Best Smart Watches in 2022

Best Overall: Samsung Galaxy Watch3 Mystic Silver

Widely compatible and durable with a slew of impressive features

The smartphone market has long been defined by an entrenched war between Apple and Android, and the same is becoming true for smartwatches. Samsung’s Galaxy is arguably the best option for Android users, and it looks like that will be the case in the smartwatch race as well. This smartwatch series for both Android and iOS takes all the fundamentals that the Apple Watch is known for and combines them in a frame that’s more sensibly designed. This model in particular employs a unique rotating bezel for more intuitive and frankly pretty fun navigation.

Not only is this a waterproof smartwatch, but it also sports a strong battery life and an easy-to-read display. Together, that makes this one of the best, low-maintenance options if you want to get out and explore the world. In terms of functionality, the fitness tracking features have been improved significantly over earlier models, while the ability to stream your Spotify playlists is a huge convenience. Voice activation is available in the form of Samsung’s proprietary Bixby virtual assistant and the heart rate monitor provides the most accurate updates in real-time.

Best Features: Apple Watch Series 6 40mm Deep Navy

One of the most versatile and feature-rich options on the market

The Apple Watch Series is arguably the device that started the whole modern wearables trend, and despite an army of competitors coming to the market, it’s still a contender for the best smartwatch around. Now in its sixth generation, the Apple Watch has made a lot of progress over the years. The Apple Watch Series 6 is no doubt one of the best smartwatches money can buy. Its clean face strips away the bezel almost entirely, and its excellent design provides you with access to everything you could want in an uncluttered frame. A larger and easy-to-read display and a louder speaker make this a more feasible smartwatch option for use with an iPhone than ever before.

Where the Apple Watch Series 6 really sets the pace is in its fitness features and its heart rate monitor. By working directly with the FDA, Apple has managed to include both an atrial fibrillation feature and an ECG app. It feels in many ways like the fulfillment of a promise that’s gone otherwise unfulfilled by the smartwatch market. To make things even better, the Apple Watch Series 6 features an always-on display that allows you to see the time and watch face every time you look at it. You can even download apps from the app store straight on the watch itself. However, it comes with just 18 hours of battery life, which may not be the best for you if you’re always on the go.

Best Value: Huami Amazfit Bip Smartwatch

A great budget option with some truly solid features

The Galaxy and the Apple Watch may be the top dogs in the smartwatch market, but they’re also pretty pricey options. Customers who want the core functionality that these high-end watches while still keeping costs under $100 may want to check out the next best option on our list – the Amazfit Bip. This budget smartwatch may not be the most feature-rich option available, but it’s certainly one of the best smartwatches you can get for less than $100.

In fact, it’s probably the best deal you’ll find for a fitness smartwatch. Featuring a stylish design reminiscent of the Apple Watch, the Amazfit Bip features an always-on display and an excellent battery life, which allows you to go for over a month on a single 2.5-hour charge. Phone compatibility for this model includes both iOS and Android, so you won’t be locked into a single operating system, unlike with the Apple Watch Series. In terms of features, the options here are basic but solid. A GPS tracker and a heart rate monitor are built-in, and you can sync it up with your smartphone for notifications.

Garmin vívoactive 4 Smartwatch

A true fitness assistant through and through

Garmin may be best known for their GPS devices, but they’ve been moving into the smartwatch market with an admirable level of enthusiasm. The Vivoactive 4 is their flagship mid-range model, and it’s one of the best smartwatches on the market. Garmin has cleverly made the decision to focus on fitness-related services rather than trying to compete with bigger and more experienced names on a more all-around model. They have done their best on that front, and the Vivoactive is one of the best choices to go with if you’re looking for a watch with its own unique purpose aside from being a companion to your smartphone.

A functional heart rate monitor, a precise fitness tracker, and excellent water resistance make this smartwatch for Android and iOS one of the best for your daily exercise routine. That’s not to say that the Vivoactive is solely a fitness smartwatch, though. It also features one-way notifications and the ability to make payments through the Garmin Pay system. But the real star here is the depth of fitness apps available. Whatever your preferred type of exercise, you’ll probably find an app tailored to it in the Garmin app store. Dedicated onboard memory and Wi-Fi connectivity also allow you to go entirely phone-free while still listening to your favorite playlists.

Fossil Men’s Gen 4 Sport

Ideal as both an everyday assistant and sports companion

WearOS is a variation of the Android operating system designed specifically for use with smartwatches, and the Fossil Sport is one of the best Wear OS watches that knows how to make the most of its unique capabilities. Combine that with the new Qualcomm processor that’s specifically optimized for the needs of this market, and this Google smartwatch becomes a competent mid-range entry for Android users. The name is perhaps a bit of a misnomer. Fossil’s watch isn’t particularly tailored for the needs of the fitness crowd, and instead focuses on being a versatile android wear option.

Three separate battery modes allow you to adjust the watch to suit your needs in any given moment, and the design is more aesthetically pleasing than a majority of more utilitarian watches around. Combine that with its two days of battery life, incredible heart rate monitor, easy-to-read display, and swim-proof design, and you’ve got a watch that’s perfect as both a phone and sports companion. If you want a sports watch that serves as one of the best Wear OS watches at a mid-range price, there’s no more affordable option than this

Mobvoi TicWatch E2

A lot of smartwatches bill themselves as the technology of the future, but if you’re looking for something a little more simplistic, comfortable, and stylized, the Mobvoi TicWatch is one of the best choices to go with. This is a gadget that takes the fundamental principles of a smartwatch and executes them without any unnecessary flairs or flourishes.

