in with next-gen motion sensors that can summon help for you automatically when the unthinkable happens. Battery life is improved, too—this smartwatch is good for up to 18 hours in standard mode and up to 36 hours in low power mode.

This is a great all-around watch with valuable features for everyone from fitness enthusiasts to obsessive texters to anyone seriously into tracking their daily health. At $400, it’s on the high end of smartwatches in our roundup, but that’s not surprising given the Apple branding. Is it good enough that we’d recommend switching your Android device for it? That’s for you to decide. But, if you're already into the Apple ecosystem, this is a no-brainer pick as the best Apple-centric smartwatch of 2024.

What do buyers say? "Every watch just gets better! There are features I hope I never have to use, like the crash detection, but it’s very nice to know I have it if I do need it," said one Amazon reviewer.

Read more: Apple Watch 9 Review

CompatabilityiOS
Battery LifeUp to 18 hours (standard mode); up to 36 hours (low power mode)
GPSYes
Waterproof?Yes (50m)

Best Premium Smartwatch for Men

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition

Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (19)Ultra-premium look and feel
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (20)Easy to use interface
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (21)Crisp, stunning always-on AMOLED display
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (22)Packed with fitness and health tracking features
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (23)Weeks of battery life
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (24)Expensive
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (25)Might be overkill for casual users

There are plenty of smartwatches for casual users looking to track basic fitness stats and check emails from their wrists. But, if you're a fitness nerd, love the outdoors, or both, you might want something more—more serious and more capable of keeping up with you. Enter Garmin's epix Pro (Gen 2).

This top-tier smartwatch in Garmin's epix line-up packs almost every feature you could ever want into a single device. That includes advanced sleep tracking, constant heart rate monitor, stress level assessment, and a built-in pulse oximeter. The latest Gen 2 version tacks on in-depth metrics for things like "hill score" (to gauge your strength on ascents), race readiness, and endurance score. It's also smart enough to compile these numbers into useful charts and graphs to provide an easy-to-read picture of your overall health and fitness progress.

"I've always loved getting outdoors, whether that's hiking, biking, or kayaking," says MH gear writer Mike Richard. "I've never considered myself a fitness stats nerd, but this smartwatch has made me a true believer. I'm kind of obsessed now with tracking my endurance and run stats—either on the epix's beautiful display or via Garmin's super-easy-to-use Android app."

At roughly $1,000, this is definitely a splurge option for most smartwatch buyers. But if you're looking for something that's handsome, ultra-durable, feature-rich, and packed with amazing health and fitness tracking tools, this is easily the best premium smartwatch for men in 2024.

What do buyers say? "Life changing! I guess you could say that about most Garmin watches but this is top-notch! It’s stylish (I’m a bit of a fashionista so I wanted something that could be worn on a nice evening out) and practical. Love love love it!" said one Amazon reviewer.

CompatibilityAndroid
Battery LifeUp to 16 days (6 days with always-on display)
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes (10 ATM)

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Best Midrange Smartwatch

Ticwatch Pro 5 Smartwatch

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Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (27)Brilliant, responsive 1.4" AMOLED touchscreen display
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (28)Long list of features
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (29)Thin and light design is comfortable to wear
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (30)Good battery life with lightning fast charging
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (31)Android only

TicWatch flies relatively under the radar compared to brand-name smartwatches from Apple and Samsung. Still, its flagship Pro 5 GPS Smart Watch is just as handsome, fast, and feature-rich. The latest watch runs on Wear OS atop the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 wearable platform. Translation: It’s lightning-fast. Thanks to a sizable battery and a clever dual-layer display, it’ll run for up to 80 hours.

Built-in sensors track every major health metric, and there are more than 100 built-in workout modes. Plus, the IP68 waterproof rating means that it includes underwater activities too. Plus, everything is bright, crisp, and easy to read on the 1.4-inch AMOLED display. The screen is almost infinitely customizable, with 1000's of downloadable screens and interfaces that you can swap out on the fly. This is also one of the few smartwatches we reviewed recently with a built-in rotating crown. It adds a greater degree of usability and a dash of nostalgia that our reviewers loved.

"I think TicWatch is a brand many smartwatch buyers haven't yet heard of. But they will," says reviewer Mike Richard. "The Pro 5 is a solid buy for anyone looking for a midrange smartwatch that's long on features and short on price."

What do buyers say? "I got the TicWatch Pro 5 recently, and it's a nice step up from the Pro 3 which I've had for the past 2.5 years. The design is sleek and modern and feels good on my wrist," said one Amazon reviewer.

