Best Android smartwatch 2024

The best Android smartwatches strike a balance between smarts and battery life, style and comfort, affordability and usefulness.

Some of our picks skew more in one direction, and several picks skip Wear OS for a more efficient and specialized OS. The main point is that the Android Central team has worn, field-tested, and reviewed every pick on this list, and most others on the market, to help narrow down the list to those we'd wear ourselves.

As wearables editor, I have worn seven of our top nine picks, and have a hands-on perspective on their perks and drawbacks. I chose the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Google Pixel Watch 3 for their balanced approach and wide appeal to Android users, but I've included every other pick you may prefer for perks like long battery life, life-saving tech, or fitness coaching.

With Cyber Monday coming soon, we've already seen several of the best Android watches available at steep discounts. So now's a great time to choose your new timepiece of choice, and start deal-hunting!

Written by

Written by

Michael Hicks

Michael Hicks is Android Central's resident smartwatch geek, having reviewed or tested dozens of wearables from Samsung, Google, Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, Coros, Polar, Withings, Amazfit, and others. He spends his free time running or hiking while wearing several watches at once, testing which is most accurate.

At a glance

Best overall

The Galaxy Watch 7 looks mighty similar to the last three Samsung watch generations, though plenty has changed under the hood. While I spent more time testing the Galaxy Watch Ultra than the Watch 7, many of the Ultra's best qualities are shared by the much-cheaper Watch 7, and it's an impressive device.

Our Galaxy Watch 7 reviewer had a similar impression: it "feels like a re-run" at first, but new software tricks like accessible gestures and a daily Energy Score make the experience fresher. It's the "zippiest smartwatch I've ever used" thanks to the new Exynos W1000 CPU, but it's "not magnitudes faster" than the already-fast Watch 6.

Specific to athletes, the Galaxy Watch 7 received triple the sensor LEDs, designed to capture more accurate heart rate data during workouts. Plus, it uses dual-band GPS to avoid signal errors and provide the most accurate outside workout data. The Watch Ultra and 7 share these upgrades, and since the Ultra performed exceptionally well for HR and GPS accuracy, that reliability applies to the Watch 7 as well.

Other Android watches are only now starting to catch up to the Galaxy Watch series in areas like its large, thin-bordered display, MIL-STD-810H and IP68 durability, and fast charging speeds. And they still fall behind in one key area: Samsung offers four years of software and security updates, so you can expect your Watch 7 to last until 2028, when other watches would be long abandoned.

Unlike the Watch 6, the Watch 7 has no "Classic" option, meaning you're stuck with the digital bezel with no physical bezel option. Still, as finicky as that can be, it's better than relying solely on buttons. It lasts about two days per charge in our tests, which is solid but is eclipsed somewhat by the pricier Galaxy Watch Ultra and other watches on this list.

Best for Wear OS

The Android Central staff loves the Google Pixel Watch 3. Even though the Galaxy Watch 7 beats it in a few key areas, more of us wear Google's option. Why? It's partly because of its close integration with Pixel and Google Home devices, but I suspect it's mainly because it looks so much more stylish. Looks matter in a watch!

In my Pixel Watch 3 review, I called the upgraded display "the star of the show." Google finally included a larger 1.43-inch option, but just as important, the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 shrunk the Pixel Watch 2's thick border so there's less unsightly wasted space. Whichever size you pick, you get doubled brightness and a twice-as-smooth refresh rate; I prefer the larger option because Wear OS 5 reflows content to take advantage of the extra space, and it only weighs 6g more.

Otherwise, when I compared the Pixel Watch 3 vs. 2, I didn't find many differences aside from minor boosts to Bluetooth, WiFi, and UWB. Most of the hardware and sensors remain the same; thankfully, we really liked the Pixel Watch 2 (aside from its display) and the Watch 3 is just as great of a wearable option.

One subtle change is to battery life. Wear OS 5 has several efficiency tweaks to background tasks and the XML watch face, and the Watch 3 45mm has extra capacity that stretches its lifespan to about two days with AOD; that's about on par with Samsung's, though short of other brands like OnePlus.

