There is no denying smartwatches’ health benefits, and even life-saving abilities. But unless you’re a fitness fanatic, you don’t want a 45mm GPS-tracking monster ruining your office or party outfit. Finally, the design choices are becoming slimmer and more understated. And with the option to disconnect trending, there are great options that don’t conspire with your mobile to bombard you with another email or push notification.
Wearable smartwatches: form meets function
Fitbit Inspire HR
With a price well under £100 and a minimal-sleek appearance, the latest Fitbit is a basic fitness tracker that might surprise you. It is a swim-proof watch with a five-day battery, on the down-low in a monochrome black combo, or go for a sorbet-popping lilac strap for a touch of summer. Despite its budget price, it comes packed with functionality, including all-day activity tracking, calorie count, and heart rate features.
Garmin Lily
The Lily is Garmin’s svelte smartwatch far removed from their larger tool-tastic fitness trackers. But there is no compromise on the functionality, with everything from Garmin’s well-known Body Battery features to stress-, respiration-, and hydration-tracking. It will sync with Garmin’s accomplished Connect app, and excels in the wearability stakes. With a choice of Italian leather straps and a 34mm case with a bracelet-like vibe, it embodies inconspicuous elegance with a tech twist.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
With a slim 40mm case, the sixth-generation of the Samsung Galaxy Watch has come down from an unwieldy 42 or pan-sized 47mm down to a slim 40 with a thinner case design. It comes with many personalised options, three case finishes, and a big bunch of fresh straps for easy-click matching your fit of the day. We’d go for a soft fabric strap for sleepy comfort, as the useful Sleep Coaching feature is accessible directly on the watch to track those important deep sleep phases.
Apple Watch SE
Why not buy the latest Gen 7 Apple Watch? Because the 38mm or 40mm Apple Watch SE is pretty unbeatable in the sleek-with-every-fit stakes. The only caveat is it still wants to partner up with your iPhone, so if you’re an Android fan, look away now. Tone down the ever-buzzing notifications, and it’s a minimalist-cool, comfortable watch while retaining its health-tracking prowess and emergency call feature should you have an accident. The fit, choice, and quality of its straps are also on another level, so don’t knock this OG pebble.
Consider these hybrid smartwatches
What about hybrid smartwatches? Ensuring the feel of mechanical watchmaking on your wrist without instantly accessible sports tracking features, the oft-berated hybrid smartwatches are coming of age. Now, you can keep your health tracked while saving yourself from the embarrassing option of speaking into your Apple Watch when your partner calls mid-Waitrose shopping to remind you of onions.
Pininfarina Senso hybrid watch
Covered by us before, the Pininfarina Designed Senso series of smartwatches have a sartorial, Italian take on wrist-computing. With a suave tool watch case and Italian swagger, it’s one for the naysayers who will be swayed by functionality. It may have a small screen, but it packs a techy punch featuring an optical heart rate sensor, sleep and activity tracker, and more. It’s not small at 44mm but outpaces most with up to 30 days of battery life.
Withings Scanwatch 38mm
Surprisingly for such a small-sized watch, the Scanwatch actually boasts a clinically validated electrocardiogram and SpO2 sensor. It has a small integrated screen at 12 o’clock and is otherwise a delightfully retro-modern watch design with the best choice of finishes and bands around. At last count, Withings offered about six cases and 20 bands in a tempting but bewildering array of colours.
