We all wanted our wrist watches to be cool enough to do more than display just time, and, thankfully we’re in the era where they do a lot more!
From running apps and monitoring your heart rate, to even allowing you to check your phone’s notifications, these wearables are pretty much where we dreamed them to be (except for the price!)
But anyway, smartwatch industry will continue to add new tech every year offering a wealth of useful features for an easier and cooler life.
…And, if you’re in the market to buy a smartwatch, here’s a nifty guide to help you pick from the best available today.
Best Smartwatches of 2020
2020 has been a load of dung from the start and everyone got a dose of something this year, but somehow the tech industry was still able to work on their latest tech and managed to release new things for their consumers.
If you’ve been hoping and looking to improve your wristwatch collection, take a look at the below smartwatches which are offering the best experiences.
Galaxy Watch 3
The Galaxy Watch 3 is the gadget that watches you. Using the leading tech in health, it helps you effortlessly manage your well being right from your wrist.
Available in 2 sizes; 45mm and 41mm, and four colours to choose from, Galaxy Watch 3 design is outlined with a unique rotating bezel. It comes with a bigger screen, a slimmer frame that’s ideal for your wrist, and a premium leather strap giving a natural look.
The Galaxy Watch 3 uses infrared rays to track your SpO2 levels which is the amount of oxygen in your blood. On top of this, the watch features a fall detection using an enhanced accelerometer capable of sending SOS to your emergency contacts when needed.
Learn more about your sleep patterns with the built-in sleep tracker. That’s right, the Galaxy Watch 3 records your REM cycles, deep sleep, and total sleep time to score your sleep and help you improve it. With a fitness tracker and a detailed data for running metrics, you can easily get in shape using one of the 120+ built-in workouts on the watch.
If you’re away from your phone when you get a text, you can easily read and reply on your watch. Better yet, you can answer phone calls straight from your wrist too. Bitmojis are available to add some personality to your conversations and jazz up the way you talk to your family and friends.
The Galaxy Watch 3 is compatible with a wide variety of smartphones, however, if you want to use the ECG and Blood pressure monitoring you need an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy and also live in either the United States or South Korea.
Yep, that’s one big downside!
The Apple Series 6
Apple Series 6 is the future of health on your wrist. Measure your oxygen saturation and blood flow with the new remarkable sensor and app in the Apple Watch Series 6.
Generate an ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram right on your wrist. It will keep track of your heartbeat for you and let you know if you have an irregular rhythm at any time of the day.
With the new sleep app, you can monitor your sleeping and get into a routine easier. And when it comes to staying fit, this watch can measure your exercise in water, at the gym, or on the road so you can get the data you need to improve.
If you forgot your credit card at home, that’s okay. Use the Apple Pay feature available on the watch to just tap your wrist to the machine and pay for your things at participating retailers.
You’ll find it hard to run out of space with 32 GB available on the Apple Series 6. And you can use that 32 GB of storage to download all your favorite apps on the Apple Watch App Store. Take all your favorite apps to your wrist such as Spotify, Twitter, iTranslate, and Shazam just to name a few.
With the new S6 chip, based on the iPhone 11’s A13 Bionic, the watch is optimised to run 20 percent faster while keeping the same 18-hour battery life of the Series 5 and can be fully charged in an hour and a half with the magnetic chargers.
The Always-On display is now 2.5 times brighter than the Series 5 and allows you to access the Notification Center and Control Center, tap on complications, and swipe to change faces when your wrist is down.
Answer calls and reply to texts right from your wrist. If you have one of the models with LTE functionality, you no longer need to have your phone nearby to access LTE. There is also an international emergency calls functionality to ensure you’re safe all around the world.
The Apple Series 6 comes in 44mm & 40mm sizes, which is larger than the series 3. Utilising second-generation speakers and mic, the sound you give and get from your watch has never been better. The watch also comes in space black, titanium, and new gold stainless steel, and silver aluminum.
Apple also has an SE version which reduces the cost but removes some features such as the electric heart tracker. For both versions of the Apple Series 6, you will need an iOS device to use it.
Fitbit Sense
The Fitbit Sense is an innovative health smartwatch, equipped with an ECG app, spO2, and stress management.
This smartwatch has it all and an added special feature that lets you know what the temperature of your skin is. Brilliant right?
Getting in shape and optimising your sleep with this watch that keeps going, has never been easier. Its battery will keep going for up to 6 days without needing to be charged, and even when it does run out of life, it will charge in no time with its fast charging feature.
With Fitbit Sense, you always know where you are with the built-in GPS. If your country and bank are compatible, leave your wallet at home and use Fitbit Pay straight from your wrist.
With the Fitbit Sense, you can call and text from the comfort of your wrist as well as listen to your favorite music, perfect for when you go for a jog without your phone.
Fitbit Sense is water resistant up to 50m!
Fossil Gen 5
A smartwatch with style. The Fossil Gen 5 gives you the tech that’s useful in real life.
You can use the Fossil Gen 5 on your runs to track your progress using the untethered GPS. You can track your heart rate with the embedded tracker and gain your heart points based on recommendations from the American Heart Association and World Health Organization.
Fossil Gen 5 has water-resistant design that will let you do everything you need to do without worrying about it getting wet, or breaking.
