Best Smartwatches in India - Reviews and Comparison 2021

One of the top features to consider while buying a smartwatch is its operating system. You must ensure that it is compatible with your smartphone.

Apple smartwatch works only with iPhones, whereas Wear OS and Tizen work well with both iOS and Android. Most brands, other than Apple, use the operating system that their smartwatch plays nice with iOS and Android. However, you might have to download a companion app.

OS dictates the type of user experience. So, despite your smartwatch being compatible with both iOS and Android phones, certain features might not work in case of iOS. For example, iPhone users can’t reply to text messages in Garmin Vivoactive 3.

Like any other smart device, battery life matters while buying smartwatch as well. If not much, at least it should make it through the day without needing an additional charge once powered up in the morning. And then there are those which come with more than a month’s battery life!

Of course, the battery life is affected by the features you use especially ‘ always-on display’ because that calls for frequent charging. Furthermore, smartwatches that come with maximum features have a battery life of around two days. And smartwatches with primary functions are the one that runs for a month at a single charge.

Price for smart gadgets vary so much and things are no different for a smartwatch. Starting from only Rs. 3500, the high-end smartwatch can cost you Rs. 40,000. There are so many ranges and several varieties in between that you will undoubtedly find the one meeting all your needs. Music, fitness and communication are some of the basic features you will find in all smartwatch. However, when you go north on the price list features like in-built GPS, NFC, microphone, speaker, water-resistance up to 50 metres also gets added.

Whatever may be the price, as long as it has all the features you are looking for, it is worth buying.

There are many display type for smartwatches but OLED, AMOLED and LCD are most famous.

First of all, OLED is the same tech as AMOLED. In other words, AMOLED works on the same principle as OLED. So, that brings us to differentiating between LCD and AMOLED.

Remarkable colours, deep blacks, eye-searing contrast ratios and energy efficiency are the highlights of AMOLED display. While, LCD makes it easier to read in bright light, offers excellent viewing angles, and is an inexpensive technology.

The LCD is an old technology which manufacturer believes has reached its full potential and AMOLED is the future.

Generally, there are two interfaces in smartwatches, i.e. touchscreen and button. Although the touchscreen is preferred by most, but both are equally good, and it is just a matter of comfort. For example, the touchscreen makes navigation easy, but it is challenging to select small items on the screen. Whereas buttons ensure precision when selecting items on display, but navigation takes too much time.

Design is another main feature to consider when you buy a smartwatch. It is not just a gadget for many but a source of a fashion statement. Therefore, they consider the shape, size and colour of a smartwatch besides technical functions. You have plenty of options available in the market from a downright sporty look to the one that complements your business suit.

A smartwatch is nothing if it doesn’t offer convenience. In fact, it is so obvious to have this feature that the buyer assumes that it is present in the smartwatch, and they need not care to ask. However, not only you should confirm its presence but get details as well. For example, does this smartwatch facilitates only call rejecting or receiving as well? Can you get notification from email and social media accounts? What about text messages, can you only read them or also give a response to them?

One of the crucial reasons people invest in a smartwatch is fitness tracking. A smartphone is there to check the time and now they need a device that can count calories burned or log their steps. The advanced smartwatch comes with extra features like heart rate monitoring, sleep and stress level tracking, auto-exercise detection, blood-oxygen estimation. Smartwatches that have onboard GPS, they let you leave your phone at home when you go cycling or running. Also, mostly all smartwatches are water-resistant; however, only a few are swim-proof, therefore, if you are a swimmer, look for more than just water-resistant label.

A smartwatch is one that can not only route morning runs but also plays jogging jams. Most of the smartwatches let you save your playlist, so all you need is wireless earbuds. And those who don’t have music storage feature usually have on-watch music controls letting you control playback without taking out your phone.

