May 2022
Smartwatches: Aggregated Ranking Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of Smartwatch rankings posted by key online experts, as of May 2022.
At a glance - May 2022 Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Smartwatch |
Tom's Guide
|
TechRadar
|
Reviewed
|
Popular Science
|
Wareable
|
Ars Technica
|
Trusted Reviews
|
10Beasts
|
PCMag
|
Android Authority
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $384 |
Apple Watch 7
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
- | $200 |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
-
|
2
|
7
|
-
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
|
3
|
- | $177 |
Fitbit Versa 3
|
7
|
4
|
7
|
-
|
12
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
|
4
|
- | $218 |
Fitbit Sense
|
3
|
6
|
-
|
4
|
11
|
2
|
10
|
-
|
11
|
-
|
|
5
|
- | $329 |
Apple Watch SE
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
|
6
|
- | $300 |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
7
|
- | Check price |
Samsung Galaxy Active 2
|
9
|
7
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
|
8
|
+1 | $420 |
Apple Watch Series 6
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
9
|
+2 | $450 |
Garmin Venu 2 Plus
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
4
|
|
10
|
-2 | $238 |
Apple Watch 3
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
|
11
|
-1 | $255 |
Withings ScanWatch
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
16
|
-
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
|
12
|
New * | $425 |
Huawei Watch 3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
|
13
|
-1 | $300 |
TicWatch Pro 3
|
-
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
14
|
- | $348 |
Garmin Venu 2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
|
15
|
- | $200 |
Garmin Lily
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
We ranked Apple Watch 7 #1 in May 2022 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
- Out of those, 7 experts ranked Apple Watch 7 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best smartwatch overall
|
Pros
Larger display
Brighter always-on mode
QWERTY keyboard
Comes with USB-C magnetic charger
|
Cons
Still just 18-hour battery life
|
TechRadar
The best smartwatch... but you'll need an iPhone
|
Pros
Brighter, larger screen
Faster charging
|
Cons
Workouts are varied, but basic
Battery life needs to be longer
|
Reviewed
Best Overall
|
Pros
Bigger display
Quick charging
Solid fitness tracking
|
Cons
Limited watch faces
Battery life shorter than expected
|
10Beasts
Best Smartwatch for iPhone
|
Pros
Connects seamlessly with iPhone
Acts as your phone when needed
Easy to read face
Waterproof
Many health and tracking features
Very few complaints
|
Cons
Expensive
Can be easy to crack the screen
|
PCMag
Best Overall / Editors'Choice
|
Pros
Larger display than previous models
Faster charging
Improved durability
New watch colors and faces
|
Cons
No major feature updates from last generation
One-day battery life remains the same
|
Android Authority
The best smartwatch you can buy
|
Pros
Bigger Retina display
Durable, premium design
Accurate GPS tracking
Great software and app support
|
Cons
Battery life isn’t great
No third-party watch faces
Sleep tracking still feels like an afterthought
Battery life could be better
Finicky heart rate tracking
Check out our full review to learn more about the Apple Watch Series
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 #2 in May 2022 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best smartwatch for Android
|
Pros
Slim design and fun watch faces
Improved Wear OS software
Body composition analysis
|
Cons
Inconsistent battery life
|
TechRadar
The best Samsung smartwatch
|
Pros
Excellent performance
Interesting new software
|
Cons
Limited compatibility
Lacks rotating bezel
|
Reviewed
Best for Android / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Bright, vibrant display
Tiles provide a lot of information
Solid fitness tracking
|
Cons
No iOS support
Bixby needs some work
Accessibility feels like an afterthought
|
10Beasts
Best Overall Smartwatch
|
Pros
Easy and sleek app
Customizable features with the app
Many features
Clean appearance
Great customer reviews
|
Cons
Slightly expensive
Short battery life
|
PCMag
Best for Android Users / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Competitively priced
Bright, sharp display
Thinner than the Classic model
Fast processor
Wrist-based body fat and composition measurements
Tracks snoring
More third-party apps than previous Samsung watches
|
Cons
One-day battery life
Third-party app selection still trails Apple's watchOS
|
Android Authority
The best Wear OS smartwatch
|
Pros
Classy, durable designs
Multiple size options
Wear OS 3 is all-around good
Large models have decent battery life
Improved heart rate sensor
Useful body composition metrics
|
Cons
No solid software update commitments from Google
No Google Assistant support
Slow, slow charging
Poor GPS performance
Sleep tracking needs tweaking
Small models have short battery life
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Smartwatches.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Smartwatches, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for May 2022 ranking
