The best smartwatches
Start with the phone: an Apple Watch for an iPhone, a Pixel Watch for Android, and Garmin or Amazfit to charge once a week instead of every night.
A smartwatch is mostly an extension of the phone: messages, calls, music and maps on the wrist, with steps, sleep and workouts tracked in the background. So the first question is which phone it pairs with. Apple Watches only work with iPhones and Google’s Pixel Watch only with Android phones, while Garmin, Amazfit and the aeac work with either.
After that, it’s mostly a trade between screen and battery. Apple’s and Google’s watches run lots of apps on bright, always-on screens and want a charge every day or so; Garmin’s and Amazfit’s last one to two weeks by keeping things simpler. To pay with a tap of the wrist, check the contactless column: two of the five can’t.
What matters
- The phone it pairs with: Apple Watch needs an iPhone, Pixel Watch an Android phone.
- Battery: about a day for the app-rich watches, one to two weeks for the fitness-first ones.
- Built-in GPS, for runs, walks and rides without the phone.
- Contactless payments, to leave the wallet at home.
#1 of 5
Best for iPhone
Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm, Starlight Aluminium)
£219 RRP
Apple’s entry-level watch now has an always-on screen and a daily sleep score, and it covers what most iPhone owners want on the wrist: messages, calls, Apple Pay and workouts tracked with its own GPS.
What owners say: Owners find it well made, easy to set up and comfortable to wear, and like the nudges to get moving and how quickly it charges.
Heads up: It only pairs with an iPhone, and needs an iPhone 11 or later on iOS 27.
A closer look: A quick charge while getting ready in the morning covers most of the day: Apple says 15 minutes gives up to eight hours. The 40mm case suits slimmer wrists, and the 44mm leaves more room for reading messages. Fall detection can call for help after a hard fall, a reassuring extra for older wearers.
- Always-on Retina display
- Up to 18 hours’ battery (32 in Low Power Mode)
- Built-in GPS
- Apple Pay
- Water resistant to 50m
Best for: iPhone owners
- Works with
- iPhone only
- Battery
- Up to 18 hours
- Built-in GPS
- Yes
- Contactless payments
- Apple Pay
- Calls on the watch
- Yes
- Water resistance
- 50m (WR50)
#2 of 5
Best all-rounder
Garmin vívoactive 6 GPS Smartwatch (42mm, Lunar Gold with Bone Band)
£269.99 RRP
A week and a half between charges, built-in GPS, Garmin Pay and music storage, and it works just as well with an iPhone as with Android. Garmin was founded in 1989, and its name blends those of its founders, Gary Burrell and Min Kao.
What owners say: Owners call it a great all-rounder that’s simple to use, comfortable and good-looking, and like how rarely it needs charging.
A closer look: Everything it records, from sleep scores to Body Battery and workouts, builds up in the free Garmin Connect app, so it’s worth setting up on the first day. With the screen left always on, the battery falls to about five days. Calls and messages show on the wrist, but calls are answered on the phone.
- Up to 11 days’ battery
- Built-in GPS
- Garmin Pay
- Music storage
- 80+ sports apps
Best for: Fitness and long battery
- Works with
- iPhone and Android
- Battery
- Up to 11 days
- Built-in GPS
- Yes
- Contactless payments
- Garmin Pay
- Calls on the watch
- No
- Water resistance
- 50m (5 ATM)
#3 of 5
Best for Android
Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Black with Obsidian Band)
£369 RRP
Google’s own watch for Android phones: a round, bright screen with Google Wallet and Gemini on the wrist, and about 15 minutes on the charger takes it from flat to half full.
What owners say: Owners rate it highly all round, find it good for tracking workouts including swims, and say it works smoothly with Pixel phones.
Heads up: It needs an Android phone running Android 12 or newer, and won’t pair with an iPhone.
A closer look: The 41mm case suits most wrists; a 45mm version has a bigger screen and a longer battery. Plan on charging most days: a top-up during a shower or breakfast keeps it going through the night for sleep tracking.
- Up to 30 hours with the screen always on
- Google Wallet
- Dual-frequency GPS
- 5 ATM and IP68
- 50% charge in about 15 minutes
Best for: Android phone owners
- Works with
- Android only
- Battery
- Up to 30 hours
- Built-in GPS
- Yes
- Contactless payments
- Google Wallet
- Calls on the watch
- Yes
- Water resistance
- 50m (5 ATM), IP68
#4 of 5
Longest battery
Amazfit Bip 6 Smart Watch (46mm, Black)
£79.90 RRP
Up to two weeks between charges, a big 1.97-inch AMOLED screen, built-in GPS with free downloadable maps and calls on the wrist, and it pairs with iPhones and Android phones alike.
What owners say: Owners say it’s great value, with a battery that runs for days, accurate heart-rate readings and most of what a pricier smartwatch does.
A closer look: There’s no contactless payment, so the bank card stays in the pocket. Set-up happens in the free Zepp app, which can also send workouts on to Strava or Apple Health. Keep soap, sanitiser and lotion off it, as Amazfit warns they can irritate skin and weaken the water seal: rinse it in plain water instead.
- Up to 14 days’ battery
- 1.97-inch AMOLED screen
- Built-in GPS and free maps
- Bluetooth calls
- 5 ATM water resistance
Best for: Two weeks per charge
- Works with
- iPhone and Android
- Battery
- Up to 14 days
- Built-in GPS
- Yes
- Contactless payments
- No
- Calls on the watch
- Yes
- Water resistance
- 50m (5 ATM)
#5 of 5
Best budget
aeac AR-01 Smart Watch with Calls (1.32-inch AMOLED, Pink)
£50–£75 Price range
A small round AMOLED face that looks more like an ordinary watch than a gadget, with a speaker and mic for taking calls, up to a week between charges, and step, heart-rate and sleep tracking.
What owners say: Owners find it good quality for the money, easy to set up and comfortable, and say it pairs easily with iPhones.
A closer look: It borrows the phone’s GPS rather than having its own, so take the phone along to map a walk or run. Notifications, sleep history and step counts all live in the free VeryFit app, which is where the watch is set up.
- 1.32-inch round AMOLED screen
- Bluetooth calls
- Up to 7 days’ battery
- 100+ sports modes
- Works with iPhone and Android
Best for: Calls and steps for less
- Works with
- iPhone and Android
- Battery
- Up to 7 days
- Built-in GPS
- No
- Contactless payments
- No
- Calls on the watch
- Yes
- Water resistance
- 30m (3 ATM)
How they compare
| Feature | #1Apple Watch SE 3 | #2Garmin vívoactive 6 | #3Pixel Watch 5 | #4Amazfit Bip 6 | #5aeac AR-01 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for iPhone | Best all-rounder | Best for Android | Longest battery | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 9.2 | 8.9 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Price | £219 RRP | £269.99 RRP | £369 RRP | £79.90 RRP | £50–£75 Price range |
| Works with | iPhone only | iPhone and Android | Android only | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android |
| Battery | Up to 18 hours | Up to 11 days | Up to 30 hours | Up to 14 days | Up to 7 days |
| Built-in GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Contactless payments | Apple Pay | Garmin Pay | Google Wallet | No | No |
| Calls on the watch | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water resistance | 50m (WR50) | 50m (5 ATM) | 50m (5 ATM), IP68 | 50m (5 ATM) | 30m (3 ATM) |
| Best for | iPhone owners | Fitness and long battery | Android phone owners | Two weeks per charge | Calls and steps for less |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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