The Best Smartwatch for Android Phones

I’m a staff writer at Wirecutter covering smartwatches, smartphones, tablets, and their accompanying accessories. I’ve been wearing and reviewing smartwatches for over a decade, testing wearables from the Pebble and early Android Wear watches to the current models from Google, Samsung, and more.

For this guide:

• I spent hours doing calisthenics and walking several miles to test workout auto-detection, heart rate monitoring, and steps. I also recorded several days worth of sleep (including naps) to test the accuracy of each smartwatch—all over the course of two months.
• Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete independence, in accordance with our editorial standards. I have no knowledge about the business implications of any of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.

Ryan Whitwam also contributed reporting to this guide. He has been wearing and writing about smartwatches since the first Android-powered wearables debuted more than a decade ago. He has tested dozens of smartwatches in the intervening years, along with hundreds of smartphones, tablets, and other devices. He has covered these categories for multiple sites, including Wirecutter, Android Police, Android Authority, PCWorld, and more.

Just because you have a smartphone doesn’t mean you need a smartwatch. Though many smartwatches have separate mobile-data connectivity, a smartwatch is still most useful as an accessory for your phone. It allows you to check messages and dismiss notifications, and possibly even reply to them without ever touching your phone.

Smartwatches are also useful fitness trackers. The sensors in today’s best smartwatches do much more than simply count steps. Most track your heart rate, automatically log workouts, monitor blood oxygen, and can even test heart rhythm (ECG)—your phone can’t do that. Some also offer fall detection and can alert close contacts if you’re in an emergency. However, while smartwatches are steadily gaining fitness features, serious athletes may want to look first at running watches, which offer more advanced exercise metrics.

Smartwatches can be a convenient portal to the apps and services you already use on your phone. Apps such as Spotify and Google Maps are available in the Google Play Store for Wear OS wearables, but anything that takes more than a few taps is potentially frustrating on such a small screen. If you have to reach for your phone, the watch isn’t doing its job. Voice interfaces such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa can help you get things done without opening an app or even looking at your watch, but only if you’re willing to go to the trouble of setting them up and connecting your various accounts and devices.

The earliest Android smartwatches, which predated the Apple Watch, were clunky, unattractive devices that looked more like wrist computers than fashion accessories. But Android watches have become sleeker and more attractive over the years, and today you can wear one in most settings without standing out. Most of the watches we test for this guide are still on the large side, with cases between 40 mm and 50 mm in diameter; people with smaller wrists have fewer options. Some smartwatches, like those in Samsung’s Galaxy Watch lineup, come in more than one size, but the smaller watches usually suffer from shorter battery life. It’s a trade-off, and one that you should be prepared to make—most smartwatches need to be on their charger every night.

For people who prefer the Apple ecosystem, the Apple Watch is the best option, and we have everything you need to know about Apple’s wearable in our Apple Watch guide.

Here’s what we look for when testing a smartwatch with Android phones:

• Notifications: A smartwatch should mirror notifications from your phone quickly, making it easy for you to dismiss them or reply in a couple of taps.
• Performance: Smartwatches that lag can end up being less convenient than your phone. If you have to wait on a watch to check your notifications or heart rate, it’s not worth using.
• Battery: Smartwatches should last a full day (at least 16 to 18 hours), so your phone and watch can go on the charger at the same time. Similar to smartphones, the larger the milliampere-hour (or mAh) in a battery, usually, the longer the battery life.
• Fitness features: Health-monitoring functions that take advantage of a watch’s sensors should be easy to use and actionable, and they should protect your privacy.
• Style and comfort: Smartwatches are devices, but they’re also fashion accessories, so we recommend watches that have attractive case designs and multiple band options—we give bonus points for standard-size, easily swapped straps. Watch lugs are where a watch strap, band, or bracelet attaches to the watch case. However, some smartwatch lugs are proprietary and not interchangeable. A smartwatch should also be lightweight and high-quality enough that it’s comfortable to wear all day.
• Build quality: A smartwatch gets bumped and jostled throughout the day, so it must be made of durable materials and assembled well.
• Apps and voice control: Installing apps and watch faces on your wearable lets you personalize it, just as you do your phone. Access to Google’s latest wearable software is a plus, as is integration with Google Assistant or a similar voice assistant.

