Best smartwatches with android wear

After an unstable start, Google's Android Wear operating system is now an increasingly mature platform thanks to the recent update to Android Wear 2.0.

New features in the smartwatch operating system include a much easier way to reply to messages, handwriting recognition, Google Assistant, and the ability to run applications without your phone within reach.

Index of contents

The best smartwatches with Android Wear

Choosing an Android Wear smartwatch is very similar to choosing a normal wristwatch. Unlike your phone, which stays in your pocket for most of the day, your smartwatch needs to fit your personal style, and looks are often more important than specs.

Google does not allow Android Wear watchmakers to modify the operating system, other than adding additional apps and custom watchfaces, so you're essentially going to see the same operating system experience across all watches.

All Android Wear watches offer the current time, monitor fitness and receive notifications using the same navigation and interface, and are compatible with any phone you have.

But there are differences. Some smart watches are geared more towards athletes. Others put a premium on phone independence. And of course some focus strictly on looking stylish.

There are too many factors to consider to recommend a single model that suits all tastes, which is why we have broken down our options according to purchase motivations.

Huawei watch

Huawei Watch may be almost two years old, but it is still the most beautiful Android you can buy. While the current crop of Android Wear 2 watches is packed with huge devices built for big wrists, the Huawei watch is sleek and sleek, and its understated design ensures it will work with any device.

With a 42mm, 1.4-inch dial on the front, the Huawei watch might be too big for some wrists, but its slim bezels greatly reduce volume. You can change the bracelet with any 18mm strap, and the watch is light and comfortable enough to wear while running or walking.

Of course, you are not getting the latest specs with the Huawei Watch, and you cannot use Android Pay due to the lack of an NFC chip, but you will get a heart rate monitor and a decent battery. In addition, the Android Wear 2.0 update updates Huawei Watch with Google Assistant, Google Fit and Play Store.

Huawei Watch Classic - Android Smartwatch (1.4 ", 4 GB, 512 MB RAM, leather strap), gray 1.4" screen, with a resolution of 400 x 400 pixels and Amoled technology; 6-axis motion sensor with gyroscope and accelerometer EUR 263.94

ZTE Quartz

Most Android Wear smart watches cost between $ 250 and $ 300, and cellular connectivity often pushes the price above $ 350. But ZTE has not only managed to offer a well-equipped Android Wear 2.0 watch for less than $ 200, but has even equipped it with a 3G chip. You won't find a better value on an Android Wear 2.0 watch.

Like most Android Wear 2.0 watches, the ZTE Quartz is a bit big, but its frame isn't as bulky as many of its peers. Its metal casing is pricey, and it has a surprisingly large speaker for playing music and making calls. The Quartz only has a 3G chip instead of an LTE chip, but you won't notice a big difference in call quality or application speed.

The ZTE has some cons, by the way. You will have to sacrifice Android Pay support, as it does not include an NFC chip. And you won't find a heart rate monitor either. But if none of these issues is a concern for you, then you won't find a better deal on an Android Wear 2.0 watch.

The ZTE Quartz is one of the most affordable Android Wear smartwatches on the market right now.

It comes with Android Wear 2.0 and has an all-day battery life along with an attractive quartz design. We criticized it for having a dim screen and lacking NFC, but if neither of those two things matter to you, it can be a good option like your next Android Wear watch.

disGuard Screen Protector compatible with ZTE Quartz Anti-Reflective, Matte, Anti-Reflective, Anti-Scratch, Anti-Fingerprint - Protective Film Protective film compatible with ZTE Quartz - Made in Germany !; Very stable shape and optimal edge adherence: does not slip.

Huawei Watch 2

The Huawei Watch 2 watch is an attempt by the Chinese company to expand the use of Android Wear watches. Huawei has tried to include a variety of new features in its latest smartwatch and it is not entirely clear if it has been successful with the Watch 2.

The built-in GPS and NFC in the watch are useful, as well as the option to have a 4G model, but it can be slow and the screen is a bit too small for some. It has an attractive design and a lot of features.

