What is the point of buying a smart watch?

If you're thinking about buying a new smartwatch, you should start by carefully considering why you want one in the first place. For example, are you looking for a watch that help you build better sleep habits or train for your next race? Or do you care only about meeting your step goal and seeing notifications on your wrist? Most people likely fall somewhere in between. 

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The good news is that you can narrow down your options with just three questions. Do you use an iPhone or an Android device? How much are you willing to spend? And how do you plan to use it?

You'll also want to consider comfort, size and style. A smartwatch isn't useful if you don't enjoy wearing it. Comfort is particularly critical if you're looking for a smartwatch to use as a sleep tracker.

It's also important to remember that you don't always need to buy a new smartwatch to gain additional functionality. Apple, Samsung and Google routinely release new features through software updates. We're expecting to hear more about what's next for the Apple Watch's WatchOS software and Google's Wear OS in the coming months at each company's respective developers conference. Google's I/O conference happens in May, while Apple's WWDC takes place in June. 

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Early smartwatches were clunky, expensive and limited in functionality, but there are plenty of worthwhile options on the market today. The best modern smartwatches expertly balance quality design and health and fitness tracking alongside smart features that take some of the burden off your phone. They typically cost anywhere between $200 and $1,000 depending on your needs, but prices will always vary depending on the brand. 

Do you have an iPhone or Android device?

Answering this question will dictate which choices are available. Brands like Fitbit, Garmin, and Withings make smartwatches that are compatible with both iPhones and Android phones. But some of our top picks are only compatible with one platform or the other.

The Apple Watch only works with the iPhone, while Samsung's Galaxy Watch 6 and Google's Pixel Watch 2 are only compatible with Android devices. If you're considering the Galaxy Watch 6, know that the ECG feature is only supported on Samsung's Galaxy devices, unless you side load Samsung's Health Monitor app onto a non-Galaxy phone. 

How much do you want to spend?

Smartwatches come in several different price brackets, and finding which one is right for you depends on your budget and what you want from a smartwatch.

General purpose smartwatches

Google's Pixel Watch.

James Martin/CNET

Most mainstream smartwatches fall around the $300 to $400 range, although you may pay a higher price for extras like LTE connectivity or a fancier finish. These watches provide health monitoring tools, fitness tracking and the ability to replicate some of your phone's functionality. These are the right choice if you want a well-rounded experience, especially when it comes to health and wellness. The Apple Watch Series 9, Fitbit Sense 2, Google Pixel Watch 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 fall into this category. 

Below are some examples of features you'll find on smartwatches in this price range.

Flagship smartwatch features

• Plenty of exercise mode options
• Sleep tracking (sleep duration, sleep stages, etc.)
• Integrated GPS for tracking outdoor runs
• The ability to view (and in many cases respond to) texts from your phone
• The ability to take phone calls from your wrist
• Optional LTE
• Voice assistants (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant) 
• Blood oxygen saturation monitoring (Note that Apple Watches sold by Apple in the US no longer have this feature)
• Heart rate monitoring
• ECG app
• Temperature readings
• Always-on display (keeps the screen on even when the watch is idle)
• Timers, alarms and reminders
• Notifications from apps on your phone
• Third-party apps
• Onboard storage for music
• Mobile payments

Features will vary depending on the model, but that's the general package you can expect from watches at that price. Some watches have their own specific extras, too. 

The $399 Apple Watch Series 9, for example, has car crash detection and an ultra wideband chip that should make it function better as an iPhone locator and a digital key for your car and home. Google's $350 Pixel Watch 2 and $300 Fitbit Sense 2 have sensors that can passively monitor for signs of stress, while Samsung's $270 Galaxy Watch 6 can measure body composition. Garmin's $349 Forerunner 255 has more of a fitness focus, with built-in programs for triathlon and duathlon training. Fitbit and Garmin's watches also typically excel in battery life over watches from Apple, Google and Samsung. The latter, however, offer a larger selection of third-party apps. 

Lower-priced smartwatches

The second-gen Apple Watch SE.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

You can also find smartwatches that cost around $250, give or take. These watches include many of the features mentioned above, but not all of them. If you mostly want to see notifications on your wrist, make mobile payments, track workouts and don't care much about deeper health insights, this type of watch is the right choice. Watches like the Apple Watch SE and Fitbit Versa 4 are examples of value-priced smartwatches.

