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I've tested the best smartwatches for Android and iPhone and these are the ones I'd buy in 2026
13 hours ago
Smartwatches are no longer a novelty. I see more wrists strapped into wearables than analog timepieces on a daily basis. Yet, a growing market only means more room for competition and a more confusing shopping experience. After testing countless smartwatches over the years, I’ve honed in on what makes a device the most valuable, including user experience, feature set, fitness tracking tools, and sensor package, without forgetting about comfort and looks. Depending on what ecosystem you belong to, the watches below represent the top smartwatches I recommend in 2026 so far.
Google Pixel Watch 4: The best smartwatch for Android users
- Beautiful, refined design with Actua 360 display and thinner bezels
- Finally repairable with replaceable parts
- Battery life and charging improvements
- Refined Gemini integration
- Top-tier heart-rate accuracy
- Satellite SOS brings added safety
- Not sapphire crystal display glass
- GPS accuracy could be improved
- Fitbit Premium paywalls limit full feature access
- Charger not backwards compatible
When Google first entered the smartwatch space, the Pixel Watch line took a few generations to find its footing. The Pixel Watch 4 absolutely delivers. To start, the newest model offers the most complete Wear OS experience yet, pairing Google’s Tensor G4 chipset with the powerful Wear OS platform for faster performance, smoother navigation, and stronger integration across the Pixel ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Fitbit’s latest algorithms deliver some of the most accurate heart rate tracking I have ever seen on a wearable, consistently matching dedicated heart rate straps throughout my workouts. Likewise, dual-band GPS offers reliable outdoor workout tracking, making the device a well-rounded smartwatch as well as a premium workout companion.
As for design, Google continues offering two case sizes, both with slimmer bezels this generation and a brighter 2,000-nit OLED display for better outdoor visibility. The aluminum chassis is lighter, and updated bands make the system more comfortable overall. For the Pixel Watch 4, Google finally added repairability, which makes the hardware more sustainable than past generations. The watch also ships with a better charging setup for faster charging and a more user-friendly dock.
The most refined generation yet, the Pixel Watch 4 is Google's best wearable and the best pick for Android users.
New watch faces and personalization, on-device summaries, and expanded safety features round out the Pixel Watch 4. At its heart is the best of Google’s toolkit, including Gemini-powered features, alongside improved performance, better health tracking, and stronger battery life In other words, the Pixel Watch 4 is the most complete version of Google’s wearable vision so far.
Apple Watch Series 11: The best smartwatch for iPhone users
- Increased display size
- Thinner, sleeker build
- FDA-approved sleep apnea detection
- Useful watchOS 11 updates and additions
- Faster charging
- Same 18-24 hour battery life
- No SpO2 measurements disabled in US
- Vitals app somewhat simplified
It’s genuinely hard to beat an Apple Watch if you’re a shopper within Apple’s ecosystem. The lineup features unmatched third-party app support and seamless integration with iPhones. Though somewhat stagnant, the company’s well-known aesthetic is also clean and elegant, especially if you prefer a square display. Meanwhile, watchOS improves year after year, delivering a more powerful experience to users’ wrists.
Like its predecessors, the newest Apple Watch Series 11 offers a dynamic, feature-packed smartwatch experience with a set of meaningful refinements, including an expanded health platform with hypertension notifications and sleep scores. The Series 11 didn’t see a dramatic redesign, but a combination of smoother performance, tougher materials, and (finally) longer battery life makes the new generation a polished and practical update, especially for users coming from much older models.
In my testing, heart-rate performance proved accurate during mixed workouts, and the updated Workout app made on-the-fly data and content streaming easier to access. GPS accuracy on the Series 11 also remains a major selling point as the line proves a very solid pick for athletes of all training levels.
For iPhone users, the Apple Watch Series 11 offers unmatched app support and smartphone integration, plus highly reliable tracking.
In addition to the device’s robust health and fitness tracking suite, watchOS 26 adds a few quality-of-life improvements, including refined watch faces, updated UI elements, and gesture additions like Wrist Flick for dismissing alerts. Again, this is one of the most comprehensive smartphone companions you can find. My device is loaded with everything from Spotify to Audible, and it’s where I field 90% of my notifications and review 100% of my wellness stats most days.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: The best smartwatch for Samsung phone users
- Exceptional comfort
- Gorgeous AMOLED display
- Improved strap system
- Advanced health and sleep tracking
- Old bands won't work
- Battery life isn't as promised
- Slow charging
- No rotating bezel or crown
Samsung’s stable remains the best place to shop if you’re already invested in the Galaxy ecosystem, and the Galaxy Watch 8 delivers a refinement-focused update. This generation, the line moves to a slimmer cushion-style design and a new Dynamic Lug system for a better fit and easier band swaps. It’s a unique style choice that won’t be for everyone, but beneath the glass is a powerful option for Samsung phone users.
