Smartwatch Comparison: Compare Brands, OS, Features & Prices

Contents

How to Compare Smartwatches to Pick the Best?
Conclusion

With the latest technology and innovation, watches are becoming smarter these days. But with so many models and smartwatch brands available, it is hard to pick the right one for you. Even if you are using a smartwatch comparison tool, you must know which crucial specs & features you need to check for sure. Just follow this detailed smartwatch comparison guide to pick the best one:

How to Compare Smartwatches to Pick the Best?

Some features of a smartwatch are must-haves as compared to the rest, and while comparing your desired choices, you should not neglect them. Here is the checklist of them.

Specification	Description	Range
OS Compatibility	Requires to sync your phone’s app and notifications with smartwatch	Depends upon the OS used by your smartphone and smartwatch
Build Quality & Design	Responsible for the comfort and durability of the watch	Higher the better
Display Type	Responsible for color quality and user experience	Depends upon user preference
Battery Life	Decides how long a watch can last without charging upon normal usage	Higher the better
Apps Connectivity	Let you install and manage apps directly to your smartwatch	Higher the better
Communication Features	Let you make and receive calls using an in-built card without a smartphone	Good to have
Connectivity Features	Let you connect with other devices and pay to nearby merchants using NFC technology	Must have
Price	Decide how many advanced features and apps support you will have	Lower the better (depends upon brand, requirements and features)

Compatibility – iOS vs Android

The first and foremost thing to compare among smartwatches is their compatibility with your smartphone. You can only use your smartwatch to control your smartphone using voice commands and app syncing when both devices’ OS is compatible. Not all smartwatches are compatible with both Android and iOS. For example, Apple watches work only with iOS and not Android because it runs on WatchOS. On the other hand, Android or Google Wear OS is used in various smartwatches like Fitbit Versa 2 and 3 to provide compatibility for Android and iOS devices. So, while making an iOS or android wear comparison, don’t forget to check the smartwatch’s OS compatibility with your phone’s OS.

Design and Build Quality

A smartwatch is not something you’re gonna wear for just two days and then forget it. That is why its design and build quality matter. The better the build quality, the more long-lasting the watch is. Nowadays, brands like Fossil or Apple offer personalization in straps and dials for unisex smartwatches or those with slimmer wrists. So, depending on your wrist size, you can choose between square and round dials.

Some smartwatches come with plastic straps, while others come with metal or rubber straps, so depending on your comfort type, you can choose the strap material. Don’t go for such watches whose claps require too much pressure to open and close. Also, a smartwatch should be water-resistant to prevent damage from excess sweat or bad weather conditions.

Display Type

The display is the core part of any smartwatch; thus, it is crucial to compare it in top rated smartwatches.

OLED vs LCD

Most budget-friendly smartwatches use LCD or AMOLED displays to offer bright images and vibrancy as it costs less. However, such a display makes the dial slightly bulkier. So, if you need a slimmer and lightweight one, OLED displays are better, but they increase the cost of a smartwatch.

Touchscreen vs Physical Controls

While some brands offer touchscreen displays, others prefer physical controls or both for ease of usage. It totally depends upon your personal choice. While a touchscreen display is simpler, using fingers on a tiny display is slightly uncomfortable, especially if gesture-based interfaces are not intuitive. But a touchscreen can be handy if you do a lot of activity on your smartwatch.

Apple watches address this issue nicely by offering a combo approach of touch display with physical controls. Using the touchscreen option, you can scroll through the notifications or zoom the content, while the physical side button allows you to access frequently used apps. It also uses a force touch to distinguish between a long press and a tap.

Battery Life & Charging Type

Range: 2 hours to 2 weeks Smartwatches with more colorful and brighter displays (like LCD or AMOLED) tend to have shorter battery life than black and white or OLED displays that last for days without charging. Also, watches with voice capabilities drain batteries faster than normal ones. So, it is crucial to check the battery life and charging time required while comparing various smartwatches. It is better to go for the one that lasts at least 16-24 hours upon regular usage. For example, the Apple watch has an excellent battery life of 18 hours. Conversely, the Amazfit GTS2 mini smart watch comes with a claimed battery life of 2 weeks (which is commendable). Not only this but some high-range watches also offer wireless charging functionality, so choose according to your preferences.