While watches in this price range are usually the right choice for many people, it's important to remember what you're missing. The $249 second-gen Apple Watch SE, for example, lacks an always-on display, ECG, blood oxygen measurements and a temperature sensor. But it has the same software, high- and low-heart-rate notifications, car crash detection, fall detection and selection of exercise modes as the Series 9. 

The $230 Fitbit Versa 4 has many of Fitbit's most notable fitness features -- like active zone minutes, sleep tracking, built-in GPS and the daily readiness score (which requires a Premium subscription). You can also get phone notifications and access Amazon's Alexa on your wrist, and can access Google Maps and the Google Wallet. But you'll need the pricier $299 Fitbit Sense 2 to get Fitbit's more sophisticated health capabilities, like sensors that scan for potential signs of stress, ECG and a skin temperature sensor. 

Garmin's $250 Venu Sq 2 offers a long battery life (an estimated 11 days) and many health and fitness features for the price (GPS, blood oxygen measurements and sleep tracking). But it doesn't have a speaker or microphone for taking calls, onboard music storage (unless you buy the $299 Music Edition) or access to Google Play Store apps. 

It's hard to find new smartwatches that cost less than $200, although there are some options out there. If you want to pay less and don't necessarily care about using apps, you might want to consider a fitness tracker instead. (Fitbit also works with certain insurance companies to provide devices for members, so it's worth checking if your provider offers this benefit). 

Hybrid watches

The Withings ScanWatch Horizon

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

Hybrid smartwatches are a cross between a smartwatch and a regular wristwatch. These types of watches usually resemble classic analog watches, and therefore lack some smart features you may find on devices like the latest Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

For example, hybrid watches usually have standard, round analog watch faces with hands for the hour and minute rather than color touchscreens. Don't expect to get a full-screen view of your incoming alerts; that's what a regular smartwatch is for. Hybrid watches are designed to be more discrete, so they typically include a small screen located on the watch face for showing notifications and fitness stats. Hybrid watches also usually offer significantly longer battery like compared to standard smartwatches, which is one of their biggest benefits.

Examples of hybrid watches include the Withings ScanWatch and ScanWatch Horizon, Garmin Vivomove lineup and Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid. These watches typically cost around the same price as regular smartwatches, meaning you can expect to pay around $150 to $500 depending on the model. A hybrid watch is best for those who prefer the look of classic watches and prioritize having long battery life over smart features like color touchscreens and full app stores.

High-end fitness smartwatches

The Garmin Epix Gen 2.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

There's another major smartwatch category to consider: premium fitness-focused watches. These devices usually have everything you'd find in regular flagship smartwatches, but with more rugged designs and additional characteristics aimed at sports enthusiasts. If you're training for a marathon or work in remote environments that may require a more precise GPS signal, one of these watches may be for you.

You can expect to pay between $500 and $1,000 for these types of watches. Garmin's Epix Gen 2 and Fenix 7 Standard start at $800 and $650 respectively, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available for $799. 

You may wonder what makes these watches better for fitness buffs than their cheaper counterparts. While the specifics will vary, expensive fitness watches tend to have better durability, longer battery life, more accurate location positioning, customizable buttons and extra features that target specific sports, like running, scuba diving or golf. 

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, for example, has a 36-hour battery life compared to the Series 9's 18-hour battery life, water resistance of 100 meters compared to the Series 8's 50 meters, a depth gauge with a water temperature sensor, dual-frequency GPS, a titanium build, a larger screen and a programmable Action button. 

Compared to the Forerunner 255, Garmin's Fenix and Epix watches also have increased water durability (100 meters versus 50 meters), lengthier battery life, dual grid mode for showing location coordinates in different formats, customizable hotkeys and an array of golf-oriented features. (The Forerunner 255 still has plenty of running-focused tools, like a race predictor to help with marathon training, since it's largely aimed at runners.)

When is the best time to buy a smartwatch?

The Fitbit Sense 2.

Lisa Eadicicco/CNET

The best times to buy a smartwatch are generally around Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when the most discounts are available. For example, several Garmin devices and Fitbit wearables saw discounts last year. 

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If you're shopping at any other time during the year, the biggest factor you'll want to consider is when the new version of the smartwatch you're interested in might launch. Doing so ensures that you'll avoid paying a potentially high price for a device that may be outdated shortly. Plus, older models may go on sale once the new version launches. 

