Best Google Wear OS smartwatches and Android alternatives

Updated: Our top smartwatches to pair with your Android phone

If you own an Android phone and are looking for the best Wear OS watch to pair with it, you now have plenty of options.

Wear OS has never been stronger, and now feels like a proper platform matched by some great hardware. It’s also pushing the envelope with battery life, and some devices are finally ending battery anxiety with multiple days of AOD battery between charges.

Away from Google’s platform, though, there are also smartwatches from Garmin and Huawei that all work brilliantly with Android phones.

Here are our top pick Android watches from our reviews.

No smartphone constraints? Check out the best smartwatches
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Want to stay stylish? Dive into the top hybrid smartwatches

Google Pixel Watch 3 – Best Wear OS smartwatch

google-pixel-watch-3-review-calorie-burn — Credit: Wareable

google-pixel-watch-3-review-comparison-size — Pixel Watch 3 41mm vs. Pixel Watch 3 45mm – Credit: Wareable

Google Pixel Watch 3 specs and features

Size: 41 x 41 x 12.3mm / 45 x 45 x 12.3mm
Display: 1.2-inch AMOLED display (41mm) / 1.4-inch AMOLED display
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE, GPS
Weight: 31g (41mm) / 38g (45mm) – without band
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1
Battery life: 24 hours (41mm) / 48 hours (45mm)
Phone compatibility: Android
Storage: 2GB RAM; 32GB internal
Water rating: 5ATM
Sensors: ECG, EDA, PPG, SpO2, skin temperature

Google solved two problems by adding a larger Pixel Watch 3 case size: battery life and wearability for those with bigger wrists.

We’ve always been fans of the Pixel Watch line, but these two issues stifled it from being the best Wear OS watch for most people. That’s no longer the case, with the 45mm edition comfortably lasting over two days (with the always-on display enabled) and remaining super comfortable during sleep, exercise, and everything in between.

Google’s official guidance of 24 hours is the same for the smaller edition – and, despite only testing the larger model, we don’t think the Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) will provide the biggest upgrade for Pixel Watch 2 owners.

That’s because the other design changes (a brighter, more edge-to-edge display; 60Hz refresh rate) don’t make too much of a difference, while the changes to the HR tracking algorithm for improved run tracking (and new run insights) didn’t necessarily change much in our year-on-year testing.

We still love the Pixel Watch’s key differentiator, though: Fitbit. Google hasn’t added much to the third-gen smartwatch besides Cardio Load/Target Load, and the Morning Report (plus Daily Readiness Score now being made free for non-Premium members), but it’s all still incredibly intuitive.

Heart rate tracking accuracy, sleep monitoring accuracy, and daily insights are some of the best on any smartwatch – so, if these features are high on your shopping list, the Pixel Watch 3 is recommended.

The only downside of the design is that it’s pretty fragile – and, with Google not offering a rugged alternative to the Pixel Watch 3, anybody wanting improved durability should consider the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra below.

Check out our full Google Pixel Watch 3 review

Pros

Finally in two case sizes
Two-day AOD battery life (45mm version)
Still excellent HR tracking

Cons

Not much of an upgrade for 41mm users
No dual-frequency GNSS
Stress tracking remains baffling

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra specs and features

Size: 47.4 x 47.1 x 12.1 (47mm)
Display: 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display; 480 x 480 resolution
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE, GPS
Weight: 60.5g (without band)
Chipset: Exynos W1000
Battery life: 48 hours AOD; 80 hours AOD off; 100 hours power saving
Phone compatibility: Android
Storage: 2GB RAM; 32GB internal (21GB available)
Water rating: 10ATM
Sensors: BioActive Sensor (includes heart rate, ECG, blood pressure, and blood oxygen monitoring)

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a high-end smartwatch that embodies Samsung’s new direction. Though it’s not without its quirks, this is still the best Wear OS smartwatch to own if you want a sporty, outdoor look.

It’s big, bold, and more than a little inspired by the Apple Watch Ultra 2, yet this loose imitation hasn’t resulted in a tame experience. The Ultra is by far the most premium-feeling Android smartwatch, with its titanium frame (though not one for small wrists) suited to everything from vigorous workouts to sleep tracking.

