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Best Smartwatches

Find out about the best new smartwatches available this year, from stylish timepieces designed to impress, to practical wristwear that will help manage your life.

Smartwatches have become a must-have tech accessory, partnering with and enhancing the features of smartphones in cool and unusual ways. With so many models being released at the moment, it can be hard to keep track. Here is a look at the best new smartwatches which have hit the market in 2017, encompassing options from a range of manufacturers and across the full price spectrum. Whatever your needs or budget, we’ve tracked down all the details on the hottest highly intelligent timepieces that could soon be wrapped around your wrist and making a big difference from day to day.

 

Apple Watch Series 2 apple watch

With a multitude of styles, sizes and straps on offer, the second generation Apple Watch is just as adaptable and customisable as its predecessor. It also packs some impressive durability features, such as full waterproofing at depths of up to 50 metres, meaning that only deep sea divers will be able to push it to its physical limits. Integrated GPS and excellent fitness tracking software help it to assess and analyse progress and performance for people of all experience levels. With the watchOS 2 platform onboard, it is no surprise that Apple is the market leader.

 

Samsung Gear S2 samsung smart watch

Apple’s main rival in both the smartphone and smartwatch markets, Samsung’s offering earns points for its Super OLED display, which is not only crystal clear but also circular rather than square, giving it a look that blends the traditional with the modern. Running on the Tizen OS, it offers a day and a half of use from a single battery charge and can even make use of wireless charging to restore power. Its appeal is increased thanks to its broad compatibility with Android-based smartphones.

 

Motorola Moto 360 2 moto 360

Arguably one of the best new smartwatches on the planet in terms of looks, and certainly the device which kickstarted the trend for circular displays, this watch benefits from an exceptionally robust build, and also has that much-needed premium feel to it. Like the Gear S2, it is designed for use with Android mobiles and can handle everything from notifications and messaging to location-based services for socialising, fitness and many more purposes too numerous to mention here. The higher price point it occupies is directly related to its build quality and it will be seen by many as a worthwhile investment.

 

Fossil Q Founder Fossil-Q-Founder

The Q Founder emulates the look of a traditional wristwatch in an incredibly convincing manner, but fire up its screen and the Android Wear experience really comes into its own. The biggest downsides are the lack of both GPS connectivity and a heart rate sensor, but for people who are less interested in fitness and more interested in looking the part at their next big business meeting, this is one of the best new smartwatches to consider, to add to your work wardrobe. It could soon even support Pokemon Go.

 

Asus ZenWatch 2asus-zenwatch-2

When it comes to value for money, the ZenWatch 2 is perhaps the best option on the market, benefitting from an inexpensive price coupled with some truly impressive hardware under the skin, ensuring that it does not feel like a bargain basement option. People who love to customise their gadgets will relish the chance to use Asus’ official watch face creation tool, meaning you do not need to stick with the standard options, but can instead express your personality and tell the time simultaneously.

 

Huawei Watch Huawei-Watch

Although this Chinese manufacturer is best known for its inexpensive smartphones, many of which are just as powerful as their costlier rivals, its first smartwatch is actually a premium item. Powered by a quad core processor and benefitting from two days of battery life, it also avoids the overly chunky design that can hamper some of its rivals. Instead, it sits on the wrist elegantly and without fuss, while offering compatibility with both Android and iOS devices, for the convenience of owners who allegiances may lie with different third party mobile manufactures.

 

Microsoft Band 2 microsoft band

Straddling the line between fitness band and true smartwatch, this feature-packed offering from Microsoft can keep tabs on you while you exercise, work and even while you sleep, with all the GPS integration you could ask for from a slender piece of kit. It can also tell the time, of course, but lacks the messaging features of some of its contemporaries, so may lose points with certain users as a result. With the Band 3 put on hold, this could be the software giant’s last foray into this market.