The Galaxy Watch 8 runs the latest Wear OS 6 with Samsung’s One UI 8 Watch overlay for smooth animations, cleaner tiles, and quicker tools like the Now Bar. It packs in unique integration with Galaxy phones, plus a robust health and fitness suite for around the clock tracking. It also offers true multiday battery life.
In the newest generation, Samsung’s health suite adds improved sleep tracking and more detailed coaching metrics. In my testing, the lighter build and low profile made it especially comfortable for workouts as well as for all-day and overnight wear. It’s a modest update overall, but the improved performance, brighter display, and strong comfort make the Galaxy Watch 8 a reliable everyday option.
Improved performance, a brighter display, and strong comfort make the Galaxy Watch 8 a solid everyday option for Samsung phone users.
If you prefer a less sporty look, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic ($499.99 at Samsung) brings back the brand’s popular rotating bezel with a stainless steel build and added durability. For users who want maximum battery life and rugged features, the Galaxy Watch Ultra ($649.99 at Amazon) offers a larger case, tougher materials, and Samsung’s best battery endurance.
Garmin Venu 4: The best smartwatch for detailed fitness tracking
- Refined design with brighter display
- Improved OS is cleaner, faster, and adds accessibility upgrades
- Advanced fitness and training tools
- Excellent health tracking suite
- Reliable heart rate and GPS accuracy
- Solid battery life
- Still lacks onboard maps and LTE option
- Smartwatch experience trails Wear OS, watchOS
- Pricy if you don't need serious fitness and health tracking
The Garmin Venu 4 elevates its look with a more refined, modern design while still doubling down on health and fitness performance. It pairs a bright AMOLED display with updated UI previously reserved for the brand’s much pricier devices. It also now boasts a lightweight, full-metal chassis for a more polished impression on a build that’s comfortable for 24/7 wear.
Garmin is widely considered the best option for dedicated athletes, as the brand offers an incredibly dense fitness tracking experience. On the Venu 4, new tools like Health Status and Lifestyle Logging help track long-term wellness trends, while Garmin Fitness Coach adds structured workouts for strength, running, and general training. In my testing, GPS accuracy and heart-rate performance were consistently reliable. Battery life also lasted well over a week, making the device a convenient training partner.
If fitness tracking data comes first, the Garmin Venu 4 is one of the strongest options you can buy.
As far as smartwatch features, the Venu 4 doesn’t offer quite the same experience as some of the other watches on this list. Garmin lacks a rich app ecosystem and can’t compete with the variety found in the Play Store or App Store. The device also doesn’t come in an LTE model. However, for users who prioritize actionable fitness data over smartwatch extras, the Venu 4 is a standout option.
OnePlus Watch 3: The best smartwatch for battery life
- Fantastic battery life
- Powerful Wear OS 5 platform
- Functional rotating crown
- Spacious, colorful display
- Bulky single case size
- Some features unavailable at launch
- Imperfect heart rate and GPS data
- No LTE model (yet)
Another solid Wear OS option worth considering, the OnePlus Watch 3 features dual-chip architecture, housing the Snapdragon W5 running Wear OS 5, plus a second “efficiency chipset” for running RTOS. This creates a dynamic user experience with distinctive use modes for extreme battery savings. In the real world, that makes the device the best option for Android users who want a flexible charging schedule and more time on wrist.
In smartwatch mode, the watch lasts up to 5 days between charges. In Power Saver mode, Wear OS disappears from the user experience, stretching battery life for several days more while still offering basic smart features and wellness tracking functions. The experience is truly luxurious for anyone who loathes being tied to a charging cable.
For longevity between charges, the OnePlus Watch 3 offers some of the best battery life specs of any Wear OS smartwatch.