Though we don’t limit ourselves to testing watches that run Android (Wear OS), most of the smartwatches for Android phones worth considering right now do run Google’s software. Samsung used to make watches with its custom Tizen OS, but its latest watches use Wear OS.

With the Samsung Galaxy Watch7, Samsung continues its run as the best smartwatch maker for Android phones, and the latest Galaxy Watch is excellent regardless of whether it’s paired with a Samsung phone. The 40 mm and 44 mm sizes aren’t too big or small and are comfortable for most wrists. The Watch7 runs Google’s latest Wear OS software and has a new BioActive sensor that enables features like measuring your metabolic health to detect diseases, an AI-generated Energy Score that measures your body’s recovery, FDA-approved sleep apnea detection, and double-pinch gesture support. However, the new features are incremental improvements at best, so Galaxy Watch6 owners might want to skip this one.

The Watch7 runs the latest Wear OS 5 software and performs like a dream. It also has a new Exynos W1000 chip coupled with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage to handle navigation, fitness tracking, and speech recognition for a lag-free smartwatch experience. Like every other Samsung mobile device, it overlays the software with its One UI interface. While the Google Assistant isn’t preloaded onto the watch, you can download it along with other apps and watch faces in the Google Play Store. Samsung will provide software updates for it through the summer of 2028.

Its batteries last a little longer. The Galaxy Watch7 has the same batteries as the Galaxy Watch6, with the 44 mm size being equipped with a larger battery and slightly longer battery life. I tested the 40 mm size, which, thanks to its new Exynos W1000 chip and Wear OS 5, lasted nearly 30 hours with the always-on display enabled—much longer than the advertised 24 hours of battery life. The 44 mm size likely would have lasted several more hours. When I added GPS usage and workouts, the battery life dropped below 24 hours. The watch can charge to 100% in around two hours and up to 50% in about 60 minutes.

It adds more advanced health features, but some are hit or miss. The Galaxy Watch7 includes a redesigned BioActive sensor for improved accuracy on metrics and new health-tracking features within the Samsung Health app. It adds the ability to monitor your advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) index, which acts as early detection for health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. It also adds a new AI-based Energy Score that measures your overall energy levels based on your fitness and sleep metrics. We found the two features to be a bit of novelty as we didn’t register any actual useful data; there’s only so much a wrist sensor can pick up.

The new sensor also helps the Watch7 be the first smartwatch with an FDA-approved sleep apnea detector, if you grant it permission to record your snoring for two nights. (The new Apple Watch Series 10 also offers sleep apnea detection but uses the accelerometer to detect breathing disturbances instead of the microphone.) The Watch7 continues to support essential health features such as heart rate and sleep tracking, measuring your blood-oxygen level and skin temperature, fall detection, and ECG to detect irregular heartbeats.

The double-pinch feature is useful. The Galaxy Watch7 can detect a double-pinch motion made with your fingers, which can be used to accept phone calls, dismiss alarms, and capture photos within the camera app. The watch also allows you to program other gestures to trigger features, like rotating your wrist to decline calls or making a knocking gesture to launch desired apps or features. While it sounds like a novelty, double-pinch is an effective hands-free option.

The new model is still tough. The Galaxy Watch7 retains the Galaxy Watch6’s design, which includes an aluminum alloy case, sapphire-glass cover, a water-resistant seal that can withstand water pressure up to 165 feet for swimming in deep waters, and protection against dust. It has a military-tested, weather-resistant seal to help it withstand temperatures from -4 °F to 131 °F and altitudes up to nearly 30,000 feet, along with intense shock and vibration. The only watch on this list that is on par with the Watch7 for toughness is the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It has features exclusive to Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones. For Android users who don’t own a Galaxy phone, you’ll miss out on the ECG, sleep apnea detection, the ability to monitor your metabolic health, an AI-based Energy Score comprised of your fitness and sleep metrics, and double-tap gesture support.

