The best sports watches of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Bizarre smartwatches are nice for communication and utilizing apps, however devoted GPS sports activities watches present in depth customization of the consumer expertise with a give attention to coaching. You do not have to be an expert triathlete to benefit from the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED, out there beginning at $1,100, and avid runners may simply prepare and excel utilizing a price sport watch just like the Coros Pace Pro, priced at $349.

With a sports activities watch, your sleep, resting coronary heart price, coronary heart price variability, and extra might help calculate sufficient restoration time for optimum coaching intervals. Workouts and different actions that can assist you enhance your health could also be introduced, whereas stress measurements, respiratory workout routines, blood oxygen monitoring, ECG measurements, and extra are designed that can assist you enhance your total well being and wellness.

What’s the finest sports activities watch proper now?

After testing and living with greater than 20 sports activities watches over the previous 12 months, the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED is my clear choose for the most effective sports activities watch out there at the moment. It’s costly, however there may be not a single sport or exercise that I’m unable to trace, together with golf, fly fishing, indoor rowing, and extra. The Fenix 8 AMOLED has a improbable LED flashlight, an excellent AMOLED show, lengthy battery life, the flexibility to take calls from the wrist or file voice notes when you are out working, and way more. It does every little thing nicely, and is ideal for individuals who need a watch that’s sturdy sufficient to final for years.

If the value is simply too excessive and the watch is simply too massive, the Garmin Venu X1 is a superb different, with a big show, skinny type issue, and assist for the huge Garmin ecosystem. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 additionally punches far above its value, and a few have in contrast it to a Garmin mannequin priced 3 times extra.

Additionally: The best Garmin watches: Expert tested

The very best sports activities watches of 2025

Present much less

Why we prefer it: The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED connects seamlessly to Android and iOS smartphones, along with golf membership sensors, bike sensors, and extra. Nearly each sport is roofed, together with pickleball, with an up to date smartphone expertise so you possibly can customise the watch settings in your telephone and sync them over to the watch. One characteristic I take advantage of day by day that ensures a Garmin will all the time be discovered on one wrist is the LED flashlight. I can’t categorical how helpful this performance is, which makes the Fenix 8 a vital software in my assortment.

Additionally: This Garmin beat my Apple Watch Ultra in almost every way (and it’s just as rugged)

Who it is for: New communications options for the Fenix sequence embody an built-in speaker and microphone that helps telephone calls from the wrist, entry to your linked telephone’s assistant, onboard voice instructions, and voice recordings, so if you’re searching for a succesful watch to function your sports activities watch and your major smartwatch, the Fenix 8 AMOLED matches that invoice.

You may also purchase the watch in 43mm, 47mm, and 51mm sizes, with quite a lot of watch case and band coloration choices too, so there’s a mannequin for each wrist dimension and character.

Who ought to look elsewhere: The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED is an costly smartwatch, and if you’re not planning to run a full marathon, prepare for an ultramarathon, or give attention to just some sports activities, then there could also be higher choices for you. The Forerunner 970 and Venu X1 pack in many of the performance discovered within the Fenix 8 AMOLED at a lower cost, designed with extra inexpensive {hardware} components.

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED (47mm) tech specs: Show: 1.4-inch 454×454 pixels | Battery Life (GPS monitoring mode): 47 hours | Dimensions: 47x47x13.8 mm | Weight: 73 grams (titanium case with band) | Water/Mud Resistance: 10 ATM | Band Dimension: 22mm

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

The Garmin Enduro 3 is the corporate’s final GPS multi-sport watch, made with premium merchandise and superior sports activities monitoring options. It’s now topped the battery champ for Garmin, with as much as 320 hours in GPS mode with photo voltaic charging.

Why we prefer it: Along with extraordinarily lengthy battery life and an outstanding LED flashlight, the Enduro 3 sports activities the most recent Garmin consumer interface, which provides enhancements over an already refined and optimized expertise for athletes. The identical black titanium with sapphire glass and amp yellow highlights is current, together with an ultra-comfortable UltraFit nylon band.

Additionally: My favorite Garmin sports watch ever just got a new version, and it’s $200 cheaper

In comparison with the Enduro 2, the Enduro 3 has an extended battery life, twice the photo voltaic vitality harvesting functionality, the brand new Garmin Elevate fifth-generation coronary heart price sensor, new exercise and mapping capabilities, and a redesigned consumer interface. A few of these software-related enhancements may come to the Enduro 2, however the prolonged battery life and improved coronary heart price sensor are alone well worth the improve.

