Smartwatches are modern and smart devices, which allow you to have inside the watch advanced features similar to those of a smartphone. For example, it is possible to call, read emails, send messages and check social profiles, but also use fitness and health apps, such as pedometer and heart rate detector. Available for purchase on the official websites of manufacturers, such as Samsung, Apple and Huawei, or in the smartwatch section of Amazon, these devices represent the latest technological evolution of the sector.
Smartwatches: features and characteristics
Smartwatches are smart watches, true miniature computers, which in addition to showing the time provide many other features. They can be digital, with autonomous and advanced functionality, or hybrid, connectable only with certain devices of the same brand. They are characterized by an OLED or LCD display, depending on the model, the first able to ensure greater autonomy and a high resolution, the second instead less performing at the level of charge but brighter, especially outdoors in natural sunlight.
Some smartwatches also offer a touchscreen, to use the digital watch as if it were a miniature smartphone, while other devices involve the use of buttons, rotating bezels and buttons, a rudimentary system typical of the cheapest devices in the mid-range. Inside the smartwatches are sensors, which for example allow you to monitor your heart rate, count steps when running or walking, use GPS navigation or Bluetooth connection.
Advanced features, available only on the best smartwatches on the market, are compatibility with 4G Wi-Fi connection and NFC technology for mobile payments. Each device obviously has its own hardware components, on which the performance of the device depends, depending on the RAM, internal memory and processor installed inside. With most modern smartwatches you can use apps, to listen to music and read emails, send and receive messages and voice notes, or access social network profiles.
Also, again depending on the smartwatch model, you can see the address book, calendar, manage your agenda and appointments, control the weather through specific widgets, make and receive calls, store data and play videos. Finally, some advanced devices of the latest generation allow you to connect external devices via Bluetooth, including Apple AirPods earphones or synchronize the smartwatch with your smartphone and tablet.
Apple Watch: features, models and prices
Many consider the best smarwatch on the market the Apple Watch, the only official model made by the Cupertino company, fully compatible with the devices of the bitten apple iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Mac. The Apple smartwatch has now arrived at Series 4, the latest evolution of the hybrid wristwatch, available on the market with a purchase price starting from € 439, for the basic version, to get up to € 1,579 of the Apple Watch Series 4 Hermes, with handmade leather strap and stainless steel case.
It has a 1.78-inch Retina OLED display, with 448×368 pixel resolution and reinforced Ion-X glass. The case is made of aluminum, with an IP6x and IP68/67 water resistance certification, which guarantees up to 50 meters depth, with a weight of 30 grams and dimensions of 40 mm high by 34 mm wide. The App Watch Series 4 offers up to 18 hours of talk time, mounts a 64-bit dual core S4 processor, running watchOS 5 operating system, with 16GB of internal storage, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, Wi-Fi and GPS.
Among the features of this Apple smartwatch there are electrocardiogram on the wrist, notifications in case of too high or too low pulse, emergency calls in case it should take an illness, monitoring of parameters for sports training, as well as the ability to share the workout with friends, set goals to achieve and challenge each other remotely. In addition with Apple Watch Series 4 you can send and receive messages, stream music on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, make calls and use the Walkie-Talkie function.
The models of Apple smartwatch are really many, starting from the basic version from € 439, available in silver, gold, sidereal gray, with aluminum case and simple Sport strap or Loop, in white, black, sand pink and shell. Other models offer the stainless steel case with prices from €709, GPS + Cellular function with compatibility for 4G LTE and UMTS connections, costing at least €539, while others have the Nike Sport strap for better breathability, up to the luxury models Hermes.
Samsung smartwatch: models, features and prices
Among the best smartwatches on the market there is the Galaxy Watch Active from Samsung, a modern device with a refined and attractive design. It's slightly less heavy than the Apple Watch, weighing in at 25 grams and measuring 39.5 mm high and wide. The 1.10-inch Super AMOLED display has a resolution of 360×360 pixels, with capacitive multi-touch screen, accelerometer, barometer, light sensor and gyroscope, equipped with a 230 mAh battery that offers up to 45 hours of battery life in talk mode.