It’s not much different from the Galaxy Watch6. Anyone who bought last year’s Samsung smartwatch doesn’t need to worry about an upgrade yet. The Galaxy Watch7 is slightly faster, and its screen has a narrower bezel, but it otherwise offers the same experience. The Galaxy Watch6 will continue to get software updates and support for three more years.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a larger and more rugged version of the Samsung Galaxy Watch7. It adds a brighter screen, greater water resistance, a longer-lasting battery, and additional fitness features for triathletes, hikers, cyclists, or heavy endurance users. It can also be ideal for those who prefer a sizable display on a smartwatch you won’t need to charge nightly. Mind you, the additional features and price tag are overkill for most people, but for some, it’s worth the $650.

It has a large and bright display with a premium build. The Galaxy Watch Ultra has a 1.5-inch OLED display that rests underneath sapphire crystal and sits inside a massive 47 mm titanium case. The larger screen does make viewing notifications, weather, and fitness tracking easier on the wrist, and it hasn’t succumbed to any scuffs and scratches thanks to its tougher case and glass. It also can reach up to 3,000 nits of maximum brightness, which is as bright as some flagship smartphones and an increase from the Galaxy Watch7’s 2,000 nits.

It can last several days on a single charge. The Galaxy Watch Ultra has a 590 mAh battery—one of the largest of the smartwatches we’ve tested. During my testing, which included walking several miles with GPS on and light calisthenics, I got nearly three days of battery life on a single charge while using the always-on display. That’s close to the 100 hours Samsung advertises in power-saving mode. The only downside of the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s battery is the lack of fast charging, and it can take over two hours to charge to 100%.

This is geared for heavy endurance users. Similar to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is a rugged smartwatch made to go further and deeper, and track more exercises than the standard Galaxy Watch. It can track your movement when swimming, because it has a locked seal that can withstand water submersion down to nearly 330 feet (though it lacks the Apple Watch’s depth sensor for diving). The Galaxy Watch Ultra also offers a multisport option for triathletes called FTP (functional threshold power), which tracks your intensity and biking metrics and also offers personalized heart rate zones for running and cycling to track your training for the best results.

It also includes an 86-decibel siren, like the Apple Watch Ultra, as a way to signal for help if you get lost hiking, for instance. As you might expect, 86 decibels is quite loud.

It’s a heavy smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch7 feels a little bulky, which might be a problem for those with small hands and wrists. The placement of the lugs can add noticeable gaps between the strap and your wrist, regardless of how tight you make the band. It also weighs more than twice as much as the Galaxy Watch7 at 61 grams.

It has the same internals as the Galaxy Watch7. Similar to last year’s Galaxy Watch6 models, Samsung’s 2024 smartwatches mirror each others’ specs. The upgrade is all about the materials, size, battery life, and an additional customizable button. Unlike last year’s models, the bands between the Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch7 aren’t interchangeable due to their size differences.

The stylish $350 Google Pixel Watch 3 is a great-looking smartwatch with smaller bezels to view more information on the screen. It comes in two sizes: 41 mm and a larger 45 mm option with a bigger battery. It runs Google’s newest Wear OS 5 software and adds more fitness-based features via Fitbit, but it doesn’t require a premium subscription to access many of them. It also adds a few features exclusive to Google’s Pixel phones, like Google TV controls and communication with Nest Cam and Doorbell. Unfortunately, it uses a proprietary band connector and its unprotected domed glass design is highly prone to scratches and cracks, just like its predecessor.

The watch comes in two sizes, with brighter screens. The 45 mm version of the watch has a larger screen and slightly longer-lasting battery. They both have Google’s signature domed glass OLED display that can now reach up to 2,000 nits of maximum brightness. Both models of the Pixel Watch 3 have smaller bezels than the Pixel Watch 2, despite otherwise looking identical, which means you can see slightly more information on your screen. Google also added variable refresh rates from 1 Hz to 60 Hz for its always-on display, which allows the screen pixels to move at a slower speed for better power efficiency.