Who it is for: The Enduro 3 is constructed for individuals who take part in quite a lot of sports activities or who need a watch with a battery that lasts for weeks. It connects seamlessly to Android and iOS smartphones too, along with golf membership sensors, bike sensors, and extra. Nearly each sport is roofed, now together with pickleball, with an up to date smartphone expertise so you possibly can customise the watch settings in your telephone and sync them over to the watch. Out of doors adventures are nicely supported with path run VO2 max calculations, ultrarun exercise, and journey racing supported on the Enduro 3.

Who ought to look elsewhere: The Garmin Enduro 3 is just out there in a single dimension, so you probably have smaller wrists, you need to have a look at one thing just like the Venu X1 or a Forerunner 570. The show is great in well-lit environments, however the MIP will not be as vivid because the newer AMOLED shows so if you would like a vibrant coloration show, think about a watch with an AMOLED show.

Garmin Enduro 3 tech specs: Show: 1.4-inch 280×280 pixels MIP | Battery Life (GPS monitoring mode): 320 hours with photo voltaic charging, 120 hours with out | Dimensions: 51x51x15.7 mm | Weight: 63 grams (with Ultrafit nylon band) | Water/Mud Resistance: 10 ATM | Band Dimension: 26mm

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

Amazfit continues to push the boundaries of high quality tech you should buy for just below $235. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 far exceeded my expectations, and if I did not overview watches for a profession, I may most likely be completely glad with the $235 T-Rex 3, which supplies a comparable expertise to watches priced two or 3 times as a lot. A number of different wearable know-how reviewers agree it’s a improbable watch that punches far past its low value.

Why we prefer it: The big 1.5-inch 480×480 pixels decision AMOLED Gorilla Glass show is sensible with as much as 2,000 nits of brightness, making watch faces with a number of issues simple to view and work together with. I really like that Amazfit added the flexibility to allow evening mode, which modifications every little thing on the show to 1 coloration, and with this watch, you get the selection of three colours.

Assessment: One of the best rugged smartwatches I’ve tested is also one of the longest lasting

The watch has a really massive 700 mAh capability battery that may present as much as 180 hours of steady GPS monitoring. Count on to go two to a few weeks between charging as you get pleasure from monitoring your actions, sleep, and extra.

Not like another fashionable smartwatches, the Amazfit T-Rex 3 connects to exterior Bluetooth sensors and motion cameras. All the superior metrics present in flagship sports activities watches are current with an built-in AI coach and a pure language voice assistant.

Who it is for: The Amazfit T-Rex 3 is ideal for the multi-sport athlete who will not be tied to a legacy ecosystem from Garmin, Polar, Coros, or Suunto. It is usually very inexpensive, but does not compromise on efficiency or battery life, so it’s robust to beat.

Who ought to look elsewhere: Amazfit is an up-and-coming firm that’s seeing nice success with its wearables and partnership with Hyrox. If you’d like a watch with a broad group of assist and challenges, then look to Garmin or Coros.

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

The unique Coros Tempo was the primary GPS sports activities watch I ever examined from the model. Since then, the corporate has launched a couple of new watches whereas persevering with to offer software program updates, main all others on this stage of assist. The Coros Tempo Professional is the corporate’s first with a contemporary AMOLED show, and it brings in almost each flagship software program characteristic for simply $349.

Why we prefer it: The Tempo Professional has a 1.3-inch 416×416 AMOLED coloration touchscreen show with a rotating dial that helps you simply navigate the watch interface. The watch incorporates a 22mm quick-release band system so you possibly can swap it out with one other band if you want. It weighs 37 grams with the nylon band and 49 grams with the silicone band.

Additionally: The best training watch I’ve ever tried is the first Coros with a modern display

This watch supplies 38 hours of battery life with GPS monitoring, as Coros continues to set the bar for battery life. Monitor working, power coaching, and even working energy from the watch are supported.

Who it is for: In case you are searching for a lower-cost GPS sports activities watch from an organization that can assist the look ahead to years, then the Tempo Professional is one to contemplate. The Tempo Professional can be fairly small and lightweight so individuals with smaller wrists can get pleasure from a flagship expertise with the watch.

Coros supplies a improbable smartphone software and web site with free teaching and detailed evaluation and stories, so information hounds will love diving into each element of their well being and wellness.