Best Smartwatch for Extreme Sports

Coros Pace 3 Smartwatch

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Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (33)More than 200 pre-loaded exercises
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (34)Very advanced fitness metrics
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (35)Fantastic dual-frequency GPS tracking
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (36)Battery lasts for weeks
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (37)Excellent price
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (38)Not as many specs as other outdoor smartwatches

We raved about the Coros Pace 2 in our guide to the best fitness watches, and the latest Pace 3 is just as rave-worthy (so much so that we included it in The 2024 Men's Health Tech Awards). This is a true athlete's smartwatch that comes with rock-solid dual-frequency GPS tech for pinpoint accuracy whether you're tracking your run progress around the neighborhood or trying to find your way in the backcountry.

Our editors and gear testers love the marathon battery life. It's good for 38 hours in continuous GPS mode and a whopping 24 days of continuous "standard" daily use. The watch is also lightweight, boasting a thin body and a perforated nylon band that's 50% lighter than the band used in the first-generation Pace watch. All of which makes it a joy to wear.

Simply put, we find this a solid outdoor watch for those who are into extreme sports and want accurate tracking of recovery and GPS location. That's doubly true when you consider this smartwatch is priced at just $250.

What do buyers say? "... by far the best running watch I’ve ever owned. It is incredibly accurate and lightweight, with a ton of really cool features that I really like," said one Coros.com reviewer.

CompatibilityAndroid
Battery LifeUp to 24 days (daily use)
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes (5 ATM)

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Most Stylish Smartwatch

Fossil Gen 6 Stainless Steel Touchscreen Smart Watch

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (39)

Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (40)Modern, yet classic aesthetic
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (41)Tracks all essential health and fitness metrics
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (42)Bright, crisp screen
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (43)Built-in Alexa compatibility
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (44)Quick-charge up to 80% in just 30 minutes
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (45)Not a huge upgrade from the Gen 5
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (46)Some reviewers note mediocre battery life

The major tech companies—Apple, Samsung, and Garmin—focus mostly on functional, tech-forward watches that look like high-tech electronics. Fossil brings its considerable design chops to bear on its latest Gen 6 series of smartwatches, so they’re not only functional but look great too. The latest Fossil Gen 6 looks more like a traditional wristwatch. No matter which style option you choose—with leather straps, a stainless steel face, or the rugged black/camo colorway—it feels and wears more like the classic, not-as-smart wristwatches of a decade ago. And that’s a good thing for style-conscious buyers.

Make no mistake, though: Under the hood, the Gen 6 is a modern smartwatch and Fossil’s best smartwatch yet. It offers similar features as its pricier and better-known brethren. That includes tracking health and fitness (activity goals, steps, sleep, heart rate, cardio, and blood oxygen levels), seamless WearOS connectivity, and a brighter, crisper always-on display. Battery life is much improved too, so the Gen 6 is capable of going more than a day between charges. When it’s time to top up the battery, the included magnetic charger can zap the battery up to 80% in just 30 minutes. The best part? The sub-$250 price tag makes it one of the most affordable full-featured smartwatches we’ve seen this year.

What do buyers say? “I've had a few Android watches, and [this] one, hands down, has been the absolute best!” said one Amazon reviewer.

Read more: Best Polos

CompatibilityWear OS (Android)
Battery LifeUp to 24 hours
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes

Best Hybrid Smartwatch

Citizen CZ Smart PQ2 Hybrid Smartwatch

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The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (48)

Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (49)Traditional analog hands give it a timeless touch
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (50)Solid 18-day battery life with fast charging
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (51)Sleep tracker with a vibration wakeup alarm
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (52)Available in various colors and different types of bands
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (53)Might want to get a screen protector to help prevent scratching

What makes a hybrid smartwatch so great? Hands! Not only are you able to read the time like an analog watch, but you also get timeless style points. The original CZ Smart from Citizen earned the title "Best Hybrid Smartwatch" at our 2023 Tech Awards, and if you take a look at the specs, it's no wonder why.

For starters, the watch comes with a stellar 18-day battery, so you can wear this bad boy all through your work week. It's outfitted with all the features you'd want in a smartwatch, specifically fitness tracking capabilities like heart rate, calories burned, and sleep tracking. It's also worth pointing out the CZ Smart's waterproof ability of up to 30 meters, so you can wear it in the shower or at a HIIT workout class with confidence it won't ever break down. With a sharp, diver watch-inspired look that can be worn every day or for fitness only, the CZ Smart is a worthy first step into the hybrid smartwatch game.

