Best smartwatches of 2024


Smartwatches serve a few purposes. Their primary function should come as no surprise – to tell the time and date.

But there is a lot more going on. They are fitness devices, built to track your activity levels, record your workouts, and provide health and recovery insights.

Smartwatches connect to your smartphone, they can deliver notifications, phone calls, as well as give you quick and easy access to a range of apps, timers, weather insights, and so much more.

Like many other wearables they are also a high-tech fashion statement.

The following smartwatches have been rated among the best smart watches of 2024.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is top of the list because it does everything you want an Android watch to do. It runs a version of Google’s state-of-the-art Wear OS, it offers advanced health features such as ECG and blood pressure monitoring, and it's reasonably priced. Simply put - it ticks all the boxes!

Google Pixel Watch 2

The Google Pixel Watch 2's attractive-looking pebble shape is simple and elegant in its edge-to-edge design. Google's excellent Wear OS and Fitbit integration is the icing on the cake. Released in October 2023, Pixel Watch 2 is the latest pairing of Pixel with Fitbit. Key features include three new sensors that enable advanced heart rate checking, skin temperature tracking, and stress management. Google’s product pitch for Pixel Watch 2 is “Help by Google. Health by Fitbit. Made for you”. Boom.

Apple Watch SE 2

Among Apple watches, the second-generation Apple Watch SE is the best budget option, doing almost everything you could expect of a standard Apple Watch (excellent health and workout metrics, seamless iOS integration) with a few cost-cutting corners like nylon backing rather than stainless steel to make it a smart choice for the budget-conscious buyer.

Apple Watch Ultra 2

On the other hand, the Apple Watch Ultra is an adventurer's dream Apple Watch: next-level GPS accuracy, a fully-functional dive computer, safety and navigation tools for hikes, and a big battery life. It rates as a leader of Apple Watches overall, as well as being the best outdoors watch on the market. It’s also one of the more expensive.

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch Series 9 is a step up from the afore-mentioned Apple Watch SE and down from the Apple Watch Ultra series. It's a great mid-range smartwatch for fitness enthusiasts and everyday communications needs alike, provided you're an Apple user of course. Probably the best Apple Watch choice in terms of value for money.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the Watch 5 on steroids, with a bigger battery, brighter screen, GPS tools like Track Back to prevent you from getting lost, and a more durable case with raised bezel.

Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro

A Chinese smartwatch that uses Google is indeed a smart watch and at least worthy of mention. There’s one big reason for that: Wear OS. Switching to Google’s software allows for access to third-party apps via the Play Store, making it a much more powerful device and relevant to markets outside of China. Affordability is also a strong point.

That said, if you were in the market for a smartphone and price wasn’t an issue, and you wanted the best smartwatch with Google Wear OS, then you would be back to the top of the list with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. 

Just like a watch… what goes around comes around.

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