The AMOLED show makes mapping pleasing and useful, with back-to-start, checkpoints, turn-by-turn, and location-saving navigational options. A brand new charging system is integrated, which extends to a regular USB-C cable.

Who ought to look elsewhere: In case you are searching for a big rugged watch or want one which lasts for greater than 38 hours in GPS mode, you need to think about one thing just like the Garmin Enduro 3.

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

Why we prefer it: The most recent in its triathlete-tailored Forerunner sequence, the Garmin Forerunner 970 builds on the in depth coaching options from its predecessor and enhances the {hardware} with an LED flashlight so you possibly can run safely at the hours of darkness. Different {hardware} options from the Fenix 8 are current on the Forerunner 970, together with a microphone and speaker for calls out of your watch, entry to your telephone’s voice assistant, and the flexibility to file voice notes when you run.

Other than the spectacular efficiency metrics like outlining your working routes, exhibiting coaching results, and measuring VO2 Max, the 970 provides working economic system and working tolerance when paired with a Garmin HRM 600 coronary heart price monitor. Garmin additionally launched its new Night Report options on the 970, so you possibly can put together for the following day as you start your sleep.

Additionally: My favorite Garmin safety feature is coming to Forerunner models – and I can’t recommend it enough

Who it is for: Improved GNSS monitoring with multi-band and multi-frequency assist, managed by way of SatIQ, ensures your precise location is all the time precisely tracked. Daring coloration mapping is obtainable for turn-by-turn navigation, path working, and extra.

Whereas the Forerunner 970 is concentrated on the runner and triathlete, it additionally provides full assist for greater than 30 actions, with the flexibility to customise the info screens and run stories on your whole sports activities.

Who ought to look elsewhere: In case you are a runner however don’t want the entire superior metrics discovered within the Forerunner 970, the premium value level might not be value it to your wants. There are different extra inexpensive Forerunner fashions that will meet your wants, together with the earlier technology, the Forerunner 965.

Garmin Forerunner 970 options: Battery life (GPS): 26 hours | Show know-how: AMOLED | Distinctive characteristic: Superior coaching metrics and Night Report | Dimension: 47 mm

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

Why we prefer it: The Polar Grit X2 Professional is basically the identical watch because the Polar Vantage V3 in a rugged physique that can be priced increased than the V3. It’s the newest sports activities watch out there from the corporate with a give attention to a number of new sensors and options. In case you are searching for essentially the most exhaustive smartphone software and web site for analyzing your information and working stories, then a Polar watch is the best way to go for accessing that information. The customized coaching plans are improbable, even for low season coaching.

The watch has multi-band GPS, and monitoring has confirmed to match different flagship sports activities watches. The GPS antenna design is a bit totally different than the Vantage V3 to accommodate the case design modifications. The Grit X2 Professional supplies blood oxygen, wrist-based ECG, nightly pores and skin temperature, and extra.

Additionally: I walked over 10,000 steps with 3 sports watches – this one was the most accurate by far

Polar continues to make use of an AMOLED show below curved Gorilla Glass 3 materials. Offline maps are additionally offered for phone-free navigation and a brand new replace simply added points-of-interest. Greater than 150 sports activities profiles are included, so that you could be sure that the Grit X2 Professional will monitor each exercise.

Who it is for: The Grit X2 Professional is constructed for outside adventurists with the first-ever Polar MIL-STD-810H certification that additionally has a 100-meter waterproof ranking, in comparison with 50 meters for the Vantage V3. It’s good to determine if this kind issue is well worth the $150 premium over the Vantage V3.

Who ought to look elsewhere: Polar could be very targeted on coaching and serving to you obtain your health and sleep objectives, nevertheless it has fewer smartwatch options than most different sports activities watches. The watch is rugged and enormous, too, so you probably have smaller wrists, then the Polar Grit X2 is probably going not the best choice.

Polar Grit X2 Professional tech specs: Show: 1.39-inch 454×454 pixels | Battery Life (GPS monitoring mode): 43 hours | Dimensions: 48.6 x 48.6 x 13.4 mm | Weight: 57 grams (with out strap) | Water/Mud Resistance: 100m | Band Dimension: 22mm

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

The Apple Watch maintained the identical type issue and primary design for eight years, however all of that modified in 2022 when Apple launched the unconventional new Apple Watch Ultra, constructed and optimized for the outside adventurer. The Extremely 2 builds on the Extremely with a brand new processor, a a lot brighter show, twice the storage capability, and using recycled titanium supplies. Apple additionally introduced a matte black titanium Extremely 2 this 12 months, with the entire identical specs and efficiency because the 2023 mannequin.