Should you choose the Pixel Watch 3 or Galaxy Watch 7? Samsung has a newer 3nm processor, more accurate dual-band GPS, a more durable (and boring) design, and an extra year of Wear OS updates for a lower price. There's a reason it claims our top spot. But if you prefer the Watch 3 for its looks and Google/Fitbit smarts, it's not a bad trade-off at all!

Best budget option

Most of the best Amazfit watches offer similar perks: bright AMOLED displays, long battery life, basic apps and notifications, and hundreds of sports modes paired with some AI insights. Out of all of them, our top recommendation is the Amazfit Balance, which lives up to its name and provides the best well-rounded experience.

Our Accessories editor Namerah Saud Fatmi is currently reviewing the Balance; while the review isn't done yet, she felt comfortable replacing our old pick (the Amazfit GTR 4) because the Balance does all of the same things, only slightly better.

Like the GTR 4, the Amazfit Balance has Alexa voice commands, music storage, Bluetooth calling, continuous heart rate and stress data plus SpO2, dual-band GPS for workouts, and Zepp Health insights. But it adds a few new tricks too, like a Zepp Flow AI assistant using OpenAI's GPT-4o, Zepp Coach workout plans, and contactless payments. Its massive 1.5-inch display now hits 1,500 nits for extra brightness, too.

Namerah says that the Balance's "battery life is unbelievable" and that she loves the "smoother UI" and overall redesign, which makes it feel "slimmer and lighter than the GTR 4" on par with the GTR Mini. She did warn that it "may be too big for some wrists" and that she wishes they'd put a silicone band in the box; she loves the nylon fit but "it doesn't always look professional or formal."

The Amazfit Balance doesn't give you the same app ecosystem or Google Assistant as Wear OS, but in exchange you get a watch that'll last one to two weeks instead of one to two days, and costs significantly less. Not a bad trade-off!

Best premium pick

After a Galaxy Watch Pro in 2022 and Classic in 2023, Samsung pivoted to the Galaxy Watch Ultra in 2024, with an Apple Watch Ultra 2-inspired design. It's not necessarily that different from the Galaxy Watch 7 in raw specs; it's primarily designed as an ultra-durable, long-lasting watch for those who prioritize style and battery life over comfort.

In my Galaxy Watch Ultra review, I highlighted some excellent perks like the excellent fitness accuracy, its better display brightness, and its "undoubtedly faster" performance compared to previous generations. I appreciated the extra Quick Button for shortcuts, though I wished that (A) it doubled as a crown to make up for the missing Classic bezel and (B) it let you add multiple shortcuts outside of workouts.

Like the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the Watch Ultra has a 590mAh battery, larger than the 425mAh capacity found in the Watch 7 with a comparable 1.5-inch display. After some early battery drain issues, Samsung patched the Galaxy Watch Ultra, and now it consistently lasts 60+ hours with the always-on display feature active. It's not quite as long lived as our next pick, but it's noticeably better than the Watch 7.

Are these perks enough to make you spend twice as much as you would on the Watch 7? We do appreciate its durable titanium case with extra water resistance, but that comes with a heavier design. The Watch 7 has the same CPU, software, and years of support; even if it's not as attractive and lacks the useful Quick Button, I'd still point more people to the Watch 7 unless you get a good trade-in deal and really want those premium perks.

Best battery life

OnePlus developed the Wear OS Hybrid interface in tandem with Google; it essentially lets third-party watch makers use a fast, battery-guzzling CPU for demanding tasks but a low-power coprocessor on a different OS for background tasks, stretching out battery life as long as possible.

Most Wear OS watches use this method — even Google, despite the Pixel Watches' short battery life — but OnePlus has mastered it, stretching out its Wear OS watches to consistently last three to four days.

Both the OnePlus Watch 2, reviewed by my colleague Harish Jonnalagadda, and my own OnePlus Watch 2R, share the same longevity. I ended up choosing my own watch for this slot for several reasons: It costs less, so it's not on the same price tier as Samsung and Google's watches. OnePlus fixed the Watch 2's issues with notifications and health tracking accuracy in time for the Watch 2R's release. And I think many will prefer the 2R's aluminum design — even if it looks less attractive than the Watch 2's steel — because it weighs 21g less.