The latest One UI Watch 6 software remains speedy and feature-packed, offering seamless integration with Google’s services and a range of healthy third-party apps. We didn’t love navigating around it, with the placement of the ‘Quick Button’ feeling off (sitting between a Home and Back button), and we’d much prefer the rotating bezel to the digital equivalent available. Yet, this is a smartwatch experience that still feels full.

There’s terrific accuracy and decent two-day AOD battery life to back it up, too. Heart rate tracking ran very close to our Garmin – putting it around the level of Google and Apple – while the dual-frequency GPS performed almost identically, which is a big tick in its favor.

We think Samsung needs to improve health tracking (though sleep tracking accuracy and depth are outstanding), and it’s still pretty rubbish that some features require a Samsung phone, but there’s simply no other Wear OS watch with this much upside.

Check out our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

Pros

Solid build and fun design
Excellent HR and GPS tracking
Cracking display
Sleep tracking is very detailed

Cons

Insane rotating bezel miss
Battery life feels inconsistent
Samsung phone required for some features
Looks ridiculous on smaller wrists

Xiaomi Watch 2

Xiaomi Watch 2 specs and features

Display: 1.43-inch AMOLED, 466 x 466 pixels, 326 PPI, up to 600 nits brightness
Dimensions: 47.5mm x 45.9mm x 11.8mm (excluding heart rate sensor)
Weight: 36.8g (without strap)
Battery: 495mAh, magnetic charging, ~45 minutes charging time, up to 65 hours typical use
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon® W5+ Gen 1, 4nm process
Storage & RAM: 2GB RAM, 32GB storage
Connectivity: 2.4GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® 5.2
Water Resistance: 5ATM
Sensors: Optical heart rate, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light, electronic compass, barometer
Navigation: Dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS, Galileo, Glonass, Beidou, QZSS
Compatibility: Android 8.0 and above

Finally, Android users have a true budget Wear OS smartwatch to consider, the Xiaomi Watch 2.

The build quality and display are superb for a cheaper smartwatch, and it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice. It’s exceptionally light to wear, with a glorious full AMOLED display.

The Xiaomi Watch 2 does run the slightly older Wear OS 3.5, but it’s a much slicker experience than what we found with the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, and more comfortable during exercise.

You also get the full suite of Google Play Store apps and Google Pay, so your quids in on budget rivals in smart features.

As you would expect at this price, there are compromises. In real-world testing, we found battery life limited to a single day, which seems a tad old-fashioned when most other Wear OS watches can comfortably surpass this.

With GPS on board, the Xiaomi Watch 2 delivered a much better heart rate tracking performance than its predecessor. While not the gold standard, casual gym goers and runners will get usable accuracy.

Check out our full Xiaomi Watch 2 review

Pros

Superb price tag
Light and attractive design
HR accuracy is very solid

Cons

Battery life is very average
Mi Fitness is a glitch-fest
Doesn’t run Wear OS 4

OnePlus Watch 2

OnePlus Watch 2 specs and features

Size: 47 x 46.6 x 12.1mm
Display: 1.432-inch AMOLED; 466 x 466, 326ppi; 600 nits brightness
Connectivity: Dual-frequency GNSS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
Operating system: Wear OS 4 + RTOS
Weight: 49g without band (80g with band)
Chipset: Qualcomm W5+ & BES 2700BP MCU
Battery life: Up to 100 hours (Smart Mode); 2 days AOD
Phone compatibility: Android 8.0 or later
Storage: 2GB RAM + 32GB ROM
Water rating: Swim-proof, 5ATM
Sensors: PPG, SpO2

After a rough debut, OnePlus returned to the smartwatch game in 2024 with a solid follow-up.

Due to the heavy and hulking case, we don’t grade the OnePlus Watch 2 as a good option for those with smaller wrists. Yet, those who want true multi-day battery life on a Wear OS watch are catered for here.

Mercifully, the brand has now also released the OnePlus Watch 2R, which is perfect if you want the same experience in a lighter case.

The secret behind the battery life is a dual-chip system, with the Snapdragon W5+ used for power-intensive tasks and the BES 2700BP MCU on hand for low-power features like notification scanning and AOD. This improved efficiency means the Watch 2 can go as long as Google or Samsung’s current watches.

OnePlus claims you’ll get 100 hours per charge here – and we found that to stack up in testing. With the AOD turned on, though, this shrinks to under 48 hours, less than what we encountered with the TicWatch Pro 5 range (below) when its low-power dual-display tech is enabled.