Huawei Watch 2 - Smartwatch compatible with Android (WiFi, Bluetooth) carbon black The GPS can be connected to GLONASS technology; It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1; Ambient light sensor and heart rate sensor EUR 250.00

LG Watch Sport

Android wearables will never be as smart as our phones, but they have reached the point where your watch can replace them for long periods of time. And if you want to leave your phone at home without worrying about missing a call or notification, the LG Watch Sport will be your best companion.

The LG Watch Sport does a great job of keeping you connected when your phone is out of range. With AT&T NumberSync and T-Mobile's Digit, you'll be able to receive phone calls and notifications on the go, and its wide range of sensors lets you track your activity, get directions, buy things, and basically spend a day or more without missing your phone too much..

The LG Watch Sport is a watch beast, with everything you could ask for: LTE, GPS, NFC, a heart rate monitor and IP68 waterproof rating. And, like the rest of its Android Wear 2.0 companions, it's quite large, so those with smaller wrists will have to wait until a smaller Android Wear 2.0 LTE watch appears.

However, if it adjusts to your body type, the LG Watch Sport will significantly reduce your dependence on the phone. That way, you will no longer be scared when you forget to bring the phone when you leave your house.

Running on Android Wear 2.0, this feature-packed watch debuts the update that should have been made long ago to Google's wearable software.

What you get is a cleaner and more powerful interface, which powers what will probably be your first LTE-connected smartwatch.

It's a rugged looking watch built for fitness tracking thanks to a heart rate monitor, GPS chip, barometer, and waterproof case. You can even track strength training.

If you are looking for a smartwatch always connected and equipped with the intelligence of Google Assistant, this is your best option now and for a long time.

LG Urban 2 Black Smart Watch, Metal P-OLED 3.51 cm (1.38 ") GPS (satellite) - Smart Watches (3.51 cm (1.38"), P-OLED, Touch Screen, GPS (satellite), 93, 6 g, Black, Metallic) High durability battery of 1.5 days and more, depending on intensity use; I ship Kingdom customizable by countless watchfaces

LG Watch Style

The thinnest Android Wear smartwatch and one of the best on the market. The LG Watch Style (built in collaboration with Google) offers everything to love from the best Android Wear smartwatches.

It has an extremely attractive presentation that becomes a very strong argument for choosing the Google platform.

Battery life remains a low point, and as independent as Android Wear 2.0 is, Google still can't fill the new Play Store with compatible apps that are enticing enough.

The LG Watch Style offers as much utility as the other smartwatches, but raises the bar with a sleek, slim design and several welcome features, such as Google's voice-activated Assistant and a refreshed user interface that's packed with smart tweaks.

Asus ZenWatch 3

Asus is not an obvious name to associate with Android Wear watches, though the ZenWatch 3 has more than earned its place.

The latest version of Asus is one of your best bets, especially since it is compatible with Android Wear 2.0.

It has a large screen, useful hardware buttons, and good battery life. Its style may not be for everyone, but Asus did a laudable job designing a watch that looks more like a premium watch than a lifeless piece of technology.

The third model in the ZenWatch series brings one of the best displays, recharge time and battery life on the market. As for design, Asus has managed to develop a device with a modern look. This smartwatch has three buttons on the side that give the impression of a more sporty model, different from the manufacturer's other smartwatches. Additionally, ZenWatch 3 comes with IP67 certification, which means it is waterproof and dustproof.

Almost all Android Wear smartwatches were equipped with the Snapdragon 400 processor. However, Asus has upgraded its line and the ZenWatch 3 comes with the Snapdragon 2100 processor, also from Qualcomm.

However, the device does not have an integrated wrist, GPS or SIM monitoring sensor. In this way, the ZenWatch 3 offers the basic features that can be expected from a smartwatch: notifications, sports statistics, music playback via bluetooth, hands-free operation features and more.

ASUS WI503Q-1LDBR0004 Smart Watch Stainless Steel AMOLED 3.53 cm (1.39 ") - Smart Watches (3.53 cm (1.39"), AMOLED, Touch Screen, 4 GB, WiFi, Stainless Steel) Resistant to water jets; Microphone / Speaker; 4GB memory

Samsung Gear S3 and S2

The Gear S3, as well as its predecessor, the Gear S2, are two good alternatives to the universe of smartwatches running on Android Wear. In many ways, the Gear S3 is the best smartwatch we've seen so far.

