Best Smartwatches for Android Users in 2024

1. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 – Best Overall Samsung Android Smartwatch

There are few smartwatches that impress as totally as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. Even I, with my more minimalist fashion sensibilities, found myself constantly tinkering with and playing with the watch since there’s just so much to do. I guess that also means it’s like an adult toy – you’ll never stop checking the watch and investigating its features if you like gadgets as much as I do!

Let’s get down to the details. For starters, the Galaxy Watch 3 offers multiple styles to choose from, allowing you to customize it to your aesthetic. There are two sizes in total (ideal for both men and women) and three colors. But more importantly, each new Android smartwatch comes with military-grade durability for the watch face. Basically, this means you won’t totally bust the watch if you accidentally slam it into the wall (guilty as charged).

But it’s also a great watch for taking out on a run, even in inclement weather, since it’s built with water resistance in mind. It can do all this even with a battery that lasts for over 24 hours on a single charge. Granted, it’s not the best smartwatch battery life you can find, but it’s certainly enough battery life to suit most folks’ needs.

What does the battery power? You’ll be able to connect the galaxy Watch 3 to your Android phone. This means that it’s the perfect watch for taking calls and connecting with your friends and peers while on the go. Even better, it connects via very strong Bluetooth signaling, and you’ll be able to opt-in to call notifications or text messaging indications for the same feature. This constant “plugged-in” nature makes it a great smartwatch for those who never want to be without their phone’s communication lifeline.

But it’s one of the best Samsung Android watches for fitness purposes as well. For instance, the Galaxy Watch 3 can record your ECG for up to 30 seconds, which is pretty standard across the fitness smartwatch industry. You do need an ECG-compatible smartphone for this to work, but most folks who are interested in this watch will already have a Galaxy smartphone to begin with.

The proprietary ECG monitoring app can also check for the signs of atrial fibrillation (which is a kind of irregular heart rhythm). Sharing the reports from the watch with your healthcare provider is extremely easy since the watch works with the proprietary Samsung Health Monitor app – again, this is when the watch is connected to a standard Galaxy phone.

Add to that an automatic sleep tracker (which can tell you how well you sleep every night), a highly-accurate GPS tracker for your runs, and a stress level monitor and you have a fantastic, health-improving watch that makes it suitable for high-energy, go-go-go professionals.

In this way, it’s an ideal GPS smartphone watch for those who already like their Galaxy smartphone and want to add even more functionality to it. All this focus on data might leave your security sensitivities tingling. But I found that the watch also came with multilayered digital security to keep your data safe. One last thing I noticed – it comes with voice control functionality and can even read your texts to you so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road.

The downside? Ultimately, this Android Samsung watch is great if you have the money, but it’s also easily one of the most expensive Android smartwatches on the market. Then again, if you’re after the best of the best, there’s nothing (that I found, at least) that beats the Galaxy Watch 3.

2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active – Best Value Samsung Fitness Smartwatch

There are those of us who aren’t interested in super-expensive smartwatches, and I can’t blame you! For myself, I usually opt for gadgets and devices that are good enough rather than being top-tier, especially since cutting-edge gadgets usually have a few bugs or kinks to work out. To that end, I present the Galaxy Watch Active: an Android smartwatch with many of the same features as the last but without the exorbitant price tag.

It’s also a watch more straightforwardly designed for fitness fanatics. You can tell this by the fact that it can detect up to six exercises while you’re moving, plus track your results or progress for up to 39 more. It’s a perfect pick for crossfit enthusiasts or regular gym-goers who want to tangibly mark their progress as they go up in weight or shed pounds.

More than that, the watch can also help you rest better by analyzing your sleep patterns and setting automatic alerts to help to wind down and go to sleep at the same time every night. Considering that most modern sleep research indicates that setting a regular bedtime (and not staying on the computer until midnight) does wonders for your rest quality, this is a great feature that more smartwatches ought to offer.

The watch can also send you real-time alerts if it detects a low heart rate. Thus, it’s a great pick if you do have a heartbeat irregularity and your doctor has recommended that you keep an eye on the anomaly for the foreseeable future.

Alright, so it’s a great fitness watch. But what does it bring to the table in terms of raw enjoyment? It’s a lightweight but durable watch and I found it to be comfortable while exercising or when wearing it daily. Furthermore, it’s totally swim-ready since it’s waterproof and comes in a decent selection of colors. The bands are interchangeable, so it’s a fun watch if you like to adjust your look from time to time instead of being stuck with a single watch color.

The watch can also work with both Samsung Android smartphones and iOS phones so long as the operating system is 9.0 or higher. Most will still want to pair this with a Samsung smartphone, however. Once paired, it can sync with a music playlist and give you text or call alerts like most modern smartwatches on the market. It’s a smartwatch with long battery life and can run for up to several days on a single charge.

Ultimately, it’s a great alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 if you want something more affordable with many of the same features.

3. Fitbit Versa Lite – Best Affordable Android Smartwatch

Many smartwatches are simply too expensive for lots of regular people to get their hands on them. This is a shame, considering that smartwatches are fun and versatile devices that offer much more value than just a little exercise assistance. This being said, I was able to find a few more budget-friendly Android smartwatches on the market.

