Smartwatches are wearables with a touch screen. These watches can, among other things, control your smartphone remotely. So you can use your watch to control playback on your favorite music platform. Or, remotely trigger the taking of photos on your smartphone, answer / make calls, read or answer your SMS, give an order to your voice assistant...
Smartwatches can most often launch apps. For example, this can be a metronome application that relies on the vibrator to give you the tempo silently. Or a currency converter. As a bonus, they incorporate a set of sensors. Almost all smartwatches on the market contain a GPS chip and a heart rate sensor. These two sensors make it possible to collect precise information on your health and your sports exercises.
In some cases, the watch can give you advice, or even alerts, for example if it detects a too rapid variation in your heart rate. From there, manufacturers can add other health, prevention and/or fitness-oriented sensors and features. The best connected watch 2021 is from this point of view the Apple Watch Series 7 thanks to its advanced features such as the ECG sensor, oxygen sensor and fall detection.
But also its performance, its interface, and its XXL screen. However, before choosing the connected watch of your dreams, it should be noted that they are not all necessarily compatible with your smartphone. No Apple Watch works on Android smartphones. Conversely, many models of connected watches under wearOS do not work on iPhone. However, more and more manufacturers are offering watches that are compatible with both ecosystems.
Top 5 best connected watch 2021:
- Apple Watch Series 7
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4
- Huawei Watch GT2 Pro
- Apple Watch SE 2020
- Apple Watch Series 3
Contents
1- Apple Watch Series 7
The best smartwatch of 2021 for iPhone
© Apple
The Apple Watch Series 7 is without a doubt the best connected watch of 2021. Apple continues to improve Apple Watches in small increments year after year. This year Apple has greatly enlarged the screen, which now has some of the thinnest borders on the market. For the first time we have an Always-On screen which allows it to permanently display the time without ever turning off.
In fact, the screen becomes large enough to make the Apple Watch one of the first connected watches that allows you to answer your SMS by typing on a real keyboard. It is also more durable. Apple has integrated a much more resistant glass. And it resists immersion to a depth of 50 meters.
Buy Apple Watch Series 7
Nevertheless, this generation is far from a tour de force in terms of styling and materials engineering. In addition to all the health sensors found on other Apple Watches, such as the heart rate and ECG sensor, this model can measure the level of oxygen in the blood. It also has real sleep tracking. And fall detection, which has already saved a few lives.
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The best connected watch 2021 for Android smartphones
© Samsung
If you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone – or any Android smartphone, for that matter – the closest smartwatch to the Apple Watch Series 7 is the Samsung Galaxy Watch4. This watch is thus the best connected watch 2021 for Android smartphones. Like its competitor, it is resolutely fitness and health oriented.
This watch is able to measure your body mass index, your muscle mass, your water content and other parameters relating to the composition of your body, to provide you with advice and thus more easily achieve your goals . The watch relies for this on a GPS, an optical pulse sensor (PPG), an electrocardiogram sensor (ECG) and a bioimpedance sensor (BIA).
As a bonus, like the Apple Watch 7, it can fully track your sleep. The model is the first to run on the brand new version of the wearOS operating system designed by Samsung and Google. Alas, unlike several other iterations, it is strictly incompatible with iPhones. Some features may also be limited if you don't have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
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The best smartwatch 2021 compatible with iPhone and Android
© Samsung
Huawei may be in a bad patch, against the backdrop of American sanctions, the manufacturer continues to launch ever more innovative products. The manufacturer's best connected watch is undoubtedly the Watch GT2 Pro. This round, elegant watch, and compatible with Android as well as (partially) with the iPhone, has a magnificent OLED screen on the entire front face.
More than 200 different dials are available to personalize your watch to the fullest. Thanks to its many biometric sensors, it constantly monitors your heart rate, blood oxygenation and stress levels. This data is aggregated with that of other sensors such as the GPS and the barometer to provide you with alerts and advice when you play sports, including in the mountains.
The watch is also suitable for golfers who want to improve their swing, and contains over 100 workouts to keep you in shape. She can answer your calls and texts. And is compatible with the brand's OneHop technology. But what is likely to impress you the most with the Huawei GT2 Pro is its autonomy: up to 2 weeks on a single charge!
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Best Apple Smartwatch for Value
© Apple
When you have an iPhone, it is quite natural to turn to the Apple Watch. The problem is that the latest models are a bit expensive. And generations that are too old may be incompatible with the latest feature updates or certain applications. If you're looking for a better compromise, the Apple Watch SE 2020 is arguably the best smartwatch.
Buy Apple Watch SE 2020
The watch is available in GPS version or GPS + Cellular version. This second variant can work without being permanently connected to your iPhone. For the rest it offers a large OLED Retina screen, and is waterproof. It contains slightly fewer sensors than the Apple Watch Series 7. For example, it does not offer an ECG sensor.
Nevertheless, its pulse sensor gives you an alert in the event of an arrhythmia or a sudden variation in frequency. It detects falls, and can call your emergency contacts even if you are unconscious in the event of an accident.
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The best Apple smartwatch for the first price
© RED by SFR
If the Apple Watch SE 2020 is still too expensive, and being a few generations behind isn't a problem for you, Apple is still marketing the Apple Watch Series 3. The two models are very similar, except that the Series 3 is around 200 euros. It is the best connected watch 2021 first prize at Apple.
