A great timepiece doesn’t just tell you what time it is - it can also make you look like you have your life together. The best smartwatches go further, tracking workouts, monitoring heart rates, serving as notification hubs, and giving you access to voice assistants. Basically, they let you leave your phone in your pocket and do simple tasks on your wrist, freeing up your hands for more important things like gesturing wildly.

Like everything else in consumer tech, smartwatches have gotten pricier, thanks to rising component costs and supply chain pressures. But if you’re an iPhone owner, the Apple Watch Series 11 remains the obvious choice - surprise. For Android users, Google’s Pixel Watch 4 takes the crown. And if neither suits your style, there are plenty of other options with varying levels of smartness and wrist presence.

Below is a roundup of the best smartwatches we’ve tested. If you’re more into fitness trackers or smart rings, check out our guides for those too. Updated July 2026: We’ve refined recommendations, removed discontinued products, added an FAQ section and comparison table, and updated prices and links - because keeping up with tech is a full-time job.