Best smartwatches to buy in 2022: For all budgets
Sanskar Sharma
The top smartwatches do more than simply alert you when you receive a call or text message. They are a digital wallet, a fitness tracker that counts your steps, and in certain cases, a phone that you can use even when your smartphone is far away.
These days’ smartwatches contain health features that could save your life. Many of the top smartwatches we have examined have features like elevated heart rate alert detection and automatic emergency service connection in case you fall severely. Some models also offer blood oxygen (SpO2) and electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements as extras. The former looks for atrial fibrillation symptoms, whilst the latter is a reliable measure of respiratory health.
The best ones do not stop here. Some offer the facility to download thousands of apps and even games. The top smartwatches even do these things better than others. And one of the most amazing things is their customizability. You can change from straps to themes according to your personality.
Here are the best smartphones according to me on both iOS and Android:
1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 40mm, 44mm
Battery Life (Rated): 50 hours
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes (5 feet for 30 minutes)
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Samsung Pay &
Google Pay
Compatibility: Android
[i2pc][i2pros]Long-lasting battery
Strong display
Skin temp. sensor
Sporty look[/i2pros][i2cons]Skin temp sensor will work in future
More compatible with only Samsung phones[/i2cons][/i2pc]
Samsung released their latest smartwatch recently. As usual, in terms of features, Samsung always likes to stay one step ahead of its rivals. As the previous model Galaxy 4, it has Wear OS and still has a fair price.
The galaxy 5 is packed with features like Pedometer, Heart Rate Monitor, SpO2 (Blood Oxygen) Monitor, Blood Pressure Monitor, Calorie Count, Step Count, Sleep Monitor, and basics like Alarm Clock, Stopwatch, Timer, and Reminder. This watch even has a skin temperature sensor, which is a great innovation though this feature will run in the future.
For Samsung mobile users it also has some premium features like ECG (electrocardiogram). It can charge from 0% to 45% in just 30 minutes which is quite fast. The price starts from 280$ which is fair, especially for Samsung users.
2. Apple Watch 7 Series
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 41mm, 45mm
Battery Life (Rated): 18 hours
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Apple Pay
Compatibility: iOS
[i2pc][i2pros]Fast charging
Minimal bezels
Feature-packed
Gorgeous display[/i2pros][i2cons]No new feature
Battery life is still not good
Workouts are varied[/i2cons][/i2pc]
When talking about technology, you cannot ignore the biggest tech company Apple. For iOS fans apple watch seven series is the best option to buy. With the premium look of Apple and its latest features makes it among the top smartwatches of 2022.
Not many upgrades were done from the previous model series 6. The battery life is 18 hours which is not good though now it supports fast charging. Running watchOS 8 out of the box also means newfound support for workout activities like Pilates and helpful new safety features, like fall detection whilst cycling or any collision in which case it starts a timer and then notifies your emergency contacts.
It also includes retina display, manual ECG, and Spo2 and the algorithms have also been tuned to measure calories accurately when using an e-bike. It can determine if the pedal-assist is active or if the bike is moving on leg power alone.
The price starts from $399 and for iPhone users, this masterpiece is totally worth it.
3. Fitbit Sense
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 40mm
Battery Life (Rated): 6 days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: No
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Mobile Payments: Optional, Fitbit
Pay
Compatibility: iOS, Android
[i2pc][i2pros]Low cost
Slim design
Long battery life[/i2pros][i2cons]Many third-party apps
Support is not available to all countries[/i2cons][/i2pc]
Now moving on how can Fitbit fall behind? This is their top-end watch with many awesome features. Given how many warning flags it contains, you might as well refer to it as the hypochondriac’s smartwatch, yet there are many indicators of significant health issues that you can take steps to address on this device.
It also includes All-day body-response tracking Stress, Sleep tracking & sleep stages Sleep Profile, HEALTHSpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking Irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG app for heart rhythm assessment, Skin temperature sensor, Menstrual health tracking, Built-in GPS Exercise modes Steps, distance & calories, Alexa, google maps, and whatnot.