Additionally: Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Watch Ultra: Is it time to upgrade?

Why we prefer it: The Apple Watch Extremely 2 is the most rugged and capable Apple Watch up to now, and provides a vivid, flat 49mm show made from scratch-resistant sapphire glass and 3000 nits most brightness. The Apple Watch Extremely 2 is bigger than the Sequence 10, however the titanium case helps preserve the load down, and it’s far lighter than competing sports watches.

Apple’s WatchOS 10 launched with APIs for customized exercises, and third events have launched new variations of functions to assist this superior coaching performance. We examined the TrainingPeaks integration, and this functionality is a critical shot throughout the bow of devoted GPS sports activities watches. WatchOS 11 introduced much more to problem legacy sports activities watches with coaching load, a Vitals app to tell your readiness, sleep apnea detection, and a customizable Abstract tab within the Apple Health app in your iPhone.

Who it is for: Past the construct high quality and superior coaching capabilities, no different smartwatch helps as many functions and utilities as an Apple Watch, clearly making it the most effective smartwatch out there at the moment. Its functionality to function a major technique of communication additionally makes it robust to beat.

Who ought to look elsewhere: In case you are not an iPhone consumer, then do not even think about an Apple Watch Extremely 2 because it does not connect with an iPad or MacOS laptop. There are nice choices from Google and Samsung for those who personal an Android smartphone.

Learn Extra

Present Skilled Take Present much less

Present much less

Why we prefer it: The Suunto Run is without doubt one of the finest GPS sports activities watches I’ve used on this value vary. It shines with correct location monitoring, helpful well being/wellness information, and strong {hardware}. There are a couple of areas for enchancment, however the affordable value makes it simpler to simply accept compromises, particularly with the idea that future software program updates will streamline its efficiency.

The Suunto smartphone app is well-designed and supplies top-of-the-line consumer interfaces I’ve seen from a sports activities watch model. It supplies key weekly stats at a look, whereas colourful, detailed outcomes are only a faucet away.

Additionally: One of the most gorgeous sports watches I’ve tested also has week-long battery life

Who it is for: The Suunto Run is optimized for runners and is obtainable in Black, Frost (white), Lime, and Coral. Operating is one among my prime actions, so I respect the class of the Suunto Run with its minimalist design and consumer interface.

Whereas the watch is concentrated on working, 34 sports activities modes are supported with run-specific modes for actions corresponding to marathon working and monitor working, the place laps across the monitor are precisely recorded.

Who ought to look elsewhere: In case you are searching for a big, rugged watch or want one which lasts for greater than 38 hours in GPS mode, you need to think about one thing like a Garmin Enduro 3.

Learn Extra

The Suunto Run is a very lightweight GPS sports watch with lime as a color option

Present Skilled Take Present much less

I selected the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED for its assist for nearly each exercise/sport you possibly can take part in, vibrant AMOLED show, means to perform as a smartwatch with a microphone and speaker, and LED flashlight. Nevertheless, with an abundance of remarkable choices out there, this desk might help you examine the most effective fashions primarily based on pricing and particular options.

Sports activities watch	Value	Particular characteristics
Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED	$1,100	Attractive AMOLED touchscreen show, huge efficiency metrics
Garmin Enduro 3	$900	Extraordinarily lengthy battery life with photo voltaic, LED flashlight, each sport included
Amazfit T-Rex 3	$200	Personalised coaching plans, lengthy battery life, rugged design and sturdiness, inexpensive value
Coros Tempo Professional	$349	Vibrant AMOLED, light-weight, in depth options, lengthy battery life
Garmin Forerunner 970	$750	Sensible AMOLED, in depth restoration and coaching metrics, targeted on triathletes
Polar Grit X2 Professional	$750	An enormous quantity of information captured, beautiful show, correct GPS monitoring, rugged design
Apple Watch Extremely 2	$749	36 hours of battery life, motion button for fast entry to train apps
Suunto Run	$249	AI teaching, customized coaching plans, and correct GPS monitoring

Present extra

It will depend on your function for utilizing it and the way a lot cash you wish to spend. If funds is not a priority, then choices just like the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED or Apple Watch Extremely 2 offer you lovely shows and superior efficiency metrics. In the meantime, the Coros Tempo Professional or Suunto Run are wonderful starter watches with a number of options and inexpensive pricing.