You can use a variety of different apps like Bring! Grocery Shopping List, Telegram, Strava, Spotify, Uber, and so much more from Google Play store with its 8GB storage.
You can read and reply to texts or call people from your wrist. And, even make purchases directly with Google Pay.
Fossil Gen 5 comes in one size: 22mm and 2 colors: stainless steel and silicone. You can use it with iOS and Android devices.
One of the key features of this wearable is its Multi-Day Modes. There three different modes to choose from on the watch and one customisable one. These modes allow you to turn on and off certain features to make the battery last longer. Depending on the mode your watch is in, the battery can last anywhere from a day to a week before needing a fresh charge.
New Moto 360
The New Moto 360 is crafted with premium materials that don’t only look good but function optimally as well.
Keep track of your heart rate with the 3ATM heart monitor feature and optimise your health at all times. With a battery that lasts two days and only takes an hour to charge, you can utilise the heart and sleep sensors to the max!
Moto 360 packs 1GB RAM and 8GB of internal memory, and you can make use of all the Google apps available on your smartwatch including Google Pay, WhatsApp, Messenger, Uber, Tinder, Shazaam, Spotify, and hundreds more.
The New Moto 360 connects to your iOS or Android smartphone device using Bluetooth 4.2. With the built-in GPS and fitness tracking software, you can track your fitness and get in shape in no time, and as an added bonus you can go for a swim without taking it off as the watch is water resistant.
The always-on display lets you see your screen without bringing your wrist up to your face, something which almost all smartwatches have now begun to offer.
Moto 360 has a sleek design and offers several band options in silicone, leather, and metal compatible bands to pick and choose from. With a myriad of colors and thousands of watch faces to go with each, you’re sure to find the right blend of styles.
TicWatch Pro 3
The TicWatch Pro 3 is lighter, stronger, and comfortable. With a stainless steel bezel and a 1.4-inch AMOLED screen, the smartwatch has as auto-adjustable brightness and a durable, anti-fingerprint glass cover.
This is the first wear OS by Google to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform embedding 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage to enable smoother performance and more precise interactions.
Innovative technology in the TicWatch Pro 3 ensures a longer battery life of up to 3 days in Smart Mode and up to 45 days in Enhanced Smart Mode so you won’t have to worry about charging it every day.
The advanced health and fitness monitoring have multiple sports modes, built-in GPS, a barometer, and 24-hour heart monitoring.
New functions added to the TicWatch Pro GPS include Sleep Tracking, Stress Monitoring, and Noise Detection to optimise your health at all times. And, the built-in speaker and microphone allow you to answer or make calls right from your watch.
The NFC payment on the TicWatch Pro 3 GPS supports Google Pay, phew!
You can pair TicWatch Pro 3 with iOS and Android smartphones using Mobovi app.
Timex Metropolitan R Smartwatch
Timex Metropolitan R is a very cool smartwatch and hence we couldn’t miss adding it to our list.
The wearable is water-resistant (up to 100ft) utilising 24/7 activity tracking for steps, distance, calories, and sleep. The heart rate monitors the beats with its on-wrist optical monitor with HR zone training, and onboard GPS!!
Timex Metropolitan R’s battery lasts up to 12 days on smart battery life, and we think that’s rad!
You can get notifications from SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, and email on the 1.2” high-resolution AMOLED touch display.
You can control your music, find your phone, and pick from over 20 watch faces available all on your Timex Metropolitan.
The timepiece also integrates with RunKeeper and Strava to keep track of your runs and fitness automatically.
The watch comes with a 20mm leather and silicone strap featuring Quick Release spring bars and the watch itself is encased in a 42mm aluminum alloy case with Gorilla Glass.
You can use the Timex Metropolitan R AMOLED Smartwatch with iOS 10 and higher, or Android 6.0 and higher as long as the Timex Smart app is installed on your phone.
Asus Zenwatch 3
The Asus Zenwatch 3 has a detail-focused design and is constructed using high-quality material that follows the tradition of fine watchmaking.
Fashioned from jewelry-grade 316L stainless steel, Zenwatch 3 looks incredible and feels great to wear. To complement the sleek look of the watch, the strap is made of genuine Italian leather and with the FaceDesigner app, you can customise the face of your watch with over 50 exclusive designs.
Equipped with the watch is a smart assistant that organises your important information, determines what you need and when, and shows it to you before your even ask. I mean how even?!
On the fitness side, use the ASUS ZenFit app to track a range of essential workout activities including walking, running, push-ups, and sit-ups. Its water-resistant design allows it to be submerged in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes so you can go through our day and not have to worry if it gets a little wet.
The battery lasts 25% longer than its predecessors and includes an Eco Mode that extends the life of the battery by 200%. With fast charging that allows you to charge it up to 60% in 15 minutes, you won’t have to be without your watch for very long throughout the day.
ASUS ZenWatch 3 was released in early 2020 so if its out of stock in your usual preferred store, check eBay!
We hope this list helps you make up your mind when you are out there looking at the best smartwatches available to make your wrist more stylish and high-tech.
We welcome your opinion in our comments so tell us what we missed and if you’re an owner of these fine smartwatches, what do you love/hate about them.