Tizen as an operating system is super nice to use, and Samsung has done a great job both in design and in terms of functionality, with an innovative rotating bezel and intuitive interface.

The possibility of making and receiving calls, accessing the internet and receiving notifications without having to depend on a connection to the smartphone, via 3G or Wi-Fi, is very functional.

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier - Tizen Smartwatch (1.3 "Super AMOLED 360x360 screen, integrated GPS, 380 mAh battery, integrated speaker), color Gray (Space Gray) - Spanish version Up to 4 days of use without charging the battery (depending on use); Resistant to extreme temperatures, shocks and vibrations 124.61 EUR

Moto 360 Sport V2

The Moto 360 was released in 2015 and has already been updated to Android Wear 2.0. The gadget can still be purchased on some models in stores, but it can no longer be purchased on the Motorola website through Moto Maker as it was in the past.

The device has characteristics very close to those we have in classic watches, but due to a sensor at the bottom, the screen is not 100% round.

Motorola Moto 360 V2 Sport - Android Smartwatch (1.37 "screen, 4 GB, Quad-Core 1.2 GHz, 512 MB RAM), black Color Silicone strap; Step counter and heart rate monitor; Wireless battery charging

LG G Watch Urbane

LG was one of the first manufacturers, along with Samsung and Motorola, to offer support for the development of Android Wear. The LG G Watch was launched during Google I / o 2014 and left a lot to be desired in terms of design and construction. However, LG launched the G Watch R and, soon after, the G Watch Urbane.

The Urbane is undoubtedly one of the most well-designed Android Wear-powered smartwatches available on the market today. The classic appearance is one of the great highlights of the device and the technical specifications leave this smart watch ahead of the competition.

LG W150 1.3 "P-OLED Silver Smart Watch - Smart Watches (3.3 cm (1.3"), P-OLED, Touch Screen, 36h, 64g, Silver) Android Wear 2.0 Operating System; Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 1.2 GHz processor

Moto 360

The original Moto 360, released in 2014, quickly garnered praise from users for hosting Google's new operating system in super attractive packaging. And the 2015 edition of the watch builds on this, providing possibly the best Android Wear experience to date

The watch comes in two different sizes: 42mm and 46mm, and it runs slightly sleeker than its predecessor thanks to the improved processor. The round screen makes it feel a bit more natural than attaching a square screen to your wrist. The only thing it really lacks is GPS support, which means you can't natively track your travels.

And another criticism that has been made to the 360 ​​is the battery life, which usually lasts 48 hours at most.

With the Huawei Watch, the Chinese giant definitely points to the top of the market, since its price is around 350 dollars.

The highlight is the display, which is a 1.4 ″ AMOLED and runs at 400 × 400, one of the highest resolutions available on smartwatches, ensuring a PPI of the same quality as on the Apple Watch. Usefully too, the screen is always on, and will dim after a few seconds of inactivity, but the time will remain visible.

Specs wise, the watch is slightly less surprising: With a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 300mAh battery, the watch is roughly on par. from its high-end rivals.

Unfortunately, despite the premium price, the watch doesn't include GPS, but it does include a heart rate sensor.

Motorola Moto 360 - Android Smartwatch (1.56 "screen, 4 GB, 512 MB RAM, leather strap, 1-day battery), black Easy handling thanks to voice control; Stainless steel case and leather strap; Step counter and heart rate monitor Track your progress

Fossil Q Founder

The Q Founder features a polished metal face and a plastic back, so it can be charged wirelessly.

While the screen has a lower resolution than some competitors, it is barely noticeable. Perhaps the only annoyance on the screen is the black bar at the bottom, which means that the screen is not a perfect circle. This is to make room for the ambient light sensor. Unlike most other rivals too, it has 1GB of RAM instead of 512MB, which should boost performance.

Tag Heuer Connected

Now that smart watches are a fact of everyday life, luxury manufacturers are concerned that they are on a path to destruction. Just look at how the iPhone killed off any interest in luxury diamond-covered phones. So perhaps wisely, Tag Heuer has come out with his own vision for a smartwatch, grabbing Android Wear and abandoning Tag Heuer's lavish styling.

