Affordable Smartwatches and Fitness Bands with Contactless Payment

TicWatch E3 from Mobvoi proves that quality smartwatches don't have to be expensive. The body is made of plastic, but it boasts water resistance IP68 (the watch is suitable for swimming). The 1.3-inch display, although having quite large bezels, works diligently: the brightness is sufficient for indoors and outdoors, the text is easily readable, and the colors are pleasant and saturated. Moreover, the gadget is equipped with a voice assistant and can act as a digital wallet (Google Wallet). Additionally, the model is styled after classic smartwatches and doesn’t look cheap at all.

The watch can function as a smartphone: 8 GB of memory allows for storing music, podcasts, and audiobooks, and the microphone and speaker enable making and receiving calls without taking the phone out of the pocket. Thanks to the Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor, the system works quite quickly and responsively. Inside, there’s also a 380 mAh battery that provides one, or at most two days of autonomous work — it all depends on how actively you use it, the enabled functions, and the working sensors.

For health and activity monitoring, all the usual functions of such devices are present. Sensors measure pulse and blood oxygen level, and they can do so around the clock. The watch controls sleep duration, stress level, and when necessary, offers breathing exercises to return to a state of calm. The GPS module helps determine the covered distance and draw up a route. The TicMotion function automatically detects the start of a workout and begins recording activity data. Dozens of sports modes are supported, from climbing and ice skating to cycling and swimming. High-intensity interval training HIIT is also available, which will make you break a sweat and substitute for a workout with a trainer.

The watch became one of the first in Xiaomi's range to transition from a proprietary operating system to Google Wear OS. The advantages of this transition are obvious — users get access to the full suite of Google applications. These include maps, Google Assistant, Google Wallet for shopping payments, and various music listening services. Moreover, there's enough space for these apps: the gadget features 2 GB of RAM and a whole 32 GB of internal memory. You can even download games — provided, of course, it's convenient to play on a small screen. Or at the very least, save your favorite music, so you don’t have to bring your smartphone or player on runs.

Besides displaying messages and notifications, the watch allows making and receiving phone calls. This is possible thanks to Bluetooth pairing with the smartphone and the built-in microphone and speaker, although there's no slot for installing a SIM card. An emergency call function can also be useful: in case of danger, by triple-pressing the button, the device will automatically call selected contacts.

In other respects, the watch can be called a classic model with a standard set of functions and design. The round aluminum body features 5 ATM water resistance, allowing you not only to walk in the rain or wash your hands but even swim. The 1.43-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 466x466 pixels has high brightness (up to 600 nits) for outdoor use on sunny days, working smoothly and responsively. Although this is likely due to the powerful Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor. Two physical buttons are provided for control. The declared autonomy time, thanks to the 495 mAh battery, is 65 hours. That’s almost 3 days, although on average, with active use, a single charge lasts for a day and a half.

Health and fitness functions are also quite standard: pulse measurement, blood oxygen saturation level, calorie and step counting, stress, sleep, and menstrual cycle monitoring. The watch supports 160 sports modes, equipped with dual-band GPS for accurate tracking within a meter, and features a compass, altimeter, and barometer.

To sum up, the Xiaomi Watch 2 is an unobtrusive but convenient smartwatch for the average user looking for a simple, efficient model at an affordable price.

The smartwatches from Fitbit, a subsidiary of Google, can be confidently called a universal model: available in one size and equally good-looking on both female and male wrists. Moreover, the package includes two straps of different lengths for larger or smaller wrists. The device is not cheap, but it provides a wide range of functions for athletes, active lifestyle enthusiasts, and ordinary users looking for a stylish accessory for daily tasks (alarm clock, notifications, calls, payments, etc.). The gadget looks neat and unobtrusive on the wrist, is comfortable to wear due to its small thickness and weight, and water protection allows being in the rain and swimming with the watch. The design includes a square body with rounded edges and an aluminum frame, and a regular silicone strap with a classic buckle. The design suggests that the model is primarily designed for a sporty style, although it also looks quite good with everyday clothing. Externally, it bears resemblance to the Apple Watch, although the gadget’s shape is more square, and the corners are more rounded. In any case, Fitbit’s creation is ready to compete worthily with Apple smartwatches.

Fitbit Versa 4 has expanded capabilities for health and activity monitoring. It features 40 sports modes, a calorie counter, a pedometer, distance tracking, including via GPS, pulse measurement, blood oxygen level and body temperature. The watch can also evaluate HRV (Heart Rate Variability). This is a quantitative measure of the variability of the time intervals between successive heartbeats, providing information about the overall health, endurance, and stress level of a person. Additionally, the device monitors the menstrual cycle, controls stress levels, provides sleep monitoring with indications of its phases and quality, and offers a smart alarm clock that wakes the user at the optimal sleep stage so they feel refreshed and rested.

