Smartwatches - Organizer

I wore the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for 5 days – and it’s a Garmin-rivaling powerhouse

3:00 pm | September 16, 2025

You could say I’ve had a busy past few days – between rocking the AirPods Pro 3 and fully reviewing the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch SE 3, I’ve also been daily-driving the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

It’s finally a proper upgrade for the most rugged, go-anywhere, climb-every-mountain Apple Watch. In 2024, it got a slight spec bump and a fresh paint job, but for 2025 Apple’s really rounding out the Ultra 3 in a way that makes it a compelling upgrade for folks with the first or second generation Ultra, especially the former.

I’m still in the midst of testing, so consider this my review-in-progress, and my early impressions of the Apple Watch Ultra 3, beyond the environs of Apple Park and the launch event. TechRadar’s Senior Fitness & Wearables Editor Matt Evans – himself a smartwatch aficionado – will also be weighing in soon, putting the Ultra 3 (and himself) through a battery of fitness, health, and exercise tests.

Apple Watch Ultra 3: Price and availability

$799 in US
£749 in UK
AU$1,399

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is available for $799 / £749 / AU$1,399. This is the same price as its predecessor in most regions, although the Ultra 3 is slightly cheaper in the UK – the Apple Watch Ultra 2 cost £799 in the UK, so the Ultra 3 is better value there.

Apple Watch Ultra 3: Design

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

Same 49mm case as Ultra 2
Slightly larger screen
Recycled Natural or Black Titanium finishes

In the same way that Apple is sticking with the rounded 'squircle' look of previous iterations for its Series 11 smartwatch, it’s clear that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is sticking with its tried-and-tested design here. It still offers a supersized 49-millimeter display in a thicker, more durable titanium body.

The Ultra 3 comes in Natural Titanium or Black Titanium, and I’ve been testing the latter, which looks especially sleek. You can pair it with a custom-match Ultra Milanese Loop – a personal favorite band of mine – with one of the new 2025 options, like the Trail Loop, which now features reflective material on the edges, or with older bands that fit the 49mm / 46mm / 44mm sizes.

One change Apple made here is using a 3D printing process to build the case from recycled titanium, though you won’t notice any difference in appearance. The display, however, is seriously improved. Like the Series 11 – and the Series 10 before it – the Ultra 3 now boasts an always-on Retina OLED display with an LTPO3 panel, giving it finer control over the refresh rate for additional smoothness in motion. This shines with watch faces like the new Flow, Waypoint, or Exactograph.

It also enables wide-angle viewing, so even when glancing to the side you have a better chance of reading what’s on the display – I’ve found this especially helpful when checking notifications with my arm extended or in low brightness. Apple has also slimmed down the bezels by 24% all around. While noticeable when comparing the Ultra 3 to the Ultra 2 side by side, it’s most apparent when viewing maps – like hiking trails – or photos on the 49mm display.

The Ultra 3’s display can flex its brightness from as high as 3,000 nits in peak sunlight to as low as 1 nit in darkness. Much of the interface uses the Liquid Glass design language introduced in watchOS 26; and even though it looks snappy, it’s also plenty fast for handling actions thanks to the S10 chip inside.

It still charges with the same magnetic puck included in the box, but now supports faster charging.

@techradar
♬ original sound - TechRadar

Apple Watch Ultra 3: Features and performance

Emergency SOS instructions intuitive
Satellite connectivity genuinely useful
I'm loving the new Sleep Score software update

Satellite connectivity for communication makes a lot of sense on a device that you’re likely to be wearing into areas without cell service, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the first Apple Watch to support satellite connectivity.

The headline feature Apple announced at its September launch event was Emergency SOS via Satellite, and while I hope you never need it, I did get a demo at Apple Park. Much like the iPhone’s satellite connectivity, it walks you through the process of sending an alert: identifying the issue, guiding you on how to point your wrist for a satellite connection, packaging the info, sending it into orbit, and beaming a response back down.

In the demo, we triggered SOS on the Ultra 3 by dialing 911. Once it realized there was no grid connection, it began sending an emergency text via satellite. The watch guided us through a questionnaire – we selected “lost or trapped,” confirmed it was just us, and noted no active injuries. This is especially handy if you’re lost on a trail. As a final step, you can also notify emergency contacts.

The watch then instructed us to move our wrist left until it locked onto a satellite. At that point, it packaged the watch’s location, questionnaire details, and the linked medical ID. A relay center receives this data and can send messages back down.

This was, of course, a demo, but it shows how impressively the system works. Notably, it can sometimes transmit data without you moving your wrist, which could be helpful if it’s triggered as a backup during crash or fall detection.

Emergency SOS via Satellite is available for free for two years in the United States – though Apple has a history of extending that – and in the UK and Australia, it’s also free, along with the additional Find My features, which also operate via satellite. I was able to test Find My myself, but in the US, Find My and Messages require an active cellular plan.

With Find My, you can send a basic message (with a character limit) via satellite and even update your Find My location. You’ll go through the same process of moving your Ultra 3 into the right path of a satellite as it passes overhead. With Find My, you’ll know the location was updated this way via a satellite icon on the map next to the person.

Satellite connectivity is a genuinely useful addition to the Ultra 3, and I’m keen to test the Messages and Find My functions more. Beyond this, the Ultra 3 also gets a number of new features as part of watchOS 26, including the Liquid Glass interface, new apps like Notes, and a new Wrist Flick gesture.

Just like the Series 11 and SE 3 – as well as some older models that can run watchOS 26 – the Ultra 3 also gets the new Sleep Score. This builds upon the watch’s ability to track sleep and detail time spent in each stage but now quantifies it with a score from 0 to 100. I’m really enjoying this feature so far, and it feels like it’s about time it arrived here.

The Ultra 3 also adds Hypertension Notifications, meaning that on a rolling 30-day basis, the watch can alert you to potential hypertension (high blood pressure) and recommends you see a doctor for a full diagnosis. This feature is FDA-approved for use in the US.

