It’s not just your average watch – it’s like a mini-computer on your wrist! This watch is built strong, so it can handle being in the water, and it looks sleek in black silicone. Equipped with a 100% pure cobalt-based battery, a military-grade marvel, the AMAZTIM www.reddit.com/r/homefitness/comments/1lbv7k8/mad_muscles_support_progress_cancellation_my/ M2 delivers an industry-leading 60+ days of operation in power-saving mode. The Instinct Solar tracks a variety of activities, including running, biking, swimming, and strength training. You can also stay connected with smart notifications (with a compatible smartphone) and automatic data uploads to the Garmin Connect online fitness community. Even though Samsung says the battery can last up to 80 hours, in reality, it’s more like three days with light usage.
However, only the Google Watch offers Loss of Pulse Detection, which can call for help if a cardiac event is registered. Similarly, only the Pixel Watch 4 (LTE models) boasts the latest smartwatch safety feature, satellite SOS messaging, which you’ll only find on the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 (as of writing). While not everyone will need to pay attention to storage and memory, these are important numbers if you’re looking to get a lot out of your watch. With more capacity, you can record multiple tracks between syncs, upload maps and tracks, and store hours of songs and podcasts.
Ever since Apple released “SE” versions of its flagship products, we’ve been loving these more affordable options for those who want the basics but maybe not all the bells and whistles. Since Google acquired Fitbit in 2021, Wirecutter readers and other customers have reported losing activity on the Fitbit app, the Charge 6 not tracking workouts properly, or devices becoming unresponsive. In October 2024, a Google spokesperson said the company rolled out a fix “so that non-walking activities, such as Running, Weight Lifting, etc., properly appear in the Fitbit app.” We’ll continue to monitor the situation.
- The Galaxy Watch 7 also delivers the features you expect in high-end smartwatches.
- More-advanced metrics — such as breathing rate, blood oxygen saturation, and A-fib (atrial fibrillation) detection — are best viewed as guides, not replacements for medical assessments.
- But what really sets it apart is its user-friendly design, snappy performance, and third-party app compatibility.
- The AMOLED screen is bright and easy to view in direct sunlight, while the user interface is responsive and relatively simple to navigate.
- Conversely, if a wearable successfully executes more tools than competitors of equal price, I rate it higher.
- We picked watches that offer the best battery life, easy setup, and great smartwatch features.
Huawei Fit 4 Pro
Matt’s a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them. The Fitbit Inspire 3 doesn’t have its own built-in GPS chip, but it can piggyback on your phone’s GPS to accurately track and map runs, walks, and bike rides as long as they aren’t too far apart. You can check these out later in the Fitbit app and even sync them to other apps like Strava. The lack of GPS might be a dealbreaker for some but if you’re happy carrying your phone around on runs, then you can pair it for accurate location tracking.
Smartwatch Features
The screen is a bit larger than that found on the Inspire 3 though nowhere near as large as those found on the latest Apple Watches. This makes it heavier than its more affordable sibling, the Inspire 3, but we didn’t find it especially notable on our wrist. The built-in GPS lets you accurately track runs, hikes, bike rides and more, without the need to carry a paired smartphone. Unlike the Inspire 3, it offers support for Google Maps, YouTube Music and Google Wallet, offering a more smartwatch-like experience. Although the Fitbit Charge 6 is Google’s flagship tracker, it’s surprisingly affordable. It’s a great step-up from the Fitbit Charge 5 too, thanks to the return of a haptic side button, improving on-device navigation and recording workouts.
Amazfit Active 2
Best for dedicated runners and https://www.reddit.com/r/FitnessGuidesReviews/comments/1li9ndx/mad_muscles_full_guide_2025_honest_overview_of/ athletes who value precise pacing, detailed training insights, and customized tracking features. Best for anyone who’s new to wearing a fitness tracker and wants a lightweight, basic device that still gets the job done. There are more than 40 exercise modes, including Bootcamp, hiking and strength training. Plus the Charge 6 automatically detects exercise like walks to the shop. I liked the Active Zone Minutes tool, which tracks how long you’re in a particular heart rate zone (fat burn, cardio or peak) and encourages you to hit targets. It packs a responsive, clear and colourful AMOLED touchscreen plus a side button for easy navigation.
