Selecting the ideal smartwatch for your health: Comprehensive buying guide

In the fast-paced world of wearables, picking the perfect smartwatch can feel like deciphering a complex code. Don’t worry, this guide is your decoder ring! We’ll unveil the secrets to navigating the ever-expanding selection of smartwatches, ensuring you choose the one that seamlessly integrates with your life. Fitness fanatics will discover how to prioritize features like GPS and advanced metrics. Health-conscious users can explore options for in-depth sleep tracking and blood oxygen monitoring.

We’ll even guide you through compatibility with your phone’s operating system, ensuring a frustration-free connection. Beyond functionality, we’ll delve into battery life and design aesthetics, helping you find a watch that complements your style and keeps up with your needs. By the end of this comprehensive guide, you’ll be a smartwatch savant, ready to decide the perfect timepiece to elevate your productivity and well-being.

What factors to consider when buying a smartwatch?

The smartwatch world is overflowing with options, each carrying a unique set of features. To pick the ideal one for your wrist, prioritize these key points:

Compatibility: This is rule number one to ensure seamless pairing with your phone. Smartwatches typically work with either Android or iOS, and some offer compatibility with both. This solely depends on the brand of smartwatch, like WearOS watches works with iOS but the experience is limited. Similarly, Apple watches are not compatible with Android smartphones. Before buying a smartwatch, make sure to check its compatibility with your smartphone.

Style and comfort: Look for options with different watch faces, customizable bands, and designs that suit your taste. Comfort is crucial, so choose a watch with a lightweight and breathable band that sits comfortably on your wrist.

Smart functionality: Smartwatches are all about convenience! Look for features like call and text notifications, allowing you to stay connected without whipping out your phone. NFC (Near Field Communication) enables contactless payments, perfect for quick purchases on the go. Music control from your wrist is another bonus, letting you manage your tunes without reaching for your phone.

Health racking: Beyond fitness, many smartwatches cater to the health-conscious. Look for features like sleep tracking to analyse your sleep patterns and offer insights for better sleep hygiene. Blood oxygen monitoring (SpO2) is another valuable feature for tracking your oxygen levels, particularly useful for those with respiratory concerns.

Which health features to consider when buying a smartwatch?

When selecting a smartwatch for health, several key features can make a significant difference in monitoring and improving your well-being. Firstly, consider the accuracy and variety of health sensors. Look for watches with heart rate monitors, which can provide real-time data and help track your resting and active heart rates. Also, consider watches with SpO2 sensors for monitoring blood oxygen levels, especially useful during sleep or intense workouts.

Look for watches with comprehensive activity tracking. These should include step counting, distance tracking, and calorie burn estimation. Some watches offer more advanced features like automatic workout detection and guided breathing exercises, which can be beneficial for stress management.

Sleep tracking is also crucial for overall health. Look for watches that can analyse your sleep patterns, including the duration of different sleep stages (light, deep, REM) and provide insights for improving sleep quality.

What smart feature to look for when buying a smartwatch?

When buying a smartwatch, there are several smart features to consider that can enhance your overall experience and productivity. Firstly, look for watches with robust notification systems. These should allow you to receive and interact with notifications from your smartphone, including calls, messages, and app alerts, directly on your wrist. This feature can help you stay connected without having to constantly check your phone.

Secondly, consider watches with voice assistant integration. This allows you to use voice commands to perform tasks like setting reminders, sending messages, or controlling smart home devices, making your smartwatch a convenient hands-free assistant.

Lastly, look for watches with NFC for contactless payments. This feature enables you to make payments using your watch, which can be convenient when you’re on the go and don’t want to carry cash or cards. This feature works on very few smartwatches for now and very few stores accepts it.

Also read: Best smartwatches with heart rate monitoring: Top 10 options to consider

The Apple Watch Series 8 Smart Watch is a powerful health companion with advanced sensors for better health insights. It features new safety functions like Crash Detection and Fall Detection, along with Emergency SOS. The Always-On Retina display ensures readability at all times. Easily customizable with various sizes, materials, and straps. It offers innovative health features such as temperature sensing for women’s health, blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, and sleep stage tracking. Seamlessly compatible with Apple devices for tasks like unlocking Mac and finding devices. Requires iPhone 8 or later with the latest iOS version.