While the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is technically getting an upgrade to the S10 chip, it’s mostly a repackaged version of the S9 chip found in the Ultra 2. The good news is that the Ultra 3 still feels just as responsive as the other new Apple Watches and competing smartwatches on the market. I think you’d be hard-pressed to slow it down.

This is paired with a new 5G antenna and redesigned antenna band visible around the outer lip of the watch. Apple says it’s more efficient than the previous onboard antenna, and can use two bands at once when needed to improve reception.

Apple also redesigned the internals of the Ultra 3, and thanks to that, there’s a bigger battery inside. Apple rates the Ultra 3 for up to 42 hours with normal use, and I’ve easily been hitting a long day and a half with sleep tracking before noticing a meaningful drop in battery life. It’s simply a powerhouse, and I’ll be testing it more, including the Low Power Mode that can stretch runtime to a remarkable 72 hours.

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

7:00 pm | August 20, 2025

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.

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.

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.

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.

Value score: 4.5/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Design

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

Domed display
New Material 3 Expressive software look
Redesigned charger

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 practice, quickly pulling up the weather.

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.

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.

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 |

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

11:00 am | August 9, 2025

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

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

I wore this $80 / £80 AI-powered Apple Watch rival for two months, and I still love it

5:00 pm | August 2, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: Fitbit Charge, Garmin Forerunner, GPS | Comments: Off

Amazfit Bip 6: One minute review

I was eager to get my hands on the budget-friendly Amazfit Bip 6 to see if it matches up to the likes of the CMF Watch 2 Pro or Amazfit Active 2, our five-star best cheap smartwatch pick. When we reviewed the Amazfit Bip smartwatch back in 2019, we praised its amazing value, stylish design, and excellent companion app. Now at version 6, the Bip 6 is better than ever.

Across the board, the Bip 6 delivers. A sleek design, copious number of workout options, and onboard GPS all contribute to delivering a smartwatch that rivals many of the best smartwatches and fitness trackers. That’s not all the Bip 6 can do though, and it’s not quite all positive. However, considering its low price, it certainly delivers where it counts.

Amazfit Bip 6: Specifications

Price:	$79.99 US / £79.90 UK / AU$169
Dimensions:	46.3 x 40.2 x 10.45mm
Weight:	27.9g without strap
Case/Bezel:	Aluminum alloy and fiber-reinforced polymer
Display:	Size: 1.97-inch AMOLED 390x450px PPI 302
GPS:	Yes
Battery life:	Up to 14-days battery life
Connection:	Bluetooth
Water resistance:	5 ATM

Amazfit Bip 6: Price and availability

$79.99 US / £79.90 UK
An impressively good watch for the price

The Amazfit Bip 6 smartwatch is one of a growing number of budget-friendly smartwatches that deliver surprisingly good specs. You can pick it up for only $79.99 US / £79.90 UK with available colorways including black, red, and stone. By way of comparison, the five-star Amazfit Active 2 costs $99.99 US / £99.99 UK. AU pricing is TBC.

Value score: 4.5/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Design

1.97-inch AMOLED display
Liquid silicone strap
5 ATM water resistance

Let’s turn our attention to the design and build quality of this watch. Straight out the box, I was amazed by how good it looked. I had seen pictures of it, but because of the low price I was expecting to receive a poorly-built smartwatch. Sorry for my pessimism, Amazfit, you’ve ended up exceeding my expectations.

The frame is made of aluminum alloy while the case is fiber-reinforced polymer. It’s ever-so-slightly larger than the Bip 5, although not noticeably. I appreciated how flush it sat on my wrist and is light enough to blend into the background, even when exercising.

This smooth, bevelled metal case houses a gorgeous 1.97-inch AMOLED display which is an upgrade from the TFT on the previous iteration. This results in higher contrast, vibrant colors, and lower power consumption. And at a peak brightness of 2000 nits, I had no problem viewing the screen in even the brightest of lighting conditions.

The screen has a 380 x 450 resolution and 302 PPI, which isn’t far short of the Apple Watch Ultra. All of this is protected by 2.5D tempered glass so you don’t have to worry about it smashing – within reason, that is.

The watch is operated with two buttons located on the right-hand side of the case. They are large enough to be easily locatable but not big enough to get in the way. Personally, I love wearing a smartwatch with a crown button because it helps me navigate through the long list of workout options. As much as I missed it on the Bip 6, I soon got used to swiping the touchscreen instead.

The liquid silicone strap is comfortable, although a little awkward to put on. This is because the process of tucking the strap away actually clamps the watch in tighter. This made it difficult to reliably find the right position for the catch time after time. To provide a high level of choice and individuality, the strap can be purchased in a variety of different colors including black, charcoal, stone, red, and blush.

The Bip 6 has a water-resistance grade of 5 ATM, which means it can withstand water pressure down to 50 meters. Despite this, it’s not designed to be taken swimming for long periods of time or for intense water sports. I’m not doing either of those but have worn it in the shower and not encountered any problems at all.

Design score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Features

24/7 Health monitoring and over 140 activity modes
Make and answer calls
Track progress through the Zepp app

As well as an AMOLED display, 5ATM water resistance, and on-board GPS, the Bip 6 delivers an impressive range of health monitoring and more activity modes than you could shake a stick at, alongside functionality for making and answering phone calls.

First up is Amazfit's BioTracker technology, enabling round-the-clock health monitoring. This includes heart rate, blood-oxygen levels, stress levels, and sleep quality. There’s nothing out of the ordinary or particularly special but strong for a budget smartwatch.

Things get a little more exciting when we get into activity modes. Not only are there over 140 of them including running, cycling, and swimming, but there’s also a dedicated HYROX race mode. I’ve never actually partaken in one of these races but if you’re into HYROX,this would be the ideal smartwatch for you. Tracking through the series of 1km runs and various functional fitness tests would be a nightmare on any other smartwatch, but with the Bip 6 all parts of the set order of exercises are handled for you.

Thanks to a built-in microphone and Bluetooth technology, the Bip 6 is able to make and answer calls like a pro. You’ll also be able to receive notifications and reply to texts using Zepp Flow.

Health tracking and activity records can be accessed through the watch but the most extensive insights are available through the Zepp app. If you’d like even more advanced wellness information then you’ll have to subscribe to Zepp Aura inside of the Zepp app itself.

