The best smartwatches to buy in 2021
Want to upgrade your traditional watch by adding some apps to your wrist? Or are you looking for a newer, more advanced smartwatch to replace your old one?
Smartwatches come in all shapes, sizes, and prices, but the best smartwatches do more than just letting you know if you’re getting a text or a call. They can offer many things in one: a health and fitness tracker to help you keep healthy, a digital wallet, a phone, and even features to save lives.
With so many great smartwatches available today, there’s a lot to think about when buying a smartwatch. So, to help you find the best option for you, we’ve picked some of the best smartwatches you can buy today based on features, battery life, performance smartphone type, and a range of budgets.
Top 8 Smartwatch to Buy in 2021
1. Apple Watch Series 6
There’s no doubt that the Apple Watch Series 6 is the best Apple watch to date and the best smartwatch you can buy today – if you have an iPhone, that is. It offers an unmatched user experience, excellent apps, nearly-perfect design, and high-end health tech. The Series 6 comes with new blood oxygen (SpO2) reader, which measures the oxygen saturation level of your blood. In addition, it has numerous other features and Apple Fitness Plus.
Specification
Display: 1.78-inch OLED
Processor: Apple S6
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
Compatibility: iOS
Onboard storage: 32GB
IP rating: Water-resistant up to 50m
Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
Price: Start from – ฿12,410 (GPS)
Performance
The Apple Watch Series 6 has a faster processor and brighter always-on display than its predecessor, the Apple Watch 5. Therefore, it boasts a fluid performance, trouble-free setup, and smooth haptics. With its clean software and seamless ecosystem integration, you can enjoy an almost flawless experience. You can handle your phone notifications, including calls, texts, and replies to messages, with ease. The health monitoring features work incredibly well, though the new sleep tracking is a bit disappointing when compared to rivals from Samsung and Fitbit.
Value and Verdict
With faster performance, brighter display, and various new features, the Apple Watch Series 6 has everything to stay the king of smartwatches. Besides, it has a great design that is very comfortable to wear, and the battery life is solid. It’s an excellent watch for those who have health concerns because, while it isn’t a medical device, it can take regular ECGs and monitor your blood oxygen. These features can be helpful if you have conditions where those are issues.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
If you own an Android phone, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the best smartwatch money can buy right now. It does work with iPhones, but the features are mostly limited. It embodies an attractive classic wristwatch style and comes in two sizes, which help it appeal to more people. In addition, it offers an extensive list of features and an impressive battery life that can last multiple days.
Specification
Display: 1.2-inch or 1.4inch 360 x 360 Super AMOLED
Processor: Dual-core 1.15GHz
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE (for extra)
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Onboard storage: 8GB
IP rating: IP68
Battery Life: Up to 48 hours
Price: Start from – ฿12,900 (Wi-Fi)
Performance
While the Galaxy Watch 3 runs on the same chipset that powered the original Galaxy Watch, it still delivers excellent performance and loads apps quickly. Samsung’s Tizen software still trails behind Apple’s watchOS, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get a satisfying experience. The software works an absolute charm; it’s responsive and intuitive. In addition, navigating through different menus and switching between apps is reliable, sharp, and fluid. The unique rotating bezel also allows you to physically cycle through on-screen menus, making navigation easier.
Value and Verdict
With dazzling design and top-class specs, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is one of the most stylish and functional smartwatches around. Additionally, it’s packed with excellent health features, such as automatic tracking for workouts and the ability to take ECG, VO2 Max, and SpO2 readings. It’s not as comfortable to wear as the Apple Watch, and its ecosystem isn’t as great in comparison. Still, the pros outweigh the cons, and the watch most definitely won’t let you down.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
3. Fitbit Sense
If you’re looking for the best “health watch,” then the Fitbit Sense is well-worth considering. It can measure stress levels, monitor heart rate, track your sleep, sense skin temperature, and even measure electrodermal activity, making it the best tracker of health money can buy today. The Fitbit Sense truly is an advanced health smartwatch, but besides health features, it’s also able to take hands-free calls. In addition, you can also Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistant from this watch.