What do buyers say? "Beautiful design by Citizen, very comfortable band, very easy app to download and navigate through, and very easy to connect Bluetooth to my iPhone. Extremely cool product," said one Amazon reviewer.

Read more: Best Citizen Watches

CompatibilityAndroid, iOS
Battery LifeUp to 18 days
GPS?No
Waterproof?Yes (30 meters)

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Best Rugged Smartwatch

Diesel Griffed Gen 6 45mm Stainless Steel Smart Watch

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (54)

Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (55)Wonderfully rugged design
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (56)Comes with sleep tracking and a blood oxygen sensor
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (57)Alexa built-in
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (58)GPS capable
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (59)Wear OS system works with Android and iOS
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (60)Average battery life
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (61)Stainless steel band requires a watch tool to add/remove links

What Diesel's Griffed Gen 6 does so well is it exudes the best features of a rugged smartwatch without being too bulky and tied to the outdoors. It's handsome in any of the handful of available colors. But we recommend going with the gunmetal band, as it helps blend the watch in so you can wear it just as much on your morning hikes as you do on your dinner dates.

Diesel is progressing in its smartwatch design in other ways, though, and this watch includes sleep tracking, GPS, and a blood oxygen sensor. It also has Alexa built-in, so you can make calls and texts with the voice control.

And what about waterproof capability? The Griffed will handle up to 30 meters in water, so you won't have to worry about any random snow or water contact breaking this puppy down. Hell, take it snorkeling or scuba diving. You're covered.

What do buyers say? "The design is very unique. You get a mix of rugged design, yet very stylish and built really well. The band feels like it will not tear or rip any time soon," said one Amazon reviewer.

CompatibilityAndroid, iOS
Battery lifeAbout 24 hours
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes (up to 30 meters)

Best Value Smartwatch for iPhone

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

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Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (63)Up to 20% faster than previous generation
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (64)watchOS 9 with low power mode
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (65)Built-in Crash/Fall Detection feature with Emergency SOS
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (66)Works seamlessly with Apple ecosystem
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (67)Optional LTE
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (68)Mediocre battery life
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (69)Lacks bright always-on Retina display

For anyone looking for a true Apple smart watch, but who doesn’t want to drop nearly $400, the latest Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is a near-perfect compromise. It takes a previous generation Apple Watch design and adds the latest flagship model’s snappy Series 8 chipset. The result is a pared-down, budget-friendly smart watch that should provide everything most wearers are looking for.

It offers most of the same features, like health/fitness tracking, seamless compatibility with Apple’s ecosystem, and even optional LTE, plus the brand’s latest safety features, including Crash/Fall Detection with Emergency SOS. It also works with watchOS 9—Apple’s latest software with low power mode and a shiny new workout interface.

What it lacks—and why it’s more than $200 cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatch—is a bigger, brighter, always-on display and ECG and skin-temperature monitors. The reality is, of course, you'll very rarely utilize the skin-temperature and ECG monitors. So if the bigger, brighter, always-on display isn't a deal breaker, this watch is a steal at a very affordable price point.

What do buyers say? “I absolutely love this watch. As a person that has had a couple of Fitbit & loved them but wanted more features, this is terrific,” said one Amazon reviewer.

Read more: Best AirTag Wallets

CompatibilityiOS
Battery lifeUp to 18 hours
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes (to 50 meters)

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Best Budget Smartwatch with Sleep Tracking

Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch

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Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (71)Streamlined user-friendly design
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (72)40+ exercise modes
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (73)Excellent battery life
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (74)Sleep tracking
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (75)Built-in GPS
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (76)Only one face size available

Fitbit’s full-featured, budget-friendly smartwatches have garnered legions of fans. The Fitbit Versa 3 guarantees everything most users want out of a smart watch without the sky-high price tag.

It tracks all the essentials, including 24/7 heart rate monitoring, stress levels (with an EDA sensor), skin temperature, and, yes, even sleep. It’s also Alexa/Google Assistant compatible, features a built-in GPS, and is even swimproof down to 50 meters. That’s not bad for a well-designed, brand-name watch that lists for just under $200 (though it’s on sale closer to $160 at the time of this writing). The screen on this latest model is also larger, curvier, and crisper too than its predecessor. We also love the 6-plus-day battery life.

Not surprisingly, it’s one of the best-reviewed budget smartwatches on Amazon, with more than 8,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews. There’s little to dislike here. The one-size-fits-all face and band size could be a disqualifier for some, although Fitbit has always done a great job ensuring that OSFA really does mean "one size fits all." Some reviewers also complain of a sometimes frustrating setup process. Still, for $200, this is a solid midrange smartwatch that almost stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best Apple has to offer.

