Best smartwatches for iPhone cheaper than Apple Watch

Smart watches have replaced the Huawei Watch Fit and have received several useful changes that users will like. Firstly, they run a proprietary operating system HarmonyOS, which provides smooth animation and interface operation. Secondly, the amount of internal memory has been increased to 32 GB, thanks to which, using a smartphone, you can download your favorite music and listen to it during training through wireless headphones or a speaker (definitely, the first option is better). Thirdly, thanks to the presence of a microphone and speaker, the gadget allows you to answer incoming calls via Bluetooth 5.2 without taking your phone out of your pocket. Of course, the device also displays messages and notifications, and quick answers are available - some template answers to many common questions.

A quickly dead battery will also not let you down at the wrong time, since a single charge of a 292 mAh battery lasts from 7 to 10 days of battery life, depending on the activity of use. It takes a couple of hours to fully charge, but if there is no time, just 5 minutes with the charger will provide a whole day of work.

The watch received a large AMOLED display with a diagonal of 1.74 inches and a rectangular shape, which does not make the model too bulky and bulky. There is a large selection of different watch faces, including those with the Always-On-Display function. For active users, there is support for almost 100 sports modes, animated exercises, voice prompts for warming up, 5 ATM water resistance that allows swimming at not too deep depths, and a GPS module. As for health, smart watches can monitor activity, measure heart rate, blood oxygen levels, determine stress levels, monitor sleep and a woman's calendar - in general, the model has all the main functions that modern wearable devices have.

Please note that Huawei offers a choice of three versions: Active, Classic and Elegant, which differ in strap materials and, accordingly, in cost. But the Active version, unfortunately, does not have NFC for contactless payments, so if this feature is important to you, it’s better to fork out for Classic or Elegant. But the manufacturer has added a very convenient mechanism for changing straps, so if you wish, you can create your own collection of accessories and change them depending on the style of clothing and the situation (training, business meeting, walking with friends, etc.)

The fourth generation of Amazfit GTS smartwatches has come with improvements in design and functionality. Visually similar to the Apple Watch, it is a thin body (9.9 mm thick) with a rectangular form factor and a borderless AMOLED screen with support for Always on Display. Users get access to a variety of watch faces, and the quality of the image on the screen (resolution 450x360 pixels) will please with richness and detail. Zepp OS version 2.0 improved the animations, making them smoother than the previous version GTS 3.

A significant advantage of the model is its long autonomy. The smart watch is equipped with a 300 mAh battery, which usually provides up to 8 days of operation in normal modes. When using GPS, autonomy is reduced, but there are three modes for GPS: accurate, balanced, and energy-saving. In the latter mode, the watch can work up to 33 hours. A full charge cycle takes about 1.5 hours.

Compared to its predecessor of the third generation, the Amazfit GTS 4 smart watch received not only updated software, but also improved hardware. The new speaker and microphone allow you to make calls via Bluetooth, interact with the Amazon Alexa voice assistant, and speak out information about training by voice.

Another major upgrade is the BioTracker 4.0 optical sensor, which more accurately measures heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and other health and fitness metrics. Improved and GPS with patented circular polarization technology. In addition, a barometer and altimeter have been added to record elevation changes during training.

The smart watch provides 154 workout modes, including 8 types of cardio workouts that are automatically recognized. They can also recognize typical strength training, count reps and rest times. Due to the WR50 water resistance rating, the watch can only be used for swimming in pools and fresh waters.

Among other features, it is worth highlighting the women's calendar, the presence of 2 GB of internal memory for downloading mini-applications or music. However, the watch does not support contactless payments. All in all, the Amazfit GTS 4 is a well-balanced smartwatch that combines value, quality and functionality.

Garmin positions the model as a multisport watch for active users. This means you get a full set of activity tracking features and branded features that will help you improve your performance and achieve higher results. These include the Fitness Age feature that estimates body condition based on real age, fat content, heart rate and training, water consumption tracking with reminders, a virtual running coach, Body Battery to know when your body is charged. and ready to get active or exhausted and in need of a break, and over 1,600 exercises to create your own workouts on the Garmin Connect app.

