The best Android smartwatch 2025: Wearables by Google, Samsung and more

TechRadar

The best Android smartwatches deliver high-performing health and fitness tracking alongside a slew of smart features. They also work seamlessly with a wide variety of Android handsets, which means Android users have a much broader choice compared to Apple counterparts.

Transcript

00:00Got an Android phone? And not sure which Wear OS smartwatch is right for you? Well, you're in luck.

00:09Here are the best Wear OS watches I've tested in 2025 and are available to buy right now.

00:15For those not in the know, Wear OS is an operating system made by Google to use on

00:20its smartwatches, just like Android is an operating system for phones.

00:23Wear OS watches integrate Gmail, Google Maps, Wallet, and other apps available on the Google

00:28Play Store, such as Spotify, Strava, and anything else you might need on a watch.

00:33They pair really well with Android phones, and while they can be used interchangeably

00:37with any Android phone, you might be missing out on a few exclusive features if you're using

00:42different brands. Not every watch is going to be perfect for everyone. Those on a Samsung watch

00:47may need a Samsung phone and vice versa, but your purchase might depend on what phone you have,

00:52what fitness features you're after, and whether you prioritize communications features and third-party

00:57apps over longer battery life. If you need to go long hours without charging, you're better off

01:03prioritizing that functionality with something like a OnePlus watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra,

01:08rather than something like a Pixel watch, which will need to be charged every day or so.

01:11Wear OS watches aren't your only option. If you're rocking an Android phone, you can still use Garmin,

01:17Amazfit, Polar, and other system-agnostic smartwatches or fitness trackers that rely on

01:22third-party apps. These watches are compatible with both iPhones and Android devices,

01:26making them great choices. However, if you're looking for the best of Wear OS, these are my picks.

01:35The latest crop of Samsung Galaxy Watches are great. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a top pick,

01:39with a battery life of up to 100 hours in smartwatch mode and a whole vista of adventuring features.

01:44However, most people won't need this. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic would be my

01:49recommendation for most people, and I prefer the slim design of the Galaxy Watch 8 over the chunky,

01:55rotating bezel of the Watch 8 Classic. The Samsung Galaxy Watch series offers a load of cool health

02:00features, such as an energy score showcasing your recovery metrics, AI-powered sleep guidance,

02:06a new running coach feature, a body fat estimation, and blood pressure monitoring. Although,

02:12you'll need a blood pressure cuff to calibrate that last one. The straps and body have been recently

02:17redesigned so that the watches fit snugly against your wrist. The screen is beautiful and bright,

02:22and even though Samsung uses its own interface, it still runs Wear OS, so you have access to all

02:28the apps on the Google Play Store. You can also take and receive calls on wrist, ask questions of

02:33Google Gemini, and you have the option to pay extra for a 4G-enabled version that will allow you to do it

02:38all without a phone. The downside of these smaller watches is the battery life. It's not as big as the

02:43Watch Ultra, as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 tops out of 40 hours instead of the Watch Ultra's 100 hours. It also

02:49misses out on the programmable quick button, that military-grade toughness, its dive mode,

02:54and some safety features, such as the ear-splitting alarm siren. If you use them with Samsung phones,

02:59you also get to use the Watch as a camera viewfinder, although use with other phones

03:04requires you to download the Samsung Health app as a bit of a backdoor. I rated the Samsung Galaxy

03:09Watch 8 4.5 stars over the 4-star Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch 8 Classic. The Watch Ultra costs

03:15$649 in the US and £599 in the UK, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 line starts at $399 in the US

03:24and £349 in the UK. It's just great value for money.

03:30The Google Pixel Watch is, as the name suggests, Google's own brand Wear OS watch, and its distinctive

03:35teardrop shape is now iconic. Now into its fourth iteration, the Google Pixel Watch 4 packs in all the

03:41Wear OS smarts you'd expect, including Maps, the rest of the Google suite, Gemini, you can take calls

03:47with a built-in speaker and microphone, and much more. You can now just raise the watch and ask it

03:52a question to activate Gemini automatically. Hardware-wise, you also get a new domed display

03:57in the Google Pixel Watch 4 that offers much more screen real estate than ever, although it does stick

04:02out on the wrist slightly as a result. Fitness features come from the Fitbit app, including a daily

04:07readiness score, similar to Samsung's energy score, and a host of other cool fitness features. However,

04:12there is a little bit of a downside here, as more advanced health features are accessed by paying the

04:17optional subscription to Fitbit Premium, whereas Samsung gives you everything at the point of

04:22purchase. However, the Pixel Watch also offers a 5G option, as well as satellite connectivity,

04:27to use for emergency SOS messages and calls in a pinch. It's also repairable, so you can replace

04:32the battery or the display without needing to buy an insurance package or a whole new watch to do it.

04:38It comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm, and starts at $400 in the US and £350 in the UK.

04:48Challenger brand OnePlus has been quietly making great stuff for a while, and the OnePlus Watch 3

04:53is a true Wear OS powerhouse. It lasts up to 100 hours, just like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra,

04:59by switching operating systems, so it's a Wear OS watch when you need it and a low power watch when

05:04you don't, which is really clever. It features a tough titanium exterior and a rotating digital crown,

05:09just like the Google Pixel Watch and the Apple Watch line. It's got the look of a classic round

05:14dress watch, along with a bright AMOLED screen and excellent sleep and wellness tracking credentials.

05:19A 60-second health check-in is a new feature that allows you to track blood oxygen, your body's

05:24temperature, your last night's sleep, and a new metric called vascular age, which is similar to

05:29Garmin's Fitness H. It's specifically tailored for heart health. It's got an onboard electrocardiogram

05:34functionality to check for heart problems like atrial fibrillation, so it's great for those

05:38concerned about their health. It boasts 100 sports modes, however, only 11 of those offer unique metrics,

05:44and the other 89 are just nice-to-haves. Costing $499 in the US and £269 in the UK, I really enjoyed it

05:52during testing. Fine Numa, it was a powerful, robust daily driver. OnePlus makes big, chunky watches,

05:58so if you like slender models, you'll be better off with a Samsung Galaxy Watch model.

06:02It does come in two sizes, the big 47mm and the smaller 43mm, but both models are pretty thick.

06:09However, the advantage of the OnePlus is that it'll work well with any Android phone, thanks to the

06:13system-agnostic oHealth app, so you don't need Samsung Health or a Pixel phone to add any extra features.

06:19Even using a OnePlus phone gives you the same exact benefits as using it with another device.

06:27If you love running and cycling and you aren't bothered about Wear OS, but you still want a

06:31watch that works with your Android phone, you could also consider a cheap fitness tracker such as the

06:35Amazfit Active 2, which is a lower-power watch without third-party apps, but it is a 5-star

06:41tracker that packs 10 days of battery life. You could also opt for a top-flight fitness watch such as the

06:47Garmin V-New, 4Runner or Fenix series. These watches are system-agnostic, relying on their own

06:53respective apps such as Garmin Connect, rather than Google's suite of features. What watch are

06:57you choosing for your Android phone? Let us know in the comments below and we'll see you next time.

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