What do buyers say? "The Versa 4 is a very well-designed fitness and health tracker. The watch is incredibly lightweight; the band is very comfortable ... [and] battery life is fantastic typically lasting a week and it charges very quickly (usually 30-40 minutes for a full charge)," said one Amazon reviewer.

CompatibilityiOS, Android
Battery LifeUp to 6+ days
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes (up to 50 meters)

Best Value Multisport Smartwatch

Suunto 9 GPS Sports Smartwatch

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Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (78)More than 80 sport modes
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (79)Large, crisp display great with GPS for outdoor navigation
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (80)Rugged, waterproof construction
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (81)Built-in sleep tracking
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (82)Made with 100% renewable energy
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (83)No blood oxygen level tracking

Athletic Android users, this smart watch was crafted for you as the Suunto 9 stands proudly up against the latest Apple Watch. From city streets to backwoods trails to intense triathlons, the Suunto 9 GPS Multisport Smartwatch was developed for sports lovers and fans of the great outdoors. More than 80 sport modes are baked in for tracking everything from swimming to cycling to climbing to running to—well, you get the picture.

Enabled with Google’s Wear OS, the Suunto 9 syncs efficiently with the standalone Suunto app to deliver the best in everything from sleep, activity, and workout tracking to contactless payment to offline route navigation with the integrated GPS. About the only thing it doesn’t track is blood oxygen levels.

There’s a handsome 50mm display and up to 120 hours of battery life with continuous exercise tracking. Smart GPS software helps maximize every charge without unnecessarily draining the battery. It’s also waterproof down to 100 meters, making it one of the most durable smartwatches in our roundup. The best part? At less than $400, it’s one of the best-priced, full-featured multisport smartwatches on the market.

What do buyers say? “I practically tried almost all sport watches out there (Garmin, Samsung, Apple, etc). None of them come even close [to] the battery life that this device offers,” said one Amazon reviewer.

Read more: Best Backpacks

CompatibilityiOS and Android
Battery Life (rated)Up to 170 hours
GPS?Yes
Waterproof?Yes (to 100 meters)

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Best Value Smartwatch for Android

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Bluetooth Smartwatch

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (84)

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (85)

Pros
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (86)Great price
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (87)Bold, modern design
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (88)Scratch-resistance face
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (89)Enhanced GPS
Cons
  • The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (90)Not intended to stay submerged underwater for long

There’s a lot to love about Samsung’s Galaxy Watch6—not surprising, given that it’s the company’s best smartwatch ever. Like the latest Apple Watch, this next-gen smart watch boasts a skin-temperature reader, which helps track even more body metrics. If you’re a health and fitness enthusiast who loves keeping tabs on how and how effectively your body is running, this is a real step forward. The battery life is much improved, too—more than 40 hours with the always-on display turned off. We also appreciate the bold, modern design and the even-more-scratch-resistant screen.

On the downside are minor quibbles, like Samsung not including a USB-C charger in the box (purportedly to cut down on packaging and e-waste). Technically, the Galaxy Watch6 is waterproof, however, some reviewers complain of warranty issues if Samsung knows the watch has been used for swimming or submerged underwater for any length of time. These small issues aside, this is one great buy, considering its sub-$300 price tag.

What do buyers say?

“This is a great watch!!!! My first use of any brand of 'smartwatch,' but Samsung has done a great job. Easy to set up, even for a 1st-time user like me. Well built and should last a long time. Looks classy, for any occasion,” said one Amazon reviewer.

How to Shop for the Best Smartwatch (for You)

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (91)

Like all high-tech products, smartwatches are complex devices. They’re essentially miniature computers made ultra-portable—portable enough to strap to your wrist. These days, even most entry-level models under $150 offer decent health and fitness tracking features, while flagship models from the likes of Suunto and Garmin provide near-medical-grade metrics, including heart rate tracking, blood oxygen levels, recovery data, and more, that are perfect for giving high-level athletes a competitive edge.

Whatever features you’re looking for, there’s a smartwatch model that’s right for you. Here are the most important considerations when shopping for the best smartwatches.

Compatibility

Above all else, you’ll want to be sure that any smartwatch you’re considering is compatible with your smartphone's operating system. Some only play nice with Apple’s iOS, some with Android, and others work with both. Smartwatches running Google’s Wear OS are a great compromise because they tend to work (mostly) well with both operating systems. One thing to note is that while Wear OS does technically work with iOS, some features may be disabled, unavailable, or just buggy.

