Garmin is well known for its expansive list of rugged fitness watches, with multiple lines specifically tailored to different activity types. And now, the options for adventurers and serious endurance athletes are even more extensive with the announcement of updated Pro versions of the epix and fēnix 7 watches. 

Most of the updates to these premium next-gen. multisport watches are incremental software changes, such as more activity types and new fitness measurement tools. But there are also a few notable hardware and build upgrades, including a new size option and AMOLED display for the epix Pro and an LED flashlight in all three sizes of both the epix Pro and fēnix 7 Pro. Both watches will also benefit from trickle-down features from the new Forerunners.

Garmin epix Pro details

Garmin just debuted its epix 2 line of watches last year. Despite how new the series is, the company is rolling out some worthwhile updates to make it even better in a new Pro version. With vibrant metrics-rich watch faces and extensive sensors/navigation features in a sleek body, the epix Pro remains a great choice for boardroom-to-backcountry adventures and weekend warriors, from climbers and mountaineers to ultra-marathon trail runners. 

Garmin

SEE IT

epix Pro and build changes

The epix came in two sizes—42mm and 47mm—while the Pro version adds a 52mm option for those who really want a statement piece on their wrist. The larger size offers more than just a dramatic look, however. Garmin packed extra battery into the 52mm version, which promises up to 31 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. The 42mm and 47mm both should provide 10 and 16 days of battery life, respectively. 

Like the epix Gen. 2, the Garmin epix Pro will be available in Standard Edition, which features Corning Gorilla Glass and stainless steel case, or the Sapphire Edition, which uses a more durable Sapphire lens and titanium case. And all three sizes get an even brighter upgraded AMOLED display for a colorful, detail-packed watch face. 

All three sizes will offer an LED flashlight, which can vary in intensity and features a strobe mode. We were glad to see the flashlight included even on the smallest watch since it is a potentially game-changing feature. It can illuminate your path while trail running or hiking in the dark and help others see you, which is invaluable if exercising near a road. 

The epix Pro also gets an updated and optimized heart rate sensor. Garmin didn’t provide any information on what exactly that means, but it says these changes will provide “enhanced multisport performance tracking.”

Fitness tracking features

Garmin watches are already robust in their fitness tracking abilities, but the company is not one to just let things be. The epix Pro will offer new activities, which include team sports such as soccer, basketball, and racquet sports, as well as horseback riding and more.

Beyond new tracking modes, Garmin also created new training features. Hill Score gives you a better idea of how your training impacts your ability to run uphill. Uphill segments are automatically detected and analyzed, and that information is combined with other physiological metrics to provide a score from one to 100. It even breaks the score down into Hill Endurance and Hill Strength, which reflect short, fast efforts versus long, sustained climbs. And it offers feedback to improve your training over time. 

The second new feature—Endurance score—looks beyond your VO2 Max, giving a more personalized look at your fitness. It analyzes both short-term and long-term endurance training and takes into account all types of activity, not just running or cycling. And, like Hill Score, it provides training feedback to help you understand your score.

Additional new features

The Garmin epix Pro will provide a unique Red Shift Mode, which changes the display to shares of red. This lessens the impact on your vision when looking at your watch in the dark and reduces any sleep cycle disturbance you might get from the standard display. You can manually turn on this display mode or schedule it to automatically turn on and off based on sunset and sunrise time. And you can even select certain activities that automatically use Red Shift Mode.

Up Ahead mode will allow you to view running points of interest, such as checkpoints and aid stations, right on the map. This allows you to better understand what’s in front of you and plan accordingly on your race or activity. 

The last feature those navigating the backcountry will especially appreciate is the new weather map overlays and relief shading on topographic maps. The weather overlays can display temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover, to help you make more informed decisions on the go. And relief shading will assist in navigation. You can also opt into Outdoor Maps+ for even more map content, including satellite imagery and more detailed maps.  

Garmin epix Pro pricing & availability

The epix Pro is available for purchase as of today, starting at $899.99.

Garmin

SEE IT

Garmin fēnix 7 Pro details

Like the epix Pro, most changes to the fēnix 7 Pro are smaller software additions. The fēnix 7 Pro still comes in 42mm, 47mm, or 51mm sizes, though you no longer have the option of a version without solar charging. You can, however, choose between Standard Solar or Sapphire Solar, depending on how robust you want your watch face. 

Like many of Garmin’s new watches lately, including the Instinct 2X, the fēnix 7 Pro will feature an LED flashlight in all sizes. It offers a broad pattern, variable intensities, red safety light, and strobe mode. 

New training features

The fēnix 7 Pro also gets a new heart rate sensor. Garmin says this next-gen sensor utilizes “more spatially diverse optical sensors and sport-specific algorithms.” It should provide even better performance tracking for more activities, giving you even more accurate insight into your training. 

Like the epix Pro, the fēnix 7 Pro will also get the new Endurance Score and Hill Score for better endurance training insight. It also gets its share of new activities, including white water rafting, motocross, overlanding, and dozens more. And the watch will provide access to the weather map overlays, new relief shading, and Up Ahead mode.

Garmin fēnix 7 Pro pricing and availability

All versions of the fēnix 7 Pro are available for purchase at a starting price of $799.99.

The post Garmin’s newest smartwatches are even more adventure-ready appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The unofficial kickoff to summer is a great time to get active, indoors or out. The warmer weather invites barbecues and relaxation. So whether you’re training for a race, looking to get out on the water for the first time, or improving your putt, these Memorial Day fitness deals will help you prepare, have fun, and save money while you’re doing it.

Aquaglide Deschutes Inflatable Kayak $543.89 (was $679.99)

SEE IT

Inflatable kayaks are appealing because they’re generally much easier to transport than traditional models. But you shouldn’t have to sacrifice performance for portability. Aquaglide’s Deschutes Inflatable Kayak provides a solution: It’s both a cinch to toss into your car and includes features that paddlers are looking for. Plus, it’s currently available at its lowest price in months—just in time for the weather and waters to warm up.

This single-person kayak weighs just 18 pounds and fits into an included duffle bag. You’ll need a 12-volt air pump to inflate the three chambers of this open cockpit model, which is not included. Once inflated, this 11-foot kayak is designed with handles for carrying, a cushioned, quick-release seat, and adjustable footrests for a comfortable ride. The package also includes a quick-release fin, cockpit drain, and repair kit should you encounter rough waters. 

More outdoor fitness deals

• Strata Men’s Complete Golf Set $254.15 (was $299.99)
• Intex Challenger Kayak, Inflatable Kayak Set with Aluminum Oars and High Output Air-Pump $121.44 (was $138.99)
• GT Men’s Aggressor Pro Mountain Bike $299.98 (was $799.98)
• GT Laguna Pro Mountain Bike $299.98  (was $799.98)
• GoSports Golf Putting Green for Indoor & Outdoor Putting Practice $301.68 (was $349.99)
• Airhead Super Mable, 1-3 Rider Towable Tube for Boating $256.99 (was $541.99)
• Skywalker Trampolines Epic Series 15′ Rectangle Trampoline $800 (was $899.99)
• BCAN 40/48″ Foldable Mini Trampoline $105.99 with coupon (was $139.99)
• Franklin Sports Fun 5 Combo Outdoor Game Set $23.75 (was $54.99)
• VSSAL Portable All-in-One Badminton, Pickleball and Kids’ Volleyball Net Set $159.99 with coupon (was $169.99) 
• Seray Basketball Hoop with 4.8-10 Foot Height Adjustable for Kids/Adults $155.99 with coupon (was $189.99)

Best home gym equipment deals

• Bowflex T22 Treadmill $2,499 (was $3,599)
• NordicTrack Commercial Series Treadmill + 30-Day iFit Membership $2,299 (was $2,499)
• Hydrow Wave Rower $1,695 (was $1,895)
• Sunny Health & Fitness Space Efficient Multi-Function Magnetic Rowing Machine $169.98 (was $329.99)
• RHYTHM FUN Treadmill Folding Treadmill Desk Treadmill $849.15 (was $999)
• UREVO URTM012 3 in 1 Under Desk Walking Treadmill with Removable Desk $399.99 with coupon (was $499.99)
• UREVO URTM013 Walking Pad, 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill with Remote Control, LED Display $299 with coupon (was $389.99)
• Inspire Fitness FT1 Functional Trainer – Compact At Home Workout Machine $2,159.20 (was $2,499)
• FLYBIRD Weight Bench $119.99 (was $239.99)
• Sunny Health & Fitness Evolution Pro Magnetic Belt Drive Indoor Exercise Cycling Bike $720 with coupon (was $849.99)
• Tempo Studio $1,695 (was $2,495)
• Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbbells $379 (was $549)
• ProsourceFit Slam Medicine Balls $25.19 (was $27.99)
• Bowflex SelectTech Curl Bar $449 (was $749)

Best smartwatch and wearable deals

• Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS + Cellular 45mm] Smart Watch w/Midnight Aluminum Case $459 (was $529)
• SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Pro 5 45mm LTE Smartwatch $429.99 (was $499.99)
• SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 5 40mm Bluetooth Smartwatch $229.99 (was $279.99)
• Garmin epix Gen 2 $699.99 (was $899.99)
• Garmin Vivoactive 4 $199.99 (was $329.99) 
• Garmin fenix 7 Sapphire Solar Adventure Smartwatch $699.99 (was $899.99)
• Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $204.99 (was $299)
• Amazfit Band 5 Activity Fitness Tracker $29.95 (was $39.99)

Best fitness accessories

• iGPSPORT iGS630 Bike Computer $169.99 (was $199.99)
• Hypervolt Go 2 Handheld Percussion Massage Gun $125.99 (was $199)
• TOLOCO Massage Gun, Muscle Massage Gun Deep Tissue for Athletes $39.99 with coupon (was $99.99)
• Everest Mini Hiking Pack, Dark Gray/Black, One Size $13.02 (was $14.60)
• Retrospec Solana 1 inch Yoga Mat $33.79 (was $39.99)
• Etekcity Scale for Body Weight and Fat Percentage $23.99 (was $29.99) 
• TRAKK – Multi Speed & Mode Deep Tissue Massage Roller $39.99 (was $69.99)
• Hydro Flask Standard Mouth Bottle with Flex Cap $27 (was $34.95)

The post The best Memorial Day fitness deals let you jump into summer activities and save appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This near-mint 2021 Apple Watch Series 7 brings notifications, health information, and more right to your wrist for only $327.99—that’s 36 percent off its original price. 

From workouts to busy work days to running errands, an Apple Watch may make your life a little bit easier. These smartwatches go several steps beyond telling time to deliver notifications, collect health information, and so much more.

Avoid the hefty price tag by grabbing a high-quality, refurbished watch. Get a near-mint Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) for only $327.99 (reg. $529).

Revolutionize your watch experience

Apple describes the Series 7 as the most durable Apple Watch built to its creation date. The redesigned watch has extra watch face options, faster charging, and an improved WatchOS. Use new features like additional fitness tracking, a mindfulness app, and more.

The Series 7 also has a larger, always-on Retina display to make it easier to see the time, notifications, or any of your apps. Here are just some of the things you could do with your watch:

• Track workouts and get data like your heart rate, step count, measured distance, and even personalized reminders to stay active.
• Monitor other health information like your blood oxygen level, take an ECG, use sleep-tracking apps, and get reminders to take medications or wash your hands.
• Receive and respond to notifications, messages, or answer phone calls right from your wrist.
• Access reminders and calendar events without having to pull out your phone.
• Listen to music during your workouts by syncing your earbuds right to your watch. Leave your iPhone behind and control songs from your wrist.
• Make purchases with Apple Pay by tapping your watch for payment.

This specific watch is powered by either WiFi or cellular connections. Enjoy the full functionality of your watch anywhere you can get cell service or WiFi.

Excellent quality and price

You may be a little skeptical about purchasing a refurbished device, but this watch boasts an impressive Grade ‘A’ rating. That means it will arrive in near-mint condition with minimal or zero scuffing on its exterior. Essentially, you get a high-quality device while saving nearly 40 percent of its retail cost.

Take it from one verified buyer, who raved, “I love everything about this watch. I had a first-generation Apple Watch for many years and finally decided to upgrade. I’m very happy I did.”

Meet your new companion: an Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) with Silicone Band, Grade A Refurbished for only $327.99 (reg. $529).

Prices subject to change.

The post Grab a near-mint Apple Watch Series 7 for only $330 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Smartwatches are a handy way to keep weather notifications, health tracking, texts, and music accessible without taking your phone out of your pocket. If you have an iPhone, there’s no better choice than the Apple Watch, which easily syncs to your phone and other Apple devices. Our favorite starter Apple Watch—the Apple Watch SE—is on sale today, warranting you some savings.

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40mm] $219 (Was $249)

Apple

SEE IT

If you don’t need a blood oxygen sensor like in the Apple Watch 8 or the ultra-long battery life of the Apple Watch Ultra, the Watch SE is the best choice. The 2nd-gen. SE comes in two varieties, appropriately: a GPS and cellular variety (also on sale for $299) and one that just comes with GPS, on sale for $219. As an Apple Watch makes a great fitness tracker, we also like pairing one with our favorite headphones for working out—luckily, the Apple Beats Fit Pro earbuds are also on sale.

Like we say in our Apple Watch comparison explainer, “If you just want an Apple Watch that works, and you don’t necessarily care about getting every kind of data, the SE 2 is probably the move.”

You know what’s also the move? Snagging this deal before it ends.

Here are more Apple, smartwatch, and electronics deals that are the apple of our eyes:

• Apple AirPods Max $479.99 (Was $549)
• Apple 2021 iMac All-in-one Desktop Computer with M1 chip $1,199 (Was $1,299)
• Apple Studio Display-Standard Glass $1,499 (Was $1,599)
• Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 Pro Chip, 512 SSD $1,199 (Was $1,299)
• Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 Chip, 256 SSD $559 (Was $599)
• Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 Chip, 512 SSD $749 (Was $799)
• Fitbit Charge 5 $109 (Was $149.95)
• Fitbit Sense 2 $244 (Was $299.95)
• Fitbit Luxe $89.95 (Was $129.95)
• Fitbit Versa 4 159.95 (Was $199.95)
• Google Pixel Watch (LTE) $329.99 (Was $399.99)
• Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) $299.99 (Was $349.99)
• Garmin Vivoactive 4 $199.99 (Was $329.99)
• SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 5 40mm LTE $249.99 (Was $329.99)
• SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 5 44mm LTE $279 (Was $359.99)

The post Get an Apple Watch SE for less than $250 on Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Seiko Prospex Samurai		SEE IT	Handsome, with accurate timekeeping and excellent water resistance, it’s sharp enough to wear daily.
Best budget		Timex Unisex Weekender		SEE IT	With its nylon band and large numbered dial, this timepiece resembles the classic military field watch and has a surprising amount of features.
Best digital		G-Shock GWM5610		SEE IT	A tank built to withstand heavy impact from the dings of daily wear and up to 200 meters of water resistance.

Watches under $500 should have a baseline function of telling time. After that, the bells and whistles are just bonuses, or, technically speaking, complications. When considering the plethora of choices you can find in a watch—be it mechanical or quartz, analog or digital, field or diver—things get a little bogged down in spec-reading over features. Affordable watches are no less useful than expensive ones because, well, even the best watches under half a grand perform the same task as a pricey one. You don’t need to shell out thousands of dollars to add an accessory to your wrist for styling purposes or simple timekeeping. These are the best watches under $500 for casual fans and collectors alike.

• Best overall: Seiko Prospex Samurai
• Most sustainable: NIXON Light-Wave A1322
• Best automatic: Seiko 5 SNZG09K1
• Best for diving: Orient Mako II
• Best digital: G-Shock GWM5610 
• Best field watch: Citizen Chandler Eco-Drive
• Best budget: Timex Unisex Weekender

How we chose the best watches under $500

When finding the best watches under $500, we used a combination of personal experience, hands-on testing, past recommendations, and online research to narrow down what’s worth wearing. We compared specs like crystal quality (the glass dome that goes over a dial), water resistance, brand names, and band types to discover what timepieces are best for most people. We also consulted professionals and collectors, combed through hundreds of critical reviews and consumer impressions, and kept an eye on the most frequently cited value-oriented watches. We narrowed down our picks with the budget, accessibility, color variety, size, band and crystal quality, and water resistance in mind. One note: These aren’t smartwatches (if you want that, check out our thoughts on the Apple Watch 8), but they are smartly selected for those that want a timeless timepiece.

The best watches under $500: Reviews & Recommendations

With some of the key terms defined, it’s time to dive into our picks. While we’ve chosen models for specific categories, watches are highly subjective and there’s a lot of overlap here. Be sure to check out the entire list of best watches under $500 before committing to one model. 

Best overall: Seiko Prospex Samurai 

Seiko

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The handsome Seiko Prospex Samurai is a stainless steel watch that provides accurate timekeeping and excellent water resistance, and with its looks, it’s sharp enough to wear daily.

Specs

• 44 mm case width
• 200 meters water-resistance
• Self-winding automatic movement

Pros

• Casual enough for daily wear
• Stainless steel
• Attractive face

Cons

• Chapter ring can appear slightly misaligned
• Band feels cheap

The Seiko Prospex Samurai is consistently cited as a top contender for sub-$500 watches, and we have to agree. A sturdy diver that doubles as a casual watch, the Seiko Prospex Samurai has a stainless steel case and band that ensures durability and protection against water and minor scuffing. Though simple in design, its face is gorgeous and can match any occasion or outfit you pair with it. Plus, its date window and easy-to-read face make it a solid everyday watch for work and weekends alike.

This Seiko comes from the brand’s series nicknamed Samurai, due to its hands resembling a samurai sword, and is a Prospex, or “Professional Specifications,” variant initially introduced in 2017. While we believe the black and white colorway is the most versatile, this timepiece also comes in other hues, like blue and green, so grab one that suits your mood. Its downside is one that’s notorious with Seiko’s value watches: misalignments. Some buyers report a slightly misaligned date window and chapter ring, so beware of an off-centered dial.

Most sustainable: NIXON Light-Wave A1322-100m

Nixon

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: A stylish mariner’s watch that makes an effort to be green, this solar-powered watch eliminates the need for disposable watch batteries, and makes use of recycled ocean plastic for its band.

Specs:

• 37mm face
• 20mm band
• Water resistant to 100 meters

Pros

• Water-resistant
• Solar-powered for battery-free operation
• Band made of recycled ocean plastic

Cons

• Takes a while to charge if left indoors
• Watch interface is confusing

The NIXON Light-Wave A1322-100m is a stylish mariner’s watch that puts its oceanic theme right up at the bow. With an attractive band made of recycled ocean plastic, paired with a battery-free design that capitalizes on solar power, this watch will appeal to ocean advocates and those interested in green product design.

The NIXON Light-Wave comes in seven colorways, with a range of band designs and hues. With so many available colors, this watch is easy to style with lots of different aesthetics and will work well with sporty outfits, as well as polished office wear. In some ways, the NIXON may be more married to its aesthetics than its function, as the uniform minute-hands and the double-sided second-hand make it difficult to tell precisely what time it is. Still, it achieves its aesthetic aims—this is a good-looking watch—and dignifies itself with its strong green-focused design.

Best automatic: Seiko 5 SNZG09K1

Seiko

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Seiko 5 SNZG09K1 has a slightly larger size compared to other field watches and a see-thru back that provides an interesting window to the watch’s inner workings.

Specs

• 45mm case width
• 100m water-resistance
• See-thru back

Pros

• Large size for a field watch
• Bold, easy-to-read dial
• 48-hour power reserve

Cons

• May be too big for those with smaller wrists
• May not provide accurate timekeeping

Our pick for the best automatic watch under $500 is also the best-looking field watch we’ve found: the Seiko 5 SNZG09K1. This attractive timepiece is slightly larger than most military-styled field watches with a case size of 45mm, compared to the industry standard 38mm to 44mm, making it a much bolder watch built for sport and casual use. The large dial is clear and easily digestible, especially its day and date function, and its secondhand wields a bright red pointer for easy tracking. With 100m water resistance, this timepiece can freely withstand rain and occasional immersion if needed.

As far as self-winding automatic watches are concerned, this one’s got efficiency. The Seiko 5 SNZG09K1 has a 48-hour power reserve, which means you can take it off and it’ll run for up to two days before it needs to wind up again. And, of course, like all automatic watches, no batteries are required. Those who have smaller wrists may want to try the Seiko 5 SNK805 for a better fit.

Best for diving: Orient Mako II

Orient

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This gorgeous, classic diver is accessible enough for entry-level collectors and will prove reliable both underwater and at a weekend barbeque.

Specs

• 41.5mm case size
• 200m water-resistance
• Automatic movement

Pros

• 200m water-resistance
• 120-click unidirectional bezel
• Classic style

Cons

• Must be hand-wound
• Crown can be tough to wind

Ask any serious watch collector and they’ll agree: Orient’s Mako II is the quintessential diver. Considered a classic by many, this stylish diving watch presents a reasonably sized timepiece with unique details that make it more attractive. This diver offers up to 200 meters of water resistance, which means you can take it into the shower or a hot tub without worry. Of course, that also means you can take it underwater for a dive. In the dark, it has a powerful lume that glows the hands and numerals of the dial, as well as an accent at the 12-o-clock on the outer bezel. An added day-and-date function makes this watch suited for daily wear.

Although it’s automatic, the Orient Mako II needs manual winding, with its movement clocking in at around 4+ to 6+ a day. It also features second hacking, so you can manually adjust the secondhand for precision timekeeping. Its polished and brushed stainless steel band will look sharp and handle any water tossed its way.

Best digital: G-Shock GWM5610

Casio

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The G-Shock line of watches is known to be tough-as-nails and the GWM5610 adds the bells and whistles to make it as practical as it is tanky: atomic timekeeping, solar power, and a clear display with no clutter.

Specs

• 43mm case width
• 200 meters water-resistance
• Solar-powered

Pros

• Impact- and water-resistant
• Atomic (radio-controlled) timekeeping
• Clear display with backlight

Cons

• Different colorways get pricey

The best digital watch under $500 is also an upgrade to the most durable. The GWM5610, an update to the classic DW5600, is a tank built to withstand heavy impact from the dings of daily wear and up to 200 meters of water resistance. It’s equipped with five daily alarms, a backlight, a countdown timer, a stopwatch, and an auto-calendar, which means that once set, you no longer have to tweak it to account for leap years or shorter months. Unique to the GWM5610 is its atomic timekeeping, which uses radio signals to auto-synchronize the time at midnight. Its Tough Solar can power this watch for up to a whopping 18 months without exposure to light.

The best part about the GWM5610 is its uncluttered display, which, unlike other G-Shock watches, makes reading the time and date a cinch. That display is made of mineral, which is extremely tough to scratch. Its 43mm case width makes it a smart digital option, and paired with its durability, it’ll warrant daily wear.

Best field watch: Citizen Chandler Eco-Drive

Citizen

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: A sleek field watch with bold numerals and lume hands, the Citizen Chandler Chronograph adds a strong solar-power component and three attractive subdials to an easily digestible face.

Specs

• 39mm case width
• 100 meters water resistance
• Solar-powered

Pros

• Clear, large dial
• Solid lume on hands and hour marks
• Excellent movement and battery

Cons

• Grommets on band hinder buckle

With its rugged appeal, the Citizen Chandler Chronograph is a simple watch with a large display that makes it distraction-free, and a bright lux for easy reading at night. It’s equipped with two push buttons that start and stop its chronograph feature, while its subdials at 10- and 6-o-clock keep track of its passing seconds and minutes (its 2-o-clock sundial presents the military time).

This watch’s nylon strap is built tough to prevent ripping, though its grommets are somewhat large, which hinders adjusting its buckle. Because it’s solar-powered, the Citizen Chandler Chronograph never needs a battery change, and its power reserve keeps it ticking for 150 days without light exposure.

Its water resistance, while not as high as other picks on this list, provides ample protection in the rain and in moist conditions, which also makes it suitable for hikes and unpredictable weekends. Available in green and blue, this timepiece lends an outdoorsy look to any ensemble.

Best budget: Timex Unisex Weekender

Timex

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: With its easy-to-read face and plethora of band styles, the Timex Weekender is a reliable watch that’s versatile, attractive, and surprisingly affordable.

Specs

• 38mm case width
• 30 meters water resistance
• Nylon strap

Pros

• Backlight
• Versatile and lightweight
• Plenty of color options

Cons

• Not built for water immersion
• Loud ticking

The Timex Weekender may be the perfect candidate for an entry-level watch that won’t break the bank. Resembling the classic military field watch with its nylon band and large numbered dial, this timepiece has a surprising amount of features that make it a solid value pick. It has a backlight that illuminates the entire dial with a cool blue hue to help you read it in the dark. It’s unisex-appropriate at 38mm wide, and its bands come in a variety of colors for styling. Furthermore, those bands can also be switched out, as the back of the watch features a slip-thru design that lets you slide a new strap in place without the use of tools.

Here’s a solid timepiece that you can toss on without having to worry about feeling its presence due to its lightweight. It has its cons, though. For one, owners frequently say that the Timex Weekender has a pretty loud tick to it. It’s also not suited for much water activity, with its resistance at 30m, so you may need to take it off if you get caught in the rain or need to wash dishes.

Things to consider before buying the best watches under $500

A watch can offer many features, also known as complications, that may boost its value, appeal, and usefulness. But complications aside, there are a number of things to keep in mind when shopping for a new watch under $500.

Movement

Think of the movement of a watch as its engine, or the way it gets its power. Three types of movements exist for a watch: mechanical, automatic, and quartz.

Mechanical is the oldest type of watch movement, and it requires periodic hand-winding of a spring to maintain its power. An automatic movement is technically mechanical, but it self-winds through the wearer’s natural wrist motion. Quartz replaces the mechanical workings of a watch with a crystal and battery, which will need replacing every few years, depending on the watch’s specific functions. It must be noted that the movement of a quartz watch provides the most accurate timekeeping. 

Brand

Like a television set or digital camera, a watch’s brand is usually an indicator of its quality. Names like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, and Roger Dubuis are that of luxury and skew higher in price due to their intricate details and dependable movements. For this list, we’ve compiled more budget-friendly, though reliable brands popular with collectors and retailers today: Orient, Seiko, G-Shock, Citizen, and Timex. Though not on this list, value-oriented brands Bulova, Hamilton, Dan Henry, and Tissot are also known for quality timepieces.

Band

It’s important to be mindful of a watch’s band, or strap, when purchasing a new timepiece. Bands made with fiber-like nylon are usually built for a rugged aesthetic, often found in field watches, and are tough to rip and tear. Stainless steel bands are made of metal and provide durability against the elements, including rust resistance. These are often with a finish that leaves the band looking polished. To adjust a stainless steel band, you’ll have to use tools to remove its links.

Water resistance

Even if you’re not a diver, a watch’s water resistance is a vital piece of information that can tell you what occasion it can be worn. A watch with no or low water resistance will cause corrosion and damage its inner workings. A timepiece that can handle minor splashes, steam, and light rain is one that offers roughly 50 meters of water resistance. 100 meters of water resistance can handle the above, plus the pressure of swimming. The higher the meter number, the better it can handle pressure underwater. For a watch used daily, we recommend aiming for a piece with at least 100 meters of resistance for durability

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best watches under $500

• Best overall: Seiko Prospex Samurai
• Most sustainable: NIXON Light-Wave A1322
• Best automatic: Seiko 5 SNZG09K1
• Best for diving: Orient Mako II
• Best digital: G-Shock GWM5610 
• Best field watch: Citizen Chandler Eco-Drive
• Best budget: Timex Unisex Weekender

The best watches under $500 prove that you don’t have to sacrifice an entire paycheck for comfort and quality. When it comes to a striking timepiece that’s reliable, water-resistant, and casual enough for daily wear, the Seiko Prospex Samurai proves it can hold a mantle to even the most extravagant of watches. Its simple design is easy-to-read and will match any outfit you can throw at it. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best watches under $500 of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

As many of you know, May the 4th represents a special holiday for Star Wars fans. It’s an opportunity to get dressed up in your favorite fan gear and head out to work or other real-life events without judgment from the normies. However, these super-classy Citizen x Star Wars watches will let you rep your fandom all year without having to worry about going over the top. These are selling quickly today, so if you see a design you like, jump on it before some other super fan beats you to it.

Citizen Star Wars ANI-Digi Quartz Watch $276 (Was $395)

Citizen

SEE IT

This hybrid watch offers two analog dials and two digital screens, so you can track two time zones, get the digital time, and get the temperature. It has a built-in alarm and light. Plus, the whole thing comes packed in a slick stainless steel case that elevates this way above plastic novelty watches other fans might be rocking.

Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Men’s Watch, Chewbacca Brown $238(Was $325)

Citizen

SEE IT

You won’t find a ton of Star Wars merch you could wear to a formal gathering, but Citizen’s Death Star watch fits just fine with a tuxedo or whatever people wear to Comic Con. Plus, it’s just $238, compared to its $350 regular price. It’s a full-fledged Citizen Eco-Drive watch, which means it offers 100 meters of water resistance, and it never needs a battery change or winding as long as you give it some sunshine every once in a while. It’s the classiest piece of Star Wars merch you’ll find this side of those lightsaber cuff links your mom wouldn’t let you wear to your grandma’s 90th birthday party.

• Citizen Star Wars ANI-Digi Quartz Watch $276 (was $395)
• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel with Orange Leather strap, Rebel Pilot $276(was $395)
• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Quartz Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel with Leather strap, Millenium Falcon $281 (was $295) — I know this isn’t a huge deal, but it’s a very cool design
• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel Mandalorian $256 (was $375)
• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Quartz Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel with CORDURA® strap, Boba Fett $281 (was $375) — 32% off, a top deal
• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel, Bespin $249 (was $375) — 34% off, a top deal
• Citizen Eco-Drive Star Wars Men’s Watch, Stainless Steel with Leather Strap, Han Solo $216 (was $325) — 34% off, a top deal

More Citizen watch deals

Maybe you don’t want to rock a Star Wars watch constantly. What if the person doing your next job interview is a Trekkie? That would be super awkward. Luckily, plenty of other Citizen watches are on sale at Amazon right now.

• Citizen CZ Smart Gold Ion Plated Stainless Steel Smartwatch $249 (was $395)
• Citizen CZ Smart Gen 1 Hybrid smartwatch 44mm $175 (was $350)
• Citizen CZ Smart Gen 1 Hybrid smartwatch 44mm $210 (was $350)
• Citizen Corso Eco-Drive Men’s Watch $187 (was $375)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Promaster Land Chronograph Watch $487(was $650)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Promaster Diver Watch $226 (was $325)
• Citizen Analog Black Dial Men’s Watch $89 (was $119)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Promaster Air Nighthawk Pilot Watch in Stainless Steel $247 (was $395)
• Citizen Men’s Eco-Drive Classic Chronograph Watch $274 (was $525)
• Citizen Men’s Quartz Dress Watch with Stainless $69 (was $179)

The post Amazon has Citizen x Star Wars watches on deep discount for May the 4th appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Ace 3		SEE IT	It’s made specifically for children.
Best for style		Fitbit Luxe		SEE IT	Its good looks make it appealing to a wide audience.
Best for teens		Inspire 3		SEE IT	Get slightly older kids some more advanced features.