The watch's OLED screen is a little smaller, but it's enough to display everything you need. We are on a somewhat old S3 processor – which can sometimes cause some slowdowns. For the rest, it has an optical heart rate sensor, 8 GB of storage, Ion X reinforced glass, a composite back, water resistance up to 50 meters and up to 18 hours of battery life.
Buy Apple Watch Series 3
On the other hand, you will have to give up some features of the more recent models. For example exit fall detection. You also won't get a compass that improves GPS accuracy, or ambient noise monitoring that alerts you when loudness may be damaging your hearing.
6- Garmin Venu 2
The best connected watch for autonomy and performance, compatible with Android and iOS
© Garmin
Do you think 18 hours of battery life is a bit tight? Garmin has a better connected watch: the Garmin Venu 2. This version can indeed last 11 days on a single charge. It is also compatible with iOS and Android. Inevitably, it is a little less complete than the alternatives at the top of this ranking. But she still defends herself pretty well.
Garmin offers integrated tracking of 25 sports compared to almost a hundred on the Galaxy Watch4. It contains a GPS chip and can detect incidents during outdoor activities and send your location to contacts. It has a few connected features like Garmin Pay, Deezer Spotify and Amazon Music integration, call tracking, and automated SMS replies.
Buy Garmin Venu 2
On the health monitoring side, it can deliver a sleep score, measure your heart rate, your stress and energy levels, facilitate the monitoring of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy or even measure the oxygen level in the blood.
7- Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
The best Android smartwatch 2021 for value for money
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro. © Amazfit
Another watch with a good battery life (12 days in this case), the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is undoubtedly the best connected watch for the price-quality ratio on Android. It offers one of the most complete sets of sensors, including a pulse sensor, blood oxygen, stress levels, respiratory rate with a result in just 45 seconds.
It also monitors more than 150 sports exercises, while constantly providing an analysis of your health parameters. This watch can receive calls and control music on your smartphone. It runs the Amazon Alexa assistant, even with an offline mode that allows you to activate, for example, sports mode or measure your pulse just by asking, even when the internet connection is lacking.
Buy Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
This watch runs on the new ZeppOS operating system. For the first time Amazfit thus allows users to add applications via a store. This is a bit of his weakness at the moment. Because the offer of applications is not yet very extensive.
8- Xiaomi Mi Watch
The best entry-level connected watch 2021
© Lemon squeezer
The Xiaomi Mi Watch is the best entry-level connected watch in 2021. You can also discover how it works in detail in our complete test. The watch offers a beautiful 1.38″ AMOLED screen in a round format. It delivers an accurate and relevant analysis of your health data. It can capture oxygen levels, pulse, stress levels, and analyze your sleep.
Its GPS chip is Galileo, BDS and Glonass compatible for greater accuracy. In addition, there is a geomagnetic compass, an atmospheric pressure and altitude sensor. Over 100 dials allow you to customize the look of the watch. It resists immersion up to 50 meters deep. In addition, it can track 17 professional training modes with over a hundred exercises.
It is compatible with Alexa. Alas, as we noted in our test, its finishes leave a little to be desired. It offers more limited features than the other models in this comparison – and its ecosystem is paradoxically quite limited. Also, it does not allow making/answering calls or text messages.
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The best health-oriented alternative smartwatch
The Fitbit Sense watch. © Fitbit
The Fitbit Sense is without a doubt the best alternative connected watch in this comparison. It is the first connected watch worthy of the name at Fitbit. The device offers 6 days of autonomy and compatibility with iOS and Android. It can detect stress using an electrodermal activity sensor. It captures the heart rate, and provides in-depth sleep monitoring.
Buy Fitbit Sense
Small originality on its competitors: the connected watch monitors your skin temperature, especially at night, and sends you alerts in the event of too great a variation. Something to detect, for example, if you are taking a cold or are perhaps catching a cold. Its built-in GPS tracks your outdoor activities. Note, however, that Fitbit charges personalized sports and health advice separately, via the Fitbit Premium subscription.
Conclusion: to buy the best connected watch, be careful not to make a mistake
Above all, do not buy an Apple Watch if you do not have an iPhone. Or Galaxy Watch4 if you don't have an Android smartphone. For now, when it comes to compatibility, there are a lot of different situations that can be misleading. In our top best connected watch 2021, many models are compatible with both ecosystems while others are not. In general, if your budget allows it, we advise you to buy the most popular connected watches in your ecosystem instead.
Also take into account in your choice certain functionalities whose effectiveness has been proven, for example fall detection. If you Google “fall detection” you will read many news items in which we learn that users have been saved by this feature following an accident. Health features such as pulse detection or oxygen levels are also the source of surprising stories. Because yes, your connected watch can become in a way your Saint Bernard, always ready to get you out of trouble in the event of a problem.
Autonomy can also be a decisive choice, but beware: the watches that go the furthest in this area are far from being the most complete and perfected. In the end, as far as possible, we recommend that you, when you do not know a watch model well, go and test it in store. You will then see very quickly whether or not the device can fit into your habits.