The screen of the Ticwatch E2 is large and easy to read even when it’s holding a lot of information, and the battery life is top-notch. The water resistance of the TicWatch E2 is smartly partnered with a swim tracking functionality, and its 24-hour heart rate sensor makes for a more healthy living. The performance on this budget smartwatch is simply one of the best.  A single button controls all of your apps, and the Ticwatch E2 even has Google Play Store and Google Assistant built-in so you can easily navigate its functions with your voice alone. In a surprising move for a watch at this point, this Android Wear OS watch has Wi-Fi capabilities built-in.

Huawei Watch 2 Sport Smartwatch

Huawei’s Watch 2 Sport is a rugged but surprisingly lightweight smartwatch, and that makes it one of the best choices for more active users. If you’re looking for a watch that features the sturdy resistance needed to suit you in the gym or out in the wild, this Android smartwatch has you covered. A precise heart rate monitor, scientific sleep tracker, and GPS come standard, but the most surprising addition is support for a 4G LTE connection. Then there’s support for NFC and Google Pay, which could conceivably remove the need to carry a wallet with you.

Voice activation is available in the form of integrated Google Assistant, while the dedicated Workout Coach provides you with a more natural and motivational means for keeping up with your exercise routine. The Watch 2 also features an always-on display and three different modes to help you get excellent battery life.

LG W280A Watch Sport

More than one smartwatch review has identified the W280A as the best Android smartwatch on the market, and the argument is a strong one. LG clearly understands the intricacies of Wear OS, and they’ve maximized its potential impressively to build this Android Wear smartwatch. The lack of a need to tether it to your phone allows it to effectively serve as an alternative to your mobile device in some situations, as it can be used to text and make calls by installing a SIM card.

It also features LTE connectivity, although both the call and LTE connectivity are limited to the USA. Apps can similarly be downloaded directly on the watch, and a huge portion of the Google Play store is wide open to you. The value of this watch is reflected in its scarcity. Finding a new W280A is one hell of a task. This shows that it’s truly one of the best watches on the market. You may want to keep an eye out if you want to pick it up for a decent price.

Fitbit Versa 2 Smartwatch

If there’s one company that understands what people desire in health-tracking smartwatches, it’s Fitbit. The Fitbit Versa 2 offers some of the best, most impressive, and user-focused features you’ll find in a watch at a price that comfortably hovers in the lower mid-level price range. The Fitbit Versa series has been built from the ground up, and the slim and sparse design of the Versa 2 emphasizes its role as a utilitarian tool rather than a fashion statement.

The Fitbit Versa 2 comes in elegant black, silver, and rose gold color variations. This aluminum Fitbit watch features some of the best sleep analysis around, and it cleverly includes a whole wealth of health tracking options built around the specific needs of women. For the sake of price and portability, a few features had to be stripped out of the watch itself, but music can be saved directly to the Versa, and it gains GPS functionality when tethered to your iOS or Android phone. With the Versa 2, you get a host of incredible features, including a 24-hour heart rate sensor, sleep tracking, built-in GPS sensors, Windows phone compatibility, Alexa support, and more. This Fitbit smartwatch surely deserves to be on the best smartwatch list any day.

Michael Kors Access Runway Smart Watch

A majority of the smartwatches available today are based around streamlined designs that put practicality above fashion. So, when luxury designer Michael Kors throws their hat in the ring, you know it’s going to be a significant change of pace. The Access Runway sports a beautiful design that’s in step with more traditional women’s luxury watches, and while it’s not the most powerful smartwatch on the market, it’s packed with a surprising range of features.

This Michael Kors watch is designed with only one color – pink. Built on the Wear OS, the Access Runway comes with an easy-to-read display. It features both a GPS and a heart rate sensor, meaning it can work admirably well in the gym or out on the street. The Google Fit app built right in tracks a number of important metrics, while Google Assistant provides you with voice activation capabilities. It’s not as advanced as the Fitbit above, but it’s easily the best when it comes to deciding on the most fashionable smartwatch.

CASIO WSD-F30-RGBAU Pro Trek

There’s no way to argue that the Casio Pro Trek is an inexpensive watch, but Casio is a company known for producing only the best products as well as their high ratio of quality to pricing, and this model is no exception.

This is a watch designed to help you get the best outdoor experience, and it comes with a wide variety of GPS, health, and fitness features that you’d expect from such a gadget. Notifications from your mobile device are easy to manage, and unlike many cheaper smartwatch models, they aren’t just one-way. Thanks to its easy-to-read touchscreen display, you can respond to text, social media, or email notifications through voice control, an on-screen keyboard, or even touchscreen scribbles. Instead of using the limited, native Wear OS interface for interacting with apps, users also have full and direct access to the Play Store.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 Gold

Everything that applies to the first entry on our list applies to the Gold version of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 as well. This is the same design at its heart, and the only practical difference comes from its more feminine design. While choosing between the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 Gold or the Black and Crown Silver variants is going to come down to a matter of aesthetic preferences. Above all, you can trust this one to be one of the best and most comfortable smartwatches for your needs.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 is one of the most respected smartwatches around, and this model takes those incredible features and functions and combines them with an elegant dress design. It is, however, important to note that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 doesn’t support Samsung Pay on iOS.