Fitbits can provide a great way to encourage kids to develop healthy habits and active lifestyles from an early age. A Fitbit, one of the leading brands of activity trackers, can motivate your child to get the recommended daily amount of exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control, kids from ages 6 to 17 need about 60 minutes of physical movement per day to stay healthy. Fitbits can easily help track those minutes to ensure adequate movement. Fitbits don’t just monitor exercise, though. They can help with stress levels, monitor heart rate, store music, receive call/text notifications, and they can even track sleep. The Sleep Foundation says that sleep not only helps your child with energy levels, but a slew of other important developmental areas such as memory, focus, mood, learning, motor skill development, and overall happiness. A Fitbit’s sleep tracker can help ensure your child is getting the recommended 9-11 hours needed. We have compiled this list of the best Fitbits for kids. 

• Best overall: Ace 3
• Best for style: Fitbit Luxe
• Best for teens: Inspire 3
• Best for young kids: Ace 3: Minions Special Edition
• Best with GPS: Fitbit Charge 5

How we chose the best Fitbits for kids

While some people use “Fitbit” as shorthand to represent every type of fitness tracker, we’ve kept this list within the specific brand itself. While there are other fitness tracking options out there, Fitbit offers a complete enough lineup that it can appeal to a variety of kids. 

We started by comparing the entire Fitbit lineup, many of which we have actually reviewed. We focused on models that offer kid-friendly features, reasonable pricing, and designs that will appeal to a younger crowd. While there’s one model specifically made for kids, other models can appeal to slightly older children and teens who have different needs. 

The best Fitbits for kids: Reviews & Recommendations

Now that we’ve outlined some of the most relevant features, here are our specific picks for the best Fitbits for kids. While we have broken them down into categories, there’s always overlap

Best overall: Ace 3

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: With a touchscreen display, eight days of battery life, impressive memory, and Parent and Kid View, this is the obvious choice for most young ones.

Specs

• Ages: 6+
• Battery Life: Up to 8 days
• Charge Time: 2 hours

Pros

• 8 days of battery life
• Bedtime and alarms
• Parent and Kid View
• Water-resistant 
• Interchangeable bands 

Cons

• Pricey
• No heart rate monitoring

The only Fitbit specifically made for children, the Ace 3 comes with tons of great features relevant to young ones. With 8 days of battery life, a touchscreen display, bedtime alerts, reminders to move, a step counter, and gentle alarms to wake your kids up, this Fitbit comes fully stocked.

One of the most kid-friendly aspects of the Ace 3 is the fun virtual badges, animated clock faces, and personalized avatars that add a healthy sense of competition and play to their activity. Your kids can also personalize their Fitbit with interchangeable accessories like Minions bands, for an added fee. 

There’s both parent and kid view, and it’s also water-resistant up to 50 meters, so they can even wear it while swimming. It’s by no means cheap, but with all the bells and whistles, we think it’s worth the investment. 

Best for style: Fitbit Luxe

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Fashion-forward and stylish, the Fitbit Luxe features a menstrual health tracker, several stress management tools, and sleep aids useful for teens.

Specs

• Ages: 13+
• Battery Life: Up to 5 days
• Charge Time: 2 hours

Pros

• Call/text notifications 
• Connects to phone GPS to track pace and distance
• Menstrual health tracker
• Stylish design
• Stress management features

Cons

• Pricey
• Website says the battery lasts 5 days, but quicker depending on use

Swimproof, slim, and fashion-forward, the Fitbit Luxe is the perfect tracker for teens who want to be more hands (or wrists?) on with their health. It not only takes care of all-day tracking, but also connects to a phone’s GPS to track pace and distance and allows wearers to stay connected with friends via call and text notifications. 

If your teenage girl has periods, she can track ovulation, record period symptoms, and log flow with the built-in menstrual health tracker, which can help her feel informed about her menstrual health. It also has several stress-management features, such as guided breathing, to help her with her mood and stress levels. We want to note: teenage girls have enough societal pressure, and we love that Fitbit’s team is committed to helping teenage girls stay healthy and happy without focusing on striving for “perfection.”

It’s not the cheapest option, but the Special Edition gorjana Soft Gold Stainless Steel Parker Link Bracelet doubles as a bracelet that goes with every outfit, which would make for the perfect birthday or holiday gift!

Best for teens: Inspire 3

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Easy to use and accessible for teens with a one-year premium trial included, this is a great starter tracker for young adults looking to track calories, heart rate, steps, and more at home and at school.

Specs

• Water resistance: Up to 50 meters
• Battery Life: Up to 10 days
• Charge Time: 2 hours

Pros

• Easy to use & accessible
• Affordable 
• Up to 10 days of battery
• Six-month Fitbit Premium membership included
• Competitive games

Cons

• Screen may be hard to read in the sunlight
• Band wears after some time

The Inspire 3 is Fitbit’s most accessible and easy-to-use fitness tracker, which makes it a solid option for teens.

New Fitbit users get a six-month free trial of Fitbit Premium so they can have access to guided meditations, exercises, and accountability to make their fitness and health journey even easier. 

With its sleek design and simple interface, Inspire 3 is a great starter Fitbit for tracking steps, heart rate, distance, calories, food logging, menstrual health, sleep, and more. The battery lasts up to 10 days and there are even fun games in the app, like Get Fit Bingo, for more competitive-minded teens.

Best for young kids: Ace 3: Minions Special Edition

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Meant for kids ages 6 and up, this Minions-themed fitness tracker offers parental controls and motivating challenges that make any activity feel like a game.

Specs

• Ages: 6+
• Battery Life: Up to 8 days
• Charge Time: 2 hours

Pros

• Meant for kids 6+
• Swimproof
• 8 days of battery
• Relatable cartoon watch face
• Parental controls

Cons

• No heart rate sensor

Nothing motivates a young kid to get moving more than the mischievous Minions, whose boundless energy and curiosity cannot be contained. In fact, this Fitbit contains some fan-favorite phrases, like “Feed me!” This special edition of the Ace 3 provides simplified sleep tracking, friendly reminders to keep moving, call alerts, and bedtime reminders and alarms. It’s also water-resistant to 50 meters, and the Minions-yellow embossed silicon band is meant for kids’ little wrists—both in size and style.

There’s both a kid view and a parent view, so you can keep track of your child’s activity. This is a simple tracker without all the bells and whistles, which is a great option if you want to get a starter tracker. And, family challenges allow them to try and beat their sibling’s step count.

While the virtual badges and avatars provide some external motivation for kids to get active, the incentives won’t appeal to every kid. You should also make sure the kids know to approach the badges in a healthy way. 

Best with GPS: Fitbit Charge 5

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This Fitbit with GPS can track over 20 workouts including swimming and has a built-in GPS system so your kids can leave their phones at home during workouts without feeling unsafe. 

Specs

• Ages: 13+
• Battery Life: Up to 7 days (Or 5 hours with GPS use)
• Charge Time: 2 hours

Pros

• Comfortable to wear 24/7
• Built-in GPS 
• Bigger touchscreen display 
• Heart rate tracker
• Easier to read in bright light 

Cons

• Can’t take calls
• The lack of buttons can take getting used to
• No music playback control

Fitbit’s most advanced fitness and health tracker yet, this Fitbit with GPS comes with tons of elite features in a slim and lightweight design. It features an on-wrist ECG app, step tracker, calorie tracker, hourly activity, swim-tracking, and sleep monitoring. It also allows your kids to set goals and it buzzes when they hit certain heart rate zones. Plus, the main draw: built-in GPS for tracking routes and workouts.

The built-in GPS is great if your kids want to go without their phones without feeling unsafe. But you can also connect GPS from your phone to save battery if you’re running low.

While some may love the touchscreen approach, others may find the button-less design needs some getting used to. There’s also no music playback, and no third-party apps are supported.

What to consider when shopping for the best Fitbits for kids

A Fitbit is a great way to give a scientific gift, especially to younger kids in your household. There’s no better time to talk about the cardiovascular system than when they’re taking their heartbeat. Here’s what else you should know before hitting “add to cart.”

A quick note on the term “Fitbit”

For some people, the term “Fitbit” has taken on a more general meaning—it’s a catch-all that references any fitness tracker. It’s like how we often call plastic storage bags Ziploc bags or garbage receptacles Dumpsters. In reality, Fitbit is a specific brand that’s owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company. We’re keeping this list almost entirely specific to that brand because the company makes a lot of excellent devices, but there are others out there like the Amazfit Band that would make a great option for kids.

Features

While Fitbit products have commonalities, some trackers come with unique features. It’s important to identify what you want to get out of your Fitbit. Do you want a hybrid tracker and smartwatch that can sync with a smartphone and offer more complex functionality? Or do you just want fitness tracking? Do you need GPS built in? Stress management tools? Take the company’s Fitbit quiz to help you make your decision. 

Budget

How much are you looking to spend? While some budget Fitbits are around $80, they can go all the way up to several hundred, depending on features and frills like GPS tracking and smartwatch capabilities. The kid-specific Ace is one of Fitbit’s cheaper models, which makes sense since kids are prone to breaking and losing gadgets on the regular. Buying a kid a $250 smartwatch can be a real gamble. 

Style

Your Fitbit’s style should reflect your child’s age and development. Some Fitbits, like the Ace 3, are meant for small children around 6 years, and others are meant for older teens like the Inspire 3 or Luxe. A kid won’t wear something if they hate the way it looks.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Fitbits for kids

Fitbits are a great tool to make healthy living a convenient part of your child’s daily life. From fun incentives, cool features, and built-in tracking, it’s never been easier to teach your child how to have agency over their health. Hopefully, this article helps you narrow down the best Fitbits for kids so you can find the one that is right for your child.

The post The best Fitbits for kids in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

There aren’t many smartwatches that can stand toe-to-toe with the Apple Watch, but Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 is one of those exceptions. The sleek-looking digital timepiece can also display notifications and continuously record key health metrics without intervention, bringing the kind of integration that iOS users are used to over to the Android ecosystem. The best part is that you can snag this smartwatch for $219—its lowest price ever—if you shop at Amazon right now.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm), $219 (Was $279.99)

Amazon

SEE IT

One of the Galaxy Watch 5’s greatest strengths is that it doesn’t look like a piece of tech at first glance. Watches are fashion accessories regardless of functionality, and subtlety works in Samsung’s favor. This smartwatch’s 1.2-inch color display is large enough that you should be able to easily read text without feeling like you’re carrying a boat on your wrist. The screen is made of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, so it shouldn’t chip if you accidentally bump your wrist against a desk or dumbbell. You can change its watch faces and bands to suit your mood or the occasion, too.

Aesthetics are important, but the Galaxy Watch 5’s tech features help it stand out the most. Samsung says its sensors can analyze your sleep and recommend changes to help you get more rest. Additional sensors can track your heart rate, BMI, body water level, basal metabolic rate, blood pressure, and more. If you’re exercising, the Galaxy Watch 5 can automatically assess how you’re working out and accurately track how many calories you’ve burned based on the activity.

If you’re trying to improve your health or want to know what time it is without pulling out your phone, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 is an excellent option at this price. Just be mindful that it can only be paired with Android devices, which means it’s incompatible with the iPhone.

If you’re already happy with what’s on your wrist, here are some more deals to accessorize your home:

• Ninja CREAMi, $199 (Was $239)
• Edifier R1280DB Powered Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers, $134.99 (Was $149.99)
• Blink Mini, $45.99 (Was $69.99)
• Blink Outdoor (3rd Gen) + Solar Panel Charging Mount, $90.99 (Was $129.98)
• Fire TV Stick 4K, $31.99 (Was $49.99)
• Beelink MINIS 12 Mini PC, $159.20 (Was $219)
• SAMSUNG PRO Endurance 128GB MicroSDXC Memory Card, $15.36 (Was $27.99)
• SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD 500GB, $59.99 (Was $94.99)
• AcuRite Iris (5-in-1) Indoor/Outdoor Wireless Weather Station $119.99 (Was $172.79)
• AcuRite Digital Weather Forecaster $29.10 (Was $53.99)
• NutriBullet ZNBF30500Z Blender Combo 1200 Watt $103 (Was $149)
• Vitamix 5200 Blender Professional-Grade, Self-Cleaning 64 oz Container $379 (Was $549)
• De’Longhi EC9355M La Specialista Prestigio Espresso Machine $699 (Was $899)

The post You can save $60 on the best Android smartwatch at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The Apple Watch is still far and away the most popular line of wearable devices in the world. According to analyst Counterpoint Research, it accounted for more than 30 percent of all smartwatches sold in 2021. The wider range of Apple Watches also contains the best overall smartwatches you can get right now if you’re looking for a “lifestyle” watch that blends fitness tracking, health features, and a secondary interface for notifications, texts, and calls from your phone. In 2022, however, Apple completely overhauled the Apple Watch line with a wave of three new models: the standard Apple Watch Series 8, the budget-friendly second-generation Apple Watch SE, and a new high-end sports watch, the Apple Watch Ultra. Between those three and all of the past models, which you can still find at Amazon and other retailers, you have many options if you’re considering your first Apple Watch or upgrading from an older design. Before you commit to putting a new computer on your wrist, we’ve put together this Apple Watch comparison to help you figure out how to pick the right one for you.

Apple Watch SE 2 vs. Series 8 vs. Ultra

For the most part, we think it’s prudent to focus on Apple’s current set of Watches. They have the latest and greatest tech inside—perfect to pair with that new iPhone 14 Pro Max. All three 2022 watches—even the relatively affordable SE—feature the same processor and motion sensors that enable car crash detection. The 2022 models will also get more watchOS software updates down the road, which means you can hold onto one (or more) longer before your Watch needs replacing. From cheapest to most expensive, here are the three current options and why you may or may not want them:

Apple Watch SE 2

Apple

SEE IT

The newly remodeled Apple Watch SE is the budget-conscious choice. Starting at $249 for GPS or $299 for a cellular model, it offers much of the core functionality of the standard Apple Watch line, but it’s slightly smaller than the other recent Apple Watches. Its 40mm and 44mm face options match the Apple Watch 6. It also lacks some of the line’s more advanced sensors and features, including a blood oxygen sensor, temperature sensors, or an “always-on” display that keeps the screen partially lit even when it isn’t in use. It also cuts corners in other small ways compared to the standard Apple Watch, like ditching fast-charging.

At the same time, the second-generation SE comes closer to parity with the standard Apple Watch than the last generation. It features the same chipset inside and offers the same battery life. It offers the power and features to work effectively as a fitness tracker, sleep tracker, and iPhone companion device for most people. And it costs substantially less. If you just want an Apple Watch that works, and you don’t necessarily care about getting every kind of data, the SE 2 is probably the move.

Apple Watch Series 8

Mike Epstein

SEE IT

In my mind, the Apple Watch Series 8 is the best smartwatch for most people. It offers a wide array of features, including nuanced tracking features for fitness and your overall health. Its upgraded sensor array allows it to track ECG-based heart rate readings, blood oxygen levels, and skin temperature as a means to monitor ovulation and provide enhanced menstrual cycle tracking. It also features a constellation of quality-of-life advantages over the SE 2, like a bigger case size—41mm and 45mm—with a larger, always-on display, which makes it easier to type on and check at a glance.

Starting at $399 for GPS or $499 for Cellular, the Apple Watch Series 8 is the definitive Apple Watch experience. If you plan to use the Apple Watch to monitor your health, the advanced sensors will make a notable difference in what you can track. Even on its most basic level, though, the improved screen, fast-charging, and other small improvements over the SE makes the Watch Series 8 more effective as a half-step for monitoring activity on your phone without actually stopping to pull it out.

Apple Watch Ultra

Apple

SEE IT

The Apple Watch Ultra is the most powerful Apple Watch and, frankly, will be overkill for most people. The $799 Apple Watch Ultra is an outdoor-focused “sport” watch, similar to many of Garmin’s high-end wearables. Unlike the other Apple Watches, it’s only in one size—a huge 49mm case—with cellular support and dual-frequency GPS built in. It features a thicker, more durable build with a redesigned digital crown and an extra “Action” button to quickly start workouts and toggle other functions. 

The Ultra gets double the battery life of the other 2022 Apple Watches—36 hours versus 18 hours on the Series 8 and SE—which is great for everyone, but many of its features are designed for athletes and outdoorsy folk dealing with harsh conditions. Its powerful built-in speakers enable a loud SOS siren if you get lost in the woods. Improved waterproofing, certifications, and a dedicated app qualify it as a diving computer. The three-microphone array is burlier than normal to improve call clarity in situations with power interference from blizzards and powerful winds. It even has specialty bands for specific activities like diving and endurance training.

Given the difference in price and specificity of its feature set, you should only consider getting the Apple Watch Ultra if you are either a serious athlete or a fan of outdoor activities that require specialized equipment like climbing, off-trail hiking, and diving. If that sounds like your speed, you’re better off comparing the Apple Watch Ultra to the best Garmin smartwatches, as well as top picks from other brands like Suunto.

What about the older Apple Watches?

Though Apple’s lineup is limited to those three watches, there are still plenty of ways to get your hands on an older-model Apple Watch. If you aren’t concerned with getting a handful of new features in the Series 8, such as low-power mode, Car Crash Detection, and temperature sensors for ovulation tracking, the Apple Watch Series 7 is still a very appealing, very viable option. Likewise, the Apple Watch Series 6 gives you most of the same functionality as the Series 7 and Series 8, though you’ll be stuck with a smaller display, which makes a bigger difference than you think.

I would not recommend going further back than the Series 6 at this point. Independent of the features you’ll lose access to model by model, the older Apple Watches inevitably offer shorter lifespans. With every new version of watchOS, the Apple Watch’s operating system, the company will inevitably shut off support for each older watch, leaving you without access to new software-enabled features and security updates. It may be cheaper, but we can’t recommend you buy an Apple Watch Series 4, knowing that it will likely become obsolete in less than 12 months. And suppose you’re using an Apple Watch Series 3, which Apple sold until earlier this year but stopped supporting with watchOS 9. In that case, you should consider upgrading soon to ensure your watch remains secure, especially if you use it for Apple Pay.

What size watch face should you get?

The new Apple Watch SE offers two case sizes, 40mm and 44mm. Series 8 features a larger size range at 41mm and 45mm. The Apple Watch Ultra comes in a single, extra-large 49mm size. Though it sounds small, even a 1mm difference can feel quite striking on your wrist and looks substantially larger.

If you’re unsure what size would feel right, we recommend going to an Apple store or other retailer and trying all sizes on to see what feels right. If one Watch feels noticeably better than the others, go with it. A bigger screen is an upgrade, but it won’t matter if the Watch feels bulky or uncomfortable on your wrist. 

Which Apple smartwatch is the best fitness tracker?

The Apple Watch Ultra has special features that make it the best fitness tracker for certain kinds of athletes and workouts. The action button on the side of the watch makes it easier to switch between legs of a race or training if you’re in the middle of a multi-phase workout, for example. It also offers superior GPS for more accurate tracking while using the Apple Watch’s “Race Route” feature to create and follow a work routine.

That said, in terms of heart tracking and data collection, the Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra feature the same sensors for tracking your heart rate and movement. If you’re looking for a watch to bring to the gym or track your outdoor runs, the Series 8 is probably the right call.

Is the stainless steel Apple Watch upgrade worth it?

In addition to the standard recycled aluminum body, you can pay extra for an Apple Watch Series 8 made from stainless steel. The Apple Watch Ultra features a highly durable titanium body. Both metals are tougher than aluminum and won’t scratch or dent as easily. Perhaps more importantly, the stainless steel Series 8 and the Ultra come with an extra-hard sapphire crystal over the display. Having worn both models extensively, I can say that the sapphire crystal upgrade clearly resists scratches and damage better than the Ion-X glass used in the standard Series 8 and SE 2 displays. We haven’t had any problems with scratches or breakage with the Ion-X glass, though, so it isn’t a huge concern if you’re not putting it in harm’s way regularly. 

Of course, that extra durability—and the additional colorways—will cost you. The stainless steel case models start at $699, and the Apple Watch Ultra costs $799. If you plan to keep one watch for a long time, the additional durability may be worth it. That said, you shouldn’t worry about your watch being highly fragile if you don’t.

Do you need cellular data on the Apple Watch?

When making your own Apple Watch comparison, whether or not you need cellular data is a major feature difference between models. The Watch itself costs more with cellular built-in: it’s a $50 premium for the SE and an extra $100 on the Series 8. Then you’ll have to factor in the cost of the data itself. Most carriers will charge you about $10 per month extra to add basic data to your Watch. Check with your carrier for compatibility before making a purchase. 

That extra expense may be worth it for some people because it allows them to use many Apple Watch features without lugging around an iPhone. So, if you run without a phone, you can still make calls and listen to music from streaming services. 

So, which Apple Watch should you buy?

I can think of many specific reasons to pick each of the newer Apple Watches. The Apple Watch SE 2 is cost-effective and does most of the things you really need. The Apple Watch Series 8 is the best complement to everyday life and offers all kinds of sensors for advanced health and fitness tracking. For the right kind of hiker/athlete/diver/outdoorsman who wants the very best Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra delivers incredible utility and best-in-class versions of core functions like GPS and battery life.

Without any information about you, dear reader, we think the Apple Watch Series 8 offers the best balance between price and functionality. If that doesn’t ring true, if there are things you really want (or don’t want) that steer you to another watch, we totally get it. That’s why we made this Apple Watch comparison. The important thing is finding the Apple Watch that fits your life.

The post Apple Watch comparison: Which one is right for you? appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Apple Watch Series 8		SEE IT	Take calls, reply to texts, monitor your workouts, health, and more.
Best fitness tracker		Fitbit Sense 2		SEE IT	Sensors track vitals to help guide your daily fitness and wellness goals.
Best tactical		Garmin fenix 7X Pro Solar		SEE IT	Get all the best tactical features with solar-charging technology.

The best technology grants us the freedom to work and play whenever and wherever we want. Smartwatches embody this idea. They allow us to keep track of our activities and alerts pretty much anywhere—sometimes even underwater. Waterproofing technology allows top smartwatches to function through all types of weather, whether we’re caught in an unexpected downpour or jumping into the shower, swimming pool, or even the ocean. The best waterproof smartwatch operates safely and helps keep you connected no matter where the day takes you.

• Best overall: Apple Watch Series 8
• Best tactical: Garmin fenix 7X Pro Solar
• Best for kids: Garmin vivofit jr. 3
• Best Android: SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active2
• Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2

How we picked the best waterproof smartwatches

Waterproof smartwatches are a topic we really enjoy, well, diving into. With avid swimmers, cyclists, runners, hikers, and just general outdoors enthusiasts on the staff, we have a lot of experience with watches that can handle the elements. We combined these first-hand perspectives with peer recommendations and other real-world impressions, plus scoured critical reviews and specs sheets, to come up with the best waterproof smartwatches you can buy today.

The best waterproof smartwatches: Reviews & Recommendations

A great waterproof smartwatch will withstand the pressures of water and your level of activity. It won’t be daunted by rain, sleet, or snow, or by a spontaneous trip to splash in the ocean. On top of how much water it will resist, the best waterproof smartwatch can also help you track your own hydration and other levels that will keep you in optimal physical and mental health while out adventuring. The right timepiece for you will always keep pace. Here are some suggestions.

Best overall: Apple Watch Series 8

Apple

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The latest in the Apple Watch Series features crash detection, always-on display, sophisticated health tracking and more.

Specs

• Sizes: 41mm, 45mm
• Battery life: Up to 18 hours
• Swimproof? Yes

Pros

• Alerts first responders in case of emergency
• Provides ECG testing and blood oxygen level testing
• Water-, dust-, and crack-resistant

Cons

• Expensive

Whether you jump into a project or a pool, the Apple Watch Series 8 can handle it. This waterproof smartwatch can sync seamlessly to your iPhone, use apps to measure your vitals, and keep you moving. This new model also helps keep you healthy: It comes with new crash and fall detection features that will alert emergency services in the case of an accident. It will also keep tabs on your blood oxygen level, and alert you to irregular heart rhythms. It also comes with built-in gyroscope and compass and up to 18 hours of battery life. If you’re spending extended periods in liquid, however, it’s best to opt for the sports band that is made from a soft, silicone rubber because it has a little stretch, making it comfortable to wear during activity. Or if you’re serious about endurance sports or off-the-grid adventures, take it up a notch with the Apple Watch Ultra—read more here.

Best tactical: Garmin fenix 7X Pro Solar

Garmin

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Garmin fenix 7X Pro is designed with sophisticated map features, comes with GPS and a built-in LED flashlight and tracks health metrics, and is solar-powered.

Specs

• Sizes: 42,mm, 47mm, 51mm
• Battery life: Up to 122 hours in direct sunlight
• Swimproof? No

Pros

• Compass, altimeter, and sophisticated mapping built in
• Water-resistant
• Long-lasting solar charging power
• Comes with features to optimize performance in a range of sports

Cons

• Pricey
• Rugged looking for everyday use

This fully-loaded Garmin tactical smartwatch is rated at 10ATM, meaning you could take it just about anywhere but diving (there are even surfing-specific features). It can survive drops and submersion, offers advanced health monitoring features to keep tabs on your blood oxygen saturation levels, altitude, sleep, and pace planning. Features to note include Multi-GNSS tracking, plus maps for at-a-glance navigation. While expensive, this solar tactical smartwatch extends the already long battery life by recharging while on your wrist for weeks of life (or days if GPS is constantly running). Garmin has numerous waterproof sports watches to choose from (including the Instinct 2 Solar we reviewed). However, if you covet the Apple Watch’s AMOLED screen and are willing to put up with “only” about two weeks of battery life at a time, the perfect choice is the epix Gen. 2, which puts all the features of the fenix 7 behind a vivid always-on display shielded by sapphire glass.

Best for kids: Garmin vivofit jr. 3

Garmin

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Kids are excited to wear this fun series of watches that helps them learn how to create healthy habits.  

Specs

• Sizes: One, with adjustable band
• Battery life: Up to a year before requires replacement
• Swimproof? Yes

Pros

• Models feature Marvel’’s Spider Man and Disney princesses 
• Comes with built-in adventures for kids 
• Tracks soccer games and provides step competitions

Cons

• Kids may quickly outgrow

Get your kid excited about swimming with the Garmin vivofit jr. 3. This smartwatch comes with a bright display with multiple faces and a range of fun designs, including Marvel and Disney characters to make the tracking more fun. These smartwatches are waterproof and will help your kids learn healthy habits, and will also let you keep tabs on their steps and sleep.

Best for Android: SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active 2

Samsung

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This Android watch comes with pace coaching, monitors your heart rate, tracks your sleep, and you can choose from a range of bands and faces.

Specs

• Sizes: 40mm, 44mm
• Battery life: Days on a single charge
• Swimproof? Yes

Pros

• Also compatible with Apple
• Comes with voice assistant, Bixby
• Sleek design
• Tracks workouts, heart health, and sleep

Cons

• Not super rugged
• Yes

This stylish smartwatch is also resilient, rated at 5ATM and IP68 (meaning it can withstand dust, dirt, and sand, and is resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes). So, whether you accidentally drop it in the pool or intentionally wear it while doing a pike and tuck, the SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active2 can survive and thrive. And its digital dial makes it easy to navigate menus full of options for activity tracking and smart assistants, as this smartwatch can connect to almost any phone and extend its connectivity and controls (though, it should be noted, iPhone users will have access to fewer features than Android users).

Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Fitbit’s most advanced smartwatch goes deep on sleep and other health metrics and comes with stress management features.

Specs

• Sizes: Adjustable wristband
• Battery life: Up to 6 days on a single charge
• Swimproof? Yes

Pros

• Works with Apple and Android
• Built-in GPS
• Sophisticated sleep and stress tracking

Cons

• Doesn’t come with the fitness activities other smartwatches do

Swimproof to 50 meters, so you can track laps or just splash around with your kid wearing the similarly equipped Fitbit Ace 3, this fully loaded watch takes fitness and wellness tracking to the next level—monitoring heart rate, skin temperature, oxygen saturation, workout intensity, and more to help you meet your goals. From electrodermal activity to an ECG app, it’s tracking your body’s rhythms and stress—useful information to help you and your doctor tweak your lifestyle. It’s packed with advice and enhancements, good on and off dry land.

What to consider when looking for the best waterproof smartwatches

With the unpredictability of life, everyone can benefit from the added protections found in waterproof smartwatches. While it’s easy to imagine the benefit for hiking and outdoor sports, waterproofing is a smart choice for added protection from far more typical activities like handwashing or gardening. Popular brands—including Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and Garmin—all offer waterproofing features to boost their overall durability for their customers. Sport models offer even higher levels for outdoor lifestyle customers. LTE-enabled options can make calls and keep you connected without a phone, giving you even more freedom to dive headfirst into adventure. Consider your activities and choose your watch’s level of protection to match.

Travel plans

Whether your plans involve day-tripping into national parks or navigating much longer trips into the backcountry, there’s a level of preparedness that can match. If you’re only worried about getting caught in the rain, or maybe navigating a tricky creek crossing, you should look for a watch with a water rating of 5ATM (5 atmospheres), meaning it can withstand underwater pressures at a depth up to 50 meters. Accordingly, 10ATM and 20ATM correspond with 100 meters and 200 meters—appropriate if you plan to go from just hiking and fishing to sailing, surfing, or snorkeling. This waterproofing protects the full suite of sensors—including GPS, altimeters, barometers, and compasses—that can make a properly specced tactical smartwatch an integral part of an expedition.

Options for kids

If your electronics ended up near a pool, chances are you’d be conscious of whether to leave them safely in a car or locker. Your kid, however, just wants to jump right in. And if you tell them to take something off but look after it, chances are that something isn’t making it home. So a kid’s smartwatch needs to be inexpensive and durable. Luckily, brands have taken this into consideration and made their children’s smartwatches lower in price than their adult versions, but with some surprisingly handy features—like waterproofing. The best kids’ smartwatches are fun and encourage your child to keep moving. And they’re resilient enough to keep up with the child while tracking their health and whereabouts.

Need a watch to go from the workday to weekend?

If your work life is already deeply integrated with Apple’s ecosystem, it makes sense to opt for an Apple Watch to maintain and even increase your productivity. As with most Apple products, they are designed to seamlessly work together, intuitively handing off apps, alerts, and data. On top of that, they’re water-resistant and look as much at home with a sports jacket as they do sportswear…as good with a three-piece suit as a swimsuit. The point is, an Apple Watch balances functionality and finesse.

Android v. Apple

Android smartwatches are offered by a variety of different brands, including TicWatch, Samsung, Fossil, Fitbit, Misfit, and more. Unlike the Apple Watch, Android smartwatch technology is conveniently compatible with both Android smartphones and Apple iPhones. The price point for Android’s best smartwatches varies depending on the number of features you are looking for, but is typically between $150 and $300. Due to the variety of manufacturers, you have a wider range of styles and looks than you do when purchasing the Apple Watch, including plenty designed to withstand the rigors of the office and the outdoors. 

