After a protracted stretch of slim pickings, 2022 has been an enormous 12 months for Android smartwatches. The Google Pixel Watch lastly launched after what felt like a decade. Samsung launched its second-gen Wear OS smartwatches. Meanwhile, Fossil has introduced its first native Wear OS 3 watch and begun updating its myriad Gen 6 units to the brand new platform. 

That stated, that is nonetheless a transitional period. Wear OS 3 is a piece in progress, and whereas we’re inspired by the stronger third-party app choices, the market remains to be fragmented. Some options, like Google Assistant, might not be obtainable but on sure Wear OS 3 smartwatches — although that one will doubtless come through an replace someday sooner or later. 

If you’d relatively wait till Wear OS settles down a bit, there are platform-agnostic smartwatches and health watches you should buy within the meantime. A reduced Wear OS 2 watch may additionally be a wise selection for first-time consumers uncertain about smartwatches normally. If you go this route, nevertheless, we implore you to be sure that it’s a Snapdragon Wear 4100-powered smartwatch on the minimal. These watches may be upgraded to Wear OS 3 — older watches working on the 3100 chip can’t. Over the summer season, Qualcomm additionally introduced its Snapdragon Wear 5 Plus chip — a 4nm processor that can give a much-needed enhance to the subsequent spherical of Wear OS smartwatches.

So lengthy as you retain the aforementioned caveats in thoughts, Android customers have extra smartwatch choices than ever earlier than. We’ve rounded up our high picks, but when none of those is the fitting match, you may at all times try our health tracker information. 

1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

If you could have a Samsung telephone, you’ll get probably the most mileage out of a Samsung smartwatch. And of the 2 watches Samsung launched this 12 months, the $449.99 Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will get you the perfect general expertise. It’s not an enormous improve from final 12 months’s Galaxy Watch 4, nevertheless it’s fashionable, lasts longer on a single cost, and provides some neat GPS options. The Pro edges out a win over the common Galaxy Watch 5, due to its battery life. We acquired as much as 65 hours in testing, although if you happen to allow the always-on show, you’ll extra doubtless get round 48 to 50 hours. Still, that’s a notable bump over both the 40mm Galaxy Watch 5 or the Galaxy Watch 4 lineup. Software updates have improved the battery life on these watches, however you’ll nonetheless need to cost them each day or each different day. And the Pixel Watch solely lasts round 24 hours.

The 45mm Pro wears surprisingly small for a health watch of its dimension, and the larger sapphire crystal show makes textual content simpler to learn. And whereas it’s too unhealthy Samsung did away with the bodily rotating bezel, the Pro’s raised lip makes the contact bezel simpler to make use of than the flat one on the vanilla Watch 5. We additionally just like the deployant clasp, which is each safe and cozy to put on. If you need mobile connectivity, you may pay $50 further plus your service’s month-to-month payment for the LTE model. The watch additionally has twin SIM help (as long as you could have a telephone that additionally helps twin SIM.).

Wear OS 3 is snappy on the Pro, and Samsung’s model of Wear OS is intuitive to make use of and makes higher use of the watch’s round show than Google’s default UI. Samsung additionally added some neat accessibility options, like shade filters and the power to rebalance audio.

The change to Wear OS means you’re getting a way more strong third-party app expertise than on Tizen-powered Samsung smartwatches, just like the Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Watch Active lineup. You additionally get extra flexibility on companies than with some other Wear OS watch. For instance, if you wish to kick Bixby to the curb in favor of Google Assistant, you may. The similar goes for Samsung Pay and Google Wallet. If you desire a extra in-depth have a look at how this watch stacks up in comparison with the Pixel Watch particularly, you may try our Versus video.

Samsung Health additionally delivers general health monitoring expertise, particularly since you may allow turn-by-turn navigation for mountaineering and biking actions. We weren’t too impressed with nightly SpO2 readings, however Samsung’s general sleep monitoring is sweet. You additionally get built-in GPS, physique composition evaluation, irregular coronary heart price notifications, fall detection, emergency SOS options, and EKGs. 

We don’t essentially suggest the Galaxy Watch 5 or 5 Pro if you happen to don’t have a Samsung telephone. EKGs require the Samsung Health Monitor app, which is restricted to Samsung telephones. Also, whilst you can customise the buttons to launch your digital assistant of selection, the shortcut for contactless funds is difficult coded to Samsung Pay — which can be gated to Samsung phones except you sideload the APK — and requires you to join Samsung’s service. You can work round it, however all Samsung watches work finest with different Samsung units.