Priced at $ 1, 500, it's about 5 times more expensive than a regular Android Wear watch, but it will make you look very distinguished in luxury circles. The body is made of grade II titanium, the same material from which the company makes its traditional watches. It is also quite thick, at 12.8mm thick.

TAG Heuer Connected Orange Smart Watch (Android / iPhone) 2, 430.78 EUR

Points to consider before buying an Android Wear smartwatch

Before buying any of these smartwatches with Android Wear, there are a few questions you need to answer. While speed and storage don't factor in the decision, there are specific things you need to consider before choosing a particular model.

Do you want to use it without a phone?

If you are looking for complete independence from your phone, you will need to buy a watch with LTE, which greatly reduces your options. These are the models available with cellular connectivity:

• LG G Watch Urbane Second Edition (LTE) Huawei Watch 2 (LTE) LG Watch Sport (LTE) Verizon Wear24 (LTE) ZTE Quartz (3G)

All 3G / LTE watches allow you to use apps and receive notifications without the need for a nearby phone, but experiences vary slightly by operator.

Keep in mind that your watch and your phone will always need to be on the same network.

Do you want to use Android Pay?

If you want to use your smartwatch to pay in stores, you will need one with a built-in NFC chip. This excludes all first generation Android Wear watches except the LG G Watch Urbane Second Edition. Among Android Wear 2.0 watches, NFC is not available in the style of LG watches, ZTE Quartz, and most fashion watches from Fossil and others. And while Wear24 has an NFC chip, Android Pay isn't supported yet.

So your model options with Android Pay are as follows:

• LG G Urbane Watch Second Edition LG Watch SportTag Heuer Connected Modular 45 Huawei Watch 2 Huawei Watch 2 Classic

Keep in mind that the Tag Heuer Connected Modular 45 starts at $ 1, 650, so it might not be a viable option for some budgets. In the future, NFC will be a standard feature for all Android Wear smartwatches.

Do you want to control your heart rate?

Many models include heart rate monitors, and they all run Android Wear 2.0. Here are the best models:

• Huawei WatchHuawei Watch 2LG Watch Urbane Second EditionLG Watch RLG Watch SportMoto 360 (Second Generation) Moto 360 SportNew Balance RunIQPolar M600

What watches come with Android Wear

Any watch released after February 8, 2017 will have Android Wear 2.0 pre-installed. You can also visit the Android Wear site to see the latest models available for sale.

What first generation watches will have it?

There is a fairly extensive list of watches suitable for Android Wear 2.0:

• Asus ZenWatch 2Asus ZenWatch 3Casio WSD-F10 Smart Outdoor WatchFossil Q FounderFossil Q MarshalFossil Q WanderHuawei WatchLG Watch RLG Watch UrbaneLG Watch Urbane Second Edition LTEMichael Kors Access BradshawMichael Kors Access DylanMoto 360 (Second Generation) Moto 360 SportNewMontro BalanceIQ 360

Final words and conclusion about the best smartwatch with Android Wear

Executives from Motorola, Asus and Huawei have stated that they have no intention of launching new smartwaches every year.

In December last year, Motorola's global director of product development, Shakil Barkat, said they will not launch a new Moto 360, as the company sees no need to manufacture a new smartwatch at this time.

Huawei CEO Eric Xu Zhijun said at a conference that he is always confused about the real need for smartwatches when smartphones exist. This raised some doubt as to the continuity of the Huawei Watch series.

For its part, according to a source linked to Asus, the manufacturer would have finished the development of the ZenWatch series. So, before buying a smartwatch from one of these three manufacturers, keep in mind that the line may not have a successor.

We recommend you read the best smartphone with camera on the market

Finally, if you are thinking of buying a smartwatch, there are a few things to consider. These include size, weight, style, display technology (AMOLED or LCD), size and battery life, and so on. Think about what you want in a smart watch and how you plan to wear it.

Some people may prefer to use them for health and fitness statistics management, but others may choose to use it for work, for example. How did you like our article on the best smartwatches? We want to know your recommendation!