Top brand smartwatches have NFC feature that means you can pay for your post-workout coffee even when you don’t have your wallet. Once you have saved your credit or debit card information, all you have to do is hold your smartwatch up to an NFC reader and voila, payment is made! However, some brands have their own payment systems. For instance, Wear OS devices use Google Pay, Samsung devices use Samsung Pay, Garmin has Garmin Pay and so forth.

A lot of smartwatches are ‘water-resistant’, and only a few are ‘waterproof’. Water-resistant watches can be worn at the time of the shower, but they shouldn’t be taken swimming.

ATM (atmospheres) rating will tell you if a smartwatch is waterproof or not. This refers to the amount of pressure it can take underwater. 5ATM = 50 metres underwater. If you are searching for a waterproof watch, go for a minimum of 5ATM.

Last but not least, it is favourable to know how long the warranty is on your smartwatch. Like all other products, longer the better it is. Majority of the smartwatch brands offer one year warranty.

It doesn’t matter if you are an avid swimmer or you have just started. You need a swim watch to give best pool performance, and for that, you need a smartwatch which is more than water-resistant. Therefore, besides being swim-proof, your watch should have features for pool-based workouts like heart rate monitoring, automatic stroke detection, accurate lap distances, to name a few.

Smartwatches have made significant strides in measuring the level of stress. The stress level varies with a hectic day at work to a specific situation and likes of Garmin and Fitbit are on board to monitor your mental wellbeing.

With more than 15 preloaded sports app, wrist-based heart rate technology, stress level calculation capabilities, swim-proof features, built-in GPS and many more workout functions, Garmin Vivoactive 3 is a go-to watch for any fitness freak. However, if you can’t get past the hefty price tag, Fitbit Versa 2 is at position second.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and this goes without saying. It gives a fierce competition to Apple followers on several fronts such as fitness tracking and heart rate monitoring, plus it’s more affordable. On top of it, Samsung’s marketing display type- Super AMOLED and round shape are enough to sway everyone around you.

The Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle HR for men and Julianna HR for women. Just check out their image and you would agree. It has a stylish, subtle design and chunky display. Plus, multiple strap options are available for traditional timepiece enthusiasts.

Hiking means you will be covering rough terrains. You need more than GPS to navigate on such areas and therefore, go for a smartwatch with GLONASS feature.

Measuring blood pressure at the wrist is challenging as it is usually measured on the upper arm using cuff technology. Rumour has it that Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 will soon launch the app to let people use its blood pressure monitor feature.

Not all smartwatch offers audio recording feature. Smartwatch that comes with microphone and speaker provides this feature. Right now in the market smartwatches with Siri, Bixby and Google Assist have this feature as they also enable you to talk to another person. You can use the very microphone to record voice.

Any smartwatch which has a room for SIM-card in it is a stand-alone smartwatch. A stand-alone smartwatch is like having a smartphone on your wrist as it facilitates making and receiving calls, sending and receiving texts, and much more.

Yes. And the reason is the same as given in FAQ 3.3.

No. Smartwatch has not been able to defeat smartphones in that department. Some of the smartwatches allow to control the smartphone’s camera, but that’s about as far as it goes.

Yes. There are plenty of smartwatches that supports Spotify, and some of them are from brands like Apple, Samsung, Garmin, Fitbit. Of course, you have got to be a Spotify premium member to get offline playback.

Not at all. Although these two are used interchangeably but they don’t mean the same thing. A water-resistant smartwatch can withstand a splash of water or maximum you can take it to shower. Whereas the waterproof smartwatch is impenetrable by water, and depending on its ATM rating, you can even take it for swimming.

Not many smartwatches work as a stand-alone device. Therefore, they can be connected to the internet, but they don’t have their own internet connection. One device they are usually connected to is a smartphone. The internet connection in a smartphone enables capabilities such as GPS navigation, notifications, fitness data syncing and third-party apps download. Moreover, this feature lets you make and receive calls and texts.

Usually, the smartwatch does support games. However, developers have not worked much in promoting this feature as people prefer a large screen to play games. Also, games drain the battery quickly.

