NetDigz is supported by our readership. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Best Smartwatch for 2024
1/28/2022 6:54:13 PM GMT
Smartwatches have become miniature computers strapped to your wrist, and whether you favor iOS or Android, we've got one for you.
Whether you're trying to get into the best shape of your life, trying to keep yourself organized and on time, or trying to ensure you get quality sleep for your daily recharge, a smart watch can give you a helping hand, and then some. The newest generation of smartwatches can do some amazing things, and they can do it without sacrificing style. The early days of clunky slabs strapped to your wrist are gone as smartwatch makers combine brains with slim profiles and more color choices.
We've researched dozens of models on factors like features, build quality, ease-of-use, and reliability to see if real-world experience lives up to the hype. With pricing ranging from "Is it really that cheap?" to "You've got to be kidding?", 'value for the money' played a big role in our final analysis.
Since smartwatches cover a gamut of applications, our selections cover multiple lifestyles and take into account the ever raging battle between the iOS and Android camps. Featuring the best smart watches for men and smart watches for women from Apple, Samsung, and FitBit, our final conclusions have led to these five selections.
Photo by Apple
The Apple Watch Series 7 is Apple's best smartwatch to date, continuing to build on the excellent Series 6. It has an always-on display that has excellent brightness, plus a solid array of health features and a new blood oxygen (SpO2) reader. The Series 7 represents a breakout for Apple color-wise, with 8 color options, including eye-catching Blue and Red finishes.
The Series 7 Apple smart watch has improved its charging capability, with up to 33% faster charging than the Series 6. Apple's watchOS 8 operating system includes sleep tracking, new watch faces, mobility metrics, and even an automatic hand-washing timer.
Also present in this best Apple watch is Apple Fitness Plus support, with new features that should impress even the most ardent workout fanatics. The Series 7 is available in 41mm and 45mm face sizes, in either a GPS only or GPS + Cellular configuration.
Photo by Samsung
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has been called one of the most stylish and functional smartwatches around. Its rotating bezel makes navigating the watch's interface a breeze, and you have access to thousands of watch faces so you can customize the display any way you like.
The Watch 4 has an excellent 2-day battery life, has added more music storage capacity, and includes an automatic sleep tracker to provide insights on how to get a better night's sleep. It also comes with Samsung Pay for contactless payments, and a solid group of fitness features. Although its app storage still lags behind Apple's, the gap is closing.
This Samsung smartwatch functions both as an Android smartwatch and Apple smartwatch, and is available in 40mm and 44mm face sizes, in an LTE configuration, with 4 color options; while the Classic is available in 42mm and 46mm face sizes, in either black or silver.
Photo by Fitbit
The Fitbit Sense is the company's flagship smartwatch that comes with the most advanced health and wellness features in the category. Equipped with an FDA-approved ECG sensor and blood oxygen reader, the FitBit can assess your heart for atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm irregularity- and share results with your doctor.
The FitBit also has the ability to measure electrodermal activity and skin temperature, and has an extremely impressive 6+ days of battery life. No operating system arguments here, as the Sense works with both iOS and Android.
The FitBit Sense is compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, it has on-board GPS capability, and it come with access to its own native app store. Fitbit brings a full-featured holistic approach to your health and wellness.
Photo by Samsung
The SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active 2 not only works as an Android watch, but will also interface with an iOS smartphone, if only on a limited basis. It features GPS, a heart rate monitor, and can automatically track your activity and sleep. The Active 2's circular design is visually appealing, offering extensive face customization.
The Samsung Tizen operating system, boasts an array of useful features; such as Samsung Pay, Spotify music, and heart health features through its FDA approved ECG sensor. As one of the best smart watches for android, this Galaxy smartwatch also has a long-lasting battery that can go for more than 5 days. This Samsung smart watch is available in 40mm, 42mm, and 45mm face sizes, in either a Bluetooth or LTE configuration, and it has five color options.
Photo by Apple
The Apple Watch SE is a hybrid of the discontinued Apple Watch Series 5 and the Apple Watch Series 3. It doesn't have all the features of the Series 6, lacking its brighter display with always-on option, an ECG monitor, and a SpO2 blood oxygen level sensor, but still boasts most of its other capabilities.
It runs on a speedy processor that's 2x faster than the Apple Watch Series 3 and has access to Apple Fitness+. The Apple Watch SE is available in 40mm and 44mm face sizes, in either a GPS only or GPS + Cellular configuration, with 4 color options.
Other Smartwatches Worth Considering
Although not on the NetDigz Editor's Best Picks List, these smartwatches provide significant value and are worth considering.
Photo by Fitbit
The Fitbit Charge 4 is an excellent fitness partner for all types of outdoor activities, including running, biking, and hiking. It has a nice slim-line look that goes with everyday wear. Its on-board GPS helps build a workout intensity map in the smartphone app that shows how your heart rate changes along your workout route.
For those drawn to water workouts, the Charge 4 is swimproof and water resistant to 50 Meters, which is also handy when using an outdoor shower at the pool or beach. Whether you are an Apple or Android enthusiast, the Charge 4 easily syncs with Mac OS X 12.2 & up, iPhone 5S & up, iPad 5 & up, and Android 7.0 & up.
It has a sleek Black-on-Black aesthetic with an easy to read monochrome display, and comes with both Small & Large Bands. Optional colors include Rosewood/Rosewood and Black/Granite Reflective. It has a 7-day battery life for normal use, but GPS use significantly reduces that time, so you should plan on a recharge every night after a distance workout. The FitBit Charge 4 is the best smartwatch for android for fitness enthusiasts.
Best picks 