The larger model has the better battery. The 45 mm Pixel Watch has a 420 mAh battery, which lasted just over 36 hours with the always-on display turned on during my testing. It took 30 minutes to charge to 50% and required nearly 80 minutes for a full charge. The 41 mm size’s 307 mAh battery lasted a few hours past the suggested 24-hour mark. It can charge to 50% in under 30 minutes or fully charge in about an hour, which saves some charging time over the larger watch.

The Pixel Watch 3 adds deeper Google integration. It can communicate with some Nest Cams and Doorbells, including live streaming and two-way talking. It can also double as a remote for your Google TV and locate your remote for Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, and TVs with Google Home app support.

Google Assistant and Gemini AI power the Pixel Watch 3’s new Call Assist feature, which can screen spam and place calls on hold from your watch. The Pixel Watch 3 can also download Google Maps for offline use and has a recorder app that can transcribe and sync recordings to your Pixel phone. It also has a new Ultra-Wideband chip that you can use to unlock your Pixel phone with a swipe, as well as start or unlock your car (currently only available for BMW and Mini vehicles).

It offers more health and fitness features, some of which aren’t behind a paywall. The watch can now measure the body’s recovery, create planned exercise routines, build custom runs, give AI-assisted guidance for reaching your goals, provide analysis of your running stats, and measure your cardio and rest based on your recent heart rate and sleep metrics. This is in addition to the heart rate, sleep, skin temperature, ECG, and blood oxygen tracking, all within the Fitbit app. All of these features are outside of Fitbit’s paywall. Subscribing to Fitbit Premium adds six custom workout videos daily and AI-powered daily run recommendations within the Coach tab. The Pixel Watch 3 can also detect when it’s submerged underwater and activate a touch lock to prevent the water from creating false touches.

Auto Bedtime Mode lets you rest undisturbed, and its Morning Brief feature catches you up. The Pixel Watch 3’s new Auto Bedtime Mode detects when you’re asleep. This automatically enables Bedtime Mode, which disables the always-on display and notifications and conserves battery life. It automatically disables within 15 minutes when it detects you’re awake. We found the feature to work well, even with short, unintentional naps.

Upon waking up, the Pixel Watch 3 greets you with its Morning Brief feature, an AI-generated summary of your upcoming day, including the weather forecast, your sleep and readiness score, and updates on your exercise goals. It also includes less-common metrics, such as any interruptions in your sleep or if your heart rate went too high or low. You’ll need to wear the Pixel Watch 3 for at least one night for the Morning Brief to populate.

Some of its new Google-integrated features only work with Pixel phones. Android users without a Pixel phone will miss out on the Call Assist feature to place calls on hold and screen spam calls, the Recorder app that can transcribe and sync recordings to your phone, and unlocking your phone using the Ultra-Wideband chip.

The sleek design comes with some drawbacks. The Pixel Watch 3’s attractive curves are owed in part to the lack of traditional watch lugs to connect a band. Instead, Google uses a recessed custom band connector. As with the Apple Watch, with this watch you can use only bands that were designed for the Pixel Watch. Google’s bands are high quality, but not many styles are available, they’re a little pricey, and we prefer standard connectors like you get on the Samsung Galaxy Watch7. Google’s domed glass design is also more prone to damage than other smartwatches with metal bezels, and there are no repair options. So a cracked screen means your watch becomes e-waste.

The OnePlus Watch 2R has a large OLED screen in a lightweight aluminum body, dual-band GPS for improved accuracy, and the longest battery life of any watch we tested. It’s comfortable to wear daily with standard watch lugs and offers a simple toggle to release the wristbands. Its companion OHealth app tracks your fitness, heart rate, and sleep, although it’s a little basic compared with the other smartwatches on this list. The app and the smartwatch work the same with any phone, whether OnePlus, Galaxy, or Pixel. It has much better value than the upgraded OnePlus Watch 2.

