Best Android smartwatch 2023

The best Android smartwatch isn't just the most stylish or feature-packed; the wearable needs to balance thoughtful, versatile design, with a reasonable price tag and software that simply just makes sense. We've reviewed, rated, and of course, worn just about every wearable on the market, so if you're looking to buy a new smartwatch, you've come to the right place. 

With the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Pixel Watch 2 leaping into the fray, most Android superfans will look closely at those two options at the top of our list. Our list goes well beyond those two, however! From cheaper options to fitness-focused watches, hybrids and last-gen models, you have plenty of options available to you.

We're highlighting all types of wearables across a range of prices, so keep reading to find the watch that's right for you.

At a glance

Best overall

If you owned the Galaxy Watch 4 or Watch 5, you'll find a lot of familiar elements in the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. With this new flagship wearable, Samsung continues their commitment to the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" philosophy, presenting a sleek wearable that comes with all of the good stuff you'd expect, such as excellent Wear OS software, tons of health and fitness tracking features, and a super-durable construction. 

As outlined in our Galaxy Watch 6 review, the watch is a bit of an "iterative upgrade", but considering that its predecessor long held the top spot as the best Android watch that money can buy, we shouldn't complain too much, right? Powered by the Samsung Exynos W930 processor, the Galaxy Watch 6 offers snappy and responsive performance, while its battery should easily surpass a full day with zero fuss. There's also a boost in RAM with the Galaxy Watch 6, and narrower borders mean that the display is better-looking than ever before. These small updates, paired with a slightly slimmer construction, easily make the Galaxy Watch 6 the Android watch to beat in 2023. 

Bottom line: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 still offers the best combination of Samsung's hardware ingenuity mixed with Google's software. While a couple of health-tracking features are exclusive to Samsung phones, it otherwise will work perfectly well with your Android phone of choice. It'll only last you a little over a day, but twice-as-fast recharging solves this issue.

Best for Wear OS

We polled the Android Central staff as to whether the Pixel Watch 2 or Galaxy Watch 6 is the "best" Android smartwatch, and it led to some passionate debate. In the end, although several staff members said they preferred the Pixel Watch 2 personally for its design and UI, the Galaxy Watch 6 beats the Pixel Watch 2 for battery life, multiple size options, display brightness, durability, and other key areas.

Still, as our Pixel Watch 2 review indicates, Google's latest watch gets a ton of things right and may be a better choice depending on what you want. The improved rotating crown gives you more control than a digital bezel while weighing less than the Watch 6 Classic's physical bezel; the Pixel Watch 2 itself "barely even feels like it's on [your] wrist." And the Pixel Watch 2, while it pairs best with a Pixel phone, doesn't have any features that require it — something that can't be said about the Galaxy Watch 6.

The Pixel Watch 2 has double the Galaxy Watch's storage, plus the benefit of Fitbit Premium fitness tracking and health reports where Samsung falls short. Performance is also a major step up between the last gen's Exynos chip and this model's Snapdragon W5 chip, paired with a healthy 2GB of RAM; in our tests, the load time for apps seems comparable between both watches. 

Bottom line: If you want "one of the most striking and beautiful smartwatches on the market" that bundles Wear OS and Fitbit in a natural way, this is the watch for you. 

Best budget option

Amazfit has a wide range of watches that fall into the budget Android watch category. While they use an Amazfit OS rather than Wear OS — meaning you don't get the same Android phone integration for actionable notifications or any third-party apps — they do give you a wide range of health and fitness tracking tools and a lightweight, attractive design aesthetic. 

Our Amazfit GTS 3 Pro reviewer praised the watch for its speedy, easily navigatable operating system and its seamless health tracking tools for continuously detecting heart rate, blood oxygen, stress levels, and sleep quality. Best of all, it has a 12-day battery life. Like most fitness watches, that number decreases with continuous health tracking or AOD active, but even with heavy use it lasted 6 days in our testing — well above what almost any other Android watch can add.

Bottom line: With the GTR 3 Pro, you're getting a large AMOLED screen and a gorgeous design, lag-free interface with lots of customizability, and six-day battery life. Yes, it misses out on a few software features, but it excels at the basics, and that battery life makes it worthy of consideration.

Best battery life

It may not have a name like Samsung or Google to back it up, but the Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 5 nevertheless rivals the best wearables that those brands can produce. As we described in our recent Ticwatch Pro 5 review, the smartwatch is one of the best new devices we’ve seen all year, complete with multiple days of battery life and some pretty incredible performance thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor.

