The Best Smartwatches In 2025
Smartwatches are now extremely versatile and powerful tools. The best options can track exercise, monitor advanced health metrics, and act as a handy second screen to your smartphone.
The problem? This is a tricky time to be looking for a new smartwatch, with both Apple and Google reportedly on the cusp of announcing their next-gen devices. Since we expect these watches to rank highly on our list of recommendations, our advice to both iPhone and Android users is to hold fire over the coming weeks.
With that said, we also know that waiting for upcoming smartwatches isn’t for everyone. With plenty of retailers looking to clear stock to make way for the next generation, this can also be a decent time to score a deal on a top smartwatch you’ve had your eye on for a while.
1. Apple Watch Series 10
The Apple Watch Series 10 is the best smartwatch available right now, but it only works with iPhone.
It’s also a more substantial update than we’ve had in the previous couple of generations, with Apple delivering a pair of thinner, lighter smartwatches. The new 42mm and 46mm duo are also bigger and boast more edge-to-edge displays that are brighter than ever when viewed at an angle.
Aluminum remains the core case material for the Series 10. However, Apple has changed the premium material available for those who wish to upgrade – it’s now titanium and carbon neutral (like the Apple Watch Ultra 2) instead of stainless steel. It’s a change we rate after testing.
2. Google Pixel Watch 3
Google has propelled itself to the top of the Wear OS smartwatch field thanks to the additional case size for the Pixel Watch 3.
The all-new 45mm model doesn’t just open up the Pixel Watch line to those previously put off by the small, 41mm case size, it also ensures genuine multi-day battery life thanks to the extra space under the hood.
We found it consistently capable of lasting over 48 hours with the always-on display enabled during testing, and that can stretch to three or four days if you play it conservatively with settings or hammer the battery-saving mode.
This performance is on par with the Galaxy Watch, although not quite as impressive as the OnePlus Watch 3’s battery life. This means that the wonderfully intuitive Fitbit platform is the key separator.
For this edition, the upgrades to the Fitbit experience include Cardio Load/Target Load (ideal for those craving more training insights), a helpful morning brief, and improved data for running workouts. Meanwhile, the Daily Readiness Score is now available to all Pixel Watch generations, after being previously behind the Fitbit Premium paywall.
Accuracy remains a strong point as well. The heart rate data is among the best we’ve tested across various workout types, while GPS—though unfortunately not dual-frequency GNSS—is certainly precise enough to meet needs. Comprehensive sleep tracking and health vitals data are also included, even if stress tracking is still an aspect of the Fitbit experience we don’t particularly favor.
The Pixel Watch 3 offers a remarkably refined and well-rounded smartwatch experience. Although the battery life still isn’t extraordinary on the 41mm model, the 45mm equivalent is our top recommendation for Android users.
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
After several incremental updates, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 feels like a significant step forward and is the company’s most compelling smartwatch in years. The big story is the integration of Google Gemini, which, unlike its predecessors, finally delivers a genuinely helpful and intelligent AI assistant on the wrist that’s capable of handling complex queries with ease.
Available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, the Watch 8 adopts the new ‘cushion’ case design from the Ultra model for a cleaner, more refined look. The Super AMOLED display is also brighter and sharper than ever before, while subtle UI improvements make the Wear OS software smoother and more intuitive to navigate day-to-day.
It retains Samsung’s powerful health suite, including ECG and blood pressure monitoring (which still requires a Samsung phone). New additions like ‘Vascular Load’ offer useful insights into sleep stress, but other ‘Labs’ features like the ‘Antioxidant Index’ feel half-baked. While GPS accuracy fell short of dedicated sports watches in our testing, we found heart rate tracking to be impressively accurate (even during intense exercise).
Unfortunately, the Galaxy Watch 8 doesn’t solve the line’s biggest weakness: battery life. Or, at least that’s true of the smaller version we tested. With that model, you can expect around a day and a half of use, and that means daily charging is still a necessity.
Despite the battery limitations, the Watch 8 is a resounding success. The polished design, accurate heart rate sensor, and the game-changing utility of Google Gemini make it a top smartwatch for most people, especially if you own a Samsung phone.
4. Huawei Watch Fit 3
Disclaimer: The Huawei Watch Fit 3 has been a consistent presence on this list of the best smartwatches for the last couple of years, offering a great budget option (which you can still pick up for $119/£119).
However, it has now been superseded by the Fit 4 and Fit 4 Pro, released in May 2025. As such, we don’t recommend picking up this last-gen model—but we’ll leave our original entry in below until we’ve finished our testing for the latest models.
Yes, it’s a massive clone of the Apple Watch, but it gets so much right. It’s incredibly thin and light to wear, making it truly unisex. There is a range of strap options, but we don’t know why people would look beyond the nylon option, which we tried during our review time (above).
The Watch Fit 3 offers generally good health and sports tracking, providing a broad spectrum of metrics and accurate data, including heart rate and GPS distance. It passed all our tests and punches well above its price tag, with running particularly well handled.
Sleep tracking is also fairly solid. While we did find it wasn’t the most sensitive to grace our testing lab, it’s consistent and helpful enough to get value from. Again, it’s great for this price.
Where it falls short of Apple and Wear OS is the lack of a robust ecosystem, especially for apps and payments. Yet, the tradeoff is much-improved battery life. If you want 14 days, you will need to forego features like the always-on display, but you should get a week even with all the bells and whistles turned on.
5. Apple Watch Ultra 2
We loved the original Apple Watch Ultra, and the second-gen model that launched in 2023 made gentle refinements to the overall proposition. This iteration features a boost in screen brightness, a carbon-neutral design, and a chip that enables the Double Tap feature.
We didn’t get an Apple Watch Ultra 3 last year as expected, with that model now rumored to arrive in September 2025. At last year’s event, we were limited to a new black case option and sleep apnea detection support via watchOS 11, so it’s likely a substantial upgrade is inbound.
Still, the 49mm Ultra 2 remains bold and aimed at weekend warriors who want a superior Apple Watch to the Series 10. It’s tough and suitable for diving and watersports, and runners will love the accurate dual-frequency GPS, which aced our city marathon testing.
The thing we love most is the 2-3 days of battery life, which eliminates the charging anxiety of the other Apple Watch models. Returning to a Series 10 after spending time with the Ultra 2 is tough; this is the peak Apple Watch experience.