Fitness tracking

When you look at the ratings of waterproof watches, you’re usually considering extreme circumstances. But if your main focus is fitness, considering the water-resistance of a best smartwatch makes sense because of one simple factor: sweat. You want a watch that can stand up to the most intense workout, rain or shine, while also obtaining vital readings such as skin temperature, oxygen saturation, breathing rate, and heart rate. Beyond protecting those sensors, you want the watch to keep running so it can play the music and podcast you need to keep motivated. 

FAQs

The final word on choosing the best waterproof smartwatches

Smartwatches can feel empowering, adding technology that allows wearers to track their vitals, fitness goals, sleep, and stress. Rugged smartwatches can be taken off the grid and offer users trackback maps and GPS-aided navigation, while simpler models help keep us all connected and motivated for a healthier active lifestyle. And the best waterproof smartwatches make sure that this motivation doesn’t end at the shoreline or when it rains. 

The post The best waterproof smartwatches of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Apple Watch Series 8		SEE IT	Take calls, reply to texts, monitor your workouts, health, and more.
Best fitness tracker		Fitbit Sense 2		SEE IT	Sensors track vitals to help guide your daily fitness and wellness goals.
Best tactical		Garmin fenix 7X Pro Solar		SEE IT	Get all the best tactical features with solar-charging technology.

Garmin is one of the most popular smartwatch makers in the world, largely due to the multinational GPS-enabled technology company’s focus on hyper-accurate fitness tracking. While Apple still holds 30% of the global market (and over 50% of its revenue), according to a February 2023 Counterpoint Research report, Garmin has achieved a position of prominence on people’s wrists from the boardroom to the backcountry. When it comes to premium multisport wearables, Garmin is the endurance athlete’s top choice because of the depth of activities supported and battery life that can outlast almost any adventure. We’ve pulled together several of the company’s most popular products to help you find the best Garmin smartwatch to fit your lifestyle, sense of style, and budget.   

• Best overall: Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar and Garmin epix (Gen. 2)
• Best running watch: Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar
• Best for hiking: Garmin Instinct Solar 2
• Best for diving: Garmin Descent G1 Solar
• Best fashion wearable: Garmin Venu 2
• Best budget watch for beginners: Garmin Vivoactive 4

How we chose the best Garmin smartwatches

All Garmin smartwatches provide a degree of wellness metering; they measure steps, monitor your heart rate, and generally check to make sure you’re still alive. But if you take your training seriously, the best smartwatches feature activity tracking, pulse oximeters to measure the oxygen in your blood, stress metering, energy-level monitoring, sleep trackers, customizable training regiments, and challenges designed to help you improve in your favorite sports. The Garmin Connect app syncs to your iOS and Android phones, providing access to customizable coaching and a community of athletes to compete with. If you’re serious about training, durability should also trump style. You don’t want it falling apart the first time you bang the watch against a machine at the gym, or you take a hit on the playing field. And if you’re a swimmer, your watch has to be waterproof, too. We took all these factors, and more, into consideration.

The best Garmin smartwatches for 2023: Reviews & Recommendations

Once you’ve considered your specific needs, it’s time to dig into the Garmin lineup. With multiple models in different lines—including sports & fitness, outdoor recreation, swimming, fashion, luxury, and more—there are plenty of options. Here are our top picks from several categories:

Best overall: Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar

Tony Ware

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: If you want metrics that tell you if you’re in the weeds and guidance that helps you get out of the woods, the fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar can keep up with whatever you’re up to.

Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 57 hours/73 hours with solar (GPS only mode)
• Weight: 2.68 ounces

Pros

• The battery life, which can stretch from many days to several months depending on usage and solar energy conditions
• Touchscreen and button navigation/controls
• The visibility in sunlight
• The durability of the titanium body and sapphire crystal

Cons

• Expensive
• Bulky

The Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar is perfect for gym rats, anyone who plays a wide variety of sports, and especially people who believe new terrain equals new gains. It tracks more activities than other watches and includes advanced training features like PacePro for grade-adjusted pace guidance throughout an activity. Plus, the heart monitor works underwater. Adventurous athletes will appreciate the preloaded TopoActive maps (updateable via Wi-Fi), ski maps for more than 2,000 ski resorts, and a multiband global navigation satellite system. Whether it’s jet lag or running laps, the sensor-packed smartwatch gives you insight into your body’s battery (tracking everything from heart rate and blood oxygen to respiration and sleep to stress and hydration). The downside: It’s predictably expensive and chunky. The upsides, though …

Watches need to be charged. Most of Garmin’s smartwatches plug into a wall via a proprietary multi-pin USB cable (don’t lose it!) that attaches to the back of the case. At the higher end of the product line, these watches run for about 26 hours under a constantly tracking GPS load or 173 days in battery-saver mode. However, if you’re someone who spends a lot of time outdoors—whether hiking, gardening, or running, for instance—Garmin’s solar watches can extend that time, well, almost indefinitely. Garmin uses what the company calls “Power Glass,” which is integrated behind tough Corning Gorilla Glass 3 in the standard Solar edition or Power Sapphire in the upgraded flagship (shown catching sunlight on a crisp January hike above), to turn a few hours of direct light into days of use. As a bonus, the Power Glass doesn’t take up real estate on the watch’s face, leaving ample room for all the other information Garmin’s watches provide. 

As its name suggests, the Garmin Solar watches can be powered by the sun; three hours of direct light is enough to keep one running. It’s a boon for outdoor enthusiasts, especially athletic ones who will appreciate the robust set of activity trackers, personal coaching, and other wellness features. It’s a great fitness watch, but the fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar isn’t the prettiest of Garmin’s premium products because it lacks the advanced AMOLED touchscreen found on the Garmin epix (Gen. 2)—though that vivid display (shown below on the same winter day in a bit of shade for comparison) means the epix can’t match the fēnix 7 in battery life even though it’s otherwise as full-featured. Though a week or two, depending on mode, ain’t bad and more than enough if most of your training and traveling centers around convenient recharging stations.  

Best running watch: Forerunner 955 Solar

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Forerunner 955 Solar offers excellent battery life with a seemingly endless list of features and capabilities, from training and safety tools to full smartwatch abilities and countless customization options. 

Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 42 hours/49 hours with solar (GPS only mode)
• Weight: 1.86 ounces

Pros

• Long-lasting battery life
• A plethora of sensors for lots of data
• Full smartwatch capabilities
• Touchscreen

Cons

• Solar charging doesn’t add much to battery life

If you are serious about improvising your fitness and performance, a watch with many sensors is a must. There’s no such thing as too much data for such athletes. That’s where the Forerunner 955 Solar comes in. It’s jam-packed with just about every sensor you could imagine so that you can measure everything from heart rate to stride length and even REM sleep.

Garmin then uses all that data to provide training suggestions and status updates via the watch and the Garmin Connect app. It helps prevent overtraining, offers a rough guide for improving your performance, and suggests workout ideas to keep your training fresh (as we found out in our full review). Your Forerunner 955 can even give predictions on race times for different distances. It’s essentially like having a coach right there on your wrist (or in your pocket).

Beyond fitness tracking, the watch also pairs with your phone for full smartwatch capabilities. It will give you notifications for calls, texts, and all your apps and even let you send some preformatted responses right from the watch. And you’ll have access to important safety features for runners so that they can track your progress on an activity (LiveTrack), and you can quickly request help (Assistance).

Best for hiking: Instinct 2 Solar and Instinct 2S Solar

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Instinct 2 Solar provides truly impressive battery life and rugged design for those who seek out long adventures.

Specs

• Display: 0.79 x 0.79-inch or 0.9 x 0.9-inch monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 30 hours/48 hours with solar
• Weight: 1.52 ounces or 1.86 ounces

Pros

• Ridiculous battery life
• Available in two sizes
• Robust fitness tracking and health features
• Garmin Pay compatible

Cons

• Black and white display 
• Detailed maps and graphs don’t show up well

Hiking—especially long hikes and backpacking—requires more from a watch than many other activities. Battery life, in particular, is critical. Recording with GPS for long periods can eat through battery life, and having your hike recording disappear because of a dead battery is extremely frustrating. The Instinct 2 Solar attempts to solve this with its absurdly long battery life. For example, in Expedition mode, you can get up to 105 days of battery with the right solar conditions.

Part of the long battery life is thanks to the rather simple monochrome display. It’s not a fancy color touchscreen like some of the more premium Garmin watches, but it’s easily visible even in bright sunlight and fits the rugged design of the watch. Additionally, the Instinct Solar 2 comes in two case sizes: 40mm or 45mm. That’s especially ideal for those with tiny wrists who don’t want a giant watch (like me, for instance). And a newer Instinct 2X Solar has been released with a larger bezel for those who prefer a larger display and longer battery life, so now there are three size options within the family.

The watch comes with more basic sensors, including heart rate, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, thermometer, pulse ox monitor, compass, and a few GPS modes. Even though it doesn’t have as many sensors as the more expensive watches, it still provides training details, statuses, and suggestions to improve your fitness without thinking much about it. 

Best for diving: Garmin Descent G1 Solar

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The solar capabilities of the Descent G1 Solar prolong the battery life, allowing you to stay out longer while recording your dives. Plus, it offers a full suite of freediver-friendly features to keep you safe and help you improve your apnea performance. 

Specs

• Display: 0.9 x 0.9-inch monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 26 hours/39 hours with solar
• Weight: 2.32 ounes

Pros

• Excellent battery life and fast charging
• Dive features are intuitive and easy to use
• Very customizable
• Pairs with other Garmin fitness devices like heart rate monitors and power meters

Cons

• Monochrome screen
• Not as sleek as the more premium Garmin dive watch

While most forms of exercise overlap with what you would want from a watch, diving presents a unique situation. Environmental conditions such as tide and weather are even more critical when diving, and different data types are useful to stay safe. The Garmin Descent G1 Solar is a robust and rugged dive computer and exercise watch that is water-rated to 100 meters. It’s the ideal tool for those who dive but don’t want a separate device for exercise on land.

This watch can keep you updated on the current tide, surf, and weather conditions, provides GPS coordinates of your surface entry and exit points, and can pair with the Garmin InReach communication device. All these features will help keep you safe even if you are in a remote location. Plus, you’ll get up to 25 hours of battery life in dive mode, so you won’t have to worry about your watch dying mid-dive session.

The Descent G1 Solar comes loaded with multiple types of diving, including single and multiple gas dives (including nitrox and trimix), gauge, apnea, apnea hunt, and closed-circuit rebreather. But it’s also ready for just about any other type of activity, from running to cycling and even hunting and yoga. My husband has been using this watch for six months and said it is a fantastic partner to have with you in the field (or in the water) on long days.

Best fashion wearable: Garmin Venu 2 

Amazon

SEE IT

Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch AMOLED optional always-on mode
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 22 hours (GPS without music); 11 days as just a smartwatch
• Weight: 1.73 ounces

Sometimes you want a smartwatch that is less focused on your workouts but can keep you up on work while you’re out. While keeping track of your steps, etc., is valuable, sometimes you want to control your watch and control your life. The Garmin Connect app allows the company’s watches to sync to iOS and Android phones via a robust Bluetooth connection. This opens up advanced wellness features and biometric tracking, as well as a way to further customize the watch’s features. But what I really love is how syncing the two lets me subtly check my messages and calendar alerts by simply glancing at my wrist. I can also control my music, navigate through a new city, and many other things I’d normally use my phone for—all while keeping my hands free. Now, reaching into my back pocket for anything other than answering a call seems like a waste, even when not working out.

The Venu 2 features a colorful, touch-sensitive AMOLED display that’s as easy to read as it is to navigate. This is great because the smartwatch is loaded with features, including activity tracking, a powerful GPS, onboard storage for up to 650 songs, and seamless integration with your smartphone via the Garmin Connect app. This is a watch you can wear all day, in any setting, and it’ll never look out of place (and you can read more about the experience in our full review).

Best budget watch for beginners: Garmin Vivoactive 4

Garmin

SEE IT

Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 18 hours (GPS without music)
• Weight: 1.78 ounces

Pay attention to your budget when choosing a smartwatch. If you don’t need advanced features, like solar power, and AMOLED screens, then don’t pay extra for them. If you’re looking for a basic fitness tracker and something that syncs with your phone, many of Garmin’s entry-level watches will suit you just fine. 

They still offer basic sports apps, GPS, and access to apps and widgets from the Garmin Connect store, and they’ll integrate with iOS and Android phones. While future-proofing yourself might seem smart, smartwatch technology develops quickly and by the time you’re ready for more advanced features, watches featuring them might drop in price. Only pay for what you’ll use. 

Garmin’s Vivoactive 3 GPS smartwatch features built-in sports apps, a contactless payment system, and the ability to sync with compatible smartphones. It comes housed in a classy package that looks great in the gym and out and about, and the watch face can be personalized by visiting Garmin’s Connect IQ store.

What to consider when choosing a Garmin smartwatch

After holding the pandemic at bay with packaged cookies and streaming TV, people have been reintroducing regular exercise and movement into their lives in living rooms, gyms, trails, and beyond. And achieving goals is easier if you can accurately track them. However, if you’re not a hardcore athlete, you don’t need the same features someone training to hit specific benchmarks would. When choosing the best Garmin watch, focus on finding the health monitoring features you want without paying extra money for those you’ll never use. Here are some things to think about when choosing the best Garmin activity tracker:

Features

Are you looking for a simple workout tracker, or do you need advanced metrics? Will it be closely monitoring your health? How important is the sleep tracker function? Do you prefer a fitness watch that allows you to organize your life by providing access to your phone’s messages and calendars? Will you pay for things by tapping your watch? Download and play music, or control the music player on your phone? How important are GPS features? Different watches offer different combinations of these features and more. There’s a big difference between something like the $199 Garmin Forerunner 55 (reviewed here) or the $169 Garmin Forerunner 35, which are dedicated Garmin running watches, and something like the $399 Garmin Venu 2, which is more of a well-rounded smartwatch you’ll wear all the time.

Style

Many of Garmin’s best sports watches aren’t exactly elegant to look at. Think about when and where you plan on wearing your watch. Do you like the bulky aesthetic of classic sports watches, like the Garmin Instinct Solar, or do you want a watch you can wear all day—maybe even going straight to work from the gym? Don’t forget to look at the different color options available to each watch model, and keep in mind that watch bands are often customizable.  

Battery life

Do you spend a lot of time camping? Do you go weeks without seeing an outlet? Or are you home each night with access to a charging station? Make sure the watch you purchase won’t let you down by running out of juice. This doesn’t necessarily mean larger batteries—Garmin makes solar versions of most watch series that can last for weeks if exposed to enough direct sunlight. For other watches, battery life can come down to usage. The Venu 2, for instance, can last up to 11 days in battery-saver mode, but it will die in just 7 hours if you’re playing music and using GPS. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Garmin smartwatches

• Best overall: Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar and Garmin epix (Gen. 2)
• Best running watch: Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar
• Best for hiking: Garmin Instinct Solar 2
• Best for diving: Garmin Descent G1 Solar
• Best fashion wearable: Garmin Venu 2
• Best budget watch for beginners: Garmin Vivoactive 4

It’s no mystery why Garmin has become a top smartwatch company. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to watch design, Garmin has offered up options focusing on health and fitness, all-day wear, and high-tech gadgetry designed to fit individual users’ lifestyles. Sometimes the differences aren’t obvious, and shopping for a Garmin watch can feel daunting. But by identifying your needs first and consulting this guide, you’ll be able to zero in on the smartwatch that’s best for you. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Garmin smartwatches for 2023, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The rise of smartwatches has made health and fitness tracking seem inherently more expensive. Even fairly straightforward watches containing only the most basic sensors tend to be pricey. There used to be many budget options when “Fitbit” was synonymous with fitness tracker, but many seem to have disappeared as convergence devices have increased. Enter Amazfit. The company is relatively new (established in 2015) but already has a robust lineup of budget-friendly activity accessories. And with the Amazfit Band 7, the brand has a bracelet-style tracker that takes a step back from pricier smartwatches so you can track your steps (and other performance metrics) as you move toward your fitness goals. Let’s take a close look at the conveniences and compromises that accompany a $50 fitness watch.

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

The Amazfit Band 7’s design

While all of Amazfit’s watches are more affordable than most options, the Band 7 falls in Amazfit’s Essential Series lineup, which, as you might guess, is its lowest tier. The Band 7 follows in the footsteps of the Band 5 (there was no Band 6) but presents a larger, more rectangular display, better battery life, and some general software upgrades. There’s no built-in GPS, and there are minor usability issues, but the compromises are minimal and, for most, insignificant. The watch is surprisingly capable for such a low price, with a good amount of health data and tracking opportunities. What it is not, however, is flashy.

Minimal is the best word to use when describing the design of the Amazfit Band 7. It is a simple rectangular shape with no buttons or design flourishes whatsoever. The band is one seamless piece that secures the watch face, with no special design or color inserts. The stock models are available in beige, pink, or black (the color I received to review). Should you want something else, you can also buy $10 replacement straps in green, blue, pink, or orange. 

The watch strap connects with a snap button-type design. That makes it easier to put on, but I also had issues with the edge catching on things resulting in the band unsnapping and the watch coming loose on my wrist. The band is also fairly large. I have small wrists, yes, but I used the second to last hole. Amazfit lists the minimum wrist size as 6.5 inches. So if you have smaller wrists than that, you’ll likely want to stay away from the Band 7 unless you don’t mind wearing it higher on your arm. 

Although the band may be a bit long, the watch itself is really slim. It only measures 1.7 x 1 x 0.5 inches, so it looks great, even on my miniature wrists. And it’s low-profile enough that the watch face doesn’t get caught on long sleeves. 

The lack of buttons is either really great or really annoying, depending on your preferences. It was a bit of both for me. I like the sleek look of a button-free design. But there were definitely times when having a button would have been nice. For example, if the watch turns off—either because I turn it off or it goes to sleep after not being worn for a few days—you have to connect the watch to a charger to turn it back on because there’s no power button. I found this very annoying, especially if I wanted to pop out for a run or walk. 

Display

Despite the budget price, the watch features a rather nice display. It’s a 1.47-inch HD ​​AMOLED display with a resolution of 198×368, 282ppi, and very minimal bezels. I really like the narrow rectangular design, as it provides enough screen real estate to see things easily but doesn’t take up my entire wrist to do so. It just looks really nice to me. 

It’s a colorful display and is easy to see in most situations. You have to adjust brightness manually, though, which is tricky if the brightness is turned down and you are out in the sun. You can adjust that setting in the app, but that’s a bit of a pain if you are on a run, for example. The screen is topped with tempered glass and an anti-fingerprint coating. Tempered glass isn’t as durable as other options, such as Gorilla Glass. Yet I haven’t managed to scratch the Band 7 display despite scratching my more expensive, Gorilla Glass-topped Garmin Forerunner 955. 

As you may expect, since there are no buttons, the display is a touchscreen, so you can swipe and tap through menus and settings. It is plenty responsive; in fact, I had issues with it being too responsive. When I crossed my arms, there was enough pressure to activate the touchscreen and enter the menu to change the watch face. It got quite irritating. 

Sensors

Amazfit fitted the Band 7 with its ​​BioTracker 3.0 PPG biometric sensor. Put simply, PPG sensors use low infrared light to measure how much light is absorbed by blood vessels. This provides a constant measurement of heart rate and blood oxygen levels (SpO2). It can also use that data to calculate and track VO2 Max, stress levels, and sleep. You will have to turn on settings to automatically track SpO2, as it defaults to only manual measurement.

The watch also utilizes a geomagnetic sensor and a three-axis acceleration sensor. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth 5.2 BLE, and that’s the extent of its sensors and connectivity. 

One of the aforementioned compromises due to the budget price is the lack of GPS connectivity in the watch itself. Instead, it relies on tethered GPS, meaning you’ll need your phone for all GPS data. That leads to some accuracy issues compared to watches with built-in GPS, especially multi-band GPS like the Garmin Instinct 2S Solar. If you want your route tracked or need distance data, you must have your phone along. And even with your phone, distance and route information won’t be as accurate as watches with GPS. 

Setting up the Amazfit Band 7

Setting up the Amazfit Band 7 is mostly straightforward, albeit a bit tedious. Most of the setup process is done on your phone in the Zepp app (Amazfit is powered by Zepp Health’s health management platform). The initial pairing process with my Samsung Galaxy S22 was very easy, with a simple scan of a QR code on the watch using the app. 

From there, however, things get a little bit complicated and a lot annoying. You have to grant a lot of permissions, more than any other watch platform I’ve used before. It seemed to go on forever. I also had a really hard time finding some of the menus for permissions that the Zepp app specified. It mentioned menus that simply do not exist on my phone, even though it says it’s specific to the phone manufacturer. Then, if you want to get notifications on your watch, you have to go through each individual app that you want notifications from. Which, again, was a bit tedious. 

The Amazfit Band 7’s features

As a budget device, you’d expect the Band 7 to be extremely limited in functionality and abilities. And while it certainly doesn’t have as robust a feature set as a $500 watch, the watch is surprisingly feature-rich for $50. It won’t be a replacement for serious athletes that need highly accurate information and robust tools, but it’s more than capable for most people. 

Battery life

The battery life on the Band 7 is quite surprising, given the low price of the watch. The watch offers a 232 mAh rated capacity, and Amazfit promises up to 18 days of battery life with typical usage. It says heavy usage will result in up to 12 days of battery life. Of course, all this depends on your watch settings as well, as the always-on display and certain settings like stress measuring will eat away at battery life. 

In my testing, I got an average of 16 days of battery life. I typically do one dedicated workout (either a run or strength training session) a day with anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour of duration. And I generally track a few short walks per day on top of that because of my dog. I did not have the always-on display running because I wanted to save the battery more, which greatly affected how much battery life I could get.

When the battery did run out, I was able to charge the watch quickly. Amazfit claims that the theoretical charging duration is two hours, and I found that to be accurate. If I needed a quick top-off before a workout, 15 minutes of charging would give me enough juice to record an hour-long session. The charger uses a magnetic design. In line with the watch’s design, it’s a tiny charger, making it easier to bring along on trips than other watches I’ve used. 

Activity tracking

The Amazfit Band 7 can track 120 different types of activities. That includes the basics like outdoor and indoor running, hiking, and cycling. But it also can track badminton, belly and square dancing, jumping rope, jiu-jitsu, and even kite-flying or swinging. Essentially, if there’s an activity you want to do, chances are there’s a unique profile for it on the Amazfit Band 7. 

Tracking is easy, though, by default, the workout widget (where all the activities are) is quite low in the list, so you’ll need to scroll a bit. I thought that was an odd default placement since that’s one of the main reasons to get a watch like this. But you can customize that placement in the Zepp app. Then, you simply tap on Workout and choose the type of workout you want. 

Before you start tracking, you can also adjust settings by tapping the ellipses above the “Go” button. For example, for outdoor running, you can set a workout goal (miles, time, or calories). You can set workout alerts for different metrics like high heart rate or minimum pace. And you can even set the watch up for interval training, which is a nice feature. 

Data collection and insights

The Band 7 is fairly limited in sensors, but it offers the most important ones for basic insights: a  PPG biometric sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and a three-axis acceleration sensor. It uses these three sensors to collect and calculate heart rate, SpO2, VO2 Max, and stress levels. 

The watch can also track your sleep, breaking it down to give you insights into how long you slept, REM sleep, and how often you were awake during the night. While it doesn’t apply this information to your training, and it isn’t highly accurate, it can at least give you a rough idea of your sleep.

Your training information and data provide a few key insights: PAI and Training Status. PAI, or Personal Activity Intelligence, uses a simple 100-point scale to reflect how active you are, with the goal of keeping it at or above 100 to reduce your risk of disease. It is based on an algorithm that assesses your age, gender, resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, and accumulated heart rate over seven days. Because an algorithm powers it, it’s dynamic and based on you as an individual instead of using generalizations.

While Training Status and PAI are enough for most users, The Band 7 and Zepp app won’t provide the in-depth data and insights serious athletes want or need. For example, Garmin (what I’m most familiar with) provides training stats such as the training effect of each individual workout, power curves, race predictions, training readiness, and heart rate variability (HRV) information. Most of that isn’t relevant to those simply trying to stay active and healthy, but if you want focused training for performance reasons, the Amazfit Band 7 and companion app likely won’t cut it. 

Smartwatch features

On top of all the fitness tracking, the Band 7 provides some smartwatch functionality. It doesn’t provide cellular connectivity, and there is no microphone, which limits its capabilities, though that’s to be expected at this price point. But you can get notifications on the watch from your smartphone from just about any app you use. You can’t interact with those notifications in any way, but you can at least see them to know if it’s something important enough to pick up your phone.

Beyond notifications, the watch also provides access to weather information. And if you are playing music on your phone, you can control it from the watch. I really liked that feature while in the gym working out. If a song started in my UE Fits earbuds that I didn’t want, I could just hit next right on my wrist instead of needing to pick up my phone and sweatily navigate to Spotify. 

Zepp app

The Zepp app is clean and clutter-free, with three primary tabs containing settings and data that you may need. The Homepage of the app features data cards to give you snapshots of what you most want to keep track of. For example, it can show steps, sleep, workout history, exercise status, and more. You can customize this, both in terms of which cards are shown and their order, which is nice. 

The Health tab is also customizable, though with far fewer options. It primarily shows you a breakdown of your workouts and your target goals (which you can edit). Since all of this can be found on the Homepage, it’s a bit confusing that a separate tab is needed.

The third tab is your Profile, which gives you access to settings, goals, connected accounts, and more. It’s also where you access your devices to change device-specific settings.

The app runs very smoothly on my Samsung Galaxy, and it’s quick to sync the watch when I make changes via the app as well. It doesn’t provide as in-depth insights as the Garmin app and doesn’t offer the social component Garmin does, but Zepp works well and provides basic and necessary information. 

The Amazfit Band 7’s usability and accuracy 

Overall, the Amazfit Band 7 is straightforward to use. It has its quirks—such as a lack of buttons for input—that make getting used to it a little tricky at first. But most of the controls are intuitive and easy to figure out. The sensitive touchscreen can be a bit annoying but is small in the grand scheme of things. 

One aspect that I really love about the Amazfit Band 7 is that it provides help text on the watch itself for certain data sets and features. For example, under Workout Status, if you tap the “i” at the bottom of the screen, a rather thorough explanation of EPOC pops up. Since the budget-friendly watch is largely geared toward those who aren’t exercise experts, these terms may be completely new. Explaining what they mean and why they are important right on the watch is extremely helpful and valuable. 

I found the watch’s heart rate monitor to be very accurate, even compared to a dedicated heart rate monitor, which is typically more precise. Likewise, the calculated VO2 Max was in the range it should be for me, though I plan on getting a lab test done for a truly accurate comparison. 

I rarely find sleep tracking very accurate, and that was the case with the Amazfit Band 7. There were nights it seemed spot on, but most of the time, it seemed at least slightly off, and nights it was completely incorrect as well. It also tends to think I’m taking a nap if I take the watch off for more than a few minutes.

How the Amazfit Band 7 stacks up against the competition

There’s no shortage of fitness watches available, with even Amazfit’s own line of devices quite lengthy. I’ve also been using Amazfit’s T-Rex 2. At $200, the T-Rex 2 is still quite a bargain compared to the likes of a Garmin, though it’s four times more expensive than the Band 7. And in most ways, the price difference is noticeable. The T-Rex 2 is decidedly more aggressive looking and significantly larger. It’s much more rugged, having passed 15 Military-Standards Tests (MIL-STD-810G) to withstand harsh conditions. And it comes with more health data and built-in dual-band positioning. You get a lot more watch in the T-Rex 2, albeit in a very different style that isn’t for everyone.

Garmin’s fitness watches tend to be one of the gold standard options for athletes, and the prices certainly match that. The company has done a fantastic job of managing health and fitness data to provide useful and accurate information for training purposes. Amazfit does a nice job of providing useful insights, but it isn’t as thorough as Garmin, especially in the minimal Band 7 watch. Garmin’s watches offer more robust feature sets and data tracking than the Band 7, yet still offer battery life that’s nearly as much as the simpler Band 7.

So, who should buy the Amazfit Band 7?

I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the Amazfit Band 7. After exclusively using fairly expensive fitness watches for the past 10 years, I assumed that such a budget-level watch would be lacking and less impressive. But that was not the case. 

The Band 7 has some big wins, no matter what price point you are looking at. It sports a sleek design, lengthy battery life, accurate heart rate measurement, music controls, plenty of fitness-focused features, and a wide array of activity types. Of course, with the low price comes some disadvantages: No built-in GPS, a finicky touchscreen, and a cheap band enclosure design. It also doesn’t provide as in-depth training insights or data compared to more expensive watches. As a result, it isn’t great for serious, focused athletes looking for specific performance improvements. But it offers much more than the $50 price would lead you to believe. 

So who’s the Band 7 ideal for? It’s a fantastic choice for those looking for a simple device that can help encourage them to be more active. Not everyone needs access to race predictions and hyper-accurate pace and stride information. But the Amazfit Band 7 can help you learn more about exercise terms and support you in keeping tabs on your activity levels to work toward a healthier, more active lifestyle. And it can do this while functioning as a general smartwatch, making it even more well-rounded. 

The post Amazfit Band 7 fitness & health tracker review: Back to basics appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Withings ScanWatch		SEE IT	The Withings ScanWatch is stylish and comes with a full range of health-focused features.
Best for iPhone		Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR		SEE IT	The Skagen Jorn Hybrid is one of the most visually appealing in the space, and its e-ink display is a one-of-a-kind feature.
Best with heart rate monitor		Garmin Vivomove HR		SEE IT	The Garmin Vivomove HR is a sporty hybrid smartwatch with a nice array of features for fitness junkies.

Smartwatches are one of the most useful pieces of wearable tech out there. However, the chunky bodies and digital faces of the sensor-packed Apple Watches and Fitbits of the world don’t appeal to everyone’s sensibilities. So while the biggest tech companies build watches that emphasize the tech, many brands have integrated some of the simplest, most useful smartwatch features into conventional timepieces. The average hybrid smartwatch features analog hour and minute arms, with a small screen or screens underneath to show stats like heart rate and tracked steps. For many people, the best hybrid smartwatches provide a good balance between a watch that will give you the fitness tracking and heart rate monitor you desire without looking out of place in a professional workplace.

• Best overall: Withings ScanWatch
• Best for iPhone: Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR
• Best with heart rate monitor: Garmin Vivomove HR
• Best for smaller wrists: Fossil Women’s Monroe Hybrid Smartwatch HR (38mm)
• Best budget: Withings Steel HR

How we chose the best hybrid smartwatches

I’ve been writing about tech for nearly a decade for publications such as PC Gamer and Input, among others, so I know how to discern between the next big thing and the next big bust. I’m also a watch enthusiast who has owned more than my fair share of smart and traditional timepieces over the years. To determine these recommendations, I consulted technical specs and tests conducted by experts, as well as consumer reviews to find the best hybrid smartwatches for all kinds of people.

The best hybrid smartwatches: Reviews & Recommendations

Now that you know what to look for in a hybrid smartwatch, you’re ready to pick one for yourself. If you’d like a little help jumpstarting your search, we’ve selected the best hybrid smartwatches for all kinds of users. Whether you want to shell out a bundle for a high-end watch with all the bells and whistles or buy a cheaper model with just the essentials, we have you covered.

