Winter is behind us at last, so it’s time to pack away those fluffy jackets and jumpers and fish out your shorts and t-shirts. If you’re ready to get fit and fabulous and work towards that summer body, a smartwatch is an excellent gadget to help you track your progress and stay motivated on your fitness journey. These devices don’t come cheap, so it’s important to do some research before you choose one. To help you decide, we’ve put together this handy guide to the best smartwatches on the market.
Apple Watch Series 5
Although this is the most expensive option on our list, the Series 5 is here for a reason. The always-on display makes a huge difference to your experience without draining the battery. As well as a solid 18 hours of battery life, you also get a built-in GPS and optional LTE capabilities. Besides seamless compatibility with your other Apple devices, the swimproof Series 5 also has new features like an integral compass, advanced fitness tracking and health features including a built-in EKG heart rate monitor and fall detection. As a bonus, you can choose from stylish titanium and ceramic finishes to match your new sportswear look. Overall, the Apple Series 5 is an excellent watch with just two downsides: as an Apple product, it’s only compatible with iPhones, and its battery life is not as long as that offered by some of its competitors.
Amazfit Bip
A great option if you’re looking for something more affordable. Features include a built-in GPS and heart rate monitor and compatibility with both Android and iOS. Before you take the plunge, it’s worth knowing that sadly it’s not swimproof and doesn’t have LTE functionality. Not only does the Bip’s colour display look cool, it also won’t impact on battery life – expect up to 45 days of smartwatch usage before you need to charge it. This smartwatch does have some limitations when it comes to functionality – for example, you can view notifications but not respond to them. In a nutshell, the Amazfit Bip is a great option if you’re on a budget as it performs well, although it does lack the extra bells and whistles that you’d get with a more expensive option.
Fitbit Versa 2
Rated the best smartwatch for sleep-tracking, the Fitbit Versa 2 also has features that enable you to monitor your blood oxygen saturation levels. It represents great value for money and is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The battery life is around four days, it has a built-in heart rate monitor and is swimproof. However, it only has GPS capabilities when paired to your smartphone, and the lack of LTE connectivity means you cannot make or receive calls using the Versa 2. New features include the Spotify app which allows you to listen to music as you exercise, although you can’t download playlists to this smartwatch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
The swimproof Galaxy Watch Active 2 is Samsung’s best-looking watch to date and comes in two sizes, 40mm diameter and 44mm. You’ll get between 24 and 60 hours’ battery life, plus a built-in GPS and heart rate monitor. Although the Active 2 is compatible with Android and iOS devices, it works best with Galaxy phones (as you might expect). Cool new features include Samsung Pay, Spotify, heart health features and LTE so you can receive calls on the go.
Now that you know what’s out there when it comes to smartwatches, you can decide which one would be the best fit with your lifestyle.
