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I wore the Apple Watch SE 3 for a week and it’s the best Apple Watch for most people

3:00 pm | September 16, 2025

Apple Watch SE 3: One-Minute Review

What if I told you Apple has managed to trickle down nearly all the major features you’d expect from an Apple Watch into an entry-level model that doesn’t break the bank and still feels right at home in the lineup?

That’s exactly what I found after testing the brand-new Apple Watch SE 3 for nearly a week.

The SE 3 doesn’t reinvent the wheel – it’s very much a classic Apple Watch. It comes in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm, and two colors. It still has the Digital Crown, uses the same charger, and sits on the wrist just like before. But it finally fixes one of the biggest complaints with the SE line by adding an Always-On display.

No, the display doesn’t slope at the edges like the newer Series models, but that’s not really a drawback here. The SE 3 still looks and feels like a classic Apple Watch, with an aluminum build, tougher Ion-X glass, and solid sizing that make it both durable and practical – especially for parents buying one for kids. The bezels are a bit thicker, and brightness tops out at 1,000 nits, which can make it harder to see in direct sunlight, but for everyday use, the screen gets the job done.

Performance is where the SE 3 really shines. With the same S10 chip that powers the Series 11 and Ultra 3, watchOS 26 feels just as smooth here as it does on those higher-end models. Apps open instantly, navigation is quick, and gestures like Double Tap and the new Wrist Flick add a nice layer of convenience. Sure, you don’t get every health feature – there’s no ECG, Blood Oxygen, or Sleep Apnea tracking – but the essentials are here: heart rate tracking with alerts, the new Sleep Score with retroactive trends, activity tracking, and temperature sensing for cycle tracking.

Compared to the SE 2, this is a big step forward. It’s faster across the board, handles daily tasks with ease, and finally supports fast charging. Battery life is still rated at 18 hours, but with Low Power Mode you can stretch it closer to 32 if needed. In my testing, it comfortably lasted a full day, even with sleep tracking. The new 5G antenna adds efficiency if you opt for the LTE model, though speeds feel about the same as before.

At $249 / £219 / AU$399 for the 40mm version, there’s never been a better Apple Watch from a pure value perspective. And if you don’t need the ultra-modern slimmed-down looks of the Series 11, the rugged features of the Ultra 3, and can live without ECG, Blood Oxygen, or Sleep Apnea tracking, then the Apple Watch SE 3 is likely the model for you.

Apple Watch SE 3: Specs

Apple Watch SE 3: Specifications
Component	Apple Watch SE 3
Price	From $249 / £219 / AU$399
Dimensions	40 x 34 x 10.7mm (40mm), 44 x 38 x 10.7mm (44mm)
Weight	26g (40mm) or 32.9g (44mm)
Case/Bezel	Aluminum
Display	Always-On Retina LTPO display with OLED, Ion-X scratch-resistant.
GPS	L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou
Battery Life	18 hours of battery life or 36 hours in Low Power mode
Connection	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE 5G (Optional)
Water Resistance	WR50 and IP7X

Apple Watch SE 3: Price and Availability

$249 / £219 / AU$399 for the 40mm
$279 / £249 / AU$449 for the 44mm
Cellular 5G connectivity costs extra

As the entry-level model, the Apple Watch SE 3 is the most affordable Apple Watch in the lineup. It starts at $249 / £219 / AU$399 for the 40mm version with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but jumps to $279 / £249 / AU$449 for the 44mm.

If you want cellular connectivity, the 40mm Apple Watch SE costs $299 / £289 / AU$489, or $329 / £319 / AU$539 for the 44mm. Note that activating service will be an additional monthly cost with your carrier.

Regardless of size or connectivity, you’ll be able to pick between Starlight or Midnight. The Apple Watch SE 3 is available for pre-order now and launches on September 19, 2025.

Value score: 5/5

Apple Watch SE 3: Design

Apple Watch SE 3 Review — (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

The Apple Watch SE now has an always-on display
It can run more complex watch faces
It doesn't use the Series 10 / 11 body, but an older model

The Apple Watch SE 3 doesn’t stray from Apple’s proven formula and looks much like an Apple Watch Series 9 or older. It features an aluminum shell with a nylon composite back – so yes, you can put the rumor of an all-plastic build to rest once again – and comes in two sizes: 40mm or 44mm.

The bezels around the LTPO OLED display are thicker than those on the Series 10 or 11, which curve down at the edges. But considering the price, that feels like a fair compromise – especially since it’s an Always-On display. Even when it’s not in use, it dims the brightness and slows the refresh rate so you can still see the time and any complications you’ve set.

The display also protected with the latest Ion-X glass, bringing the screen's durability on par with the Series 11 and making it four times more durable than the SE 2. Considering many parents choose the SE for kids, that extra toughness is a major win.

This removes one of the biggest reasons for skipping the SE in favor of a pricier model: you no longer have to give up the Always-On display. Once you’ve used it, you really can’t go back. In a meeting or a class, you can simply glance down – or check a notification – without raising your wrist.

While it feels smaller compared to the 46mm Series 10 or 49mm Ultra 3, it still provides plenty of room for navigation. You can scroll through Photos, swipe through Maps, check an extended forecast, and even view Notes (a new perk of watchOS 26). The Flow watch face, with its bubble Liquid Glass typeface set against a lava lamp-like background, runs smoothly. The display is harder to view in direct sunlight and fairly reflective, and it tops out at 1,000 nits of brightness.

Like any other Apple Watch, the SE 3 has the Digital Crown – a key interface control – and the main button on the right-hand side. It also features a two-speaker grille, like the Series 11, and you can play music, listen to podcasts, or take calls on speakerphone. It’s not on par with AirPods Pro 3, but it’s surprisingly loud.

The band system hasn’t changed, but is a little complex. The SE 3 40mm will work with bands designed for older Apple Watches up to 41mm in size. The 44mm SE 3 will work with bands for itself, older 45mm Apple Watches, and any Apple Watch Series 10 or 11.

Those larger bands can also be used with other large watches like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 – but it doesn't work the other way around, as Ultra 3 bands can't be used for the SE 3. Phew!

Charging is unchanged, too: the SE 3 uses the rear sensor stack with the included USB-C magnetic disc charger.

If you’re upgrading from the SE 2, the case sizes are identical: 44mm by 38mm by 10.7mm, or 40mm by 34mm by 10.7mm. Color options are now just two – Starlight or Midnight – and I do wish Apple offered more variety. Of course, you can add personality through first- or third-party bands.

It might not be the most modern-looking Apple Watch, but the SE 3 still holds its own against other smartwatches. And at the same MSRP as the previous generation, with more features included, it’s likely the best value in the entire lineup.

Design score: 4 /5

Apple Watch SE 3: Features

Gestures come in really handy on the SE 3
It offers most, but not all, of the health features that the Apple Watch is known for
The new Sleep Score is a major standout

I’ve been testing the Apple Watch SE 3 alongside the Series 11 and the Ultra 3, and while that might seem like an easy way to spot differences, all three are powered by the same Apple-made S10 chip. Specifically, it’s a 64-bit dual-core processor with a GPU and a 4-core Neural Engine, and it ensures watchOS 26 runs smoothly.

This means the most affordable SE 3 is nearly as capable as the most expensive Ultra 3 or the mid-range Series 11. After a quick setup, I was greeted with Apple’s iconic “hello” in Liquid Glass and could take a tour of watchOS 26. That’s especially helpful since the SE 3 may be someone’s first Apple Watch.

Navigation is simple: your home screen is your chosen watch face, which you can long-press to edit or swap. Click the main button on the right to pull up Control Center for quick settings, or press the Digital Crown to view all your apps. Everything runs quickly here.

Two gesture controls stand out. Double Tap lets you pinch your forefinger and thumb to perform actions like answering a call, opening an app, or controlling music. Wrist Flick, new with watchOS 26, lets you flick your wrist back to return to the interface. After using it daily, I’ve wondered why it wasn’t available before.

The S10 chip also enables several health features, although compared to the Series 11 or Ultra 3, you’re missing Hypertension Notifications, Blood Oxygen tracking, ECG, and Sleep Apnea Notifications on the SE 3.

The SE 3 does offer Sleep Tracking with the new Sleep Score, which gives you a rating – Very Low, Low, OK, High, or Excellent – and a score from 0 to 100. If you’ve tracked sleep before, it retroactively assigns scores to show trends. It uses the same second-generation heart rate sensor stack as the SE 2, providing monitoring with alerts for low, high, and irregular rhythms. You also get full activity tracking and temperature sensing from a wrist sensor, which upgrades cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates.

Overall, the SE 3 delivers the core health and activity tracking you’d expect from a smartwatch. In side-by-side use with the Series 11 and Ultra 3, it produced similar results for workouts, sleep, and heart rate.

Beyond the new media playback function, it also gets the voice isolation feature for calls that debuted with the Series 10. This means you can comfortably take calls in noisy environments, like at a ballpark or a botanical garden, without worrying the person on the other end won’t hear you. It does an excellent job of focusing on your voice and blocking background noise.

Features score: 4.5/5

Apple Watch SE 3: Performance

It offers the same performance as the Series 11 or Ultra 3
watchOS 26 runs very well here with fluid and responsive interactions
You get basic fast charging

The Apple Watch SE 3 performs in line with the Series 11 and Ultra 3. Swapping and customizing watch faces happens smoothly, applications open quickly, and navigation around watchOS 26 feels fluid with the Liquid Glass updates.

It’s also noticeably faster than the SE 2. Apple says it’s up to 30% faster with the GPU and has 60% more transistors in the CPU. It’s a lot of jargon, but in practice, it runs laps around the SE 2 in day-to-day use—opening apps, scrolling through photos, starting workouts, and running third-party apps.

This responsiveness makes sense considering the SE 2 was released three years ago and powered by the S8 chip. The S10 ensures watchOS 26 runs well across the board, from activity and workout tracking to health monitoring.