OnePlus runs a relatively new version of Google’s software – Wear OS 4 – with its RTOS skin proving very palatable, but there’s no word on Wear OS 5 just yet. We found no bugs or issues during testing, unlike with the MIUI Wear OS skin on the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, and its ability to tap into Google services is a huge tick in its favor.

Another downside to the lack of comfort is the tracking accuracy, which we found to be only average during our time with the Watch 2 (but, again, not an issue if you choose the Watch 2R). It also omits a few no-brainer features, such as an LTE option and skin temperature tracking, which we typically expect at this price point.

Check out our full OnePlus Watch 2 review

Pros

Multi-day battery life
Intuitive Wear OS 4 skin
Excellent build quality

Cons

Only one case size
Heavy on the wrist
No LTE edition

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 (or Enduro/Atlas)

The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro fixes software gripes but ignores key hardware question photo 6 — The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro (left) and TicWatch Pro 5 (right) – Credit: Wareable

TicWatch Pro 5 specs and features

Size: 50.1 x 48.0 x 12.2mm
Display: AMOLED; 1.43 inches; 466 x 466 resolution
Connectivity: GPS, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi
Operating system: Wear OS 4
Weight: 44.3g
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 Platform
Battery life: 80 hours
Phone compatibility: Android 8.0 or later
Storage: 32GB
Water rating: 5 ATM (suitable for swimming in shallow water)
Sensors: PPG, SpO2, skin temperature

With its clever dual display, around four days of battery life, and consistent accuracy, the TicWatch Pro 5 is a solid pick for Android phone users.

Mobvoi also released the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro and TicWatch Atlas in 2024, but, aside from slight changes to the case, these are essentially the same as the Pro 5.

Whichever design you favor, you’ll get the clever combination of the Snapdragon W5+ chip and the dual-layer low-power display. This yields battery life that remains relatively unrivaled from Wear OS rivals.

Our testing of all three designs showed these are good enough for workouts and health tracking, with VO2 Max, blood oxygen, GPS, and HR data (for most workout types) in a healthy range.

Yet, the experience is far from polished, and the insights aren’t on the same level as Samsung or Fitbit.

The mammoth case is also only a good fit for those with big wrists, compounded by the omission of an LTE version. That makes it a non-starter for those who crave connectivity.

Check out our full Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 review

Pros

Display tech is ingenious
Multi-day battery life
Activity and health tracking accuracy

Cons

Likely to be outdated soon
Tons of bloatware
No smart assistant

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic specs and features

Size: 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm / 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm
Display: Super AMOLED; sapphire crystal
Connectivity: LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS
Operating system: Wear OS 4 (One UI Watch 5)
Weight: 52g (43mm), 59g (47mm)
Chipset: Exynos W930
Battery life: 30 hours (with AOD)
Phone compatibility: Android (limited) & Samsung (full features)
Storage: 2GB RAM + 16GB
Water rating: Swim-proof, 5ATM
Sensors: ECG, PPG, BIA, skin temperature

Despite the release of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 range, last year’s 6 Classic is still a very viable option thanks to software updates and its unique design.

With a top screen, a great breadth of health features, and the beloved physical rotating bezel, it’s everything the Galaxy Watch should be. The rotating bezel works perfectly with Wear OS, whether getting glanceable information from Tiles or notifications straight from the watch face.

Crucially, there are also two sizes – 43mm with a 1.3-inch AMOLED and 47mm with a 1.5-inch display – which makes it one of the few Android-ready watches for those with smaller wrists.

The bezel offers a more refined look, emulating a proper watch, and the faux leather strap is good for sweaty workouts and looks like the real deal.

Fitness and heart rate data were pretty flawless for steady workouts, as was sleep tracking data, which had been revamped for Wear OS 4. The 6 Classic will also be sticking with the latest software, getting plenty of the upgrades available through the 2024 One UI 6 Watch update.

The array of health features is also comprehensive here, with ECG, blood pressure, and body index tracking proving mostly solid.

The only thing that doesn’t make the Watch 6 Classic an automatic recommendation is battery life. We got around 30 hours with the always-on display turned on, and an hour workout will deplete around 20%.

So you could experience significant battery anxiety if you plan to use the new sleep-tracking features.