The OnePlus Watch 2R isn't perfect. It gives you the basics for health tracking and fitness software, but you don't get quite the full-fledged experience that, say, Google offers, and I relied on third-party apps like Strava even as I appreciated its robust fitness hardware. It doesn't have the military-grade durability of the Watch 2, nor the crown controls of a Pixel Watch. That said, I think plenty of people will appreciate the low price and accept the compromises.

Overall, the OnePlus Watch 2R gives you strong performance and fantastic battery life, but may fall short for certain fundamentals that Samsung or Google watches offer, and we don't know for certain how quickly OnePlus will update its software. Case in point, both Samsung and Google have started rolling out Wear OS 5 to their last-gen watches, but we don't have a timetable yet for the OnePlus Watch 2.

Best last-gen option

Even though the Galaxy Watch 7 supplanted the Watch 6 for best Android watch, the 2023 watch still claimed that spot for a year, for good reason. My Galaxy Watch 6 review ran through its comfortable design, fast performance, respectable battery life, and streamlined software.

I also had plenty of praise for the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and its physical rotating bezel. Samsung abandoned this design with the Watch 7 series, prioritizing the more expensive Ultra instead. While I love my Ultra for all the reasons outlined directly above, the Classic has more convenient controls, weighs about the same, and now costs significantly less.

Samsung will point budget watch shoppers to the cheap Galaxy Watch FE, but the Galaxy Watch 6 has fallen to absurd new lows thanks to the Cyber Monday deals. And when I compared the Galaxy Watch 6 vs. FE, I found plenty of ways where the mainline watch is a much better purchase, like the better Exynos performance, brighter display, and extra skin temp sensor. As long as it's in stock, the Watch 6 is the better choice.

Why skip the Galaxy Watch 6 and buy the Watch 7? I had some complaints with the last-gen model's health sensors and GPS accuracy, and Samsung prioritized these fixes in the 2024 model, improving heart rate accuracy and adding dual-band GPS tracking that works as well as a Garmin watch. And the Watch 6's Exynos CPU has three fewer Cortex cores than the Watch 7, so it's less likely to handle demanding Wear OS tasks as quickly moving forward.

Now that Wear OS 5 is rolling out to the Watch 6, you're essentially getting the same software experience as on the Watch 7 for a lower price, and you won't see a major difference between them until 2028 (when the Watch 6 loses support).

Best for fitness

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, but I chose the Venu 3 — not just because it's #1 on that list — but because it's the closest Garmin has to a mainstream smartwatch.

As outlined in my Garmin Venu 3 review, it has tools unavailable on most other Garmin watches: a mic and speaker for Bluetooth calls and passthrough voice commands, an ECG sensor, skin temperature data, a Sleep Coach, a keyboard for texting, and a new UI that makes apps more accessible. That makes it less of an adjustment if you're used to "regular" watches.

As for why Garmin watches belong on this list, it's all about the fitness tools. It tells you how fit you are and how much your Body Battery has recharged based on HRV and sleep data. It lets you follow a Garmin Coach training calendar or see daily auto-suggested workouts based on your VO2 Max. After a run, you'll see what kind of training effect it had and how long before your body recovers. The above watches have some of these tricks, but not to the same extent as Garmin.

The Venu 3 itself lasts a ridiculous 2 weeks per charge, or 26 hours of GPS tracking, whereas your typical Android watch will die much more quickly. It has a thinner, steel-edged design compared to most plastic-heavy Garmins, with a bright AMOLED display. It's not the "smartest" watch, in that it has no third-party apps and doesn't communicate with Health Sync, but it's still a great option for athletes.

I'd love to switch out this pick for the fantastic Garmin Fenix 8, which has an offline voice assistant, superior battery life, and a host of training tools the Venu 3 lacks. But since it costs a whopping $1,100, it's hard to recommend.

Best health tracking

The Fitbit Sense 2 tracks your heart rate, heart rate variance (HRV), possible atrial fibrillation (AFib), blood oxygen, sleep quality, electrodermal body response (cEDA), stress levels (HRV), and skin temperature. When it first launched in 2022, these were all cutting-edge features; since then, Google coopted Fitbit tech for the superior Pixel Watch 2 and 3, and the Sense 2 became less special.

As someone who owned the original Sense, I appreciated how the Fitbit Sense 2 took advantage of the Fitbit-Google acquisition to add Google Maps and Wallet, as well as use a Wear OS-lite UI that was more intuitive than Fitbit's original OS and the new physical side button instead of the finicky capacitive button that I hated.