It's also a good idea to research what to expect from upcoming smartwatches before making a decision. The next Apple Watch, for example, is expected to be a significant overhaul that may include new health features, like the ability to detect high blood pressure and sleep apnea, according to Bloomberg. Google will also use generative AI to provide new insights based on your fitness data through its upcoming Fitbit Labs feature, which will presumably be available for Pixel Watches and Fitbit device owners who subscribe to Fitbit Premium. For more on what to expect from new smartwatches in 2024, check out this story.

Here's a look at when the major smartwatch makers tend to release new smartwatches based on previous launches. 

Estimated smartwatch release dates

Company Release timeframeApple September/OctoberSamsung July or AugustFitbit Early fallGoogle OctoberGarmin January, February, April, June, September

Should you buy a smartwatch or fitness tracker?

The Fitbit Charge 5

Lexy Savvides/CNET

If you want to spend less than $200 and don't care about features like LTE connectivity, virtual assistants or third-party apps, a fitness tracker could be the right choice. 

Fitness trackers typically provide health metrics like sleep and activity tracking, heart rate, multiple exercise modes and blood oxygen saturation in a smaller (and less expensive) package, but skimp on some smart features like those mentioned above. Since fitness trackers usually have smaller screens, you also won't be able to see as much information at a glance as you would on a smartwatch. 

But fitness bands do offer basic smartphone companion features, such as the ability to show call and text notifications and set timers and alarms. Another benefit is that you'll likely get longer battery life from a fitness band than a traditional smartwatch. Check out some of our favorite fitness trackers. 

If you want a simple and minimalist health tracker that skips the phone notifications entirely, consider a smart ring like those made by Oura and Movano. But keep in mind these devices can still be just as expensive as a smartwatch. Samsung is also launching its wellness-tracking Galaxy Ring later this year, so Android users interested in smart rings may want to wait.

Best smartwatches in 2024

Still not sure where to start when buying a smartwatch? Check out CNET's guide to the best smartwatches for our top picks, which range from below $300 all the way up to $1,000. Most tech and health companies release their new products later in the year, but our current list includes our favorite choices based on what's available today. That includes the Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 9, Google Pixel Watch 2, Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Garmin Epix 2 among others. 

We test smartwatches by tracking workouts with them, wearing them overnight while sleeping, testing how well they automatically detect exercises, relying on them for notifications when away from our phones and running the battery down to see how long they last. We also take readings from the various health sensors and ascertain what they add to the overall experience. Our goal when testing smartwatches is to assess their overall value by evaluating which features they offer, how well these watches execute those functions and how the whole package compares to the competition. 

More smartwatch advice

Smartwatches have played an important role in people’s lives in recent years, not only as fitness trackers or as complements to smartphones but as everyday life companions. For instance, the Apple Watch has transformed and enhanced the Apple ecosystem. There are, nonetheless, some doubts about if smartwatches are worth the money and a suitable replacement for traditional watches. Keep reading to learn more.

Are smartwatches useful?

The first smartwatches were much more limited, but they were still considered smart watches due to their fantastic array of functions and useful features. They served mainly as a phone companion and an excellent tool for monitoring physical activity, comfortably answering phone calls and important messages, and reading notifications—everything directly from your wrist.

Later on, wearable technology became increasingly popular among users who asked for added functionalities, integration with the latest smartphones, larger screen sizes, and an overall improvement in the most modern smartwatch versions.

There are also several studies about the healthcare applications of smartwatches and discussions about if these wearable devices can effectively diagnose a heart attack. The future of these gadgets is still promising and has a lot of undiscovered possibilities. The health implications alone can make these smartwatches worth it.

Do people buy smartwatches? Absolutely, and you can see them everywhere. Should you buy one? It depends on your particular use and preferences. In the following section, we have highlighted eight advantages and benefits of smartwatches to make a better-informed decision.

8 advantages of smartwatches

We believe there are more advantages than disadvantages when it comes to purchasing a smartwatch, and they are as follows:

1. Instant notifications and messages

Keeping track of notifications and messages has never been easier. You don’t need to take out your phone to see your social media notifications and messages anymore. The smartwatch will display them for you on its screen. This is a good thing if you are expecting to receive something important or if you don’t want to get disturbed by any notification sound or vibration at work or any other place where you need to be quiet.

2. Managing phone calls effortlessly

A smartwatch can help you manage your phone calls easily. Moreover, you can complement it with a Bluetooth headset or hands-free headsets to form a complete ecosystem. Remember that accepting or declining calls with the watch usually requires your handset to be nearby. However, some smartwatches allow you to use them independently.

