The best smartwatches from Apple, Huawei & Co.
More and more mobile phone manufacturers are expanding their range to include smartwatches, whether for the office or training – the small companions can be useful wearables. But you can find out which smart watches are really worthwhile with all these models in our GIGA article.
smart watches are a perfect match for those who do not (want to) always have their smartphone at hand, but still do not want to do without various functions. But smartwatches are a dime a dozen, although you have to decide for yourself whether the fitness modes are more important or whether you want to wear the watch primarily in the office. In our overview, we will show you which models are really worth their money.
Contents
- 1 The best smartwatches 2022: All models at a glance
- 2 Apple Watch Series 6: test winner at Stiftung Warentest
- 3 Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Good, but with weaknesses
- 4 Huawei Watch GT 3: Practical functions at a fair price
- 5 Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Perfect for training
- 6 The best smartwatches 2022: How we tested and selected them
The best smartwatches 2022: All models at a glance
- GIGA tip At Stiftung Warentest gets (as usual) Apple with the Watch Series 6 (for 410 euros at Saturn) the victory.
- price tip The cheap one Samsung Watch 4 (for 170 euros at Saturn) is particularly worthwhile if you already own a smartphone from the manufacturer.
- the Huawei Watch GT 3 (for 190 euros at Amazon) offers everything a smartwatch needs for a fair price.
- For fitness enthusiasts, the Garmin Venu 2 Plus (for 380 euros at MediaMarkt) a practical supplement for training.
Apple Watch Series 6: test winner at Stiftung Warentest
GIGA tip The king is dead, long live the king – there is hardly a saying that fits the Apple Watch better than this one. Every year there is a fresh model and every year it is voted the test winner – including them Apple Watch Series 6 (view at Saturn). While not much has changed on the outside compared to the predecessor Apple Watch Series 5, a few things have changed on the inside: The Apple Watch 6 has a blood oxygen sensor, the processor is a bit better and the always-on display is a bit brighter. And the integrated altimeter can now be activated permanently.
Despite the praise, the smartwatch is not free from defects: Stiftung Warentest gives one for normal use (with training mode deactivated). Battery life of just 48 hours on. There is definitely more here. By the way, if you’re looking for the Apple Watch 7 (see it at Amazon), you won’t go wrong with this one. Stiftung Warentest also gave it a 2.0 rating, but the successor is only just behind the Apple Watch 6 in terms of the accuracy of the fitness mode measurements.
Advantages:
- Extensive fitness functions
- Siri and Apple Pay support
Disadvantages:
- Very short battery life
- Compatible with iPhones only
The main thing is chic? Then we have some fashion smartwatches for you here:
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Good, but with weaknesses
price tip Of course, Samsung fans are not neglected in our overview. Granted: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is not perfect. At Stiftung Warentest it was enough for a “good” (grade 2.4), but the relatively short battery life, among other things, led to a devaluation. Our editor Peter tested the classic version of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and especially criticized the dependency on a Samsung smartphone.
We don’t want to and don’t have to demonize the smartwatch. For well under 200 euros (see Saturn), the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 convinces with a chic look and a bright and scratch-resistant display. You can also use Google services and the smartwatch offers many functions that allow you to get to know your body even better.
Advantages:
- Easy to read display
- Google Apps and Services
Disadvantages:
- Battery life too short
- Samsung dependency
Huawei Watch GT 3: Practical functions at a fair price
If you’re looking for a smartwatch that you don’t necessarily want to spend a fortune on, it’s worth it Huawei Watch GT3 (view at Amazon). Unlike the Apple Watch below, Huawei’s fitness watch is hassle-free with Android phones and iOS compatible. Another advantage: You can install additional apps, such as fitness apps, so you can also do workouts with the watch. In addition, the battery in the 44 mm model (Huawei still offers 42 mm) lasts up to 24 days, although in our test it still lasted 14 days with intensive use.
However, the watch also revealed some weaknesses: The voice output (e.g. during workouts) is only in English and the watch did not always react to touch commands (especially on the edges).
Advantages:
- Very strong battery
- App installation possible
Disadvantages:
- Software and operation partially immature
- English voice output
It should rather be a fitness tracker? Here we have some recommendations for you:
Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Perfect for training
If you are primarily looking for a good fitness watch, you may have already noticed the Garmin brand. In contrast to the normal Venu 2 model, you can use the Plus version (view at MediaMarkt) make phone calls via the clock, reply to text messages via voice input and control voice assistants on the phone like Siri and Google Assistant. The large selection of fitness functions has also been retained, with the associated measurements convincing with high accuracy.
You need the Garmin app to connect to the cell phone, but according to various external test sites, stuttering can occasionally occur. Likewise, individual buyers report on Amazon of GPS connection problems and partly from system crashes. In the end, updates from the manufacturer are required here.
Advantages:
- telephony and voice control
- Extensive and accurate fitness functions
Disadvantages:
- Software with weaknesses
- Chunky design
By the way: If you don’t want to do without a high-end smartwatch and want to dig deeper into your pocket for it, it’s worth taking a look at Garmin Fenix 7 (look at Otto). The manufacturer has integrated an even stronger battery into this model and you benefit from a music player and a comprehensive map manager (e.g. for ski areas).
The best smartwatches 2022: How we tested and selected them
In our purchase advice, we made sure that we for Android and iOS smartphones list matching smartwatches. Some of the wearables prefer to be connected to in-house smartphones, which is why a good balance in the selection is important to us. In addition, for many smartwatch wearers, not only smart features are relevant, with which they use the smartwatch as a second smartphone, but also fitness functions. For this reason, you will also find models in our overview that fulfill exactly these wishes.
In our GIGA video we explain what you have to look out for with a smartwatch:
In the evaluations, we have partly based ourselves on our own tests, on the other hand also on the results of Stiftung Warentest (Edition 4/2022) and other external test sites. Likewise had Ratings from users influence on the selection. The latter were helpful because they didn’t judge based on benchmark numbers and other laboratory values that didn’t say much, but instead emphasized individual impressions.
With our research, we want to recommend you suitable products and avoid bad purchases. Your trust is important to us – that’s why you can rely on us. In a separate article you will learn how GIGA handles product recommendations and tests.
