Smartwatch Thread (news/apps/updates)

petridish said:
Depends on your needs/use case and budget. Top end always used to be Garmin but certainly not the blanket best for everyone. Great sensors and outstanding battery life but recently decided to move towards a subscription model which is a bit of a kick in the teeth given the high price point.

Samsung watches are a solid middle ground and I'd say you can't go wrong especially as they're often available cheaply through one route or another. They're the only watches I have experience with personally but I've gone back to tracking runs 'in house' with Samsung health as it'll give me more info than Strava. Whether that data is meaningful/useful is beyond me. I'd expect other brands to be comparable here including Google's Pixel.

I've also heard good things about some of the Chinese brands at a cheaper price point (maybe the tic watch?). I think the battery life is often praised as better than Samsung can manage but I can't comment there.

Basically for better or worse there's no default option. Equally if you find one you're happy with I wouldn't worry you're missing something elsewhere. A bit of reading around or review videos are probably your best bet.
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Garmin subscription only offers extra new features and watches have not lost of them just to be clear.
Can't beat Garmin when you want best activity watch and best battery life.
Some companies are right behind it now so tad cheaper alternatives can be bought.
 
In terms of WearOS OnePlus leads in battery life. I'm not super happy with the companion OHealth app but it works well enough, and it's cheaper than the Samsung/Pixel options too. I don't really use the health side of things much on the Watch 2, but I did use it to track my hikes last holiday, and the GPS worked better than expected.
 
Simps said:
Don't get a Versa 4. They used to be brilliant along with the app but have gone downhill since Google took ownership of Fitbit. The latest software update on the watch has bricked a number of watches. They have took away loads of features and not fixed a simple bug with screen brightness since it was released along with other long lasting know issues.
Check the fitbit forums for whichever watch you are looking at getting. Luckily mine still works but I doubt I will get another fitbit device which is a shame as I've been with them since the original versa and they were brilliant along with the app.
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Agreed- my Versa 3 i since used to replace a failed 4 (sw update killed it) has now packed up too, looks like the contacts have corroded and let sweat into the unit.
 
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As I do a fair amount of travelling recently I'm thinking of getting a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 for on the go maps, reading texts etc. How good is the battery life on these as reviews are scarce right now?
 
nam said:
not best but ease of compatible features/services stick to one Brand as you have already have a Galaxy device , you don't see many iphone users with a non apple watch for the same reason
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Wearing a galaxy watch 6, the sensor is pretty pants for HR and that's a large reason for why I wear one.

The PW3 is one of the best in terms of HR accuracy (alongside serious sports watches like top end Garmin) but GPS accuracy is middling. Personally, I think if you want a sporty WEAROS watch, PW3 is way to go (4 may be better but will have to wait for reviews, seems sensor is much the same).

Would not pay money for Galaxy watches, I got this one free from a friend
 
Copy and paste from my asking for suggestions thread.

Glad I got the epix.
It started earning its keep on Sunday. Went for a hike with walking group. And about half way back to start point I realised I Left my hiking pole up on the mountain somewhere.

So I followed the map back (the pink line on the map) and it was so accurate. And I did find my pole. It was a pathless mountain top too, so it's not like I was following a footpath. I could Also catch up with the main group as I had the GPX map file uploaded.
Maps is so useful. It's definitely my favourite feature. It's surprisingly clear on a tiny screen.


Wind speeds, weather, sun position, tides, barometric pressure, cloud cover, pace, altitude compass. All that type of stuff is crazy. I don't really need to get my phone out of my pocket now except for pictures!
Will try it out in pool this week as another important thing was ty track lengths.


The amount of menus and options are bewildering. Still getting used to "what things do I need?".

I'm not a fitness freak, or someone who cares about every stat so a lot of that has gone. (like the vO2 stuff for example).

Glad I got a garmin. Battery life of Samsung/apple/Google would have been a no go. Think would have run out of battery on Sunday with GPS etc.

It is still a fat boi but it's more getting it under cuffs etc that's the issue. Every now and again it irritates me. But that's rare now and I just adjust the strap.

 
Hmm not sure why I can't see it. Tried disabling all extensions, different browser, swapping between WiFi and mobile data, even VPN but still comes up with "upgrade to a Pro account to embed images in emails". I don't have an imgbb account either.
 
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