Should you’re an iPhone proprietor trying to find a smartwatch, the Apple Watch is probably the most pure alternative. And with the launch of the brand new Collection 9 and Extremely 2, there’s extra alternative than ever.
No matter which mannequin you select, Apple’s smartwatches are typically costlier than different choices from the likes of Garmin, Huawei, and Fitbit.
Then, there’s the battery subject. For a lot of, the 1-2 days of battery life merely is not sufficient – and lots of rivals carry out a lot better.
Add all this to the reservation you’ll have concerning the sq. design of the Apple Watch, and there are many causes for iPhone customers to search for an Apple Watch different.
We have examined all the highest choices, so learn on for our information to one of the best smartwatches for iPhone customers to think about in 2023.
Fast picks
Key concerns
1. Battery life
The Apple Watch’s Achilles heel is battery life, and Apple solely guarantees 18 hours between fees (though we normally get 36). However you is likely to be shocked to know that it’s a relative outlier. Most smartwatches now supply per week or extra away from the charger, which is a big draw away from Apple’s smartwatch. Nevertheless, in case you’re prepared to spend, the Apple Watch Extremely 2 will final round 2-3 days.
2. Worth
Apple Watch begins at $269/£299 for the SE (2nd gen) and $399/£419 for the Collection 9. And the brand new Apple Watch Extremely 2 is available in at a whopping $799/£849. Options can be found for lower than $99/£99 albeit with critical sacrifices when it comes to options and display screen tech. Nevertheless, high quality Apple Watch alternate options can be found for below $200/£200, do you have to wish to preserve prices down.
3. Apps and iOS
The Apple Watch is likely one of the few smartwatches with a burgeoning App Retailer, and there’s not a single different that may rival this side. So by choosing an Apple Watch different, you would possibly miss out in your favourite third occasion companies, similar to Spotify, Google Maps, or your favourite workout-tracking app. That additionally extends to options like Apple Pay or LTE, which Apple does higher than its rivals.
Apple Watch Collection 9
Wareable
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The Apple Watch Collection 9 looks like a minor replace, however its new options allow it to remain a number one alternative for iPhone customers.
First up, choose fashions are carbon-neutral because of 100% recycled aluminum instances and new Sport Loop straps – so it is a more sensible choice for the setting.
The display screen is now remarkably brighter, doubling its brightness to 2000 nits. The inclusion of the S9 chip introduces a 30% quicker GPU and a four-core Neural Engine permits gesture management and a greater, quicker Siri.
The brand new double-tap finger gesture, whereas not a vital function is cool – and anybody who loves getting the newest tech will not wish to miss it. It feels futuristic and we really feel this may drive innovation throughout smartwatches.
Elsewhere, the Collection 9 is identical nice mixture of sports activities monitoring, doubtlessly life-saving ECG, excessive/low HR alerts and fall detection, and the unbelievable App Retailer and Apple Pay. Sleep monitoring and health monitoring are beginning to really feel a bit dated, and the Collection 9 will not be pretty much as good at wellness options as Garmin/Whoop.
Battery life continues to be the most important draw back at simply 18 hours formally, though we at all times discovered round 25-30 with an hour’s exercise monitoring. It is simply sufficient, however in case you intend to make use of the sleep monitoring, it makes retaining the Collection 9 charged fairly annoying.
Learn our full Apple Watch Series 9 review.
For
- Love the brand new gesture
- Excellent, unisex design
- Unimaginable health-tracking capabilities
- Unmatched app retailer
Towards
- One-day battery life
- Not nice at wellness evaluation
Apple Watch SE (2nd technology)
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The Apple Watch SE (second technology) is now the reasonably priced Apple Watch possibility and changed the getting old Collection 3.
The package deal continues to be pretty complete right here for the asking worth, though the compromises are clear and straightforward to know.
You sacrifice the brand new edge-to-edge display screen, and an always-on show, and you do not get ECG or SpO2.
Nevertheless, you continue to get all of the unbelievable sports activities monitoring and exercise monitoring options of the costlier Apple Watch fashions and all the advantages of the unbelievable App Retailer. This helps elevate the gadget above its rivals.