Features score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Performance

Single-frequency GPS, but accurate
Zepp flow streamlines using the phone
Positive user-experience

In terms of using the smartwatch, everything was very positive. The watch wakes up quickly and reliably when the wrist is rotated and the interface is adequately responsive. The watch lost pairing with the app a few times but re-pairing was quick and painfree. Data such as notifications and weather information were also delivered promptly and effficiently.

The Bip 6 also features built-in GPS, although it’s only single frequency at this price. Despite the lack of dual-frequency GNSS technology I found the Bip 6 to be both reliable and accurate. If you need super accurate tracking even through densely built-up areas then you’ll be better off with a dual-frequency watch such as the Garmin Forerunner 255 instead. That being said, I did take the Bip 6 into a dense forest and it had no problems picking up GPS within seconds.

During walks, runs, and cycling, I tested the Bip 6 alongside the Suunto Race S which is my usual tracking preference. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the results were comparable, including heart rate, pace, distance traveled, and more. I also love how granular the Zepp app presents all this data, with in-depth graphics, plenty of stats, and bar chart dials. Being able to compare similar types of workouts over a period of time was also very helpful.

The Bip 6 also supports offline maps which helps when you know signal is going to be sketchy. By downloading unknown routes ahead of time, I was able to guarantee that navigation wouldn’t be a problem.

It is possible to play music while working out, but you’ll have to download music to the watch first. The lack of support for music streaming services like Spotify means you’ll have to be prepared ahead of time and preload your favorite music onto the watch. I like that it’s possible to listen to music through the watch, but the lack of convenience is a negative for the overall experience.

Image 1 of 8

Image 2 of 8

Image 3 of 8

Image 4 of 8

Image 5 of 8

Image 6 of 8

Image 7 of 8

Image 8 of 8

Battery life is impressive, especially given the price of the watch. The battery capacity has actually been raised from previous models from 300mAh to 340mAh, boosting overall performance and offering 14 days battery life with typical usage. By tracking around one or two activities per day, I found the watch actually lasted between 15 and 20 days.

As soon as I increased that and made use of the GPS more frequently, I quickly found that the battery life dropped to nearer 10 days. Recharging was possible through the custom Amazfit charging attachment that connects to the back of the watch. My only gripe was that there was no USB-C cable included, so you’ll need to source that yourself. A full recharge from empty took 120 minutes.

Finally let’s talk about Zepp Flow. This feature allows users to operate the watch using simple voice commands. Once I became familiar with the range of accepted commands, I found myself hardly using the GUI and associated buttons. I was able to adjust settings, check health data, start workouts, and reply to notifications with ease.

If Sam Altman and Jony Ive have their way, then the future of devices will look very different to what we have today. Devices will likely become entirely unobtrusive and operated solely with the voice. The Bip 6, with Zepp Flow, appears to be a step in that direction and Amazfit has absolutely nailed the implementation. I am excited to see how it pushes this design even further in future iterations.

Performance score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more capable smartwatch at this price point.	4.5/5
Design	A great-looking watch that is comfortable to wear.	4/5
Features	The Bip 6 does all the basics well with little to set it apart from the rest.	4/5
Performance	Accurate GPS and seamless operation using Zepp Flow.	4/5
Total	A well-rounded smartwatch that offers a lot given the budget-friendly price.	4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Should I buy?

Buy if it...

You want your money to go further
At $79.99 US / £79.90 UK you’ll be amazed at how much performance and quality you get for the price.

You like simple and sleek design
The Bip 6 looks more premium than the price tag would suggest. The materials give away its budget status but it still looks nice.

You want GPS tracking
With onboard GPS you’ll be able to track your workouts to your heart’s content.

Don't buy it if...

You’re put off by paid subscriptions
Access to wellness and personalized reports will require Zepp Aura, a subscription-based service.

You need the very best GPS
With single frequency GPS you might find you have problems in densely built-up areas.

Also consider

Fitbit Charge 6

A little bit more expensive but still relatively affordable

Read our full Fitbit Charge 6 review

Garmin Forerunner 165

A more expensive watch, but a better outdoor companion.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 review

How I tested

Having worn the Amazfit Bip 6 for two months, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to get a proper feel of what the watch is like in reality. My testing has covered all elements of the watch including ‘smart’ features alongside the health and fitness tracking parts. I’ve also had it on at night to give the sleep tracking a rigorous test. This is a watch that I’ll continue to enjoy wearing, not only from a comfort point of view but also from a performance perspective.

First reviewed: July 2025

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 review: Unequivocally the best mainline Galaxy Watch in ages

5:00 pm | July 9, 2025

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

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: One minute review

Every time I try a big-name smartwatch these days, I’m slightly disappointed. Not because they’re bad devices (they’re certainly not) but because all too often, they tend to be very similar to their predecessors with very incremental, minor changes, such as a new software feature or slightly brighter screen, which isn’t the most exciting thing to write about.

However, not so this year. Samsung has decided to buck the trend with a comprehensive redesign, extending from its hardware to its software. The watch itself is thinner with a brighter screen and bigger battery (although battery life is still allegedly the same), keeping the round display but adopting a Watch Ultra-style metal cushion in an attempt to give Samsung watches a distinctive brand identity

In the software stakes, there are several useful updates that change how you use the watch day-to-day. A Now Bar widget allows you to quickly access the task you’re currently running in the background (such as a timer or workout) from the watch face screen, while at-a-glance views are more useful thanks to a nifty redesign. On-device Gemini has also been added out of the box, allowing you to complete complex multi-step tasks with a simple audio request, such as “find the best gym nearby and ask Julie if she wants to join it”.

There's also a running coach, which analyses your form and performance during a 12-minute test run and assigns you one of 160 running performance plans, switching you from plan to plan if you repeatedly exceed its expectations (or don’t perform as expected). A new antioxidant index measures the level of carotenoids, a beneficial antioxidant, using your thumb as another metric to indicate general health. Sleep apnea detection has also landed, just like this year’s crop of the best Apple Watches.

