The best smartwatches of 2025: Keep your phone in your pocket with these stylish wearables

Telegraph

24-06-2025

It's been 13 years since the original Pebble kickstarted the smartwatch boom with a crowdfunding campaign that raised over $10 million (£7.4 million) from nearly 70,000 backers. It's tiny black-and-white screen looks basic now, but in 2012, it felt like the future.
Much has changed since. Pebble itself disappeared, only to return in 2025, while the wearables market exploded. The best smartwatches today feature high-resolution, colourful displays and sensors to monitor everything from your heart rate to your blood oxygen. Some, like the Apple Watch, have even played a role in saving lives.
I've spent many weeks testing the latest models to find the best smartwatches you can buy today. This guide focuses on everyday features such as battery life, apps and design. Fitness features are included, but if you want something primarily to track workouts, head to our separate guide to the best fitness trackers.
The best smartwatches of 2025: At a glance
How to choose the best smartwatch for you
The first thing to consider when picking out a smartwatch is what phone and operating system you're using. While some wearables work with both iPhone and Android devices, the Apple Watch won't work with Android, and any watches using Google's Wear OS software won't function with iPhone.
Some models also limit certain features depending on your phone. For example, Samsung's Galaxy Watch only supports ECG (electrocardiogram) and blood pressure tracking if paired with a compatible Samsung Galaxy device.
The next consideration is price. Smartwatches can cost as little as £60, but cheaper models often offer limited features and lower performance. You can expect a more comprehensive suite of features around the £250 mark. Watches over £800 tend to focus on luxury design and aesthetics.
Finally, think about what matters the most to you. Do you need something tough and outdoors ready? A long-lasting battery? Or a watch that looks traditional but offers smart features? Your priorities will guide your choice.
I have included options for all of these below to help you choose.
How we test smartwatches
The only way to get a feel for a smartwatch is to wear it and test its functionality over time. While some of this is subjective: how it feels on the wrist, for example, or how it looks. Other aspects, like battery life or screen quality, can be compared more objectively.
I also take a close look at both the software and hardware. On the software side, I consider usability, processing speed and whether the included apps are genuinely useful. Stability and navigation also play a role. For hardware, it's all about the quality of the screen, how accurate the sensors are and whether or not they add anything to the overall product.
Price is also important. A smaller list of features, slower performance and weaker build quality are more forgivable in a sub-£100 smartwatch. But these shortcomings are harder to accept in models costing £300 or more.
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The best smartwatches of 2025
1. Best Buy Smartwatch: Google Pixel Watch 3
Despite first developing the Wear OS software for smartwatches back in 2014 (then called Android Wear), Google didn't release its own wearable to put it on until eight years later. Now, three generations in, the Pixel Watch has become the Android smartwatch to beat.
It helps that it looks good. The dome-shaped, circular display is striking, and the latest model finally caters to larger wrists with a new 45mm size option. The Wear OS software has matured nicely as a reliable companion for Android phones. As a Google device, it also get software updates first.
Fitness functionality is provided in a user-friendly way thanks to Google's acquisition of Fitbit. There are thoughtful safety tools too: fall detection can contact emergency services, while the safety check can alert friends if you're undertaking a risky activity, like walking home at night, and send a confirmation image when you're home.
There are a few drawbacks. The bundled strap can be uncomfortable, and it uses Google's own clasp, which limits replacement options. Some features, such as controlling your phone's camera from the watch or syncing alarms, only work with Pixel phones. And it doesn't support iPhones at all.
It can also get pricey. The 41mm model can be bought for under £300, but the 45mm model with mobile data connectivity (otherwise known as LTE), costs £449. If that's too steep, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is a solid alternative. It's cheaper, starting at £289, and matches Google's watch in many way though it misses out on first-access to Wear OS updates.
To learn more, read our full Google Pixel Watch 3 review.
Key specifications
2. Best Value Smartwatch: Amazfit Bip 6
For years, Chinese manufacturer Amazfit has been making wearables that dazzle tech reviewers with the incredible value they offer, and the latest Bip 6 is no exception. With a price of just £79 (and currently on sale for £66.99), it offers value for money that's hard to beat.
At a glance, it looks every bit as high-end as smartwatches that cost two or three times the price. Looking like an Apple Watch, the Bip 6 has a bright and vibrant 1.97-inch screen that delivers the vast majority of features you would expect from a modern smartwatch, with on-display notifications and loads of wellness features via the built-in heart rate tracker. It even has an AI assistant allowing for some voice controls.
