This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
Your phone might feel like an essential life tool, but how irritating is it when you have to take it out of your pocket fifty times a day? In a world where the smartphone quickly overtook the need for wearing a watch on your wrist, things now seem to be turning back.
So why not get a smartwatch? It gives you all the benefits of a traditional wristwatch whilst also providing you with features you normally have on your smartphone.
But picking out the right smartwatch for you is more complicated than buying a traditional wristwatch. The smartest smartwatches aren’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about finding one with the features and spec to suit your lifestyle and day-to-day needs. Even your preferred brand of smartphone can affect which watch is best for you. If you’ve decided you do want a smartwatch though, here’s everything you need to know.
What is a smartwatch?
A smartwatch is a lot like a regular wristwatch, but it’s effectively a wearable computer. Like your smartphone, it (usually) has a touchscreen interface with a series of features you can use. These include allowing you to access social media apps, receive and reply to messages, make calls, and track your workouts. A smartwatch also functions as a regular watch, so you can, well, tell the time, set alarms, and more.
What other features do smartwatches have?
Almost all smartwatches cover the basics, such as working as a regular watch, offering basic fitness tracking tools, and pairing up with your phone to provide extra functionality. Smartwatches might also have stacks of workout modes — exercise guides for specific activities — as well as sleep tracking and other health metrics, particularly your heart rate or blood oxygen levels. Many work as portable music players when you pair them with earphones. GPS is also a standard feature for many smartwatches, so you can track where you’re going and where you’ve been.
What’s the difference between a smartwatch and fitness traker?
If you’re solely interested in the fitness side of things and don’t need your device to work so much as a smartwatch, you might need one of the best fitness trackers instead. These tend to be more basic than a smartwatch (although not always) but will still hold you accountable when working out. Smartwatches do fitness but also much more — they’re like extensions of your smartphone, or a handy way to access smartphone features, music, or digital comms via a quick-and-easy tap of the wrist.
Is it worth getting a smartwatch?
Only you know the answer to that. Few smartwatches are cheap, and you’ll need to invest in your purchase to get one of the best models. It can be a worthwhile purchase if you need the motivation to work out more frequently, or you want to reduce how often you look at your phone throughout the day, which can boost your productivity levels. Plus, of course, smartwatches can be a lot of fun for tech heads.
If you’re looking for something for your kids to wear, one of the best smartwatches for kids could be a better option than the options below.
How long does a smartwatch battery last?
The most significant disadvantage to a smartwatch is its battery life. Some devices offer weeks of battery life, but the majority only provide you with a couple of days before you need to recharge them. Because of that, they require more maintenance than a regular wristwatch, although you can always recharge one in the same way as you do your smartphone. The tricky part is how easy it is to forget to recharge your device, meaning you don’t use it for a day or so and the habit is lost.
Do you need to carry your phone with a smartwatch?
This depends on what kind of smartwatch it is. Some smartwatches have cellular connections, so you can add it to your phone account and use it entirely independently from your phone. Others have built-in memory so that you get limited functionality while it’s away from your smartphone. For the most part, it’s best to assume you need to have your phone near the smartwatch for Bluetooth connectivity.
What is the best smartwatch?
The best smartwatch for you will depend on a number of factors, and it’s important that you carefully consider all of the options out there before making any sort of decision. To help make your decision a little easier, we have lined up a selection of impressive models from top brands like Apple, Samsung, Garmin, and more.
These are the best smartwatches in 2024.