Smartwatch brands claim that their watch gives 100% accurate data, but that is not always the case. However, data is very much precise and reliable.

Smartwatch companies have started taking security and privacy seriously since the VTech significant data breach scandal of 2015. Therefore, chances of a security breach are minimum to most smartwatch users. However, on your part, you can take the following steps:
· Install Norton like digital safety solution on your device.
· Allow as few ‘permissions’ as possible on applications.
· Keep your device updated so that it has the most up-to-date protection.

• You can use both dry and wet cloth to clean a smartwatch screen. However, when using a damp cloth, don’t forget to switch your smartwatch off, if it is not water-resistant.

• If your smartwatch is water-resistant (rates 1 ATM or higher), you can clean it by dunking it in diluted lukewarm water and liquid soap (a few drops).

• Use a clean microfiber cloth instead of a paper towel or a tissue paper which you use to clean the usual watch screen. The small particles of tissue paper can trouble by leaving lint behind, and a paper towel can put a scratch on display. An unused coffee filter spritz with water is an excellent alternative for a microfiber cloth.

• Furthermore, don’t use household chemicals or cleaners, Windex, and even window cleaning solutions to clean your smartwatch screen.

Cleaning of the wristband depends on the material used in its making.

• Leather: Cleaning leather from time to time extends its life. Clean leather band with a leather cleaner (which are usually mild) and conditioner.

  First, always test a small spot of the leather with the conditioner to ensure it doesn’t discolour. Shake the bottle well before applying a little dab to a clean white cotton cloth. Rub it onto the leather band, wait for it to dry, and then buff the spot with a clean cotton cloth. You can go ahead if there is no discolouration.

• Silicone: A mixture of liquid soap and lukewarm water works best when it comes to silicone made band.

  Put a small amount of soap, dish-washing or hand-washing, and warm water into a bowl. If the band is detachable or smartwatch is waterproof, dunk the whole thing in the mixture. Rub the band gently using a soft cloth. If you can’t separate the band from the dial, just dip the ends of the band in the solution. Pat dry and then air dry completely.

• Metal: Metal wristband are toughest to clean as they have chain links and other gaps where grime usually get trapped. For this, quickest and most natural cleaning option is to dip the band part in a mixture of liquid soap and water and further use a toothbrush to finish the job. Rinse in clean and warm water before you pat dry and air dries thoroughly.

• Stainless steel: Prepare a mixture by adding distilled white vinegar in a half cup of water. Further, use a toothbrush to clean stubborn build-up and finish with a quick rinse and thorough drying.

The little nooks and crannies along the edges and at the charging ports of a smartwatch can get jammed up with dirt and lint. Go for cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol for these tiny space.

Alcohol does wonder for metal and most plastic. However, keep leather away from it.

In the world of fitness smartwatch, Garmin has nailed it with Vivoactive. If you are hardcore fitness enthusiasts who like to contest in swimming, ride a bike, take yoga session, running then Vivoactive 3 should be your go-to smartwatch.

This smartwatch from the Garmin family has inbuilt GPS to track your physical activities independently. That’s not it, the Vivoactive 3 also has supreme features like pay your way (Garmin pay), VO2 max heat, music storage, stress tracking, and maps support. Garmin claims it can last for up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 13 hours in GPS mode.

With the Connect IQ store, you almost have your smartphone on your wrist since you can download watch faces, widgets and apps. From keeping a tab on when your Uber is arriving to see the weather forecast in AccuWeather MinuteCast app, all can be done. It also lets you connect to your existing and new friends via responding to text & social media messages and automatically uploading the finished activity status on Garmin Connect online fitness community respectively.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active caught our eye with its 39 in-built sports mode. Therefore, you name it, and this latest Samsung addition to the smartwatch segment has it. Its sporty design comes in 4 premium finishes with Always-on Super AMOLED touch display. It can do more than just tracking your heart rate variability and detecting stress levels. It sends instant alerts in case of abnormal heart rate and lets you take breathe session to balance your breathing.

