8 Best Smartwatches (2022): Apple Watch, Wear OS 3, Hybrid Watches
These WIRED-tested wearables reduce your reliance on a phone while keeping you connected….
The number of smartwatches on the market is staggering. We’ve tested models from Tag Heuer, Citizen, Montblanc, Diesel, and many other fashion brands, but most of them are simply too expensive for what you get. Here are a few other options we like.
Skagen Falster Gen 6 for $229: Barring looks, this Wear OS smartwatch is akin to Fossil’s Gen 6 smartwatch (which I didn’t like as much). It runs the same Snapdragon Wear 4100+ processor, and Fossil has rolled out the update to Wear OS 3 (though some functions are not supported at launch, like Google Fit and Google Assistant). Performance is smooth, there’s heart rate and sleep tracking, plus SpO2 measurements. All of the results matched my Apple Watch Series 7, though the Skagen usually took longer to get me those numbers. It only lasts about a day with sleep tracking, but it recharges fairly quickly.
Mobvoi TicWatch E3 for $200: The E3 has the same speedy processor as the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra above, and it will supposedly get the upgrade to Wear OS 3. It’s not as long-lasting, usually requiring a recharge in the morning after tracking sleep (with the always-on display turned off), and the 44-mm case size is still rather large. Its fitness-tracking results were similar to other watches I tested alongside it, like the Galaxy Watch4. My gripe is with the build quality: It’s plasticky, feels cheap, and isn’t very pretty to look at.
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS for $300: Mobvoi will soon be releasing a successor to the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 smartwatch processors. We recommend waiting, but this model is still fine to buy if you find it on sale for $200 or less. It’s responsive and can track health metrics like SpO2, step count, 24/7 heart-rate monitoring, and sleep. It’s a bulky watch at 47 mm, so it’s not for all wrists. What makes it special is the dual-layer screen. Tap it and you’ll be treated to a wonderful AMOLED, but when the screen goes into standby mode, it’ll switch to a monochrome LCD panel that merely sips battery juice. That makes this one of the few full-featured smartwatches that can comfortably last two full days on a charge.
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