Tom's Guide
TechRadar
Reviewed
Popular Science
Wareable
Ars Technica
Trusted Reviews
10Beasts
PCMag
Android Authority
We ranked Fitbit Versa 3 #3 in May 2022 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best smartwatch for sleep tracking under $250
|
Pros
Good battery life
Custom training programs (with subscription)
Great sleep analysis
|
Cons
Can only use one voice assistant at once
|
TechRadar
The best Fitbit
|
Pros
Built-in GPS
Lightweight and comfortable
|
Cons
Poor side button
No offline Spotify
|
Reviewed
Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Automated fitness tracking
Always-on display
Battery life
|
Cons
Button design
Premium-feature paywall
Usability quirks
|
PCMag
Best Battery Life / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Attractive design with large, always-on color display
Integrated GPS
Battery charges quickly and lasts for days
Measures blood oxygen level while sleeping
Supports Amazon Alexa, Fitbit Pay, and Spotify
|
Cons
Laggy touch screen
No stress tracking, skin temperature, or ECG sensors
Doesn't provide high and low heart rate notifications
|
Android Authority
The best Fitbit smartwatch
|
Pros
Decent battery life
Pretty accurate health tracking
Built-in GPS
Google Assistant and Alexa support
Speaker with phone call support
Good price
|
Cons
Very small app library
Onboard music limited to two services
The capacitive button isn’t ideal
Proprietary charging cable
|
We ranked Fitbit Sense #4 in May 2022 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best Fitbit smartwatch
|
Pros
Attractive
Long battery life
Comprehensive fitness/health features
|
Cons
No Spotify storage
|
TechRadar
The second best Fitbit
|
Pros
Built-in GPS
Lightweight and comfortable
|
Cons
Poor side button
No offline Spotify
|
Trusted Reviews
Best for Alexa
|
Pros
New focus on health tracking
Great battery life
Fast GPS tracking
Informative running data
|
Cons
Offline playback limited to Pandora/Deezer
Overzealous step counter
Fitbit Premium required for best use
Back panel scratches easily
|
PCMag
Best COVID-19 Features
|
Pros
Attractive design with large, always-on color display
Excellent battery life
Measures blood oxygen level
Features an ECG app
Robust stress management and sleep tracking features
Supports Amazon Alexa, Fitbit Pay, Spotify
|
Cons
Expensive
Touch screen responsiveness could be better
Band release latch can be accidentally triggered
Small third-party app selection
|
We ranked Apple Watch SE #5 in May 2022 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The new mid-range Apple Watch
|
Pros
Classic design
Huge app library
Large screen
|
Cons
No always-on display
No ECG
|
TechRadar
The best affordable Apple Watch
|
Pros
Premium design
Great price for Apple Watch
|
Cons
Lacks always on display
Battery could be better
|
Reviewed
Best Value / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Strong performance
Great fitness tracking
Loads of storage
|
Cons
No always-on display
Missing latest health features
|
Trusted Reviews
Best Apple Watch for most people
|
Pros
Excellent value
Huge range of tracking features
The best smartwatch OS around
Wide variety of straps available
|
Cons
No always-on display
Battery life still only really a day
|
PCMag
Best Midrange Apple Watch
|
Pros
Same screen size and resolution as the Series 6
Supports fall detection, heart health notifications, and Emergency SOS
Always-on altimeter for real-time elevation tracking
WatchOS 7 adds a handwashing countdown timer and sleep tracking
Best third-party smartwatch app selection
|
Cons
No always-on display mode
Lacks ECG and SpO2 sensors
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 #6 in May 2022 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best smartwatch for Android users
|
Pros
Slimmer design than the original
Physical rotating bezel is back
FDA-approved ECG readings
|
Cons
Shorter battery life than original
|
TechRadar
The best Tizen smartwatch
|
Pros
Great, premium design
Rotating bezel is useful
|
Cons
Battery could be better
Tizen apps are limited
|
Reviewed
|
Pros
Vibrant display
Gorgeous design
Excellent fitness tracking
|
Cons
Limited apps
Expensive
|
Trusted Reviews
Best for Android
|
Pros
Super swish design
Solid fitness and health tracking
Decent smartwatch functionality
|
Cons
Battery life could be better
|
We ranked Samsung Galaxy Active 2 #7 in May 2022 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
A sleek fitness smartwatch for Android users
|
Pros
Offline Spotify storage
Gorgeous design
Works with iOS and Android
|
Cons
Sleep-tracking needs some work
|
TechRadar
The best fitness-focused Tizen watch
|
Pros
High-end design
Rotating digital bezel
|
Cons
Few features for price bump
Still limited functionality with iOS
|
Reviewed
Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Large display
Good battery life
In-depth fitness tracking
Advanced sensors
|
Cons
Limited third-party apps
Setup is tricky
|
10Beasts
Best for Fitness Accountability
|
Pros
Great haptic dial control on-screen
Great minimalist design
Battery life is decent
|
Cons
Very few third party apps
|
We ranked Apple Watch Series 6 #8 in May 2022 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Apple Watch Series 6 as #1.
