Best Wear OS watch 2023
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Best Wear OS watch 2023
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
If you're an Android user on the hunt for a new wearable, you can't do much better than one of the best Wear OS watches below. This category has expanded well beyond the realm of Google and Samsung, with countless brands now incorporating the software into their watches.
Now that the highly-anticipated Pixel Watch has arrived, there are more options than ever before. Wear OS 3 has even reached some older models. Suffice it to say, if you don't know where to start, we've tested all of the best Wear OS watches so you don't have to. Keep reading for a list of our favorites.
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(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
One year after the Galaxy Watch 4 exploded onto the Wear OS scene with some major improvements, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 took that template and improved on it in a few key areas, mainly in terms of hardware. The specific Galaxy Watch 5 vs. 4 improvements include a larger battery, speedy 10W charging, sapphire glass protection on the display, and a built-in skin temperature sensor for better sleep tracking results — though the latter isn't active on the watch yet.
Our Galaxy Watch 5 reviewer was generally quite impressed with the watch, calling it the "best Android smartwatch available today, and it's really not even close." It doesn't quite live up to Samsung's claim of a 40-hour battery life despite the upgrade, but you can recharge it 50% in a half-hour, so you'll rarely run into issues. While it's thicker than the 4, it has redesigned sensors that sit more closely on your wrist for more accurate results.
As for its Wear OS experience, it launches with Google Assistant, which can be set as the default always-listening assistant instead of Bixby, along with other new Google apps like Google Wallet. Its Tiles experience is seamless to use, and newer Wear OS 3.5 features like a QWERTY keyboard have improved the UI as well. Plus, since the Pixel Watch launched, new Wear OS features have come to Samsung watches, too.
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Google finally released the Pixel Watch in late 2022, and it has us excited for the future of Wear OS. Google plans to give its watch annual software updates, and then other brands can implement those updates at their own pace. But given the slow pace of Wear OS 3 arriving on non-Samsung watches, you basically will want a Pixel Watch if you want the quickest access to the newest Android watch software.
As for the watch itself, our Pixel Watch review outlines all the ways that it lived up to our expectations. It's very comfortable to wear, and its rounded display gives it a sleek look we appreciate. It has "subtle and satisfying" haptics for notifications, a Material You look behind the UI, and familiar Wear OS tools like Tiles and complications. It lasts for a reasonable 24 hours per charge, and performs well despite its older chipset. When it comes to the best Wear OS watch, you have to consider the Pixel Watch vs. Galaxy Watch 5 above any other options. The Pixel Watch arguably looks more stylish, has double the storage, benefits from its rotating crown for navigation, and uses Fitbit Premium integration to track your health. But the Galaxy Watch 5 is more affordable, has more health sensors, lasts about a day longer per charge, has a newer chipset, and sports military-grade fall and water protection.
(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Most Wear OS watches will last a day at most with features like continuous heart rate active. But the massive Galaxy Watch 5 Pro genuinely lasts three days with all health sensors and sleep tracking active, and it has the same speedy charging as the standard Galaxy Watch 5. The only issue with it, as our Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review explains, is that the extra battery capacity corresponds with a very thick and heavy design that not everyone will enjoy.
With the same size display as the Galaxy Watch 5 44mm, the Pro model is much more expensive and doesn't have too many upgrades over the base model aside from the battery. Its Titanium case should handle whatever damage you encounter, and the Pro design has an elevated case that protects the display from scratches.
Along with the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra (another pick on this list), the Pro is a watch that you'll buy specifically because of how long it lasts per charge. It doesn't have the rotating bezel of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, relying on the same digital touch bezel of other Galaxy Watches. If you'd prefer that, you may want to downgrade to the last generation.
(Image credit: Chris Wedel / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Our TicWatch E3 review lays out all the simple perks of this model. For starters, you get a large and bright 1.3" HD display. It is encompassed by a rather large and bulky bezel that you'll either love or hate, depending on your preferences. Fortunately, the watch is compatible with 20mm interchangeable bands, so swapping it out for a new one is never an issue. It offers IP68 water resistance and is suitable for pool swimming. Thanks to the Wear 4100 chip and 1GB of RAM, we found "little to no delay in opening apps or loading up the Play Store on the watch," while the battery life lasts 1.5 days even with 24-hour HRM and SpO2 tracking, AOD, and sleep tracking. Or you can use Essential mode, which uses tilt-to-wake and still tracks heart rate and sleep, and extend your battery life to a full 20 days per charge (in our tests).