Considering the price, the downsides are pretty mild. Navigation isn't always intuitive in the accompanying app, the list of extra applications is limited, and it lacks a little polish here and there. Nonetheless, this is the watch to beat if you're looking for a model that won't break the bank.
Key specifications
Also consider: Nothing Watch Pro 2
If you prefer a circular watch face, an honourable mention goes to the Nothing Watch Pro 2 (£69), which does a lot of what the Amazfit Bip 6 does. It's a close call, but it looks and feels less swish than my ultimate pick, and I favour the larger screen and slightly improved battery life of Amazfit's budget wonder.
3. Best Smartwatch for iPhones: Apple Watch Series 10
Reviewed by Britta O'Boyle
For iPhone owners, there's little reason to look beyond the Apple Watch – not only because many rivals are Android only, but also because it's a brilliant smartwatch in its own right.
The Apple Watch Series 10 is my top pick, though you could drop back a generation or two without missing much. Still, it's the best yet, with a slimmer, lighter design that incorporates a larger display, while remaining compatible with the many Apple Watch bands that have been produced over the last decade.
What sets the Apple Watch apart is the steady evolutions of features over generations. Notifications come through with a discreet buzz to the wrist, so you can keep your phone tucked away. It can even help you find a misplaced iPhone.
Its health features have made the Apple Watch essential for millions, whether it's the gamified aspect of filling in your fitness rings or receiving alert for irregular heart rhythms. New additions, like sleep apnoea detection, add even more value. All of this health data neatly integrates with the Apple Health app for a clear picture of your wellbeing.
There's still room for improvement, however. Battery life is weak with daily charges required, and sleep tracking is flawed. Nonetheless, for iPhone owners, there's no reason to look elsewhere, unless you want the added power of the Apple Watch Ultra (£799).
To learn more, read our full Apple Watch Series 10 review.
Key specifications
4. Best Smartwatch for Battery Life: OnePlus Watch 3
To head off an obvious criticism, the OnePlus doesn't top this list for battery life, with some cheaper models lasting longer.
The difference is that the OnePlus Watch 3 is a premium smartwatch with a fast processor, Wear OS software and a full set of health sensors. Comparing like for like, the five-day battery life of the OnePlus Watch 3 leaves other Wear OS rivals from Samsung and Google behind. Power saver mode extends that up to 16 days.
While cheaper models can stretch even further, the OnePlus Watch 3 also offers access to third-party apps via the Google Play Store, plus an impressive set of sensors for health tracking. Along a heart-rate monitor, the watch can also track wrist temperature, measure blood oxygen, and even check for arterial stiffness.
The large 47mm case required for such a chunky battery won't be to everybody's tastes, but it's one of the most comfortable watches I've worn straight out of the box. Unlike some competitors, which use their own bespoke band-locking mechanisms, the OnePlus 3 uses a standard push-pin mechanism, meaning you can use the vast majority of 22mm straps, whether they're designed for the watch or not.
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Also consider: TicWatch Pro 5
An honourable mention goes to the TicWatch Pro 5, which offers similarly impressive battery life via its massive 631mAh battery. This is paired with clever dual-screen tech, where a second old-school Casio-style black and white screen is hidden underneath the main colour display. It can also be switched to if you want to fully maximise battery life.
5. Best Traditional Looking Smartwatch: Withings ScanWatch 2
While smartwatches are now a regular sight on people's wrists, some people still understandably feel a bit uneasy about wearing a computer screen. They might also prefer the simple artistry of having physical hour and minute hands to tell the time.
If that's you, but you also want some of the data and health metrics that modern smartwatches bring, then the Withings ScanWatch 2 might be what you're looking for. At first sight, it looks like a traditional watch with sapphire glass protecting analogue hands.
Look closer, however, and you'll spot a small 0.63-inch circular screen at the top. Click in the crown on the side and you can see a digital clock, get a heart-rate reading, take an ECG, measure your blood oxygen levels, see your temperature and more. It can also show notifications, with the minute and hour hands jumping out of the way to provide an unobstructed view.
Avoiding a giant screen also does great things for battery life, with the ScanWatch 2 only requiring a charge every 30 days, but it's not all good news. The smaller display makes reading notifications undeniably tougher, with long messages scrolling across the screen. Likewise, while you can use it to track workouts, this isn't its strong suit, and you're naturally better off using one of the best fitness trackers instead.