In addition, the gadget received such basic features as support for 25 sports modes, measuring heart rate, blood oxygen levels and stress, monitoring and evaluating sleep, counting steps taken and calories burned, as well as tracking the female cycle and pregnancy with recommendations on physical exercises and nutrition. Of course, there is a built-in GPS that accurately determines your location and distance.

The model belongs to the Venu series, where the appearance is successfully combined with functionality. This is not a rough, massive watch like representatives of the Fenix, Forerunner or Instinct lines, but a neat device of low weight (38 g) with a plastic case and a classic silicone strap. The touch AMOLED display has a diagonal of 1.41 inches and a resolution of 360x320 pixels, there are two control buttons on the side, and 5 ATM protection allows you to run in the rain, swim and keep the watch in the shower without worrying that the water will somehow harm them.

It happens that in pursuit of a certain feature, manufacturers forget about more “mundane” things that make everyday use convenient and comfortable. But this is not about the Garmin Venu Sq 2: they received ANT + wireless data transfer technology, NFC for contactless payments Garmin Pay and autonomy up to 11 days with normal use. Please note that this indicator depends on many factors - for example, always-on GPS reduces this time to 26 hours. Perhaps, the ability to answer calls is not enough - the device only displays incoming calls, messages and notifications.

In addition, Garmin has released a version of the Venu Sq 2 Music Edition with Wi-Fi and a built-in player. It costs more, although the regular Garmin Venu Sq 2 is definitely not cheap.

Introduced in 2023, the Polar Pacer Pro smartwatch continues the tradition of the brand's multi-sport watches such as the Vantage M2. Designed for athletes of all levels, this watch offers 130 fitness modes, including swimming with a WR50 waterproof case. They also provide accurate heart rate tracking, other health metrics, and sleep monitoring.

The model is equipped with a round dial and a 1.2-inch transflective screen. Although this screen is inferior to modern OLED matrices in terms of brightness and color saturation, it provides good readability even in the sun. The screen is also protected by Gorilla Glass 3 to prevent scratches. The watch case is light (41 g) and moderately large (diameter 45 mm), highly reliable, meeting the military standard MIL-STD-810G.

The Polar Pacer Pro smartwatch is aimed at runners and other cycling sports enthusiasts. They include Training Load Pro technology that analyzes body recovery and training processes to prevent injury. It also offers training plans for distance running, Season Planner for season planning, FitSpark for training recommendations, and FuelWise for energy management for long runs.

Navigation features include GPS, maps, Turn-by-Turn Guidance and other options such as Hill Splitter for downhill and downhill analysis and Route Guidance for route guidance.

With active GPS, the smartwatch can last up to 35 hours, allowing you to run an ultramarathon or compete in an Ironman. In normal use, the 265 mAh battery provides approximately 6 days of battery life.

The disadvantages of the model include the lack of a built-in player and the function of a pulse oximeter (measuring the level of oxygen in the blood). Also, the presence of a non-touch display may take time to master. But if sports functionality is important to you, then Polar Pacer Pro deserves attention.

Fitbit Sense 2 brand smartwatches provide users with extensive health information. Not only do they measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels, but they also offer body temperature detection and have an ECG function. An ECG can detect irregular heart rhythms and atrial fibrillation, which can help alert you to potential problems.

The smartwatch is also equipped with a cEDA sensor that analyzes electrodermal activity in combination with pulse and respiratory rate. These indicators allow you to identify stressful situations and offer recommendations for improvement through breathing practices or meditation.

This smartwatch also caters to athletes, with 40 workout modes (and up to 200 with a Fitbit Premium subscription), including auto-recognition for cardio and swimming. GPS and other sensors help track speed, distance, calories and other data for sports training.

The model runs on the Fitbit OS operating system and has a 1.58-inch AMOLED touch screen for displaying notifications. It also supports contactless Google Pay and Fitbit Pay, and thanks to the speakers and microphone, you can take calls, interact with voice assistants, and even use Amazon Alexa. However, despite the presence of a microphone, you cannot control music playback on a paired smartphone.

The smart watch can last up to 6 days on a single charge in most scenarios, but with active use of GPS, battery life is reduced to 5 hours. Overall, Fitbit Sense 2 is suitable for those who want to keep track of their health and participate in training from time to time.