Best Wear OS watch 2021: our list of the top ex-Android Wear smartwatches
With so many options, it can feel tricky to know where to begin when finding the best Wear OS watch. Picking the right set of features as well as the right style is key, and that's before you consider your budget.
To help you narrow things down, we've tested pretty much every smartwatch running Google’s software on the market to bring you this definitive list of the best Wear OS watches going. It's regularly updated so you can be sure that the advice is current with the latest developments in Wear OS.
The list includes major brand names like Huawei, Fossil, TicWatch and Misfit, because they all offer the best Wear OS experience. However, the list doesn't include any watches from Fitbit and only one from Samsung as the majority of these wearables use their own operating system which provide different strengths to Wear OS.
When choosing a Wear OS watch, it's important to think about the design too. After all, you're wearing it so you want it to suit you. For the most part, the Wear OS remains the same but the style is what differs. Expect software that has a clean interface and focuses on providing you with notifications from your phone while also offering physical sensors to track your health and fitness. There's a watch for every budget too so everyone should be happy here.
Most of the wearables here have heart rate sensors with some also offering GPS built-in. That means when you go for a walk or run, your watch can still track your route even if you don't take your phone with you. Some also have NFC so you can make contactless payments, while all the watches on this list will count your steps and calories. It's these little things that make a Wear OS watch so much more than just a watch.
We've included only the most recent Wear OS products so you're guaranteed to have the latest software with no risk of outdated hardware, but make sure to read the individual reviews for each smartwatch to ensure you get the one that best suits your needs, tastes, and budget.
Best Wear OS watch 2021
Returning to Wear OS means the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is now the best Wear OS watch out there. It doesn't use a typical Wear OS UI, embracing One UI Watch 3 instead, but it's still a top-end smartwatch that can track workouts along with mostly everything else you can think of.
That comes at a price for iOS owners (don't count on it working with your iPhone) and you'll need a Samsung smartphone to gain features such as blood pressure or ECG measurements, but it's the right combination, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 offers great looks, decent battery life, and speedy performance.
Fitness enthusiasts will particularly appreciate the new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor that means the watch can track your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and body composition, right down to skeletal muscle mass and body fat percentage.
Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review
Looking for the greatest Wear OS watch money can buy? We currently think that's the Fossil Sport. It's not the very best smartwatch overall, and it doesn't boast many unique features but it does offer a fantastic all round package.
The Fossil Sport is a great combination of value and features in a lightweight body that you're able to wear comfortably day-to-day or when you're working out. There's GPS and the battery life often lasts around two days.
It was one of the first smartwatches to sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset. That means this watch offers a smoother experience than a lot of the others in this list.
Overall, if you're looking for a smoother experience or an easy to use smartwatch. you're almost certain to enjoy the Fossil Sport.
Read the full Fossil Sport review
Smartwatch manufacturer Mobvoi have a variety of TicWatch products in this list, but the very best is the TicWatch Pro 3. It comes with some top-end specs, a phenomenal battery life and it won't cost as much as some other smart wristwear either.
This uses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset with 1GB of RAM, and we found this smartwatch to be one of the most powerful devices of this list. Apps load quickly, and we didn't find any time where you'll be left waiting for something to boot up.
Where does this smartwatch come into its own? Battery life, as the smartwatch can last for up to 45 days in something called 'Essential Mode' that allows you to extend its battery life if you're away from your charger for extended periods. It'll even last for a full three days without that turned on though.
Read the full TicWatch Pro 3 review
The reason the TicWatch E2 sits so highly in this list is largely down to its price. It's one of the best cheap smartwatches money can buy, and it sports the latest in Wear OS software.
Compared to the last-gen TicWatch E, you'll get 30% better battery life here with our reviewer saying it lasted for over two days with average usage. You'll get less if you're using lots of fitness features though.
It's waterproof so you can take this watch into the swimming pool, there's GPS to track your location and there are lots of other features here too. It lacks NFC, so you can't use this for Google Pay, but considering the price you'll likely love what the TicWatch E2 can do.
Read the full TicWatch E2 review
The Gen 5 is a decent Fossil smartwatch but not a patch on the Fossil Sport sitting at number one in this ranking. The Gen 5 cost is more expensive without bringing too much else, but you might prefer its classic watch looks to the Sport’s more active design.
The Gen 5 comes in a larger Carlyle version or a smaller Julianna, but both have the same premium features like bright vibrant displays, GPS, a heart rate sensor, 1GB RAM and the latest Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, meaning it’s very fast and responsive.
Its battery saver modes are genuinely useful and it has water resistance up to 30m, but it’s more expensive than other Wear OS watches and the speaker is poor.
Read the full Fossil Gen 5 review
This watch is very similar to the TicWatch E2 on paper, and that's largely because it is. In fact, all of the spec is exactly the same here and the company has released two versions with different names because they have differing designs, but S2 has a more durable design than the E2 that is listed above.
The S2 has military grade durability so it should be able to take a bit more of a beating than any other watch on this list making it suitable for adventurers as well as runners.
Other than that, you'll have two-day battery life, GPS, a waterproof design and all the other benefits of the latest Wear OS software. If you're trying to save money look at the TicWatch E2, but if you prefer this design the S2 isn't much more expensive.
Read the full TicWatch S2 review
Misfit's second attempt at a Wear OS watch is a positive step in the right direction with this new product solving a lot of the issues we found with the first generation. There's NFC here for Google Pay, GPS so you can track your runs and you can get it in two separate sizes.
The design of this watch is simple, and that may be something you're looking for from your smartwatch. There's either a 1.2-inch or 1.4-inch display in the center of the watch, which is more than enough room to navigate around Wear OS.
This is one of the best smartwatches for exercising, and the lower price point than some of the alternative smartwatches on the market makes the Misfit Vapor 2 an attractive option for a lot of people.
Read the full Misfit Vapor 2 review
This isn't our favorite device in the TicWatch range - which takes up a lot of places near the top of this list - and that's because it isn't as innovative as the TicWatch Pro. That said, it's still a good option if you're looking for an affordable smartwatch.
In fact, this is one of the most affordable smartwatches if you want GPS and Google Pay support in the same package.
This isn't as built for fitness fans as a lot of other options on this list, but it does feature some elements for you to use to workout. With some impressive tech built-in considering the price, you should take a look at the TicWatch C2 before buying any other watch on this list.
Read the full TicWatch C2 review
The Huawei Watch 2 is an attempt by the Chinese company to widen the use of Wear OS watches. Huawei has tried to include a variety of new features in its latest smartwatch and it's not entirely clear if it succeeded with the Watch 2.
We like the built-in GPS and NFC on the watch as well as the option to have a 4G model, but the Huawei Watch 2 can be sluggish and the screen is a little small for some.
This may suit you though with an attractive design and a plethora of features, but the price is much higher than the original Huawei Watch.
Read the full Huawei Watch 2 review
- Check out our list for the best smartwatches money can buy
source https://www.techradar.com/news/best-wear-os-watch/
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