At the same time, I agreed with our Fitbit Sense 2 reviewer's frustrated response to the newer watch: Google cut out several smart features, disabling the wifi antenna, removing music storage and playback, cutting out limited third-party apps, and removing Google Assistant support. It was as if Google decided any smarts that weren't Google-branded weren't worth including.

So why include the Sense 2 on this list? Simply put, the fact that it has a bright, skinny AMOLED design and a six-day battery life, and that it's frequently found on sale these days for far less than the Pixel Watch series. If you want the health tools and Fitbit workouts of the Pixel Watch but a better battery life, the Fitbit Sense 2 is a very reasonable alternative. You'll have to accept the lack of smarts and phone integration, but that won't bother everyone.

Since Google has essentially confirmed that there won't be any new Fitbit-branded watches, the Sense 2 is the best option left for the brand for the foreseeable future.

Best hybrid

Rounding out our Android watch list, I'm including one more fitness-focused option that prioritizes battery life and a rugged, nostalgic design that'll appeal to fans of "dumb" watches from Casio or G-Shock. It'll give you even better training tools than the Venu 3 offers, in a more traditional package.

The Garmin Instinct Crossover is ultra-rugged, 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. It lasts 28 days in normal conditions, but if you buy the solar-panel version you can stretch that to over two months.

Two of my favorite Garmins, the Instinct 2X Solar and 2 Solar, also have epic battery lives, but they're also less stylish and accessible. The Instinct Crossover has most of the same software perks, but with an analog face and physical hands that slide out of the way when you get a notification. It looks fantastic anywhere, whereas the other Instincts are only suited for the trail.

As for what the Garmin Instinct Crossover brings to the table, it tracks your long-term training load, training readiness before a workout, and other useful metrics that the more casual Venu 3 skips. The Crossover also has the most accurate dual-band GPS tracking, while the Venu 3 is stuck with the mid-tier all-systems GNSS mode.

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Other watches we tested and recommend

Our picks for the best Android watches focus as much on balance as possible, because we can't know what your priorities are. You might choose the Galaxy Watch Ultra or OnePlus Watch 2R for battery life, but otherwise they bring very different things to the table. And we have other watches in mind that last even longer than both, but do other things worse.

That's why we're including this section on picks that didn't quite make the cut, but still qualify as great Android watches in their own right. They're all devices that I or my colleagues have tested and liked, but may fall short to the above picks in key ways. Still, don't sleep on these watches!

How to choose

What is the best smartwatch for an Android user?

First and foremost, Android users should look at the best Wear OS watches, since they have the best integration with your smartphone. But not all Wear OS watches are created equal.

Fossil, a mainstay on this list for years, have left Wear OS behind after years struggling to adjust to the new Wear OS 3 ecosystem. Mobvoi itself took a year longer than expected to update its Wear OS 2 watches to 3, and its latest flagship TicWatch Pro 5 and Pro 5 Enduro are still running the Wear OS 4 beta, with no Google Assistant and the upcoming Wear OS 5 unconfirmed.

OnePlus is an intriguing new option, with the Watch 2 and Watch 2R targeting the top brands for battery life and affordability. Buyers in Europe and Asia could also consider Xiaomi, now that it's adopted Wear OS, but we've yet to review these watches.

One key reason why we recommended the Galaxy Watch 7 and Pixel Watch 3 above the rest: Google will release new Wear OS updates every year between summer and fall, but only Google and its close partner Samsung are guaranteed to get the new features. Google and Samsung promise three and four years of updates for new products, respectively.

You don't have to choose a Wear OS watch, of course. Brands like Garmin and Fitbit are better suited for fitness fans, but also for folks who don't like using smartwatches beyond basic functions. Some people don't need watch apps if they'll happily use their smartphone for the same functions.

How do I choose smartwatch size?

Brands like Samsung and Garmin sell their watches in two sizes, so you can either prioritize comfort or display size. A Pixel Watch, on the other hand, only comes in one size, and it's on the smaller side.

A large display is very tempting to get the best view of apps and custom watch face data, but it could also make the watch heavier than your wrist can handle. If you prioritize comfort, you may not like having to bring the display closer to your eyes to read your notifications.

