Best smartwatches right now

Although smartwatches have yet to become mainstream, tech lovers like me feel the need to have one. Over the past year, numerous smartwatches of all different brands hit the market hoping to get slapped on your wrist. But not all of them feature the same functionality. With new manufacturers getting involved in along with those who are already returning with a second generation product, it has become harder than ever to choose the one that best suits your needs best.

All-around champ: Huawei Watch

If you’re just entering the world of smartwatches, why not start out here. The Huawei Watch is one of the best offerings out there running Google’s Android Wear platform for smartwatches. Android Wear is still a work in progress but constantly receives updates adding additional features and reducing battery consumption. Without the need to go through carriers and all that mess, Google pushes updates directly to the watch so there’s hardly any wait to get the latest and greatest.

Unlike many smartwatches form last year that feature a square display, the Huawei Watch closely resembles actual watch design. Its round face is the most durable on the market built with sapphire crystal and can hold up to just about anything. For an added durability, the Huawei Watch includes an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.

Huawei didn’t forget that everyone has different tastes in design. That’s why the company made the process of swapping out bands as easy as possible. At Huawei’s website, buyers have the choice of different colors and band options. Under the hood, the Huawei Watch includes the typical hardware specifications for a smartwatch these days. The Huawei Watch’s 1.4-inch full circle AMOLED display is perfect for viewing outdoors. The quality is crisp and never shows a pixel with its included 286ppi. It’s powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage space. Cellular connectivity is not included here; however, users will get a built-in gyroscope, accelerometer, vibration motor and heart-rate monitor for tracking daily activities. The Huawei Watch is made of 316L stainless steel and weighs in at 48g without the band. Huawei estimates 1-2 days of battery life.

The Huawei watch comes in a luxurious box, making it feel like a rare piece of jewelry. To charge the smartwatch, users must place the watch on a magnetic charging cradle that comes included. Pricing begins at $349 and goes up from there depending on the band you so desire. It’s compatible with Android devices running version 4.3 and up and Apple users running iOS version 8.2 and later. With all the functionalities of Android Wear, a variety of Android apps to download, built-in sensors for checking notifications, fitness tracking and a high durability that’s built to last, make the Huawei Watch the perfect companion for your smartphone.

[Huawei] [Google Store] [Best Buy] [Amazon]

Functionality: Samsung Gear S2

The Gear S2 from Samsung is all about functionality. Samsung worked on this smartwatch for an extended period of time to ensure consumers get the best experience possible. It runs Samsung’s very own Tizen software with the new Circular UX. The new user experience is everything other than what one gets with Android Wear. The Gear S2 makes a very good impression, one that is far superior than that of its predecessor, the Gear S. Nearly everything has changed here. You no longer get the bulky body the Gear S came with. Rather, you get a sleek round display with a rotating bezel for a new way of interacting with what’s on the screen.

Based on my usage and coverage of the Gear S2, there isn’t much not to like. Samsung really did a great job with this one. Tizen offers a wide range of functionality that Android Wear fails to offer and built-in cellular connectivity gives one the option for standalone functions. These include making and receiving calls (with the built-in speakerphone) and going on a run without having your phone on-hand.

On top of all that, you still get all the capabilities of a normal smartwatch such as apps (which Samsung worked hard to get), interchangeable watch-faces as well as notifications and calendar reminders right on your wrist.

The Gear S2 comes in a bevy of options including different colors and watchbands. The price tag varies on the model but starts at $300. It’s compatible with Samsung phones and the company recently added support for many other Android phones. But, sorry, no iOS support here. The Gear S2 and S2 Classic are some of the best looking smartwatches out there and offer a wide-range of functionality.

[Samsung] [Best Buy] [Amazon]

Standalone: LG Watch Urbane LTE

The LG Watch Urbane LTE is the first Android Wear device to offer cellular connectivity. However, it should be noted that the smartwatch is not for sale just yet but will be prior to the holidays.

LG’s newest smartwatch foreshadows the direction Android Wear could be heading in. With built-in cellular connectivity, users can carry out a number of features that other Android Wear smartwatches need a phone for. These include using online based apps, making and receiving phone calls, receiving notifications and monitoring fitness like a professional. The cellular connectivity guy, though, comes with some downsides. This smartwatch relies on the band to contain some sensors, meaning it cannot be replaced. Altogether, it has a larger body then the original Watch Urbane with a body that’s 3mm thicker.

The full-circle LG Watch Urbane LTE smartwatch is compatible with all Android devices running version 4.3 or higher and iOS devices running version 8.2 and above. The price will likely be north of $350, considering that’s what the original Watch Urbane was priced at without LTE connectivity. If you’re looking for an Android Wear device that brings something new and you want more independence, this is the perfect one for you.