It also helps extend battery life, which on my SE 2 has been showing its age. Apple rates the SE 3 for up to 18 hours, the same as the SE 2, but with a newer lithium-ion battery and Low Power Mode support. If enabled, you’ll lose some functionality, including the Always-On display, but it can stretch runtime to 32 hours.

In TechRadar’s testing with the SE 2, it often exceeded the 18-hour window. With the SE 3, depending on use, it can similarly last a full day with moderate use, including sleep tracking. As with the Series 10, you’ll likely need to recharge once in the morning or evening.

The new 5G antenna on the LTE-enabled model may improve efficiency. It adds 5G alongside 4G LTE, and in my tests, it performed well for messages, calls, and emails when not connected to my iPhone, though speeds were about the same as previous Apple Watches.

Finally, fast charging has arrived on the Apple Watch SE, and it’s a welcome addition. According to Apple, with the included charger and a 20-watt power brick, you can go from 0% to 80% in about 45 minutes. In practice, it was closer to an hour when charging from completely dead, but it hit 30% in about 15 minutes, which is enough for a quick top-up before bed or in the morning.

All in all, the Apple Watch SE 3’s performance doesn’t leave you wanting more. Its speed and responsiveness are in line with the Series 11 and Ultra 3, just in a smaller build with thicker bezels.

Performance score: 5 /5

Apple Watch SE 3: Should I Buy?

Value	Simply outstanding.	5 / 5
Design	An older model Apple Watch with a screen durability upgrade.	4 / 5
Features	watchOS 26 shines here.	4.5 / 5
Performance	On par with a more expensive watch.	5 / 5

Buy it if…

You're getting your first Apple Watch

There's never been a better entry point into Apple's wearable ecosystem, as you'll get everything you expect and then some more here.View Deal

You don't need every possible feature

The Apple Watch SE 3 effectively trickles down all the major features you'd expect from an Apple Watch, but does miss a few of the more advanced ones. As long as you're cool with missing those, this is the Apple Watch for you.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You need advanced health features

The Series 11 or Ultra 3 offer more robust features, including Hypertension Notifications, ECG, and Sleep Apnea DetectionView Deal

You want a more impressive screen

The Series 11 screen not only gets brighter, but it slopes down the edges for better off-axis viewingView Deal

Apple Watch SE 3: How I Tested

I've been testing and reviewing smartwatches for many years and was an early adopter of the original Apple Watch, buying one on launch day in 2015. Since then, I've reviewed many smartwatches, including multiple Apple Watches and the previous SE models. My testing of the Apple Watch SE 3 began after unboxing it and setting it up with my iPhone.

I used it for nearly a week, testing all aspects of the device, including the new software features introduced in the watchOS 26 update and the upgraded hardware—most notably the S10 chip. I aimed to run down the battery under both moderate and heavy usage.

I compared it against the Apple Watch SE 2, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2, as well as the new Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. For workout and activity tracking, I tested it not only against other Apple Watches but also against an Oura Ring, a Galaxy Watch 7, and a Pixel Watch 3.

First reviewed September 2025.

I wore the Apple Watch SE 3 for a week and it’s the best Apple Watch for most people

3:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: Apple Watch, SE | Comments: Off

Apple Watch SE 3: One-Minute Review

That’s exactly what I found after testing the brand-new Apple Watch SE 3 for nearly a week.

Apple Watch SE 3: Specs

Apple Watch SE 3: Specifications
Component	Apple Watch SE 3
Price	From $249 / £219 / AU$399
Dimensions	40 x 34 x 10.7mm (40mm), 44 x 38 x 10.7mm (44mm)
Weight	26g (40mm) or 32.9g (44mm)
Case/Bezel	Aluminum
Display	Always-On Retina LTPO display with OLED, Ion-X scratch-resistant.
GPS	L1 GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou
Battery Life	18 hours of battery life or 36 hours in Low Power mode
Connection	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE 5G (Optional)
Water Resistance	WR50 and IP7X

Apple Watch SE 3: Price and Availability

$249 / £219 / AU$399 for the 40mm
$279 / £249 / AU$449 for the 44mm
Cellular 5G connectivity costs extra

Regardless of size or connectivity, you’ll be able to pick between Starlight or Midnight. The Apple Watch SE 3 is available for pre-order now and launches on September 19, 2025.

Value score: 5/5

Apple Watch SE 3: Design

The Apple Watch SE now has an always-on display
It can run more complex watch faces
It doesn't use the Series 10 / 11 body, but an older model

Those larger bands can also be used with other large watches like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 – but it doesn't work the other way around, as Ultra 3 bands can't be used for the SE 3. Phew!

Charging is unchanged, too: the SE 3 uses the rear sensor stack with the included USB-C magnetic disc charger.

Design score: 4 /5

Apple Watch SE 3: Features

Gestures come in really handy on the SE 3
It offers most, but not all, of the health features that the Apple Watch is known for
The new Sleep Score is a major standout

Features score: 4.5/5

Apple Watch SE 3: Performance

It offers the same performance as the Series 11 or Ultra 3
watchOS 26 runs very well here with fluid and responsive interactions
You get basic fast charging

Performance score: 5 /5

Apple Watch SE 3: Should I Buy?

Value	Simply outstanding.	5 / 5
Design	An older model Apple Watch with a screen durability upgrade.	4 / 5
Features	watchOS 26 shines here.	4.5 / 5
Performance	On par with a more expensive watch.	5 / 5

Buy it if…

You're getting your first Apple Watch

There's never been a better entry point into Apple's wearable ecosystem, as you'll get everything you expect and then some more here.View Deal

You don't need every possible feature

Don’t buy it if…

You need advanced health features

The Series 11 or Ultra 3 offer more robust features, including Hypertension Notifications, ECG, and Sleep Apnea DetectionView Deal

You want a more impressive screen

The Series 11 screen not only gets brighter, but it slopes down the edges for better off-axis viewingView Deal

Apple Watch SE 3: How I Tested

First reviewed September 2025.

Whoop MG review: the super-premium Whoop option falls flat at this price

4:00 pm | September 13, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Fitness Trackers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Whoop MG: One minute review

I really didn’t know what to make of the Whoop MG; I loved it and disliked it in equal measure. On the one hand, it’s a brilliant fitness tool, with a simple-yet-deep interface boasting comprehensive metrics. It’s got an in-app workout builder worthy of any of the best fitness apps, and an intuitive journaling mechanism. The journal entries you record feed into your recovery and strain information in a simple, clever way.

It’s really easy to use; being screenless, you hardly interact with it at all beyond taking the occasional ECG scan or switching off its haptic alarm with a few taps. Instead, all the interaction is done via the app, with the app sending through push notifications when it’s time for bed, or when the app needs a piece of information clarified with a quick journal entry.

Despite its limited interface, it’s a sophisticated tool, packing a host of heart health features including ECG to test for atrial fibrillation (the MG in its name stands for Medical Grade) and estimated blood pressure, which requires calibration with a cuff. Its new Healthspan tool gives you the Whoop Age metric, which is similar to Fitness Age on one of the best Garmin watches, or Metabolic Age on continuous glucose monitors like Abbott’s Lingo.

On the other hand, certain aspects of the tracker stop me short from recommending it for everyone. For one thing, the price for the Whoop MG – it’s only available on its premium Life subscription, with the medical-grade heart-screening features – is extortionate.

The lower-tier wearable, the Whoop 5.0, starts at a much more reasonable £169 / $199 / AU$299 per year. For this price, you can get a Whoop One subscription, which gives you the Whoop 5.0 device but locks metrics like Stress and Whoop Age behind a paywall. Instead, you get those (along with a nicer band and the wireless charger) with a Whoop Peak membership, which costs £229 / $239 / AU$419 per year. Then at the top end you get the Whoop Life subscription plan at £349 / $359 / AU$629 per year for life, which comes with the premium Whoop MG device with heart screening and ECG features. Stop paying at any tier level, and your Whoop reverts to an inert hunk of plastic at the end of your membership.

I tested the top-tier, super-premium Whoop MG, but the hardware is fiddly at times. Unbuckling the strap causes the metal clasp to come completely detached more often than not, the alarm is hard to turn off at times, while taking ECGs failed as often as it succeeded. Looking around the web, these aren’t isolated incidents.

It’s an impressive, sophisticated fitness tracker that some people will love, but I came away disliking it. While I appreciate that some people will see the subscription-based model as a monthly health investment, at this premium tier I don’t think the value is there, unless you’re very wealthy and extremely athletic or concerned about monitoring your health. Essentially, that makes it Batman’s ideal fitness tracker.

Whoop MG: Price and availability

Whoop MG worn on man's wrist on street — (Image credit: Future)

Whoop Life (MG): £349 / $359 / AU$629 per year
Whoop Peak (5.0): £229 / $239 / AU$419 per year
Whoop One (5.0): £169 / $199 / AU$299 per year

The Whoop MG’s value score, from the outset, is hampered by the membership scheme, especially as Whoop promised existing members free upgrades to the 5.0, turned back on that promise, then doubled back again after user outcry.

The Whoop MG device I’m testing is only available with the Whoop Life subscription, the most expensive tier.

The Whoop 5.0, without an ECG, blood pressure or Heart Screener features and more accurate, starts at the basic Whoop One tier (£169 / $199 / AU$299 per year), which offers Strain, Recovery, Sleep, VO2 Max, heart rate zones, steps, Strength Trainer, menstrual cycle insights and journal features. However, you don’t get the Whoop MG’s premium band and wireless charger, and software features Whoop Age, Stress and Health Monitor, which are locked behind a paywall.

For an extra $40 / £60 / AU$120 per year you can get Whoop Peak, which adds those hardware and software features back in. Now, all that you’re missing are the heart health features and improved accuracy for stats like menstrual cycle insights with the improved sensor array, which you get by spending another $120 / £120 / AU$210 per year on top of the Whoop Peak price for Whoop Life (£349 / $359 / AU$629 per year).

