With the holidays coming up, that means it’s probably time to start thinking about what to get people for gifts, and smartwatches and fitness trackers tend to make great gifts for just about everyone because most people can easily find a way to use them in their daily lives.
Even people who might already have a smartwatch or fitness tracker may need an upgrade or want to move into something new. That’s why we’ve put together this holiday gift guide on the best smartwatches and fitness trackers to help make the gift-buying process easier and more convenient for you. This year we’re doing something a little differently from how we’ve done our past gift guides. For starters, we’ve selected the best smartwatches and fitness trackers in three different price ranges.
Then we selected the two best in each price range. Two are in the high-end price tier, two are in the mid-range price tier, and the two are in the low-end price tier. This way there’s something that fits every budget but the guide isn’t clogged up with too many choices. All the options we’ve selected are the best options for the majority of people. With that said, let’s dive into the guide and take a look at your options.
Best high-end smartwatches and fitness trackers
If you’re looking to pick up the best of the best, it’s going to cost a little bit more, but you can rest assured you’re buying something that has the best features, and the most premium build quality and design. These are the perfect devices to go for if you want to gift something really special with tons of functionality.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is an excellent smartwatch pick for anyone who uses an Android device and wants a highly functional, highly stylish watch with loads upon loads of features. It’s similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 in most ways, save for the look and a few extra features, in addition to the materials used for building the watch.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes with a titanium watch case which makes it a little more durable against dings and scratches. And to top that off, it has a sapphire glass watch face so even the display stays protected.
We tested the Galaxy Watch Ultra earlier this year and we found it to have decent battery life that’s about equal to the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Battery life isn’t the only thing that makes this watch special though. The Galaxy Watch Ultra has a new BioActive sensor in it and that really improves the tracking capabilities of this watch. Since health and exercise tracking are among the main reasons you’re buying this kind of device, you want it to work as well as it can.
We also really love the fact that it has Dual-Band GPS inside. It makes a huge difference when using the watch for activities like hiking, running, and other outdoor exercises that might take you on long treks. There’s also the fact that this watch has Wear OS 5, which is going to be Google’s most power-efficient and best-performing version of Wear OS yet. And that means a buttery smooth user experience for you. The watch also comes in three colors and has a variety of band options. It has a normal price of $649.99, but you can find it on sale for $599.99 right now so you save $50.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
Just as the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the best high-end smartwatch for Android users, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best high-end option for iOS users. It has many of the same core functions you’d get from Samsung’s device, and it’s geared toward users who really want something that complements their outdoor lifestyle.
Meaning, that if you hike a lot, camp a lot, cycle, swim, and do other similar outdoor activities, you can’t really go wrong with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. One of our favorite features is the Action Button. You can customize this to launch or activate a range of different functions like getting to and starting a workout, turning on the flashlight feature, and even starting translation or the creation of voice memos.
The one downside of this watch for some is that it’s going to be a large watch. It comes in at 49mm for the watch case and there’s no getting around that fact, as Apple doesn’t offer a smaller option. The same thing applies to the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. If you don’t care for bigger watches, then this might not be for you. But if the size doesn’t bother you, you’ll love all the stuff the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can do for you. For instance, you can use the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to maximize training with advanced metrics. Plus it has a bunch of nifty tricks from Watch OS 11 like the Double Tap functionality. Simply tap your thumb and index finger together twice to do everything from answer calls to pause media playback. At $799 this is definitely the most expensive option on here, but it really is the best option for Apple users who want something extra premium.
Best mid-range smartwatches and fitness trackers
While the two options above are certainly nice, they also cost a lot more money. If you’re looking for something a little less expensive, we have two excellent picks that we know you’ll love. They’ll both be under $500 and still offer a ton of awesome features to help you make the most of your day-to-day.
Google Pixel Watch 3 (45mm)
Google’s Pixel Watch 3 is probably the best option for most users for several reasons. For one, it doesn’t cost nearly as much as the popular Samsung and Apple options above. It also comes in a new larger size, something which Google has never done since creating the original Pixel Watch a few years ago. It’s about the same size as the larger Galaxy Watch 7, but it has at least one major advantage. The battery life. During my testing the battery life on the Pixel Watch 3 was so good that I was able to use it for a few days without worrying it would die on me. This is a major step up and it was a noticeable difference from the Galaxy Watch 7.
It also runs on Wear OS 5, so it has access to the latest Wear OS features and some really cool new watch faces. Now the price on this one starts at $399 if you go for the Wi-Fi model. You can opt for the LTE version instead, which does give you a little more freedom if you want to leave your smartphone at home during a run. However, at an additional $100, the Wi-Fi model really is the more logical pick. Chances are you will have your smartphone on you most of the time, and the Wi-Fi version of the watch will stay connected to data through a Bluetooth connection to your phone.