This is all in addition to the other features present on other watches: heart rate, advanced sleep algorithms, body composition, third-party apps, social features, music control, 32GB storage and more. Samsung’s eighth iteration of its Galaxy Watch series is the most comprehensive change I’ve seen from the company in years, sporting plenty of genuinely useful improvements.

Having lived with the watch for a week, it performs up to expectations: it's fast, accurate and looks great, although I didn't use the on-watch AI for anything much more sophisticated than the usual Assistant functionalities, preferring the larger format of my phone's screen for anything more detailed. The wellness metrics were comparable to a top Garmin watch too, and surprisingly, I preferred the slimmer Watch8 to the bulkier Watch8 Classic.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Specifications

Component	Samsung Galaxy Watch8 (40mm)	Samsung Galaxy Watch8 (44mm)
Price	From $349.99 / £319 / AU$649	From $399.99 / £349 / AU$699
Dimensions	42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6mm	46.0 x 43.7 x 8.6mm
Weight	30g	34g
Case/Bezel	Armor Aluminum	Armor Aluminum
Display	1.3-in super AMOLED	1.5-in super AMOLED
GPS	GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo
Battery Life	Up to 30 hours	Up to 40 hours
Connection	Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3
Water Resistance	5ATM	5 ATM

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Price and availability

40mm Bluetooth model starts at $349.99 / £319 / AU$649
44mm model starts at $399.99 / £349 / AU$699
Available to pre-order July 9

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 series is available to pre-order now. Prices start at $349.99 in the US, £319 in the UK for the 40mm Bluetooth model, rising to £369 for the LTE-enabled version, and AU$649 in Australia, rising to AU$749 for the LTE model. The 44mm Bluetooth-only version starts at $399 in the US, £349 in the UK and AU$699 in Australia.

This is a slight price rise from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, which started from $299.99 / £289 / AU$549 when it was released last year.

Value score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Design

Slimmer new cushion shape
3000-nit brightness
Software revamp

Let’s talk about some of the new changes. First and foremost, the display is still perfectly round, but the casing no longer hugs that shape to create a cylinder. Instead, it’s a squarish cushion designed to emulate the shape of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. Samsung representatives have mentioned that it’s an instantly recognizable brand identity, in the same way you see a ‘squircle’ watch with a digital crown and immediately understand it as an Apple Watch.

The most surprising thing about the redesign is that where the Ultra looks awkward and boxy at times, the Galaxy Watch8 looks good. This is partially down to the watch being 11% thinner than its predecessor, and a whole lot thinner than the Ultra or the other new kid on the block, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as you can see above. It’s a lovely minimalist design, and I like it a lot. The display is brighter now, capable of up to 3,000 nits, and the battery is 8% larger to accommodate.

There’s also less case movement on-wrist now, thanks to the Dynamic Lug system ported over from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Getting the straps on and off using this system was a bit more fiddly than anticipated, especially if you have short nails like mine, but it’s hard to deny the watch was an incredibly snug and comfortable fit, even during runs.

The UI has also received an upgrade. A Now Bar, similar to those on the best Samsung phones, pops up on the watch face when a task is running in the background such as Timer or Workout. It's a satisfyingly slender widget showcasing a piece of information, like the time remaining, which you can tap to balloon it to full-screen. At-a-glance app views and collections have also received a revamp, emphasizing usability. I loved all of these changes, especially the Now Bar; it’s such a simple concept executed wonderfully.

Design score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Features

Gemini on wrist
Advanced new health features
Running Coach with 160 plans

First and foremost, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is the first watch with Google Gemini on-wrist out of the box. It’s finally here, and as you might expect, it’s very handy when it comes to performing simple tasks. My demonstration involved simple requests, such as starting a 20-minute running workout, but also more complex examples – such as the aforementioned “find the best gym near me and text Julie” prompt.

It has the potential to be transformative in the way we interact with smartwatches going forward, but I'll be honest, I rarely used it beyond simple assistant features. In its most useful instance during my week of everyday wear, I asked Gemini to show me directions to the nearest supermarket on my watch, at which point it promptly called up Google maps. That I found very cool indeed: it's likely to change how we use our smartwatches in small ways.

Another new feature I can’t wait to get stuck into is the new Running Coach. After inputting your goals and completing a 12-minute test run, you’ll be assigned one of 160 different running plans, ranging from a first 5K to a complete marathon. If your performance looks like you’ll outperform your goal at any point, Samsung Health will switch you to another running plan that more closely matches your capabilities.

Other new health features include the Antioxidant Index, which detects the level of a single antioxidant, carotenoids, in your blood to give you an indication of whether you’ve eaten enough fruit and vegetables to support a healthy diet using your thumb. I got to try this: sadly, my carotenoid levels were not up to scratch, though I don’t have any way of verifying the reading.

Otherwise, the watch is still packing all its existing health and fitness credentials and plenty of robust hardware and software features. Hardware features such as the camera viewfinder and body composition sensor are all present and correct, as are Samsung’s app drawer and the litany of third-party apps the watch, which uses Samsung’s One UI Watch 6 skin of Wear OS, is capable of accommodating.

Features score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Performance

Battery life performed as described, albeit sluggish charging
Excellent running metrics
Gemini on-wrist is a fun addition

I wore this watch pretty much constantly until the battery was completely drained, sleeping and exercising in it, and I can confirm after several short workout sessions (one 25-minute run, and a few automatically-detected walks), the battery gave up after around 25 hours with the always-on display on. That’s as described by Samsung, and longer than your average Apple Watch, but still far shorter than most of the best running watches.

When it comes to its workout performance, I was impressed. I tested the Watch8 against the Garmin Venu X1, and its metrics fell comfortably within the margin of error to suggest sufficient accuracy for both watches. It really is a great running watch; it fits flush on the wrist, doesn’t move around, remains super comfortable, and shows consistently useful information.

Even after my run finished, Samsung Health highlighted issues it thought I could improve upon, and recommended me specific drills as an action plan to address them. That, in particular, is a wonderful addition to Samsung Health, and it’s great to see some actionable insights rather than the watch simply throwing more stats without context into the mix.