The Fitbit Versa Lite is, undoubtedly, one of the best Android watches I saw. The price, however, can oscillate depending on the color of the band, meaning that some Versa Lites are cheaper than others if you’re willing to stick with an ugly color. For instance, the bright, bubblegum pink color is the cheapest on the market at the time of this writing.

But for some, aesthetic is secondary to function, so the Versa Lite will ultimately be a great fit. Like most smartwatches, it can track a variety of daily activities 24/7, plus give you valuable data about your heart rate and sleep stages. It does all this pretty reliably since it has a four-day battery life with a single charge (though of course this varies based on how much you use it).

Buyer’s Guide

How exactly did I break down the best Android smartwatches from the dozens (maybe even hundreds) on the market right now? Let me show you a buyer’s guide you can use to determine the rough value of a new Android smartwatch and help determine whether it’s a good pick for your needs.

Bluetooth Functionality

First off, all smartwatches will have some measure of Bluetooth compatibility. What I mean by this category is how well that Bluetooth functionality works out. Some smartwatches can’t maintain a Bluetooth connection past 10 feet, while others can easily go upwards of 30 feet while maintaining a crystal-clear connection for music or phone call playback purposes.

Obviously, more range is usually better, especially since it means that the watch’s connection to your Bluetooth enabled device will be steadier and more consistent, reducing lag across the board.

You should also look into how easy it is to re-pair a phone to a Bluetooth watch for Android in case the two devices get disconnected. Some smartwatches come with an automatic reconnection functionality, which is a nice boost to user convenience.

OS and Google Pixel Compatibility

Next, consider what operating systems or phone types a given smartwatch works with. Obviously, all of the above smartwatches will be compatible with Apple and Android devices (usually Android software at 5.0 or above is fine, though there are a few exceptions detailed in some of the smartwatch reviews).

However, some can also work with iOS devices or with Google Pixel devices. Google Pixel devices aren’t as common as Android or iOS phones, but they come with additional features and compatibility bonuses if the smartwatch in question also has Google Assistant or Fit.

Some people like to collect devices from the same brand or manufacturer for improvements like this. The best smartwatches for Google Pixel phones will pair more quickly, benefit more broadly from Google Assistant voice commands, and ultimately have access to a few extra apps and control features.

Consider buying a smartwatch that works with Google Pixel if you already have some Google devices in your collection.

How’s the GPS on the Watch?

Most smartwatches also come with GPS navigation features, but the quality of those features can vary dramatically. In the worst cases, the “GPS” offered on a smartwatch barely qualifies and can’t be relied on to any meaningful degree.

Other smartwatches with GPS are so accurate that you can rely on them when navigating unfamiliar territory or hiking off-road. It all depends on the watch. I made sure to distinguish which smartwatches had great GPS functions in the above Android and Google smartwatch reviews. https://www.byrdie.com/best-eyeliner-pencils-4587577

Can the Watch Connect for Phone Calls?

While all smartwatches can connect to smartphones, only some of them will allow you to make and receive phone calls from the same paired device. This feature is hit or miss depending on the quality of the speaker and microphone attached to the smartwatch in question. A smartwatch that makes calls isn’t worth much if you can’t have a clear conversation with whoever you’re calling.

Still, this feature can be worthwhile if you get a smartphone that has both a great speaker and microphone and phone call functionality. It’s a good way to maintain a conversation while you’re working out or if you’re trying to hustle to work without having your phone in your hand. But it’s far from an absolutely necessary feature for most users.

What Other Features Does the Smartwatch Have?

Lastly, be sure to do a thorough rundown of any other features or apps that a smartwatch might come with or offer. More smartwatch features are usually great, especially since extra apps or functions are paired with smartwatches with more RAM or better hardware to handle the extra computing.

For example, advanced smartwatches might contain extra fitness apps for tracking dozens of different sports, or offer additional payment apps so you can go card-less when shopping. Other smartwatches might come with music playback features and apps – these are a particular focus of mine since most folks want to listen to music while they work out. Doing so wirelessly with a smartwatch and phone with a strong Bluetooth connection is easy and enjoyable.

Final Verdict

Bottom line: which Android smartwatch would I stick with if I had to choose?

I’m not normally about picking the most expensive option on the market. But in this case, the Samsung Galaxy 3 Smartwatch won me over in the end. There’s just too much that’s useful and fun about it for me to pass it up (which is why I ultimately ended up buying that one after trying the others).

Basically, it’s got it all – excellent compatibility with various smartphones and other devices, a great design, easy connectivity, and some of the best available fitness apps and other functionalities at my fingertips. While I do wish that I had a slightly better battery life compared to many competitors, it’s not an issue since I’m usually good about remembering to plug in my devices every night.

But that’s just my choice. You might very well choose something different based on your needs and your budget level. If you’re in doubt, remember what I went over in the buying guide to determine the best Android smartwatch for your unique needs.

FAQs

Q: What is the best smartwatch for Android phones?

A: In my opinion, the flat-out best Android-compatible smartwatch is the Samsung Galaxy 3 watch, which combines lots of innovative features with excellent design and durability (aside from relatively short battery life). But the best smartwatch for you depends on your budget level and the features you’re looking for.

For instance, do you want something more stylish and slick? Try the Skagen Falster 3. Or if you want something super affordable with most of the major features you can find in modern smartwatches, check out the Amazfit Bip.