Best overall: Withings ScanWatch

Withings

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Withings ScanWatch offers everything you can hope for in a hybrid smartwatch.

Specs

• Size: 38mm or 42mm
• Heart monitor: Yes, with oxygen levels
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Activity tracking: Yes, with altimeter
• Water resistance: 50m
• Battery life: 30 days
• Other features: Sapphire glass

Pros

• Great feature set
• Water resistance
• Comes in multiple sizes

Cons

• A little expensive

French health tech manufacturer Withings specializes in devices that monitor your body, including smart scales, thermometers, and blood pressure monitors. Their flagship watch, the ScanWatch, integrates deep health-tracking functionality into a simple, elegant hybrid timepiece. Going beyond basic step and heart rate tracking, it features an altimeter to track vertical movements, such as climbing stairs, and a pulse oximeter for blood oxygen (SpO2) tracking. Its 30-day battery life makes it one of the longest-lasting watches. It’s also waterproof and certified for up to 50 meters (or 5 atmospheres) of water pressure. 

It also provides lots of room for you to pick a watch that fits your style. It comes in two sizes and Withings offers more colors and styles than many of its competitors. In plain black with metal hardware, it’s a simple and elegant everyday accessory.

All of that function pushes the ScanWatch’s price up higher than many of our other picks, but it offers a strong blend of style and tech substance.

Best for iPhone: Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR

Skagen

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Skagen Jorn is an elegant hybrid smartwatch with a unique e-ink display, and it has great app integration for your phone.

Specs

• Size: 38mm or 42mm
• Heart monitor: Yes
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Activity tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: “Water Resistant”
• Battery life: 14 days+
• Other features: E-ink display

Pros

• Multiple size options
• Stylish design
• Decent features

Cons

• E-ink display may not appeal to everyone
• Interface can be confusing

Skagen is known for their fashion watches, and the Jorn brings a very appealing “Bauhaus”-like sensibility—a cleanly geometric German retro-modern aesthetic—to the hybrid smartwatch market. Its signature feature is a sharp e-ink display, akin to what you’d find in an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite or the classic Pebble Watch. It shows your steps, heart rate, and other stats with chronograph-like icons that perfectly match the watch’s look. The unique design and controls aren’t as intuitive as other watches, but it’s a small price to pay for such attention to detail.

If you’re a fan of buttons, the Jorn has three for you to play with rather than the traditional “hold/tap” design of the Apple Watch, and its app integration and customizability have received high marks from reviewers. 

As a whole, the Skagen Jorn is a strong hybrid smartwatch for those who care more about the watch and its aesthetics than smart features. However, it works very well for what it is.

Best heart rate monitor: Garmin Vivomove HR

Garmin

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Garmin Vivomove HR offers excellent fitness tracking and an appealing design.

Specs

• Size: 40mm, 43mm
• Heart monitor: Yes, with oxygen levels
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Activity tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 50m
• Battery life: 5 days (smart mode), 14+ days (watch only)
• Other features: Stress tracking

Pros

• Good fitness features
• Many color options
• Easy to read

Cons

• Expensive
• Short battery life for smart mode

Though it is not specifically a “fitness watch,” the Garmin Vivomove HR delivers more fitness-driven features than most hybrid smartwatches, making it a notable choice for people who specifically want one to discreetly monitor their heart. It has dedicated stress tracking and relaxation timers so you can track your vitals in any situation, as well as SpO2 tracking. It falters a bit on battery life compared to other hybrids, especially when you use the smart features, though.

The design of its face is a bit simple compared to our other picks, and it’s less customizable than most, but it does have that true “Bauhaus” look. While it comes in multiple sizes and many colors, we found that many styles and colors are much harder to come by in the 40mm “small/medium” size.

If you’re a fitness enthusiast, the Vivomove has the edge over competitors thanks to its stress monitor and relaxation timers. But its high price limits its appeal compared to other watches in the space.

Best for small wrists: Fossil Women’s Monroe Hybrid

Fossil

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Fossil Women’s Monroe packs a lot of punch into a watch that looks good on any wrist.

Specs

• Size: 38mm
• Heart monitor: Yes
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Activity tracking: Yes
• Water resistance: 30m
• Battery life: 14+ days
• Other features: None

Pros

• Fits any wrist
• The feminine silhouette isn’t common among smartwatches
• Competitive feature-set

Cons

• No signature feature

Look, there’s no delicate way to put this: The overwhelming majority of smartwatches out there feature masculine (or at least masculine-leaning) designs. Hybrid watches, in particular, are often based on larger “men’s” watches. If you’re looking for something feminine, rather than simply picking a smaller case size, Fossil’s Monroe is definitely the way to go. The mid-sized 38mm case will fit almost any wrist, unlike the 42mm (or even bigger) smartwatches out there.

It doesn’t skimp on the features either, with notification support, activity tracking, a heart rate monitor, and more. The only real downside to this hybrid smartwatch is that it lacks a unique tech-driven feature. The Monroe is purely a style play but, since feminine hybrid watches are fairly rare, that is a signature feature unto itself.

Best budget: Withings Steel HR

Withings

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: The Withings Steel HR is a fully featured hybrid smartwatch that offers 50m of water resistance for a cheap price tag.

Specs

• Size: 36mm, 40mm
• Heart monitor: Yes
• Sleep tracking: Yes
• Activity tracking: Yes, with multi-sport support
• Water resistance: 50m
• Battery life: 25 days
• Other features: None

Pros

• Competitive price
• Visually appealing
• Good battery life

Cons

• Some may prefer a larger case size
• Older model

The Withings Steel HR is an older, simpler hybrid smartwatch, but one that still holds up. For less than $200, the Steel HR offers only slightly less functionality than our top pick for $100 less. More importantly, the Steel is rated for 50m of water resistance, which means you can take it in the pool or the ocean without worrying about it. It offers great battery life—25 days—and features multi-sport tracking to record more accurate activity-specific health data.

Though many of the watches on this list feature a minimalist style, the Steel features what may be the simplest look. I quite like its two-dial configuration. However, with a 40mm case, it’s smaller than most of the picks on our list and may not be a great fit for people with very large wrists.

Things to consider before buying a hybrid smartwatch

Picking a hybrid smartwatch over a conventional smartwatch or fitness tracker is, more often than not, rooted in taste. You want some smart features, but not at the expense of how a classic wristwatch looks and feels on your wrist. In keeping with that, most hybrid smartwatches have a relatively standardized set of smart features, including step tracking, sleep tracking, and more. Some features, like surfacing notifications from your phone, aren’t on every model, though, so it does pay to think about how “smart” you want your watch to be.

It’s all about the features

Though hybrid smartwatches don’t vary as much in feature set and price range as other tech, you should keep in mind that they aren’t all identical. Most hybrid smartwatches offer some degree of fitness tracking, sleep tracking, and water resistance. Certain features—like GPS integration, altimeters, blood oxygen (SpO2) tracking, and 100-meter water resistance—tend to be reserved for more expensive models. 

High-end hybrids also tend to have better battery life, though even the least expensive of the bunch last longer than more tech-forward smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 7 and Samsung Galaxy Watch4. The average battery life of a hybrid smartwatch is around two weeks, though some go as high as 25 to 30 days without a charge.

Aesthetics are everything

There are two main reasons to buy a hybrid smartwatch: less frequent charging and sheer aesthetics. As a watch enthusiast, I strongly prefer the round face and analog movement of a hybrid over the blocky silhouette of a Fitbit. As such, you should really consider the look and feel of the hybrid you want before you buy it. 

You should also measure your wrist before making any purchase. Most hybrid watches have a case diameter of 42mm, which is quite large on those of us with smaller wrists. If you have a wrist size of 6.5 inches or less, you will probably want to invest in a smaller 38mm model instead.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best hybrid smartwatches

• Best overall: Withings ScanWatch
• Best for iPhone: Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR
• Best with heart rate monitor: Garmin Vivomove HR
• Best for smaller wrists: Fossil Women’s Monroe Hybrid Smartwatch HR (38mm)
• Best budget: Withings Steel HR

As with many products out there, these hybrid smartwatches ultimately have quite a lot in common with each other. Still, the devil is in the details. If you’re looking for top-of-the-line features, you may decide to go for a more traditional smartwatch instead. However, if aesthetics are what you’re looking for, all of these watches will have you well-covered. Besides, who wants to charge their watch every day, anyway?

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best hybrid smartwatches of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Garmin is keeping the ball rolling, and you running, this year with exciting releases. The company released two vibrant new watches in its Forerunner series in March. And now, Garmin has announced the newest product in its rugged, adventure-focused Instinct line: the Instinct 2X Solar and the Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition (shown below). The new smartwatches get many improvements and exciting editions compared to the Instinct 2 Solar, including even better solar charging and a more rugged, durable design. It’s also the first Instinct to feature a built-in flashlight and the Obstacle Course Racing activity type. We really enjoyed the Instinct 2 Solar, and this adventure watch looks even better. 

Garmin

SEE IT

Garmin Instinct training features

In keeping with Garmin’s wearables, the 2X series has robust training features and tools. It offers 24/7 health and wellness tracking, including wrist-based heart rate, sleep monitoring, respiration tracking, heart rate variability, Pulse Ox, and more. 

There’s a vast range of sports and activity types, so you can track whatever you like to do to stay active. New in the Instinct line is the Obstacle Course Racing activity. This new activity mode lets you manually record obstacle splits and automatically track them after your first lap. The data from the activity will include the number of runs on a course, times, the number of obstacles, time spent on each obstacle, basic run metrics, and more. If you’re a fan of Tough Mudders, Spartan Race, or the new military-inspired obstacle competitions, this watch will be a big help. 

You’ll also have access to Garmin’s Training Readiness and Morning Report features. These help you plan and maximize your training and maximize to ensure healthy, well-balanced progress. And the multi-band GNSS provides highly accurate positioning to give you price route information and even navigation tools.

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar details

The Instinct 2X Solar gets some very exciting upgrades from the Instinct 2 Solar. It is even more rugged and built to U.S. military standards (MIL-STD-810). The 50mm polymer case—10mm larger than the Instinct 2 Solar—will withstand just about anything you throw at it.

One of my complaints with the Instinct 2 Solar was that the solar charging didn’t give all that much of a benefit. But Garmin says that the Power Glass lens on the Instinct 2X Solar (both the standard and Tactical Edition) will produce 50% more energy than the Instinct 2 Solar. It requires three hours of direct sunlight, but that’s a significant improvement and should mean that solar charging actually results in a real addition to battery life.

This watch’s other exciting new feature is the built-in LED flashlight (shown below). It even offers variable intensities and strobe modes. It could be a significant asset for hiking or any sort of activity in the backcountry, especially in emergency situations. 

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition details

The Tactical Edition of the Instinct 2X Solar gets the same training features, sensors, and build qualities as the standard edition. But on top of that, Garmin says it is also “packed with features specific to tactical operations, including Jumpmaster and tactical preloaded activities.” It features a Stealth Mode, which prevents GPS location sharing and disables wireless communication. And the built-in multi-LED flashlight can be set to either white or dedicated green, resulting in natural vision at night.

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar pricing & availability

The Instinct 2X Solar is available in four colors: Flame Red, Graphite, Moss, and Whitestone. It’s available for purchase now for $449.99. The Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition is also available now for $499.99 in two colors: Black or Coyote Tan. 

The post Garmin announces an even more rugged Instinct smartwatch appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		TIJN Blue Light Blocking Glasses		SEE IT	With 32 colors to choose from, you’ll find a pair—or two—that are perfect for you.
Best for gaming		GUNNAR Razer Edition Gaming Glasses		SEE IT	A yellowish tint prevents eye strain for endless KOs.
Best budget		MAXJULI Blue Light Blocking Glasses		SEE IT	A pair of blue light glasses can be yours for just under $10.

Here’s the pitch for blue light glasses: our screens emit all kinds of light, notably blue, and this light, the argument goes, can affect your eye health, your sleeping patterns, and your health. Blue light glasses—technically, they should be called “blue light blocking glasses”—filter out blue light, letting in the other wavelengths of light, thus theoretically reducing the danger that blue light presents. We’re all spending more time staring at glowing rectangular screens than ever before—and, frankly, more than we ever wanted to. You may have experienced headaches, dry eyes, and other uncomfortable symptoms, or you may just assume that all of this screen time simply can’t be good for our vision. The best blue light glasses can alleviate these symptoms without cramping your style.

• Best overall: TIJN Blue Light Blocking Glasses
• Best for gamers: GUNNAR Razer Edition Gaming Glasses
• Best stylish: Gaoye Glasses
• Best for kids: SEEAFUN Kid’s Glasses
• Best retro-style: Livho Blue Light Glasses
• Best budget: MAXJULI Blue Light Blocking Glasses

How we chose the best blue light glasses

Not all blue light glasses are created equal. Whether using them to protect your eyes from the blue light emitted from your eReader while getting in some pre-bedtime reading or to stop your daytime computer use from keeping you up at night, a good pair of blue light glasses should be able to do it all. We looked at reviews, recommendations, conducted our own testing (read: wore a bunch of blue light blocking glasses), and researched heavily to separate the flops from the favorites.

The best blue light glasses: Reviews & Recommendations

Blue light can get a bad rep: If it’s so bad, then why does the sun emit blue light? And being exposed to sunlight has multiple benefits! And wearing blue light glasses isn’t the only way to reduce eye strain. Consider blue light glasses a tool in your arsenal to reduce eye strain and blue light exposure—one of our options should have you seeing clearly in no time.

Best overall: TIJN Blue Light Blocking Glasses

TIJN

SEE IT

Specs

• One size?: Yes
• Color options: 32
• Polarized?: No
• Dimensions: Lens width: 53mm; Bridge width: 18mm; Arm length: 140mm

Pros

• Lots of options available
• Lightweight
• Stylish

Cons

• One size

If you’re looking for blue light glasses that are lightweight, stylish, and work, consider these from TIJN. There are 32 style options available, including pairs that come in packs of two and gaming glasses that have a yellower lens for more intense protection. Although they only come in one size, spring hinges that bend more than 90 degrees compensate for wider faces, and a keyhole bridge makes for a more comfortable fit than nose pads. You can get away with wearing them out and about (our staff writer definitely has), and they block out blue light without the lenses being noticeably yellow. The lenses are also UV400 protected to block out almost 100% of UV rays. At less than $20? Talk about an easy investment.

Best for gamers: GUNNAR Razer Edition Gaming Glasses

Gunnar

SEE IT

Specs

• One size?: Yes
• Color options: One
• Polarized?: No
• Dimensions: Lens width: 57mm; Lens height: 26mm; Bridge: 18mm; Arm: 138mm

Pros

• Patented blue light blocking tech
• Built for gamers
• Lightweight

Cons

• Expensive
• One size

Gamers are among the most likely to suffer from digital eye strain; after all, they’re staring at screens very intently for hours on end. These yellow-tinted frames from GUNNAR aren’t fakeouts—they block 450nm (nanometers) of blue light and have patented lens tech to protect your eyes (look it up for yourself). They’re also designed for panoramic viewing if you game with a curved monitor. They also are compatible with gaming headsets so that you won’t get a glasses-arm-related headache and a screen headache. If you’re shopping for a young gamer, consider these HyperX Spectre Scout glasses. And if you’re looking for something more stylish, GUNNAR has computer glasses with a stylish round frame and 70s-inspired aviator glasses. If you can’t justify the price, fear not: any yellow-tinted lens will work, including these cheap wireframes our staff writer rocks on the daily.

Best stylish: Gaoye Glasses

Gaoye

SEE IT

Specs

• One size?: Yes
• Color options: 15
• Polarized?: No
• Dimensions: Lens width: 52mm; Lens height: 42mm; Temple length: 140mm; Nose bridge: 14mm; Frame width: 140mm

Pros

• Classic design
• UV400 protection
• Anti-reflective

Cons

• Only available in a multiples

If you’re looking to block blue light but don’t want to look like an extra in The Matrix, this Gaoye three-pack might be right for you. Available in tons of different patterns and combinations, the square design is a classic for a reason. Plus, it’s hard to beat that price. UV400 protection gives you peace of mind out and about, and the lenses are treated with an anti-reflective coating. If you don’t believe these blue light glasses are the real deal, each pair comes with a test card: simply place the glasses in front of the card, shine the light, and see them block blue light in real-time.

Best for kids: SEEAFUN Kid’s Glasses

SEEAFUN

SEE IT

Specs

• One size?: Yes
• Color options: 8
• Polarized?: No
• Dimensions: Lens Width: 48mm; Lens height: 41mm; Nose bridge: 15mm; Frame width: 125mm; Temple length: 131mm

Pros

• Comes with adjustable lens strap
• Cute carrying case
• Tough for kids

Cons

• One size

It’s not just us adults who are subjected to excessive screen time these days. Kids, whether they’re attending school remotely, working on homework, gaming, or chatting with friends, are staring at screens, too. This SEEAFUN set is perfect for kids, with cheerful colors and a fantastic car-shaped carrying case. It also comes with an adjustable lens strap if your child is prone to losing things (it’s way harder to lose something strapped tightly to your head), and the arms are flexible. They also block 400-450nm of blue light.

Best retro style: Livho Blue Light Glasses

Liveho

SEE IT

Specs

• One size?: Yes
• Color options: 7
• Polarized?: No
• Dimensions: Lens width: 51mm; Lens height: 45mm; Frame width: 134mm; Temple length: 140mm; Nose bridge: 19mm

Pros

• Glare reduction
• Anti-scratch lenses
• UV400 protection

Cons

• Slightly flimsy, per reviews

After years of chunky plastic frames, wireframes have come right back around to be trendy again. So you don’t have to sacrifice style just to protect your eyes. This Livho set is available in multiple colors, all with a classic round wireframe design. They include glare reduction, anti-scratch lenses, and UV400 protection. The company also offers a 1,000-day warranty (around three years) in case you’re not satisfied with your purchase.

Best budget: MAXJULI Blue Light Blocking Glasses

MAXJULI

SEE IT

Specs

• One size?: Yes
• Color options: 22
• Polarized?: No
• Dimensions: Lens width: 52mm; Lens height: 47mm; Frame width: 141 mm; Temple length: 138mm; Nose bridge: 14mm

Pros

• Lightweight
• Cheap
• Come in many colors

Cons

• Reviews note they fit a little tight on the face and head

Many of the glasses on our list come in packs of two, three, or more. “I just need ONE pair of blue light blocking glasses,” you grumble to yourself, a pragmatic minimalist. Look no further than this single pair. Just one. And it will only cost you $7. Sure, it doesn’t make sense when you do the math (technically, the Gaoye glasses on the list are the best bang for your buck), but having exactly what you need without extras rotting in your office drawer makes up for technical cost-effectiveness. They work, there is one of them, and they only cost $7. That should put a smile on your face.

What to consider when buying the best blue light glasses

Thanks to both the COVID-19 pandemic and a general technological transition, more and more of us transitioned to remote/work-from-home setups, and more and more of our days are spent peering into screens. Now, with even meetings that used to be face-to-face happening as face-to-screen-to-face meetings, plus the predominance of smartphones, we’re all staring at blue light more than ever before. Here is what you should know before snagging a pair for yourself:

Why are blue light glasses so popular? 

There’s a significant industry in making our computer time healthier; you may have spotted gadgets like under-desk bikes or standing desks or guides on proper keyboard posture and ergonomic offices. These can all help with the strain that a sedentary workspace forces on our bodies. But what about blue light glasses? 

Blue light glasses are designed to reduce what’s known as digital eye strain, or DES. There are an array of symptoms associated with DES, including headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision. 

How effective are blue light glasses? 

We’ll start with the bad news: there is no evidence that blue light glasses have any effect on eye strain from digital screens. One recent study used blue light blocking filters, which filter out 99% of blue light from screens. These screens are far more effective than blue light glasses, which block out, at most, around 65% of blue light and more often can only block under 40%. That study tested subjects for a half-hour and found no correlation between symptoms of DES and blue light. No other study has indicated anything different. In fact, one British optician was actually fined for insinuating that blue light glasses can protect against DES, given that there’s no scientific evidence of this.

What’s more likely is that DES is caused by the overuse, or misuse, of screens. After all, the sun is a substantially more powerful purveyor of blue light than our screens, and DES isn’t associated with the decidedly analog sun at all. The general consensus is that DES is caused by spending too long, staring too hard, and sitting too close to our screens. Health experts generally recommend taking breaks to combat DES, rather than relying on blue light glasses.

But there is one thing that blue light glasses might help with. Some studies have indicated that blue light can be bad for our circadian rhythms; a review of the available studies found that it seems likely that blue light inhibits the brain’s ability to produce melatonin. In other words, exposure to blue light could make it harder to fall asleep. There haven’t been enough studies to tell if blue light glasses, worn for a few hours before bed, could help you sleep better, but it’s not out of the question.

That said, there are anecdotal reports of people loving their blue light glasses. Even if it’s just the placebo effect, well, that can be incredibly powerful, and if it works for you, keep doing it.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best blue light blocking glasses

• Best overall: TIJN Blue Light Blocking Glasses
• Best for gamers: GUNNAR Razer Edition Gaming Glasses
• Best stylish: Gaoye Glasses
• Best for kids: SEEAFUN Kid’s Glasses
• Best retro-style: Livho Blue Light Glasses
• Best budget: MAXJULI Blue Light Blocking Glasses

The best blue light blocking glasses are equal parts stylish and helpful. Although the word is out on the science of blue light filtering, it can’t hurt to protect your eyes with a fun pair of glasses. Blue light glasses are just one of the many tools you can keep in your “stopping digital eyestrain” toolbox, along with resting your eyes for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. You’ll be sleeping soundly, better focused, and looking at things with infinitely less-dry eyes in no time.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best blue light glasses of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Galaxy Watch 5		SEE IT	Slick styling, optional cellphone connectivity, and lots of health tracking features put this watch on top.
Best dedicated fitness tracker		Fitbit Sense 2		SEE IT	The Fitbit Sense 2 is lightweight and slim but still offers lots of sensors and good battery life.
Best stylish smartwatch		Skagen Jorn Gen 6 Smartwatch		SEE IT	The Skagen Jorn is a unique hybrid watch, featuring traditional watch hands with full smartwatch capabilities.

The Apple Watch was not the first connected watch. Thanks to Dick Tracy, people have been dreaming of wrist-worn communicators since the 1940s, and companies have actually produced usable companion devices since the early 2000s. But since “Apple’s most personal device ever” launched in 2015, it’s come to dominate the smartwatch market by sheer volume. However, the best wearable for everyone, especially Android users, isn’t necessarily Apple’s. Many Apple Watch alternatives provide various tech that can match and even top the Series 8 experience. Really, the phrase “Apple Watch alternative” sometimes does these gadgets a disservice. Apple’s offering is great, but other top smartwatches and fitness trackers deserve recognition for their own forms and features. The best Apple Watch alternatives satisfy all kinds of purposes: collecting health metrics, delivering notifications, tracking outdoor adventures, and much more fantastic functionality without committing to watchOS/iOS. 

• Best overall: Galaxy Watch 5
• Best dedicated fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best smartwatch for Android users: Ticwatch Pro 3
• Best smartwatch for the triathlete in training: Garmin Forerunner 955
• Best stylish smartwatch: Skagen Jorn 38MM Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch
• Best for health data: Polar Ignite 3
• Best battery life: Garmin Instinct 2S Solar
• Best budget smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 4

How we chose the best Apple Watch alternatives

When selecting the recommendations included in this list, we evaluated a range of features, specs, and tools that make smartwatches useful and desirable. To function as an Apple Watch alternative, phone connectivity in some capacity was an absolute must. The selected watches also needed a robust array of sensors to capture important health and activity data. We aimed to choose watches with different styles since style is such a subjective topic. And lastly, we assessed important specs such as battery life, display quality, and durability. Combining this research with peer recommendations, critical reviews, and plenty of hands-on experience, we narrowed down our selection to the best Apple Watch alternatives.

The best Apple Watch alternatives: Reviews & Recommendations

The best Apple Watch alternatives are delightfully varied, and you’re sure to find one that strikes your fancy. So let’s look at the non-Apple products that can keep your phone in your pocket but your life connected.

Best overall: Galaxy Watch 5

Samsung

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 1.2 ounces (44mm), 1 ounce (40mm)
• Case size: 1.7 x 1.74 x 0.38 inches (44mm), 1.54 x 1.59 x 0.38 inches (40mm)
• Display resolution: 450×450 pixels (44mm), 396×396 pixels (40mm) 
• Battery life: Up to 50 hours
• Waterproof rating: IP68
• Connectivity: BT 5.2, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz & 5GHz, NFC, LTE
• Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, ambient light, compass, GPS, BioActive sensor (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensor, Electrical Heart sensor (ECG), and Optical Heart Rate sensor), mic/speaker
• App support: Android

Pros

• Attractive design, with swappable straps
• Optional 4G LTE version
• Available in two sizes
• Plenty of health-tracking features
• Excellent third-party app support

Cons

• Battery life is lacking
• Some features only work with Samsung phones

The Galaxy Watch is one of the most direct competitors to the Apple Watch. That’s partly because it is one of the few watches that offer an eSIM for cellular connectivity. The eSim and built-in mic and speakers mean you can take calls and receive and respond to text messages via the watch. You don’t need your phone on you all the time to take advantage of the smart features, which is a nice option to have. The combination of Wear OS and an Android 8.0 or above phone, however, allows for Google Maps navigation, interaction with Google Assistant, and more.

The Galaxy Watch5 has a sleek, minimal design. It’s available in two sizes—40mm and 44mm—and comes in four colors. At only 1.2 ounces for the larger watch (44mm), it’s lightweight, making it more comfortable to wear. It is packed with useful sensors, including Samsung’s BioActive sensor array, responsible for sleep tracking, heart rate, blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, and body composition analysis. It will provide lots of health and fitness insights. It even automatically detects exercise, which is helpful if you tend to forget to start tracking as I do.

The downside of this watch is the battery life. The 40mm watch utilizes a 284mAh battery, while the 44mm features a 410mAh battery. If you use the device for any exercise tracking at all, you’ll need to charge it daily. Nighttime is the most logical time to charge it for most, but that means you’ll miss out on sleep tracking, which is a selling point of the watch. (A titanium-cased Galaxy Watch5 Pro version increases the durability, wellness sensors, and battery life.)

Best dedicated fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2

Fitbit

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Case size: 1.5 by 1.5 by 0.45 inches
• Display resolution: 336 x 336 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 6 days
• Waterproof rating: Water resistant to 164 feet
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, NFC
• Sensors: GPS/GLONASS, heart rate, altimeter, skin temperature, gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light, SpO2, cEDA, mic/speaker
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Very slim and lightweight
• Lots of sensors
• Good battery life
• Easy to use

Cons

• No music support
• Subscription required to take full advantage of its features

The Fitbit Sense 2 is the company’s best and brightest smartwatch. It packs plenty of sensors, including onboard GPS to track your runs and bike rides. It also features a skin temperature sensor and Fitbit’s cEDA (continuous ElectroDermal Activity) sensor to help track stress. And it promises a six-day battery life (depending on usage), which is very strong.

At less than an ounce, this is one of the lightest smartwatches available, especially for one with such a robust set of sensors. It’s sleek and minimal, fitting nicely even on small wrists. And you can choose between three colorways. In addition, the Sense 2 gets an added physical button compared to the first version, making navigation easier.

Unfortunately, Fitbit removed third-party app support from the Sense 2. That means it isn’t as much of a smartwatch as other options. For example, there’s no Spotify app or music support, so you’ll have to rely on your phone. But there is a built-in speaker and microphone, so you can take calls on your wrist, as long as your phone is nearby. 

Best smartwatch for Android users: Ticwatch Pro 3

Ticwatch

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 1.5 ounces
• Case size: 1.8 x 1.9 x 0.5 inches
• Display resolution: 454 x 454 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 72 hours (Smart Mode) or 45 days (Essential Mode)
• Water rating: IP68
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi
• Sensors: GPS/Beidou/Glonass/Galileo/QZSS, accelerometer, gyroscope, PPG heart rate, ambient light, barometer, mic/speaker
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Good battery life
• Dual display helps save battery life
• Fast and responsive
• IP68 waterproof rating

Cons

• Somewhat pricey
• A bit bulky

With a Snapdragon 4100 processor, the TicWatch Pro 3 is among the fastest Apple Watch alternatives on the market. It has all the usual high-end smartwatch features, including onboard GPS and NFC for payments. There’s a whole host of sensors and data tracking features, including a heart rate monitor, barometer, sleep tracking, and SpO2 monitoring.

It also has one very clever feature: a lower-power LCD screen right on top of its regular AMOLED display. That allows you to switch over for up to 45 days of battery life in “essential mode.” And there is an ambient light sensor in the watch, so it can automatically adjust the brightness of the AMOLED display.

The Ticwatch features a rugged design that will hold up to whatever activities you participate in. It’s a waterproof smartwatch with an IP68 rating, so you can even swim in it. That said, even though it is 28 percent lighter than the previous version of this watch, it is still fairly large and chunky. It may not be best for the small of wrist.

Best smartwatch for the triathlete in training: Garmin Forerunner 955

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 1.8 ounces
• Case size: 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.5 inches
• Display resolution: 260 x 260 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 15 days (smartwatch mode)
• Water rating: 5 ATM water resistance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
• Sensors: Heart rate, GPS/Glonass/Galileo, thermometer, pulse oximeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, barometric altimeter
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Long battery life
• Highly customizable
• Collects loads of data
• Useful training assistance

Cons

• Pricey

Garmin specializes in super-advanced fitness and outdoor tech gear, making its gear one of the best Apple Watch alternatives for serious athletes. The Forerunner 955 is specifically focused on running, though it can track about any kind of workout you can think of, including ones specific to triathlon training. It includes a dizzying array of sensors to ensure you improve. It calculates elevation changes, measures your pace against an average for your fitness level, calculates VO2 Max, and can even measure stuff like ground contact time and stride length. In addition, the watch provides plenty of training help, such as suggested workouts and training load insights, to help you maximize your fitness. 

Despite all the data it collects, the battery life is fantastic. And You can easily customize battery consumption to get what you need out of the watch in a given situation. In smartwatch mode, Garmin promises 15 days of battery life. And when using the All Systems GNSS plus Multi-Band mode (the most accurate location tracking), Garmin specifies up to 20 hours. Should you want a little extra juice, Garmin also makes a solar version of this watch. Of course, battery life depends on your usage, but I was easily able to get the promised numbers when using the Solar version of this watch, even without getting the minimum sun exposure. 

There is no microphone on the watch or optional cellphone connectivity, so you will need your phone to take advantage of the notifications and safety features (unless you opt for the older Forerunner 945 LTE). But you can send pre-formatted responses to calls and texts and interact with notifications from certain apps. And it is surprisingly sleek for all the sensors that are onboard, even on small wrists. Of course, if you’re more of a weekend warrior and don’t mind charging more often in exchange for the most vivid visual experience, the Garmin epix 2 has an AMOLED touchscreen display that brings it near parity with an Apple Watch presentation.