Apple has included the S8 chip on this second-gen model of the SE, too, and it ensures the expertise is simply as zippy (and can seemingly proceed to be) as with the Collection 8. This may even future-proof the SE so that it’ll comfortably run loads of watchOS upgrades to come back. Nevertheless, you will not get any of the gesture options discovered on the brand new Collection 9/Extremely 2.
For
- Similar S8 chip as Apple Watch Collection 8
- Excellent worth – and now a fair lower cost
- Complete options and monitoring
Towards
- Solely works with iPhone
- No All the time-On show
- Not an enormous leap ahead from the unique Apple Watch SE
Apple Watch Extremely 2
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The Apple Watch Extremely 2 introduces a number of enhancements with out deviating from final 12 months’s design – apart from it is now carbon impartial, with 95% recycled titanium when paired with one of many new straps.
It boasts a 33% improve in display screen brightness, and the brand new S9 SiP chip introduces a four-core Neural Engine, which permits the good new ‘double-tap’ gesture management function, and quicker Siri response instances.
It is nonetheless an unbelievable smartwatch, which most significantly solves the battery life nervousness of the usual Collection 9. Battery life surpasses Apple’s 36-hour promise, and we discovered it typically lasted into a 3rd day with common use.
Sports activities monitoring stays potent, with high GPS accuracy and extremely feature-rich working and biking modes – and we discovered VO2 Max accuracy to be spot on too. The compass app has been given some new options, and TOPO mapping is slowly rolling out within the US.
Nevertheless, whereas it will get the entire lifesaving well being options of the Collection 9, wellness options and well being knowledge metrics could seem primary for customers wanting the sort of complete insights discovered on Garmin, Oura or Whoop.
It is nonetheless one of the best model of the Apple Watch, however homeowners of the first-gen Extremely will not have too many causes to improve.
For
- Superb sports activities watch
- The show is a factor of magnificence
- An finish to battery nervousness
Towards
- Wants some native software program tweaks
- Battery life nonetheless is not superb
- Not the prettiest case design
Garmin Venu 3
Greatest Apple Watch different
Wareable
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The Garmin Venu 3 goes head-to-head with the Apple Watch Collection 9, aimed particularly at sports activities and well being lovers.
It is available in two out there sizes (45mm and 41mm) with choices for various colours and options just like the Sleep Coach and an automated nap detection mechanism, which personalizes sleep necessities based mostly on quite a few metrics.
The Venu 3 is 2 issues. A sporty smartwatch with a bunch of pretty primary sports activities profiles, and for a Garmin, produces fairly low-level knowledge for working, biking – and likewise HIIT. There are first rate golf options with distances for 40,000 programs inbuilt.
The opposite half is a wellness watch, with in-depth metrics similar to the brand new sleep coach (as talked about above) but additionally Morning Report and HRV Standing, Physique Battery, stress monitoring, and metrics similar to respiration fee and coronary heart fee.
Regardless of its enhanced GPS performance and inclusion of the superior Elevate V5 coronary heart fee sensor, it omits multi-band GNSS. It additionally consists of ECG to identify examine coronary heart rhythms for Afib.
Battery life is 10 to 14 days relying on the mannequin dimension, so much better than Apple Watch.
And here is the kicker: at $449.99/£449.99 it is actually costly. However the firm simply launched the Vivoactive 5 at a fraction of the value.
For
- A lot of sports activities monitoring
- Loads of well being metrics
Towards
- Too costly
- No-where close to as slick as Apple Watch
- Fundamental sports activities knowledge
Huawei Watch GT 4
Greatest for design
Wareable
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The Huawei Watch GT 4 is a top quality all-rounder smartwatch, placing a steadiness between worth, design, and health options.
Boasting two dimension choices, the GT 4 not solely embraces traditional watch aesthetics with its 46mm variant and a redesigned 41mm possibility.
The show, a 1.43-inch 466 x 466 AMOLED touchscreen, affords vibrant colours and glorious viewing angles, guaranteeing visible readability.