I found sleep tracking with the Watch8 to be accurate, at least as far as sleep duration goes, and its slim profile ensured comfort overnight. During my testing, I woke up in the middle of the night with a cough, and Samsung correctly identified my time spent awake. Samsung’s Sleep Animal feature, gleaned from historic data from the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, offered me the light-sleeping Nervous Penguin profile.

The much-hyped on-watch Gemini feature was fine, though I certainly feel like I’m becoming numb to AI notification summaries and simple voice-command tasks these days, even if this is the first on-watch representation of Google’s Gemini AI Assistant. In fact, this has come to the Samsung Galaxy Watch series even before the Google Pixel Watch. Perhaps we’ll all have to reorient the way we feel about AI when we’re wearing it on our bodies, and it’s nice at least to have the option to ask Gemini to start a workout instead of swiping through tiles, and you can do some cool things with notifications.

One notable gripe I had with the watch, hand-in-hand with the lackluster battery, was the disappointing charge time. Using the Watch8’s proprietary charger, I started charging the watch from 0% at 08:18am. It took until 10:12am to completely fill the gauge, almost two hours.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re a Samsung phone user

The latest iteration of the Galaxy Watch knocks it out of the park.

You want a slim watch

Rather than the bulky Ultra or Classic, the sleek and light mainline Watch8 looks positively elegant.

You want Gemini on-wrist.

At present, this is one of the very first watches with on-wrist Gemini via Wear OS 6.

Don't buy it if...

You value battery life

At a piddly 30 hours with a two-hour charge time, you’ll be taking the watch on and off quite often.

You’re an iPhone user

Get an Apple Watch, you know the drill.

You want the rotating bezel

For my money, the Watch8 looks better slim. However, if you simply must go for the addition of the rotating bezel, the Watch8 Classic is also available. View Deal

Also consider

OnePlus Watch 3

One of the best alternative Android watches

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

A weighty, powerful watch and the best Samsung watch for active people.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

I wore the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 for a week, draining the battery down completely and charging back up to full. I slept with it on, paired it with a Samsung phone, and tried all the features such as antioxidant index and on-wrist Gemini. I completed multiple GPS workouts, comparing the results to a top Garmin watch for accuracy.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic review: A Galaxy Watch Ultra that’s dressed to impress

5:00 pm |

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

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: One-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is different from its predecessors. The Classic series crops up every two years like clockwork, and all feature that rotating bezel, which serves as a way to interact with the watch.

However, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and Watch 4 Classic bear a resemblance to their namesake mainline entries in the Galaxy Watch series, the Watch 8 Classic draws more from the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

This new influence means the body is a whole different shape to the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, which has slimmed down by 11% to become the thinnest Galaxy Watch yet. The Classic is still chunky, and features the Ultra’s programmable Quick Button in addition to the rotating bezel. The Quick Button can be programmed and used in many different ways, from starting your most-used workout to opening music controls. The rotating bezel also allows you to scroll through apps, lists, and messages without using the touchscreen.

These two features, combined with voice commands aided by the Google Gemini AI assistant, mean you have lots of different ways to interact with the watch, which is great. The bezel feels smooth in use, and it feels very natural to use the wheel to scroll through long passages of text and lists of apps alike.

Other new features include sleep apnea detection, a new Running Coach with 160 running plans to recommend and track, useful redesigned software (including new at-a-glance app collection displays and a minimalist widget called a Now Bar, which lives on your watch face when a task is running in the background) and of course, that previously mentioned AI assistant. It’s also got Samsung’s existing suite of features, such as a BioActive heart rate sensor, sleep coach recommendations, accurate body composition, and lots more.

I’ve tested the watch for around a week alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch8, and can confirm it's the full package inside an attractive but thick and chunky casing. It's great, but I do prefer the slender Galaxy Watch8 for day-to-day and active wear.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: Price and availability

Bluetooth-only model starts at $499 / £449 / AU$899
LTE model is $549 / £499 / AU$999
Pre-orders available July 9

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is available for pre-order now priced at $499.99 / £449 / AU$899 for the Bluetooth-only model. Considering the mainline Watch8 is available for $150 / £100 cheaper, you’re paying for the upgraded stainless steel body, the rotating bezel, and the added Quick Button. LTE connectivity is available for an additional $50 / £50 / AU$100.

This certainly isn’t a small price increase between editions, and it's a big jump from the previous-generation Classic as well: the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic started at $399 / £369 / AU$699, although that was a smaller-sized 43mm model, whereas, like the Ultra, the Classic 8 is a one-size-fits-all 46mm.

Value score: 3.5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Design

The rotating bezel is back
Added Quick Button
Redesigned UI/software

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic only comes in a single size, 46mm, where 40mm and 44mm options are offered with the mainline Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. This is a watch for bigger wrists only, as it’s also thick and chunky due to the added height and heft from the bezel. However, the machined bezel is a lovely design, and intuitive to use when scrolling through options on the watch.

It looks and feels like a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, especially with the addition of the Quick Button – so if you liked that design, you’ll also like this one. The Watch8 Classic's display is tied with the 8 for the brightest yet, at 3,000 nits. You also get double the internal storage of the standard Samsung Galaxy Watch8 – 64GB, instead of the standard 8’s 32GB.

As mentioned above, the Quick Button can be programmed for different purposes, and the bezel is used like the digital crowns on the best Apple Watches in that you use it to cycle through options, but the real magic is in the redesigned UI, which I love.

At-a-glance views now offer more information on your limited display, while a new watch face widget called the Now Bar, an idea borrowed from the best Samsung phones, allows tasks running in the background – like Timers and Workouts – to have a small presence on your regular watch face. It works very well in practice, and I loved using it.

My main design concern, other than the limited size options and thickness of the watch, is the Dynamic Lug system, which is borrowed from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. I mentioned in my Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 review that I found it fiddly, especially as a man with short nails.

However, it does mean there’s less case movement during exercise, and the watches (in white and black) look snappy with the leather-effect strap provided. If you’re keen to use it for exercise, especially swimming, it may also behoove you to pick up a silicone one, further inflating the price of the watch as you’ll need to buy this separately.