Best stylish smartwatch: Skagen Jorn 38MM Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch

Skagen

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: Not provided
• Case size: 1.5-inch diameter, 0.5 inches thick
• Display resolution: 240 x 240 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 14 days
• Water rating: 3 ATM water resistance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 LE
• Sensors: Accelerometer, microphone, PPG heart rate
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Sleek, attractive styling
• Unique hybrid design
• Good app support
• Built-in microphone

Cons

• Fitness tracking isn’t great
• Lacks a speaker

Skagen, the Danish-design-inspired imprint of Fossil, has a line of hybrid smartwatches called Jorn, which have uniformly been extremely good-looking watches. The hybrid design may not be for everyone, but it is a unique combination of classic watch looks with smartwatch features. The watch hands cleverly move out of the way so that you can easily read the E Ink display, and it still offers plenty of customization options. And it comes in 38mm or 42mm sizes with different color and band options. 

The Jorn features a built-in microphone as well as Amazon Alexa support. You can use voice control to set timers, reminders, and ask questions. Unfortunately, it lacks a speaker, so responses are displayed on the watch instead of spoken back to you, and you can’t take calls. But it does add a layer of functionality that some may appreciate. And it’s Android and iPhone compatible, so you can use it’s companion app with just about any phone.

The sensors in the Jorn watch are somewhat minimal but include an accelerometer and PPG heart rate monitor for basic exercise and health stats. These will track your steps, sleep, heart rate, and SpO2. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in GPS, so the watch relies on tethered GPS, which requires your phone. If you are looking for a serious fitness watch, this isn’t the best option, but we think it’s the most stylish Apple Watch alternative available. 

Best for health data: Polar Ignite 3

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 1.2 ounces
• Case size: 1.7 x 1.7 x 0.4 inches
• Display resolution: 416 × 416 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 30 hours (training mode)
• Water rating: Water resistant to 98 feet
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
• Sensors: GPS/Beidou/Glonass/Galileo/QZSS, accelerometer, heart rate 
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Attractive styling 
• Really slim on the wrist
• Lots of smart health and training features
• Vibrant display

Cons

• GPS is inaccurate 

Polar has long been a staple in the fitness and health world, investing heavily in research and offering a range of watches and sensors. The third iteration of the Ignite is the sleekest yet, with attractive yet minimal design features. It’s available in four colorways, some of which (such as the Greige Sand) hardly look like fitness watches. It features an extremely slim profile, barely sticking up from my wrist.

The watch offers fairly minimal sensors, but it still collects plenty of data for excellent health and fitness insights. It provides the Polar Precision Prime sensor for highly accurate heart rate data. Unfortunately, despite the multi-band GPS, the location data is disappointing and inaccurate. This won’t matter for some, but if precise location tracking is essential to you, this watch won’t be your best choice. 

Where the Ignite 3 does shine is the health data it collects and the insights it provides. It provides accurate sleep-tracking information and uses that to help guide daily workout suggestions. It even provides secondary workout suggestions, such as stretching activities to keep you healthy. And Polar’s FitSpark suggests different types of exercise to keep your training well-rounded. It can provide a lot of information to help you stay on top of your training and health in general.

Best battery life: Garmin Instinct 2S Solar

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 1.8 ounces (45mm), 1.5 ounces (40mm)
• Case size: 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.6 inches (45mm), 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.5 inches (40mm)
• Display resolution: 176 x 176 pixels (45mm) 156 x 156 pixels (40mm)
• Battery life: Up to 28 days, unlimited with solar (smartwatch mode)
• Water rating: Waterproof to 328 feet
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+
• Sensors: Heart rate, GPS/Glonass/Galileo, thermometer, pulse oximeter, accelerometer, compass, barometric altimeter
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Outstanding battery life
• Two sizes available
• Lots of training tools
• Highly accurate data collection

Cons

• Rugged, old-school design isn’t for everyone

Garmin’s Instinct 2S Solar has a lot going for it, but its battery life is certainly the main highlight. In smartwatch mode, Garmin says it offers unlimited battery life if you get three hours of 50,000 lux sunlight conditions a day. Of course, when you use the various GPS modes and tracking exercises, that goes down. But I got about a week of life from my 40mm version while doing some activity once a day, even without getting the required sun exposure per day for the solar benefits.

The watch also gets a robust set of sensors and tracking features, in line with most of Garmin’s products. It can suggest workouts and keep track of your training status to ensure you are getting the most out of your activities and advancing your fitness. You can even use it to navigate should you need help getting back to your starting point. Overall it’s a fantastic training partner.

The Instinct 2 Solar is a vastly different Apple Watch alternative in its styling. It has a rather rugged, old-school watch styling, which some may not like. The display is also a simple monochrome transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, so don’t expect fancy color graphics or touchscreen functionality. But it connects to your phone and provides notifications on the watch. There is no microphone or speaker, so you can’t take calls on the watch, but you can use it to reject or accept a call that you then take on your phone. And like the Forerunner 955, you can send prewritten responses to texts or calls directly from the watch, which is handy if you are in the middle of something. 

Best budget smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 4

Amazfit

SEE IT

Specs

• Weight: 1 ounce
• Case size: 1.7 x 1.4 x 0.4 inches (without heart rate base)
• Display resolution: 390 x 450 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 8 days (typical use)
• Water rating: 5 ATM water resistance
• Connectivity: WLAN 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, and BLE
• Sensors: Geomagnetic, accelerometer, barometric altimeter, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, dual-band & 6 satellite positioning systems, BioTracker™ 4.0 PPG biometric sensor, mic/speaker
• App support: Android 7.0 and above, iOS 12.0 and above

Pros

• Sleek and comfortable design
• Lots of sport modes
• Good battery life

Cons

• Data collection isn’t the most accurate

Amazfit is a well-established maker of budget smartwatches, and the GTS 4 is a great one. It provides an eight-day battery life (depending on usage), which is surprising for a watch of this price. That can even be extended to 16 days in battery saver mode. It also has lots of sensors to measure your heart rate, steps, blood oxygen levels, stress, sleep, location, and more. 

As a smartwatch, the GTS 4 pairs with your phone and delivers notifications right to your wrist. And it can sync with apps like Strava and Google Fit. It features a built-in mic and speaker, so you can receive and make calls from the watch if your phone is near. It has a strikingly Apple Watch-like design, which is sleek and minimal.

Of course, as a somewhat inexpensive watch, there are some downsides. The companion app (called Zepp) is a bit clunky, with some settings difficult to find. And the data collection tends to be a bit inaccurate, especially the sleep data and the automatic stand suggestions. And you’ll lose some features like third-party app compatibility. But it still has a lot to offer as long as you aren’t relying on the data for precise training.

What to consider when looking for the best Apple Watch alternatives

Non-Apple Watch smartwatches are available running all kinds of different software platforms. And many of them will work with both Android and iOS, in case you ever switch phones. Apple Watch alternatives come in a few different flavors. There’s the direct competition, which would be Google’s Wear platform and the Samsung Galaxy Watch. And there are also more fitness-centric offerings, both for casual workouts and intense outdoors lovers, plus a whole crop of budget-friendly smartwatches that provide health tracking and notifications.

What’s the difference between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker?

In general, the phrase “fitness tracker” is used to differentiate these models from a smartwatch in a few ways. Fitness trackers are typically smaller. They often look more like a bracelet with a small screen than a big, fancy watch. They are, as their name suggests, focused on fitness: a good fitness tracker should have not just a step tracker, but also a heart rate monitor and sleep tracking tech. Many high-end fitness watches can also integrate with more robust devices like chest strap heart rate monitors. 

That said, the line between fitness tracker and smartwatch has blurred. Modern fitness trackers have some features we’re more likely to associate with smartwatches They may have the ability to deliver notifications of texts and emails from your phone, might have a speaker so you can activate Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some even sport similar faces and design elements.

But if you plan on wearing your wristpiece all the time, it’s fair to want something less like a fitness tracker and more like a full-featured smartwatch: you want it to have a bigger screen, because you’ll be looking at it more, and to have non-fitness-focused features too.

What watch features and sensors do I need?

A brief comparison of smartwatches will reveal a wide array of features and sensors. Of course, many companies have their proprietary names for traditional sensors, making matters more complicated. What sensors and features you need in a watch depends on how you intend to use it. 

If you mainly want a smartwatch for notification and call purposes, make sure you prioritize a watch with a microphone, speaker, and potentially cellular connectivity as well. Suppose you are more interested in highly accurate fitness information. In that case, you’ll want a multisport watch with a whole suite of features such as multi-band GPS, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, and more. 

Do I have to spend hundreds of dollars on a smartwatch?

The current generation of Apple Watch, the Series 8, starts at a whopping $399 (and goes up to $799 if you decide the Apple Watch Ultra is the right one for you). If you don’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles, just something that’ll track your health metrics and stick that data into a fitness app, plus maybe deliver some alerts, you don’t need to spend that much. In fact, you can spend barely a tenth of that price and get something surprisingly great.

The biggest use cases for smartwatches, according to Statista, are notifications and fitness tracking—and you can snag a budget smartwatch or fitness bracelet that can do that for you, acting as your everyday connected wearable at a fraction of the price of full-featured smartwatches.

What’s the most stylish smartwatch?

Smartwatches and fitness trackers aren’t known for being the most stylish accessories. They have some fundamental requirements that make being stylish difficult. For example, they have to be big enough to contain a touchscreen, a heart rate monitor, and a battery, which means that even the smallest tend to be on the bulky side.

For those who take wristwatches seriously, even the Apple Watch can be underwhelming from an aesthetic perspective. It’s a basic square made of glass and aluminum. Most Apple Watch alternatives are the same way: either a slim bracelet-style fitness tracker or a square or circular smartwatch. These tend to look just fine at the gym or when out for a run, but in more formal settings can look out of place.

Luckily, a few companies are getting on board with different designs. For example, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 leans into retro-style chunkiness, while hybrid smartwatches like the Skagen Jorn or Garmin vivomove 3 offer traditional analog watch hands with smartwatch features.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Apple Watch alternatives

• Best overall: Galaxy Watch 5
• Best dedicated fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best smartwatch for Android users: Ticwatch Pro 3
• Best smartwatch for the triathlete in training: Garmin Forerunner 955
• Best stylish smartwatch: Skagen Jorn 38MM Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch
• Best for health data: Polar Ignite 3
• Best battery life: Garmin Instinct 2S Solar
• Best budget smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 4

There’s truly no shortage of wearables these days, with most smartphone makers offering watch choices and fitness trackers increasingly becoming more like smartwatches. Thus, choosing the best Apple Watch alternative can be overwhelming. The good news is that whether you are looking for a hyper-focused fitness watch, a stylish smartwatch, or a simple blend between the two, there is an efficiency-boosting accessory for you among the choices we’ve compiled so you can complement your look and lifestyle.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Apple Watch alternatives in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Fitbit Versa 4		SEE IT	The Versa 4 is the company’s most well-rounded smartwatch.
Best fitness tracker		Fitbit Charge 5		SEE IT	The Charge 5 offers advanced data-driven insights to help you optimize your workouts.
Best budget		Fitbit Inspire 3		SEE IT	The Inspire 3 is a low-cost fitness tracker for people who just want the basics.

For many tech and health enthusiasts, Fitbit is the first brand that comes to mind when you say “fitness tracker.” It had, in some circles, briefly achieved that level of cultural ubiquity where people referred to all fitness trackers as “Fitbits.” The market is now saturated—with options from Garmin, Apple, Polar, and Amazfit, just to name a few—but there are still plenty of pros when it comes to devices made by Fitbit, or that use the company’s technology. These fitness trackers and watches deliver outstanding levels of functionality, and each one has its particular benefits. With six types of Fitbits—not to mention multiple generations of each version—it might not be readily apparent which one makes the most sense for you. To that end, we’re looking at the top options for a range of intentions, so you can work out (or swim, or even sleep) with confidence knowing that these are truly the best Fitbits.

• Best overall: Fitbit Versa 4
• Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Charge 5
• Best watch: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best for women: Fitbit Luxe
• Best for men: Google Pixel Watch
• Best budget: Fitbit Inspire 3
• Best for kids: Fitbit Ace 3

How we chose the best Fitbits

I selected these Fitbits through first-hand testing and reviews from real buyers. I tested these alongside fitness trackers, both from Fitbit and other leading brands, such as the Polar Ignite 2 Plus and the Garmin Venu 2 Plus. I specifically tested to determine core functionality like tracker accuracy and battery, as well as the relative ease of use

The Fitbit versions that didn’t make the cut were not always significantly different from those included above, but our picks usually stood out for a reason. You can choose yours from these Fitbit reviews knowing that these truly are the best options available right now.

The best Fitbits: Reviews & Recommendations

While the features offered by the various models tend to overlap—most build up from a base of 20 health and fitness metrics—each individual package tailors itself to a specific set of needs or parameters. To that end, here are the best Fitbits for most people.

Best overall: Fitbit Versa 4

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: With its broad range of fitness tracking capabilities, smartwatch functions, and lower price, the Versa 4 is a balanced fitness watch that plays to Fitbit’s strengths.

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? Yes
• GPS? Yes
• Battery life: 6 days
• Premium membership: 6 months

Pros

• Plenty of fitness tracking functions
• Detailed sleep-tracking information
• Wide range of smart features

Cons

• Higher price than most Fitbits
• Short premium membership window
• Relatively short battery life

For all practical purposes, the Fitbit Versa 4 can do everything that most users want from their fitness tracker. It provides info about steps, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, calories burned, and sleep tracking. It’s also water-resistant down to 50 meters, in case you’re a swimmer. It even buzzes to let you know when you’ve entered your personalized target heart rate for exercise, which it refers to as your “active zone.”

At the same time, the Versa 4 includes plenty of smart functions. You can use it to take calls and receive notifications from your phone or ask Alexa about the weather. Fitbit also features an app ecosystem that’s smaller than iOS or Android but includes apps for music, payments, and more. The Versa 4 and more powerful Sense watch bring a lot of value to the table, but the Versa does so at a lower price, making it a slightly more accessible pick. If you’re looking for a less expensive version, read our review of the Fitbit Versa 3.

Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Charge 5

Nick Hilden

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: With its expansive suite of fitness trackers and detailed workout insights, the Charge 5 is a gym rat’s best friend.

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? Yes
• GPS? Yes
• Battery life: 7 days
• Premium membership: 6 months

Pros

• Workout intensity map
• Stress management tools
• Provides recommendations for workouts, mindfulness, and challenges

Cons

• Subscription required for advanced insights
• Reply to calls and texts function for Android only

If you’re looking for the utmost in fitness-tracking power, the Fitbit Charge 5 delivers. With a full range of fitness and health trackers, it records all the stats you need. What makes it stand out, however, is its workout intensity map, which leverages GPS and various physical data points to highlight when you’re getting the most and least out of your workout. Between workouts, it sends guidance to maintain mindfulness and workout optimization.

Though it’s primarily fitness-focused, it also features a smattering of basic smart functions that allow you to manage payments, plus receive calls, texts, and calendar notifications. Some of these functions only work with Android phones, however.

The one drawback to the Charge 5 is its reliance on a subscription. Like the Whoop 4.0 and other recent high-end fitness trackers, Fitbit gates off many of its most detailed workout insights unless you pay for its Premium membership. You get six months of free access to see if it’s worth the $9.99 a month, but you should probably decide whether or not you’re even open to such an arrangement in the first place.

Best watch: Fitbit Sense 2

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Sense 2 is a sleek, powerful smartwatch with advanced fitness-tracking capabilities.

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? Yes
• GPS? Yes
• Battery life: 6 days
• Premium membership: 6 months

Pros

• Fitbit’s largest suite of smart apps
• Includes ECG monitoring and EDA Scan for tracking heart health and stress
• Works with Alexa

Cons

• The most expensive Fitbit
• Relatively short battery life
• Large

If you want a fitness tracker that really leans into smart features, the sleek Fitbit Sense 2 delivers. With the largest suite of smart apps on any Fitbit device, as well as most of the key fitness and health tracking functions, it is the most powerful Fitbit we recommend. Most notably, the Sense includes an ECG for detecting heart health, as well as an EDA Scan app that monitors electrodermal activity and then provides a graph of how your body responds to stress. It is also the only Fitbit to come with a 6-month free trial of the guided meditation app Calm to support any stress management goals you might have.

Given all that, it’s worth noting that the Sense is the most expensive device you can get from Fitbit right now. If you want all the features, the Sense may be the best choice, but it is bigger and more expensive than the rest of the pack.

Best for women: Fitbit Luxe

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Fitbit Luxe is a great option if you want a fitness tracker that can double as a piece of jewelry. 

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? Yes
• GPS? No
• Battery life: 5 days
• Premium membership: 6 months

Pros

• Stylish design
• Heart tracking
• Stress management tools included

Cons

• Need to connect to phone for GPS
• Doesn’t let you play music

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker that looks more like a bracelet than a military-grade smartwatch, the Fitbit Luxe is a good option. The slim design, polished stainless steel case, and bands available in a range of hues make this an option that works for both work and working out, and one of the best Fitbit watches for women. The Luxe also tracks heart rate, sleep, and breathing rate, plus provides some stress management tools. You can also text and receive call notifications, but you can’t access music or make calls. 

This tracker is water-resistant up to 50 meters and has a battery life of up to five days. Unfortunately, you’ll need to connect to the GPS in your phone to see your pace in real-time.

Best for men: Google Pixel Watch

Google

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This sleek watch can double as a sophisticated timepiece and a high-end fitness tracker. 

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? Yes
• GPS? No
• Battery life: 
• Premium membership: 6 months

Pros

• Tracks heart rhythms 
• Comes with emergency SOS system
• Sophisticated design

Cons

• Only works for Android users

Google bought Fitbit in November 2019, and some of Fitbit’s fitness trackers feature the integration of the parent company’s features. Conversely, Google’s Pixel Watch uses Fitbit’s tracking technology to monitor activity, calories burned, and sleep patterns. It also provides in-depth tracking of the heart rhythm with the ECG feature and has an SOS feature that allows users to contact 911 in the case of an emergency. And the Android-compatible device pairs with Google’s Wear OS system, Pixel phones, and Pixel buds for running.

This Fitbit for men also allows users to get turn-by-turn guidance from Google Maps, make contactless payments, and get calendar alerts. Users can also make phone calls and check their inboxes. But beyond the device’s functionality, it’s also a timepiece that looks great on the wrist with its domed design, AMOLED display, case that comes in a range of colors, and an obsidian band the color of volcanic glass.

Best budget: Fitbit Inspire 3

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: With all the essential fitness tracking capabilities, the Inspire 3 gives you the features you need at a more affordable price.

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? Yes
• GPS? No
• Battery life: Up to 10 days
• Premium membership: 1 year

Pros

• 20 fitness functions
• Long battery life
• Long premium trial

Cons

• Limited smartphone notifications
• Small, hard-to-read screen

If you just need a basic fitness tracker, try the Fitbit Inspire 3. It tracks all the basics—steps, calories, heart rate, etc. It also has more advanced features than other trackers, including active zone alert, cardio fitness scores, and a “daily readiness score” to make sure you let your body recover between workouts.

That said, this cheap Fitbit is very much an essentialist fitness tracker. It has some smartwatch functionality, including notifications for calls, text, and social media. It also offers stress management features and menstrual health tracking. These features require looking at the Inspire 3’s tiny screen, which isn’t ideal for anything beyond the quickest of glances. This is definitely a tracker for people who actively want to avoid the “smart features” and stay focused on working out. Looking to save a few dollars with an older version? Read our review of the Fitbit Inspire 2.

Best for kids: Fitbit Ace 3

Fitbit

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Arguably the most feature-rich fitness tracker designed specifically for kids, the Ace 3 helps keep your little one moving.

Specs

• Heart rate monitor? No
• GPS? No
• Battery life: Up to 8 days
• Premium membership: Not included

Pros

• Parent View safety feature
• Incentivizes fitness in kids
• Bedtime reminders and sleep tracking

Cons

• Single wristband size doesn’t fit all wrists
• Some users have reported durability issues with the buckle

There aren’t too many quality fitness trackers designed specifically for kids, so the Fitbit Ace 3 is incredibly useful and the best Fitbit for kids. It primarily tracks steps and sleep but can also set challenges to keep kids motivated and active. You can also set reminders to prompt children to get up, move, stretch, or sleep at specific times. Its features are comparatively very limited beyond the basics, but it is water-resistant for up to 50 meters, so it is durable and can stay on in the pool.

The Ace 3 supports the Fitbit app, which features separate viewing modes for parents and kids when you activate the Family Account mode. In Parent View mode, parents can monitor their kid’s activity and approve any connections in the Fitbit social community. Meanwhile, Kid View presents a child-friendly version of the fitness tracker experience, with access to stats, badges, personalized avatars, and challenges. 

What to consider before buying a Fitbit

Each Fitbit variety offers its unique features and benefits, so it’s important to keep a few things in mind when choosing which is the best one for you and if that’s the latest Fitbit or old Fitbit models. These are, for the most part, the same considerations to keep in mind when picking any fitness tracker or fitness watch. 

Health goals

To judge any fitness tracker, you must know how you plan to use it. Are you looking to track your high-impact workouts or simply ensure you get your steps in? Monitor heart health or blood oxygen levels? Or maybe sleep tracking and monitoring mindfulness? Different Fitbits come with varying feature sets that will accommodate different goals. Often, more complex trackers will be larger, more complicated, and more expensive. Finding the right balance among those three factors will set you up to use your Fitbit to the fullest.

Cost

Fitbits come in many shapes and sizes, meaning some are more expensive than others. Some models cost as little as $60. Others get as high as $400. Again, you want to find a balance between feature-set and price that works for you, but it’s also generally important to keep your budget in mind as you shop.

Smart functions

While some Fitbits act as fairly basic fitness trackers, others are much more elaborate smartwatches. Which is right for you depends on whether or not you need all those smarts.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Fitbits

The best Fitbit for you comes down to one of two factors: whether you want a smartwatch or a fitness tracker and your budget. The core fitness tracking features are largely consistent among most models, so you need to consider whether you care about smartphone-related lifestyle features and the advanced fitness analytics that come with Fitbit’s premium subscription. Ultimately, most Fitbits are great so long as their features and your expectations are in sync.

• Best overall: Fitbit Versa 4
• Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Charge 5
• Best watch: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best for women: Fitbit Luxe
• Best for men: Google Pixel Watch
• Best budget: Fitbit Inspire 3
• Best for kids: Fitbit Ace 3

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Fitbits for 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Back in 2013, Google attempted to get way ahead of the augmented reality game with its Google Glass headset. Although first billed as a tech game changer, the $1,500 price tag and privacy concerns made it a wholesale commercial flop. But despite some belated success among medical professionals and first responders via Google’s 2017 Glass Enterprise revamp, the much-memed product never really broke through to the masses. Yesterday, Google officially announced the demise of its Glass product line.

According to a company statement, headsets are no longer available for purchase, while support for Glass Enterprise Edition will continue through mid-September of this year. “Thank you for over a decade of innovation and partnership,” writes Google, in the brief end to one of the more infamous modern tech rollouts.

[Related: Doctors are wearing the new Google Glass while seeing patients.]

Initially resembling frameless eyewear, Google’s headset included a small, rectangular, transparent glass (hence the name) above the wearer’s right eye. A miniature onboard computer system beamed bits of information through the prism. Users could then utilize features like map directions, photo and video capabilities, and weather forecasts in front of them while maintaining a clear vision of their surrounding, real-world environment. Future iterations resembled protective eyewear designs, and were often utilized in industries such as factory manufacturing.

The announcement likely comes as no surprise to most—alongside a “Wait, Google still made those?” from many others—as the Big Tech giant’s last edition of Glass Enterprise came out almost four years’ ago in 2019 alongside a $999 price tag. Since then, Google’s chief rivals at Meta and Apple have poured massive amounts of cash into their own respective AR projects. In 2021, Meta collaborated with Ray-Ban to release camera-embedded sunglasses, albeit with no augmented display features, and (until recently) was going all in on pushing a “metaverse” experience via its Meta Quest headset line. Meanwhile, Apple is widely reported to be on the cusp of rolling out its own wearable AR/VR product line.

[Related: Best VR headsets in 2023.]

As CNBC also notes, the demise of Glass in no way means Google is out of the AR game—far from it, in fact. Last summer, the company unveiled a new prototype iteration of augmented reality eyewear, although specifics like a release window, price point, or even a name have yet to be announced. Whatever its name may be, perhaps it won’t be as easy to turn into a snarky pun as Google Glass.

The post Google Glass is finally shattered appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Since its release in 2022, the Apple Watch Series 8 has been the model to get when it comes to wearables. You, too, can get crash detection, better heart monitoring, and even ovulation tracking thanks to this massive Apple Watch 8 deal on Amazon, which knocks down the price to $329 —that’s the lowest we’ve seen it go for, ever.

Apple Watch Series 8 $329 (Was $399)

Apple

SEE IT

Don’t let the outside—which doesn’t feature any noticeable design changes compared to the Series 7—fool you. Inside, the Apple Watch 8 features improved sensors for more accurate health readings and safety detection. An Always On Retina display shows medication reminders and text messages in stunning clarity, and a crack-resistant, IP6X dust-resistant, and swimproof face and body mean you don’t have to worry about breaking it during everyday wear or while you’re taking laps at the pool. It works across the Apple ecosystem, meaning you can unlock your Mac, locate other devices, and pay for a coffee with a swipe, tap, or touch. An 18-hour battery life means you can take advantage of all of these features without worrying about a dying device.

If you can go without dust resistance, an Always On Display, and blood oxygen and ECG readings, consider the Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), which is also at its lowest price today. You can get sleep tracking, crash detection, water resistance, and some of the same features as the Apple Watch 8 for $219. If you’ve been considering testing the Apple Watch waters for a low price, we can’t recommend the Apple Watch SE enough.

Time is running out on this deal—take advantage of it before they spring forward and fall back to their regular prices.

The post Get an Apple Watch 8 on Amazon today for the lowest price we’ve seen appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Garmin already has an extensive lineup of advanced running watches in its Forerunner series, but it just got even larger. The wearable tech company has announced two new smartwatches: the Forerunner 265 and 965. The highlight of the release is their vibrant AMOLED displays, a first for Garmin GPS running smartwatches. Each will offer an optional always-on, full-color touchscreen (though you can lock the display during activity and rely on Garmin’s classic five-button navigation system). We loved the Garmin Forerunner 955, and its fundamentals form the basis of the new models, so we have high expectations for these new additions to the Forerunner family.

Training features of the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 965

Garmin’s watches traditionally offer an impressive suite of sensors and performance tracking/analyzing features. As a result, they make great Apple Watch alternatives, especially for athletes. And this all holds even more true with the two new offerings. Like existing Forerunners (and other Garmin watches), they will calculate VO2 max, performance condition, training effect, and more. And all of that data is used to calculate a training readiness score to help you plan your rest better.

Sleep is a key component of performance, which Garmin clearly understands. Its watches can track your sleep, in part by evaluating heart rate variability, providing a more complete wellness and training picture. And, provided you sleep wearing the watch, a Morning Report summarizes your sleep, your day’s training outlook, and the environmental conditions you can expect. 

These watches will also offer daily suggested workouts, which adapt after every run to help you improve your running performance and prevent overtraining. The race widget, along with Garmin Coach and PacePro, will provide training tips and predictions for race performance based on specific course details, weather, and performance. They can even measure running power and running dynamics without any additional accessories. Now, however, shall of these metrics will be more visible and vivid indoors and out, thanks to the upgrade from memory-in-pixel displays.

Garmin Forerunner 265 details

The Forerunner 265, priced at $449.99, sits right between the Forerunner 255 Music and 955. It gets the full set of sensors found in Garmin’s advanced fitness smartwatches, including the wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor. The 265 also offers Garmin’s safety features, such as incident detection and LiveTrack.

As a smartwatch, it easily connects to your phone for smart notifications and allows you to download music from Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music to the watch for phone-free Bluetooth listening. And you can use Garmin Pay for contactless payments. 

The Forerunner 265 will be available in two sizes, each offering different battery life. The 42mm Forerunner 265S promises 24 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 15 days in smartwatch mode. The larger Forerunner 265, with a 46mm case, should provide up to 20 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 13 days in smartwatch mode. 

Garmin Forerunner 965 details

Garmin designed the Forerunner 965 for seriously dedicated athletes. It’s at the top of the Forerunner lineup, priced at $599.99. As a result, it will feature all the same things mentioned above and more. Garmin says it adds “additional performance metrics, built-in mapping, and the ability to store more songs right on the watch” compared to the 265. 

The 965 also offers a new feature, called load ratio, to “track short-term to mid-term load ratio” to stay healthy while training. Stamina insights will also help track exertion levels for a well-rounded picture of your training. And ClimbPro shows real-time information on climbs during a run, including gradient, distance, and elevation gain. There are also full-color built-in maps for route planning and navigation.

The 965 will feature a 47mm case with a lightweight titanium bezel. The AMOLED display is Garmin’s largest yet at 1.4 inches (the epix Gen. 2), Garmin’s first AMOLED-equipped watch, has a 1.3-inch screen). Garmin says it will provide up to 31 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 23 days in smartwatch mode.

Pricing & availability

The Garmin Forerunner 265 will cost you $449.99 for either the 42mm or 46mm versions. It is available for purchase now. The Garmin Forerunner 965 will run you $599.99 and won’t ship until late March/early April, but can be pre-ordered now.

The post Garmin’s latest running watches pair vivid visuals with your vitals appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

MIT researchers finally cracked the computer code for X-ray vision—at least for finding hidden objects like missing t-shirts or lost keys. Instead of providing users with stereotypical X-ray specs, however, the team’s newly dubbed “X-AR” setup offers something more akin to a geolocation program, a la Apple AirTags for wearable augmented reality headsets. Once fine-tuned, the team’s new system could become a useful tool within retail companies’ massive warehouses and distribution hubs, alongside casual consumers’ everyday home activities.

To pull off the impressive digital sleuthing, developers first designed a flexible, transparent RFID tag-communicating antenna sheet that adheres atop a Microsoft Hololens headset. RFID locators, which adhere to products like stickers and reflect signals back to antennas, generally rely on multiple antennas spaced apart from one another. In this case, the team needed to optimize a single antenna to handle a high enough bandwidth for the tags. Not only that, but the antenna couldn’t obscure any portion of the Hololens’ other visual tools and sensors.

[Related: X-ray adds new layer to space telescope images.]

Once fine-tuned, the team utilized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to locate desired RFID-tagged items, like a boxed phone or article of clothing. To do this, the X-AR measures an area utilizing the antenna at various vantages while a user transverses the room. The headset then combines the data points like a standard antenna array to localize on its target.

After extensive testing X-AR’s creators were able to guide users with nearly 99 percent accuracy to items scattered throughout a warehouse testing environment. When those products were hidden within boxes, the X-AR still even boasted an almost 92 percent accuracy rate.

[Related: The best RFID wallets of 2023.]

“While it presented a challenge when we were designing the system, we found in our experiments that it actually works well with natural human motion,” project collaborator Laura Dodds said in a press release.  According to Dodds, a research assistant at MIT’s Signal Kinetics lab, humans’ frequent movements allows X-AR to take measurements from many different locales, and thus more accurately localize items. While wearing the AR headset, the X-AR system’s simple visual menu cues and icons help users move towards a desired location and let them know when the correct RFID has been scanned.