You get more than your share of features on the health and fitness side of things. The Mobvoi TicWatch E3 offers onboard GPS, activity tracking, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and more. There are a few extra perks, including Google Assistant and Google Pay. These are all fantastic perks, but the short battery life is a drawback. This is not unheard of for Wear OS watches, though. If you can live with that and the chunky bezel, this is an incredible value that's hard to beat.
(Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Galaxy Watch 5 is the best Wear OS watch, but it doesn't make that many upgrades over the Galaxy Watch 4, which also runs Wear OS 3 and has the same Exynos W920 SoC combined with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage as its successor. Now frequently on sale for much less than its launch price, the Galaxy Watch 4 hasn't lost its edge and is worth buying if you're looking to save money without compromising on quality.
In our Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review, we praised the performance, design, health features, and battery life, but had a complicated view of its Wear OS integration that stuck pretty close to the Tizen template. But Samsung has made plenty of upgrades since then, and it now runs the same One UI 4.5 Watch OS as the Galaxy Watch 5, with Google Assistant support. It may not have a temperature sensor like the Galaxy Watch 5, but that's still inactive on the newer model, and it otherwise has the same tools: A 3-in-1 BioActive sensor measures optical heart rate, electrical heart (ECG), blood pressure, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for a holistic look at your health, including body water and fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, and more. Plus, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic kept the rotating bezel that Samsung popularized with the older models — something totally abandoned by the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro design.
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Skagen has a knack for delivering stylish wearables, and the Scandanavian-inspired Falster Gen 6 design is no exception. It comes in a sleek 41mm stainless steel case and works with 20mm bands. The 1.28-inch AMOLED display is accompanied by two push buttons on the side and a rotating home button. Thankfully, the updated Snapdragon Wear 4100+ processor doesn't just offer smooth performance; it ensures the Skagen Falster Gen 6 will upgrade to Wear OS 3 sometime in mid-to-late 2022.
Our Skagen Falster Gen 6 review broke down the many perks that come with this Fossil spin-off. We like the Fossil Wellness app that showcases data from automatic sleep tracking and the new SpO2 sensor, with the results broken down into daily, weekly, and monthly stats. Thanks to the processor, we found it has "smooth navigation and relatively quick app startups," even with the older Wear OS 2.3. And the watch can go from zero to 80% charged in about 30 minutes, which compensates somewhat for the strict one-day battery life.
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Perhaps you're interested in finding a wearable that blends stunning design elements with a solid set of smartwatch perks. If so, the Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition may be what you're searching for. This latest release from Fossil offers improved performance, fast charging speeds, accurate health tracking, and more. It's very similar to the original Fossil Gen 6, but with a new 44mm case and stainless steel finish that's very attractive.
One of the most notable improvements to the Fossil Gen 6 is that it's equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100+ chipset, so performance is smooth and seamless. Additionally, the 1.7GHz co-processor allows this watch to use always-on health metrics without negatively affecting performance or draining the battery life. You'll get more detailed heart rate readings, more precise sleep tracking, and better health statistics all around.
While the Fossil Gen 6 is an excellent lifestyle smartwatch, there's one thorn in this wearable's side that has yet to go away: battery life. Our reviewer said he had to charge his watch once or twice a day, which is only bearable because its charging speed is extremely fast, hitting 80% in 30 minutes. Also, Google is working on making Google Assistant available on Wear OS 3 watches with Qualcomm chips, so you're stuck with Alexa for the time being.
Choosing the best Wear OS watch for you
As you can see, Wear OS covers quite a bit of ground in the wearable market. While it might be slightly different from the Wear OS experience you're used to, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is the better option simply because it has affordability, health sensors, Google Assistant support, and a reliable UI on its side. Plus, it's backed by Google, which will help Samsung get new software updates just as quickly as the Pixel Watch.
You can pick the Pixel Watch instead, which we'd recommend if you want something a bit more stylish or care about Fitbit integration. But that'll cost you a bit more and lacks a larger display option than 1.2 inches. In general, Samsung is the way to go!
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