We can't forget about aesthetics, either. 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 3, with its fantastic edge-to-edge look that others can't match.

What features should I look for in a smartwatch?

These are some key smartwatch features that you won't see by default, and may have to go out of your way to find:

• More than one day of battery life
• NFC
• Third-party app support
• Fitness training apps or plans
• LTE support
• Passive AFib detection
• Fall detection
• Multiple tracking satellites
• MIL-STD-810G protection
• Specific controls (e.g., crown, rotating bezel, multiple buttons)
• Specific sensors (e.g., temperature, gyroscope, altimeter)

Of these, we have specific guides on the best smartwatches with LTE so you can make calls or check in without your phone on hand, or the best smartwatches for GPS tracking that offer more than the standard watch antenna that can only follow one satellite at a time.

You'll want to check if your watch supports tap-to-pay, or will register if you've fallen while working out or walking around your home. Folks with heart issues will also want to make sure you can check for irregular heart rhythm, either actively with an ECG or passively with a standard optical HRM.

Also, check the smartwatches' specifications page before buying to make sure you know what you're getting. For example, if you don't see an altimeter, that means your watch can't tell how many flights of stairs you've climbed or properly judge how hard you're working out.

Which smartwatch OS is best?

Wear OS is your best option because it syncs so completely with Android phones. Still, not all Wear OS versions are created equal. If a watch still uses Wear OS 3 or 3.5 today, that probably means the brand is struggling to implement certain features like Google Assistant, limiting the likelihood it'll ever catch up to the Galaxy or Pixel Watches.

Other smartwatch companies such as Garmin and Fitbit use their own operating systems. These are typically rudimentary in what they offer. Garmin offers a few downloadable apps like Spotify or partnerships with Strava and Komoot, but not anywhere near the level that a Wear OS offers. That's the trade-off you have to accept for the superior battery life.

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.

The Galaxy Watch 7 and Pixel Watch 3 typically last between 1.5 and 2 days, with features like AOD, voice-activated assistant, and music streaming making them trend down towards daily charges. Even though they're the best Android watches in some areas, they're not the best for battery.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra gives you three-day battery life if you're willing to spend a premium. But you can spend significantly less on a Ticwatch Pro 5 or OnePlus Watch 2 / 2R and get comparable performance.

Of course, three days isn't good enough for some people! If that's the case, then you don't want a traditional smartwatch with a full-fledged OS. You want an efficient fitness watch from Garmin, Fitbit, COROS, Polar, Suunto, or other fitness watch brands. These can last anywhere from a week (the Fitbit Sense 2) to two weeks (Garmin Venu 3), or sometimes even months with something like the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar.

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 7. This wearable is loaded with many features that users are looking for, and will retain its software support and trade-in value for years to come.

What makes the Galaxy wearables so great is the new Wear OS 5 platform mixed with powerful hardware and a complete sensor suite designed to track all of your health data, day and night. 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 dual-band GPS for monitoring outdoor runs or bike rides.

If you're not interested in a Samsung smartwatch or simply prefer how Google does things, we recommend the Google Pixel Watch 3 for obvious reasons. It gives you most of the same perks, but with a Pixel-like flair that other Android users will love.

How we test

Android Central has been reviewing smartwatches since the original Samsung Gear series a decade ago. Since then, we've taken watches as seriously as phones; we know that smartwatches are both an extension of the Android experience and an important standalone device.

That's why we take weeks with any wearable before offering a "final" review and recommendation. For example, we published an "initial" Pixel Watch 3 review in early September with weeks of impressions, but we didn't publish our "final" Watch 3 review until late October, once we could provide long-term impressions and catch subtle issues.

With each smartwatch, we test its performance speed, battery life for both casual and active use, and its latest software and apps.

Since I took over as Wearables Editor, I've done my best to emulate the testing-heavy approach of popular fitness sites and YouTubers. I never trust the health and fitness data by default: I use chest or arm straps to test heart rate, a pedometer for step count, and multiple dual-band GPS watches to compare accuracy.

I truly mean it when I say that I won't recommend a device without first making sure that it's trustworthy, and I'll never hold back on a device's faults just because it's a popular brand.

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