In future iterations, the team hopes to expand its sensing capabilities to incorporate WiFi, mmWaves, or terahertz waves. Right now, researchers say X-AR also only works within three meters of an object, so expanding its radius will be key for any future public deployment, alongside coordination abilities between multiple headsets.

The post This modified AR headset could help you find your lost keys appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

In numerology, angel numbers are a repeating sequence of numbers you can’t seem to get away from—if you glance at your phone or the clock and keep seeing the same time, the universe might be trying to tell you something. “Two” represents duality and reflection. If you’ve thought, “I need a new phone case and screen protector for my phone,” consider this “pick two products, get 22% off” deal from Otterbox your sign to click “add to cart” before it ends tomorrow.

3-in-1 Charging Station with MagSafe $116.96 (Was $149.95) + iPhone 14 Pro Case for MagSafe Symmetry Series+ Antimicrobial $38.96 (Was $38.96)

OtterBox

SEE IT

We think a wireless charger and a MagSafe-compliant case are the perfect combo to take advantage of this deal. And this Symmetry Series+ Antimicrobial case for the iPhone 14 and 3-in-1 charging station with MagSafe are the best of those respective things. The case is protective and durable while maintaining the iPhone’s sleek design. And, it’s made for MagSafe (like my personal, but currently not on sale, case, the Otterbox OtterGrip Symmetry Series). This means you won’t have to gamble with compliance upon purchase. The case’s antimicrobial properties also reduce germs to protect the phone’s integrity. Simply place it onto the 3-in-1 charging station to make the MagSafe magic happen. It can also charge your Apple Watch and AirPods Pro 2 simultaneously—talk about multihyphenate.

This sale ends this Friday, Feb. 24, so check out OtterBox’s other top sellers that qualify for the deal. Heads-up, this bundle deal is only available on the OtterBox site. However …

Here are other OtterBox products on sale on Amazon:

• OTTERBOX COMMUTER SERIES Case for Google Pixel 4a 5G (5G ONLY) $16.30 (Was $39.95)
• OtterBox Symmetry Clear Series Case for Google Pixel 4a 5G (5G ONLY) $7.90 (Was $49.95)
• OTTERBOX DEFENDER SERIES SCREENLESS EDITION Case for iPhone 12 mini $18.95 (Was $19.97) 
• OTTERBOX STRADA SERIES Case for Galaxy S21+ $15.90 (Was $22.50)
• OTTERBOX Max Grip Cooling and Antimicrobial Gaming Case for iPhone 11 Pro Max-SQUID INK $25.10 (Was $29.39)
• OTTERBOX Max Grip Cooling and Antimicrobial Gaming Case for iPhone 13 $28.10 (Was $29.76)
• OTTERBOX PREFIX SERIES Case for iPhone 13 mini & iPhone 12 mini-Party pink $25.30 (Was $34.95)
• OTTERBOX PREFIX SERIES Case for iPhone 13 mini & iPhone 12 mini-Clear $26.60 (Was $34.95)
• OtterBox SYMMETRY SERIES CLEAR Case for iPhone 13 Pro-DISNEY PRIDE $26.30 (Was $37.10)
• OtterBox SYMMETRY SERIES CLEAR Case for iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 Pro-MICKEY PRIDE $35.50 (Was $39.13)
• OtterBox SYMMETRY CLEAR SERIES Case for iPhone 11 Pro-COW PRINT $35.20 (Was $49.95)
• OTTERBOX SYMMETRY CLEAR SERIES Case for iPhone 13 Pro-CLEAR $24.20 (Was $49.95)
• OtterBox Otter + POP Symmetry Clear Series Case for iPhone 13 Pro-Limelight (Clear/Green)\ $32.99 (Was $59.95)

The post Pick two OtterBox products and get 22% off with this angelic deal appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE PRO 3-in-1 Charging Pad		SEE IT	An Apple enthusiast’s simplest solution for charging all the essentials.
Best charger		Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger		SEE IT	Classy as it is convenient, this compact charger helps simplify packing.
Best battery		OtterBox wireless 5K mAh Power Bank		SEE IT	Two-sided MagSafe compatibility adds versatility to this potent pint-sized battery backup.

If you’ve ever woken up and, groggily lumbering toward the bathroom, started the day by tripping over an iPhone charging cable, you know you felt no shame audibly cheering the first time you used a MagSafe accessory. MagSafe, Apple’s magnetic connector for electronic devices, started as an improvement for MacBook power cords in 2006. But it was with the introduction of the iPhone 12 in 2020 that the MagSafe name became synonymous with the much wider world of wireless power transfer and magnetic attachment products. Having a phone and a MagSafe-compatible charger saves you the problem of having the right cord with the right connector that’s the right length to be lined up just right; when that green circle lights up the iPhone screen, one less worry fills your mind. Not every MagSafe accessory involves power but they do all involve that feeling of security. Here’s our selection of the best MagSafe accessories to make sure your iPhone is fully charged and fastened when and where you need it to be.

• Best overall: Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE PRO 3-in-1 Charging Pad
• Best charging dock: Nomad Base One Max
• Best charger: Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger
• Best car mount: Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE Magnetic Wireless Car Charger
• Best phone case: Otterbox OtterGrip Symmetry Series
• Best battery: OtterBox wireless 5K mAh Power Bank

How we chose the best MagSafe accessories

As gadget geeks and serial upgraders, many of us have a recent iPhone. And considering how many devices we regularly test, requiring us to keep track of yet another interconnect, being able to wrangle one less tangle is a godsend. This is why we are both fans and intimate friends with many MagSafe accessories. Combining this firsthand experience with peer recommendations, critical reviews, and user impressions, we put together a list of potential inclusions from top manufacturers—including Belkin, Mophie, OtterBox, and more—then narrowed down the dozens of options to these picks.

The best MagSafe accessories: Reviews & Recommendations

MagSafe is a quality-of-life improvement you didn’t know you needed, but once you have it, you don’t understand why you didn’t this whole time. Here are our top picks for some of the best MagSafe accessories, focusing on accessories that offer charging.

Best overall: Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE PRO 3-in-1 charging pad

Belkin

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This unassuming silicone-clad slab packs a sweet suite of Apple device chargers into a low-profile accessory.

Specs

• Dimensions: 9.8 x 5 x 3.66 inches
• Weight: 1.74 pounds
• Power: Up to 15W MagSafe

Pros

• Charges iPhone, Apple Watch, and wireless earbuds simultaneously
• Full 15W MagSafe charging capability
• Apple Watch Series 7 fast charge supported
• Apple Watch can be charged flat or in Nightstand mode

Cons

• Not the cheapest charging pad

Fans of maximized minimalism will love this Belkin 3-in-1 charging stand. It’s an Apple enthusiast’s simplest solution for charging all the essentials, with dedicated spots for a MagSafe-compatible iPhone, an Apple Watch, and wireless-compatible AirPods. 

Despite being a three-device dream, it’s an unassuming silicone-clad slab—available in Black or White with a soft-matte finish and subtle chrome accents—and it’s a lay-flat design that can be easily packed for on-the-go use. The MagSafe iPhone platform offers full 15W charging, with or without an official MagSafe case on your device (an included 40W adapter ensures the full output). While the Watch puck is adjustable, allowing any size Watch to be oriented as an alarm clock in Nightstand mode—and enabling fast charge for compatible Apple Watch Series 8 models. And the AirPods panel includes an LED indicator, so you know the wireless charging is active. 

Stable without being too hefty, the Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE PRO is the top third-party MagSafe charger and fills an important gap in Apple’s own offerings.

Best charging dock: Nomad Base One Max charger

Nomad

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Nomad’s Base One Max is a sturdy 2-in-1 Made for iPhone-certified charger made of metal, glass, and soft-touch rubber.

Specs

• Dimensions: 7.44 x 3.54 x 1.8 inches
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Power: Up to 15W MagSafe, Requires 30W charging brick

Pros

• Beautiful design
• Weight keeps it anchored
• Apple Watch charges in Nightstand Mode

Cons

• Pricey
• Doesn’t support Apple Watch 7 fast charge
• Doesn’t come with a charging brick

Nomad’s Base One Max is a hefty 2-in-1 charger that emphasizes design and utility. Available in Carbide or Silver, it features a solid metal and glass design along with subtle soft-touch accents to keep your devices protected, and it looks and feels more like a centerpiece rather than just another accessory.

The integrated Apple Watch charger props up the wearable in Nightstand Mode, while the 15W MFi MagSafe pad provides a satisfying thunk every time you place your iPhone down to charge. The charging pad is also compatible with other Qi-enabled devices so that you can charge your AirPods in between Zoom meetings.

Although the Base One Max is heavy at 2 pounds, its weight allows it to stay anchored when you reach for your device, and the rubber base ensures it won’t move around. The Base One Max comes with a 6-foot braided USB-C cable, but you’ll have to supply your own charging brick. It also doesn’t support fast charge on the Apple Watch.

While the Base One Max is pricey and not as transportable as our best overall pick, its thoughtful, high-quality design makes it one of the most elegant MagSafe options for a designated iPhone charging station.

Best charger: Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger

ZAGG

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Simplify your packing without sacrificing anything with this elegant wireless charging solution.

Specs

• Dimensions: 0.4 x 12.3 x 3.2 inches
• Weight: 9.92 ounces
• Power: 7.5W, 15W MagSafe

Pros

• Compact yet complete charging suite
• Sophisticated aesthetics
• Apple Watch can be oriented in Nightstand mode

Cons

• As pricy as a permanent pad, but not as solid

Classy as it is convenient, the Mophie 3-in-1 travel charger with MagSafe is an easily packable trifold charger that comes with all the accessories needed, all tucked within an elegant felt organizer. Inside this backpack, briefcase, or maybe even belt bag-friendly case, you’ll find three pockets for the charger, a 30W USB-C PD wall adapter, and an included 1m USB-C to USB-C cable.

Unfurl the heathered grey fabric-wrapped hub and three pads will be revealed, ​​with a dedicated cradle for AirPods, a magnetized disc for iPhone, and a magnetized puck for Apple Watch. This charger powers all three simultaneously from a single cable plugged into the Watch platform. Perfect for pleasurable jaunts and business trips alike, this stylish set-up starts your devices charging on contact, so you’ll be ready to touch base with all your contacts in the morning.    

Best car mount: Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE Magnetic Wireless Car Charger

Belkin

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This vent-mounted charger helps you steer without your iPhone sliding around and driving you crazy. 

Specs

• Dimensions: 1.68 x 3.98 x 5.43 inches
• Weight: 3.35 ounces
• Power: Up to 10W

Pros

• Easily mounted/removed on a vehicle air vent
• Keeps phone secure, accessible, and charged during navigation

Cons

• Requires you to run a cable from the console to charge
• Placement might require some adjusting, based on vent blades

It may not quite be the jetpacks that the future promised, but having a MagSafe mount in the car definitely changed how I travel for the better. Securing my iPhone conveniently as fast, if not faster, than I fasten my own seatbelt, not having to fish out a charging cable, then detaching the phone just as expediently when I get to my destination is perhaps the greatest expression of MagSafe’s life-changing properties. 

Easily clamped to an air vent, the Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE magnetic wireless charging mount holds an iPhone firmly within sight even when traffic patterns shift abruptly. If you must keep an eye on a screen for navigation purposes (I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt you won’t play videos or other distractions while driving), it’s far better to situate your phone in an optimal place to the side of the steering column rather than have you fumbling for it with only one hand on the wheel. 

In addition to firmly holding the phone in place (in either vertical or horizontal orientation), the Belkin BOOST↑CHARGE can be plugged into (what was once) the cigarette lighter with the included 20W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 car power supply and charge your iPhone while driving. This helps compensate for energy-intensive programs like Waze and Google Maps keeping your display and GPS continually active. The road may be full of bumps, but at least your phone won’t flip or its battery dip with this convenient accessory.  

Best phone case: Otterbox OtterGrip Symmetry Series

Amanda Reed

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Enter the world of MagSafe without having to get rid of a phone grip.

Specs

• Dimensions: 6.02 x 3.11 x .53 inches
• Weight: 1.76 ounces
• Power: N/A

Pros

• Combines MagSafe compliance with easy grip
• Durable
• Doesn’t interfere with phone buttons

Cons

• OtterGrip not a complete replacement for the PopSocket
• More of a phone grip than a phone stand

Thanks to increasingly more content and the pixels needed to display it, smartphones have gotten bigger and bigger over the last decade. For people with the small, dainty hands of a 19th-century child working in a watch factory, phone grips like PopSockets provided a handle to prevent some accidental drops and smartphone pinky. However, these add-ons meant that anyone using one could never fully experience the convenience of MagSafe—an iPhone‘s back cover has to be easily accessible so that compatible accessories can sit flush and align their magnetic array. Sure, you can buy a PopSocket that attaches using MagSafe, but then you’re taking it on and off and potentially losing it. That changes with the Otterbox OtterGrip Symmetry Series case, originally announced in January 2023 at CES and now available. The OtterGrip gives you the best of both worlds, allowing you to have an integrated phone grip and use any of the MagSafe chargers, mounts, batteries, etc., you see on this page. Simply pull the grip away from the case to use it, and snap it back in place when you decide to place it on a wireless charger or car mount. The grip also rotates 360 degrees for ergonomics.

The OtterGrip is also incredibly durable without the chonk. Some may think “big, bulky case” when they hear the name OtterBox, but that’s no longer the, well, case. There’s a better “click” on the volume and lock buttons compared to my old Speck Gemshell case, which has a slim profile, all things considered. The OtterGrip is actually slimmer than the Speck Gemshell using a separate phone grip, with higher drop protection.

If you use a PopSocket-like grip for a phone stand, however, you might want to pass on the OtterGrip case—it’s hard to balance the phone and get it to stay in place without the grip snapping back into place. The OtterGrip isn’t a one-to-one replacement for the PopSocket in terms of feeling, and there is some getting used to the experience. But being able to use MagSafe and feel more secure when you’re holding your expensive pocket computer is worth the learning curve.

Best battery: OtterBox wireless 5K mAh power bank

OtterBox

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Two-sided MagSafe compatibility adds versatility to this potent pint-sized battery backup.

Specs

• Dimensions: 6.69 x 4.25 x 0.39 inches
• Weight: 6.5 ounces
• Power: 5W Qi, 7.5W MagSafe

Pros

• Magnets on both sides allow connections to a phone and mount simultaneously
• Wireless input and wireless output
• LED indicators for charge status/battery life

Cons

• No magnetic stabilizing strip leaves the opportunity for the power bank to rotate 
• Not the biggest capacity available in a wireless power bank

The Otterbox wireless 5K mAh power bank tops the battery category not only because of what it can hold and also how you can hold it. It doesn’t have the capacity of, say, Belkin’s equally recommendable BOOST↑CHARGE Wireless Charger 10K, but only holding half the charge means it also takes up less space—a huge plus for pocketability (though the battery has the potential to rotate/become unaligned if you’re power-walking with purpose). And 5K is enough to fully recharge any iPhone 13 once (or the iPhone 13 mini twice).

What really stands out with this power bank is that it has MagSafe on both sides, meaning you can attach it to a MagSafe charger with your iPhone simultaneously attached, topping off both in the process. I actually store one on a Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand so it’s primed and ready to easily peel off in case I’m leaving the house without my iPhone at 100%. And if I was without that convenient perch and succumbed to a cable, I could use the bidirectional USB-C port to charge the power bank, as well as to charge my phone.  

Things to consider before buying the best MagSafe accessories

If you have an iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14 of any size/sort, you can access MagSafe. And if you have a debit or credit card, you can access the MagSafe accessories presented here. But before you invest in new accouterments, you might have some questions. And that’s why we’re here.

So, how exactly does MagSafe work?

MagSafe uses a series of internal magnets ringing an iPhone’s charging coil to snap securely to compatible accessories. This assures that any attachments are properly lined up, which is particularly valuable for optimized wireless charging. As for how magnets work in general, that is a tale of electrons spinning and atoms aligning and a miraculous mystery for another time. But when magnetized objects of opposite poles enter each other’s magnetic fields, they are as strongly attracted to each other as a long-time Apple fan is to hearing “… and one more thing.”

Do I need MagSafe accessories?

No. If you are a connoisseur of cables—each one personally, painstakingly labeled as to what it is for—then keep enjoying those curled-up keepsakes and a Jenga-like set of power bricks. USB-A to Lightning, USB-C to Lightning … you do you. Being hardwired to the wall will continue to work … for now (we have no insight into Apple’s plans to discontinue ports on iPhones). And if you always have or prefer to secure your phone in a dashboard-mounted vice while driving, don’t switch up what works for you. So, no, you don’t need MagSafe accessories. But if you’ve gotten tired of trying to find a convenient place to plug in a somehow always slightly too short cable, or finding out that the cable you desperately need to save you from an imminent power-down has a short in it, you definitely may want MagSafe accessories. And don’t even get me started as to how convenient a MagSafe car mount is … (OK, get me started but wait till we get to our top pick in that category, please.)

Do I need a MagSafe case for my iPhone?

To charge wirelessly, no, you don’t need a MagSafe case. But to attach additional accessories to your iPhone while it’s in the case, yes, you need a MagSafe case. Plus the MagSafe system in the case helps alleviate any concerns that it might fall off.

If I buy a MagSafe accessory, does it need to be “Made for MagSafe” to work?

No, though it can’t hurt. There are plenty of “MagSafe compatible” options with the magnetic ring that lets your iPhone snap to them with the precision needed to stay and/or charge properly. We even recommend some. But the “Made for MagSafe” badge does bring some benefits. It means that the device can support 15W charging (12W for iPhone mini models), rather than the 7.5W charging of “MagSafe compatible” alternatives (and more watts=faster charging). To get maximum output, however, be sure you have at least a 20W USB-C PD adapter for the charging pad. In addition, the near-field communication between “Made for MagSafe” charging devices means you get the undeniable satisfaction of seeing your iPhone’s screen light up with the curling green MagSafe animation that guarantees authenticity and efficiency. 

Can I charge anything other than my iPhone with a MagSafe pad?

Sure, you can place anything with Qi-enabled wireless charging on a MagSafe pad and the battery will fill. However, the device won’t snap into place so you won’t know if it’s set down correctly and there’s nothing to stop it from getting knocked off the pad accidentally. There are Android devices, and optional cases, that do have magnetic rings in them, which solves that problem, but Android devices don’t replicate the alert an official MagSafe charger gives when it comes into contact with an iPhone.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best MagSafe accessories

If you’re wired to go wireless and you’re an iPhone owner, MagSafe accessories are the best way to get your fill of features and battery capacity. Matching convenience with efficiency, the best MagSafe accessories are as attached to your pocket computer as you are and can help empower your adventures together.

The post The best MagSafe accessories of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Spring is drawing nearer with each passing day, and the promise of warmer weather gives you the chance to break out those new running shoes and take a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood. No offense to your treadmill, but there’s something especially lovely about feeling the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair. Track how many steps you take—along with distance walked—with Fitbits on sale for up to 20% off on Amazon.

Fitbit Luxe $98.95 (Was $129.95)

Fitbit

SEE IT

The Fitbit Luxe (which is just one of our favorite Fitbits) has a slimmer face compared to other touchscreen fitness watches. This watch, however, has a stainless steel case for added durability. 24/7 heart rate tracking gives you more accurate numbers, and a gentle, affirming buzz lets you know when you’ve reached your target heart rate while exercising. Five days’ worth of battery on a single charge means you can spend more time using the watch’s stress management tools and less time hooking it up to a charger. And, get real-time pace and distance tracking when you connect it to your phone’s GPS. It’s perfect for someone who is looking for a smartwatch that blends fashion with function.

If you’re looking for something that looks and feels like an analog watch with health features, the Garmin vivomove Sport is on sale for $149.99, down from its original $179.99 pricing. It has a traditional watch face and real hands with a touchscreen display that shows your daily step count, smartphone notifications, and more.

And if a smartwatch isn’t your jam at all, we love plenty of timeless timepieces under $500 including this Timex Unisex Weekender Chronograph watch, which comes with a leather and nylon strap to match practically any outfit in your closet.

These deals will fly away like a bird after it drops below 30 degrees, so take advantage of them before it’s too late.

Here are some other fitness watches we want to get our hands on:

• Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 (Was $99.95)
• Fitbit Charge 5 $128.99 (Was $149.95)
• Fitbit Sense 2 $249.95 (Was $299.95)
• Garmin Lily $149.99 (Was $199.99)
• Samsung-Galaxy Watch5 Aluminum Smartwatch 40mm BT-Pink Gold $229.99 (Was $279.99)
• Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS, 40MM)-Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band (Renewed) $144.95 (Was $205)
• Apple Watch Ultra [GPS + Cellular 49mm] $749 (Was $799)
• Amazfit Band 5 Activity Fitness Tracker with Alexa Built-in $34.99 (Was $39.99)
• Amazfit [2022 New Version] GTS 2 Mini Smart Watch $84.99 (Was $99.99)
• Amazfit GTS 2e Smart Watch $89.90 (Was $119.99)
• Withings ScanWatch-Hybrid Smartwatch & Activity Tracker $232.60 (Was $279.95)

The post Take time to get more steps in with discounted Fitbits on Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Smartwatch enthusiasts should take note of this surprise deal on the Apple Watch Ultra, which brings its price down to $750 at multiple retailers. The $50 discount is just $10 shy of the Watch Ultra’s lowest price ever and the best price we’ve seen for this accomplished multisport wearable in months. Best Buy, which is honoring this deal, is also offering an open box model in excellent condition for $704, which is nearly $100 off the Ultra’s list price.

Apple

SEE IT

The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s most premium smartwatch yet. The durable titanium watch body features a bigger screen (49mm), a brighter display (up to 2,000 nits), longer battery life (up to 36 hours during typical use and 60 hours in low power mode), and a physical function button that can be customized to a specific action. For instance, you can set the button press to start a workout or a timer, so you don’t have to swipe on its screen.

In addition to IP6X dust protection, the smartwatch is swim-proof to 40 meters and water-resistant down to 100 meters. A depth gauge and water temperature sensor can give you vital stats about your dive at a glance while you’re underwater. These advanced features are exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra, but this model also supports Apple’s improvements to its entire smartwatch line.

The Watch Ultra’s High-g accelerometer and gyroscope enable crash detection, which sends a distress signal to the police and specified contact if it believes you’re in a car crash. The Emergency SOS feature allows the smartwatch to connect to satellites in rural regions in case something goes wrong and you can’t get voice service but need to send an alert. You can also use the watch to drop points on your hike and follow them back to civilization using a map on the Apple Watch if you get lost.

There’s also the standard assortment of health features, like heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, taking an EKG, and alerts if an Apple Watch detects an irregular heartbeat. Apple brought menstrual cycle tracking and temperature tracking to the Apple Watch this year, and that data will be encrypted and stored in Apple’s health app.

Apple doesn’t discount its hardware, and this is the best Apple Watch Ultra deal we’ve seen in months—especially if you pick up a refurbished model. If you’re been curious about the Watch Ultra or want to upgrade from an older model to the most luxe edition yet, this is a great time. If you’re not sure about which Apple Watch suits you best, check out our Apple Watch comparison.

The post The Apple Watch Ultra is $50 off right now at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Nowadays, watches today don’t just tell time—they can track your steps, play music, and even tell you your pulse. If you’re shopping for someone who raises your heart rate, Garmin has you covered with its fitness watches on sale just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Garmin fenix 6 Pro Solar $399.99 (Was $499.99)

Garmin

SEE IT

The biggest deal we saw in this sweet Garmin deal was on the fenix 6 Pro Solar Edition, which is $400 off from its OG $799.99 price.

Don’t discount it for being “last year’s model”—this watch still holds up to its adventure watch competition, thanks to its 16-day battery life and support for multiple global navigation systems like GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. Combined with preloaded TOPO maps, barometric altimeter, and dedicated activity profiles for different sports, you have a watch made for adventure with your favorite buddy, platonic or romantic.

If you’re looking to gift something that blends into everyday life, consider the Lily or vívomove models. The Lily—on sale for $149.99, down from $199.99—complements your look with stylish leather or silicon bands. However, this watch isn’t just a pretty face, thanks to a built-in pulse oximeter, hydration tracker, and connected sports apps. The vívomove—also on sale for $149.99—is for those who want a less pronounced face like the Lily, but are looking for something with a wider band. It also features an analog look with smart features, like sleep monitoring, stress tracking, and activity profiles.

These are Valentine’s-exclusive deals, meaning they’ll disappear once Cupid has packed his bags and goes back to the heart-shaped arrow factory to prep for next year, so act fast.

Here are other Garmin fitness watch deals that move us:

• Forerunner 735XT $199.99 (Was $349.99)
• vívoactive 4S $199.99 (Was $349.99)
• Instinct Solar–Standard Edition $229.99 (Was $399.99)
• Forerunner 245 Music $269.99 (Was $349.99)
• Forerunner 45 $139.99 (Was $199.99)
• Venu 2S $349.99 (Was $399.99)
• Venu Sq $119.99 (Was $199.99)
• Bounce $139.99 (Was $149.99)
• vívofit jr. 3 $59.99 (Was $89.99)
• vívosmart 4 $99.99 (Was $129.99)

The post A watch is a timeless gift—snag one from Garmin for up to $400 off appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Panasonic CR2016		SEE IT	Power key fobs, calculators, and other small electronics with the CR2016 battery.
Best for watches		LiCB LR1130		SEE IT	Keep watches, children’s toys, and more powered up with this affordable 15-pack of alkaline batteries.
Best budget		AmVolt LR44		SEE IT	The LR44 batteries in this budget-friendly value pack are ideal for clocks, toys, watches, and more.

Coin batteries are tiny energy sources that power mobile devices, computers, remotes, toys, key fobs, calculators, electronic thermometers, flashlights, watches, and more. These batteries come in a wide range of different sizes and voltages. But while there are many different types of coin batteries, it’s important to note that even if two different batteries have the same voltage, only the type of battery specified by the device will work properly. In addition, some coin batteries also have safety features, such as a bitter-tasting coating, to discourage kids and pets from swallowing them. Keep reading to learn how to choose the best coin batteries for your devices.

• Best overall: Panasonic CR2016
• Best for cameras: Duracell 2032
• Best for remote controls: Energizer 2450
• Best for watches: LiCB LR1130
• Best budget: AmVolt LR44

How we picked the best coin batteries

Coin batteries are known by this name because of their shape and because people often had to put a coin into a slot to twist open the compartments to change the batteries. Key factors that helped to select the top products included the battery type, battery shelf life, safety features, and the overall value of the product.

While coin batteries can be used in many different electronic devices, not every device uses the same type of coin battery, and the different types are not interchangeable. With this in mind, the top products are each a different type of coin battery. In addition, we considered the value and battery shelf life together because while it may seem like a great bargain to invest in a 30-pack, you may risk not being able to use all of them before the end of their useful life.

Finally, safety features aren’t something most people consider when purchasing batteries, but some coin batteries can cause death within two hours of being swallowed, so products that attempted to prevent accidental ingestion were considered superior to similar products.

The best coin batteries: Reviews & Recommendations

Our extensive research into more than 40 different coin batteries is backed by years of firsthand experience dealing with a wide variety of different devices that required specific types of batteries to operate.

Best overall: Panasonic CR2016

Panasonic

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: These CR2016 coin batteries are excellent for key fobs, alarm sensors, clocks, watches, and many other electronic devices.

Specs

• Type: CR2016
• Quantity: Two batteries
• Voltage: 3 volts

Pros

• Child-resistant packaging
• Shelf life of up to eight years
• Advanced sealing technology reduces the chance of chemical leaks
• Temperature resistant from 14 to 140 degrees F

Cons

• Only two batteries in a pack

Ensure that your wall clock and alarm clock tell the correct time by replacing dead batteries with a Panasonic CR2016 coin battery. This pack includes four lithium coin batteries that have a nominal voltage of 3 volts and can last for up to eight years. Just keep in mind that this is the batteries’ shelf life, so a battery installed in a device will likely need to be replaced within that eight-year window.

These coin batteries should be used only in devices that require CR2016 batteries to ensure that the device receives the appropriate amount of power without any ill-fitting connections that may cause internal damage to the battery compartment. The batteries come in a child-resistant package that must be opened carefully with scissors. This attempts to prevent the batteries from being swallowed by kids and pets. Additionally, the batteries are resistant to extreme cold and hot temperatures, ranging from 14 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, though exposure to these temperatures will still degrade the batteries’ life.

Best for cameras: Duracell 2032

Duracell

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Designed for various electronic devices, such as cameras and medical devices, these CR2032 batteries are one of the most frequently used coin batteries.

Specs

• Type: CR2032
• Quantity: Four batteries
• Voltage: 3 volts

Pros

• Bitter coating to deter ingestion by children and pets
• 10-year shelf life
• Child-resistant packaging
• Popular battery type suitable for many devices

Cons

• Only four batteries in a pack

One of the main benefits of using a coin battery instead of a standard cylinder battery is that coin batteries are lightweight, making them ideal for portable devices such as flashlights and watches. Used in cameras, computer motherboards, key fobs, watches, garage-door openers, toys, doorbells, medical devices, fitness trackers, and more, these CR0232 batteries are one of the most popular types of coin battery available, and this small package of four will likely be put to good use quickly.

The Duracell CR2032 3 Volt coin batteries are an excellent option for homes with kids and mischievous pets because not only do they come in a child-resistant package, but they also have a bitter-tasting coating to deter kids and their furry friends from putting them in their mouths. Each 3-volt battery can last for up to 10 years; however, it should be mentioned that some users found that they received an old, dated package with batteries that were already dead. This situation should be able to be resolved by the company with a replacement package, but always make sure to check the date of manufacture to ensure that the products are indeed new.

Best for remote controls: Energizer 2450

Energizer

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Store these lithium batteries for up to 10 years or use them immediately in various electronic devices for reliable, long-lasting power.

Specs

• Type: CR2450
• Quantity: Two batteries
• Voltage: 3 volts

Pros

• Child-resistant packaging
• 10-year shelf life
• Leak-resistant casing

Cons

• Only two batteries

In contrast to the short shelf life and battery life of alkaline coin batteries, these Energizer 2450 3 Volt lithium coin batteries can last for up to 10 years before the stored energy is fully discharged, which should be more than enough time to put these two batteries to good use instead of worrying about throwing them out unused. Additionally, each battery is individually sealed and cannot be accessed without scissors. While the packaging may frustrate some adults, it was intentionally made difficult to open to protect kids and pets from accidentally swallowing the batteries.

These coin batteries have leak-resistant casings to prevent the battery wall from rupturing and leaking chemicals into the package or within a device. This product only comes with two batteries, so users with more than two devices that operate on CR2450 batteries will need to purchase more than one of these two-packs.

Best for watches: LiCB LR1130

LICB

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Keep track of the time, stand out during a presentation, and double-check calculations with these LR1130 alkaline batteries for watches, laser pointers, calculators, and more.