Fitbit is not only for fitness freaks but for everyone who likes to keep their body in check. This smartwatch may lie third on this list but this is a fair competitor of the previous two and worth buying at a price starting at $300 and a 6-month free Fitbit premium subscription
4. Apple watch SE
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 40mm, 44mm
Battery Life (Rated): 18 hours
GPS: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Apple Pay
Compatibility: iOS
[i2pc][i2pros]Always on retina display
Many colours
Built-in GPS[/i2pros][i2cons]Expensive
Only compatible with an iPhone.
Some features lag[/i2cons][/i2pc]
The Apple Watch SE is a cross between the Series 3 and Series 5 watches, which were later discontinued. Although the $279 smartwatch lacks some of the capabilities of the Series 6, it still distinguishes out for its quick chip and security features. It is a wonderful alternative for those who want to use apple products but are budget-friendly or smart savers.
It includes a Barometric altimeter, Capacity of 32GB, Optical heart sensor, Electrical heart sensor, an Improved accelerometer up to 32 g‑forces, Improved gyroscope, Ambient light sensor, LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display with Force Touch (1000 nits), and many more features with the premium feel of Apple.
So, if you are an android user with an android phone, sorry this is not for you but iOS users, this watch comes at a budget-friendly price of $279 but if can go a little high as $120, I would definitely suggest you for Series 7 which is best for iOS and overall.
5. Garmin Venu 2 Plus
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 43mm
Battery Life (Rated): 10 days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: No
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Mobile Payments: Garmin Pay
[i2pc][i2pros]Dozens of workout routines
High-resolution AMOLED display
Super accurate GPS[/i2pros][i2cons]Expensive
Plastic body
Not good for iPhone users[/i2cons][/i2pc]
Already a fantastic fitness-tracking smartwatch, the Garmin Venu 2 was. We think it’s one of the finest Garmin watches since it works well as a training partner and is a fashionable watch. With the $449 Garmin Venu 2 Plus, voice assistants and on-wrist calls are now available. The Venu 2 Plus is now a stronger sell for people who want their smartwatch to function as an extension of their smartphone, even while it upholds Garmin’s reputation for extensive fitness tracking and precise GPS.
The unit supports Headphones (Bluetooth audio devices), Heart Rate Sensors, Speed/Cadence, Foot Pod, Tempe (Temperature), ANT+ Cycling Lights, ANT+ Radar, and golf club sensors. Garmin’s formula is fitness first, features second. It still lacks ECG which in this price range is provided by its rivals.
I would recommend this watch for people who like Garmin itself choose fitness over features as they are precise while simple features like texting are compensated by auto texts which are not good for this price range of $449 even with a good battery backup.
6. Samsung Galaxy 4 Classic
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 42mm, 46mm
Battery Life (Rated): 40 hours
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Samsung Pay &
Google Pay
Compatibility: Android
[i2pc][i2pros]Tactile design
Great performance
Good overall features[/i2pros][i2cons]Full functionality for Samsung Galaxy users only
Classic styling costs extra[/i2cons][/i2pc]
The Watch 4 Classic may resemble the Galaxy Watch 3 from the year before, complete with the rotating bezel, but Wear OS, a new version of which was developed in collaboration with Google, has replaced Samsung’s long-standing Tizen OS on the Watch 4 series.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic detects heart rate, records ECGs, and determines body composition thanks to a 3-in-1 health sensor. And although though it has enticing Wear OS features from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, it still pays attention to Tizen, making it the perfect complement to the finest Samsung phones. It should be noted that some capabilities are only available to Samsung customers, thus not all Android users will take advantage of the Galaxy Watch 4’s full potential.
Now, this would be a good smartwatch for someone who has Samsung phones but did not want a Galaxy 5 or pro but still wants the health features of Samsung for a price starting at $350.That’s a lot of but and so only choosy person will buy this watch.
7. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 47mm case size
Battery Life (Rated): 72 hours – 45
days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: e-sim
Mobile Payments: Google Pay(using
NFC)
Compatibility: Android
[i2pc][i2pros]Comfortable design
Wide range of apps
Decent price for a rugged smartwatch[/i2pros][i2cons]Battery not as durable as rivals
Some app synching issues
The phone app needs more information[/i2cons][/i2pc]
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 is a premium smartwatch by Mobvoi with Wear OS 2, good battery backup, and a sporty design. Mobvoi also assured the fans that it will be updated with Wear OS 3 very soon. While the ultra-model variant also includes a full-colour AMOLED display and a monochromatic FSTN display that, in Essential Mode, can help extend longevity from 3 to 45 days per charge.
This smartwatch has Speaker and mic, PPG heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, Accelerator, Gyroscope, Ambient light sensor, Barometer, Compass, and Low-latency off-body sensor. It also has access to all 5 satellite systems including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo.
The price of a Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 ultra starts from $299 and in some markets, you can find the LTE model starting from $329.
8. Amazfit GTR Pro 3
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 46mm
Battery Life (Rated): 12 days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: None
Mobile Payments: None
[i2pc][i2pros]Slim design
Inexpensive
Superb display[/i2pros][i2cons]Temporarily hampered by third-party app support
No NFC[/i2cons][/i2pc]
The answer to the question of whether you should get an Amazfit Watch, especially the big Amazfit GTR 3 Pro, is yes. There are plenty of health and fitness features on board, making this undoubtedly the brand’s best smartwatch to date. However, we wish it had a few more features for the price (there is no NFC, for example). The Amazfit GTR 3 Pro provides an outstanding one-stop measurement tool for your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, stress levels, and more in a single reading, with better accuracy than the GTR 2’s predecessor.
It includes an Accelerometer Sensor, Barometer Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Light Sensor, Optical Heart Rate Sensor, SpO2 Sensor, and Blood Pressure Monitor with a battery backup of 35 days of essential or typical use and 36 hours with full-time GPS tracking which is good at this range. It includes 150+ sports modes.
With a price starting from $129, it is a great watch with all essential features for a friendly budget but people who want more features than that should look for another watch.
9. Fitbit Versa 3
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 40.48mm(One Size)
Battery Life (Rated): 6 days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Fitbit Pay
Heart Rate Monitor: Android
[i2pc][i2pros]Beautiful Display
Custom training programs (with subscription)
Great sleep analysis[/i2pros][i2cons]Poorly designed side button
No offline Spotify support[/i2cons][/i2pc]
The Fitbit Versa 3 is a great wearable with built-in GPS and some design changes. But like its predecessor, it offers relatively few productivity apps and functions more like a fitness tracker than a smartwatch. What you do get is great battery life, a better display than before, and a plethora of fitness statistics, making this a very compelling and affordable Apple Watch alternative. Given that this is the third version of the well-liked Versa line, it is quite disheartening that Fitbit is still lacking in several respects.
It includes Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Gyroscope Built-in GPS + GLONASS, Altimeter, Optical heart rate sensor, Spo2, Altimeter, and calorie count. It also has sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, VO2 max readings, and workout tracking.
The Versa is on the lower side of Fitbit Sense which is the higher-end product and thus we can’t expect all the features but Versa still lacks some features that can be expected by similar products of their rivals. It includes both Alexa and Google Assistant and the price starts from $164.
10. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
SPECIFICATIONS
Sizes: 40mm, 44mm
Battery Life (Rated): 22-60 hours
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Samsung Pay
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Compatibility: Android (Best in
Galaxy), iOS
[i2pc][i2pros]Built quality is premium
Accurate data
Super amoled screen [/i2pros][i2cons]No performance gain over the predecessor
App support still lacking[/i2cons][/i2pc]
The Samsung watch is compatible with any smartphone and has GPS, a heart rate monitor, and the option to enable LTE. It can also track your activity and sleep automatically. (It excels at the former but not the latter.)
The circular form of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is visually pleasing, whether you purchase the 40mm or 44mm model. This Galaxy Watch, which runs on Samsung’s Tizen operating system, has additional handy features like Samsung Pay, onboard music via Spotify, and heart health capabilities. This device includes an ECG capability, which is typically reserved for more expensive devices.
The price starts from $249 which makes it more affordable and looking at the features included, it is worth every penny.