As we’re reviewing the Whoop MG, I’ll be focusing on this most expensive price tier, and to spend this sort of money on a wearable is far from unheard of – as a one-off payment, that is. To spend it annually is mad to me. Even though the app is terrific, it would have to do everything, pack GPS for better running insights, and make my coffee in the morning for me to consider this a good deal.

Things get a little better as you go down the tiers, as once you break down the cost by month, a subscription that aids your health and fitness in the way Whoop does starts to sound more reasonable. But even the best smartwatches, many of which offer excellent fitness credentials of their own, are a one-time payment – meaning Whoop will eventually out-cost them.

Value score: 2/5

Whoop MG: Design

Whoop 5.0 band on wrist — (Image credit: Max Delaney / TechRadar)

Excellent app user experience
Totally screenless
Poor clasp

First things first: anyone who’s seen a Whoop device before will know it’s not a smartwatch. It’s a completely screenless plastic fitness tracker with its sensor array on the underside, wrapped using a Superknit or Coreknit polyester-fabric wristband over the top of the device. A bicep Coreknit band is also available. I like the screenless design – it’s distraction-free, and very easy to wear day-to-day.

Holding it all together is a stainless-steel buckle with a crossbar on one end to hook the fabric band, and two short pins to attach to the tracking device on the other end. This was one of my main hardware frustrations: I get that you’re not supposed to take the band off that often, but when I unclipped the band the buckle came off completely maybe one out of every three times. I had to forcibly bent the metal a couple of times to get it to stay put.

The design of the app, however, is very good – it’s one of the most user-friendly fitness apps I’ve tried in a long time. It’s easy to navigate, using color and circular graphs to provide clear context for your reams of data. The workout builder and journal functionality are intuitive and feed into other metrics. The only issue I had is that when viewing detailed heart rate graphs, the app inexplicably shifts to landscape mode.

Design score: 3.5/5

Whoop MG: Features

Whoop recovery, sleep and strain scores — (Image credit: Max Delaney / TechRadar)

Automatic workout detection
Very detailed, comprehensive metrics
Workout builder

Whoop’s screenless ‘set-and-forget’ tracker is possible thanks to its advanced activity detection functionalities. Once the software learns what kind of workouts you take part in most often, it’s very good at anticipating your movements, tracking and logging them as the correct workouts. Towards the end of my testing, it successfully logged running and weightlifting workouts separately, without prompting.

Speaking of weightlifting, the workout builder is intuitive and fantastic to use, both as a diary of your strength-training progress and a way for the app to better pinpoint the amount of strain the workout placed on your body. I was able to create routines in advance and assign them to workout instances, and I was able to create and edit them on the fly if I had to go up or down a weight during a lift, for example.

Only a few very specific movements were missing, such as resistance band-assisted pull-ups, but for the most part its workout library was vast and comprehensive.

The Whoop Coach AI chatbot was also surprisingly useful, putting my personal statistics into context with its library of science-based advice.

The Whoop MG has an ECG feature, automatically exporting an ECG report that you can share with a doctor. Its blood pressure detection requires prior calibration with a blood pressure cuff for it to work, then estimates your blood pressure fluctuations based on other metrics. Otherwise, your step count, calorie burn, heart rate, sleep duration and more are folded into a trio of metrics, each scored out of 100: sleep, a measure of your overall sleep quality; recovery, the percentage of which your body has recovered from exertion or stress; and strain, which is how much stress you’re putting on your body during the day.

A ‘strain threshold’ is calculated based on your recovery and activity levels, indicating how strenuous your day should and can be before it veers into detrimental territory. Detailed graphs plot your stress, relation between strain and recovery, daily heart rate and more. With such a mass of information, it would be so easy for this to become confusing, but Whoop does a great job of packing a lot of information into the app without it feeling impenetrable.

Features score: 4/5

Whoop MG: Performance

Battery life is excellent
Accurate heart rate and sleep tracking
Geared for optimization

I found the Whoop matched up closely during testing with other wrist-based devices such as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 when it comes to heart rate tracking: in other words, it’s as good as it gets on your wrist. The sleep tracking was also accurate, recording without fail each time I woke up in the middle of the night.

Battery life was excellent. I averaged about nine days with the Whoop MG before I needed to use the attached charger, and even then I just clipped it on while I worked at my desk, and charged the device up without taking it off.

Generally, it was a terrific device, and I enjoyed my time with the Whoop. Its metrics aren’t just detailed, they’re actionable, offering plenty of context rather than spewing forth useless numbers in a vacuum. It doesn’t just tell you your sleep score, but also how to improve it.

However, I don’t think I’m necessarily the target audience for this device – I know it’s optimal, but I do not want to go to bed at 9pm, no matter what Whoop thinks my sleep need is. As it was telling me to wind down for the night, I was ramping up: I’d worked late, cooked late, and then had to do the dishes and sort some paperwork I’d been putting off. Only changing my goals in the app from “reach my sleep need” to “improve my sleep” stopped the Whoop MG from nagging me with push notifications at 8:30pm.

Well, almost. When I did take the device off, inside of 15 minutes, and without fail, I got a push notification telling me to reattach it, which irked me to no end. This is one of the most comprehensive fitness trackers I’ve ever tried, and certainly the best option for workout and recovery tracking if you don’t care about detailed running metrics; but it’s for the optimization-obsessed, and those who can afford its exorbitant annual fees.

Performance: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	The super-premium Whoop Life subscription is not great value.	2/5
Design	Wonderful app UX, so-so construction.	3.5/5
Features	Varied and comprehensive.	4/5
Performance	Detailed and usable metrics produce actionable advice	4/5

Whoop MG: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re obsessed with performing better

Whoop is for the truly dedicated, who want every part of their lives dialled in for elite performance.

You want distraction-free fitness

No screen? No problem. Whoop’s sleek tracker is unobtrusive and light.

Money is no object

The Whoop MG’s top-end subscription tier is very expensive.

Don't buy it if...

You’re an endurance athlete

Without GPS, Whoop can’t give you the speed and distance information you need, only the stress a run or other activity places on your body.

You’re on a budget

Obviously.

Also consider

We're currently testing the Polar Loop and Amazfit Helio Strap, both screenless fitness trackers new for 2025 pitched as Whoop competitors. Check back soon for our full reviews on both devices.

How I tested

I wore the Whoop MG for 21 days, testing its medical ECG feature, building workouts, wearing it almost constantly, asking questions of its chatbot, and exploring the app in detail. I compared it against the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on a hike, wearing one device on each wrist.

First reviewed: September 2025

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review: Upgraded to clean your teeth – and the planet – even better

2:00 am | September 4, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Australia | Comments: Off

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush: One minute review

The Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush continues the environmentally-friendly mission of its predecessor, while upgrading everything that could help offer a better brushing experience. The end result is an upgraded model worthy of inclusion in our list of the best electric toothbrusheswith its balance of performance, portability and sustainability.

Suri's mission statement is all about creating a toothbrush that lasts, stopping landfills piling up with disposable plastic brushes. As such, it uses recycled materials in construction, the heads are plant-based and can be recycled – for free by Suri in some countries – and it's made to last.

The sonic brush has a redesigned and strong motor that offers a powerful-yet-gentle 33,000 movements per minute sonic vibration. The pressure sensor detects a user is brushing too hard and lowers the force of the pressure and vibrates subtly so you know to ease off, keeping your gums and teeth safe while also gently training you to brush better.

The case has had a battery added to it, which can charge the brush and also power the UV cleaning light that kills 99.99% of bacteria within one minute. It's a superb feature that helps it compete even against the tech-crammed top-tier toothbrushes like the Oral-B iO Series 10 and the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000.

Once again, this comes with the sticky-backed magnet that lets you mount your brush neatly anywhere in your bathroom.

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review: Price and availability

Priced at $135 in the US
£105 in the UK
Australia price yet to be announced

The Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush has a launch price in the UK of £105. That puts it only a bit higher than its predecessor which was £95 with the full kit.

The US price at launch is $135. Considering the original model was $116 at launch, with the UV case, this price isn't a big jump up and represents a great value for money amount.

The Australian pricing, at time of publishing, has yet to be announced, but we estimate it'll be around AU$200 based on the prices above.

The company says the brush is made to be easily repaired, so you shouldn't need another for a very long time. Plus, if you do change up, Suri will recycle it all for free.

The heads are sustainable but are still going to wear down, so you'll need to factor in replacement costs. A pack of three new heads will cost you $18.45 / £14.40 / AU$28. That includes fast and free shipping as part of the charge.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review: Specifications

Component	Value
Battery life	40+ days
Sonic vibrations	33,000 per minute
Charging stand	USB
Timer	Yes, two minute with 30-second haptics
Noise	50 dB
Charge time	4 hours

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review: Design

Upgraded motor
Aluminium body
Plant-based heads

The design of the Suri 2.0 closely adheres to the sustainable ethos of the company, with plant-based heads, a build comprised of recycled materials and a seeming focus on minimal environmental impact in both short and long term.

You still have that slim aluminium build that feels both comfortable and premium, with durability to last long-term. The base is flat allowing it to stand easily, and offers wireless charging either with the included mount charger, or via the case.

The sticky-backed magnetic mount charger allows the brush to 'float' wherever you choose to stick it, whether that's neatly next to your bathroom mirror or inside a drawer. Short of going on the ceiling, there are very few limitations here. I didn't try it on the ceiling, but the mount was so strong I dare say that would probably work too.

The brush uses brush heads made from cornstarch and castor oil instead of synthetic plastic. These are shaped into a wave-shaped bristle pattern to take care of interdental cleaning, and you also get a return envelope so you can send them back, free of charge in some countries, for recycling.

The new case is a great evolution as it still features a UV-C light to clean the head, but now also packs in a battery so charging can be done anywhere – more on that below.