Purchase this sports activities watch…	If you’d like or are...
Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED	The very best Garmin with a contemporary show, LED flashlight, and in depth assist for quite a lot of actions
Garmin Enduro 3	An athlete who participates in an intensive number of sports activities, needs customized exercise information screens, and makes use of your look ahead to every little thing
Amazfit T-Rex 3	An ultra-rugged look ahead to lower than $300, and one which additionally pairs nicely with the Helio Ring, so you do not have to put on a look ahead to sleep monitoring
Coros Tempo Professional	An inexpensive choice that helps flagship options and a contemporary AMOLED touchscreen show
Garmin Forerunner 970	The very best sports activities look ahead to runners and triathletes searching for a watch with a stunning AMOLED show
Polar Grit X2 Professional	Straightforward customized coaching plan creation that includes working with power, stretching, and different exercises. Huge entry to information for detailed stories
Apple Watch Extremely 2	The very best look ahead to Apple customers with a rugged design, 36 hours of battery life, and an motion button for fast entry to train apps
Suunto Run	An inexpensive sports activities watch with a small and lightweight physique, lengthy battery life, an excellent show, and correct GPS monitoring

Present extra

Sports activities watches are designed to precisely seize information from coaching and race occasions to assist us enhance. They’re additionally essential for serving to individuals consider their well being and wellness, even when they’re informal athletes who usually are not coaching for a selected occasion. A number of components will enable you rapidly slender down out there candidates, so let’s take a more in-depth look and assist you choose the most effective sports activities look ahead to you.

Battery life: Count on your smartwatch to final a full day and evening, so you possibly can monitor your sleep, after which cost it when you prepare for work. Just a few new smartwatches at the moment are simply lasting 48 hours between charging, with some pushing that one other day or two, so we’re seeing enhancements in battery life.
Smartphone app and web site: All sports activities watches embody an related smartphone software, and the general expertise with the watch could be depending on the usability of the smartphone app. Some manufacturers even have unbelievable web sites to entry your information for deep evaluation and extra. Polar supplies one of the crucial in depth web site experiences with its Polar Stream service. Coros and Garmin additionally present helpful web site experiences, so you do not have to spend an excessive amount of time a small show to trace your efficiency.
Value: Most sports activities watches are priced within the $500 to $800 vary, however there are additionally some inexpensive fashions for informal athletes. Severe athletes are searching for a watch that captures correct information so value will not be as essential as accuracy. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 bucks this development with a low value and assist for capturing an intensive quantity of information and serving to you perceive and use that information to enhance your efficiency.
Accuracy: I have been utilizing sports activities watches for a very long time, and a few of my worst experiences occurred after I went out on a coaching session after which got here again to seek out that the watch both by no means captured the info or it was misplaced when the session ended. It takes a substantial period of time to finish quite a lot of actions to check the accuracy and reliability of the watch. GPS accuracy is often good with most watches at the moment utilizing twin frequency and multi-band GNSS, so when a watch is not correct, it’s pretty apparent. Coronary heart price accuracy can be essential, however a dependable armband or chest strap is a extra dependable technique to seize the most effective coronary heart price information.

Present extra

Train is part of my life, and nearly each watch on this record has been mounted on my wrist for in depth testing, primarily whereas working, indoor rowing, path working, and biking. I have been an athlete my total life and love spending many hours with each of these sports watches. After we check sports activities watches, we sometimes comply with the identical routine for each to see which performs finest.

Each day put on: I put on the sports activities watch as my major watch with information fields, functions, and different components being examined as if it was my solely watch.
Exercises: Sports activities watches are at first designed and offered to assist monitor your actions and enable you enhance your well being, wellness, and efficiency. I take my sports activities be careful for working with GPS, rowing on the Hydrow, biking on trails, and strolling with the household. I monitor GPS and coronary heart price information, after which I consider the accuracy towards confirmed GPS sports activities watches, sometimes a Garmin watch.
Coaching plans: One of many causes I began sporting a sports activities watch a few years in the past was to coach for a half marathon. The power to both use the watchmaker’s software program to create a coaching plan or to import a plan from one other service that syncs to the watch is crucial for a sports activities watch. The watch can then information you thru your coaching plan and the flexibility for the watch to carry out that perform is vital to our analysis.
Sleep and exercise monitoring: Sleep monitoring has improved with watches over time and we consider them as in comparison with good rings and different watches. Most sports activities watches at the moment use sleep information, and different information captured when you sleep, to calculate your restoration metrics to assist inform you of your preparedness for actions you propose to participate in that day.