During my review, I found the software interface smooth and the device responsive in both modes. Wear OS offers a robust smartwatch experience that includes all the basic tools you expect on a wearable at this price point. With that said, it is worth noting that it hasn’t yet been updated to the latest Wear OS. The watch is also only available in one 47mm case size, which may be too large for some wrists.
Withings ScanWatch 2: The best hybrid smartwatch
- Premium, classy design
- Up to 30-day battery life
- Broad health tracking tools
- Useful fitness tracking
- Available in two sizes
- Limited display space
- High price point
- No built-in GPS
- Few smart features
The Withings ScanWatch 2 is my specialty pick, with a classy, analog form factor and undercover smarts. What really sets the device apart is Withings’ advanced health tracking.The ScanWatch 2 offers a medical-grade ECG monitor, pulse oximeter, and 24/7 heart rate monitoring, all with subtlety and, more importantly, accuracy.
In addition to tracking basic activity and health metrics, the ScanWatch 2 will notify you of warning signs of bradycardia and tachycardia, as well as provide ECG readings on demand. It also boasts sensors for measuring skin and ambient temperatures and overnight blood oxygen monitoring. It even performs respiratory scans for detecting warning signs of sleep apnea.
The ScanWatch 2 delivers serious health tracking without looking or feeling like a smartwatch.
Throughout my review, the watch proved a highly reliable sleep tracker and a comfortable bedmate. It also offers the longest-lasting battery life of any device in this list. In this latest generation, I especially love the addition of detailed female health tracking on-device, so you no longer have to visit the app to log data. The ScanWatch 2 also adds automatic workout detection for more than 40 activities.
Garmin Fenix 8: Best ultra-premium
- Bright built-in flashlight
- Excellent battery life
- Accurate activity tracking
- Three case sizes
- Punchy speaker
- Sharp AMOLED face
- Proprietary charging cable
- Titanium costs extra
- Bulky on smaller wrists
- Very expensive
The Venu 4, above, is great, but the Fenix 8 AMOLED is the absolute best Garmin watch and the best ultra-premium smartwatch that money can buy. Although the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED might be a bit too rugged for some casual wearers (and costs a bit more than most will want to pay), you’ll be hard-pressed to find a watch that offers more for athletes behind a crisp, vibrant display.
In addition to packing in the absolute best of Garmin’s ecosystem, the line’s three case sizes (41mm, 47mm, and 51mm) make it so there’s a Fenix for almost every wrist. The new microphone and speaker, and voice assistant support, also mean you don’t need another smartwatch for your everyday life. The Fenix 8 AMOLED is finally able to compete with Ultra-branded wearables from Apple and Samsung, yet offers significantly better battery life than either one.
For training depth, durability, and endurance, the Fenix 8 AMOLED is the top tier.
In true Garmin fashion, the watch also provides fantastic GPS tracking paired with the brand’s reliable Elevate V5 heart rate sensor, which also proved highly accurate during my review. For training, athletes can tap into everything from Training Readiness and Body Battery to more activity types than you’ll likely ever need.
HUAWEI Watch Ultimate 2: The best luxury smartwatch
- Attractive, premium build with bright 1.5-inch display
- Unique X-Tap sensor for accessing health metrics
- Reliable dual-band GPS plus offline maps
- Advanced diving tools rated to 150m
- Solid battery life
- Independent eSIM calling
- May be too big for some
- NFC payments and other smart features vary by region
- Limited app support and ecosystem integration
The HUAWEI Watch Ultimate 2 is a luxury-first adventure watch that pairs premium materials with serious outdoor and dive-ready capabilities. Built with zirconium-based liquid metal, sapphire glass, and a ceramic bezel, it looks every bit like a high-end dive watch while delivering reliable GPS, robust health tracking, and advanced wellness metrics. It’s undeniably large, but for users who want a statement piece, the Watch Ultimate 2 stands apart from typical smartwatches.
A closer look reveals just how much hardware ambition Huawei packed into the device. The 1.5-inch AMOLED display reaches up to 3,500 nits, making it easy to read even in direct sunlight, while the watch’s 20ATM rating and full dive support firmly place it in adventure territory. The overall build quality feels purpose-driven rather than flashy, reinforcing its positioning as more than a basic accessory.
The Watch Ultimate 2 blends high-end design with true adventure-watch capability.