Design score: 5 / 5

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review: Features

40-day battery
Case based charging
UV-C cleaning light

I would describe the 2.0 as a frontrunner when it comes to battery life, even when compared to its more expensive competition. This fast charges in hours and then keeps going for well over a month, in my experience. The company says it's good for 40 days, but I found that my review unit could exceed this, even when brushing twice daily.

The charging case works with a UV light to clean the brush head, tackling 99.99% of harmful bacteria in a single minute. This is a reassuring feature, especially when travelling. On other brushes a quick rinse under the tap is all I could hope for, whereas with the included UV cleaner, I know my brush head is truly clean and safe.

The case now charges your brush, which was a much-requested feature on the last model that required you to plug the charger in. The charger case offers a good two months of use between charges, even with the UV light being used.

The brush head has a wave design for the best possible cleaning, while the back of the head has a rubberized pattern used for the now-standard tongue cleaning with just the right amount of abrasion.

There are still only two brush modes: Clean or Polish. While that is minimal, it offers strong or sensitive which (in my opinion) is enough. You have a standard two-minute timer with 30-second interval alerts via a gentle haptic vibration, all helping get the ideal clean to achieve a plaque-free finish.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review: Performance

33,000 sonic vibrations per minute
Superb long battery life
Simple but effective cleaning

When I saw the motor on this was upgraded, I was surprised it still offers the same 33,000 sonic vibrations of the original model. I assumed a better motor meant 'faster'. Yet when I used it, I immediately felt the difference from the original Suri; it felt more deliberate in its delivery of that power, while remaining as sensitive and gentle as the experience I had with the first brush. This is likely thanks to the new pressure sensor that during testing, meant a deeper cleaning experience I couldn't get from the first Suri.

It stays quieter than the first brush at just 50dB compared to 54dB. The case is USB-C friendly so you'll likely be able to use your phone charger during traveling, making this brush very travel-friendly.

Then there's that UV cleaning light, operated via a single button press. In reality you can't see any difference so there is an element of trust in the process. The 2.0 also comes with a cover for the brush heads, which is ideal if you're traveling with a spare. You can also long press the main button to activate a lock or travel mode, so it won't start vibrating in your bag and causing trouble with security.

Suri includes the recycling packaging to send heads back to the company easily. This makes it a more realistic process for most people, as does designing the brush to be easily repaired. This is potentially the last brush you'll ever need to buy, especially as its repairable.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A decent price for what you get	4.5/5
Design	Clean, easy to hold and effective	5/5
Features	That light cleaning and battery performance	4.5/5
Performance	Great cleaning, top battery and super sustainability	4.5/5

Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want to stay sustainable

With plant-based materials, a repairable design and included return envelopes for recycling, this is as close to perfectly green as a brush can get right now.

You don't want to think about charging

The 40+ day battery life combined with a few hours charge time banishes battery anxiety.

You want sonic powers

This brush delivers a powerful 33,000 sonic vibrations per minutes for a more effective deep clean of plaque and mouth muck.

Don't buy it if...

You like oscillating heads

To be clear, this is a sonic head, meaning the brush itself won't oscillate as some options do. So if you want that extra movement automated this might not be for you.

You don't want to buy heads online

At time of publishing you can only get replacement heads online for delivery, so if you like the option of picking yours up in-store, this might not suit you.

Also consider

Component	Oral-B iO Series 6	Colgate Hum Smart Rhythm
Battery life	20+ days	90 days
Movement	8,800 oscillations+ 20,000 pulsations per minute	30,000 vibrations per minutes
Charge time	12 hours	AAA batteries
Modes	Five	Two

Oral-B iO Series 6

An affordable way to get all the power of the iO Series with its pulsations and oscillations combination, to get the ultimate clean as well as that display for helpful feedback and mode selection.

Read our full Oral-B iO Series 6 review

Colgate Hum Smart Rhythmic

For a well-price sonic toothbrush, that offers replacement batteries as an option, this is a powerful pick with 30,000 vibrations per minute and two modes for decent brushing control.

Read our full Colgate Hum Smart Rhythmic review

How I tested

I used the Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush for weeks in order to test the effectiveness of the brush itself as well as that battery performance. I also visited the dentist during this time and was complemented on my cleaning efforts - reflecting well on this brush's performance.

I used the case for travel, over-night, as well as making use of the UV-C light cleaning feature. I mounted the magnetic holder to test its usefulness and was left surprised at how helpful this small addition was.

My brushing was twice daily with that two-minute timer and haptic half-minute guidance vibrations used to get a full and fair brush.

I was also testing other brushes from Oral-B and more which allowed me to see the difference between features like extra modes, oscillations versus sonics, battery life, screes, apps and more.

The Google Pixel Watch 4 might look similar to its predecessor, but the changes under the hood could make a big difference

7:00 pm | August 20, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Comments: Off

Google Pixel Watch 4: Two-minute review

Google has released its latest crop of hardware at its Made by Google 2025 event, including phones, earbuds, and its next-generation smartwatch, the Google Pixel Watch 4. Similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Apple Watch Series 10, the latest generation of the Pixel Watch 4 is less about earth-shattering changes and more about refinements to a working formula.

Google is sticking with the now-iconic and really quite lovely polished pebble circular build that comes in two sizes – the addition of a 45mm option alongside the 41mm model was the big change last year. That means more choice for you if the Pixel Watch sparks your interest, and ultimately lets you get the one that’s the right size for your wrist.

Google is also mostly sticking with the same prices as last year (there's a small increase for the 45mm version in Australia). And despite the outward similarities there are some significant upgrades here, including a healthy dose of AI smarts powered by some new silicon, a forthcoming AI coach that’s part of a larger Fitbit rollout, replaceable parts, a refreshed user interface, and a new domed display that’s physically raised to the touch.

Google Pixel Watch 4: Specifications

Component	Google Pixel Watch 4
Price	Starting at $399 / £349 / AU$579
Dimensions	41 x 41 x 12.3mm / 45 x 45 x 12.3mm
Weight	31g / 36.7g without straps
Caze/bezel	Recycled aluminum
Display	320ppi always-on display AMOLED with up to 3,000 nits brightness
Operating System	Wear OS 6.0
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with an ML coprocessor
Memory	2GB of RAM
Storage	32GB
GPS	GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS
Battery life	Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE
Water resistance	WR50, IP68

Google Pixel Watch 4: Dome sweet dome

Google Pixel Watch 4 hands-on — (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

The first thing I noticed during my hands-on time with the Pixel Watch 4 was that the display itself is not flat like on the Pixel Watch 3. Sure, we’ve seen smartwatches on which the display slopes down the sides towards the watch case, such as the Apple Watch Series 10, but the glass display here is actually domed to the point where, as you swipe across the screen, you’ll feel the surface rise or lower.

This makes the sides of the display and the graphics appearing on the edges even more sloped, a feature the new Material 3 Expressive interface uses in its animations. However, it also noticeably increases the thickness on your wrist. The domed 360 Actua display still looked rich and vibrant with crisp text or numbers, and it got considerably brighter in the demo room, which wasn't brightly lit. Google says it can hit up to 3,000 nits, a jump of 1,000 nits compared to the Pixel Watch 3.

The third-generation Pixel Watch got a larger display than its predecessor, and the fourth-gen model goes bigger again, with 16% smaller bezels and 10% larger active display area, which Google says is made possible by the domed display.

I think the physical touch and interaction with the watch might take some time to get used to, but the new design delivers a theoretically more durable surface – as is the case with some dome shapes – and more space to hit touchpoints or see items presented on your wrist is certainly a win. It’s something I’m eager to spend more time exploring, and it enhances what I described in my Pixel Watch 3 review last year as the 'polished pebble' effect of the Pixel Watch’s looks.

The Pixel Watch 4 still boasts Corning Gorilla Glass to protect against drops or scratches, and the rest of the build here is aerospace-grade aluminum. It’s also water-resistant up to 50 meters. Another major change this year is a redesigned back, which has resulted in the moving of the charging ports in order to make this smartwatch repairable and serviceable.

Yes, you’ll notice several screws, which allow the battery to be replaced for a more sustainable design. This isn’t something that's common for major smartwatch brands, as most devices are sealed units, so it’s a welcome step in the right direction from Google.

This also means a pretty significant change in charger design, as you’ll no longer place this on a proprietary puck with prongs as you would the Galaxy Watch, Apple Watch, or any Pixel Watch before this. The Pixel Watch 4 charges on its side in a dock, and if you’re charging it on a nightstand this should make it easier to use the smartwatch as a small alarm clock – it’s even perfectly positioned so that you can tap the crown to snooze.

Google is also taking advantage of these charger and design changes to speed up refueling. You can now charge the Pixel Watch 4 from 0% to 50% in just 15 minutes, and Google is promising longer battery life for both sizes – up to 30 hours for the 41mm and up to 40 hours for the 45mm. Your mileage will, of course, vary depending on usage, but it’s a good step beyond the Pixel Watch 3.

Google Pixel Watch 4: A faster experience

While I only spent about half an hour with the Pixel Watch 4, it felt like a modern-day smartwatch that was responsive and zippy fast. Under the hood it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Wearable Platform and a next-gen ML CoProcessor, both of which ensure that the new Material 3 Expressive interface design runs well here. It was easy enough to swipe between tiles, and I especially liked the more vibrant nature of the colors, which you can, of course, customize. Overall, this watch feels speedy compared to previous years.

Google’s new Smart Replies feature looks like a welcome innovation, especially if you’re tired of suggested replies that often lack context and are unsuited to the conversation. The Pixel Watch 4’s silicon can power an on-device large language model to generate appropriate suggested replies based on what a message says.

I even tested it with a message that referenced delays on my local train service, and the Pixel Watch 4 delivered an appropriate response. It took a few seconds, but it’s much better than the list found on previous Pixel Watches, the Galaxy Watch, or the Apple Watch.

