In 2020, I bought a Samsung Galaxy 3 watch, which I wore for only about 3 months. I eventually ended up selling the watch on eBay because I had no use for it. The mistake I made was not asking myself why I wanted the watch. I simply purchased the watch because it was a gadget, and I like gadgets.
In 2022 I started looking at smartwatches again, this time I spent time thinking about why I wanted the watch and what features were important to me.
I ended up buying a Huawei Fit 2 watch, which I always wear and use many of its features regularly.
Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Smartwatch
This article is targeted at smartwatches that are designed to work with Android phones. If you’re an Apple person, this article probably isn’t going to be of much use to you, as you will want to get an Apple smartwatch.
Purpose Of Having A Smart Watch
Don’t go out and buy a smartwatch because you fancy a nice, shiny new gadget. Smartwatches have many features, but they’re not the sort of features you can spend time tinkering around with.
Think about how you will use a smartwatch. There are 5 main reasons that I can think of for having a smartwatch:
Smart Watch Features
Once you have determined the main purpose(s) of why you want a smartwatch. Drill down on the specific features that you require.
Go through the table below and decide which features are must-haves, which are nice to have and which you’re not bothered about.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Heart Rate Monitor | Measures heart rate in real-time, useful for both fitness tracking and health monitoring. |
| GPS | Provides location tracking, useful for navigation and tracking outdoor exercise |
| Step Counter | Counts the number of steps taken |
| Sleep Tracking | Monitors sleep patterns and quality |
| Notifications | Displays alerts for calls, texts, emails, and app notifications |
| Music Control \ Music Player | Control music playback on their smartphone or local music playback on the watch (no need for a phone) |
| Water Resistance | Indicates the watch’s ability to resist water damage |
| Fitness Tracking | Tracks various types of exercise and physical activity, often with specific modes for different workouts. |
| Bluetooth Connectivity | Allows the smartwatch to connect wirelessly with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, typically a smartphone. |
| Wi-Fi Connectivity | Enables the smartwatch to connect directly to Wi-Fi networks for internet access and data syncing. |
| SpO2 Monitor | Measures the blood oxygen saturation levels |
| ECG | The electrocardiogram feature is for monitoring heart rhythm and detecting irregularities, like AFib. |
| Voice Assistant Integration | Allows the use of voice commands to control assistants like Alexa, Siri or Google. |
| Personalise | Lets users personalise the appearance of the watch interface with different designs and information displays. |
| Smartphone Integration | Syncs with a smartphone for various functionalities, including accessing apps and managing notifications. |
| Charging Method | The method used to charge the smartwatch, e.g., wireless charging pads, USB cables, or proprietary connectors. |
| Barometer | Measures atmospheric pressure |
| NFC Payments | Enables contactless payments via the smartwatch |
| Stress Tracking | Monitors stress levels |
| Calorie Count | Estimates the number of calories burned based on activity levels |
| Swim Tracking | Specialized tracking for swimming activities, including lap count, distance, and stroke type analysis. |
| UV Exposure | Monitors exposure to ultraviolet light |
| Camera Control | Allows the user to control a smartphone camera remotely |
| Call Functionality | Enables making and receiving phone calls directly from the smartwatch, usually when connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth. |
| Text Messaging | Allows sending and receiving text messages (SMS, WhatsApp etc) directly from the watch, often requiring a connected smartphone. |
| Reminder and Alarms | Setting alarms and reminders for various tasks and events, directly from the smartwatch. |
| Weather Updates | Displays current weather information and forecasts, often synced from a connected smartphone or via Wi-Fi. |
| Compass | Provides directional orientation, useful in navigation and outdoor activities. |
| App Support | Allows the installation and use of various third-party apps, expanding the functionality of the smartwatch. |
| Wireless Earphone Support | Compatibility with wireless earphones for listening to music, making calls, or using voice assistants without the phone. |
The table above is by no means exhaustive, but it gives a good idea of the more common features found on smartwatches.
Budget For A Smartwatch
The price of smartwatches varies massively, from super cheap £30 all the way up to £1000’s. So, set your budget to an affordable amount.
Once you know the purpose of having a smartwatch and the features you require, look for a watch that meets your requirements. Don’t be swayed by the flashy marketing campaigns for expensive premium smartwatch brands like Samsung & Google. Much cheaper smartwatches likely offer all the functionality required at a far lower price.
TIP: Don’t go for super cheap smartwatches from brands you’re unfamiliar with. To make a super cheap smartwatch, manufacturers will have cut corners to get the price down.
Fashion \ Stylish Smartwatch
I know people will choose a smartwatch based on how it looks. But unless you buy a very expensive smartwatch, all the mainstream smartwatches look very similar. Choosing a smartwatch based on what it can do is much better.
Battery Life Of A Smart Watch
The battery life of smartwatches varies massively from 24 hours to 28 days. It seems that the more ‘Premium’ the watch, the shorter the battery life. The Samsung Galaxy Watch I purchased was considered a premium model; the battery life was about 24 hours, and that was with lots of features turned off.
The Huawei Fit 2 watch (not a premium model) I currently have, the battery easily lasts 10 days, and that’s with all the features on!
Personally, I think battery life is extremely important when deciding which smartwatch to buy. Charging a watch every day is a real ballache and one of the main reasons I got rid of my Samsung Galaxy watch.
Online Reviews Of Smartwatches
There are plenty of people reviewing smartwatches online. But, tread with caution when reading or watching online reviews. The reasons I say this are:
- Many of the reviews are by people who have gone out, purchased a watch to review, used it for a short period of time and then written a review. The problem is that you don’t get to know the real-world ins and outs of a smartwatch unless you have used it on a daily basis for a prolonged period of time.
- You don’t know if the person reviewing the smartwatch has a financial incentive (affiliate commission) to give a positive review.
- I’ve often seen reviews that have obviously just been copied from other review websites and rephrased.
It is probably best to read through customer reviews on smartwatches on websites like Amazon.
Note: Amazon is known for having fake customer reviews, so make sure you look at a number of different reviews
Conclusion: Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying A Smartwatch
Before going out and buying a smartwatch, you should think about:
1) What will you use the watch for
2) How much you can afford to spend
3) What features do you want
Once you know the answers to the above 3 things, look for a smartwatch that fulfils your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions: Buying A Smart Watch
What is the best smartwatch?
The best smartwatch is the one that fulfils all your requirements. There is no point in going out and buying a flagship smartwatch from someone like Samsung only to find that it doesn’t do the things you want.
How to set time on smartwatch without app?
With most smartwatches (probably all) it is possible to set the time on the watch without needing the app. How you do this will vary from watch to watch. Do a search on Google or check YouTube for instructions on how to set the time for your smartwatch without using the app.
How much does a smartwatch cost?
The prices of smartwatches vary considerably depending on the brand, features and style. Don’t assume that the most expensive smartwatch is the best watch. Some of the expensive, big brand ‘flagship’ watches turned out to be complete rubbish.
Can smartwatch measure blood pressure?
There are some smartwatches that have a blood pressure moitor. However, the accuracy of these smartwatches is questionable.
Will smartwatch work with iPhone?
As general rule, if you have an Apple iPhone then it is best to buy an Apple smartwatch. There are plenty of non Apple smartwatches that will work with the iPhone, but often feataures and functionality is missing.
Can I connect Apple smartatch to Android?
No