Design score: 4.5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Features

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic advanced running metrics — (Image credit: Future)

Tons of third-party apps
Powerful wellness metrics
New hardware features like the Antioxidant Index

Aside from the design differences, many of the new features on offer are the same as the ones described in my Samsung Galaxy Watch8 review, but I’ll repeat them here. Sleep apnea detection is added to Samsung’s extensive suite of sleep-tracking features, which also includes sleep coaching, snore detection, and Energy Score.

A new Running Coach helps calibrate your running and can recommend one of 160 different training plans, intelligently switching between plans on the fly based on your performance. The new Antioxidant Index detects the level of the beneficial antioxidant carotenoids in your body, found in leafy greens and orange vegetables: if this score is low, you likely need to eat more vegetables.

Gemini on the Samsung Galaxy Watch, the first of its kind, is a headline feature here, and based on my time with the watch, it seems to work well in practice. I normally used it as a standard Google Assistant for hands-free texting, but every now and again it did something smart enough to really impress. For example, I asked it for directions to the nearest Sainsbury's supermarket, and the watch automatically brought up Google Maps with turn-by-turn directions already plugged in. Sweet.

All of this is added to Samsung’s existing suite of health tracking, fitness, and lifestyle features, which are further enhanced by third-party apps from Wear OS. These include advanced fitness features like dual-frequency GPS to better calculate runs, hikes, and rides, TrackBack to stop you getting lost, and body composition analysis to determine your ratio of fat to muscle to bone.

This is surprisingly accurate: we tested Samsung’s feature against a smart scale with favorable results.

Features score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Performance

Great wellness metrics
Programmable Action button & satisfying bezel rotation
Battery life still frustrates

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic’s rotating bezel, plus its programmable Quick button (not an Action button a la the Apple Watch Ultra) offer more interaction options than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8, and the watch is all the better for it. The Watch8 Classic’s rotating bezel spins back and forth with satisfying tactile clicks, used to scroll between tiles and up and down lists in grid view.

The Quick button allows you to set two functionalities to a short press and a long press: I used a short press for Google Gemini and a long press to automatically start a running workout. These two functions were for my most-used apps. I found the Quick button useful and intuitive, but I ended up doing this in the first place as I didn’t find saying “Hey Google” always brought up Gemini, as I found speech recognition struggled to pick up the wake-word. However, once the app was active, it had no problems interpreting my requests, usually simple things I would already use the voice assistant for, such as texting brief message responses.

However, I did use more complex prompts on occasion, such as asking it to recommend good walks within five miles of my location, and Gemini had no problem doing so. Some requests, such as asking it about my sleep, simply pull up the corresponding app (in this case, Samsung Health) and the correct tile within that app (in this case, sleep scores).

Wellness metrics were great. I tested the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 against the Garmin Venu X1 in a detailed test which you can read about here, but I also ran with the Galaxy Watch8 Classic and got a similar reading. The strap provided is a leather-look exterior with a silicon underside, so I felt like I could exercise with the watch without changing straps – which is a good thing too, as the new quick release strap is actually more fiddly to use with short nails than first thought. A colleague with long nails agreed it wasn’t easy, and required a very firm press to release.

The Watch8 Classic wasn’t as comfortable to wear as the vanilla Watch8, largely down to the bulkier profile. You can see both watches compared above, but the bigger bezel changes the shape of the Watch, causing it to shift around due to how lightweight it was. During the run, I had to stop and tighten the strap a notch beyond how I’d wear it normally, because I could feel it shifting around on my wrist. Because it’s so lightweight for its size, however, I was ok with wearing it overnight, allowing Samsung’s smorgasbord of sleep information to come into play.

Sleep, exercise and recovery metrics alike were detailed and full of actionable, useful information: not always a given, as many smartwatches are content to merely throw more stats at you without context as to what they meant or how to improve them. My only gripe is the battery, which is still too short, and the watch took over 100 minutes to charge from 10% to full.

Performance score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	Relatively expensive considering the price of the standard Galaxy Watch8	3.5/5
Design	Bulky, but the rotating bezel is a winner	4.5/5
Features	A wealth of metrics, hardware tricks and third-party apps.	5/5
Performance	Interactive and comprehensive with great wellness metrics.	4/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: Should I buy?

Weather report on Samsung watch — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a chunky watch

That bezel adds a lot of height to the overall watch.

You want a statement piece

There’s no denying with all its stainless steel and classic bezel, that this watch looks lovely on wrist.

You want a fitness companion

This watch is packed with comprehensive, actionable exercise and recovery insights.

Don't buy it if...

You dislike sleeping in chunky watches

Unless you’re going to also spring for a Galaxy Ring, you’re better off getting the slimmer Watch8 series.

You’re an iPhone user

Almost self-explanatory, but you’ll be far better off with an Apple Watch Ultra.

You already own and love the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

There’s almost nothing the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic can do that last year’s Ultra can’t, with more battery life left over than the Classic.

Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Watch8

The mainline Watch8 is slimmer, cheaper and offers the same great functionalities.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch8 review here

OnePlus Watch 3

Now available in two sizes, the onePlus is another chunky steel Wear OS watch that will appeal to fans of this one.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

How I tested

I wore the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic for a week, trying all the features, draining the battery down to its fullest, and completing multiple workouts. I tested its running GPS against a top Garmin watch, tried the health features such as the Antioxidant Index, composed prompts for the on-wrist Gemini assistant and downloaded third-party apps onto the watch such as Strava and Spotify.

The Garmin Descent Mk3i is a 5-star dive watch that blows the Apple Watch Ultra 2 out the water

2:00 pm | June 21, 2025

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

Garmin Descent Mk3i: Two-minute review

Sitting at the top of Garmin’s recreational dive watch family, and by extension the best swimming watch for divers, the Descent Mk3i’s AMOLED display – 43mm or 51mm – uses a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens – something that’s more important than you might realize in scuba diving, where you and your buddy can be exposed to a variety of hard materials like other watches, knives and the natural topography, such as rocks and wrecks.