We’ve already seen Gemini arrive on-wrist courtesy of the Galaxy Watch 8, but Google is serving up something special for its watch, and that’s a ‘raise to talk to the AI assistant’ functionality. Simply raise your wrist, and a glowing bar appears at the bottom of the display, which indicates that Gemini is listening and that you can start your request. You don’t need to say ‘Hey Gemini' – Google has us pretty well trained in that department – and it worked well in a short demo, quickly pulling up the weather.

While I didn’t get to try any of the health and activity features, Google’s shipping the Pixel Watch 4 with a familiar suite that includes general activity, heart-rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), and sleep tracking. You can also take an ECG or Electrocardiogram, and there’s an improved Skin Temperature sensor for more accurate readings. You can also track over 40 workouts with the Pixel Watch 4.

The real big potential leap, though, is a promised ‘personal AI health coach’ that’s powered by Gemini and set to arrive at some point in October as a preview in the United States at first. It should go beyond ‘Workout Buddy’ on the Apple Watch and some AI features on the Galaxy Watch, but we don’t know exactly what it entails just yet. Google is promising it to be a coach of sorts that bases recommendations on your health data and that you can chat with, maybe something similar to that of Oura Advisor.

It’s shaping up to be a pretty strong smartwatch, and while the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t usher in a tremendously radical redesign, it’s mostly about polishing and the addition of a healthy dose of AI functionality – something that Google is a big fan of. It’s likely that you don’t need to rush out for it if you already have a Pixel Watch 3, but those with an older model may want to consider an upgrade. We’ll be back with more once we’ve had time to put it through its full paces and see how the changes perform in the real world.

Google Pixel Watch 4: Pricing and Availability

If you’re looking to upgrade from, say, a Pixel Watch 2 or 3, maybe another Android smartwatch, or even getting your first one, there is a wait for when you’ll actually receive a new Pixel Watch.

Google is taking orders right now for the Pixel Watch 4 – it begins on August 20, 2025 – but the smartwatch won’t officially launch until October 9, 2025. That’s when the first shipments should arrive, depending on demand, and when you’ll find it available at retail locations.

Unlike other gadgets that have seen price hikes year over year, the Pixel Watch 4 sticks with the same price as the Pixel Watch 3. Meaning it’s priced at $349 / £349 / AU$579 for the 41mm Pixel Watch 4 with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, or $449 / £449 / AU$749 for cellular connectivity. The larger, 45mm Pixel Watch 4 is $399 / £399 / AU$669 for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, or $499 / £499 / AU$839 for connectivity.

Beyond accessing the internet with the cellular connectivity model, you’ll also need to spend more to get emergency satellite functionality on the Pixel Watch 4. There isn’t an extra monthly or annual cost – at least for two years, that’s what Google provides out of the box – but it needs to make use of the bands found in the cellular version of the watch. That could be a reason alone to get it right there.

Google Pixel Watch 4 review: Big design changes make for a great smart companion

7:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: AI, Google Pixel Watch | Comments: Off

Google Pixel Watch 4: One-minute review

Google's latest crop of hardware, released at its Made by Google 2025 event, including phones, earbuds, and of course, the Google Pixel Watch 4. Similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Apple Watch Series 10, the latest generation of the Pixel Watch 4 is less about earth-shattering changes and more about refinements to a working formula.

It's a slick piece of kit, and one we really like using for the most part. It looked great, although it was thick on the wrist it was comfortable, and the Material 3 Expressive software design is a joy to use. Fast charging works as described, and the battery on our 45mm unit stands up to its 40-hour claim with moderate use. The Fitbit app, which got a redesigned this year, is intuitive and works very well, although it's irritating that some features are locked behind the Premium paywall.

Testing the PW's heart rate against a chest strap during a workout showed a small amount of inaccuracy: not enough to bother those who just want an estimate of how well they're doing during the day, but enough to make serious athletes looking for pinpoint accuracy slightly wary of trusting the Pixel Watch 4 in the same way they do Apple or Garmin when looking at heart-based metrics.

Google Pixel Watch 4: Specifications

Component	Google Pixel Watch 4
Price	Starting at $399 / £349 / AU$579
Dimensions	41 x 41 x 12.3mm / 45 x 45 x 12.3mm
Weight	31g / 36.7g without straps
Caze/bezel	Recycled aluminum
Display	320ppi always-on display AMOLED with up to 3,000 nits brightness
Operating System	Wear OS 6.0
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with an ML coprocessor
Memory	2GB of RAM
Storage	32GB
GPS	GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS
Battery life	Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE
Water resistance	WR50, IP68

Google Pixel Watch 4: Price and Availability

From $349 / £349 / AU$579 for the 41mm
From $399 / £399 / AU$669 for the 45mm
Cellular connectivity costs extra as usual

If you’re looking to upgrade from, say, a Pixel Watch 2 or 3, maybe another Android smartwatch, or even getting your first one, there is a wait for when you’ll actually receive a new Pixel Watch.

Value score: 4.5/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Design

Domed display
New Material 3 Expressive software look
Redesigned charger

We think the physical touch and interaction with the watch might take some time to get used to, but the new design delivers a theoretically more durable surface – as is the case with some dome shapes – and more space to hit touchpoints or see items presented on your wrist is certainly a win. It enhances what we described in our Pixel Watch 3 review last year as the 'polished pebble' effect of the Pixel Watch’s looks.

Design score: 5/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Features

On-wrist Gemini
Usual suite of health and fitness features
Tons of third party apps

Gemini powers a ton of new features. Google’s new Smart Replies feature looks like a welcome innovation, especially if you’re tired of suggested replies that often lack context and are unsuited to the conversation. The Pixel Watch 4’s silicon can power an on-device large language model to generate appropriate suggested replies based on what a message says.

Google’s shipping the Pixel Watch 4 with a familiar suite that includes general activity, heart-rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), and sleep tracking. You can also take an ECG or Electrocardiogram, and there’s an improved Skin Temperature sensor for more accurate readings. You can also track over 40 workouts with the Pixel Watch 4.

While the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t usher in a tremendously radical redesign, it’s mostly about polishing and the addition of a healthy dose of AI functionality – something that Google is a big fan of. It’s likely that you don’t need to rush out for it if you already have a Pixel Watch 3, as you'll get many of the same features and the same smorgasbord of third-party app availability there.

Features score: 4/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Performance

Zippy and fast day-to-day
Battery charges fast and lasts as described
Heart rate accuracy fine, but not as accurate as an Apple Watch Ultra 3 or Garmin Venu 4

The Pixel Watch 4 felt like a modern-day smartwatch that was responsive and zippy fast. Under the hood it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Wearable Platform and a next-gen ML CoProcessor, both of which ensure that the new Material 3 Expressive interface design runs well here. It was easy enough to swipe between tiles, and we especially liked the more vibrant nature of the colors, which you can, of course, customize. Overall, this watch feels speedy compared to previous years.

We tested Gemini with a message that referenced delays on my local train service, and the Pixel Watch 4 delivered an appropriate response. It took a few seconds, but it’s much better than the list found on previous Pixel Watches, the Galaxy Watch, or the Apple Watch. However, we also had a couple of mishaps: it once directed me to a disused train station, not the closest operating one.

We tested the heart rate tracking against an accurate chest-mounted heart rate monitor, the Polar H10, during a four-mile run. The Google Pixel Watch 4 had an average heart rate difference of around 13bpm during our tracked test. Not awful, but the Garmin Venu 4 had a 5bpm difference, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 had just 1bpm difference to the chest strap.

It's more accurate than the Garmin Instinct 3, which had 18bpm difference, but worth understanding that during our test, the Pixel Watch 4 was more in 'ballpark' territory rather than 'pinpoint accuracy', and perhaps best used as a guideline for activity-based metrics rather than gospel.

However, the watch was extremely comfortable to wear despite its thickness, very useful day-to-day, easy to navigate and a joy to use. Battery performed as described, and charging was very fast. I loved the redesigned charger, especially as the watch feels like it now has a nightstand place.

Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	Same price as last year, a win!	4.5/5
Design	Iterates on the iconic pebble with smart choices, like the domed screen & new charger.	5/5
Features	All the third party apps you want, workout tracking and AI.	4/5
Performance	Some early glitches & accuracy quibbles, but generally a joy to use.	4/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Should I buy?

A close up of the Pixel Watch 4 being unscrewed for repairs — (Image credit: iFixit)

Buy it if...

You want the best Wear OS watch

Love Android? This is going to give you the best Wear OS experience.

You're a Fitbit user

This automatically shot to the top of our pick for "best Fitbit watch" thanks to its use of Fitbit integrations.

You're an AI pioneer

Love Gemini? You've now got it on your wrist to perform tasks like smart replies.

Don't buy it if...

You need athlete-level tracking

The Google Pixel Watch 4 wasn't as accurate at measuring our heart rate during a workout as a Garmin Venu 4 or Apple Watch Ultra 3.

You use an iPhone

It sounds silly, but unless you're planning a switch to Android, there's no need to buy this watch.

Also consider

Component	Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm)	OnePlus Watch 3 (43mm)	Garmin Venu 4 (41mm)
Price	From $399 / £349 / AU$579	From $499 / £269.99 / AU$TBC	From $549.99 / £469.99 / AU$949
Dimensions	41 x 41 x 12.3mm	43.2 x 43.2 x 11mm	41 x 41 x 12 mm
Weight	31g without straps	37.8 without straps	46g with band
Caze/bezel	Recycled aluminum	Stainless steel	Stainless steel/Polymer
Display	320ppi always-on display AMOLED	466 x 466px 1.3-in AMOLED display	390 x 390px 1.2-in AMOLED display
Operating System	Wear OS	Wear OS	Garmin OS
GPS	GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS	Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, SatIQ
Battery life	Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled	Up to 60 hours, 7 days in power saver	Up to 10 days
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Water resistance	WR50, IP68	5ATM	5ATM

OnePlus Watch 3

An excellent WearOS alternative, in 43mm and 47mm sizes.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

Garmin Venu 4

One of the best smartwatches for fitness tracking.

