The best smartwatch 2024

The OnePlus Watch 2R has performed so well that it’s actually better than the flagship OnePlus Watch 2.

It might not have that same alluring look as the Watch 2 Nordic Blue edition, but the software and power inside it are the same and that gives you the same great all-round smartwatch with some good fitness features that I think make it the better option.

Other Wear OS smartwatches will offer you more in the way of health monitoring and cellular connectivity, which will be desirable to some, but those watches outside of the TicWatch Pro 5, can’t do what OnePlus manages to do for Wear OS and battery performance.

The look is nice enough, and it’s at a much nicer price than most other Wear OS options and crucially, is just as good a smartwatch that will have you thinking slightly less about charging it compared to more expensive Wear OS smartwatches.

It would just be nice if there was a smaller size.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 2R review

The Pixel Watch 3 watches are packed with features without being overwhelming.

They excel as a companion to a mobile phone, preferably a Pixel but any Android will do unlike Samsung’s custom features for Galaxy users who pick a Galaxy Watch.

The new larger model offers better visibility and battery life without compromising on comfort, and Fitbit integration is increasingly good for exercise. It’s hard to complain about anything other than the economics.

Samsung has created another broadly incremental upgrade for its latest mainline smartwatch, but while the outside is largely unchanged, there are a couple of notable internal improvements.

The provision of a new Exynos W1000 chip is good news, both for the ongoing performance of the watch and for battery life in the here and now. The ability to run consistently for a full day makes those enhanced sleep tracking functions more viable.

Talking of which, Samsung has fitted the Watch 7 out with more advanced sensors that provide even more accurate and in-depth health tracking. Throw in an some extremely competitive pricing and some snazzy new strap designs, and you have a compelling smartwatch package.

All of which makes it even more of a bummer that some of those health tracking features only work with Samsung phones. If it wasn’t for that, this might well have been the best smartwatch for most Android users, no questions asked. As it stands, it’s another strong contender.

The Apple Watch SE is now over a year old, but it’s still is the best Apple Watch for most people with an iPhone. A big part of that is the price – it’s relatively affordable, which isn’t something you can often say about Apple hardware products.

It has many of the features of the more expensive Apple Watch Series 8, including a premium chipset, solid battery life and car crash detection.

If you equally value smart features like third-party app integration, music storage, contactless payments, and full fitness tracking, the Apple Watch is still the best smartwatch if you have an iPhone. The SE does everything surprisingly well, considering it’s the cheapest one.

Samsung ditched the Classic version of its Galaxy Watch in 2022, but it’s returned in style for this series. While it doesn’t come cheap, this is the best Android smartwatch you can buy.

Its defining feature is a physical rotating bezel, the main difference compared to the regular Galaxy Watch 6. Not only does it make using the watch easier, it adds some useful protection to the screen.

That display is another highlight, whether you go for the 43mm (1.3in) or 47mm (1.5in) option. It’s a crisp OLED, combining vibrant colours with excellent detail.

As you might expect, health and fitness tracking is extensive, with support for over 100 workouts and detailed sleep analysis. Battery life is also good, but only if you keep the always-on display turned off.

You’ll also have to make do without the ECG, blood pressure monitoring and irregular heart notifications if you don’t have a Samsung phone. But overall, this is still a fantastic smartwatch.

The Watch Series 9 continues Apple’s recent tradition of iterative updates. It’s very similar to the Watch Series 8, so there’s no reason to upgrade if you own the 2022 model.

However, there’s no doubting the fact that this remains a very good smartwatch. The already excellent display is now even brighter, making for great outdoor visibility. Its always on display is great, too.

Alongside superb health and fitness tracking (including sleep) and an unrivalled selection of supported apps via watchOS, the Series 9 is one of the most complete smartwatches you can buy.

Battery life is decent, but this is still only worth considering if you own an iPhone. Like all Apple Watches, it’s simply not compatible with Android.

If running is your workout of choice, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best option available. The real reason to buy it over competitors is that OLED display, which looks great – even in bright sunlight.

Battery life is compromised slightly to include it, but you’ll still get up to 20 hours of constantly using the impressively accurate GPS. That’ll be plenty for even marathons, with extensive running data combining with genuinely useful coaching for a great user experience.

It also works well for cycling and swimming, making the 265 an excellent choice for triathlons. But various other activities are supported, and it’s lightweight design makes sleep tracking very comfortable.

Regular smartwatch features are more limited, though you can still get phone notifications (from iPhone or Android) and download songs for offline listening. But Garmin Pay is limited to only a few banks in the UK, and there’s no map app.

If you can live with those and the premium price, there’s no better watch out there for runners.

But if an OLED display, touchscreen and the training readiness feature aren’t important, go for the more affordable Forerunner 255S instead.

The Watch 2 Pro is the first premium Xiaomi smartwatch that we can recommend, and there’s one big reason for that: Wear OS. Switching to Google’s software allows for access to third-party apps via the Play Store, making it a much more powerful device.

And with Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor under the hood, performance is also very good. An attractive stainless steel bezel around the attractive 1.43-inch touchscreen gives the Watch 2 Pro a premium aesthetic, while a rotating physical crown makes navigation easy.

And with loads of health and fitness features (including sleep tracking), built-in GPS and the option for 4G, there’s a lot to like about the Watch 2 Pro.

Provided you can live with just one day of battery life, that is. The lack of automatic workout tracking, cluttered companion app and bulky design aren’t dealbreakers, but do you mind have to charge it every night? If not, the affordable price makes the Watch 2 Pro a real contender.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the ultimate smartwatch for the outdoors, even if there are very few upgrades compared to the 2022 original. If auto night mode and higher brightness aren’t important to you, it might be worth saving some money.

But there are plenty of reasons you might want to go for it over regular watches such as the Apple Watch Series 9. It’s significantly bigger and more expensive, but also adds extra layers of durability and better battery life.

It can still handle extreme environments, including very high and low temperatures and high altitudes, plus up to 100m underwater. There are also useful features such as dual-GPS and a physical action button that you’ll only find on the Apple Watch Ultra.

Elsewhere, everything you love about the regular Apple Watches are still here, including extensive fitness tracking and intuitive watchOS software. But it still only works with an iPhone, and you might be hoping for more in-depth data in some situations.

It’s a bit difficult to keep up with Xiaomi’s naming systems as the firm has also launched the Watch 2 recently. 

Regardless, the Watch S3 is a great alternative to both Apple Watch and rivals with Google’s Wear OS. It runs on Xiaomi’s own HyperOS and this is a key reason why the watch can last up to 15 days. 

Non-Google software can be something to avoid by HyperOS is smooth and feature-rich. It’s compatible with iPhone and Android but some features are reserved for the latter and contactless payment is limited to Mastercard at the time of writing. 

The design of the Watch S3 is also a key lure with its interchangeable bezels which you can swap over in seconds for different occasions. They also come with matching watch faces the S3 will suggest for a cohesive look. 

Xiaomi offers 5ATM (50m) waterproofing and runners will love the dual-band GPS for accurate tracking which is unusual at this price. Overall fitness tracking performance is better elsewhere though. 

And yes, the price you’re seeing here is correct, the S3 is very affordable making it a great choice for those on a budget.