This Samsung smartwatch has a dual core processor with a clock speed of 1.15 GHz, with 0.75GB of RAM and 4GB of external memory, Tizen operating system, Bluetooth 4.2 compatibility, NFC technology and GPS geolocation. Among the features of the Galaxy Watch Active is the tracking of sports activities, thanks to the built-in motion sensor, heart rate detection with alarm setting to manage stress, pedometer, sensor that provides data on slopes, social networks and wireless charging system.
The apps to install are countless, such as Endomondo, Strava, MyFitnessPal, C25K, MapMyRun and Spotify. There are also several colors to choose from, opting for a model with a gray, black, green and pink case, to be paired with a gray, black, green, pink, yellow, white and orange strap. Galaxy Watch Active is sold with a price of € 249, otherwise you can buy the Samsung Gear S3 with a cost of about € 202, available in Classic and Frontier versions.
The technical characteristics are similar to those of the Galaxy Watch Active, however, the latter represents the top of the range of Samsung. Alternatively, you can opt for the Gear Sport, which costs almost 30e less than the Gear S3, a device designed specifically for fitness and workouts. Not to be underestimated also the smartwatch Samsung Galaxy Watch 46 mm, a model sold with a price of 329€, which features a larger 1.3-inch display, present both in the Bluetooth version and with 4G LTE connection.
Huawei smartwatch: models, features and prices
In recent years Huawei has established itself as one of the best technology companies, increasingly appreciated both for smartphones such as the Mate 20, as well as for tablets and Android smartwatches. One of the latest devices is the Watch 2, compatible with 4G LTE connections and available in a classic or sport version. It has a steel case and a 1.2-inch AMOLED display, with 390×390 pixel resolution and IP68 certification, which allows you to submerge it to a depth of one and a half meters and leave it in water for about 30 minutes without damaging it.
The Watch 2 from Huawei to an HR sensor for tracking heartbeats, GPS module and Bluetooth 4.1LE, with Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor and Wear OS 1.1 operating system, with 0.76GB of RAM and 4GB of internal memory. Another Huawei smartwatch model is the Watch GT, with case sizes of 46 or 42mm, a new high battery life, real-time heart monitoring, GPS, Glonass and Galileo satellite positioning, workout apps and multiple sports modes.
Alternatively, you can buy the Huawei Fit, a device made specifically for athletes, with a black and white display that reduces energy consumption, aluminum case, 1.04-inch screen with 208×208 pixel resolution, Always on feature to check the time without activating the smartwatch and HR sensor. Prices are around 149€ for the Huawei Fit, 199€ for the Watch GT and 244€ for the Watch 2. The latter is available in orange, black and dark gray, with 5 different straps from which to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Xiaomi Smartwatch: features, models and prices
The Xiaomi is a Chinese company increasingly in vogue, offering smartphones and smartwatches at very competitive prices, all in all of good quality with a modern and appreciable design. One of the devices on the market is the Amazfit Smartwatch 2, which features a 1.34-inch OLED display, with 320×300 pixel resolution, ceramic case and silicone strap, with three large buttons on the right to manage some features manually.
Technical specifications see a 1.2 GHz Ingenic M200S dual core processor, with 0.512GB of RAM and 4Gb of internal storage, compatible with GPS + Glonass tracking, Wi-Fi connectivity and heart rate sensing features, magnetic compass, app management, calls, messages and notifications. The selling price of the Amazfit Smartwatch 2 is €146, with battery capable of ensuring 5 days of autonomy on a charge.
Another model of Xiaomi smartwatch the Amazfit Bip, a budget device that can be purchased at a price of only €120, with workout tracking, heart rate monitoring, GPS satellite tracking plus Glonass, Bluetooth 4.0 LE and IP68 certification, which ensures good resistance to water and weather. The 190 mAh battery provides just enough charge, about 22 hours with GPS activated, while it has all the main sensors, such as HR, barometer and accelerometer.
Fossil smartwatches: models, features and prices
Fossil has evolved in recent years by launching into the smartwatch market, offering technologically adequate products, but at the same time elegant and refined. These are high-end, particularly expensive devices, however the company boasts one of the widest and most varied ranges in the industry, with plenty of Fossil smartwatch models for sale. Among them is the new Fossil Gen 4, available in Q Venture HR and Q Explorist HR versions, with a price starting at €268.