App Support

As smartwatches become more advanced, they give you multiple apps selection and support to install directly from the app store. There is a dedicated WatchOS store for Apple watches to install apps directly on your smartwatch, depending on your needs.

Similarly, the Google Wear OS offers similar apps like Whatsapp, Lyft, etc., on its dedicated store for your convenience. So, you can check what app selections you are getting with a particular smartwatch. Compare and go for the one that offers more app selections.

Fitness Tracking Features

Some smartwatches also integrate activity-monitoring features to work as fitness trackers. So, if you are a fitness enthusiast, you can compare smartwatches to check if they are offering the following features or not:

Step counting
Heart rate
ECG
SpO2

Some popular smartwatches that come with these aforementioned health-related features are Fitbit Inspire 2, Garmin Forerunner 245, Fitbit Charge 5, etc. Out of these, both Garmin Forerunner 245 & Fitbit Charge 5 comes with additional female health features like recording period logs and symptoms. Of all the watches I have mentioned here, the most reliable built-in health tracker comes in Fitbit Inspire 2.

smartwatch health tracking features for women

Connectivity

Connectivity features like GPS and NFC are crucial in smartwatches as they allow you to connect various devices with your watch. Smartwatches with NFC chips inside and built-in LTE features also support calling and mobile payments even without a phone nearby. Apple watches come with Apple Pay compatibility, while Google or Android Wear OS watches have Google-Pay enabled to pay nearby merchants through NFC. Samsung uses its own Samsung Pay in its watches for the same, which works on its latest models.

Communication Features

Nowadays, modern smartwatches come with a groundbreaking feature called eSIM support. With this feature, you can use your mobile number as an in-built card to make and receive calls without using your phone. This feature comes in handy when you don’t have your phone nearby and want to make an urgent call using your smartwatch. Apple watches come with this feature with an in-built Jio eSim (optional) to make calls. So, depending on your budget and requirements, you can compare which brands offer this feature in their smartwatches.

Pricing

Range: $100-$1700 Depending on the combination of features, display type, app support and OS, smartwatches range from $100 to as high as $1700. Most budget watches come under $200-$500, depending on your chosen brand. If you go for Apple watches, the cost of a smartwatch increases for the latest variants and premium designs. For example, Apple Watch Series 7 starts from $399 but can go as high as $1400 as you opt for designer variants or ceramic cases. So, compare which brand has the most to offer you under your budget.

Communication Syncing with Other Smartwatches

If you and other family members wear smartwatches, then a synchronized communication feature can help you communicate with each other. Using this feature, you can sync the schedules of your and your family members to send notifications for crucial tasks. This way, you don’t have to call each other to remind them about a particular task or stay in sync.

Fall Detection & Emergency Call Functionality

Most smartwatches come with a fall detection feature by using an accelerometer sensor. In such kinds of watches, the accelerometer sensor detects sudden falls.

If the wearer doesn’t respond to the smartwatch alarm, an emergency call gets triggered to 911 or its emergency contact for further assistance. This feature usually comes in Apple, Fitbit and Garmin brands’ watches and can really be helpful for kids and older adults.

Conclusion

So, while comparing various smart watches online, look for the factors mentioned above & specs carefully to pick the right one for your needs & budget. You can narrow down choices by checking smartwatch ratings by real users. Start with the OS compatibility and then compare its other crucial features. The battery life should be long-lasting with less charging time, so you don’t have to plug it in several times. If you are a fitness enthusiast, go for the one with the best fitness tracking features to get the best value for your money. Also, don’t forget to compare the warranty period by various smartwatch brands to save additional bucks on its maintenance and repair.