7 Best Smartwatch Models: Apple, Google, Garmin (2026)

Like many consumer gadgets today, wearables have gotten pricier, driven by several factors, including rising component costs and supply chain pressures. That said, the Apple Watch Series 12 ($399) is the best smartwatch for iPhone owners, and Google’s Pixel Watch 5 ($400) is my top pick for Android users. There are plenty of solid options, in various styles, at a range of prices, and with different levels of smarts. Below is a roundup of the best smartwatches I’ve tested. For more wearable recommendations, check out my guides to the Best Fitness Trackers, Best Smart Rings, and Best Budget Smartwatches. Love WIRED? Add us as a preferred source on Google to see more of us. While not a major upgrade from its predecessor, the Apple Watch Series 12 is the best everyday smartwatch for most iPhone users. Why WIRED recommends: The Series 12’s health capabilities are more comprehensive than the Series 11, thanks to a new Health Sensing System and faster S11 chip that increases the breadth, accuracy, and frequency of several health metrics. Most notably, the Series 12 can now track heart rate as often as every five seconds and heart rate variability (HRV) every five minutes or so. With its new Readiness score, the Series 12 also makes a stronger case as a fitness tracker. The streamlined watchOS 27 makes everyday navigation easier. Fast charging gets a boost, too, with 15 minutes offering up to 12 hours of battery life. The trade-offs: Battery life is still rated at just 24 hours, so you’ll need to charge it daily. Many of watchOS 27’s features are also coming to older Apple Watches. The new Audio Intelligence features raise some privacy questions around the watch’s use of its microphone. Buy if: You have an iPhone and want a new smartwatch for everyday use, fitness tracking, and health monitoring, or you’re upgrading from the Series 8 or older.

Specs

Case(s) 42 mm or 46 mm (aluminum, titanium, or ceramic)

Compatibility iOS

Connectivity Cellular and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi options

Battery Life Up to 24 hours (up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode)

Key Features Recovery HRV tracking; Hypertension notifications; ECG app; sleep apnea notifications; Siri AI; Audio Intelligence

The Google Pixel Watch 5 is Google’s best smartwatch, but many of the software upgrades have rolled out to the Pixel Watch 4. So, if you catch last year’s model significantly discounted, it’s worth considering. Why WIRED recommends: It’s the most polished Wear OS smartwatch, with a sleek domed design, slick performance, and repairable build. The screen gets bright, the health and fitness features are impeccably accurate, and there's even support for satellite messaging during emergencies (you need the cellular version of the watch for this). The dual-band GPS is more accurate than ever and now accounts for atmospheric interference and multipath errors. Fast charging delivers 15 hours in just 15 minutes. Gemini is still one of Pixel Watch’s best features, and it can now tackle offline tasks, such as starting a workout. The new Strength Training experience adds audio cues, rest timers, and the ability to track weights and reps. You can create a custom workout in the Google Health app and have the watch guide you through each exercise and time your rest periods. The trade-offs: While you can now use generative AI to create a custom watch face, the feature is somewhat limited, and you’re essentially just customizing the font. There are also a few features exclusive to Pixel phones, such as controlling the phone’s camera, AI-powered smart replies, and call screening. Finally, Google still hasn't introduced additional charging options or 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 docks for its Pixel portfolio; meanwhile, the Apple Watch has many charging accessories. Buy if: You want a refined Android smartwatch with accurate fitness tracking, useful health features, and a repairable build.

Specs

Case(s) 41 mm or 45 mm

Compatibility Android

Connectivity Cellular and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi options

Battery Life Up to 30 hours with always-on display (41 mm); Up to 40 hours (45 mm)

Key Features Satellite SOS communication; Google Health Coach; Breathing Emergency Detection; Insulin Resistance Trends; Blood Pressure Trends

The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 is a modest upgrade over its predecessor, but with no price increase, I’d opt for the latest model unless you can snag the Watch8 at a discount. Why WIRED recommends: Samsung's health- and fitness-tracking features are spot-on here, with reliable heart rate measurements, solid sleep tracking, and dual-frequency GPS for accurate mapping. The automatic workout detection is also among the best. Useful tools like Vitals, sleep apnea detection, and Daily Cardio Load make it a competitive health tracker, and Raise-to-talk Gemini is a welcome addition. The trade-offs: Battery life falls slightly short of Samsung’s claims. I averaged about 25 hours with the always-on display enabled, and a full recharge takes about 100 minutes. Samsung has also added a lot of health metrics, but not all of them are particularly useful. The new Heart Health Score, for example, requires a separate blood pressure cuff for calibration. The AGEs index, introduced in 2024, still doesn’t offer much information, and the Antioxidant Index remains inaccurate. Finally, some features are limited to Samsung phones only, like the electrocardiogram and sleep apnea tracking. Buy if: You have a Samsung Galaxy phone and want a smartwatch with extensive health and fitness tracking.