Read our full Garmin Venu 4 review

How we tested

We wore the Pixel Watch 3 for days, tracking our sleep, performing ECG tests and working out with a chest-mounted heart rate monitor. We also tested AI systems like smart replies and on-device Gemini searches. We loaded our favorite third-party apps onto the watch, like Strava and Spotify, drained the battery down and examined the speed of its fast charging.

I’ve used the Shot Scope G6 for a bunch of rounds, and its simplicity and accuracy make it an easy entry-level golf watch to recommend

12:00 pm | August 10, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: GPS | Comments: Off

Shot Scope G6: One minute review

The Shot Scope G6 is a splendid budget-friendly GPS golf watch. Offering a robust feature set, accurate yardages, and an easy-to-use control scheme, it's a GPS watch that's comfortable in its own skin, offering no more and no less than what it does - all for an attractive price.

Sitting firmly in the entry-level end of the best golf watch market, it does have some strong competition for company in the form of the Garmin Approach S12, for example. However, the G6 stands firmly on its own two feet with what it offers over the S12 in the form of colored maps and visual hazard and layup distances, to name but two.

Out on the course, the G6 is easy to use with a simple four-button input system that means you can quickly and cleanly navigate holes and manage your way around courses. Yardages are wonderfully accurate based on our testing, and a robust battery life that gets you comfortably through two full 18 rounds nicely rounds out a strong feature set for a budget-friendly GPS golf watch.

While a proprietary charging system and port, a slightly small display, and a distinct lack of shot tracking and even score recording through the (otherwise decent) companion app do frustrate, this is a fine GPS-only, entry-level golf watch that is easy to recommend if you're shopping in the sub-$200/£200 range.

The Shot Scope G6 golf watch — (Image credit: Future)

Shot Scope G6: Specifications

Component	Shot Scope G6
Price	$179.99 / £179.99 (around AU$370)
Dimensions	1.7 x 1.7 x 0.39in/44 x 44 x 10mm
Weight	1.48oz / 42g
Case/bezel	Brushed steel
Display	176 x 176px; Daylight readable MIP
GPS	GPS L1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1
Battery life	GPS Mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch Mode: 4 days
Connection	Bluetooth 5
Water resistant?	Not stated

Shot Scope G6: Price and availability

List price of $179.99 / £179.99 (around AU$370)
Entry-level pricing offering good value for money
Launched in March 2025

The Shot Scope G6’s price point puts it firmly in the entry-level end of the golf watch market. However, it does punch nicely above its price tag with what it offers – as I’ll talk about in the rest of this review.

Generally, though, the Shot Scope G6 is attractively priced in the entry-level end of the market, but still faces some robust competition in the form of the Garmin Approach S12. The latter watch, a budget model in Garmin’s excellent Approach line of golf watches, features a lot of what makes that brand’s devices excellent, and while a few years old now, it still holds its own in the market and sells for the same price as the Shot Scope G6.

With that being the case, it’s wise to temper ones expectations in terms of what the Shot Scope G6 will offer you as it, as expected, doesn’t feature more premium features that you might see on the likes of the Garmin Approach S70, of course, and even those on its older sibling, the Shot Scope V5.

What it does offer, though, is simplicity in a golf watch that certainly means you get great bang for buck value.

Value score: 4/5

Shot Scope G6: Design

44mm watch face housing a clear screen, and button labels
Loads of different straps to choose from
The screen is smaller than the watch face

The Shot Scope G6 doesn’t throw up any surprises when it comes to its design. It’s a simple circular watch face with two dimensions and four buttons placed on the outer edge equidistantly. Simple. The four buttons are a microcosm of the G6’s simplicity in themselves, operating only one function each: up, down, back, and select, respectively.

One major thing to note is that the display is not the same size as the watch face – in fact, it is comfortably smaller, and a black band runs around the face. This almost acts like an on-screen bezel you’d see on a monitor, and means there’s a chunk of watch face that houses only the G6 model typeset, and the four buttons’ names before the display part actually starts or resides. It’s still clear and crisp when it needs to be, but it’s not a watch that prioritises its screen real estate as a result.

There’s a range of wristbands to choose from if you’re keen to customise your watch, all of which are easy to attach and detach from the watch itself.

Like the Garmin watches I’ve used over the years, the charging point on the G6 is a point of annoyance for me. It’s a proprietary connection, comes with a wire that’s never quite long enough, and the port is on the rear of the face. As a result, you’ll have to charge the watch face down all the time, and at a place sufficiently close to a socket or USB port. While it’s an entry-level watch, it still feels a bit clunky and inelegant for a golf watch in 2025.

Design score: 3.5/5

Shot Scope G6: Features

Robust golf GPS features - but no shot tracking or score recording
Simple and intuitive on-course features
Bright and easy-to-view color screen

On board the Shot Scope G6 is a robust feature set that is befitting of its GPS golf watch proposition and entry-level pricing – with a few caveats.

Pre-loaded with 36,000 courses, you’d be hard pushed to find a course not on there (even in the face of competing brands offering 40,000+), and each of the courses’ holes is displayed in crisp and clear colorings, which makes glancing at the watch for navigation easy.

There is a companion app, though it is rather ‘separate’ from the watch, with no sending of data or scores from the watch to the app, which holds back the overall functionality somewhat. However, on a broader note, I have found the Shot Scope app itself to be excellent, particularly in the way you can build your bag using specific brands, models, and lofts of clubs.

Relatedly, having grown used to watches that will track shots and also send back completed rounds to a companion app in order to build a bank of scores for a handicap, or give you data on your clubs for future rounds, the Shot Scope G6 does feel a little lacking in this particular area of its feature proposition. Especially when its competitor, the Garmin Approach S12, does at least offer the ability to send rounds back to its app.

It will keep score for you during the round, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no facility for that score to be sent ‘back’ to the app and for it to be recorded that way. I know we’re swimming in budget golf watch territory here, but in 2025, that seems like a winning feature to include if at all possible.

Features score: 3.5/5

Shot Scope G6: Performance

Accurate yardages and hazard maps
Robust battery life
No score recording or shot tracking holds it back

In short, the Shot Scope G6 is a simple and robust GPOS golf watch and one that performs to a level on the course that makes it easy to recommend.

Yes, recognising that there’s no shot tracking and score recording is key, but what the G6 does offer you, and what it does do, is excellent. The yardages are accurate, and the presence of distances to hazards, doglegs on holes, and several different layup points is incredibly welcome, and complements the front, middle, and back green distances it offers very well indeed. Golfers can also adjust their own lines on the watch to navigate holes as they see fit.

Across all my rounds, at home and abroad, the Shot Scope G6 was reliable, clear, had really accurate yardages, and was a genuine help around the course from shot to shot. The hazard and dogleg information were particularly useful for course management.

It functioned quickly, too – I found the GPS to find my course and kick into gear to be operating quicker than a Garmin Approach S70 and my Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition, both of which cost upwards of three times the price of the Shot Scope G6.

It was also easy to use during rounds, even when wearing gloves (I wear two), but the buttons do take some getting used to, especially so when you engage the lock screen as I did regularly to avoid accidental pushes.

As mentioned above, the app doesn’t truly work in tandem with the watch, but it is a nice extra thing to use adjacent to it. It allows me to put in each and every individual club type, brand, model, and loft. However, the lack of a feature that sends back rounds and scores from the watch to the app does hold it back from achieving more in my eyes.

As for battery life, I found it to be pretty much in line with Shot Scope's own assessment, though I was in dire need of charging it after my second round of 18, plus a bit of ‘on time’ before and after rounds. As a result, perfectly acceptable and robust enough to work, and forgiving enough if you forget to charge it after one round.

Within its limitations as a GPS watch only, it is a fine device and one I would happily use again and again. If that’s all you’re after, then it’s a great golf watch to go for.

Performance score: 4/5

Shot Scope G6: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Price	This is a very attractively priced entry-level golf watch that offers robust bang for buck value if you’re after a GPS watch.	4/5
Design and screen	Intuitive controls and a plain but functional design make for an easy-to-use watch, despite the small screen space.	3.5/5
Features	While it’s a shame there’s no shot tracking or score recording (beyond an in-round scorecard), the GPS accuracy and in-course info, such as hazards, make for a robust feature set.	3.5/5
Performance	Within its limits as a GPS-only watch, the Shot Scope G6 is a great watch that performs very well, and it never let me down in terms of accuracy and on-course assistance.	4/5
Total	If you’re looking for an entry-level watch that’s ideal for on-course assistance and companionship, rather than to analyse data, then the Shot Scope G6 is an excellent choice at its attractive price point.	4/5

Shot Scope G6: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want an entry-level golf watch that’s great value for money

Coming in safely under the $200 / £200 mark means the G6 begins life at a good value price – but then really emphasises its value with the accuracy and feature set it offers.

You’re after a simple golf course companion for straightforward assistance

The ShotScope G6 is brilliantly simple in its proposition and provides some of the best and simplest – and most accurate – on-course information I’ve experienced.

You’re already in the Garmin ecosystem

The S70 is an ideal step up if you've tested the waters already with one of Garmin’s budget golf watches and want to embrace something more feature-filled.

Don't buy it if...

You crave shot-tracking and score-recording features

With no way to track your shots or your rounds beyond a digital scorecard, even in partnership with the robust app, the G6 is not the best pick for those looking for a device to store yardages for their clubs and build a bank of scores to track a handicap.

You want your golf watch to be a daily driver smart watch

The G6 really is just a GPS golf watch; nothing more, nothing less. As a result, if you’re looking for your first or next golf watch to do anything more, particularly to fill a smart watch void, then this isn’t it.

You want a big display

While the G6’s display is clear and bright enough, there’s no escaping the fact that the display area is pretty small.