The Pixel Watch 3 will of course get you smartphone notifications (as all the options will), and it can do all kinds of other stuff for you too. I personally use mine often for navigation while driving. All I have to do is set up navigation in the Google Maps app, and then the navigation directions display right on my wrist. Another really useful feature is how easily incoming notifications are displayed as soon as you lift your wrist. At a price of $399.99, the Pixel Watch 3 is a solid smartwatch option for every Android user.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Google’s Pixel Watch 3 is great but the $399.99 price still might be out of the budget for some shoppers. If that’s you, then look no further than the Galaxy Watch 7. It was nearly as good of an experience to use as the Pixel Watch 3 with many of the same features and even an advantage or two.
For starters, the 44mm (the larger size) version of the watch is only $329.99 for the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth model. That’s the normal price too, and it’s currently on sale for $289.99. So you save $110 by going with this over the Pixel Watch 3. What I really loved about the Galaxy Watch 7 is that it uses Samsung’s Touch Bezel. This lets you run your finger around the bezel of the display to cycle through menus and other features. It’s a super handy function that I wish Google’s Pixel 3 would do for all of its menus using the Haptic Crown.
I also really liked the battery life on the Galaxy Watch 7. Samsung says it can last you up to 30 hours, but I was able to get a couple of days out of it before needing to place it back on the charger. In some cases, it lasted for a few days depending on my use. Samsung also integrated Galaxy AI into this watch and you can use that for a few different things. I think the most useful, however, is the Suggested Replies feature. If you get an incoming text, the Galaxy AI will analyze your conversation and give you an easy suggestion to use as a response. So you can send the message back quickly and get back to doing whatever you were doing. This watch also comes in a few different colors and has a range of band options. That being said, you can also use standard watch bands as long as they’re 20mm.
Best low-end smartwatches and fitness trackers
If you’re still looking for something a little less expensive, we have you covered. Not everyone needs or wants all the extras that may come with spending a bit more. Thankfully, most smartwatches and fitness trackers even in the low-end price tier will have plenty of features to use and play with. And you aren’t missing out on a whole lot. You get the basics like smartphone notifications, activity tracking, heart rate tracking, and more, of course. But you’d be surprised at what less expensive devices in this category offer these days. With that said, here are the best devices in the low-end price tier.
Fitbit Charge 6
Fitbit’s Charge 6 is the go-to fitness tracker if you want excellent features and long-lasting battery life. With that in mind, it might also be the best option for you if battery life is one of the most important factors in picking a smartwatch or fitness tracker. It can last for up to a week on a single charge. So right off the bat, you’ll be charging this device less often. And it’s always good to have fewer things to worry about charging.
The Fitbit Charge 6 retails for $159.99 at full price but you can also often find it on sale which will make it even cheaper. It has 40+ exercise modes so it should have no trouble tracking most of the exercises you do. It can also now use Google Wallet and Google Maps. Forget your wallet at home? Not a problem. Simply tap your wrist at checkout stands that support tap-to-pay and you’re good to go. Even Google Maps directions will show up right on the Fitbit Charge 6’s display.
You’ll also really like the Daily Readiness Score. This feature analyzes your sleep habits and gives you a score so you know whether you’re good to keep exercising or if your body needs a day of rest. And of course, if you’re like me and you like to listen to music while you exercise, you can access things like YouTube Music controls right from the display.
Amazfit Band 7
If you truly want to save some serious cash when picking a wearable to track your activities and do a whole bunch of other things, then we’re recommending the Amazfit Band 7. This is Amazfit’s most recent tracker and it’s incredibly affordable at just $49.99. Not only that, but it’s currently on sale for $44.99 too. So you save even more money while this sale is active.
In years past, the Amzfit Band was still a pretty good tracker but it had considerably fewer features than this latest model. So it wasn’t as nice as it is now. Where the Amazfit Band 7 stands out from some of the much older models is the large AMOLED color display. At 1.47 inches it’s nearly as big as some smartwatches, and that will make it super easy to see whatever you’re trying to look at. My favorite feature of this tracker, however, is the battery life. This is the tracker you get if battery life is the most important factor in a tracker for you. It can last for up to 18 days which is an astounding amount of time for a device like this. Think about it, you would probably only have to charge the Amazfit Band 7 once a month.
Like all of the other devices on here, it also gets smartphone notifications so you never have to worry about missing a message, an email, or a phone call. It has Alexa built-in as well, so that means easy hands-free functionality for you. And that’s bound to come in handy if you’re out shopping and your hands are full. Overall this is a great little fitness tracker and it’s the best option out there for the extremely budget-minded consumer who doesn’t want to spend or can’t spend a ton on this kind of gift. The good news is that just because it’s less expensive, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. On the contrary, it’s quite excellent, and you won’t find better in this price range.
