Are you planning to buy a smartwatch? You may be in doubt between the Apple Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but which one should you have? And then there are all those other brands that also make smart watches. Choices, choices. Time to make it easier with this decision aid, containing the Top 10 best smartwatches of the moment, tips for your purchase and answers to all your questions!
Top 10 best smartwatches- 1. Apple 4 Watch Series 6
- 2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
- 3. Samsung Galaxy Watch
- 4. Apple Watch Series 4
- 5. Garmin Vivoactive
- 6. Fitbit Iconic
- 7. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire
- 8. TicWatch E2
- 9. Fossil Q Explorist
- 10. Huawei Watch GT
- Apple Watch
- Fitbit
- Samsung
- Smart watch for kids
- Does the Apple Watch only work with an iPhone?
- What good is GPS on your smartwatch?
- What are the best apps for your smartwatch?
- How can you pay with your smartwatch?
- How long does the battery last?
- How do you charge a smartwatch?
- Are smartwatches safe?
- Can you change the straps?
Top 10 smartwatches (December 2020)
1. Apple Watch Series 6
The best smartwatch 9 Score 90+ Beautiful screen
+ Super fast
+ Very complete
- Vulnerable screen in case of fall
The 6th generation Apple Watch is the best all-round smartwatch. The integration with iOS makes this a very intuitive device. The bright screen of the Series 6 is always on and the smart watch also has a saturation meter that measures your oxygen level. Charging is a lot improved compared to its predecessors. Read our full Apple Watch series 6 review.
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Value for money 9 Score 90+ User-friendly
+ Integrated GPS and WiFi
+ Stylish design
- No payment function
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is an excellent smartwatch for its price. It is a stylish watch with minimalist casing. Thanks to the wide range of fitness and health applications, the Active 2 is extremely suitable for athletes. In addition, there are plenty of useful apps for this device. Including a navigation app.
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch
The most beautiful of the bunch 9 Score 90+ Design
+ Smart control
+ Functionality- Price
The Galaxy Watch is probably the most beautiful smartwatch out there. The rotating ring not only looks great, it is also very practical for browsing menus and apps. It also prevents greasy fingers and smudges on the touch screen. Furthermore, Samsung is investing heavily in apps for the Galaxy Watch. From the NOS to Buienradar and home delivery: the Galaxy Watch is at home in all markets.
4. Apple Watch Series 4
Affordable variant 7 Score 70+ WatchOS 7
+ Fall detection
+ Fast
- Price
The fourth generation of the Apple Watch is an excellent choice for those who find the Apple Watch series 6 still too pricey at the moment. Although the Apple Watches are traditionally hefty in price, with this fourth edition Apple's smartwatch is almost perfect and no longer a nerdy gadget. The fact that the Series 4 is able to make an EKG (heart film) and that it has a 'fall detector' (with which it can call the emergency services in the event of an accident), make it a special device. Read our review here.
5. Garmin Vivoactive 4
For the fanatics 8 Score 80+Easy to operate
+ Solid and very complete version
- Blood oxygen meter consumes a lot of energy
- Screen is faded
Garmin is a popular brand among many avid athletes. The Garmin smartwatch is not so much for apps and other functionalities, but to accurately track all activities – from long cycling routes to the number of stairs you climb in a day. A pedometer, heart rate monitor, GPS; the Garmin Vivoactive 4 has everything on board to accurately record your activities. Read our full review here.
6. Fitbit Ionic
Fitness tracker with smartwatch features 8 Score 80+ Sensors
+ Great app
- No Google Fit/Apple Health
- Expensive for its functionality
We've known for a while that Fitbit could make good fitness trackers. And partly due to the expertise of Pebble, most of the smartwatch features of this Ionic are also reasonably successful. The menu structure could have made more sense if the buttons on the side had simply been omitted, and that would also have improved the looks. Opinions are therefore divided about the design, but the Ionic certainly looks sleek and simple. Read our review here.
7. Garmin Fēnix 6 Pro Sapphire
For the adventurer 8 Score 80+ Very long battery life
+ Suitable for almost all sports
- Heavy
- Big
This is a very robust smartwatch. The Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire has a water resistance of up to 10 ATM and a screen that is protected by sapphire glass. This also keeps the smart watch in place. The large size makes the watch a bit heavy, and therefore not suitable for everyone. This Garmin has a whole laundry list of functions, including displaying golf courses and piste maps. In addition, the battery lasts a very long time.
8. TicWatch E2
Cheap and versatile 7 Score 70+ Price
+ Battery life
- Cheap design
- No NFC
The TicWatch E2 is a very good smartwatch for its price. Thanks to WearOS and the necessary sports apps, this model is on many fronts not inferior to the more expensive competition. With this smartwatch you can measure your heart rate and track your sporting performance. For the real hardware freak, this model may be a bit short in terms of performance and looks. But the low price and versatility make this an excellent device.
9. Fossil Q Explorist
Just like a real watch 7 Score 70+ Design
+ Battery life
- No heart rate monitor
- No GPS
The Q Explorist runs on Google's Wear OS and has the functions you would expect from a smartwatch. For example, notifications of incoming e-mails and reminders for calendar appointments are transferred to the gadget on your wrist. In the fitness area, steps, distances and calories burned are tracked. However, a heart rate sensor or GPS is missing. Operation is simple and intuitive. Menus can be navigated by tapping and swiping, or by turning the crown on the side.