3. It’s fashionable

Let’s be honest. An Apple Watch series, Samsung Galaxy Watch, or any other wearable of the big brands looks good and feels good. If you have an Apple Watch, you can customize it with a wide selection of Apple Watch faces looking even better.

4. Battery saving

Smartwatches are worth it if you want to save your phone’s battery. It’s a fact that your smartphone can consume a lot of battery life throughout the day using a wide range of apps, listening to music, answering text messages, getting directions, or any other. The smartwatch combines all the functions of your smartphone without having to use it directly. Indeed, your phone will still use a significant part of the battery, but the smartwatch technology will help you reduce your stress levels if you can’t charge it at that time.

5. Health and fitness tracker

One of the main reasons to get a smartwatch is health awareness. They function as good health and wellness trackers. Step counting is one of the features, but they can also keep track of your blood pressure and heart rate using an ECG (electrocardiogram heart monitor). While newer smartwatches need to be charged more often than other sophisticated fitness trackers, they provide a good amount of data.

The benefits of a smartwatch in terms of controlling your diet and stress levels are also evident. It can boost your motivation to engage in workouts and sports activities to have an active lifestyle. As a result, it can even help fight chronic diseases and insomnia symptoms, also improving mental health in consequence. Smartwatches are definitely worth it in this case.

6. It’s a travel buddy

A smartwatch is an excellent example of a travel buddy (apart from your friends and family, of course). There is no shortage of happy owners who use this device to travel instead of constantly looking at their phone screens. For instance, the Apple Watch, one of the most popular smartwatches, delivers vibrations to your wrist to tell you whether you should turn left or right when following directions.

The GPS of these portable devices is an excellent alternative to travel by looking at your smartphone and offers similar features. For example, an Apple Watch will give you Siri’s search directions, like an iPhone. Android and Galaxy smartwatches will use Google Maps and Android’s system, including Android Wear.

7. Safety

Since smartwatches are generally equipped with a GPS, tracking your sports activities or movements also means that they can help keep you safe by tracking your location. If you are in an unfamiliar environment, you want to give your relatives peace of mind. For example, many smartwatches have a fall detection feature and can make an emergency call if no movement is detected. Others have SOS/panic buttons to contact specific individuals through a message or call.

In addition to personal safety, a smartwatch can also help you find your phone with the “Find phone” feature. No more making a call from another phone to find your own! Lastly, the Apple Watch feature can bring family safety to the next level with the Family Set Up feature, allowing parents to stay connected with their children.

8. Entertainment and music directly on your wrist

The high-resolution display of today’s new devices and the quality of the latest apps for smartwatches make them perfect for entertainment. You can watch videos on YouTube, listen to your favorite podcasts on the go, and even store music on the device. What about video games? The same applies here, and there are even what they call gaming smartwatches already.

Final thoughts

The best smartwatches resemble tiny and powerful computers. They are the perfect devices for those who are always on the move, want to keep an active and healthy lifestyle, and want a comfortable tool to call, manage notifications, and schedule their everyday tasks quickly without grabbing their smartphones. However, the price of some of these watches can be pretty high. That’s why we want to offer you an alternative.

You could think about getting a refurbished smartwatch. They are previously owned devices that have been restored professionally and thoroughly cleaned to work like new ones. Their functionality is the same, they include a warranty, and you can save a good amount of money purchasing one.

On RefurbMe, we specialize in comparing the best refurbished Apple devices, including, of course, the Apple Watch. Take a look at all our refurbished models available on the site in real time:

Apple Watch Regular Series 3

Cellular • 2017 release
42mm Silver Aluminum
Soft White Sport Loop (Regular size)

Fair condition,

by Back Market

$84

View deal

Apple Watch Regular Series 3

2018 release
42mm Space Grey Aluminum
Black Sport Band (Regular size)

Good condition,

by Back Market

$85

new

$359

-76%

View deal

Apple Watch Regular Series 4

Cellular • 2018 release
44mm Gold Stainless steel
Gold Milanese Loop (Regular size)

Fair condition,

by Back Market

$92

new

$849

-89%

View deals

Compare all Refurbished Apple Watch

Also, don’t forget to check out our Apple Watch stats page if you want to know more about all releases, refurbished dates, and historical prices, and read our article about the best Apple Watch accessories you can get to enhance your experience further.

Want more information on best smart watch with blood pressure and oxygen? Feel free to contact us.