The best Samsung smartwatches you can buy (September 2021)

Smartwatches have seen a leap in popularity in recent years as more firms join the wearables race. While Apple, Garmin, and Fitbit arguably lead the fitness tracking field, players like Samsung focus on broad smartwatch features. Whether you’re in the market for a basic activity tracker, a steady-budget smartwatch, or a range-topping Apple Watch rival, Samsung probably has a device for you. Here’s a look at the best Samsung smartwatches you can buy right now.

See also: The best smartwatches you can buy

Buying the right Samsung smartwatch for your needs

Samsung smartwatches cover all corners of the market, from style to practicality, fitness tracking, and smartwatch functionality. If you’re looking for something to use during your workouts regularly, choose a Samsung watch with a sportier design. Are you looking for something a little smaller? Samsung’s fitness tracker line likely has what you need. We’re singling out four devices in this list that offer users the best bang for their buck.

The best Samsung smartwatches

• The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is the best Samsung smartwatch you can buy. Now running Wear OS 3, it features a slew of new health and fitness tracking tech with a more intuitive UI.
• The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the best Tizen-based Samsung smartwatch. It’s a stylish smartwatch and also packs a healthy dose of fitness tracking features.
• The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is the best Samsung smartwatch for fitness. It does an excellent job of balancing the smartwatch and fitness tracking aspects of wearables.
• The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is the best cheap Samsung smartwatch. It lacks a few of the Active 2’s features, but buyers benefit from a lower overall price.
• The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is the best Samsung fitness tracker. This entry-level tracker doesn’t resemble any of its peers, but it’s a great start for those entering the wearable market.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: The best Samsung smartwatch

Samsung’s new smartwatch duo brings sweeping changes across the board. The Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic make a case for being the new best Wear OS smartwatches, too, running One UI Watch atop Google’s new OS.

The wearables feature refreshed designs with a new strap mounting system, sizes ranging from 1.19-inches to 1.36-inches, and bright AMOLED screens. The Galaxy Watch 4 also includes several new fitness features, including body composition monitoring and much-improved heart rate monitoring smarts. Samsung’s returning older kit to the new watches, like the ECG and SpO2 sensors. Several other features are also limited to Samsung smartphone users.

While Wear OS 3 does add some polish to the experience, we’ve yet to see just how Samsung and Google will handle updates. The Galaxy Watch 4 also falls well short in crucial areas, namely GPS accuracy, battery life for the smaller models, and charging speed.

Still, with a starting price of $249, the Galaxy Watch 4 will be tough to ignore for Samsung smartwatch fans.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: The best Tizen Samsung smartwatch

If you aim to purchase the top-end Samsung smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 should be your target. It’s the most expensive Samsung smartwatch and packs a laundry list of features.

The physical rotating dial makes its return in a slim, streamlined body that’s also lighter than the Galaxy Watch it replaces. Decent battery life for a smartwatch is also met with excellent software baked into Tizen OS. If you’re serious about your health, an ECG also makes an appearance.

The range-topper isn’t without its flaws, though. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 isn’t built with sensor accuracy in mind. If fitness tracking is a key feature for you, your money is best spent elsewhere. You won’t find the abundance of apps on Tizen as you would on Wear OS, either.

In terms of all-around functionality, though, it’s hard to fault the Galaxy Watch 3 for being a solid all-rounder and the best Apple Watch alternative.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2: The best Samsung smartwatch for fitness

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is arguably the most attractive Samsung smartwatch. Unlike the Galaxy Watch 3, it sports a slimmer touch-sensitive bezel with a slightly curved glass face and a host of strap options.

It packs LTE support, too, making it a perfect option for streaming music sans a phone while at the gym or during runs. Available in 44mm and 40mm sizes, the Watch Active 2 is also more suitable for those with smaller wrists. Even in its largest size, it weighs just 30 grams. This also makes it the best Samsung smartwatch for fitness and sleep tracking. While it happily wears these badges, it doesn’t mean it’s an excellent fitness watch.

Key health and activity tracking metrics, like heart rate monitoring, can be unreliable. The blood pressure monitor is a definite low point. Again, if fitness tracking is a key buying point for you, it’s arguably best to go for something else. Still, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 remains a viable choice for those who want a Samsung smartwatch but don’t need the Galaxy Watch 3.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active: The best cheap Samsung smartwatch

The original Galaxy Watch Active deserves a shout as Samsung’s cheapest smartwatch option. It drops the touch-sensitive bezel found on the Active 2, but this isn’t a huge miss. The AMOLED display is crisp, while a 230mAh battery can be charged with any Qi wireless charger adding to the Watch Active’s usability.

These features are balanced by a fair list of faults, though. Like the Watch Active 2 and Watch 3, the Watch Active’s fitness tracking isn’t as reliable as we’d like. It’s also slow to charge, which means it’ll spend less time on your wrist.

Nevertheless, if you want a Samsung wearable purely for its smartwatch capabilities, the Watch Active is your cheapest option.

Check out our full review to learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active.

Samsung Galaxy Fit 2: The best Samsung fitness tracker

The Galaxy Fit 2 is a solid, affordable fitness tracker. It switches out the Galaxy Fit’s physical button for a larger touchscreen — a good move in our books. This makes glossing through menus and peeking indicators much easier.

It also covers all the fitness tracking basics, from stress and sleep monitoring to heart rate tracking. The latter is on-demand, though, not continuous. The Galaxy Fit 2 also lacks the style of its more traditional smartwatch siblings, but this isn’t really a deal-breaker considering its price point.

While we wouldn’t recommend using it to train for marathons, it’s a solid starter wearable and an affordable gateway into the Samsung smartwatch ecosystem.

Read our full list of the best fitness trackers to learn more.

Looking for even more recommendations? Be sure to check out even more coverage below:

• The best Garmin watches — Fenix, Venu, and more
• The best Fitbit trackers and smartwatches you can buy
• The best Wear OS watches available — Mobvoi, Suunto, and more
• The best smartwatch deals we could find