Design: Motorola Moto 360 (2015)

The Moto 360 (2015) expands even more upon the original Moto 360, one of the most anticipated smartwatches ever. With the enhanced second generation Moto 360, Motorola cleaned up its design a bit, added a more powerful processor, a better display and more customization options via its Moto Maker tool. With Moto Maker, buyers get to choose a band, body color, bezel color, pre-installed watch-face and more. And all models are IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.

This time around, Motorola decided to produce different sizes for men and women. Pricing starts at $299 and goes up from there depending on your choice of design and size.

The new Moto 360 runs the newest version of Android Wear, Google’s platform for wearables. The feature most rave about is the design. The smartwatch features a round display (360×330) with a design that is slimmer than the majority and more attractive to the eye. The screen is made out of Gorilla Glass 3 for added protection and has a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage space and either a 300mAh or 400mAh battery depending on the model. Motorola promises its smartwatch will last a full day on a single charge. The new Moto 360 also includes a variety of sensors that make Android Wear operate to its full capability. These sensors include a built-in accelerometer, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, vibration/haptics engine, optical heart rate monitor, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and dual microphones. A combination of these sensors allow the watch to track all your fitness data, receive notifications from your connected smartphone (Android 4.3+, iOS 8.2+) and pretty much anything else you want to do. Motorola has also made it easy to exchange different watch bands using standard band 16/20/22mm sizes. You won’t have to worry about the difficulty of plugging a cable in such a small confined space because the Moto 360 carries over wireless charging capabilities from its predecessor.

The Moto 360 has already launched in many countries and has generated a lot of attention over recent months. If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch and want one that stands out from the rest, the new Moto 360 has our recommendation.

[Motorola] [Google Store] [Best Buy]

Performance: Pebble Time Round

The Pebble Time Round does things a bit differently. Rather than putting a bunch of gimmicks together and throwing lots of features into a smartwatch that many people have no intend on using, Pebble takes a more conservative approach. The Time Round is a taste of Pebble in a new round body. Users get access to everything that comes inside the standard Pebble Time but in a different design. Pebble is marketing the smartwatch as the thinnest and lightest smartwatch ever made, and boy is it thinner than it looks. After wearing a thicker watch on your wrist for some time, putting on the Time Round feels out of the ordinary. But not everyone is loving the new design of the Time Round due to its super large bezel around the display. The company says it was the only place to put some of the required sensors. With the smartwatch’s unique slim profile, not all the sensors were able to fit in the small confined place.

The Time Round’s interface evolves around its hardware buttons which are used to navigate through the interface. The most stand out capability is Pebble’s timeline feature that shows all one’s daily tasks, calendar events, notifications, appointments and reminders in a day by day layout. It’s super easy to navigate and nothing gets in its way. The smartwatch is very reliable when it comes to receiving notifications and hardly ever misses a beat. Crashes, bugs and studders are completely unknown on this device as performance exceptionally exceeds par.

The variety of sensors built into the Time Round allow it to track one’s steps, fitness data and lots more. Best of all, whether you have an Android or iOS device, the Time Round can connect to just about all of them due to its lacking need of an app store. What you get when you open the box is pretty much what you get. Don’t be discouraged! There are still plenty of options to play around and customize your watch. This is an area where other manufacturer’s seem to overboard and bombard people with options, which can seem a bit overwhelming at first. The Time Round costs $249 just about everywhere you’ll look. And if you’re not big into the design of the Pebble Time Round, Pebble offers the Time and Time Steel with the same, if not lower, cost.

All in all, Pebble has well deserved a spot on this list with its Time Round. If you’re constantly switching ecosystems and don’t want to keep having to replace your smartwatch, this comes in handy. And if you’re one of those people who can’t stand plugging in their smartwatch nightly to charge, the Pebble Time Round’s whopping week-long battery life will catch you buy surprise. This smartwatch’s astonishing performance and great reliability are very much appreciated.

[Pebble] [Best Buy] [Amazon]

Closing

All five of these smartwatches have their reasons to be on this list. The ecosystem, battery life, functionality and design all contribute to what makes them independent from each other. This year was predicted to be the year of the wearable, and it looks like manufacturers have done enough to satisfy that claim. There’s still plenty of room for improvement as people are still facing a brief question: do I really need this? Others are waiting for that ‘wow factor’ before they buy one. Next year will likely be another big one for wearable technology and we can’t wait to see what time research and development brings. With these smartwatches already on the market, one could be reasonably excited about what’s in store for next year.

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