The Galaxy Watch 5 can be a strong various, each within the 40mm ($279.99) and 44mm ($309.99) sizes. You’ll worsen battery life, it’s not as sturdy, and there’s no turn-by-turn navigation. However, the additional financial savings could also be a worthwhile tradeoff. 

The $349.99 Google Pixel Watch is a beautiful smartwatch, however it’s a first-gen machine with some notable rising pains. The Galaxy Watch 5 lineup will get you a extra polished expertise, however the Pixel Watch is the higher selection for anybody who isn’t on a Samsung smartphone.

That’s due to ecosystems. Some options of Samsung’s watches solely work with Samsung telephones. The Pixel Watch doesn’t care what Android telephone you could have; you’ll get the identical expertise regardless. Broadly talking, it’s additionally at all times going to have the most recent updates to Google companies like Google Maps, Google Wallet, YouTube Music, and Google Assistant as a result of, nicely, it’s Google’s smartwatch. Speaking of which, shopping for the Pixel Watch will even get you a six-month trial of Fitbit Premium and a three-month trial of YouTube Music. 

While it makes use of a last-gen Samsung chip, the Pixel Watch has snappy efficiency, due to 2GB of RAM and a co-processor that helps optimize battery life. Its redesigned Wear OS 3 interface can be simple to make use of, and belief us: you gained’t be bothered a lot by the bezels. While thick, they’re not that noticeable, due to the darkish backgrounds and watch faces. 

If you’re a long-time Fitbit consumer, that is the smartwatch you’ve been ready for — not the Fitbit Sense 2 or Versa 4. Not solely does it have Fitbit integration, however you’ve additionally acquired the choice of mobile connectivity for $50 extra, higher third-party apps than Wear OS 2 watches, and Google Assistant. (Google Assistant is lacking from Fitbit’s Sense 2 and Versa 4. Google Wallet and Maps aren’t obtainable but on these units both.) The Pixel Watch lacks some staple well being options — irregular coronary heart rhythm notifications, automated exercise monitoring, and nightly SpO2 percentages are the massive omissions — however the bulk of Fitbit’s well being platform is there. The Pixel Watch additionally helps EKG readings, has built-in GPS, and lets you obtain offline playlists from YouTube Music.

One factor to be conscious of is sturdiness. While the domed show is gorgeous, we cracked considered one of our overview items in every week. (The others have been positive, nevertheless!) You additionally gained’t get the perfect battery life at 24 hours — much less if you happen to use the always-on show — however it’s pretty customary for this class. It’s additionally acquired a proprietary strap mechanism, although we’re starting to see third-party straps hit the market. These tradeoffs are an enormous purpose why this first-gen machine isn’t our general decide. However, it’s nonetheless a promising machine that’s a sensible choice for first adopters. 

You might argue that by placing out a horde of Wear OS watches year after year, Fossil has singlehandedly saved Wear OS afloat throughout its darkest days. On the intense facet, that dedication to the platform means the $299 Gen 6 is likely one of the most secure buys on this planet of Android smartwatches. Not solely is Fossil in it for the lengthy haul, nevertheless it’s additionally taken buyer suggestions into consideration for future designs. 

The Fossil Gen 6 is, for the second, a Wear OS 2 watch working on a Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip. That’s an enormous purpose why you will discover it on sale fairly typically, normally for round $220-$230. It’s a modest low cost, however this can be a smarter decide than a 3100-powered Wear OS watch, just like the Gen 5 and Gen 5E, even if you happen to discover them for a lot much less. That’s as a result of Fossil began rolling out the Wear OS 3 improve to its Gen 6 smartwatches on October seventeenth. This applies to any designer-branded smartwatch beneath the Fossil umbrella, just like the Skagen Falster Gen 6 and the Michael Kors Gen 6. 

The Gen 6 watches have Alexa compatibility, contactless funds through Google Wallet, and entry to the Google Play retailer for third-party apps like Strava and Spotify. There’s no timeline simply but for Google Assistant if you happen to improve to Wear OS 3, and it’s been faraway from Wear OS 2.

Because the corporate additionally simply launched its $299 Gen 6 Wellness Edition, it’s additionally beefed up obtainable well being options throughout the Gen 6 units. That contains SpO2 readings, VO2 Max, automated exercise monitoring, coronary heart price zones, steady coronary heart price monitoring exterior of exercises, and improved sleep monitoring. The Wellness Edition comes with Wear OS 3 out of the field, which is a tad extra handy. However, if you happen to don’t thoughts the additional step of upgrading, selecting up any Gen 6 watch on sale isn’t a nasty means to avoid wasting further moolah.

4. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS

Like the Fossil Gen 6, the $299.99 Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is a Wear OS 2 watch working on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100 chip. That means it’s eligible for an improve to Wear OS 3, although Mobvoi hasn’t begun rolling that out simply but. Still, the TicWatch lineup has its devoted followers for a reason. Mobvoi’s watches are an excellent various to the Fossil Gen 6, and this one, particularly, is sweet for fitness-focused individuals who aren’t eager on giving up sensible capabilities for a Garmin or Polar. It’s additionally extra sturdy. While it lacks a sapphire crystal show, you do get military-grade sturdiness, which is stronger than smartwatches with out it.

The TicWatch helps stress monitoring, all-day blood oxygen monitoring, fatigue assessments, in addition to atrial fibrillation and irregular heartbeat detection. For outdoorsy sorts, it additionally has entry to GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and Beidou. Plus, you get 72 hours of battery life. It won’t maintain a candle to a top-of-the-line Garmin, nevertheless it’s additionally a wiser look ahead to a fraction of the worth.

If all you need is straightforward health monitoring and notifications in a extra refined machine, the $179.99 Garmin Vivomove Sport is a superb, reasonably priced choice. It appears to be like like a Swatch, full with actual analog fingers, however has a hidden OLED for notifications. Basically, if you happen to don’t need folks to know you’ve acquired a smartwatch on, a hybrid smartwatch is the way in which to go. Plus, it’s suitable with each iOS and Android if you wish to reserve the choice to change between each ecosystems. 

You are giving up sure sensible options, like contactless funds, digital assistants, and built-in GPS. The hidden show can ship the fundamentals, like notifications, the time, and fundamental well being stats. However, what it lacks in smarts, it makes up for with battery life. You get an estimated 5 days on a single cost. On the health entrance, it’s an correct tracker regardless of its lack of built-in GPS. As for well being monitoring, you get entry to a ton of in-depth information from Garmin’s platform. 

Garmin is finest identified for making rugged GPS watches which have wonderful health options however aren’t so sensible in any other case. But the $449.99 Venu 2 Plus caters to individuals who need top-notch health monitoring with out sacrificing productiveness options.

It’s acquired a colourful and vibrant always-on OLED show and a whopping 9 days of estimated battery life. It’s additionally added a microphone and speaker, that means it’s one of many few Garmin smartwatches that can allow you to make and take calls from the wrist (so long as it’s in Bluetooth vary of your telephone; it doesn’t have mobile connectivity). It additionally has a intelligent workaround for digital assistants — it makes use of Bluetooth to work with no matter assistant is already in your telephone. You’d assume extra health trackers would do that, however they don’t. It labored nicely in testing, although digital assistants aren’t at all times the neatest at understanding instructions.

The Venu 2 Plus doesn’t have the perfect third-party app ecosystem, nevertheless it has Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music for offline playback. Android customers can even ship fast responses for texts, and the watch works with both iOS or Android for folk who need to hold their choices open. As for well being options, you get built-in GPS, steady coronary heart price monitoring, the entire superior teaching options within the Garmin Connect app, and Garmin’s well-known in-depth well being information. This isn’t probably the most hardcore Garmin that cash should buy, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly the neatest. The worth is a bit excessive in comparison with most smartwatches, however by Garmin requirements, it’s middle-of-the-pack.

Amazfit’s made a reputation for itself making finances wearables that punch far above their weight. I’ve been constantly impressed by the GTR line of smartwatches over time, and the $199.99 GTR 4 isn’t any exception. 

Not solely does it have a traditional look, however you additionally get 14 days of battery life and a shade, always-on OLED show. New to the GTR 4 is dual-band GPS — a function that Apple and Garmin solely just lately launched to their higher-end smartwatches. Or, if you happen to prefer to plan your personal path runs or hikes, you may import your personal GPS routes, too. It tracks 150 sports activities and options all-day steady coronary heart price monitoring. You can even monitor stress, sleep, and SpO2 ranges. For sensible options, you may take calls on the wrist, and it has two digital assistants: Alexa and a proprietary offline assistant. The machine additionally syncs with Strava and Adidas Running. 

The GTR 4 isn’t the perfect smartwatch round. Flagship watches can do every little thing the GTR 4 can do however in a sleeker, extra polished bundle. However, they will’t do it at this worth. If worth is your foremost precedence, this will get you unbelievable bang to your buck. Plus, you may incessantly discover Amazfit units on sale. The icing on the cake is it really works simply as nicely on Android because it does on iOS.