Try our full smartwatch testing methodology for extra info on our testing course of.

Present extra

Newest info on sports activities watches in 2025

Apple is prone to supply an replace to its Apple Watch Extremely 2 earlier than the top of the 12 months. Suunto and Coros have been fairly quiet for a while, so regulate rumors of recent watches from one or each of those corporations.

It is a robust one to reply, and in lots of instances, you can see that persons are fairly tied into one model after which proceed shopping for new fashions when they’re launched. Many of those sports activities watch manufacturers produce other merchandise to supply that sync information between the watch and different merchandise. For instance, I trip bikes with a Garmin bike laptop and in addition personal a Garmin scale so buying Garmin watches makes lots of sense for me.

Polar has coronary heart price screens and a scale too whereas Coros simply launched its first bike laptop. Fortunately, many of those merchandise seem as customary sensors so you need to use a Polar chest strap with a Garmin watch and vice versa.

You possibly can adapt to any watch over time so the main differentiator comes right down to the smartphone, and presumably web site, expertise. Can you simply view your exercise tendencies, develop and implement coaching plans, and enhance your efficiency utilizing the manufacturers instruments which can be offered to investigate and perceive the entire information that’s collected by the watch?

Present extra

I’ve spent many years utilizing GPS sports activities watches to trace working, biking, climbing, and extra. Whereas these seize an intensive quantity of detailed information, battery life has risen to the highest of my priorities. Nevertheless, when Garmin launched watches with an LED flashlight, these fashions turned my most well-liked wearable and I take advantage of the flashlight day by day.

Thus, a Garmin Enduro 3 is often discovered on one wrist. It might be changed by a Coros Vertix 2S if there was a flashlight since I do not use that a lot of Garmin’s life-style options.

An Apple Watch Extremely 2 is on my different wrist and as Apple continues to incorporate higher assist for coaching plans and superior metrics then in the future I’ll solely put on one watch.

Present extra

One facet we’ve got seen over the previous few years that can be utilized to distinguish between these GPS watches is the replace course of. While you spend tons of of {dollars} on a GPS sports activities watch and wish to use it for years to trace your progress, enhance your efficiency, and run stories, it is very important stick to one firm. Hopefully, that additionally means utilizing a look ahead to years as nicely.

Garmin used to let me down with a scarcity of updates, however now helps an simply accessible public beta program and supplies updates on a quarterly foundation. The corporate has confirmed to replace older fashions for a few years, so it’s simpler to advocate its watches at the moment.

Coros set the bar over the previous couple of years with restricted {hardware} releases and main software program updates which have added an intensive variety of options. The corporate even launched an replace for the Vertix that added touch-screen functionality. While you purchase a Coros watch, you possibly can possible rely on it having the most recent and biggest software program for 3 years and having a battery life that can final you at the least per week with sports activities monitoring for a number of occasions.

Polar has additionally demonstrated a capability to offer software program assist and main characteristic updates for years, together with an extended time period between {hardware} releases.

Apple is the chief within the smartwatch market and brings its wonderful iPhone replace course of over to the Apple Watch. WatchOS 11 introduced thrilling new options to the Apple Watch and we’re sure to see much more in 2025.

Present extra

Whereas smartwatches all have touchscreen shows, GPS sports activities watches are likely to have both {hardware} button navigation or touchscreen navigation. Most watches additionally supply a mix of the 2 so you possibly can determine when to make use of your most well-liked technique.

It typically comes right down to what actions you have interaction in and the setting during which you carry out them. For instance, I run within the rain and the darkish within the fall and winter, so touchscreens have been finicky for me prior to now.

I can all the time depend on {hardware} buttons and even use them with out having to have a look at the watch face. Touchscreen shows are sometimes disengaged whereas figuring out, which is the most effective of each worlds.

Present extra

Newest updates

July 2025: We modified our choose for the Finest total sports activities watch from the Garmin Enduro 3 to the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED, due to the latter’s sheer variety of sports activities assist provided, wonderful show, and LED flashlight. The Enduro 3 is now our choose for Finest for endurance athletes, taking the title from the older Coros Vertix 2S, which fell off this record. The newer Suunto Run turned our new choose for the Finest worth sports activities watch, overtaking the Suunto Race, which additionally fell off this record. We additionally up to date textual content and pricing all through the article.