The 5 Best Smartwatches

Smartwatches are quickly developing into one of the top new trends of smart gadgets to hit the tech world. Designed to work with the current smartphones, smartwatches allow you to see any incoming call, text, or email received on your phone right on the watch, and that’s just one of their many possible functions. Although the smartwatch market is still quite young, Wise Bread is here to give you the 411 on which ones you should consider getting now with our top 5 list.

What Is a Smartwatch?

A smartwatch is essentially a computerized wristwatch that can, beyond just telling you the time, run a number of small computer applications as well as wirelessly connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth to keep you updated with incoming notifications without the need to look at your phone directly. Smartwatches were created to complement and expand your smartphone's functionality rather than be used as standalone gadgets. The main factors to consider when choosing a smartwatch are design, features, and ease of use. It is also important to make sure that your smartwatch of choice is compatible with your smartphone's software.

Best 5 Smartwatches


Pebble Smartwatch


If you've heard anything about smartwatches at all, then you most certainly should've heard about the Pebble Smartwatch, which has become a very popular choice that's been well-praised for its customization options and its wonderful app collection. This lightweight, water-resistant watch is the only one of its kind to have an e-paper display that lets you read all of your important notifications and social media updates clearly even under direct sunlight.

The Pebble is also the only smartwatch with its own dedicated app store which offers many apps that allow the watch to cater to your specific needs. You can even download different face designs to the watch to really set your Pebble apart from the rest. Its battery life is quite impressive as well, capable of lasting up to a week on just a single charge.

Currently $149.99 on Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Gear

The Samsung Galaxy Gear is another popular option that's packed with a long list of great features that you'd come to expect from a Samsung product. Despite the Gear's large yet beautiful 1.6-inch AMOLED screen, many users say its still quite comfortable to wear. It also comes with a 1.9 MP camera as well as a built-in microphone that allows you to make and answer calls right on the watch itself.

The Gear comes equipped with some very useful software features, including a Siri-like personal assistant called S Voice that lets you control your watch with voice commands. The Gear can also automatically lock and unlock your smartphone depending on how far away you are from it, and it can even send an alert to your smartphone in cases when you can't find it. Just be aware that the Galaxy Gear is only compatible with the Samsung Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets.

Currently $167.24 on Amazon

Qualcomm Toq

The Qualcomm Toq delivers an exceptional smartwatch that has appealed to users with its unique design and features. The Toq's most exclusive feature is its innovative Mirasol reflective display which provides a nice colored screen that adapts its lighting to the environment for optimal viewing quality any time of day. The display is also touch-enabled, letting users easily scroll through and control the wide range of functions available on the Toq.

The whole watch was ingeniously designed to use very little power, allowing its battery life to last for days. Many users also love its incredibly thin body as well as the ability to customize the clock faces and the icon designs. The Toq is compatible with Android smartphones and tablets only.

Currently $249.99 on Amazon

Martian Passport


If you're looking for a smartwatch that looks more high class than high tech, then the Martian Passport is the perfect choice for you. Unlike most smartwatch designs, the Passport is made with high quality leather and stainless steel, and it also retains a retro analog clock face that only provides a tiny screen for visual notifications. In fact, it barely looks like a smartwatch at all.

However, what makes the Passport "smart" is its excellent voice command feature that allows you to talk to your watch. Its noise-cancelling microphone makes sure your voice is heard loud and clear, whether you're sending a text message or taking a call on the watch. Not only that, the watch can also speak its notifications to you thanks to a small built-in speaker.

Currently $298.98 on Amazon

MetaWatch Strata

For those looking for a smartwatch at a more affordable price, the MetaWatch Strata is easily the smartwatch of choice. The Strata was built to handle the elements, thanks to its tough yet comfortable polyurethane strap, its water-resistant body, and its scratch-resistant reflective mirror display that keeps visibility clear under any light. All of this smartwatch's features are easily controlled through six physical buttons, each mapped out with their own dedicated function.

The Strata also gives users the ability to customize the information they want on the watch's display through downloadable widgets. The watch can accommodate up to four screens with each screen able to hold up to four widgets.

Currently $129.99 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best smartwatches. As always, be sure to check out the Wise Bread Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

Written by William Tran and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

via Wise Bread