With its simple yet rugged design, the Ticwatch Pro 5 also functions as an excellent hybrid watch; the Essential Mode keeps the watch ticking even when the battery runs out, while the rotating crown component gives the watch a more tactile, durable feel. At $349.99, it’s the same price as the Google Pixel Watch 2 and slightly cheaper than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, so it’d be understandable if you wanted to try this watch instead. In fact, we found that the Ticwatch Pro 5 held its own against those two popular brands in just about every metric, so it really comes down to personal taste. 

Our main concern is about software updates: at this time, we simply don’t know what Wear OS updates for the Ticwatch Pro 5 will look like in the future. In that sense, the Pixel Watch 2 is the safer option, with similar specs and better fitness software. But at the same time, the Ticwatch Pro 5's battery is a boon that Google can't hope to match.

Bottom line: The Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 5 gives both Samsung and Google a run for their money with a stylish wearable with premium performance, excellent battery life, and a physical rotating crown. Perfect for anyone who likes the look of a Pixel Watch but would prefer a slightly larger watch face. 

Best last-gen option

One main reason to check out the Pixel Watch 2 or Galaxy Watch 6 is that Google and Samsung promise years of speedy software updates and security patches for their watches, something other brands can't always deliver. So if you want some longevity but also want to save money, you can always buy a last-gen option. 

For this spot, we weighed the Pixel Watch vs. Galaxy Watch 5, and you can certainly make a case for the Watch 5: it has a few years of updates left and can often be found for a low price. But we're choosing the Pixel Watch here because if you're buying an older watch, you're probably not looking for cutting-edge specs as much as something reliable and stylish. 

The Pixel Watch, despite its flaws, simply looks better, which is why the Pixel Watch 2 kept the same design. And comparing the Pixel Watch 2 vs. Pixel Watch, you'll find that the first-gen watch matches its successor in RAM, storage, display resolution and brightness, Wear OS software, and most Fitbit functionality. 

Our Pixel Watch reviewer praised many of the same positives that ported over to the Watch 2, such as the "subtle and satisfying" rotating crown and "snappy" performance. While the Pixel Watch 2 is slightly better for battery, this should still last you a day per charge. And since Google rolled out Wear OS 4 to the Pixel Watch just a short time after the Pixel Watch 2 launch, it's clear that Google is doing a good job of supporting it.

Bottom line: The Google Pixel Watch remains one of the best Android watches despite being supplanted by the Pixel Watch 2. Look at the newer watch first, but if you spot this on sale, it's still a reliable watch.

Best premium pick

Samsung switched this generation from a Pro design to a Classic design. While we love the Classic for its style and rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro brings something unique to the table for Samsung: a consistent 3-day battery life and titanium build, making it lighter and longer-lasting than the Classic. 

Despite the last-gen numbering, the Watch 5 Pro holds up to scrutiny today, not least because it received the Wear OS 4 update by end of August. In our Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review testing across multiple units, it consistently lasted three days even with continuous heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep tracking, as well as a couple of hours of GPS-backed workout and regular app use — three times longer than the average lifestyle watch and twice as long as the standard Galaxy Watch 5. Since the Galaxy Watch 6 battery life is shorter than the Watch 5, it tells you just how far ahead the Watch 5 Pro is if you use battery-guzzling features like AOD, music streaming, or always-listening assistant.

The other Pro perk is that, along with the sapphire crystal display, the case itself is made of titanium materials that are more likely to withstand heavy falls without anything getting damaged or scratched. The design itself has the display recessed underneath the outer bezel, whereas the standard Galaxy Watch 6 display is flush, and therefore more exposed to possible damage.

Bottom line: The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro isn't meant for pro athletes, but rather for pro Android users who plan to use it for frequent health sensor tracking, music storage and streaming, LTE phone calls, and other mobile tools squeezed into its relatively massive display — all without having to recharge it daily like you would with most other picks on this list.

Best fitness smartwatch

You can't discuss the best Android watches and not mention Garmin. Frankly, any of the best Garmin watches could be in the conversation to join this list, if it weren't for the fact that they're both expensive and historically not very good at phone integration aside from quick-reply messages. The Venu 3 is the closest Garmin comes to a "smart" watch, so it claims this spot.

A Pixel Watch 2 with Fitbit Premium can take your health and fitness data and give you a Daily Readiness Score and recommendations for how long to work out at what exertion level. The Garmin Venu 3 does the same thing, only with more specificity and without a subscription. It tells you how many hours of recovery time you need after a workout, how much your Body Battery has recharged based on HRV and sleep data, and lets you follow Garmin Coach training plans to work towards a personal best for running or cycling.