Size

Most smartwatches are available in a variety of face sizes. A larger face allows you to see more data and stats on the display at one time, but going too large could make for an uncomfortable watch. To find the best watch size for you, start with your wrist measurement. In general, if your wrist is between 14cm - 18cm, you'll most likely want a small to medium-sized watch face with a diameter of 38mm, 40mm, or 42mm. If your wrist measures 18cm or larger, consider a larger watch face of at least 44mm.

Comfort

Most users are buying a smartwatch with the intention of wearing it all day and possibly to track their sleep at night, too. So, you’ll want to be sure that the band and overall design are comfortable. Of course, the only way to know for sure is to test it out yourself. That’s why it’s important to shop etailers (like Amazon and Walmart) that provide free shipping and even free return shipping on most products. This is essentially a free in-home trial.

Smartwatch bands are available in a wide range of materials. Sportier models are typically synthetic, like silicon, as it’s grippy, rugged, and waterproof. But they can look a little cheap. If you’re looking for something a bit more stylish, keep an eye on stainless steel or leather options. Just know that these may not be as durable or last as long as silicon.

Battery Life

We recommend shopping only for watches with a minimum 24-hour battery life. That way, you can charge yours overnight (assuming you’re not planning to track your sleep). Having to charge your smartwatch in the middle of the day, every day gets old. Plus, most mid-range and all premium smartwatches offer at least 24 hours of battery life or a low-power mode that provides days of extended battery life.

Durability and Water-Resistance

Most smartwatches—especially the best smartwatch models—on the market are durable enough for all-day wear. If you’re particularly tough on your gear or are planning on hardcore workouts, though, you may want to consider a multisport watch with a hardened Gorilla Glass screen.

Many smart watches also offer some form of water resistance (e.g., the ability to survive splashes or quick submersion). However, not all are fully waterproof (built for snorkeling, diving, and extended submersion underwater). Check the manufacturer’s specs to confirm just how water-resistant (or not) your potential smartwatch is. You don't want to find out the hard way after a costly mistake.

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Which Brand Is Best for Smartwatches?

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Of course, there is no one best smartwatch brand, but rather the one that's best for you. In general, here's what we recommend:

  • iPhone owners: Opt for the Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch SE
  • Stylish watch seekers: Fossil, Diesel, and Citizen all make great-looking watches that combine classic detailing with modern tech under the hood.
  • Casual fitness buffs: Fitbit's Versa is a great compromise between the most basic smartwatches and more hardcore, premium multisport watches from the likes of Garmin and Suunto.
  • Outdoor fitness lovers: Garmin's epix Pro is a solid bet.

Is It Worth Buying a Smartwatch?

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Smartwatches won't replace your smartphone, but they can be a great complementary accessory. Most of today's smartwatches can provide alerts for calls, texts, emails, calendar notifications, and more. The best smartwatches add outdoor-centric features like GPS-enabled maps with route-tracking. Plus, many people like smartwatches for advanced health and fitness tracking, as many premium models can track sleep patterns, monitor your stress levels and heart rate throughout the day, and even provide accident/emergency warnings (as with Apple's Crash Detection feature).

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What Is the Life Expectancy of a Smart Watch?

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Depending on the make and model of your smartwatch, you're likely to get 2-4 years out of your device, but it's entirely possible your watch can last much longer or much shorter. Most smartwatches these days are durable enough to handle multiple years of wear, so that's not really the issue. What can make your smartwatch obsolete, however, is old software that can't keep up with the latest generations of watches that are released.

If you're someone who likes to wear their smartwatch every day and makes calls and texts on it, then you'll likely want to upgrade your watch at least every other year to keep up with the newest software and to really maximize the tech that's available to you. If you're someone who likes to wear their smartwatch a couple of days a week or just for fitness purposes, then you'll be ok with sticking to the watch you have for a longer period of time. After all, you're still getting the same high-quality performance tracking metrics regardless of the software you're running.

How We Selected the Best Smartwatches for Men

The Best Smartwatches Will Level Up Your Wrist Game (95)

We researched and tested many of the top-selling smartwatches released over the last 18 months from every major brand, including Apple, Samsung, Garmin, Fitbit, and more. We compared every last detail, including comfort, user-friendliness, battery life, tech features, fitness tracking, smartphone compatibility, and, of course, price. While there’s no one “best” smartwatch, the list above represents our honest picks of some of the best smartwatches worth buying in 2024.

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