More functions are provided for everyday use. The 1.58-inch AMOLED display duplicates incoming calls, messages, and app notifications when connected to a smartphone. The microphone and speaker allow answering and making calls right from the wrist. The Amazon Alexa voice assistant will find answers to arising questions and execute commands. Google Maps support helps navigate unfamiliar areas. And with NFC, users can make contactless payments in stores and for transportation (via Google Wallet and Fitbit Pay).

A single battery charge lasts up to 6 days of autonomous work, but features like GPS and Always On Display significantly reduce this time. In this case, fast charging will be useful: only 12 minutes provides a whole day of full work.

Fitbit once pioneered the trend for fitness trackers and continues to prove that smart bracelets are no worse than watches. A striking example is the Fitbit Charge 6 — a wearable device that looks like a fitness tracker, is priced somewhere in the middle, but in terms of capabilities, can give a run for the money to most popular smartwatch models.

Externally, it's a classic smart bracelet with a small 1.04-inch display, a side touch button with tactile feedback, and standard silicone straps. The gadget appears simple and is more suitable for everyday use and workouts. However, if you’re looking for a stylish accessory to pair with a business suit, you might want to look for watches with a leather strap and a more presentable design.

Yet, beneath this unassuming appearance lies expanded functionality. The bracelet can measure pulse, blood oxygen level, and body temperature, perform ECGs, count steps and burnt calories, and monitor sleep and stress levels. It features 5 ATM water protection, although the manufacturer emphasizes that the gadget is not fully waterproof. For accurate distance measurements, there’s a built-in GPS, and the SmartTrack function automatically recognizes and records workouts.

In 2019, Google bought Fitbit, so it’s no surprise that the smart tracker supports Google services. It involves three applications, with information duplicated from the smartphone to the fitness bracelet: Google Maps, YouTube Music, and Google Wallet. Controlling playback in YouTube Music requires a paid subscription to YouTube Music or YouTube Premium. Google Maps can be helpful, though reviewing maps and routes is still more convenient on a smartphone. However, the support of Google Wallet is a very useful feature, allowing for contactless payment for purchases via the bracelet without the need to pull out the phone. Consequently, the device becomes an ideal choice for Android users looking for an affordable model with NFC.

Autonomy is also strong: the manufacturer promises up to 7 days of work on a single battery charge. However, keep in mind that features like Always-on Display, GPS, and continuous monitoring of blood oxygen levels significantly reduce this time. Nonetheless, even with active use, the battery will need charging only once in a few days, which is a decent indicator.

And finally, the cherry on top — the package includes two straps of different lengths, making the fitness tracker suitable for both women and men.

The fifth generation of Samsung smartwatches can’t exactly be called budget-friendly, but it is a flagship model made from quality materials, multifunctional, with all the features that a demanding user might need. Inside, there’s an Exynos W920 processor, with 1.5 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The gadget runs on the Wear OS operated with a proprietary interface, providing a convenient and understandable interface. Note that the watch is not compatible with iOS, but this is unlikely to be an issue since iPhone owners often opt for Apple Watch. Additionally, the device doesn’t work with smartphones without Google services and Android GO.

The flagship Samsung’s main advantage is its extended capabilities for health and sports tracking. Galaxy Watch 5 can not only count heart rates, the number of steps taken, and calories burned but also measure blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and even perform ECGs. However, keep in mind that this is not a medical device, so expecting perfect accuracy and using the obtained data for disease diagnostics is surely not advisable. Moreover, the BioActive sensor can analyze body composition: the percentage of muscles, fluids, and fat tissue in the body. There’s also monitoring of the female cycle, stress, and sleep — the watch can even track snoring using the microphone. For athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts, many programs are provided — from usual running and walking to more specific kinds like sailing.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 also has all the necessary functions for regular everyday usage. This includes the Google Assistant voice assistant, NFC for purchase payments, and GPS. When paired with a smartphone, the device duplicates incoming messages and calls, and you can answer them and talk to the caller without taking out the phone. A separate version with LTE is available, supporting e-SIM and not requiring a smartphone nearby at all. However, the 284 mAh battery cannot ensure long autonomy. One charge is enough for a day, at most one and a half to two. Instead, a fairly fast 10 W wireless charging is provided, capable of charging the battery up to 45% in 30 minutes.

Special attention should be paid to the watch’s protection and durable materials that allow for active use and extend the electronic life. The case is made of aluminum, the 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display is covered with sapphire glass, resistant to scratches. Compliance with the military standard MIL-STD-810 indicates the watch’s resilience against extreme conditions, impacts, and falls (within reason, of course). And the IP68 protection ensures the gadget doesn’t have to be removed in the shower and can even be submerged up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. However, this applies only to freshwater.

Lastly, let’s add that Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is available in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. The model also has a "big brother", Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which is distinguished by a titanium case and an increased battery.