It can run for nearly a week on a charge. The OnePlus Watch 2R has a 500 mAh battery, which OnePlus says can last up to 100 hours. I got around four days of battery life with light walking and calisthenics, and the always-on display turned off before the power-saving mode activated. Turning on the always-on display cuts the battery life in half, but two days of battery life is still much better than the 24 to 32 hours we got on the other watches we tested. With power-saving mode, the watch only uses the OnePlus RTOS for notifications and fitness tracking. While using strictly power-saving mode, I got around 10 days instead of the suggested 12 days of use on a single charge.

OnePlus is known for its fast charging technology in its smartphones. We found that reflected in the Watch 2R, which charges faster than our other smartwatch picks. It can charge up to 100% in around an hour, and a 10-minute charge provides enough juice to last for 24 hours.

Despite its plain design, the OnePlus Watch 2R has a large and bright screen. It has a sizable 1.43-inch OLED display inside of a 46 mm case. However, it can reach up to 1,000 nits of brightness outdoors, which is an increase from the OnePlus Watch 2’s 600 nits. While the screen is on the larger side, other parts have a more subtle presence and don’t feel as massive on your wrist.

It uses a hybrid dual chip and dual software setup. OnePlus runs Google’s Wear OS 4 with a Snapdragon W5 processor for heavier apps and tasks, and OnePlus’s RTOS software with a BES2700 chip for background apps and simple tasks. The majority of smartwatches utilize a single chip and software setup, but a hybrid setup can use less power and extend the battery life. It also includes Google Assistant, Google Wallet for mobile payments, and access to the Play Store.

It doesn’t feel as high-end as our other picks. While the OnePlus Watch 2 offers slightly more-premium aesthetics like a stainless steel case and sapphire crystal, the Watch 2R opts for budget materials like an aluminum case, tempered glass, and a plastic bottom. This is more mild-mannered than Google’s polished Pixel Watch 3 with its domed display or the premium-looking Galaxy Watch7 with steel casing. While the included silicone band looks and feels cheap, OnePlus uses standard watch lugs and quick-release toggles, so it’s easy to swap in any 22 mm watch band.

It’s missing advanced health features. Unfortunately, the OnePlus Watch 2R doesn’t have fall detection, ECG, or body temperature tracking support. However, you can still monitor other essential data such as your steps, sleep, stress, blood oxygen, and sleep via the OnePlus OHealth app. It includes support for over 100 activities including walking, running, hiking, skiing, tennis, cycling, swimming, jump rope, and rowing machines. Despite running the older Wear OS 4, Fitbit does support OnePlus devices for extensive fitness tracking. You can sync your data with the Google Fit app as an alternative.

Samsung continues to sell the Galaxy Watch6 and Galaxy Watch6 Classic, which are still excellent smartwatches. They’re also cheaper now with the newer model out and good upgrades for owners of older Galaxy Watches that can live without the latest features. The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is a slightly smaller version of the Galaxy Watch6 with a smaller battery and an older processor. After the release of the Galaxy Watch7, the Watch6 and the Watch FE are priced around the same, which makes the Watch6 a better buy.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is our previous also-great pick and still a good smartwatch offering features similar to those of the current models. It’s now sold at a discounted price, but there’s been no word on if the deeper Google integration and other new features will trickle down to this model.

The $300 OnePlus Watch 2 only ships in one size option, which offers a bright, massive 1.43-inch AMOLED display within an IP68-rated stainless steel case. Like one of our picks, the Watch 2R, the Watch 2 has a dual-chip and dual OS system that performs well, and its sleep and health tracking were pretty accurate. It’s also capable of a multiday battery life before switching to power-saving mode, which adds additional days on a single charge. The OnePlus Watch 2R mirrors the same health and battery experience but with fewer premium materials, a brighter screen, and a more affordable price, which we prefer.

This article was edited by Signe Brewster, Caitlin McGarry, and Arthur Gies.