2024 smartwatch review: Which one is the best for you?

Smartwatches have become an indispensable smart wearable device in modern life, and their functions are becoming more and more powerful, from health monitoring to message reminders to mobile payment. However, in the face of a wide range of products on the market, consumers often have a hard time deciding. To help you find the one that suits you best, we have selected five of the hottest smartwatches in 2024 for a comprehensive review, covering Apple Watch Series 9, Huawei Watch GT 4, Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, Xiaomi Watch S3 and Garmin Forerunner 265, comparing from design, health, sports, battery life, ecology and other dimensions, and giving clear purchase suggestions.

Overview of participating products

Design and Screen

The appearance and wearing comfort of smartwatches directly affect the daily use experience. Apple Watch Series 9 continues the classic right-angled bezel design, and the screen brightness is increased to 2000 nits, which is clearly visible in the sun. Huawei Watch GT 4 features a round dial with a stainless steel bezel, which is full of business sense. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 takes a sporty style, and the screen is made of sapphire glass, which is sturdy and wear-resistant. Xiaomi Watch S3 offers a variety of strap and bezel changes, which are highly personalized. Garmin Forerunner 265 is born for sports, with a fiber-reinforced polymer case and a lightweight design.

In terms of screen quality, Apple Watch's LTPO OLED screen is brightly colored and supports always-on display; Huawei uses AMOLED screen, which supports AOD; Samsung's Super AMOLED screen has high brightness; Xiaomi is equipped with AMOLED screen, which shows delicate display; Garmin uses a semi-reflective screen, which is readable in strong light, but the color is not as good as the first three.

III. Comparison of health monitoring functions

Health features are the core selling point of smartwatches. Apple Watch Series 9 adds temperature sensing and ovulation prediction, as well as support for blood oxygen, heart rate, ECG, and introduces fall detection and car accident detection. Huawei Watch GT 4 is equipped with TruSeen 5.5 + heart rate monitoring technology, which supports blood oxygen, sleep, pressure monitoring, and new fat reduction and shaping functions. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 supports heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, and also provides body composition analysis (BIA), which can measure skeletal muscle, fat, and more. Xiaomi Watch S3 supports heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep monitoring, but no ECG. Garmin Forerunner 265 is a sports health expert, providing advanced indicators such as training load, recovery time, HRV status, etc., suitable for professional runners.

IV. Motion Modes and GPS

Sports enthusiasts need to pay attention to the sports mode and GPS accuracy. Apple Watch supports a variety of sports and has built-in dual-band GPS with high accuracy. Huawei Watch GT 4 supports more than 100 sports modes, and GPS positioning is fast. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 supports 90 sports, and GPS performance is stable. Xiaomi Watch S3 supports 150 sports modes, but GPS is single-band. Garmin Forerunner 265 is a running weapon. It supports dual-band multi-star positioning and provides running dynamics and training suggestions.

Five, battery life and charging

Battery life is the biggest pain point of smartwatches. The Apple Watch Series 9 has only 18 hours of battery life and needs to be charged once a day. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 has 40 hours of battery life under typical use, but it is shortened after being turned on and always on. The Huawei Watch GT 4 has up to 14 days under typical use and 8 days for heavy use, which is far ahead. The Xiaomi Watch S3 has 15 days of battery life and is equally excellent. The Garmin Forerunner 265 has a battery life of up to 13 days and a battery life of 20 hours in GPS mode. In terms of charging, the Apple Watch uses magnetic wireless charging. Huawei and Xiaomi support wireless charging. Samsung also supports it. Garmin uses a dedicated charging clip.

VI. Ecosystem and Compatibility

Apple Watch is only compatible with iPhone, the ecology is closed but seamless. Huawei Watch GT 4 is compatible with Android and iOS, but some functions need to be used by Hongmeng devices. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 has good support for Android phones, but is not compatible with iOS. Xiaomi Watch S3 is compatible with Android and iOS, but its functions are limited. Garmin Forerunner 265 has strong compatibility, supports Android and iOS, and can sync data through Garmin Connect. If you use iPhone, Apple Watch is the first choice; if using Android, Huawei and Xiaomi are more suitable.

VII. Price and cost performance

In terms of price, Apple Watch Series 9 starts at 2999 yuan, but it has comprehensive functions and is suitable for Apple users. Huawei Watch GT 4 starts at 1588 yuan, with long battery life and high cost performance. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 starts at 1899 yuan, but there are often promotions. Xiaomi Watch S3 starts at 999 yuan, which is the first choice for entry. Garmin Forerunner 265 starts at 2480 yuan, which is suitable for professional runners. Overall, Huawei and Xiaomi are more cost-effective, but they have their own trade-offs in function and ecology.

Comprehensive comparison table

In-depth analysis and recommendations

After a comprehensive comparison, we have come up with recommendations for different groups of people:

• Apple users:
  Apple Watch Series 9 is the first choice for its seamless ecosystem experience and comprehensive health features.
  
• Android users seeking long battery life:
  The Huawei Watch GT 4 is a great choice, with a battery life of up to two weeks and a versatile business look.
  
• Android users pay attention to health details:
  The body composition analysis feature of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is unique, making it suitable for users who are concerned about body fat.
  
• Students or office workers with limited budgets:
  The Xiaomi Watch S3 offers comprehensive features at a price of 1,000 yuan, making it highly cost-effective.
  
• Professional runners or sports enthusiasts:
  Garmin Forerunner 265 provides professional training data and is a powerful tool for improving performance.
  

In addition, if you use a Huawei phone, the ecological linkage of the Huawei Watch GT 4 is better; if you use a Samsung phone, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 can achieve maximum performance. The Xiaomi watch is extra optimized for Xiaomi phones, but other Android phones can also be used.

Summary

The smartwatch market in 2024 is full of flowers. There is no absolute best, only the most suitable. We recommend that you make decisions based on mobile phone brand, budget and usage scenarios. If you pursue the ultimate experience and don't mind charging every day, Apple Watch is the benchmark; if you need long battery life and business style, Huawei Watch GT 4 will not disappoint you; if you are an athlete, Garmin Forerunner 265 will be your good companion. Hope this review can help you find the smartwatch you like.