The Tizen OS is its USP as the OS is much more consistent than Wear OS when it comes to performance and efficiency. We’re looking at almost two days of battery life on a single charge. It might not be a touchscreen, but its rotating bezel is no less than the best for navigation. Furthermore, by tracking the four-level of sleep, it helps you lead a balanced life.

With 50m Water Resistant and Water Lock Mode, you can take the Galaxy Watch Active not just to the shower but swimming as well.

The Huawei Watch GT 2e is the successor to last year’s smartwatch GT 2. Its 15 days of battery life is its most significant selling point. It is capable of tracking up to 15 activities, including stair climber, elliptical workout, rowing, and circuit training. It starts as you move. In other words, when you take the first step towards regular exercise, it will automatically detect the motion and start tracking your activity with a single tap.

GT 2e Sport ensures your workout isn’t boring by letting you store 500 songs. With features like real-time heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), HUAWEI manages not only your fitness but complete well being. Last but not least, this successor offers a rare feature - turning into a remote shutter of your phone and letting you click pictures with the pre-set 5 seconds timer.

Huawei Watch GT 2e gives almost all the primary and a few prime smartwatch features under a very reasonable price.

With whopping Amazon ratings, it is not just ours, but customers favourite smartwatch as well. It is a fitness tracker featuring loaded smartwatch. Although housed with AMOLED display and Fitbit Pay, it lacks in the area of GPS. It doesn’t have a built-in GPS, and you have no option but to carry your smartphone. However, it is the only smartwatch on our list with Alexa built-in. So, you simply have to press the button and speak to check the weather, set reminders or send replies.

The list of features doesn’t end here. The sleep score function lets you determine sleep quality each night. The Spotify integration and capacity to store 300 songs ensures that you have an exciting workout session. Also, we like Fitbit Versa 2 for its all-day activity tracking whether you are doing something as small as taking steps or bigger things to burn the calories.

Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle HR is for those who are willing to sacrifice in a few areas of fitness, but their watch should score full points on the fashion radar. It comes not with just the basic smartwatch features like heart rate monitoring, notification & alert arrives and swim-proof but also unique functions of Google assiatnt+speaker. In other words, it is quite a smartwatch behind a regular timepiece. It gives its counterparts a fierce competition in most of the areas except battery as that can last only for a day.

Coming to the appearance, The Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle HR is targeting the male market. If you are looking for something feminine, Julianna HR is what you should go for.

Our sixth entry is purely for those who don’t want a smartwatch to put a dent on their wallet. The Noise Colorfit 2 Pro is a worthy upgrade to the original Colorfit smartwatch. It has a sharp look with a square dial made from the quality plastic material. The clickable wheel button on the side of the dial ensures effortless UI navigation.

The Pro comes with all the usual bells and whistles that you have in budgeted smartwatches including heart rate monitoring, sports and sleep tracking, menstruation cycle tracking, remote music control and real-time notifications. No, manufacturers haven’t cut down on battery life to cover the price as the smartwatch comes with ten days of battery life.

This is another entry for the budgeted buyers, and it comes with a sporty design, decent display and best battery life. Yes, the battery life it offers- 45 days-is not even close to what our other picks have. This entry-level smartwatch from Huami has won the hearts of users with its features and price.

If you compare it with other smartwatches under same price model, then it has an unmatched fit and finishes. Apart from the always-on 1.28-inch transflective display, its screen gets brighter with the amount of light striking its surface. Incoming call can be accepted. You can read the text messages and also, receive social media notifications.

The IP68 certificate makes it safe against water and dust. If you speak of basic smartwatch features, you will find most of them in this Xiaomi backed smartwatch- heart rate sensor, step & calorie count, built-in GPS, and multi-sports mode.

With ultra-lightweight body and more than 40 watch faces, this smartwatch is worth your checkout time. Checkout buying guide, reviews and comparison of best power bank in India.