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It’s been an interesting time to be a smartwatch fan, or someone considering getting their first, with many watches coming from the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Motorola. Last year’s options are now even cheaper and offer new users a better jumping on point and there are more apps available on all these platforms than ever before. So, let’s see what 10 of the best Android smartwatches are as we enter the last few months of the year.
10. LG G Watch
When the original G Watch was launched last year as a flag-bearer for the first versions of Android Wear it didn’t impress all too much in the looks department, and it does so even less now. That isn’t to say however, that there’s no point in buying one, the G Watch is good-looking if you’re into your digital styles and it has good battery life and good performance to boot. Besides, it’s compatible with any 22mm watch strap out there and it’s available really cheaply now, which is always good to hear.
Buy the LG G Watch Android Wear Smartwatch from Amazon
09. Pebble Steel
The Pebble Steel has been around for a long time now as well, but again it’s available relatively cheaply now and unlike the original G Watch won’t look completely out of place in an office environment or with a suit. It’s a little more powerful than the original Pebble and has a lot on offer for those looking to try out a smartwatch without a giant investment or anything like that, plus it has some of the best battery life of any smartwatch on this list. A classic option, there’s little to complain about here except maybe the product’s age and performance, but if you want something with excellent battery life and a good look to it, the Pebble Steel won’t let you down.
08. Pebble Time Round
The Pebble Time Round was announced not too long ago now, and it’s the Pebble watch that fans of round timepieces have been waiting for. It still has days-long battery life, is water-resistant and comes in two sizes and a variety of different color and band combinations. Designed to be a watch first, and a Pebble second, the Time Round is simple in its approach and will be available for just $249, which again makes this better value than many other watches in this list. Oh, it’s also the thinnest and lightest smartwatch available today, coming in at around 30 grams.
07. ASUS ZenWatch 2
The ASUS ZenWatch 2 is the follow-up the computer giant’s first watch launch last year, and it’s an improvement in all the right places. It still keeps the classic square design which shows other makers how to create a good-looking square smartwatch and it now has two-day battery life and a better range of bands and two different sizes as well. Good value for money, the ZenWatch 2 is a the Android Wear smartwatch for those not looking for much, but expecting the standard smartwatch boxes to be ticked in big, black ink.
06. Sony SmartWatch 3
Sony have had a long and interesting history in the smartwatch world, and one that has not always been successful, but nonetheless they have been pioneers in a number of ways. Sadly for them, the SmartWatch 3 is not the best Android Wear device out there. It is however, a great option for those looking for ease of use, good battery life and excellent fitness features. The stainless steel version looks great, and being able to charge with a standard microUSB cable is just great. It might be a little pricey, but for easy charging, longer battery life than most running Android Wear and great sport features, this might be worth it.
Buy the Sony SmartWatch 3 Android Wear Smartwatch from Amazon
05. LG G Watch R
The LG G Watch R has been around for some time now, but it still holds up wonderfully. It looks great, and while it could definitely be consider a younger-person’s watch, the round face will appeal to everyone. With a great-looking display and some of the best performance on an Android Wear watch, the G Watch R is modern and appealing timepiece, it’s also not too expensive these days, either. We loved it in our review, and LG liked it so much that they built their next watch off of this great foundation. Complete with heart-rate monitor and a simple charging solution, there’s a lot to love about the G Watch R still.
Buy the LG G Watch R Android Wear Smartwatch from Amazon
04. LG Watch Urbane
The Watch Urbane was released earlier this year alongside Android 5.1.1 for Android Wear, and it’s become a timeless, if not fairly large, timepiece design for the platform. Available in either silver or gold colors, the Urbane will look good on wrists both old and young and the leather strap is a little bit better this time around. For the most part however, this is just an upgraded G Watch R, it’s just a good job that the G Watch R was such a good watch in the first place.
Buy the LG Watch Urbane Android Wear Smartwatch from Amazon
03. Motorola Moto 360 2nd-Gen
The Moto 360 had long been the watch to beat, and it’s refreshing to see that Motorola have beaten it at long last. The new Moto 360 comes in either two sizes and has a little more style around the bezel of the device along with more choices through Moto Maker. Now, the Moto 360 has much better battery life and a more normal processor resulting in a much more attractive package when compared to others. Sadly though, the display continues to feature a “flat tyre” and compared to the Huawei Watch and the Gear S2 it appears a little more dated than it could have done.
02. Samsung Gear S2
The Gear S2 has been a long time in the making for Samsung, and that attention to detail really shows here. With a fully-circular display and a wide selection of different hardware, the Gear S2 is a massive step-forward for Samsung in the smartwatch game. With a user interface that gives Google a few pointers or two, the only downside to this is that it’s not quite as widely supported as say a G Watch or Moto 360 would be thanks to their use of Android Wear. Of course, Samsung users wanting to continue their excellent hardware selection will have one of the best-looking smartwatches to choose from.
Buy the Samsung Gear S2 classic Smartwatch – Black from Amazon
01. Huawei Watch
We recently reviewed the Huawei Watch and found it to be an excellent, solidly-built watch. Notice how I said “watch” there? That’s because the Huawei Watch is a watch before it is anything else, it looks and feels like a timepiece, and from a far that’s exactly what it will look like – a watch. When you turn that gorgeous display on however and interact with Android Wear, it is of course so much more than just that. Some of the faux-classic watch faces are a little gaudy here, but this being Android you can do what you want with it.
Buy the Huawei Watch Stainless Steel with Black Suture Leather Strap from Amazon