Specs

• Type: LR1130
• Quantity: 20 batteries
• Voltage: 1.5 volts

Pros

• Affordable 20-battery pack
• Leak-resistant casing
• Individually sealed compartments for each battery in the package

Cons

• Short shelf life could lead to wasted batteries

While alkaline batteries are known to have a shorter shelf life than most lithium batteries, they are still a popular choice for powering a variety of electronic devices because they cost less than lithium batteries, and the short shelf life isn’t a concern if the batteries are going to be used immediately. This 20-pack of LiCB LR1130 coin batteries can last up to three years, giving users a decent amount of time to use them in small electronics such as watches, calculators, children’s toys, laser pointers, electronic thermometers, and more.

These alkaline coin batteries are made with a leak-resistant casing to help prevent the batteries from rupturing and damaging the devices. To help protect the batteries that are not currently being used, the package has individually sealed compartments for each battery. 

Best budget: AmVolt LR44

AmVolt

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The three-year shelf life and leak-resistant construction help preserve the batteries both when in use and when stored for later use.

Specs

• Type: LR44
• Quantity: 15 batteries
• Voltage: 1.5 volts

Pros

• Leak-resistant casing
• 15-battery value pack
• Compatible with a wide variety of devices

Cons

• Packaging is not child-resistant

The AmVolt LR44 1.5 Volt coin battery is an affordable option that can be used on numerous electronic devices, including laser pointers, watches, clocks, calculators, cameras, remote controls, toys, flashlights, cholesterol-testing meters, blood glucose testers, and digital voice recorders. This impressive range of uses makes the 15-battery value pack with a three-year shelf life an ideal option for most homes. 

Additionally, these LR44 1.5V coin batteries are made with a leak-resistant casing intended to prevent the battery from rupturing. However, if these batteries are exposed to extremely high temperatures, even this resistant casing may bulge and break. Also, it should be noted that the packaging of these batteries is not child-resistant, so the package needs to be kept out of reach of kids and pets.

Things to consider before buying coin batteries

Before grabbing the first coin batteries that look like they might work, take some time to learn about the various factors that are important to think about before your purchase, such as the battery type, the battery life, and any safety features that can help prevent accidental ingestion.

Coin battery types

 It’s necessary to differentiate between the various coin batteries because even if two coin battery types have equal voltages, the different types are not interchangeable. With this in mind, it’s necessary to check each electronic device to determine the specific type of coin battery the device needs to operate.

Some of the most common types of coin batteries include CR2032, CR2016, CR450, LR44, and LR1130, but there are many more. They also typically come in alkaline or lithium options and may differ in voltage, though 1.5V and 3V are standard voltages for coin batteries.

Battery life

The life of a coin battery is difficult to determine because the rate at which the stored energy is absorbed and used depends on the amount of energy used by the particular device, the frequency with which the device is used, and the number of batteries in the device. For this reason, manufacturers do not often provide this detail; instead, they advertise the shelf life of the battery, which refers to the amount of time the battery can remain effective while not being used.

Alkaline batteries are an affordable option for low-power devices like watches, and they can last up to three years, but they have a short shelf life compared to lithium batteries, which can last up to 10 years in some cases. If you are looking for a battery value pack, remember that even when batteries are not in use, they can still lose the stored energy and become useless.

Safety features

Coin batteries certainly don’t seem as dangerous as poison or power tools. Still, if these little batteries are accidentally eaten they can cause serious harm to the body’s interior. They may even lead to death if the powerful chemicals inside the batteries leak out. Due to this inherent danger, many coin battery manufacturers have improved the battery packaging in an attempt to prevent kids and pets from opening the packages and swallowing the batteries.

Additionally, some companies have added a bitter flavoring to the exterior of each battery so that if a child or pet puts the battery in their mouth, the bitter taste will make them want to spit the battery out and avoid ingesting batteries in the future.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best coin batteries

• Best overall: Panasonic CR2016
• Best for cameras: Duracell 2032
• Best for remote controls: Energizer 2450
• Best for watches: LiCB LR1130
• Best budget: AmVolt LR44

The child-resistant packaging and convenient four-pack make the Panasonic CR2016 coin batteries an excellent option for a home with kids or pets. Still, if you need LR44 batteries, the 15-pack of AmVolt LR44 coin batteries is an affordable option for watches, clocks, remotes, and even game controllers.

The post The best coin batteries of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		Wolf Heritage Double		SEE IT	The winder itself is able to accommodate watches of all sizes, but what really stands out are the winding programs.
Best affordable battery-powered		JQueen Double Watch Winder		SEE IT	A great option for the collector just starting who wants a handsome winder that will leave them plenty of cash to invest in new watches rather than cases.
Best budget		Triple Tree Watch Winder		SEE IT	The size is great for those who want to keep their watch stored on their desk or bedside table where space can be a premium.

Watch winders help keep automatic watches stay powered up. Unlike your favorite cheap watch, automatic watches don’t have a battery. Rather, an internal mechanism helps turn motion into power for the watch. But this usually only powers the watch for about 24 to 48 hours. If you don’t wear the watch often enough, or leave it on your shelf saved up for a special occasion, the watch won’t get the motion it needs and will run out of power, meaning you’ll take it out only to find it dead. To prevent this, watch winders help keep your watch moving by using a small motor that mimics the motion of your wrist. Store your watch in the box, which often also makes a great display case, and it will move every so often to keep the watch ready to wear, displaying the correct time, at a moment’s notice. If you are a budding collector with a rotation of watches, a watch you only wear occasionally, or you just hate having to wind and reset your watch, here are some of the best watch winders to keep you ticking. 

• Best overall: Wolf Heritage Double
• Best affordable: Versa Automatic Single Watch Winder
• Best box: Wolf Roadster Triple
• Best affordable battery-powered: JQueen Double Watch Winder
• Best for large collections: Aevitas Watch Winder
• Best budget: Triple Tree Watch Winder

How we chose the best watch winders

This is a relatively specialized market segment with tons of options ranging across a wide pricing spectrum. We started our search with trusted reliable brands that watch collectors generally trust. 

Since watch collections can vary from a single model to multiple options, we chose options that can accommodate various numbers of timepieces. We relied on a combination of personal experience, editorial reviews, user feedback, and feature comparisons to narrow down a list of dozens to these specific picks. Unlike some other consumer electronics segments, these devices don’t get revamped every year, so there’s little worry about your purchase going out of date quickly once you buy. 

The best watch winders: Reviews & Recommendations

With those important considerations out of the way, it’s time to get into our specific picks for best watch winders. While we’ve broken these down into categories, there’s always overlap between the products, so be sure to peruse the entire list before making a purchase. There may be more than one device that meets your needs.

Best overall: Wolf Heritage Double

WOLF

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Wolf is a reliable brand that makes great winders and this is no exception. It’s perfect for two watches, even if they are vastly different sizes with vastly different program needs. 

Specs

• Number of Watches: 2
• Materials: Faux leather, tempered glass
• Calibration Settings: 900 TBD, 3-direction clockwise, counterclockwise, and bi-directional
• Power: Plug or 4 D batteries
• Size: 12.75 x 7.75 x 8.75 inches

Pros 

• Durable construction 

Cons

• Exterior leather is faux, a surprise at this price
• Large size isn’t great fit for all

Wolf is a favorite brand among many watch collectors and watch winder users for its reliable products and durable construction. We particularly like the durable materials in this build, including the faux leather exterior (though real leather would have been a nice touch), chrome clasps, and a tempered glass window so that you can see and display your watches while they wind. It’s a handsome winder worthy of display and thanks to the option of D battery power, you can display it anywhere without a cord poking out.

The winder itself is able to accommodate watches of all sizes, but what really stands out are the winding programs. The winder can do 900 TPD and also pre-programmed rotations phases that even include sleep and pause phases to prevent your watch from being overwound. The programs are easy to select thanks to the front knobs, and you can set the two watches separately.

Best affordable: Versa Automatic Single Watch Winder

Versa

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This simple option won’t take up a ton of room and will save you some cash to spend on more watches.

Specs

• Number of Watches: 1
• Materials: Plastic
• Calibration Settings: 4 Turns Per Day 650-850-1050-1250, 3-direction clockwise, counterclockwise, and bi-directional. 
• Power: Plug
• Size: ‎5.75 x 5.75 x 5.75 inches;

Pros

• Inexpensive but effective
• Customizable settings
• Fits large watches
• Quiet dependable function

Cons

• Plastic exterior construction
• Large for only accomodating a single watch
• Settings, while easy to adjust, are not robust enough for all watch brands. 

This watch is a favorite of many for its pleasant design, simple use, and perhaps most of all, affordable price. 

Even with all of this in mind, the winder is reliable thanks to the Japanese Mabuchi motor that has a gearbox capable of 12 settings in 350, 650, 850, 1050 as well as clockwise, counterclockwise, and bidirectional winding. This way you can pick the number and direction that best suits your watch. 

One of the best features of this winder is just how quiet it is during operation. You can hardly hear it function as it winds your watch, which makes it a great option for those in small quarters who might need the watch winder on a bedside table. 

The design itself is modern, though the plastic construction might not match every watch owner’s aesthetic, and can look cheap so it’s not the best for displaying a prestige piece. It is relatively large for a single watch winder, but with this size comes the ability to accommodate large and oversized watches, even up to 70mm wide and 14 mm thick.

Best box: Wolf Roadster Triple

WOLF

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Enough space for a large or growing collection, and easy quiet operation that will make you smile as much as wearing your favorite watch. 

Specs

• Number of Watches: 3
• Programs: 300 to 1800 TPD, 3-direction clockwise, counterclockwise and bi-directional
• Power: Plug or 4 D batteries
• Size: 18 x 8  x 9 inches

Pros 

• Leather exterior and premium finishes
• Operates quietly
• Top storage compartment for other accessories 

Cons

• Premium price for a premium product
• Wood veneer may not match all home styles

While this winder can wind up to three watches, it also has storage for five additional watches. This is great if you have battery-powered watches as well, or prefer to cycle your automatic watches through the winter. It’s great for the collector with many watches, or the collector who is just starting to add automatic watches to a primarily battery-powered collection

Even with three winders, the Wolf Heritage is impressively quiet. Despite this, it is powerful enough to wind even the heaviest and largest watches. 

The programs are easy to customize to meet the exact needs of your watches and can be adjusted between 300 and 1,200 TPD or doubled if you make the winder bi-directional. A power reserve function will let your watch cycle between winding, and releasing energy so it does not overwind. 

Many will like the handsome design with rich wood veneer and leather exterior, though we would have expected genuine rather than faux leather at this price point. It is a premium look at a premium price. 

Best affordable battery-powered: JQueen Double Watch Winder

JQUEEN

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: An affordable two-watch option with a classic design, and reliable, though simple, function. 

Specs:

• Number of Watches: 2
• Materials: acrylic glass, wood, copper fittings
• Programs: Clockwise, clockwise, 2 bi-directional
• Power: Plug or 2 AA batteries
• Size: 7 x 7 x 7.8 inches

Pros 

• Available in a variety of finishes
• Large display window
• Affordable price
• 18-month warranty

Cons

• Lacks quantitative turn per day setting
• Can look cheap when compared to other more expensive winders

This winder is powered by a Japanese Mabuchi motor which operates supremely quietly. While not silent, it’s impressively unobtrusive for its price point. Similarly, the construction is impressive for less than $100. This JQueen is made by hand with acrylic glass, real wood, high-quality lacquer, and smooth copper components. It’s a handsome design that looks great with most watches, though you may notice that affordability when it is compared to more expensive, and elegant cases. 

Some may not like that the winder doesn’t have quantitative TPD settings, but the four programs are easy to choose from with a simple knob and include clockwise, counterclockwise, and two different time periods for bidirectional. 

It’s a great option for the collector just starting their collection who wants a handsome winder that will leave them plenty of cash to invest in new watches rather than their cases.

Best for large collections: Aevitas Watch Winder

Aevitas

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: A premium option for the premium collector. This winter works well for large collections and collectors with high demands for their accessories. 

Specs

• Number of Watches: 6
• Materials: Carbon fiber finish
• Programs: 650, 750, 850, 1000, or 1950 TPD, clockwise, counterclockwise, bidirectional
• Power: Plug
• Size: 13.1 x 7.5 x 12.2 inches

Pros 

• Large capacity
• Neat “fast” design
• Delivered in gift box

Cons

• No battery-powered option
• Price is for a premium product
• Only works for large collections

This winder is best for the collector with a robust collection, as it has room to wind up to six watches, a lot for most when you consider we only have two arms. But if you have different types of watches with different TPD needs.

The carbon fiber design is sleek and modern and has a fun, fast look, but might not match the classical design of some watches, or collectors. Rather than a knob to select the programs, this winder has a touchscreen. While it is convenient and easy to operate, the glow of the screen adds to the modern aesthetic that might not match your style. 

The winder also has a large glass front which makes it great for displaying and protecting your watches, and the storage compartment on top works great for storing your other accessories like cufflinks. 

Best budget: Triple Tree Watch Winder

TRIPLE TREE

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Triple Tree is an affordable, consistent, and compact option that punches above its weight class when it comes to performance and quality. 

Specs

• Number of Watches: 1
• Materials: Wood and faux leather
• Programs: Clockwise, counterclockwise, bi-directional, non-intermittent bi-directional 
• Power: Plug or 2 AA batteries
• Size: 5.3 x 5.3 x 6.1Inches

Pros 

• Solid wood construction with a pleasant aesthetic
• Affordable price for solid operation
• Small size

Cons

• Textured leather not for everyone
• Branding on front of case

For an affordable device, this Triple Tree works incredibly well and has earned itself many loyal customers. For the single watch owner it is a great, and impressively compact option. The size is great for those who want to keep their watch stored on their desk or bedside table where space can be a premium. 

The Japanese motor works well and is impressively quiet. The motor comes with four winding programs, which may be limiting to some watch owners who want more precise control over TPD rather than just direction and timing. The settings are easy to use thanks to a simple control knob. While setting 3 and 4 are both bi-directional, setting 4 has longer wind periods that can fully wind your watch in 3 hours.

The wood construction makes the box feel solid, though the textured leather exterior may not match all styles and aesthetics. The acrylic window gives a good view of your watch and we liked the velvet interior. The pillow makes it easy to fit your watch, regardless of size. 

Things to consider when shopping for the best watch winders

Before we dig into the specific picks on this list, we’ll outline a few common features and terms that will help you shop smarter no matter which model you choose. 

Do I need a watch winder? 

If your watch has a battery you don’t need a watch winder, though you may appreciate the elegant display it offers. Unless you wear your automatic watch every day, a winder is a great choice because it ensures that your timepiece will be ticking whenever you’re ready to wear it.

What size do I need? 

The best watch winders come in a variety of sizes to accommodate the number of watches you have. Do you need a single, double, or multi-watch winder? It’s alright to buy a watch winder with more winders than watches in your growing collection, but this will likely affect your price. Pay attention to the size of the watch that will fit inside, usually measured by the size of the watch case width and thickness in mm.

How much am I willing to spend? 

Watch winders, like watches, come in a wide variety of price points. Do you need a simple machine to keep in your closet or are you looking for a beautiful and impressive machine to show your guests?

Is it right for my watch? 

Check your watch’s manual to see what it needs to get power. Some watches only capture energy when they turn clockwise or counterclockwise, and some watches need different amounts of turns per day (TPD) to keep them wound, but not overwound. A programmable watch winder will help you get exactly what you need, though more robust and customizable programs often come at a higher price. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best watch winders

Whether you’re just getting into watches or you’re expanding your collection, the best watch winders will keep your timpiece ticking and ready to heat out into the world at a moment’s notice. If you have a high-end watch, it’s worth spending a little extra for a reliable, customizable model that will keep your watch’s internals safe and working perfectly for years to come.

The post The best watch winders of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

There is no shortage of general fitness and multisport smartwatches these days, but fewer catering hyper-specifically to runners, particularly the way the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar does. This wearable sits at the top of Garmin’s Forerunner line and is jam-packed with helpful training tools, no shortage of smartwatch features, and impressive battery life. Garmin, a multinational specializing in GPS-enabled technology, designed it with endurance athletes in mind, though it still provides many benefits for casual enthusiasts. Following in the footsteps—or is that stride—of the Forerunner 945 (released in 2019), the Forerunner 955 offers several incremental, not necessarily essential updates, as well as a couple of marquee additions. I’ve tested the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar for six months, giving me plenty of time to learn about the watch and whether it’s a worthy upgrade for most people.

Abby Ferguson

SEE IT

The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar’s design

The changes between the Forerunner 945 and Forerunner 955 are subtle, carrying over most of the design language from the previous iteration. This may explain why the launch price of $599.99 is the same between both models. But there are a few things that stand out on the newer iteration. For starters, the transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display has been upgraded. The 955 uses a 1.3-inch display with a resolution of 260 x 260 pixels, while the older 945 is 1.2 inches with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. It’s not a huge difference, but you will get a slightly larger display with the 955, which is nice for quick glances at your numbers while working out. 

The most notable change is that the 955 now features touchscreen capabilities, which the 945 did not. I appreciated the touchscreen functionality, which is one of the main reasons I have stuck with the 955 over my Forerunner 745 or the Instinct 2S Solar. I’ve found that it makes scrolling through widgets and (sub-sub-sub)menu items much easier than repeatedly pushing buttons. And I enjoy tapping the screen to enter a menu or view a notification more. If you are prone to accidentally swiping, you can turn touch off completely or choose which specific activities have touch functionality turned on (it defaults to off for all activities).

As with the 945, the newest Forerunner features a full-color display. You may expect that it would be more difficult to read in sunny conditions compared to traditional exercise watches’ high-contrast, monochrome display. But that is not the case. I found it as easy to see and read, even at a glance when in direct sun, as my Instinct 2S Solar. And, with the customization options, you can even choose color schemes that are easier to read for you.

Unfortunately, the case and included band are only available in white (technically named “Whitestone,” the version I’ve used) and black instead of a range of colors like other Garmin watches. I was a bit worried about the white staying white. I have been pleasantly surprised by its resilience, however, even while working on a car engine and getting quite greasy. 

The band and large watch case tend to trap water, though, so if you shower or swim in the watch, you will want to take it off to dry things off more thoroughly. I wore my Forerunner 955 for a handful of weeks nonstop and ended up with a bit of a reaction where the sensors are. It was minor and cleared up with some time sans watch, but it’s something to be aware of. 

While the Forerunner is still decidedly a fitness watch in design, it still has rather sleek looks. And considering all the tech that is packed inside, it’s impressively thin (14.4mm). The 46.5 x 46.5mm watch face still looks giant on my wrist, but that’s the trade-off when you want to take advantage of a large screen size on child-sized wrists. 

Materials

The bezel of the watch is made of fiber-reinforced polymer, which seems to be incredibly durable. I have hit this thing on hard surfaces far too many times, and the perimeter doesn’t have a scratch. One of the benefits of the all-plastic design is that it helps cut down on weight. The all-polymer, 46.5mm Forerunner 955 only weighs 1.86 ounces. For comparison, the 47mm fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar features a titanium bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer with a titanium rear cover, weighing 2.57 ounces. That may seem like a tiny amount, but for serious endurance athletes, every fraction of an ounce adds up, making the Forerunner the better choice for those individuals.

Topping the display is rugged Corning Gorilla Glass DX. I managed to scratch mine somehow, so it isn’t impenetrable, but I haven’t exactly babied it either. It would have been nice to get the more durable Power Sapphire glass that tops the fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar or the Sapphire edition of the Garmin epix (Gen 2).

Lastly, the band of the watch is made of silicone. The silicone is a bit thick and, as mentioned, tends to trap moisture, so may not be for everyone. Luckily, it is Garmin QuickFit compatible in the 22mm size so you can purchase bands made of nylon, leather, metal, or titanium instead, should you wish. 

Setting up the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar

Garmin consistently does a fantastic job of making its products easy to set up and use and remains consistent with the Forerunner 955. This is especially true if you are already a Garmin user. The watch comes with a partial charge so that you can get started right away. You’ll need to download the Garmin Connect app, but the watch walks you through all the necessary steps, making setup clear and confusion-free. It’s a fast process if you do the bare minimum for setup.

Where things get a bit more complicated is all of the personalization available on the watch. While you certainly don’t need to mess with most settings just to get started, there are seemingly endless options—with more added semi-regularly. I appreciate Garmin’s Auto Update—it saves me from having to remember to check for OS updates, which I usually forget—and I feel like I am regularly discovering new things in menus or in the post-workout display, which is always fun. 

The watch face can be fully adjusted, as can any of the visible widgets when you scroll down and the layout of each workout screen. You can even adjust things as nitty-gritty as accent and background colors. If you want to really fine-tune your watch, it could take a while. In fact, I’ve had this watch for around six months and I’m still tweaking things.

The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar’s features

The Forerunner 955 Solar is so packed with features that I could easily write an entire book describing everything. It seems that the capabilities of this watch are nearly endless. As such, I’ll be focusing on the items that I used most frequently and those that are the most widely helpful. 

Usability 

Navigating the watch is pretty straightforward, especially if you’ve used a Garmin watch. There are tiny (and hard to see) labels on the bezel and the buttons themselves to point you in the right direction for the most common things you’ll need to access. But, for specific menu items, you’ll likely need to spend some time digging around or reading the manual.

My biggest complaint about the Forerunner 955 is how you turn it off and on. My other Garmin watches have simply involved going to the Power Off menu item, and that was that. But the Forerunner 955 asks you to take the extra step of confirming that you want to turn it off. Given that you have to go into a menu within a menu to get to this, it seems unlikely that you would accidentally turn it off. The extra step is subtle but annoying. 

Additionally, startup time is much slower. Sure, more tech is involved in the Forerunner 955, but it takes just over 20 seconds to turn on fully. It’s nit-picky, sure, but if I’m powering up to get going on a run, it’s a bit annoying to wait for that, especially when that hasn’t been the case on other watches I’ve used.

Data collection and insights

Being at the top of Garmin’s running watch line, the Forerunner 955 comes with just about every possible sensor packed inside. It features the Garmin Elevate Gen4 optical heart rate sensor, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, and pulse ox blood oxygen saturation monitor. Those sensors are, of course, used when recording an activity, but many are constantly recording data. For example, you can always check your heart rate and steps. And you can take a pulse ox reading on-demand or while sleeping.

All of those sensor readings are used to provide insights such as Training Status, Training Readiness, stress level, sleep data, and Body Battery. It also provides hyper-specific stats such as run cadence, stride length, vertical ratio, ground contact time, and more. The information is there to help guide your training to maximize your fitness and potentially even assess form issues.

The data collected also helps manage general health with features such as Abnormal Heart Rate alerts. For example, if your heart rate is abnormally high, the watch will suggest breathing exercises to reduce stress and help you calm down. I’ve found this to be a helpful tool in high-stress situations, as it reminds me to reset and mentally take a step back from the thing causing the stress.

GPS

For location tracking and mapping, the Forerunner 955 provides access to three Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)—GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. There are four settings to choose from—GPS only, All Systems, All Systems + Multi-Band, and Ultratrac—which differ in accuracy and impact on battery life. Ultratrac is the mode for multiday excursions as it provides the best battery life but the worst accuracy. The watch defaults to All + Multi-Band GPS for the most accurate results.

The watch also comes equipped with Garmin’s SatIQ, which determines the optimal GPS mode based on your environment. And new to the 955 is the dual-frequency GPS. This combines the All Systems option but then also connects to two satellites at once for exceptional accuracy, even when in canyons or a city. It does use much more battery, however. 

I only used the watch in pretty wide open spaces but found it to be very accurate with no issues. I compared it to data from a simultaneously worn Instinct 2S Solar (a watch I’ve written extensively about), and they were the same as far as my naked eye could tell. 

Smartwatch features

Beyond that obvious fitness tracking, the Forerunner 955 is also a robust productivity partner. It can connect to your phone, allowing you to receive messages and notifications. You can even select pre-formatted quick replies to text messages to respond right from your watch. 

The watch lacks a cellular connection and a microphone, however, so you cannot take calls like on an Apple Watch 8, etc. But you can at least see who is calling to determine if you want to bother getting your phone out. And you can reject and respond to calls with pre-formatted messages as well. 

Beyond the basics, you’ll also get access to Garmin Pay, which allows you to save cards to your account and pay with your watch. This is great, in theory, but my bank (USAA) isn’t participating in Garmin Pay, so I have been unable to use the watch for payment. Additionally, you can connect music providers, such as Spotify, to save music or podcasts directly to your device when you don’t want to have your phone on you. Again, this is great in theory, but I ran into nothing but issues when trying to set up music and never was able to get more than a handful of songs to sync. So I haven’t really been able to test that feature successfully.

Safety features

As someone who mostly runs alone, the safety features of the Forerunner 955 are extremely appreciated. And, in line with the rest of the watch, there’s no shortage of them, either. It’s important to note right off the bat that you will need to have your connected phone with service on you to take advantage of these features. And all of these features need to be set up within the app in order to be used. 

The most basic feature enables the basic safety tenet of outdoor recreation: Make sure people know where you are and when you expect to be done. When you begin an activity with GPS (weightlifting, for example, is not included), the watch connects to LiveTrack. This emails a real-time view of your location to your preselected contacts. Or you can share a link (accessed via the app on your phone) with anyone you’d like so they can follow along and ensure you are progressing as anticipated.

Additionally, there are some bigger safety features for even more peace of mind. One enables you to quickly call for assistance directly from the watch with the press of a few buttons. By entering the menu accessed with the top left button, you can navigate to “Assistance.” Once there, there are three options: “It’s an emergency. Please get help,” “Not an emergency, but please pick me up,” and “I need help. Follow my location to find me.” 

I tested the “Not an emergency” option with my husband to see what would happen, and Garmin sent him a message with the pre-formatted text along with my coordinates. It sent him multiple messages until I selected that I no longer needed assistance, which triggered a follow-up message to him to let him know I was okay. While you do need your phone to take advantage of this feature, it makes it much faster and easier to get help than getting out your phone and texting or calling someone. 

The last safety feature you’ll have access to is incident detection. If your Forerunner 955 detects an incident, it will display a notification on the watch. If that isn’t dismissed promptly, it automatically sends a message with your name and location to your emergency contacts. Unfortunately, Garmin doesn’t provide any information on what this exactly means or how it detects an incident, but in theory, this is an excellent feature to have. It’s worth noting that, unlike the Apple Watch Ultra, the Forerunner 955 cannot notify emergency services for you since it doesn’t include a cellular connection like the Apple Watch. 

Garmin app

When you set up the watch, you must pair it to the Garmin Connect app. The app allows you to see your data in more detail. Of course, you can access most of your insights on the watch itself, but it is a bit easier to digest and sift through via the app, especially if you really want to dive into the data.

Where the app really comes in especially handy is with customization. Just about every setting can also be changed within the app once you select “Forerunner 955” from the Connected Devices list. Changing settings and customizing things via the app is a bit easier to do than on the watch. That’s especially true of the message and workout data screen settings. And some things, such as Garmin Pay, can only be set up in the app.

Battery life

The battery life of this watch is certainly one area where the Forerunner 955 shines. As with anything, the extent of the battery life depends on how you are using the watch but, no matter what, it is impressive. Of course, it’s worth pointing out that any solar battery life estimates mentioned by Garmin are based on “all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions.” For someone like me, who works inside and is lucky to get outside for an hour or two, that means I’m not really getting any advantage from solar charging on an average day.

Garmin promises 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode or 20 days with solar. During those times that I wasn’t able to exercise much and was using the watch as, well, a watch, I was absolutely getting the promised battery life. As mentioned, I’m not meeting the full required conditions for solar charging, but I did get some boosts that resulted in a few extra days. 

With the watch set to All Systems GNSS mode plus Multi-Band and without music, Garmin says you’ll get up to 20 hours, or 22 hours with solar. Since I didn’t complete any lengthy (more than a few hours) events while testing this watch, I didn’t fully push this to the limits. But, even with using the most accurate GPS setting, I was able to get a 30-minute to an hour-or-so-long workout in daily and still have my watch battery last a full week.

The thing that drained the battery most was fiddling with the settings and downloading music to the watch. I went from 80% battery to just 1% while trying to get a single small playlist to sync fully over the course of a few hours. So, if you aren’t in a situation where you can charge your watch, it’s best to save the settings adjustments and music syncing for another time. 

While the long battery life is certainly appreciated, the thing I most love about my Forerunner 955 is how quickly it charges. I’m guilty of forgetting to charge it up when needed on a far too regular basis. But I can plug it in as I get ready for a run and have it at 50% battery (depending on how low it was to begin with) in just 10 minutes or so. It’s crazy speedy.

The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar’s activity & fitness tracking experience

As expected, since this is a running watch, the activity tracking options are robust. The 955 comes preloaded with the basic types of workouts—such as running, swimming, and cycling—but you can quickly add just about anything you can think of, including Ultra Run, eMTB, Backcountry Ski, and more. You can even create custom workouts or import workouts from third parties like TrainingPeaks.

Recording workouts is incredibly easy. It’s done by simply pressing the top right button, selecting the type of workout, and then pushing start. Where things can get complicated, as mentioned, is all the customization you can do. You can choose to adjust what fields are displayed on the watch during your workout, customize notifications and audio cues, along with many different options specific to different types of workouts.

Training status and readiness

As you complete activities and wear your watch throughout the day (and night), Garmin collects data to offer insights into your training. The Training Status feature shows whether you are actively getting fitter (productive), holding steady, or even detraining (the worst). It can even tell you what types of activities you should add more of to maximize your training. For example, mine frequently tells me that I have a low aerobic shortage and need to work in easier runs.

Training Readiness is another helpful tool. As the name implies, it helps you assess how ready you are for your training. It may suggest that you back off and give yourself more time to recover or that you are prepared to dive right into a serious workout. It simply helps to keep you from overtraining and gives you a more clear picture of your training load. 

Both are very nice, but you can’t take full advantage of them if you aren’t wearing your watch 24/7. For example, to collect heart rate variability (HRV) data, you’ll need to wear the watch while you sleep. I’m not a fan of sleeping in a watch, so I don’t get highly accurate data for some of these fields as a result.

Suggested workouts

One feature I love about Garmin watches is the “Suggested Workouts” for running or cycling. These can be accessed in the Morning Report or when you start a workout. When providing these suggestions, Garmin factors in the above items, plus your Training Load & Load Focus, VO2 Max, and more. The result is that they are customized to you. It then suggests a workout to improve your fitness based on all that data. It’s great for days when you don’t want to think about what you should do or if you want something different but don’t want to pay for a coach.

Of course, these features should be taken with a grain of salt. Garmin doesn’t know if you are getting over an illness, dealing with stress at work, or managing an injury. It can infer some things based on the data it collects, but it won’t be perfect. There have been many times that my watch suggested a sprint, VO2 Max, or long run when my body could not handle that at the time. Your best bet is to use it all as a guide, listen to your body, and, if you really want results, hire a coach.

So, who should buy the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar?

As the watch’s name suggests, the Forerunner is truly a running watch. Sure, it offers all the basic—and not-so-basic—watch functions to make it suitable for anyone wanting a smartwatch. But if you aren’t an exercise enthusiast, you’ll be paying for many features and tech that you won’t actually be using.