Specifications of Apple Watch Series 8

Size: 45 mm

Case Material: Midnight Aluminium

Band Material: Midnight Sport Band

Display: Always-On Retina Display

Health Features: Blood Oxygen & ECG Apps, Sleep Stages Tracking

Compatibility: iPhone 8 or later with latest iOS version

User reviews

Apple watch is one of the most refined smartwatch to buy if you own apple devices. Amazon users are praising the watch experience including the design, build quality and features. Battery life is something that is not satisfactory for a smartwatch.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 offers cutting-edge features for health monitoring and convenience. It introduces BP & ECG tracking, allowing you to monitor your well-being directly from your wrist. This watch also supports contactless secure payments through Samsung Wallet. Its premium design includes Sapphire Crystal Glass and Armor Aluminum Dial, along with IP68/5ATM water and dust resistance. The watch features advanced sleep tracking and personalized heart rate zones, enhancing your workout experience. However, it is compatible with Android devices only, limiting its use for iOS users. Additionally, the watch’s 4-centimeter screen size may be small for some users.

Specifications of Samsung Galaxy Watch6

Brand: Samsung

Model Name: Galaxy Watch

Style: Bluetooth

Colour: Graphite

Screen Size: 4 Centimeters

Compatibility: Android only

User reviews

Galaxy Watch6 is a premium smartwatch from Samsung with high end features and hardware. Users on Amazon loved the design and features of this watch but the battery life is not impressive.

The Garmin Venu 2S is a smaller-sized GPS smartwatch designed for modern style with a light gold bezel, tan case, and silicone band. It features a bright AMOLED display and offers extensive health monitoring, including Body Battery energy levels, sleep score, fitness age, stress tracking, and more. With over 25 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, it helps you stay active with various activities like walking, running, cycling, HIIT, and swimming. You can download up to 650 songs, connect with wireless headphones for phone-free listening, and make contactless payments with Garmin Pay. However, it may require a premium subscription for music streaming, and the battery life in GPS mode with music is limited to 7 hours.

Specifications of Garmin Venu 2S

Brand: Garmin

Model Name: Venu 2S

Style: Modern

Colour: Light Sand

Screen Size: 1.3 Inches

Battery Life: Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode

User reviews

Garmin is one of the most popular fitness focused smartwatch. It brings a robust design with accurate sensors to record all your moments. Users found this watch to be accurate than most smartwatches and praised the long battery life.

Also read: Smartwatch for swimmers: Top 8 options for aquatic enthusiasts

The Redmi Watch 3 Active in Platinum Grey offers a 1.83-inch screen with 200+ watch faces, a premium metallic finish, and 12 days of battery life. It boasts 5ATM waterproofing and 100+ sports modes, along with SpO2, heart rate, and period cycle monitoring. The watch features Bluetooth calling via Bluetooth v5.3(BLE) for improved connectivity. It also includes an SOS feature for emergency calls. However, the watch lacks advanced smart features like NFC and lacks third-party app support. Despite these limitations, its affordability, long battery life, and extensive fitness tracking features make it a compelling choice for budget-conscious users.

Specifications for the Redmi Watch 3 Active

Brand: Redmi

Model Name: Redmi Watch 3

Style: Watch 3 Active Platinum Grey

Colour: Gray

Screen Size: 1.83 Inches

Battery Life: Up to 12 days

User review

Redmi Watch 3 Active is a budget oriented smartwatch that brings premium features at affordable price. Users are happy with this product and loved almost every aspect of it including the quality, features, display and the overall value.

The Amazfit T-Rex Ultra Smartwatch is a rugged outdoor military-grade watch designed for men. It features a stainless steel and mud-resistant design, ensuring durability in extreme conditions. With a 30M freediving support, it is suitable for various water activities. The watch boasts dual-band GPS for precise positioning and supports six satellite systems for global coverage. It can operate in ultra-low temperatures as low as -30℃, making it ideal for harsh environments. The watch offers a 20-day battery life and includes an Endurance GPS battery mode for prolonged use. However, it might be bulky for some users, and the display could be too bright in certain situations.

Specifications of Amazfit T-Rex Ultra

Brand: Amazfit

Special Feature: GPS

Display: HD AMOLED with 1000 nits peak brightness

Water Resistance: Up to 100 meters

GPS: Dual-band GPS with support for 6 satellite systems

Battery Life: Up to 20 days

User reviews

Amazfit T-Rex Ultra is a premium smartwatch from the brand focused more of the build quality and the overall robust look. Users loved the quality, design, and the features of the watch. A few users found that the battery is not up to the mark.

Also read: Bring home feature-heavy smartwatches priced under ₹5000

Features comparison table

Disclaimer: At Livemint, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Mint has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.