In my testing, GPS performance and health tracking proved consistently reliable, and Huawei’s advanced TruSense system delivered detailed metrics like ECG, HRV, and arterial stiffness on demand. While the size won’t be for everyone, the combination of luxury materials, rugged durability, and deep tracking features makes the Watch Ultimate 2 an excellent fit for users who want premium design plus advanced outdoor and dive functionality.
Honorable mentions
The HUAWEI Watch GT 6 Pro may be the best-looking smartwatch I’ve worn. Its octagonal, angular titanium case, sapphire glass, and elegant fluoroelastomer strap give it a distinctive, dress-watch vibe that still works at the gym but shines beyond it. It packs a bright 1.47-inch AMOLED display, accurate GPS, and a full slate of fitness tools, plus 21-day battery life.
By and large, the Apple Watch line offers the most reliable smartwatch experience available to iPhone users. If you are after a more rugged build, better battery life, and a few added safety features, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 packs in extra features for adventuring, but it will cost you for the pleasure.
Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is one of my favorite devices for a truly unique dual-display that facilitates excellent battery life. The watch is also durably built with Sapphire glass and a functional rotating crown for smooth navigation. Its GPS performed well during my review period, and I am a big fan of the color-coded heart rate zones for fine-tuned training.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is the brand’s most rugged smartwatch yet, pairing a bold, outdoorsy design with deep Galaxy ecosystem integration. The premium device delivers reliable GPS tracking, advanced health and fitness tools, and improved battery life compared to Samsung’s standard models, all in a durable case meant to handle tough conditions.
What to look for in a good smartwatch
Knowing where to start is not easy if you’re shopping for your first smartwatch. Software experience and compatibility are crucial, but don’t always narrow the field enough. You’ll also want to determine what your priorities are in terms of features and specs.
The key to finding the right smartwatch is determing your priorities.
Do you want an extension of your phone, or are you interested in tracking intense workouts or advanced health stats? Does daily charging sound cumbersome? The topics below are all points I think are worth considering before you commit to any of the smartwatches I’ve recommended in this guide, or generally on the wider market.
- Is it compatible with your phone (Android or iOS)?
- Does it run the latest software version?
- Is the brand renowned for good update consistency?
- What is your budget?
- Does the smartwatch have first- and third-party app support?
- How good is the battery life?
- Does it cater to your fitness tracking needs?
- Does it have onboard or connected GPS (preferably the former)?
- How accurate is the heart rate tracking?
- Does it have SpO2 monitoring?
- Does it have accurate sleep tracking?
- Can it take on-wrist phone calls?
- Is there a voice assistant for hands-free use?
- How does it handle notifications?
- Does it have digital payment support?
- How useful is the companion app (and does it have one at all)?
- Is the fit comfortable?
- Does the look match your aesthetic?
Why you should trust me
I’ve been professionally testing and reviewing wearables for years, dating back to before Samsung teamed up with Google for the Wear OS we now know and love, and long before Apple launched its first-generation, massive Ultra. I’ve reviewed dozens of smartwatches, fitness trackers, dedicated heart rate monitors, smart rings, sleep trackers, exercise equipment, and health and fitness apps and platforms. In other words, I’ve sweated my way through a ton of products to learn what makes them valuable and what features matter most.
I've been professionally testing and reviewing wearables for more than five years.
At the start of every review, my focus is twofold: user experience and value. First, I approach each product as a typical user, noting everything from comfort and design to performance and features. I fire off texts, download apps, and tap into everything from timers to gesture controls. To dig even deeper, I bring expertise and comparable metrics to the conversation, using tools like heart rate monitors, pedometers, pulse oximeters, and trusted sleep trackers and GPS devices. I create varied workout plans to test fitness tracking accuracy and closely monitor my stress and sleep to review recovery metrics.
Above all, I wear the device consistently to garner a thorough understanding of what it offers and what it’s like to own. I also simultaneously use competitors’ products to compare differences and collect comparative data.
What is your favorite smartwatch brand right now
When all that is done, I sit down with the wearable and all the details I’ve collected to evaluate its value. This means establishing its place in the larger market and determining whether its price is fair for what it offers. If a product boasts a large feature set but doesn’t deliver accuracy, it may not be worth its price. Conversely, if a wearable successfully executes more tools than competitors of equal price, I rate it higher.
Typically, my review period lasts at least a week, giving me time to explore the product fully. For some launches, this process can extend to weeks or months. I also revisit the devices I test regularly to check in on software updates and feature drops and to make sure my original findings stand the test of time.
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