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 $295: 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 while it currently operates Wear OS 2, it will get the update to Wear OS 3 this year. Performance is smooth—I can ask Google Assistant to turn off the lights in my apartment, swipe the keyboard to send responses back to friends, and easily change the color of the watch face to match my outfit. 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.
Fossil Hybrid HR Gen 6 for $229: This watch is functionally similar to the Skagen Hybrid HR Gen 6 above, but I just didn’t like wearing it as much. I tried the Stella model, which is a little too gaudy, but I chose it because the Machine model looked a bit much.
Mobvoi TicWatch E3 for $200: The E3 has the same speedy processor as the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra above, and it will 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. But 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. But what makes this watch 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.