Key specifications
6. Best Smartwatch for Fitness: Garmin Venu 3S
Garmin is best known for its running and sports watches, and while these do have smart features, the Venu 3S is the most smartwatch-like of the lot. That means useful notifications from your smartphone on the bright display, but also the ability to make contactless payments from the wrist. It also allows you to listen to saved Spotify playlists offline with connected earbuds.
Still, you probably wouldn't opt for a Garmin smartwatch if you weren't serious about fitness, and that's where the Venu 3S really excels. Having reviewed many fitness trackers, I've always been impressed with the level of detail that the Garmin Connect app goes into, tracking such niche running details as ground contact time and vertical oscillation. In all, it tracks over 30 different exercises, albeit not all in quite this much detail.
While you can dig into the fine metrics, the Venu 3 can guide you without your input, with a morning report assessing your readiness for exercise and an evening summary providing insights about your day, leading you towards unwinding before bed.
The Garmin IQ store still offers fewer additional applications than Google Play for Wear OS or the App Store for Apple Watches, but as long as you're happy with more basic third-party smart features, this is an excellent wearable. Garmin also gains extra points for charging the same for the 41mm version as for the 45mm model.
To learn more, read our full Garmin Venu 3S review.
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7. Best Smartwatch for Customisation: Xiaomi Watch S4
For most smartwatches, customisation is done in two ways. You either change the strap or change the watch face. However, Xiaomi has added a third method that gives it the customisation edge over its rivals: you can change the watch bezel, too.
Firmly grip the edge of the watch, give it a twist, and it will pop right off, letting you replace it with something that fits your style. There are no extras included in the box, but Xiaomi has a handful available on its website priced between £9.99 and £25 if paired with a matching strap.
As a smartwatch, it's attractive with its circular screen and rotating crown on the side for navigation, but provides a rather pared-back experience with no third-party apps, relying instead on Xiaomi's built-in selection. And while it does technically support contactless payments, UK wearers are unlikely to appreciate its extremely limited choice of just Curve or Zen.com.
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Also consider: Nothing Watch Pro 2
The Nothing Watch Pro 2 (£69) gets a second honorary mention here, as it also lets you swap out the bezel for something more suited to your taste. The official options are limited, but third-party bezels are already popping up for Nothing owners who want to freshen things up.
8. Best Tough Smartwatch: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
If you're looking for something hard-wearing, Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra ticks pretty much every box for Android users. The titanium frame has been 'tested to military standards' and is capable of dealing with altitudes from minus 500m to 9,000m. With a 10ATM water pressure resistance, it also lets you dive to depths of up to 100m. If you get into trouble, it has a built-in siren that can hit 86dB, to be heard up to 180m away.
On top of that, its 590mAh battery can reach 80 hours of use, and it inherits all the interesting health features of the cheaper Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. That means it can give you an ECG, spot sleep apnoea and can even offer a blood pressure reading (albeit with the need for occasional calibration via an arm cuff, which somewhat undermines its convenience).
As with all of Samsung's wearables, the Watch Ultra is only available for Android smartphones and some of the health features require a Galaxy phone attached. If you can afford the high asking price and aren't afraid of something a bit more bulky on your wrist, it's hard to go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.
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Best smartwatch FAQs
What is a smartwatch used for?
At its most basic, a smartwatch connects directly to your mobile device, relaying messages from your phone to your wrist. But some models have evolved to become sophisticated health trackers, keeping tabs on everything from your step count to your heart rate and sleep quality as well as other wellness measures. Some support third-party apps, while others can let you do contactless payments from your wrist.
Can a smartwatch make calls without a phone?
In some cases, yes. If you want this capability, you'll need a smartwatch with mobile data connectivity (otherwise known as LTE), and as well as having a higher upfront cost, this may require its own data plan, too.
In some cases, you will be able to make calls on models without a data package, but only if your phone is within Bluetooth range, at which point you may prefer just to use the handset.
How to clean a smartwatch?
While it's best to check the manufacturer's official instructions, most smartwatches have a similar care routine. Turn the watch off, remove the straps and then gently wipe the screen with a microfibre cloth with a gentle mix of soap and water. Wet wipes designed for electronics are a good bet to clean the underside that's been in contact with the wrist,
The best way to clean the bands depends on its material. For plastic, rubber and silicone straps, you can repeat the process above. But fabric and nylon ones can usually be cleaned in washing machines, if they are safely ensconced in a mesh bag. Just make sure to avoid the tumble dryer, as that can shrink them down. For metal and leather bands, it's best to consult official guidance.