The Huawei Watch GT 4 affords typically good well being and sports activities monitoring, providing a broad spectrum of metrics and correct knowledge, from coronary heart fee to GPS distance. Working is properly dealt with, and the corporate has added Strava integration.
Sleep monitoring can be pretty strong, and whereas we did discover its sleep period estimates a bit beneficiant, it is constant and useful sufficient to get worth from. And the brand new loud night breathing and respiratory monitoring options add one other layer to its well being metrics.
Nevertheless, the shortage of a strong ecosystem, particularly in areas like apps and funds, is noticeable and stands out as a major downside to the Apple Watch SE.
However the tradeoff is much-improved battery life. If you wish to get 14 days you will want to forego options just like the always-on show – however you need to get 6 days with all of the bells and whistles turned on. And that makes it a worthy Apple Watch different.
Priced beginning at £229/€249, it affords good worth, although with noticeable trade-offs in options in comparison with high-end rivals.
For
- Stable 6 days of heavy use
- Good working and health options
Towards
- Virtually no entry to third-party apps
- Funds non-existent
Huawei Watch 4 Professional
Greatest for diving
Wareable
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A very highly effective, different to the Apple Watch, the Huawei Watch 4 Professional brings premium supplies, a beautiful display screen, and loads of well being options – and superior battery life as properly.
The Huawei Watch 4 is every part nice about what Huawei is doing with its wearables in the intervening time – however nonetheless suffers from some core points.
We’ll begin with the great things. You may count on round three days of battery life with every part turned on, and you can push this to round 5 with out the always-on show enabled. It isn’t as excessive as different Huawei watches (just like the Watch GT 3) however nonetheless outstrips the usual Apple Watch.
It is a health powerhouse with good working accuracy and a great deal of health metrics – which bought a clear invoice of well being in our testing.
Well being options additionally excelled, with ECG on board, and the Well being Snapshot function, which additionally checks arterial and respiratory well being.
The downsides are the issues the Watch 4 Professional does not have. No NFC for funds, no music streaming companies, or a correct app retailer implies that the Watch 4 cannot match the Apple Watch in lots of respects. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless an pleasing smartwatch to make use of and a worthy different.
Learn our in-depth Huawei Watch 4 review.
For
- Good well being and health options
- Pretty design and supplies
- Three-day battery life
Towards
- As dear as an Apple Watch Collection 8
- No NFC funds or apps
Fitbit Sense 2
Greatest for well being insights
Wareable
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A highly effective well being watch (however a median smartwatch), the Fitbit Sense 2 is likely one of the solely gadgets that may match up with the Apple Watch Collection 9 as a medical gadget.
It excels as a sleep tracker and coronary heart fee monitor, and it boasts ECG for the detection of Afib, and SpO2, which is linked to sleep monitoring for the detection of sleep issues.
Add in an electrodermal exercise sensor (EDA) for stress detection, and even a temperature sensor to place you in tune along with your physique and well being, and there is a lot to love.
And it is no slouch on the subject of health both, with GPS and assist for Strava.
Few gadgets put you answerable for this a lot knowledge about your physique, however there are caveats.
The Fitbit Sense 2 is not an incredible smartwatch. Although Google Pockets has now arrived on the gadget, third-party apps are nearly non-existent and the watch face gallery is clunky and stuffed with paid-for choices with a weird fee course of.
There usually are not that many on-watch options, both, making it a really primary smartwatch to make use of exterior of exercise monitoring options. However you do get round six days of battery life, and a critically speedy quick cost.
Should you’re trying to get the utmost quantity of well being knowledge out of your smartwatch, the Fitbit Sense 2 is an effective alternative.
For
- ECG and nice well being options
- The facet button design is far improved
- Week of battery life
Towards
- Clunky working system
- Costly asking worth
- Stress monitoring is barely okay
Garmin Epix Gen 2 / Fenix 7
Greatest outside different
Wareable
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The Garmin Epix burst into the sports activities watch vary in 2022 – as a Fenix 7 with out compromises. The headline function is that touchscreen 1.3-inch, 416 x 416-pixel decision AMOLED show, providing one of the best of Garmin’s sports activities watch vary, with a extra pleasing, high-end expertise.