Specs

Case(s) 40 mm or 44 mm

Compatibility Android; some core features exclusive to Samsung

Connectivity Cellular and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi options

Battery Life ~25 hours with always-on enabled

Key Features Google Gemini; Heart Health score; vitals; Daily Cardio Load; Fitness Index

Nothing is known for the affordability and retro charm of its headphones and phones, so it was unsurprising to discover that the CMF Watch 3 Pro is both fun to use and budget-friendly. (CMF is a sub-brand of Nothing.) Why WIRED recommends: The CMF Watch 3 Pro is a feature-packed smartwatch, with wrist-based gesture controls, onboard mics for voice calling, a voice assistant, and a flashlight. It syncs with the Nothing app on both iOS and Android. The health features are extensive, too, and former editor and tester Adrienne So found its optical heart rate sensor delivered readings that closely matched those from her Oura Ring 4. It also has dual-band GPS tracking for greater accuracy in outdoor stats and workout summaries. It’s light—weighing around 51 grams—IP68-rated for water and dust resistance, and you only have to recharge every 10 to 13 days. The trade-offs: It's a bit more utilitarian-looking than a premium watch. The case is metal, but it looks (and feels) like plastic. According to Adrienne, the Nothing app is occasionally wonky, and the running coach is less flexible and harder to use than competitors like Garmin’s. The watch also occasionally overestimated her sleep, compared to sleep trackers like the Oura Ring 4 and Apple Watch Series 11. Buy if: Your budget is under $100, and you like the retro-futuristic aesthetic of Nothing.

Specs

Case(s) 47 mm

Compatibility iOS and Android

Connectivity Bluetooth

Battery Life 10 to 13 days

Key Features Voice assistant; breath training; recording transcription; blood oxygen monitoring

Best Smartwatch for Outdoor Adventures The Ultra 4 gets the same new Health Sensing System as the Series 12, powered by Apple’s faster S11 chip and improved optical and electrical heart rate sensors. For that reason, I’d only opt for the Ultra 4 if you specifically need its multi-day battery life, satellite messaging, or greater water resistance. Why WIRED recommends: The main advantage of the Ultra is that you can text emergency services when you’re off the grid with no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. In an emergency, the Ultra also features a built-in siren that emits an 86-decibel sound pattern to attract bystanders. It’s rated for high-speed water sports like wakeboarding and water skiing, and it’s safe for depths up to 40 meters when scuba diving. With this year’s model, Apple has boosted the battery life to up to 50 hours of normal use, compared with 42 hours for the Ultra 3. Low Power Mode extends that to 84 hours, up from 72 hours. Charging gets a boost, too: Fifteen minutes now adds up to 18 hours of battery life. That makes the Ultra 4 better suited for multi-day hikes, camping trips, and endurance sports. The trade-offs: While durable, the 49-mm titanium case may look oversized on slimmer wrists. Buy if: You’re buying your first Apple Watch or upgrading from a Series 8 or older, and need a smartwatch for off-grid adventures, recreational scuba diving, or high-speed water sports.

Specs

Case(s) 49 mm

Compatibility iOS

Connectivity Cellular and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi options

Battery Life Up to 50 hours

Key Features Emergency SOS via satellite; Siren; Recovery HRV tracking; Hypertension notifications; ECG app; Sleep apnea notifications; Siri AI; Audio Intelligence

Best Fitness Smartwatch Fitness watches are typically not as sleek to operate as more robust smartwatches, but not the Garmin Vivoactive 6. Why WIRED recommends: Former WIRED editor Adrienne So enjoyed the bevy of proprietary Garmin metrics on this fitness watch, from Body Battery to Training Readiness scores. There's a built-in GPS, a heart-rate monitor, blood oxygen measurements, a sleep tracker, incident detection for personal safety, and 80 activity profiles to track workouts. Plus, the watch lasts around a week on a single charge. There's also Garmin Pay for contactless payments. The trade-offs: You can pair it with iOS or Android to see your notifications, but only Android users can respond to texts with the onscreen keyboard. You won't be able to access third-party apps, though. Buy if: You want a fitness-first smartwatch with a multi-week battery life and cross-smartphone compatibility. Read our Best Fitness Trackers and Best Garmin Watches for more recommendations.

Specs

Case(s) 42 mm

Compatibility iOS and Android

Connectivity Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Battery Life Up to 11 days (5 days with always-on display)

Key Features Garmin Pay; Garmin Coach; Training, Running, Golfing, Cycling, and Swimming features

There are a lot of poor-quality kids’ smartwatches with potentially dangerous vulnerabilities. That's why we’re more comfortable recommending the Fitbit Ace LTE for children ages 7 and up. Why WIRED recommends: Google promises not to store children's health data for research, and it will delete location history after 24 hours and all health data after 30 days. You can set contacts, and your kids can make phone calls and texts through the watch to the Fitbit Ace app, and they can share their location via Google Maps. Parental controls let you set limits, like School Time, which locks down many of the watch's features. Finally, with Fitbit Arcade, there are movement-based games your kids can play to hit activity goals; there's even a Tamagotchi-like virtual character (Eejie) they can take care of. The trade-offs: This watch requires a subscription to Fitbit Ace ($10 per month), but that includes cellular connectivity, so you don't need to add it to your carrier's cellular plan. Buy if: You want a wearable that lets you keep tabs on your kid and gives them a way to reach you, while sneaking in some gamified fitness, without giving them a smartphone.

Specs

Case(s) 40mm

Compatibility iOS and Android

Connectivity Fitbit Ace plan required; Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Battery Life ~16 hours

Key Features Built-in 4G LTE; GPS location; Activity tracking; Fitbit Arcade; School Time; Tap to Pay

The WIRED Reviews team has been testing smartwatches for over a decade, so naturally, we’ve accumulated more than a few favorites. Also, a new model doesn’t automatically make last year’s generation a bad buy, especially if it’s disco