`Check our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic review

Pros

Good health features
Wear OS 4 works well
Fitness accuracy
Refined design

Cons

Single day battery
Fiddly options to enable
ECG/Blood pressure require Galaxy phone

Two amazing alternatives for Android users from our reviews

There are also different options for those unsure whether Wear OS is the right smartwatch platform. These picks still work well with Android smartphones and offer an alternative software experience to Google’s.

Garmin Venu 3/3S

Garmin Venu 3S on female wrist — The 41mm Garmin Venu 3S – Credit: Wareable

Garmin Venu 3 specs and features

Size: 45 x 45 x 12mm (Venu 3) or 41 x 41 x 12mm (Venu 3S)
Display: AMOLED
Connectivity: GPS, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, ANT+
Operating system: Garmin OS
Weight: 42g (with band) for Venu 3
Chipset: MediaTek MT6739
Battery life: Up to 14 days
Phone compatibility: Android and iOS
Storage: 4GB
Water rating: 5ATM
Sensors: PPG, ECG (limited regions), SpO2, skin temperature

The Venu 3 sees Garmin push on with its best sporty smartwatch yet, improving the battery life and heart rate monitoring sensor, and offering all-new features that make it a better fit for people who don’t spend their lives exercising.

In typical Garmin fashion, it’s still very comfortable tracking runs, rides, and pool swims – and has modes for golf and climbing. Garmin has added dedicated modes for HIIT-style training and new muscle maps for strength training to ensure you’re working on all those key muscle groups.

You’re getting every key smartwatch feature Garmin offers, including payments, a built-in music player with offline support for major platforms like Spotify, and room for 2,000 songs. There are notifications for Android and iOS users, though sadly there’s no LTE option.

Battery life varies depending on which case size you opt for here, though still good for well over a week even with the always-on display mode turned on. It’s also much more than what you’ll get on Wear OS and Samsung watches, which is important to remember.

The features that first debuted on the Venu 2 Plus are also here, meaning there’s a microphone and speaker to make calls via Bluetooth and access your phone’s smart assistant from your wrist. Depending on your region, you can also use the Garmin ECG app.

Read our Garmin Venu 3 review

Pros

Wellness features finally feel useful
Top HR accuracy
Lovely screen

Cons

Really pricey
Sports tracking offers basic metrics only
Some sleep accuracy niggles

Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro

Huawei Watch GT 4 specs and features

Size: 42mm or 46mm
Display: AMOLED
Connectivity: Dual-band GNSS, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Operating system: HarmonyOS 5.0
Weight: 42mm (without strap): 44g / 46mm (without strap): 53g
Chipset: Kirin A1 chipset
Battery life: 42mm: Up to 14 days / 46mm: up to 14 days
Phone compatibility: Android and iOS
Storage: 32GB
Water rating: 5ATM / IP69K (dive-rated to 40m)
Sensors: SpO2, PPG, skin temperature, ECG

After a two-year hiatus, the Pro edition of Huawei’s GT range is back – and this time, the mid-range option sees improvements to the tracking accuracy and design.

The flagship Huawei Watch 4 and 4 Pro are the flagship smartwatches (both good options for those with an Android phone), but the standard GT 5 is a slightly stripped-back, newer, and more affordable version.

They all share the same version of Harmony OS, which offers a very limited app selection due to Huawei’s ongoing ban in the US. However, running-specific modes, personalized AI running coach workouts, running index scores, VO2 Max, and a Healthy Living feature that reminds you to drink water are all here.

In sports tracking, the GT 5 Pro debuts upgraded 3D course maps and green contours for golfers, on-wrist mapping for the dedicated trail running profile, and a design certified for recreational divers. Across the range are also new insights for runners – such as ground contact time and vertical oscillation – and those who prefer the saddle can turn their paired phone into a bonafide cycling computer.

It comes in two overtly masculine/feminine designs, while the octagonal design that debuted through the Watch GT 4 has been sharpened further for this 2024 range.

Along with countless sports modes, the Watch GT 5 Pro boasts dual-frequency GNSS tech and is the brand’s first model with all-new TruSense architecture. Both performed well in our testing, even if they lag slightly behind the accuracy we’ve found through Garmin and Apple’s latest sensors and algorithms.

A huge selling point here, though, is the battery life. You’ll struggle to match Huawei’s estimate unless you disable most features, but it still managed around a week of heavy use with the AOD turned on.