Specification
Display: 1.58-inch 336×336
OS: Fitbit OS
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
Compatibility: Android, iOS, Windows
Onboard storage: N/A
IP rating: Waterproof
Battery Life: Up to 6 days
Price: Start from – ฿10,990
Performance
All of Fitbit Sense’s heath features work impressively, from the ECG and EDA sensor to skin temperature and SpO2 sensor. It’s a great smartwatch for fitness, too, thanks to its GPS and heart rate monitor. In fact, its GPS is so responsive that the watch is among the best running watches you can buy today. In terms of other smartwatch features, it’s not as robust as the Apple Watch 6 or Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 3. However, it covers all the basics incredibly. You can answer calls via the watch when your phone is nearby, and you can listen to music through third-party apps like Spotify and Deezer. The battery life is epic, lasting up to 6 days.
Value and Verdict
The Fitbit Sense is a robust health watch, so we recommend it to those who want as much health data as they can muster. Its heart rate monitor and sleep tracker are better than its rivals. Overall, it can put you in tune with your body and health. However, if you want a smartwatch that will let you control all your smart home devices and check your bank balances, Fitbit Sense is not for you.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
4. Apple Watch SE
While the Apple Watch Series 6 is the best Apple Watch in terms of features and performance, the Apple Watch SE suitable for most people. Why? Because it does almost everything that the Series 6 can, but for a significantly lower price. It offers a high-end design, top-class specs, and a wide range of excellent features. Of course, not all features present in the Series 6 are available in the SE, such as an always-on display and SpO2 sensor, but it still stands out.
Specification
Display: 1.78-inch OLED
Processor: Apple S5
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
Compatibility: iOS
Onboard storage: 32GB
IP rating: Water-resistant to 50m
Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
Price: Start from – ฿9,100 (GPS)
Performance
The Apple Watch SE is a strong health and fitness device. Equipped with watchOS 7, it offers more ways to track your fitness in the Workouts app, and it’s more accurate than ever. It also gets sleep tracking and a hand-washing app, which all work pretty well. As with all Apple Watches, the Apple Watch SE excels in its smartwatches features. It has the most extensive app library in any smartwatch, meaning it’s a true extension of your phone. You can make and receive phone calls, control smart home devices, play music, look up directions, and much more. All of these features work seamlessly, so you’ll get a joyful experience.
Value and Verdict
From the design to the features, the SE is a well-rounded smartwatch with a relatively affordable price (primarily when compared to the Apple Watch Series 6). If you want an Apple Watch and get lots of high-end features with less money, then the Apple Watch SE is for you. It’s not the best, but it offers the greatest value for money among other new Apple Watches.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
5. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is essentially the sportier version of the Galaxy Watch 3 – it’s lighter, slimmer, and more comfortable. It has a similar visually appealing circular design, but it’s sleeker, and the rotating bezel is digital. The watch boasts great fitness and smartwatch features, making it a great choice for those who want a smartwatch to take on runs and into the office.
Specification
Display: 1.2-inch 360×360 Super AMOLED
Processor: Dual-core 1.15GHz
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Onboard storage: 4GB
IP rating: Water-resistant up to 50m
Battery Life: Up to 2 days
Price: Start from – ฿5,990 (Bluetooth)
Performance
Like the Galaxy Watch 3, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 also has the same processor as the original Galaxy Watch. However, it’s still fast enough, and switching in and out of apps is smooth. It’s packed with some neat abilities, too, such as the ability to take ECG and Blood Pressure monitoring pretty accurately. It uses Samsung’s Tizen operating system, which lacks quality third-party apps. However, the built-in apps are more than sufficient.
Value and Verdict
Overall, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a very compelling package. Those who own an Android phone and want a quality smartwatch should consider getting this watch. It does work with iOS, but iPhone users won’t get the most out of this smartwatch. The battery life is absolutely amazing, and the functional health features work impressively.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
6. Fitbit Versa 3
While the Fitbit Sense focuses on health features, the Fitbit Versa 3 focuses more on fitness. It offers the Fitbit sport and sleep tracking staples without the bells and whistles of the Sense. It’s the next generation of the Fitbit Versa 2, with onboard GPS for pace and distant tracking as its most standout upgrade. It also has a blood oxygen sensor and fast charging. In addition, the watch supports Spotify, Fitbit Pay, and Amazon Alexa.