The Fossil Gen 4 are Android smartwatches running Wear OS, models suitable for almost any budget with 42mm steel shell, touchscreen display, GPS tracking, NFC technology for Google Pay payments, HR sensor for heart rate monitoring, IP67 certification for water resistance and step counter, calorie counting and distance tracker features. Another not-so-new model from Fossil is the Misfit Phase, which has a price tag of €507 in Amazon's smartwatch section.
The device is a hybrid, with a 1.61-inch display and aluminum body, lacking any advanced digital system, except for some WhatsApp notifications, messages and emails. However, the battery is really powerful, aspect that ensures exceptional autonomy, while the real strength is the design and build quality, really high level. Alternatively, there is also the smartwatch Fossil Q Commuter, with a cost of just 142€, equipped with Bluetooth 4.1 LE connection, steel case, button to take photos and goal system, for workouts and diet.
Sony smartwatch: features, models and prices
Sony offers sports smartwatches, especially suitable for those who practice competitive or amateur activities frequently, with a minimalist design and a good technological equipment. Among the models on sale is the Smartwatch Sony 3 SWR50, available in gray, black, yellow, brown leather and black leather. The technical features see a weight of 45 grams, a 1.6-inch display with 320×320 pixel resolution, 1.2 GHz quad core processor with 512MG of RAM and 4Gb of internal memory, Android Wear OS operating system, compass, Bluetooth 4.0 NFC technology and Wi-Fi connection.
Different compatible apps, from weather to travel information, notifications to sat nav with GPS and Endomondo, to iFit and Golfshot sports apps, with pedometer, heart rate detection and remote camera control. Purchase price of the Sony 3 SWR50 smartwatch about 160€ on Amazon. Otherwise you can opt for the Sony SWR30, with a cost of just 80€, a simple model with a 1.4-inch display, with pedometer, sleep monitoring and Bluetooth connection, indicated for sportsmen and training sessions.
For fitness there is also the smartwatch Sony SmartBand 2 SWR 12, a modern and minimalist bracelet, which is extremely practical to wear during sports activities. This device is able to connect with your Android smartphone, thanks to the Bluetooth connection, to receive notifications of messages and emails, collect information about training sessions, including number of steps and distance traveled, resisting diving to a depth of 3 meters, all this at a price of about 118€.
Garmin smartwatch: models, features and prices
Garmin offers smartwatches of the highest quality, with a refined design and a wide choice of devices. Among the best Garmin smartwatches is the luxurious MARQ, with a cost of €1,500, a device designed for racing enthusiasts, with apps that allow you to take the time with absolute precision. It has an internal rechargeable battery, apps with maps for golf courses, ABC position and altitude sensors, GNSS satellite system, apps for various sports, Garmin Pay contactless payment technology, Pulse OX to monitor oxygen levels and Spotify compatibility.
A less expensive model is the Garmin Fenix 5S Plus, with a price of about 405€ on Amazon Smartwatch. This is a device designed for sports use, with an ergonomic strap and display with sapphire crystal coating, color maps, Running Power app for workouts, Spotify compatibility, downloadable apps from the Garmin Connect IQ store, contactless payment technology, cardio tracking on the wrist and GPS tracking with Glonass and Galileo satellites.
Other cheaper Garmin smartwatches are, for example, the Forerunner 235, priced at €189, which offers an HR sensor, 1.23-inch LCD display with 215x180pixel resolution and always-on functionality, or the Garmin Vivomove HR, which can be purchased for €179.99. The latter smartwatch has an OLED screen with a good resolution, equal to 64×128 pixels, HR sensor for monitoring heartbeats on the wrist, pedometer, oxygen consumption calculation system, as well as applications for tracking sports activities.
Best smartwatches for kids
Technology is now accessible even to the youngest, which is why many brands have developed smartwatches for children, simpler and cheaper models, characterized by bright colors and resistant straps. Among the best devices on the market is the Garmin Vivofit Junior, with a cost of only 89€, available in red and black with a waterproof bracelet, step detector, physical activity monitoring and apps to do sports while having fun, with the possibility of setting goals with the unlocking of new games when they are reached.
A mid-range model is the smartwatch for kids Oaxis S2 Black, with an intuitive display, GPS navigator, emergency button and a built-in 2 Mpx camera, at a cost of about 109€. Alternatively, you can buy the Ukxhy Q90 for just €39 on Amazon, a smartwatch with a tracking system, space to insert a SIM card, location tracking apps for added parental safety, and messaging apps to communicate with adults.