We’re additionally bigging up the Fenix 7 right here, though its transflective show pales (actually) compared to full AMOLED rivals such because the Apple Watch.
The 47mm case might be too huge for some, however now the Epix Professional is available in 42mm. You probably have skinny wrists, it’s a little bit of bulk to hold, with a 22mm strap and tipping the scales at 78g. Nevertheless it’s 2mm smaller than the Apple Watch Extremely and delivers critical sports activities monitoring energy.
There’s an insane array of sports activities monitoring modes, top-notch analytics, mapping on the wrist, Firstbeat VO2 Max and coaching insights, and the brand new Stamina monitoring. Nevertheless, in testing, we discovered that enhancements might be made to sleep monitoring and the usefulness of components similar to stress monitoring and Physique Battery.
The Epix nonetheless musters a surprisingly lengthy interval away from the charger. Garmin says you need to stand up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, with 6 days in case you use the display screen in always-on mode.
You get to 42 hours in GPS mode (30 hours in always-on mode) and 21 days in battery-saver mode, so it’s in a unique league in comparison with the Apple Watch.
In brief, the Garmin Epix is the closest we’ve seen to a no-compromise Garmin sports activities watch – however with a price ticket that eclipses most rivals. And do not rule out the Garmin Forerunner 965, both, if you would like that AMOLED show in a less expensive package deal that may nonetheless monitor exercise with one of the best of them.
For
- Big battery life
- Sports activities monitoring powerhouse
Towards
- So Costly
- Large on the wrist
Withings ScanWatch 2
Greatest hybrid different
Wareable
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In case your eye has been caught by the superior well being monitoring capabilities of the Apple Watch Collection 9, then the ScanWatch 2 is a fantastic different.
The important thing distinction is that the ScanWatch 2 is an analogue watch that hides its smarts away. There’s a small display screen: a monochrome OLED panel that exhibits primary stats and notifications, positioned on the dial.
By way of options, robust coronary heart fee monitoring, sleep monitoring and ECG for the detection of Afib spherical out a well being targeted smartwatch, with good accuracy and loads of insights.
What’s extra, the ScanWatch 2 will search for respiratory points throughout sleep, and detect excessive/low coronary heart fee.
And it’ll nonetheless monitor exercises, and even GPS in case you take your cellphone together with you.
We did discover a couple of points. Computerized exercise detection is poor, and sleep accuracy lagged the likes of Oura and Whoop. And naturally, you do not get issues like funds or apps.
However the 30 day battery life can be the antithisis of a single day on Apple Watch.
If you do not need a pc on the wrist, the ScanWatch 2 is a strong and discreet well being smartwatch.
Read our full Withings ScanWatch 2 review
For:
- Trendy design
- Tracks well being metrics like coronary heart fee and sleep
- Linked GPS (through smartphone)
- Can monitor actions like working and biking
Towards:
- Doesn’t have a touchscreen
- Doesn’t have built-in funds
- Not as many apps because the Apple Watch
Amazfit Energetic
Greatest finances different
Wareable
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If value is your most important subject with the Apple Watch – and the cheaper Watch SE – then the Amazfit Energetic is the place to go.
We booted out the discount Bip from this record in favour of the Energetic, which is available in at round $149/£129. For that it affords glorious GPS tracked outside exercises, with strong coronary heart fee monitoring (so long as you put on it good and tight).
Sleep period is a bit over-estimated, however consistantly tracked with tons of information. And the Zepp Well being app is a good place to overview your well being and sleep knowledge.
Amazfit has added a brand new Readiness function, which apes the likes of Oura and Whoop to supply an insightful, single rating on how properly your physique is recovered for the day.
Lastly, the battery will final practically two weeks – a stat to be smug about to your Apple-toting associates.
Whereas not a looker and manufactured from plastic, the Energetic nonetheless manages to be slim, mild and comfy. And the complete AMOLED show affords good usability, in a package deal that actually belies its price ticket.
Read our Amazfit Active review
- Nice battery life
- Stable GPS and sports activities options
- Slim and light-weight
- Finances OS
- A bit of fiddly to make use of