And the extensive list of training features makes the watch more suitable for avid, focused runners looking to improve performance. It’s especially useful for runners competing in races. That said, as someone who is currently more of a casual runner than anything else, I found it rather motivational and aspirational. I’m not currently training for any races or even pushing the limits hard (thanks to some nagging injuries), so while I don’t necessarily care about things like the Race Prediction widget, it is fun to see those numbers changing when I’m consistent with my working out. At the same time, the Forerunner 255 can provide many of the same training and health features for an average of $258 less.

And, in terms of the Solar capabilities, which come at a $100 surcharge, they don’t seem to provide a substantial enough boost over the basic battery version for most. But if you’re one of the runners who can benefit from the lengthy list of features packed into this watch, particularly the touchscreen, the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar will be a fantastic training partner.

The post Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar running watch review: The power to persevere appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

We’ve made it to 2023, which means the PopSci commerce and gear team has decided what our resolutions will be and what we’ll need to achieve them. It’s okay to be a New Year’s resolution skeptic—there are plenty of potential pitfalls in trying to make literal life-changing decisions overnight—but we’re taking a different approach. Our goals can be accomplished little by little over the course of the year, the gear we’re using won’t take up too much space, and we’re not afraid of facing some setbacks every little while. After all, it’s only self-care if it doesn’t cost you mental health. If you’re scrambling to figure out how to make your New Year’s resolutions happen, we hope our gear suggestions can provide a little clarity (and encouragement).

Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50

Jen McCaffery

SEE IT

An estimated 30 to 40 percent of the food supply in the United States is wasted, according to the USDA. If you’re looking to cut down on the amount of food waste you send to the landfill in 2023, Vitamix’s FoodCycler FC-50 can help. Just toss your vegetable peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds, and even chicken bones into the 2-liter container and press the on button. About four hours later, your scraps are turned into nutrient-rich soil you can use for your houseplants or in your garden. — Jen McCaffery, Director of Commerce

Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon

SEE IT

Too many times in 2022, I found myself laying in bed at 2 a.m., basking in the hypnotizing glow of TikTok. The lure of people arguing with belligerent neighbors or endless strings of air fryer chicken thigh recipes is just too strong. This year, I’m determined to replace those hours spent mindlessly swiping with reading, and I’m counting on Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite to help me pull it off. The 6.8-inch touchscreen offers soft, warm light that won’t mess with my sleep after a marathon session spent reading Brandon Sanderson. Plus, the latest version charges via USB-C, so it’ll help my other resolution of getting rid of all the MicroUSB cables hanging around my house. — Stanley Horaczek, Executive Editor

Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee machine

Mr. Coffee

SEE IT

The iced coffee I like at a well-known chain has recently risen to nearly $6. Not even a raging caffeine addiction can justify that cost. This super-simple machine doesn’t rely on wasteful coffee pods and comes with an insulated cup, even though it works with pretty much any other cold up. It simply brews hot coffee over iced cubes, which is sure to make your coffee snob pals bristle, but it’s still better (and even cheaper) than the gas station swill I’ve been known to drink in the past. Plus, all that saved money leaves room in the coffee budget for fancy syrups to spruce up the wallet-friendly brew. — Stanley Horaczek, Executive Editor

Kindle Scribe

Amazon

SEE IT

I’m trying to (finally) complete The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron’s crash course in kickstarting your creativity after about two years of stopping halfway. Part of the journey includes journaling three pages every morning—simply called “morning pages.” If you do the math, that’s a lot of pages and trees. I’m hoping the Kindle Scribe—with its paperwhite display and pen that won’t leave ink marks on my hands first thing in the morning—will help protect the environment and be the fancy, shiny, neat thing that gives me enough dopamine to organize my morning pages and complete the separate chapter prompts in one convenient, digital place. Spiritual and creative clarity, here I come. — Amanda Reed, Commerce Updates Writer

Garmin Forerunner 955

Garmin

SEE IT

Setting a fitness goal is one thing, but having a way to track your progress and keep you motivated is another beast entirely. Garmin’s Forerunner 955 is sleek and attractive, so you won’t mind wearing it all day, but it has a nearly endless list of features and tricks. Though it’s geared toward runners, it can track a long list of activities. It also connects to your phone for full smartwatch capabilities and provides workout suggestions when you are stumped on how to move on a given day. Plus, it makes it easy to see how your training is going and how you are progressing toward your goals, giving you specific insight on how you can improve when needed. — Abigail Ferguson, Associate Editor PopPhoto

Nest Hub Max Smart Display

Nest

SEE IT

Eating out (and ordering in) has always been pricier than cooking at home, but that is more true than ever right now. It’s hard fighting the temptation just to tap a few buttons and have food magically show up ready to eat at your door but, for me, having an easy way to follow recipes helps. I’m a recent Nest Hub enthusiast but have loved the larger screen that always stays on as I work through the steps of a recipe. And it makes it easy to store recipes I like in one place. But the biggest bonus is the ability to play music on something other than my phone, so I can jam out while I cook. It does wonders for making me not mind being in the kitchen even after a long day of work. — Abigail Ferguson, Associate Editor PopPhoto

Ring Fit Adventure

Nintendo

SEE IT

I will be making a concerted effort to be more active after years of COVID-inflicted lethargy, but my tool of choice may seem a little strange: a video game. Ring Fit Adventure is a game for the Nintendo Switch that comes with a Pilates ring and leg strap with slots for the system’s Joy-Con controllers. Accelerometers and gyroscopes in the Joy-Con can track your movement, which correlates to actions happening in the game. Instead of passively choosing an attack, you defeat enemies by doing squats, curls, and other exercises. As an avid gamer, I hope Ring Fit Adventure can slot into my lifestyle more easily than a set of barbells. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit

iFixit

SEE IT

Repairing technology can feel daunting, especially when many companies make documentation and spare parts difficult (if not impossible) to get, but that will not deter me next year. I have a great deal of respect for iFixit, a site that offers step-by-step instructions on how to disassemble and reassemble gadgets along with links to parts when possible. The site offers a tool kit with bits, spudgers, tweezers, and everything else you’ll need to get into your gear safely and easily. This kit is notable for featuring pentalobe screws, which are proprietary and designed by Apple. If you plan on joining the DIY movement next year, this kit deserves a spot in your workspace. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2

Bowers & Wilkins

SEE IT

I’m ashamed to say I have a huge music backlog, but I plan to listen to one new (to me) album from front to back every day in 2023. I reserve the right to listen to one disc of a two-CD (or LP) record because I make the rules. While I love speakers, my tool of choice this time will be Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2s, which are infinitely more portable. These Bluetooth headphones are the closest I’ve come to taking my at-home audio system—which consists of wired headphones, a tube amp, and a DAC—with me everywhere I go. Music sounds superb, the headphones are very comfortable, and their active noise cancellation is always top-notch. This is the resolution I’m most excited about, if for no other reason than spending dozens of hours with the Px7 S2s on my head. Maybe, if I’m feeling extra committed, I’ll even upgrade to the B&W Px8, the brand’s flagship wireless headphones that further refine the physical build and sonic profile. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

Brava Oven Starter Set

Brava

SEE IT

Cooking at home more often is my final resolution of 2023, and the Brava Oven is the key to making it happen. The 10-in-1 oven supports multi-zone heating and makes a whole dinner faster than a conventional oven or stovetop. The oven can be operated using an app or its built-in touch screen, and Brava is continually updating its recipe library with new dishes to fit any dietary restrictions. Yes, it’s luxe, but cutting out one takeout order per week using the Brava will allow the machine to pay for itself. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

OTOTO Gracula Garlic Crusher

OTOTO

SEE IT

I love garlic and plan on cooking more. This Gracula garlic crusher takes knife work out of the equation when presentation isn’t important and helps you get close to a minced consistency in a fraction of the time. On top of saving prep time, a way to work more fresh garlic into meals has the benefits of being a natural antibacterial/detoxifier, aiding blood circulation/lowered blood pressure, while also repelling vampires. Plus, it just tastes good. — Billy Cadden, Director of Commerce

AQUAFIT One Gallon Water Bottle

AQUAFIT

SEE IT

I wish this fit into my Aarke seltzer maker, but I guess good old-fashioned flat water will do. While attempting to cook more garlic-rich meals and use my Tempo daily, I decided to snag a gallon water bottle to keep me hydrated. Or at least try to convince me to stay hydrated. I bet you $10 it sits on my bedside table with the same water for weeks. — Billy Cadden, Director of Commerce

Arc’teryx Kyanite AR Hoodie and Pearl iZUMi Prospect Barrier Jacket

Arc’Teryx/Pearl iZUMi

SEE IT

In 2023, I want to get outdoors more. Hiking. Biking. Though I love reporting on tech, I need to get away from it more, even if for only a few hours. Just because I’m coming out of my virtual (and real) shell doesn’t mean I won’t need a protective layer or two, however. The Arc’teryx Kyanite AR Hoodie is a multisport midlayer that’s far from middle of the road. A worthwhile investment, it’s light, soft, stretchy, and, most importantly, surprisingly warm when traveling on the trail. Did I say I’m coming out of my shell? That doesn’t mean I won’t need some wind and water resistance if I’m in the saddle in the city, so I’m also hanging the Pearl iZUMi Prospect Barrier Jacket in my closet when I need something to cut a brisk breeze and absorb a bit of light rain and road spray. — Tony Ware, Associate Managing Editor, Commerce

Vasque Men’s Breeze Waterproof Hiking Boots

Tony Ware

SEE IT

If I’m going to maintain my getting-outdoors-more resolution throughout 2023, I need accessories that can also go the distance. And one of the most important is trusty mid-range footwear. Lightweight, breathable, and comfortable to … boot … the Vasque Breeze immediately impressed me by requiring zero break-in, then continued to impress me with its stability and traction. While I haven’t submerged my feet to test the proprietary VasqueDry waterproofing fully, I’ve had no complaints following some light but sustained drizzles. And, with each component of the boot’s construction being made from 25%, 60%, and sometimes 100% recycled materials, I can feel better for the Earth as I explore it. — Tony Ware, Associate Managing Editor, Commerce

The post Gear to help us (and you) keep those New Year’s resolutions appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Bose Frames Tempo		SEE IT	Audio hardware mainstay Bose predictably delivers the best sound in smart glasses.
Best for video		iVue Vista		SEE IT	The iVue Vista HD give you more framerate and resolution options than most smart glasses.
Best for social media		Ray-Ban Stories		SEE IT	Facebook and Ray-Bans made a solid pair of smart glasses with speakers and camera features.

Phones, watches, TVs—they can make anything smart these days, even glasses! We may not have flying cars yet but we can live out our cyborg fantasies with high-tech glasses that take pictures and video, let us talk to our digital assistants hands-free, and more! They can still be a fun tech toy for early adopters, or a life-changing accessibility tool. The expectations of what “smart glasses” can and/or should do haven’t quite crystallized yet, so the capabilities they offer vary widely—as do their price tags. That’s why we’re here to help you navigate the market to find the best smart glasses for your particular needs and budget.

• Best overall: Bose Frames Tempo
• Best for video: iVue Vista
• Best for voice assistant integration: Amazon Echo Frames (2nd Generation)
• Best for social media: Ray-Ban Stories
• Best budget: TechKen Sunglasses

How we chose the best smart glasses

The smart glasses space is still taking shape, so it’s hard to say what glasses are universally “the best.” Judging glasses with AR functionality requires a different approach than judging glasses that play music and take pictures. To cover the gamut fairly, we’ve divided our selections by their strengths, whether you want to listen to music, record videos, post to social media, etc. We looked for smart glasses that were well-reviewed by both consumers and professionals and, as much as possible, came from manufacturers with proven track records for delivering resilient and comparably sophisticated consumer tech.

The best smart glasses: Reviews & Recommendations

Although most smart glasses fall short of the dream established by Google Glass nearly a decade ago—repackaging functions from our phones and earbuds into a new form—there are still standouts that marry fun and function. If you’re looking to get on the start of the smart glasses wave, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled the cream of the crop to help you find the perfect pair of cutting-edge smart specs, no matter your needs or budget.

Best overall: Bose Frames Tempo

Bose

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: Bose Frames Tempo sounds better than any other smart glasses out there.

Specs

• Lens: Polarized in various colors (prescription options available)
• Battery: 8 hours play time, 1 hour charge time
• Camera: N/A
• Audio: Open-ear
• Microphone: 2 mic array
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Water resistance: IPX4

Pros

• Clear speakers
• Excellent microphone
• Intuitive controls
• Long battery life

Cons

• Expensive
• Tight on large heads

Bose has been a leader in the American audio industry since the 1960s, and its take on smart glasses, the Bose Frames, lives up to that legacy with the highest-quality speakers and microphone array available in a pair of shades. Bose makes three second-generation variations on the Frames—Tenor, Soprano, and Tempo—with varying styles and specs. We recommend the Tempo, the athletic style, out of the three because it has the best speakers, gets longer battery life, and charges by generic USB-C, rather than a proprietary cable. That said, the other models are close enough to the Tempo in overall quality that you shouldn’t be afraid to pick the glasses that fit your style.

Best for video: iVue Vista

iVue

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: iVue’s Vista HD glasses are a powerful, dedicated hands-free camera at a reasonable price.

Specs

• Lens: Polarized, clear included (no prescription options)
• Battery: 1 hour
• Camera: 8MP sensor, 4K/24fps to 720p/120fps
• Audio: N/A
• Microphone: Yes
• Connectivity: MicroUSB
• Water resistance: IP44

Pros

• Powerful, flexible camera
• Records up to 1 hour
• Durable

Cons

• No app—requires PC for settings
• No image stabilization

Smart glasses have limited space to fit many kinds of functionality. The more things they can do, the more compromises manufacturers have to make. But iVue’s Vista HD Camera Glasses go all-in on recording video, allowing flexible recording options from 4K at 24 frames per second to 720p at 120 frames per second with a 70-degree field of view for up to an hour. As a dedicated tool for recording, say, your extreme sports exploits, it stands head and shoulders above the competition.

However, they cut some corners on convenience: The Vista HD doesn’t have a companion app, so you need to connect the glasses to a PC via USB and edit a text file to change settings. If you’re willing to navigate some less-than-intuitive tools, the Vista HD takes better photos than most of the camera-laden glasses out there.

Best for voice assistant integration: Amazon Echo Frames (2nd Generation)

Amazon

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: Amazon’s second generation of smart glasses integrates the company’s refined and popular Alexa voice assistant more smoothly than any other pair on the market.

Specs

• Lens: Polarized, blue light filter, clear options (compatible with aftermarket prescription lenses)
• Battery: 4 hours continuous/2 hours active use over a 14-hour day, 1:45 to fully charge
• Camera: n/a
• Audio: Open-ear
• Microphone: 2 mic array
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Water resistance: IPX4

Pros

• Alexa integration
• Automatic volume adjustment
• Stylish frame options

Cons

• Mediocre battery
• Expensive

Amazon’s second-generation Echo Frames smart specs are primarily a vessel for the company’s digital assistant, Alexa. Where most of the glasses on our list were designed as sunglasses, meant for being out and about in the world, the Echo frames come in a range of everyday options to upgrade your everyday glasses with the ability to engage with Alexa and any smart devices it controls on your home network. It comes with nice, intelligent features—like automatic volume adjustment based on ambient noise, and a VIP list filter to allow only notifications from a select list of people to ping in your ear. The battery life suffers if you use them to listen to music or podcasts for too long, meaning these are really built first and foremost as an Alexa platform.

Best for social media: Ray-Ban Stories

Mike Epstein

SEE IT

Buy it used or refurbished: eBay

Why it made the cut: Meta wisely partnered with a company that understands the “glasses” part of smart glasses.

Specs

• Lens: Colors, blue light, non-polarized, UV-protection, transitions (prescription options available)
• Battery: 3 hours use, 1 hour to charge
• Camera: 5MP sensor, up to 1414 x 1414p/30fps video, up to 2592 x 1944p stills
• Audio: Open-ear
• Microphone: 3 mic array
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Water resistance: N/A

Pros

• Classic Ray-Ban style
• Great speakers and call quality
• Charging case
• Easy controls

Cons

• Require Facebook account

Facebook/Meta is an obvious tech vertical stakeholder for smart glasses, whether they take photos or deliver the “metaverse” via AR. For its first foray into smart glasses, it teamed up with Ray-Ban to create a stylish pair of shades that people will want to wear. The Ray-Ban Stories come in a wide variety of styles, including the iconic Wayfarers, with prescriptions available. The photo/video camera controls are intuitive both on the frames, or with voice commands. The main downside is that you need to have a Facebook account to use them, even though you don’t have to funnel the pictures through Facebook or Instagram. As we noted in our full review, that connection may leave some people conflicted. In the end, though, they’re solid, sharp-looking shades with both audio and camera functionality.

Best budget: TechKen Sunglasses

TechKen

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The TechKen Sunglasses are a bargain-basement pair of smart sporting sunglasses for when you just need the basics.

Specs

• Lens: Colors, clear, polarized (no prescription options)
• Battery: 7-9 hours use, 2 hours charge time
• Video: N/A
• Audio: Earbuds
• Microphone: Yes
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Water resistance: N/A

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Built-in earbuds and microphone
• Great battery life

Cons

• Minimal smart features
• Cheap construction

TechKen’s Sunglasses are the least “smart” of the glasses on our list. They’re effectively just a pair of Bluetooth earbuds and a microphone built into a pair of sports sunglasses and no other intelligent features to speak of. Then again, they cost $16, versus $100-$300 for any option from a major manufacturer. Earbuds tend to fall out and headphones conflict with helmets or hats, so these can be a great way to listen to music or podcasts and take hands-free calls while having outdoor adventures without worrying that you’ll lose an expensive wireless earbud.

What to consider when buying the best smart glasses

Right now, most smart glasses feature conventional eyeglass or sunglass lenses with some combination of cameras, microphones, and speakers built into the frames, offloading the core features of your smartphone into a wearable device you can operate without reaching into your pocket. And they connect to your phone via Bluetooth, just like an Apple Watch, etc. You might think of them as a more casual alternative to a pair of wireless headphones—they play music and let you take phone calls, but without blocking the outside world.

The more advanced version(s) of smart glasses—those that support augmented reality—technically exist but are highly niche products with very limited functionality. Unless you’re an AR developer, you will probably have more fun with the speakers and cameras.

Open-ear audio and bone conduction

Almost all of our current picks that have audio playback (besides the budget option with attached earbuds) use “open-ear audio.” Rather than covering or inserting something into the ear, these glasses have little speakers built into the frames that point down toward your ears, playing music that you can hear clearly while allowing you to maintain awareness of your surroundings.

Some smart glasses avoid speakers altogether and use bone-conduction technology, which transmits audio through direct vibrations onto your facial bones, rather than through the air as sound waves. Directional speakers seem to be more common at the moment since they sound a bit clearer, with the caveat that some of their sound bleeds to your surroundings. By contrast, bone conduction sounds slightly less clear but is extremely discreet. Do not, however, set your expectations for audio quality especially high in either case. Smart glasses are optimized for convenience and comfort, not high-fidelity sound.

Battery life and storage

Whatever your smart glasses do, their battery life informs how long they’ll be able to do it. Consider how long you hope to be out and about taking pictures and calls without needing to plug your glasses in. Likewise, most smart glasses have very limited internal storage. You will need to wirelessly offload your photos and videos from your glasses to your phone regularly to keep its hard drive clear, as well as edit, caption, and post anything you take.

Water resistance

Since smart glasses pack delicate electronics into the frames, they are usually rated for some amount of protection against water and dust. The standard maintained by the International Electrotechnical Commission, or IEC, is called an IP rating, which is short for “Ingress Protection.” The water/dust resistance rating features two numbers, which you’ll see on a spec sheet as part of an IP rating—“IPXX.” The first X is a score from 0 to 6, measuring how well it keeps out solids—dust, sand, etc. The second, rated between 0 and 9, indicates how well it keeps out liquids. An X left in either spot means that the product was not tested for that resistance, respectively. 

Every pair of glasses on our list maxes out either number at “4” ratings, which translates to protection against physical objects larger than 1mm and against splashing liquids but not being submerged. That seems to be the current standard, though there are exceptions; For example, the Snapchat Spectacles 2 featured IPX7 protection, allowing shallow immersion to take underwater pics, but that capability was removed for the next iteration.

State of the AR(t)

If this is your first foray into the smart glasses space, you might have some lofty expectations about the current state of augmented reality (AR), which you’ll need to temper. AR glasses are still too new, complicated, and expensive for wide consumer use. Names you may have heard like the Microsoft Hololens 2 start at $3,500, as they’re designed for research and industrial applications, not laying out Google Maps directions on the street in front of you. We’ve included one option on our list, the Vuzix Blade, which splits the difference between function and cost better than most for the most enthusiastic early adopters. For the rest of us, true AR is still on the backburner.

Don’t forget: They’re also glasses!

Many people need their smart glasses to also function as regular old eyewear that provides vision correction on top of their onboard A/V suite. Some manufacturers offer the ability to purchase glasses with prescription options upfront. Others require you to find and purchase your own after-market lenses (which we will note below). Either way, be prepared to pay significantly more money for a pair of smart glasses with your prescription.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best smart glasses

Smart glasses are still a new form of technology, which makes this an exciting time to get into them. Each new iteration has the potential to make massive functional improvements over the last. Whether you just want to more conveniently listen to music on the go, or you’re excited about the posthuman future of technological enhancement, there’s probably a pair of smart glasses out there for you, or there will be soon.

The post The best smart glasses of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Smartphones are annoying to tote along on a run, but they can come in very handy. A friend of mine once had a medical emergency while jogging and was able to call 911. My wife sometimes receives uncomfortable attention from strangers while training for races, so she likes the reassurance that comes from being able to call me or a friend if she ever feels unsafe. But both have told me that, all things being equal, they don’t enjoy strapping a phone to an arm or finding a way to secure one in small pockets. That’s where the new Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE sports watch comes in. As its name suggests, the company built LTE technology into one of its popular fitness tracker watches, the Forerunner 945 first released in 2019, so that it now provides powerful safety alerts in addition to advanced athletics tracking in a sophisticated wearable. 

However, the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE can’t break fully from a connected device. You’ll still need your smartphone if you want to stream music from Spotify, get and respond to text messages, make calls, or receive Twitter updates or photos, etc. Replacing your phone isn’t Garmin’s goal. Instead, the company has packed an already feature-rich running watch with a number of reassuring wireless tools. So read on to find out if the latest iteration of the Forerunner 945—and the added cost of its LTE—are right for you. 

Brian Stillman

SEE IT

The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE’s design

This Forerunner is a surprisingly classy athletic watch. It’s not as chunky as the company’s Instinct Solar [check out our hands-on review]. And, while nowhere near as sleek as the Venu 2 [see our thoughts on that model], the understated design looked good when I met some coworkers for dinner. At 44.4 mm in diameter, 13.9 mm thick, and only 49 grams, it’s comfortable, too. Like many of Garmin’s sports watches, the Forerunner dons a familiar array of five control buttons, which I had no problem finding by touch while working out. 

The watch’s lens is made from strong Corning Gorilla Glass DX (similar to the material used on various smartphones) and it’s set into a fiber-reinforced polymer bezel. This watch can take some abuse. The included silicone watchband feels fine, but it traps sweat and I’d prefer something that breathes more. Thankfully, Garmin and third-party providers offer dozens of replacement bands. Finding the right look and feel requires only a quick Internet search. 

The bright, color display provides ample information at a glance, and it’s easy to read in full sunlight. Backlighting helps when it gets darker. Garmin preloaded the Forerunner 945 LTE with a number of watch face options. You can download more from the GarminConnect store or third parties. From there, it’s easy to tweak what information is displayed and how it’s laid out. You can also adjust the colors. Personally, I prefer a simple watch face with the time and date. I included message alerts for a while, but I get so many during the day that I can’t keep up, and seeing an icon with the number 75 next to it was just embarrassing. Three clicks of a button and, unlike all those unanswered message alerts, it was gone.

Setting up the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE

My watch arrived 92-percent charged out of the box. I still topped it off by plugging it into a USB power source (you’ll need to supply your own adapter). In typical Garmin fashion, it charges via a proprietary multipin cable. Some companies, like Apple, have opted for wireless magnetic charging, but using a cable is definitely faster. 

Garmin reports that the battery lasts up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and up to seven hours in GPS mode with music and LTE LiveTrack activated. In my tests, I was able to go a little more than 13 days before the watch died on me. However, in GPS mode, it did last the reported seven hours, though not much more. 

Once charged, the watch guided me through its setup using helpful prompts that started by linking to my phone through Bluetooth to take advantage of the downloadable Garmin Connect app (available for both iOS and Android). From there, I established my baseline for health tracking, including weight, height, and sleep patterns, as well as other biometrics. I was also able to link the watch’s Spotify app to my account in order to stream music through my device or play music I downloaded to the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE itself. The app then provided a quick-start guide to the watch’s top-level navigation and functions. You can also activate some of the community features, like challenges.

This is also where you set up your LTE plan. I was thrilled to discover I didn’t need to contact my cellphone service provider to activate a second line. In fact, you don’t need to sign up for a plan with any of the phone providers. The watch uses Garmin’s own cellular service. You’ll have to pay $5.99 per month with an annual subscription ($6.99 a month without). You’ll have to decide for yourself whether that fits your budget, but I found the price more than reasonable for what this watch provides. 

LTE connectivity

I was excited by the prospect of the Forerunner’s new LTE connectivity. I dreamed of owning Dick Tracy’s communicator watch when I was a kid, so the lure of having a wearable that wasn’t tethered to my iPhone was impossible to ignore. But that’s not exactly what Garmin had in mind when they designed this sports watch. 

The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE, which costs $50 more than the base model, uses its over-the-air functionality to add helpful tracking features for both performance metrics and well-being, such as real-time progress sharing, crash detection, and emergency response team assistance request.

The Assistance tool is the one you hope you never have to use. It sends a message to your emergency contacts if you’re feeling unsafe or you’re lost, and it includes location data so they can find you. Assistance Plus takes this a step further by sending your name and location to the Garmin IERCC, which is a professional emergency response coordination center that then contacts emergency services to get you out of trouble. This is the same technology Garmin uses on its navigation tools to help rescue people at sea, when mountain climbing, and in other extreme situations. For extreme runners, backcountry skiers, wilderness hikers, people who like to swim in the open ocean, this safety tool is a no-brainer.

Taking it for a test run

I tested out LiveTrack, a tool that lets friends and family follow your location in real-time, on a jog through my new neighborhood. My friend, back in his apartment, followed my route without any trouble through an invite-only web portal. Of course, it also showed him how long I chilled out in the park halfway through my run. The tool was accurate enough that he could even figure out which bench I sat on. Busted!  

Spectator Messaging is a fun tool that lets friends, family, coaches, or teammates add some extra motivation during a race by delivering audio and text messages.

Finally, Live Event Sharing automatically sends race updates to your friends so they can stay up-to-date on your pace, location, and time. No need to press a button or do anything else that might break your concentration or interrupt your stride.

The rest of the specs

The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE puts a lot of information on your wrist, but the lack of touchscreen technology means navigating what to me often felt like a maze of submenus. Expect a learning curve.

That said, hot-buttons take you to convenient widgets that provide snapshots of such biometric data as heart rate, step count, run details, and pulse ox. Some widgets report the weather, provide calendar alerts, notifications, and similar information. This is just surface-level information; dive deeper via the watch or the Garmin Connect app.

Thankfully, dedicated buttons access the music player and stopwatch, two features that I hate hunting for in the middle of a workout.

While navigating the watch is sometimes trickier than I’d like, Garmin does an excellent job of conveying information clearly and concisely through the smart use of icons, colors, and easy-to-read text. I only needed to glance at my wrist to read my lap time and heart rate.

Keep track of your movement and activities

The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE tracks all sorts of preloaded activities—like biking, paddling, hiking, walking, snowboarding, and rafting. You can easily add new ones. With its focus on running, it’s no surprise this GPS fitness watch provides different running options, including outdoor, indoor track, and trail. You can also get real-time feedback on your form, including cadence, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, stride length, and more by pairing it with a running dynamics accessory. 

The watch suggests times for heat and altitude acclimation, lactate threshold, predicted race times, and training load and focus. It even provides daily suggested workouts. It tracks sleep data and then combines it with other information to help compute body battery, a measurement of energy levels. This, in turn, cycles back into the data set that helps the watch set up workout plans. 

Garmin has a long history of making excellent navigation tools, and the Forerunner 945 LTE includes full-color mapping of streets and trails, plus you can create your own courses in the Garmin Connect app. ClimbPro ascent planner displays real-time information including gradient, distance, and elevation gain. The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE also includes turn-by-turn navigation and round-trip routing. 

Pay as you play

I like to keep my wallet secured in my locker when working out at the gym. The Garmin Pay feature lets me use my watch to pay for things like juice or a light snack in the same way that I might use my phone and Apple Pay. Just add a credit or debit card to the Garmin Pay wallet and you’re all set. It’s also handy for anyone who worries about losing their credit cards when running, or who spends a lot of time in the water. No one likes a wad of soggy cash.

So, who should buy the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE?

The Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is an upgrade to the original Forerunner 945, but it’s not an upgrade everyone needs. It provides peace of mind and fun features for fitness trackers, especially racers, but if you spend most of your workout time in the gym or running on a local track or in a safe neighborhood, you could save some money by considering running watches like the original Forerunner 945 or the Instinct line. They cost less but have nearly the same tracking, measurement, and training capabilities. 

Related: Apple Watch comparison

The post Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE review: A fitness watch that won’t leave you stranded appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best TV		Samsung QN65QN800A 65 Inch Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)		SEE IT	Save while getting ahead of the crowd with the latest in audio and video TV technology.
Best drone		DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo Quadcopter		SEE IT	This popular drone is suited for beginners and established photographers alike.
Best earbuds		AirPods Pro		SEE IT	Get the AirPods Pro at a reduced price before they sell out … again!

The holidays can inevitably raise a conflict: We may want to find gifts that delight our family and friends but are aware of the environmental impact new products can have. A good compromise? Refurbished goods that have already been purchased, returned, and restored. They can help you cut down on the number of new products you’re buying and save you money. Since these are pre-owned items, you should look closely at the item’s condition and what’s part of the package and check the return policy before making any purchases. That said, you can save hundreds on tech that may not be the latest model but is still one of the best refurbished gifts that will last.

• Best TV: Samsung QN65QN800A 65 Inch Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)
• Best Windows laptop: 2022 Acer 15-inch HD IPS Chromebook 
• Best MacBook: 2020 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip
• Best VR headset: Meta Oculus Quest 2 Headset 
• Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 6
• Best iPad: Apple iPad (10.2-inch, 8th Gen)
• Best earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro
• Best speaker: Bose soundlink Mini II Limited Edition Bluetooth Speaker
• Best drone: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo Quadcopter
• Best mini projector: Anker Nebula Capsule
• Best robot vacuum: iRobot Roomba i4
• Best handheld vacuum: Shark ION W1 Handheld Vacuum
• Best blender: Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional Grade
• Best air fryer: NINJA Foodi LG450 5-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Grill

Best TV: Samsung QN65QN800A 65 Inch Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)

Samsung

SEE IT