I didn’t treat the Descent Mk3i any differently to how I dive with any of my own watches (slap it on and forget about it without being overly cautious), and so far, the display has proven to live up to its scratch-resistant claims. That titanium case has also held up well during testing, but be aware that the Mk3 without air integration is a stainless steel model.

Getting used to the five physical buttons can take some getting used to, but take the time to explore their functionalities, and you’ll be swimming. And on that, if you’re not swimming and are instead in a dry environment, you can use the touchscreen to navigate the Decent Mk3i.

Where this dive computer stands out against virtually all of its rivals is with its SubWave sonar technology, which enables diver-to-diver communication up to 30 meters. None of my buddies have one of these for me to try it with, but you can be sure that I’ve done my fair share of research on the feature and it comes highly recommended. However, I’ve just highlighted the biggest problem of SubWave-based communication – you need to be diving with like-minded Garmin fans.

If you are in that position, especially if you’re running a dive school, then you’ll also love being able to monitor the tank pressures of up to eight divers (who are within a tighter 10-meter range).

Compared with other recreational watches, the Garmin Descent Mk3i is much closer to the boundary of tech diving – apart from single gas mixes, you can also set it up for multi-gas dives and rebreathers, so if you plan on going deeper or staying for longer, then your requirement to use different equipment and gasses will be supported by this high-end watch.

It also works all the way down to 200 meters – that’s way below recreational diving limits, but is a welcome upgrade over most watches, which cut out at 40 meters (around 10-20 metres short of maximum recreational diving limits). Many rivals can withstand water pressures down to 100-200 meters, but they tend to stop tracking your diving activity way before this.

When you’re on land, the sensors take regular readings of your heart rate, respiration rate, pulse oximetry and more to estimate your in-the-moment health like the rest of the best Garmin watches, and these metrics feed the Dive Readiness score.

There’s even a Jet Lag Adviser to offer guidance on light exposure, sleep schedule and exercise – perfect for those action-packed dive holidays. Although the science behind preventing decompression sickness is still being developed, we do know that physical exertion can bring on the effects, so being advised of your dive readiness before you get in the water is a handy tool.

Unlike the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which lives on my left wrist 24/7 (apart from when it’s charging), the Descent Mk3i’s battery life promised 30 whole hours of diving, which was more than enough to cover my weekend of four dives. And on the weeks when I wasn’t diving, I made a habit of charging it on a Sunday evening – that 10-day battery life is a game-changer, even with all the sensors going every few seconds.

Besides being deep in the Apple ecosystem, the only reason I can think of stopping me from moving over to Garmin fully is the fact that it still has a relatively clunky UI, but that’s hard to solve given how unbeatably feature-ridden it is. It has features like Garmin Pay and a voice assistant, but it’s not quite as slick as native Apple or Google watches.

On the whole, though, if you can look past the high price point, I think the Garmin Descent Mk3i might just be the best all-in-one smartwatch for divers you can buy today, and even with its four-figure price tag, it still represents good value for money on the basis that you get one of the most comprehensive and reliable sports trackers in the business.

Garmin Descent Mk3i: Specifications

Component	Garmin Descent Mk3i (model tested: Carbon grey DLC titanium with black silicone band, 51mm)
Battery life	Up to 10 days (4 days always-on display, 30 hours diving mode)
Charging cable	Garmin proprietary clip charger with USB-C connection
Diving depth rating	200m
Sensors	GPS, GLONASS and Galileo satellite systems, heart rate, pulse oximeter, altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light sensor, depth sensor
Gas mixes	Air, Nitrox and Trimix, up to 100% O2; 1 bottom gas and up to 11 deco and/or backup gases

Component	Garmin Descent Mk3i (43mm)
Price	Starts at $1,400 / £1,250 / AUD $2,500
Dimensions	43 x 43 x 14.13 mm
Weight	68.3g with bands
Case/bezel	Fiber-reinforced polymer / stainless steel
Gas mixes	Air, Nitrox and Trimix, up to 100% O2; 1 bottom gas and up to 11 deco and/or backup gases
GPS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS
Battery life	Up to 10 days (30 hours diving mode)
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Water resistant	Yes, 200m depth

Garmin Descent Mk3i: Price and availability

$1,400 / £1,250 / AUD $2,500 for 43mm
$1,600 / £1,600 / AUD $3,200 for 51mm
T2 tank pressure transmitter: $500 / £430 / AUD $900

The top-of-the-range Garmin Descent Mk3i (with transmitter) is a $2,000+ wearable, which puts it right at the top of its class, but it could still end up costing you less than buying a dedicated dive watch and a second fitness tracker for land.

To fully benefit from the Mk3i’s capabilities, you’ll need to pair it with the T2 tank pressure transmitter for a fair chunk more cash.

If you’re on a tighter budget, there’s also the Descent Mk3. The removal of the ‘i’ in its name means it won’t work with the tank pressure transmitter, but you can save yourself some cash and pick it up for $1,200 / £1,100 / AUD $1,250.

Garmin Descent Mk3i: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	It’s loaded with more features than most rivals, but it’s still very expensive	4/5
Design	Rugged and durable design with high-end titanium finish on Mk3i models	5/5
Features	There’s no denying this is the ultimate watch for outdoor and diving enthusiasts	5/5
Performance	Responsive operating system and long-lasting battery life	5/5

Garmin Descent Mk3i: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want something that can do it all

It’s expensive, but there’s not much that comes near to offering as much functionality as the Descent Mk3i.

You’re a tech-reational diver

You can push the limits of recreational diving with this watch, which offers tools to support tech diving.

You spend a lot of time outdoors

Superb GPS tracking, detailed body metrics and endless workout options help you to go wild.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

There are watches that offer similar metrics and tank pressure monitoring for less money.

You’re a novice diver

Chances are you don’t need everything the Descent Mk3i offers, so why not consider a Fenix 8?

Also consider...

Garmin Fenix 8

A high-quality all-in-one dive watch for true outdoor enthusiasts.