The Venu 3 itself lasts a ridiculous 2 weeks per charge, or 26 hours of GPS tracking, where your typical Android watch will probably die after maybe 4 hours of satellite data. Along with continuous heart rate and blood oxygen data, you can take ECG readings to measure your heart rhythm. And there are rumors Garmin will activate a dormant skin temperature sensor next, bringing it closer to the industry standard.

We're currently testing the Venu 3 for review, but are unsurprisingly happy with it thus far. Plus, AC editor Jerry Hildenbrand tested it and called it much better than Google and Samsung watches if you're in a wheelchair. You may want to choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 for more specialized coaching tools like Training Readiness and acute load, but the Venu 3 is the more mainstream device with a built-in mic and speaker to answer calls and connect with your phone's built-in assistant with a button shortcut. 

Bottom line: Although not as smart as the other picks on the list, the Venu 3 makes up for this by running much more efficiently, lasting for weeks at a time without issue. Athletes who want animated exercise guidance and non-stop sensor tracking without fear of their watch dying on them should take a close look. 

Best health tracking

The Fitbit Sense 2 tracks your heart rate, heart rate variance (HRV), possible atrial fibrillation (AFib), blood oxygen, sleep quality, stress levels, and skin temperature. The last two, in particular, are where the Sense 2 stands apart: the new continuous electrodermal (cEDA) sensor has all-day body response tracking to warn you if you're overstressed, while the temperature sensor can warn you if you're possibly unwell and judge if your body temperature is hurting your sleep quality.

When reviewing the Sense 2, we appreciated how Fitbit used its Google connections to implement Wear OS-like menus, a physical side button that's a major improvement over the capacitive button on the original Sense, and implemented some Google apps like Wallet and Maps, making it the best Fitbit device available. It also has a stylish design with a bright AMOLED display, and a six-day battery life with standard use. That consistent battery life and extra sensors are why you might consider the Sense 2 over the Pixel Watch, which also has Fitbit integration but lacks the health data to provide the comprehensive reports that make Premium worth using.

Bottom line: As one of the most popular names in the wearable world, Fitbit is always a good option. The Sense 2 is centered around health and fitness tracking, ideal for workout enthusiasts or anyone who needs to keep a close eye on their heart health. 

Best hybrid smartwatch

Garmin excels at making versatile hybrid smartwatches that don’t skimp on the features you need, and the Instinct Crossover is no exception. At first glance, the Garmin Instinct Crossover appears to be another ultra-rugged wearable, with an analog face and physical hands that keep track of the minute and hour. The watch is constructed from durable fiber-reinforced polymer and stainless steel, while the 10ATM water-resistance rating guarantees that you can take this watch just about anywhere.

Despite its no-frills, analog appearance, the Garmin Instinct Crossover is compatible with both Android and iOS, and you get all of the health and fitness tracking sensors you could ever need, such as heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and Pulse Ox. The watch also comes with built-in GPS and Garmin Pay. When we reviewed the Garmin Instinct Crossover, we also found that the watch is truly incredible in the battery life department; even when you don’t buy the Solar edition, the Crossover will last up to 28 days on a single charge in smartwatch mode and a whopping max of 71 days when it’s in battery saver mode.  

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a hybrid smartwatch that you can count on, don’t sleep on the Garmin Instinct Crossover. Complete with a rugged design and analog hands to mark the minute and hour, this watch gives you old school reliability with modern smartwatch features, such as GPS, heart rate monitoring, Pulse Ox, and more. Plus the battery will last almost a full month on a single charge in smartwatch mode. 

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FAQ

What is the best smartwatch for an Android user? 

The good news about wearing a smartwatch in 2023 is that there are tons of options on the Wear OS side. If that's not quite your speed, you also have some fantastic options from other leading companies such as Samsung (which puts its own spin on Wear OS), Fitbit, and Garmin.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is an outstanding choice for most people and has received our most coveted best overall recommendation for multiple reasons. It's the best watch on the new Wear OS 4 platform, so that in itself is pretty exciting. You'll also have optional LTE connectivity, built-in GPS, activity, sleep, heart-rate tracking, smartphone notifications, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, etc. It doesn't get much better than this. Considering all of the improvements and upgrades, it's priced reasonably.

Of course, everyone has their preferences. If you're unsure how you feel about Wear OS 4, or are not particularly fond of Samsung Health, your choices certainly don't stop there. You'll have your pick of many other wearables, whether it be from Fitbit, Garmin, Mobvoi, or any other brand that has captured your attention.

How do I choose smartwatch size?

First and perhaps most importantly, you'll need to determine what size watch you're after. Smaller watches are often a bit cheaper than their larger counterparts, and some watches may be too large or small for your wrist, which will quickly thin out the herd. There's a huge difference in price and comfort between the Galaxy Watch 6 40mm and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 47mm, for instance.