TechRadar
The best older Apple Watch
|
Pros
Great color additions
Always-on display
|
Cons
Lacks a headline upgrade
Battery life needs to be longer
|
Trusted Reviews
Best Smartwatch
|
Pros
Great design
Excellent fitness and health tracking
Wide range of straps
|
Cons
Battery life remains basically a day
|
We ranked Garmin Venu 2 Plus #9 in May 2022 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best fitness-tracking smartwatch
|
Pros
Stunning AMOLED display
Reliable fitness tracking and Garmin Coach
Call quality is better than expected
|
Cons
Not enough third-party apps
|
10Beasts
Best Smartwatch for Music
|
Pros
Can download a lot of music
Many exercise tracking and built-in features
Connects to your hone and wireless earbuds
Attractive
|
Cons
Expensive
|
Android Authority
The best Garmin smartwatch
|
Pros
Excellent design and build quality
Rapid charging helps make up for battery woes
Clear call quality on the wrist
Slow but useful voice assistant support
Accurate fitness and health tracking
|
Cons
High price tag
Battery life is shorter than Garmin’s claims
Heart rate sensor still has issues
|
We ranked Apple Watch 3 #10 in May 2022 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The most affordable smartwatch for iPhone users
|
Pros
Improved fitness-tracking
Faster Siri
Apple Music streaming (with LTE model)
|
Cons
No always-on displayNo fall detection
|
Trusted Reviews
Best Apple Watch on a budget
|
Pros
Snappy performance
Super-bright and clear display
Decent battery life (when not reliant on LTE)
Apple Pay
|
Cons
LTE has a big impact on battery life
Needs more dedicated watch apps to make use of LTE
Siri doesn’t always work
No LTE roaming
|
PCMag
Best Affordable Apple Watch
|
Pros
Built-in cellular connectivity.
Improved heart rate monitoring.
Faster processor.
Clear call quality.
New band and case options.
|
Cons
Expensive.
LTE drains battery rapidly.
|
We ranked Withings ScanWatch #11 in May 2022 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
Trusted Reviews
Best looking
|
Pros
Oozing in sophistication
Battery life champion
Simple to use interface
Great app design
|
Cons
Lagging in fitness tracking
No GPS or NFC
|
Android Authority
The best hybrid smartwatch
|
Pros
Premium, classy design
Long-lasting battery
Health Mate app is well-designed and easy to use
Potentially lifesaving and easy-to-use ECG monitor
Clinically validated AFib and breathing disturbance notifications
Fantastic sleep tracking
|
Cons
Limited availability
Small display limits smart features
Few advanced fitness features or insights
|
We ranked Huawei Watch 3 #12 in May 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
10Beasts
Most Divisive Smartwatch
|
Pros
Attractive
Customizable face
Many features
Great for iPhone users
Company has updated its offerings
|
Cons
Not suitable for Android users
Not suitable for those outside of the US
|
We ranked TicWatch Pro 3 #13 in May 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
TechRadar
The best Wear OS watch for battery life
|
Pros
Big battery lasts 3 days
Fast chipset
|
Cons
Sometimes poor interface
Sleep tracking isn't the best
|
Trusted Reviews
Best for Google services
|
Pros
Fast performance, courtesy of Wear 4100
Long battery life for a Wear OS watch
Dual-display is still a winner
|
Cons
The design isn’t as bold this time around
Questionable heart rate tracking for weightlifting
No Google Play Music equals no offline listening
|
We ranked Garmin Venu 2 #14 in May 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
PCMag
Best Fitness-Focused Smartwatch
|
Pros
Attractive classic watch design in two sizes and multiple colors
Bright, responsive AMOLED touch screen
Measures blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiration, stress, and energy levels
New HIIT and updated strength training apps
Preloaded workouts with animations
Onboard music storage
Supports Bluetooth accessories and contactless payments
|
Cons
Expensive
Limited third-party app selection
No voice assistant support
|
We ranked Garmin Lily #15 in May 2022 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Smartwatches” rankings.
PCMag
Best for Small Wrists
|
Pros
Stylish classic watch design
Measures breathing, energy level, and stress
SpO2 sensor
Lots of useful widgets
Excellent companion app
|
Cons
No built-in GPS
Lacks a color display
|