Read our Garmin Fenix 8 review

Suunto Ocean

A user-friendly, minimalist dive watch with support for wireless air pressure monitoring

Read our Suunto Ocean review

First reviewed: June 2025

This cheap Apple Watch dupe is under $100 and actually stuffed with features

4:54 pm | May 13, 2025

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

Tozo S6: Two minute review

The Tozo 6 is unlikely to make it into our guide to the best smartwatches, but it's certainly good value for money, comparable with some of the best cheap fitness trackers. What you get for the $79.99 / £54 / around AU$111 price tag is pretty impressive, although you’ll be purchasing it knowing its limited feature set. Despite being relatively feature-rich, there are a lot of limitations. We’ll get into those alongside what’s good and commendable about this budget-friendly option below.

The Tozo S6 looks almost identical to the Apple Watch SE, a cheap dupe. I appreciate it can be difficult to make smartwatches stand out from each other, but if you put these two smartwatches next to each other, you’d be amazed at how similar they are. It’s not even just the shape, but also the location of the crown and secondary button, as well as the strap's style.

The Tozo S6 plastic case boasts a smooth curved bezel from back to front, culminating in a sizable 1.82-inch AMOLED display. Tozo has done a superb job of engineering a screen that is both clear and bright, especially for the price. Colors are generally replicated accurately, with a slight tendency towards being too vibrant. Customizable watch faces are an expected, but welcome addition.

On the right-hand side, you’ll find a rotating crown above a secondary button. The crown performs nicely with sufficient resistance and satisfying ‘feedback’ to enable predictable and controlled scrolling. The secondary button protrudes from the case and is easy to locate without looking.

The silicone strap took a while to install due to some rather fiddly pins but once in place, it was pretty comfortable. Once tightened, the rest of the strap folds up underneath so it’s not flapping around. At first, I thought this would be unbearably uncomfortable but in reality, it caused no discomfort at all.

Moving on from the design and onto the features, we find a smartwatch that covers all the expected bases when it comes to smartwatches, health trackers, and fitness trackers.

The Tozo S6 provides the ability to track metrics, including heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen levels. Unfortunately, the watch is slow to generate results, with a heart rate measurement taking upwards of 30 seconds. This is noticeably slow compared to other smartwatches, including the Huawei Watch GT5, which takes between 10 and 15 seconds. Having to wait for metrics is one of the downsides of paying so little for the watch.

Exercise activities can be tracked using one of 10 sports modes, although more can be added by using the app, which is a slightly odd system. Your desired sports mode can be located by swiping up and down through the list, although the scrolling experience is far from smooth and reliable. However, once in, the interface is actually quite nice; stats during runs and cycles, such as time elapsed, calories burned and distance traveled are prominently displayed, enabling them to be easily seen even during intense exercise or adverse weather conditions.

The accuracy of metrics collected during my test cycles is comparable with other smartwatches that I’d worn while cycling the same routes. These include the recently-tested Huawei GT5 and Suunto Race S, which are both at the more premium end of the market. Recorded activities are nicely displayed in the Tozo app.

I liked how these were organized and presented in a calendar format, with each one showing a set of key stats and presented in easy-to-digest graphs. For such a cheap smartwatch, the Tozo app is actually comparable with anything you’d find from Huawei or Samsung.

Smartwatch features include receiving notifications and reminders. These are delivered reliably and instantly, as long as the device is connected through the app. I did find the device dropping connection more often than I would have liked, but thankfully the pairing process is both quick and easy. For the price, I was impressed that Bluetooth calling was available, although you have to add contacts into the Tozo app first. Audio quality could be improved, but what are we really expecting for one of the most budget smartwatches around?

The watch is advertised as lasting around 15 days on a single charge, although I barely managed 10 days during my ‘only check the time and notifications’ testing period. With activity tracking and health monitoring performed each day, the battery life dropped nearer to 5 days.

Tozo S6: Specifications

Price:	$79.99 US / £54 UK
Dimensions:	44.538.510.8 mm
Weight:	39.5g
Case/Bezel:	PC+ABS
Display:	1.85-inch AMOLED 390x450 ppi
GPS:	None
Battery life:	Up to 15-days battery life
Connection:	Bluetooth
Water resistance:	1 ATM

Tozo S6: Price and availability

$79.99 US / £54 UK
One size only

The Tozo S6 is only available in one size and one color (black). It retails at an unbelievably low $79.99 US / £54 UK. Shipping takes between three and seven days. Every purchase includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, a one-year hassle-free warranty, and lifetime customer support.

Tozo S6: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	For $79.99 / £54, you'd be hard pressed to get anything better.	4.5/5
Design	An Apple Watch-style design but without the class. The 1.85-inch AMOLED screen is a redeeming quality.	3.5/5
Features	With only relatively basic and limited health and exercise tracking, the Tozo S6 doesn’t score too highly.	3.5/5
Performance	Given the cost, the performance is quite impressive. But compared to more expensive alternatives, it really lacks features and accuracy.	3.5/5
Total	A basic smartwatch with the budget price to match	3.5/5

Tozo S6: Should I buy?

Buy if it...

You want a cheap smartwatch
At $79.99 / £54, there aren’t many cheaper options. It’s incredible that you’ll still benefit from a range of tracking for health and exercise.

You want a crisp and clear display
The 1.85-inch AMOLED Ultra-Clear screen looks fantastic.

You are only a casual tracker of exercise
The limited tracking options are good for generalists but not for tracking specific sports.

Don't buy it if...

You like a premium smartwatch
At $79.99 / £54, almost everything about the Tozo S6 is cheap. It also looks cheap and if that’s not what you want, then I’d steer clear.

You want good fitness tracking
For better tracking of your exercise and fitness, you’d be better off investing in one of the budget Fitbit watches.

Also consider

Amazfit Active 2

A gold standard for cheaper smartwatches.

Read our full Amazfit Active 2 review

Garmin Forerunner 165

A more expensive watch, but a better outdoor companion.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Tozo S6 for over a month, during which time I tracked a range of activities, including walking, cycling, and running. I also tested every single health-tracking feature that the smartwatch offers. I paired the watch with my iPhone although there’s also a Tozo Android app.

First reviewed: May 2025

« Previous Page — Next Page »