And, of course, we can't forget about aesthetics. After all, you're still shopping for a watch, and it should be compatible with your style. You can always opt for one of the fashionable options. If you're looking for the best smartwatch for women, you might prefer something more subtle like the Fossil Gen 6. We'd point you to the Pixel Watch 2, with its fantastic edge-to-edge look that others can't match.

What features should I look for in a smartwatch?

You'll also need to weigh the importance of features like GPS, fitness and sleep tracking, cellular connectivity, heart-rate monitoring, and mobile payments. Fortunately, it's not hard to find a watch that has a bit of everything these days. With that said, your list of options will be much shorter if you're set on having a watch with cellular connectivity. You'll only find three models on this list with that feature, so the pickings are rather slim. Not everyone is buying a smartwatch for LTE connectivity, so this won't be a deal-breaker for most users.

Some of the more common features on most smartwatches these days include GPS, fitness tracking, and heart-rate monitoring. Some models still have yet to jump on the built-in GPS wagon, so you'll have to decide how much this means to you. You'll be pleased to learn there are many smartwatches and fitness trackers with GPS to pick from. Granted, you can still use connected GPS via your smartphone, but it's not nearly as convenient. This is a more common issue on trackers than smartwatches. Some of the best fitness trackers don't offer built-in GPS. Fortunately, most of the Android smartwatches on this list have onboard GPS.

Another feature we see more and more of is NFC for mobile payments. In fact, more than half of the wearables on this list have it. For example, you won't find it on the more niche watches, like the Garmin Vivomove Sport. However, that's mainly because those models are geared toward a different user type.

Which smartwatch OS is best?

Choosing an operating system can be tricky, especially now that you have to factor Wear OS 4 and 3 into the equation. If you're new to the smartwatch world, you might be indifferent on the matter, but it can affect your overall experience, so it's worth mulling over. One of the most common concerns is how well your smartphone will work with your smartwatch.

Is it easier and more fluid to have an Android smartwatch paired with an Android smartphone? Absolutely. Should that be the deciding factor? Not necessarily. You can use an iPhone with some Android smartwatches but be prepared for some hiccups. There can also be certain limitations, like not using the quick reply feature to respond to a text message from your watch.

Other smartwatch companies such as Garmin and Fitbit use their own operating systems. This can involve a bit of a learning curve in some cases, but it just might be worth it. For example, if you're a passionate runner who frequently tracks your workouts and other stats, Garmin is an excellent choice. On the other hand, casual athletes might find the simple nature of FitbitOS to be user-friendly and easier to navigate.

How much battery life do I need in a smartwatch?

Some users can't stand having to take their watch off every 24 hours to charge it. Luckily, there are many multi-day battery life picks on this list. You can also go for a model with advanced technology that helps extend battery life, like the Ticwatch Pro 5 and its Essential mode. 

Or, you can simply prioritize watches with fast charging speed, and accept that you'll need to find times before or after bed to set it on the charger before you go about your day or use sleep tracking.

If you're still determined to find a watch with superior battery life, Garmin and Fitbit offer some of the best options for a week or more of battery life. For example, you can get a full fourteen days of battery with Garmin Venu 3 or a solid six days with the Fitbit Sense 2.

Once you've hammered out these essential details, you should be able to form a general idea of what type of Android smartwatch you should buy. No matter which option you choose, you can look forward to owning a nifty piece of tech that will help you track your health and fitness while also giving you a fun accessory to pair with your style.

What are the best Android smartwatches?

If you're currently in the market for the best Android smartwatch, you should consider our best overall pick, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. This wearable is loaded with many features that users are looking for, while maintaining an attractive design. However, if you don't mind spending a bit more money on a premium watch, you should consider upgrading to the battery-packed Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. These are some of the most impressive Android wearables to date.

What makes the Galaxy wearables so great is the new Wear OS 4 platform mixed with beautiful hardware. For example, the Galaxy Watch 6 and 5 Pro have a "virtual" bezel that lets you move around the software by rotating around the edge of the vivid AMOLED display, while the Watch 6 Classic has an actual physical bezel to rotate through apps and tiles.

Samsung Health has also improved immensely over the last couple of years, and features a well-rounded selection of workout tracking options, as well as a built-in GPS for monitoring outdoor runs or bike rides. Battery life tops out at around 40 hours, and the included sports bands are comfortable enough that you'll forget you're wearing anything on your wrist at all — until a notification comes in, which is easy to activate or dismiss.

If you're not interested in a Samsung smartwatch or simply prefer how Google does things, we recommend the Google Pixel Watch 2 for obvious reasons. It gives you most of the same perks, but with a Pixel-like flair that other Android users will love.

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