Also consider

	Shot Scope G6	Garmin Approach S12	Shot Scope V5
Price	$179.99 / £179.99 (around AU$370)	$199.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 (launch prices)	$249.99 / £239.99 / AU$429.99
Dimensions	1.7 x 1.7 x 0.39in / 44 x 44 x 10mm	1.72 x 1.72 x 0.45in / 43.7 x 43.7 x 11.5mm	1.69 x 1.69 x 0.47in / 43 x 43 x 12mm
Weight	1.48oz / 42g	1.2oz/34.1g	1.76oz / 50g
Case/bezel	Brushed steel	Lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer	ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Display	176 x 176px; Daylight readable MIP	175 x 175px; ??????????	240 x 240px; 1.2in / 30mm Daylight readable MIP
GPS	GPS L1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1	Unspecified	GPS 1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1
Battery life	GPS mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch mode: 4 days	GPS mode: up to 30 hours / Watch mode: up to 10 weeks	GPS mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch mode: around 5 days
Connection	Bluetooth 5	Bluetooth	Bluetooth
Water resistant?	Unspecified	Yes, 5m	Unspecified

Garmin Approach S12
Another excellent entry-level golf watch, Garmin’s Approach S12, is a brilliant alternative that packs in a whole bunch of Garmin’s excellent golf features into an affordable package.

Read our full Garmin Approach S12 review

Shot Scope V5
If you’re looking at the G6 but are after a little more functionality and features, then the Shot Scope V5 adds shot tracking data (including 16 club tags to use), a host of ways to analyse your stats, as well as a great battery life and slick design.

Read our full Shot Scope V5 review

How I tested the Shot Scope G6

I used the Shot Scope G6 over the course of a couple of months, using it for a host of rounds at my home course in Somerset, as well as multiple rounds on holiday around the course of Belek in Turkey. I used all of its features, from checking yardages to hazard information, and found it a reliable and easy-to-use watch while on the course.

I was able to directly compare the G6 to other golf watches I had access to, including the Garmin Approach S70 and my TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition. While these are much more premium golf watches, the comparison still enabled me to appreciate what the G6 offers for its entry-level price and what could be added to improve it further.

First reviewed May-July 2025

Garmin Venu X1: One-minute review

When you think of the best Garmin watches, you think of thick, G-Shock-style rugged adventure watches, not a sleek full-screen bezelless smartwatch that sits slim on your wrist. The Garmin Venu X1 bucks the trend, offering a complete redesign, and it’s fun to get to grips with the Garmin experience in what feels like a whole new way.

Personally, I loved it. I’ll discuss the design and display, which of Garmin’s usual suite of metrics and features it gets, and how it performs, in detail below, but it’s an eminently usable watch that has very quickly become a fixture in my usual rotation. The slender nature of the watch and curved stainless-steel backing hugs the wrist and makes it comfortable, and that gorgeous full-color AMOLED display is perfect for viewing maps.

The battery life is a concern in comparison to more typical Garmins, however: if you’re used to a two-week battery, the always-on display will crush the Garmin Venu X1’s longevity down to just a few days. However, without the always-on display you’ll get a week (far more than even the best Apple Watch), even with multiple battery-sucking hour-long GPS workouts.

The other slight concern is the redesigned operating system. The list of widgets (or ‘glances’ in Garmin speak) are navigated via a combination of touchscreen and buttons, and have received a Liquid Glass-style facelift to make use of Garmin’s Apple Watch-style screen. However – and to keep the comparison going – sometimes the framerate can lag, and without Garmin’s five-button configuration or an Apple-style digital crown, swiping around can be cumbersome (especially mid-workout). It doesn’t spark joy, to quote Marie Kondo, in the same way that Apple’s form factor does.

Nevertheless, I’ve been wearing the watch for weeks, and I’ve finished my testing, and it’s still on my wrist – and once I’ve finished testing my next watch, I’ll probably strap it back on again. It’s light, it looks good, it’s comfortable, it lasts longer than an Apple Watch (with the latter two factors helping to make it practical to wear overnight for better sleep tracking), and it’s just a damn good watch. I still can’t get over how good full-color maps look on its enormous screen.

Garmin Venu X1: Price and availability

$799 / £799 / AU$1,399
One size
Around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Garmin Venu X1 is available in all regions, priced at $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. That’s around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is priced at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

Like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Garmin Venu X1 comes in just one size, as opposed to most other Garmin watches that are available in multiple sizes. However, the Ultra 2 does have one major feature the Venu X1 doesn’t: LTE support.

LTE support means you can add the Ultra 2 to your phone’s data plan (this usually costs extra), and allows you to make calls, send messages and even stream music directly without being connected to your phone. The Venu X1, despite being in the same premium price bracket as the Ultra 2, doesn’t have this functionality.

Then again, neither do other Garmin watches such as the Garmin Fenix 8, which actually costs more than the Venu X1. The difference between the two is that the Venu X1 is positioned as a smartwatch competitor, rather than an adventure watch.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Venu X1: Design

Gorgeous, bright AMOLED display
Slim profile, highly unusual for Garmins
Stainless steel curved backing for comfort

The Garmin Venu X1 is slimmer than any other Garmin I’ve yet tried, and I’ve tried a lot. No chunky adventure watch here: Garmin has opted for a practically bezel-less slender watchwith just 7.9mm of thickness. The slim profile combines with the metal backing, which is curved to follow the wrist, for a fit that I found very comfortable, though people with smaller or larger wrists than mine might not find it quite as good a fit.

Most other smartwatches have straight backs, relying on straps to bind their boxy cases to your wrists, which can cause the sensor to dig into your wrist. I found the Garmin Venu X1 very comfortable indeed, more so than the Apple Watch Ultra series.

While the back is cambered, the wide display isn’t curved at all, unlike the Apple Watch Series 10. Instead, it’s completely flat, slightly reducing glanceability in theory, but the screen is big and bright enough that it doesn’t really matter. The display (a 51.2mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display) is among the best I’ve ever seen on a smartwatch.

The velcro strap included with the watch isn’t particularly stylish, but it’s perfectly adequate performance-wise. It’ll need cleaning, as it’s fabric, and it got a bit dirty even during my first month of training.

The only real design flaw I’ve identified after using this watch for a month is Garmin’s operating system, which has had a bit of a facelift to better suit Garmin’s biggest, brightest display. It looks fine, but to navigate it you have to scroll through with two buttons and the touchscreen, as there’s no digital crown and only two buttons, unlike on most of Garmin’s other watches.

This is something that’s always been a problem with the Venu series for me; however, it’s by no means a dealbreaker. Occasionally you’ll need to swipe between screens during a workout, from heart rate and time to maps for example, with the touchscreen – and this can become smeared with sweat and dirt. However, it’s not enough to be a serious problem with the watch; it’s just a minor gripe.

Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Features

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Garmin Venu X1 worn during run on separate wrists — (Image credit: Future)

Garmin’s top-tier training features
Full-color offline maps
LED torch

First up, all of Garmin’s best features, including Morning Report, Training Readiness score, Endurance and Hill scores, Garmin Coach, full-color maps, work brilliantly here, and the watch functions well as a workout companion that’s much lighter than the chunkier Forerunners and Fenixes, making it ideal for runners and swimmers as you’ll practically forget you’re wearing it.

The added comfort and reduced weight are especially beneficial for sleep tracking. The watch is so much more comfortable than watches with thicker profiles, which means it’s easier to wear in bed. You can get all your recovery metrics, such as sleeping heart rate variability and sleep quality, from the watch directly, rather than not wearing it (or even removing it in frustration during the middle of the night because it’s stopping you nodding off, as I’ve done with some chunky watches) and relying on Garmin’s estimations.

That massive display is transformative when viewing complex information such as multiple glances at once, or full-color maps. You can’t use the touchscreen for precision movements such as responsive pinches to zoom in and out, like you would on a phone, but the maps screen is still ideally suited for getting turn-by-turn directions on city walks, or long runs using the Create a Course functionality.

The Garmin Venu X1 offers a generous 32GB of onboard storage for music and GPX maps, and supports offline playback from apps such as Spotify. It’s also packing Garmin’s useful LED torch, with a red mode for wearing at night as a safety light, and three levels of white light. It can be used for anything from finding your way to the bathroom in the dark to signalling for help atop a mountain, perhaps when you’ve taken a wrong turn after a hike.

The torch uses a fair amount of battery, though, so if you’re going to be out overnight you might want to disable the always-on display to conserve power – more on that in a moment.

Features score: 5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Performance

Garmin Venu X1 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2 — (Image credit: Michael Sawh)

Good battery life without always-on display
Easy to wear
I enjoyed training in it

I wore the Garmin Venu X1 for around a month, draining the battery completely, charging it multiple times and doing lots of running and resistance training while wearing it. I also competed in a 12K trail-running event, using the Primary Race training tool to fine-tune my plans for the day. I slept with it, took it out on the roads, and wore it during gym and yoga sessions.

I’ve seen some criticisms stating the battery is very bad with always-on display enabled, and they’re right: with this functionality on, you’re only getting a few days of battery life. However, as someone who found the raise-to-wake functionality more than suitable and sensitive enough for my needs, I’m living with the watch just fine. During testing, the battery lasted around a week with multiple GPS workouts, which is pretty much as advertised.

Using it as a running watch, I found that it’s one of the best I’ve tried this year. It’s not as powerful or rugged, or quite as feature-rich, as the Fenix 8, but it’s a much better all-rounder watch. I used the voice command functionality to set kitchen timers and so on, and it’s certainly easier than swiping through the OS. However, it’s not quite as seamless as the Apple Watch’s nigh-on futuristic raise-and-speak functionality, as it still takes a swipe and tap to set up.

As Garmin’s attempt at an Apple Watch, the Venu X1 very nearly succeeds, and it’s a lovely watch to wear and train with in its own right. However, I think that in order to truly succeed both as a training watch and a smartwatch, it needs to leave more of its Garmin trappings behind – among other things, Garmin needs to completely redesign the interface, and enable users to access its voice command feature with one fewer swipe.

Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A premium watch with premium features, but not outrageous value.	4/5
Design	A beautiful screen with a transformative slim, light chassis.	4.5/5
Features	Garmin’s best features packed into a slender package.	5/5
Performance	A terrific running watch, but not quite the complete smartwatch package, and so-so battery life with always-on display.	4/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re on Android

This powerful watch is the closest thing to a system-agnostic Apple Watch Ultra 2.

You want comfort

This slender watch is extremely light and comfortable for workouts, sleep tracking and daily wear.

You’re a power user

Are you a serious runner, cyclist, hiker or triathlete? You’ll love this watch.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

This is not a cheap watch, even by Garmin standards.

You like the traditional Garmin look

There are plenty of Garmin watches with the usual rugged aesthetic to choose from.

You need a two-week battery life

The Garmin Venu X1 lasts anywhere from two to nine days.

Also consider

Component	Garmin Venu X1	Apple Watch Ultra 2	Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Price	$799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499	$799 / £799 / AU$1,399	$649 / £599 / AU$1,299
Dimensions	41 x 46 x 7.9 mm	49 x 41 x 14 (mm)	47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm
Weight	41g	61g	60.5g
Case/bezel	Titanium/Polymer	Titanium	Titanium
Display	51.2 mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display	49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display	480 x 480 full-color AMOLED
GPS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS	Dual-frequency (unspecified)	Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life	Up to 8 days	36 hours	590mAh, up to 100 hours
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
Water resistant	Yes, 5ATM	Yes, WR100 (diveproof)	10ATM + IP68

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

As above, but for Samsung and Android phone users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Venu X1 for a month, draining the battery multiple times and testing it against the Apple Watch Ultra 2. I used the Primary Race tool to complete a trail running event, slept with it, showered with it and completed gym, running and a variety of other workouts with it. I used its maps functionality in conjunction with running routes created on Garmin Connect.

Garmin Venu X1 review: The most innovative Garmin watch in years, and a genuine Apple Watch Ultra rival

11:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: AMOLED, LED | Comments: Off

Garmin Venu X1: One-minute review

Garmin Venu X1: Price and availability

$799 / £799 / AU$1,399
One size
Around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Garmin Venu X1 is available in all regions, priced at $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. That’s around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is priced at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Venu X1: Design

Gorgeous, bright AMOLED display
Slim profile, highly unusual for Garmins
Stainless steel curved backing for comfort

Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Features

Garmin’s top-tier training features
Full-color offline maps
LED torch

Features score: 5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Performance

Good battery life without always-on display
Easy to wear
I enjoyed training in it

Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A premium watch with premium features, but not outrageous value.	4/5
Design	A beautiful screen with a transformative slim, light chassis.	4.5/5
Features	Garmin’s best features packed into a slender package.	5/5
Performance	A terrific running watch, but not quite the complete smartwatch package, and so-so battery life with always-on display.	4/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re on Android

This powerful watch is the closest thing to a system-agnostic Apple Watch Ultra 2.

You want comfort

This slender watch is extremely light and comfortable for workouts, sleep tracking and daily wear.

You’re a power user

Are you a serious runner, cyclist, hiker or triathlete? You’ll love this watch.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

This is not a cheap watch, even by Garmin standards.

You like the traditional Garmin look

There are plenty of Garmin watches with the usual rugged aesthetic to choose from.

You need a two-week battery life

The Garmin Venu X1 lasts anywhere from two to nine days.

Also consider

Component	Garmin Venu X1	Apple Watch Ultra 2	Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Price	$799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499	$799 / £799 / AU$1,399	$649 / £599 / AU$1,299
Dimensions	41 x 46 x 7.9 mm	49 x 41 x 14 (mm)	47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm
Weight	41g	61g	60.5g
Case/bezel	Titanium/Polymer	Titanium	Titanium
Display	51.2 mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display	49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display	480 x 480 full-color AMOLED
GPS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS	Dual-frequency (unspecified)	Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life	Up to 8 days	36 hours	590mAh, up to 100 hours
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
Water resistant	Yes, 5ATM	Yes, WR100 (diveproof)	10ATM + IP68

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

As above, but for Samsung and Android phone users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

We’ve found the best pair of durable all-rounder running shoes you can buy this year – say hello to the Saucony Ride 18

11:00 am | August 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Saucony Ride 18: One minute review

I must admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the Saucony Ride 17. While it was a solid all-rounder, I found the internal molding quite intrusive and it always felt like I was wearing a support shoe rather than a neutral trainer. In the end, it just didn’t work for me, and I passed it on to a friend (who loved it!).

As a result, I was hesitant to try the Ride 18, even though I knew it was a popular model with plenty of great credentials, but I was pleasantly surprised. With just a few subtle tweaks, Saucony has created a far more comfortable shoe which seems to mold to my feet perfectly.

It just goes to show that small changes can make all the difference. Increased structure in the upper, a touch more heel cushioning and bonus foam content are particular highlights. Best of all, the trainer comes at an affordable price, meaning it’s a great value-for-money workhorse, perfect for those easy and long runs.

Much like Brooks Ghost, the Ride 18 is likely to remain a firm favorite for those looking for a cushioned ride. It’s been a complete game changer for me and the Ride 18 is now my go-to road shoe for easy runs and everyday training.

Saucony Ride 18 review: Specifications

Component	Saucony Ride 18
Weight	Around 228g (Womens) 259g (Men’s)
Upper	Engineered mesh with inner sleeve
Midsole	PWRRUN+Foam
Outsole	Durable Rubber
Heel-to-toe drop	8mm

Saucony Ride 18 review: Price and availability

$145 USD / £130 GBP / AU$239.99
Affordable considering it's a workhorse
Frequently found on sale

The Saucony Ride 18 is one of the more affordable road shoes. Priced at $145 USD / £130 GBP / AU$239.99, it can be found at discounted prices, but limited sizes are available.

We’ve spotted it as cheap as £105.00 in the UK at Sports Direct (link) (sportsdirect.com), at $144.95 in the US on Road Runner Sports (link) (roadrunnersports.com), and as low as AU$210 on Sports Direct Australia (link) (au.sportsdirect.com).

Value score: 4.5/5

Saucony Ride 18 review: Design

Extra cushioning foam
More pronounced grooving
No more heel pull-tab

The Saucony Ride 18 retains much of the DNA that made its predecessor popular, yet introduces a series of subtle refinements that combine to deliver a more responsive and comfortable ride. The trainer still employs an 8mm heel-to-toe drop, a specification that appeals to runners seeking a balanced transition without the feeling of a pronounced incline. Underfoot, the PWRRUN+ midsole material has been enhanced with additional cushioning foam, resulting in improved energy return despite a marginal reduction in overall weight. This increased foam content not only makes the shoe feel livelier underfoot, but also boosts the comfort factor.

A closer look at the outsole reveals more pronounced grooving compared with the Ride 17. The more numerous flex grooves provide enhanced grip on a variety of surfaces and encourage a more stable, confident stride. The redesigned tread pattern also appears more wear-resistant, suggesting it will maintain performance over a longer lifespan.

Above the midsole, the engineered knit upper has been reworked to offer greater stretch and conformity around the foot. The device-knit construction wraps the midfoot snugly, eliminating the noticeable internal arch of the previous model and providing a smoother, more uniform pressure distribution. An extra layer of padding in the heel collar further secures the foot in place, preventing slippage without causing discomfort or hotspots during extended runs.

In the forefoot, the generous yet not cumbersome toe-box volume allows natural toe splay without feeling loose. The tongue padding has been optimized to strike a balance between comfort and minimalism, offering enough cushioning to prevent lace-bite without bulking up. The lace system now includes an additional eyelet, enabling various lockdown configurations for a personalized fit. The heel pull-tab has been removed, but this always appeared to be superfluous to me, anyway.

Overall, the Ride 18’s design updates – enhanced foam, refined tread, adaptive upper and tailored fit – combine into a package that feels soft, light and supportive.

Design score: 4/5

Saucony Ride 18 review: Performance

Solid track shoe
Handles light trails as well as roads
Good for most distances

I put the Saucony Ride 18 through its paces on both my regular road runs and interval track sessions, where I was doing 400m and 800m reps, or pacing athletes to smash 5k PBs. On the track, the shoe felt exceptionally smooth and consistent, offering just enough pop from the responsive midsole to sustain a metronomic pace without fatigue. Transitions from heel to toe remained fluid, even when shifting speeds between repeats.

Despite its track prowess, the Ride 18 proved versatile enough for road outings and light trail adventures. The reliable cushioning and grip inspired confidence on varied surfaces, making the pair trustworthy for anything from a brisk parkrun to a 20-mile long run. The outsole’s traction handled damp tarmac and gravel alike.

Although capable in general interval sessions, the Ride 18 does still lack the ultra-lightweight feel and snappy responsiveness of a dedicated racing flat or carbon-plated shoe (but then again, it’s not designed for this kind of running). But for everyday training, tempo runs and mixed-surface routes it strikes an impressive balance of comfort, stability and performance.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Saucony Ride 18: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You value everyday versatility

The Ride 18 adapts from road to light trail, and from speed to easy running, without missing a beat, making it your go-to trainer for mixed workouts.

You appreciate consistent cushioning

Its balanced PWRRUN Plus midsole delivers a soft, reliable bounce mile after mile, keeping your legs feeling fresh.

You need a snug, secure fit

An adaptive knit upper and padded heel collar hold your foot comfortably in place, so you can focus on your stride.

Don't buy it if...

You demand razor-sharp responsiveness

For race-day flats or super-snappy speed sessions, the Ride 18 feels a touch too plush and mellow.

You’re tackling ultras

While it’s durable, the cushioning isn’t as luxurious as specialist long-distance models, so your feet may tire on very long runs.

You prefer hardcore off-road

For technical trails or deep mud, you’ll want deeper lugs and reinforced protection that this pair can’t provide.

Also consider

Altra FWD Via

Our previous favorite slow, all-rounder shoe

Read our full Altra FWD Via review

Saucony Ride 17

The previous iteration which can now be found quite cheaply.

Read our full Saucony Ride 17 review

First reviewed: July 2025

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