Specification
Display: 1.58-inch AMOLED
OS: Fitbit OS
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Onboard storage: N/A
IP rating: Water resistant
Battery Life: Up to 6 days
Price: Start from – ฿9,190
Performance
The Fitbit Versa 3 shines in fitness and health. It doesn’t have as many health features as the Sense, but it has more than enough for most people to stay on top of things. You can track your mindfulness, monitor your heart, and even track your 24/7 activity with ease. It particularly excels in sleep tracking, where it will keep tabs on how much you sleep at night and monitor your blood oxygen saturation while you’re asleep. As for the smartwatch features, don’t expect anything extraordinary. It’s fast and smooth, but it’s not the best.
Value and Verdict
Since the Fitbit Versa 3 mainly focuses on fitness and has limited productivity apps, it might not be for everyone. Therefore, we recommend it for anyone who likes in-depth fitness and health tracking instead of those who want a “second phone” on their wrist.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
7. Honor Magic Watch 2
If you enjoy working out, and you’re searching for smartwatches that focus on workouts and exercises, the Honor Magic Watch 2 is a fantastic device for you. This fitness-centric smartwatch has some incredible exercise-racking features. Besides, it comes with a great, sleek design, and it offers remarkable battery life that lasts a whole week or two.
Specification
Display: 1.2-inch/1.3-inch 454×454 AMOLED
OS: LiteOS
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Onboard storage: 4GB
IP rating: Water-resistant
Battery Life: 7 days/14 days
Price: Start from – ฿6,570
Performance
The Honor Magic Watch 2 offers a range of fitness modes. Some of the modes are more complex than others. For instance, running comes with a vast range of functions and stats monitored, while open-water swimming just tracks time, heart rate, and calories. The fitness features are reliable, with accurate metrics. It also rarely picks up non-waling motions as steps. In terms of non-fitness lifestyle features, the Honor Magic Watch 2 isn’t the best. It uses Huawei’s own software, which doesn’t have an extensive selection of apps.
Value and Verdict
The Honor Magic Watch 2 is a great smartwatch for people looking to get fitter. It can track a range of exercises, such as bikes, treadmills, rowers, and more. The strongest aspect of this watch is its battery life, which can last for one to two weeks between charges. However, it’s not a suitable device for anyone looking for a well-equipped smartwatch.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
8. Oppo Watch
The Oppo Watch is one of the best Wear OS smartwatches available today. It may look like Apple Watch’s clone, but beyond the design, it offers a rich feature set and some of the best functionality from a smartwatch with Google’s software. Considering that Oppo has never released a smartwatch before, the Oppo Watch is a fantastic first attempt from the Chinese brand.
Specification
Display: 1.9 inch 402×466 flexible AMOLED (curved), 1.6-inch 320×360 rigid AMOLED (flat)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC + Ambiq Micro Apollo 3 Wireless SoC
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, LTE, NFC
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Onboard storage: 8GB
IP rating: Water-resistance
Battery Life: Up to 20 hours
Price: Start from – ฿5,999
Performance
Thanks to its smart dual-processor pairing and plenty of RAM, you can expect superb performance from the Oppo Watch. It has enough power to run every app you’ll need, and it experiences almost no lags. It’s fluid and efficient, and it doesn’t have the issues present in Android wearables, such as frequent lags and inconsistent performance. It can slide quickly, responds to taps almost instantly, wakes from sleep promptly, and it won’t let you waste too much time waiting for loadings.
Value and Verdict
If you are looking for budget yet enjoyable Wear OS smartwatches, the Oppo Smart Watch can be an excellent option for you. It has an attractive design and delivers consistent performance. In addition, the watch has high-quality notification management and it ticks all the boxes for fitness, from heart-rate tracking and sleep-tracking to workout guides and water resistance.
Click here to buy now on Lazada.
Finding the best smartwatch is more than just getting the priciest or the most popular. It’s about finding the one that suits your needs. The easiest way to determine which watch will fit your needs is by considering the compatibility with your phone, the price, and the feature. However, you can’t go wrong with any of the smartwatches on this list because they are the best smartwatches money can buy today.
If you’re looking for the best smartphones to buy in 2021, check out the article on the best smartphones you should consider buying in 2021.
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