Best fitness tracker 2025: Reviewed, tested, and compared
On the surface, the Apple Watch 11 looks identical to the Apple Watch 10, which had a big redesign compared to the Series 9. It’s still easy to view at odd angles thanks to Apple’s use of wide-angle OLED display technology. Top-end models like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 965 have offline maps and can create routes for you on the fly, or reroute you if you go off course.
Best Garmin watch for adventure
It’s also Alexa/Google Assistant compatible, features a built-in GPS, and is even is mad muscles legit reddit swimproof down to 50 meters. That’s not bad for a well-designed, brand-name watch that lists for just under $200 (though it’s on sale closer to $160 at the time of this writing). The screen on this latest model is also larger, curvier, and crisper too than its predecessor. After testing every major smartwatch on the market, our fitness and style editors say the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is the best in its class for performance tracking, everyday usability, and refined design. Sleeker, thinner, and brighter than the previous model, Samsung doubled down on AI-powered health metrics, so you’re getting twice the data and smarter insights than before. One of these new features is the Antioxidant Index, which uses the sensor on the back to give a rough measure of your carotenoid levels, a possible indicator of how well-balanced your diet is.

Other smarts
You can choose between various textile, rubber, or even leather watch bands. The actual material used for a screen also matters, especially if you’re going to be using it for high-impact activities, or just tend to beat up your belongings. Sapphire glass is one material used by Garmin, Apple, and other watch brands that is incredibly crack and scratch-resistant.
Fitbit Inspire 3 – Best Budget Fitness Tracker
With Health Status, you can see whether your health metrics (heart rate, HRV, skin temperature and Pulse Oxygen while sleeping) are trending away from your usual range, which could indicate added stress to your body. You can also log custom or preset behaviours — such as caffeine and alcohol intake — and view reports on how those lifestyle choices impact your sleep, stress, and HRV in the Garmin Connect app. It’s as close to Whoop’s recovery tracking capabilities as we’ve come before. Most of them come pre-loaded with a plethora of sporting activities, including cycling, swimming, yoga, strength training, golf and more. The more running-focused watches, like the Forerunner and Fenix, will offer options such as track running, trail running, ultra running and treadmill running. A beautifully simple watch with personalized daily workout guidance, 24/7 heart rate and activity tracking, plus automatic sleep and recovery applications.
Slim, Versatile And Easy To Follow
Plus, the watch is packed with useful features for outdoor adventures, such as downloadable maps, advanced GPS positioning, and weather alerts and data. The watch felt so lightweight that we sometimes almost forgot we were wearing it. Whether we were working or training, the watch face and comfy strap never pinched, tugged, or irritated our skin. The large, clear display is easy to read, allowing us to view metrics such as time, pace, and heart rate during workouts. Amazfit’s Balance Smart Watch is our top overall pick due to its accuracy, comfort, ultra-long battery life, and more.
LIGE Smart Watch – Large Display with Long Battery
In a surprising (but appreciated) function, the 570 will have you to turn the watch upside down after a water activity and pulse sound to clear the speaker — smart. And while Garmin has consistently led the pack in terms of efficient app integration, we can now say that COROS has caught up. The COROS app is an enjoyable interface to use, and does an excellent job of displaying our recorded activities, tracks, and daily stats such as active energy, heart rate, and sleep metrics.
While many sports watches claim to cater to multiple disciplines, this one truly delivers seamless transitions between activities like swimming, cycling, and running. One standout feature is the battery life, lasting up to 21 days according to Amazfit. Like most sports watches, it can track multiple activities from hiking to SUP paddleboarding at the press of a button. Although it’s a little heavy and chunky on the wrist, it’s packed with abilities to help the wearer improve their fitness and performance in the sports of their choice. The app can do as much or as little as I want, offering training plans for different distances, hydration tracking, VO2 max and more. Ranging in price from £100 to over £900, there’s a huge amount of price variation when it comes to fitness watches, which can make it confusing to pick the best one for your needs.
The trackers we’ve gathered here hit all these marks, offering a great balance of essential features and advanced metrics for every fitness level. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to optimize your training, these devices can help you understand where you stand, track your progress, and—most importantly—help you get to where you want to be. To me, though, what sets the Ultrahuman Ring apart is its emphasis on performance and recovery for people who want to fine-tune their fitness routines. It’s a fantastic tool if you’re interested in understanding how your body responds to stress, exercise, and rest.
