Smartwatches, ranked by critic score
34 ranked by critic score · 261 professional reviews
Smartwatches, judged on health tracking, battery, apps and comfort.
Image: CorosCoros Nomad
7 professional reviewers tested the Coros Nomad, and 7 recommend it. Most praised: battery life and health tracking. Most common complaint: software.
The catch: There are no payments or satellite SOS.
4 of these 7 outlets print no score. We estimated theirs from the review text, then adjusted the estimates against the ratings outlets actually print (ours ran slightly low). An estimate is never higher than 92.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score.
- 1Coros NomadTop pick, narrowly7 reviews89Image: Coros
- 2Apple Watch Series 11Best for iPhone owners10 reviews88
Image: Apple - 3Apple Watch SE 3Best value11 reviews87
Image: Apple - 4OnePlus Watch 3Best Wear OS battery life6 reviews87
Image: OnePlus - 5Coros Pace 4 ProBest for running battery life6 reviews87
Image: Coros - 6Apple Watch Series 12Best for iPhone owners13 reviews87
Image: Apple - 7Garmin Forerunner 970Best for serious runners9 reviews86
Image: Garmin - 8Google Pixel Watch 3Best 45mm Android watch8 reviews86
Image: Google - 9Google Pixel Watch 4Best Wear OS watch8 reviews86
Image: Google - 10Samsung Galaxy Watch 8Best Galaxy Watch design6 reviews86
Image: Samsung - 11Garmin Fenix 8Best for serious outdoor and multisport training9 reviews86
Image: Garmin - 12Garmin Venu 4Longest battery13 reviews85
Image: Garmin - 13Apple Watch Ultra 3Best for adventure and display9 reviews85
Image: Apple - 14Coros Pace 4Best light budget running watch7 reviews85
Image: Coros - 15Apple Watch Ultra 4Best for multiday battery6 reviews84
Image: Apple - 16Garmin Forerunner 165Best for new runners who want an AMOLED watch15 reviews83
Image: Garmin - 17Suunto Race 2Best for a bright, long-lasting adventure watch8 reviews83
Image: Suunto - 18Amazfit Active 3 PremiumBest for deep fitness tracking at a low price7 reviews83
Image: Amazfit - 19Garmin Venu X1Best slim big-screen Garmin6 reviews82
Image: Garmin - 20Huawei Watch 5Broad agreement4 reviews · early score82
Image: Huawei - 21Google Pixel Watch 5Best For Android14 reviews81
Image: Google - 22Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2Best rugged Wear OS watch8 reviews81
Image: Samsung - 23Photo comingAmazfit Bip 6Best for a cheap watch with offline maps6 reviews81
- 24Garmin Instinct 3Best rugged outdoor battery life7 reviews80
Image: Garmin - 25Garmin Forerunner 570Best for bright-screen running tracking8 reviews79
Image: Garmin - 26Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 ClassicBest rotating bezel smartwatch5 reviews78
Image: Samsung - 27Honor Watch 5 UltraBest for rugged style and battery5 reviews76
Image: Honor - 28Withings ScanWatch 2Broad agreement4 reviews · early score76
Image: Withings - 29Amazfit Active 2Best value smartwatch features6 reviews76
Image: Amazfit - 30Polar Grit X2 ProBest for week-long outdoor battery with an easy interface10 reviews75
Image: Polar - 31Garmin Lily 2Best for a small, stylish everyday tracker6 reviews74
Image: Garmin - 32Samsung Galaxy Watch9Best For Android phones4 reviews · early score73
Image: Samsung - 33Photo comingAmazfit T-Rex 3 ProCritics split6 reviews68
- 34Motorola Moto WatchBest for battery life4 reviews · early score56
Image: Motorola
The highest-rated smartwatch so far, by a narrow margin, is the Coros Nomad: critic score 89 out of 100 from 7 reviews, 7 of them positive. Most praised: battery life and health tracking. Most common complaint: software.
Common questions
What is the best smartwatch?
Narrowly, the Coros Nomad, with a critic score of 89 from 7 professional reviews. Most praised: battery life and health tracking. Most common complaint: software.
Coros Nomad vs Apple Watch Series 11: which is better?
Critics score the Coros Nomad 89 and the Apple Watch Series 11 88. We list the Apple Watch Series 11 under “Best for iPhone owners”. Its main drawback: it is a small upgrade over the Series 10, and battery life trails multi-day rivals.
Which smartwatchs do critics disagree on?
The Amazfit Active 2 (scores from 57 to 95); The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro (scores from 30 to 94); The Motorola Moto Watch (scores from 40 to 70).