10. Huawei Watch GT
Clock with a long breath 6 Score 60+ Design
+ Battery life
- Few apps
- Not so smart
Huawei had trouble selling smartwatches with Wear OS, so they have developed their own platform on which the watch runs. Slightly less functional, but much more efficient. The Huawei Watch GT therefore works for more than a week on a battery charge. That is, if you don't use the heart rate monitor and GPS. When you decide to become active, it is of course necessary to turn it on.
Tips for your smartwatch
Although you simply wear a smartwatch like a watch, these wrist assistants tell you much more than just the current time and date. In combination with your smartphone, a smartwatch is able to show you notifications, display health data or even make contactless payments.
A smartwatch is in fact an extension of your smartphone. Apart from displaying the time, you can use it to check notifications, such as your calendar and whatsapps. You can even respond instantly via voice recognition or pre-programmed responses. In addition, thanks to speech recognition, you can also use voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Siri.
A smartwatch is also useful as a health coach. Thanks to a built-in pedometer and (possibly) a heart rate monitor, you can accurately check how (often) you move and what the impact is. In addition, many smartwatches have a built-in GPS, so that you can accurately map your route.
You can also use this GPS to navigate with Google Maps, because of course you also have an app store where you can download all kinds of useful apps - from airlines to parking, 9292 and shopping lists.
Apple Watch
The most famous smartwatch is the one from Apple. Most smartwatches try to look like a regular watch with their round shape. The Apple Watch doesn't try that and is a square block on your wrist, but with a watch-like terminal block.
In the meantime, six generations of the Apple Watch have been released. The Apple Watch has become very recognizable in the meantime. Apple itself realizes that health is the most important part of a smartwatch and has therefore made the Apple Watch enormously advanced.
The heart rate monitor is able to make heart movies and fall detection automatically switches on rescuers when you fall and stay still. This function is not easy to deceive, however. The 2020 Apple Watch includes a sensor that measures the oxygen content of your blood.
Fitbit
Those who prioritize the sporty character can also opt for a Fitbit smartwatch. Although Fitbit is known for its sporty wristbands, the company also makes smartwatches that are very similar to the Apple Watch.
A Fitbit smartwatch is a real sports coach on your wrist, helping you move more and get more out of your exercises. Of course there is a heart rate monitor, you can record your routes with GPS and you can see what you are burning and taking in.
Fitbit Pay has been available in the Netherlands for some time now. This way you can get a bottle of drink during your run, without necessarily needing your wallet.
Of course, the built-in Google Assistant has been given a prominent place, so that you hardly have to touch the screen, and the Play Store is present for extra apps.
Samsung
Tastes differ, of course, but as far as we're concerned, the most beautiful smartwatches come from the Samsung stable – first under the name Samsung Gear, nowadays the smartwatches are called Galaxy Watch.
Not only are the smartwatches equipped with a beautiful touch screen, the ring around the screen also works extremely smart. You can operate the Galaxy Watch by turning the ring, but you can also simply use the touchscreen.
Samsung stops its smartwatches packed with functionality: from sports to operating media and a richly filled application store. Samsung also wants to make the possibilities of its smartwatch available to everyone. It doesn't matter if you have an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy device or any other smartphone, the Galaxy Watch can handle it!
Smart watch for kids
Most smartwatches are for sports and health purposes, keeping your diary, travel, and so on. But there are also smartwatches especially for children, although they are actually interesting for the parents; after all, via the built-in GPS you can see exactly where the smartwatch (and therefore the child) is located.
There is also often an SOS button that the children can use in case of an emergency and it is possible to start messages and voice calls with the wearer of the watch. Handy, while your child can make the most of the schoolyard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Apple Watch only work with an iPhone?
Although an Apple Watch also functions fine without a smartphone at its side these days, the link only works with an iPhone.
What good is GPS on your smartwatch?
You mainly use GPS on your smartphone to navigate, for example with Google Maps. However, what GPS is particularly suitable for is route registration. If you often exercise outside, it provides valuable data if you record with your GPS chip which route you walk, how long it took you and what speeds you achieved.
What are the best apps for your smartwatch?
The range of apps for your smartwatch is not as extensive and diverse as for your smartphone. Nevertheless, there are more and more interesting apps to be found, such as the 9292OV app, which currently shows you what time you will arrive somewhere and when you have to change trains. The KLM app ensures that you have your flight ticket on your watch screen, the Parkmobile app is ideal for parking payments, the Appie app has a shopping list and the athlete can have fun with Google Fit.
How can you pay with your smartwatch?
You link your bank card to your smartwatch, after which you only have to hold it against the payment terminal, just like you do with contactless payment with your debit card. In some cases you still have to enter the PIN code on your watch.
How long does the battery last?
That depends on several factors. Of course how often you use it, but also what the smartwatch can do. If you use the pedometer, GPS and the heart rate monitor continuously, the battery of some smartwatches will be empty after a day (a smartwatch lasts about three days on average).
How do you charge a smartwatch?
You charge a smartwatch by placing it on a base station (usually magnetically) or by putting a kind of squeeze-like plug on it. It then charges via pins or wirelessly (via induction).
Are smartwatches safe?
Just like with smartphones, in the case of smartwatches, you don't have to worry about malware, for example. However, there are many concerns about children's smartwatches, especially with lesser known brands. They often transmit data unsecured so that it can be read by others, or data is collected for dubious purposes, such as selling to advertisers.
Can you change the straps?
You can change straps with almost all smartwatches. In some cases, you can even use a regular watch strap. However, most smartwatches have their own straps.
