Articles by Courtney Lynch

Garmin is one of the most well-known names in the wearable world, and rightfully so. The Venu is perfect for those looking for a watch with brains and beauty. It’s compatible with 20mm quick release bands, so you’ll have an abundance of options when it comes to finding the right one for your needs. We’ve rounded some of the best Garmin Venu bands to help you narrow it down.

For fitness enthusiasts

BIGTANG Soft Silicone Fitness Band

Staff Pick

If you’re planning to take advantage of all the wonderful fitness features on the Garmin Venu, you need a band that can handle your active lifestyle. The best Garmin Venu band for this is the silicone option from BIGTANG, as they’re both strong and comfortable. The soft silicone has a unique textured finish and comes in seven cool colors.

$7 at Amazon

Best of both worlds

Olytop Premium Nylon Watch Band

These Olytop bands are made of a fine blend of premium nylon and leather. They’re built to be tough yet comfortable on the wris…

When the time comes to choose the best Android smartwatch for all your needs, you’ll have your work cut out for you. Whether you prefer rugged or sleek, simple or robust, there’s no shortage of options. Our personal favorite is none other than the TicWatch Pro 3. While this model is priced the highest out of the bunch, it’ll be money well spent for many users. Not only is it the company’s latest model, but you’ll also have loads of smart features, battery life that goes on for days, and a gorgeous dual display. Of course, there are other watches in the lineup that are worth considering as well.

Best Overall: TicWatch Pro 3

As you marvel at the TicWatch Pro 3, don’t forget to pick up your jaw from the floor. This smartwatch truly does it all with a generous number of features, unbelievable battery life, and tons of fitness tracking perks. What you’ll probably notice first, though, is the uniquely brilliant display. The TicWatch Pro 3 uses layered display technology, which helps ex…

Silky-smooth performance

TicWatch Pro 3

From $255 at Amazon

Pros

GPS, HRM, NFC
Activity/sleep tracking
Google Assistant
SpO2 sensor
Snapdragon 4100

Cons

More expensive
Possibly too big

If you’re all about finding a smartwatch with superior performance, you’ll want to get your hands on the TicWatch Pro 3. It’s rocking the latest Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of ROM. You also get plenty of key features, including GPS, heart-rate monitoring, blood oxygen tracking, and more.

Lagging behind

TicWatch Pro S

$260 at Amazon

Pros

GPS, HRM, NFC
Activity/sleep tracking
Google Assistant
Military-grade durability
Good battery life

Cons

Outdated processor
No SpO2 sensor

Technically, the TicWatch Pro S is the “newer” smartwatch, but you wouldn’t think so upon looking at the specs. The processor is two generations old, which is a step back. It offers the basic futures as well as a tough design with military-grade durability, but it’s nothing…

More features to love

Fossil Gen 5

From $177 at Amazon

Pros

GPS, HRM, NFC
Attractive design
Google Assistant
Mic/speaker
Battery-saving modes

Cons

Shorter battery life
Lacks blood oxygen sensor

Wear OS is far from perfect but it has made some significant strides Take the Fossil Gen 5, for example. This smartwatch is available in a variety of models, all of which offer essential features. You’ll have onboard GPS, heart-rate monitoring, activity tracking, Google Pay, a mic/speaker, and more.

The basics with style

Garmin Lily

From $200 at Amazon

Pros

Activity/sleep tracking
Heart-rate monitoring
Pulse Ox and Body Battery
Stress tracking
Fashionable design

Cons

Lacks color display
No GPS or NFC

If fashion is your main reason for buying a smartwatch, you can’t go wrong with the Garmin Lily. It’s small, stylish, and comes in two models. The design is nothing short of dashing, but it also offers key features such as heart-rate monitoring, activity/sleep trac…

Everything you need and more

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

From $199 at Amazon

Pros

Onboard GPS
Heart-rate monitoring
Activity, sleep, and stress tracking
ECG and blood pressure monitoring
Running Coach

Cons

Shorter battery life
New model coming soon

If you want a fitness-focused watch that comes with endless perks, you’ll appreciate the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. You get optional LTE, GPS, activity and sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, ECG, Samsung Pay, and music storage.

Lifestyle and fitness combined

Garmin Vivoactive 4

From $257 at Amazon

Pros

Onboard GPS
Activity, sleep, and stress tracking
Heart-rate monitoring
Pulse Ox and Body Battery
On-screen workouts

Cons

No LTE connectivity
No ECG or blood pressure monitoring

Those who are searching for a fitness watch that offers plenty of lifestyle features should look no further than the Garmin Vivoactive 4. You get GPS, activity and sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, Garmin Pay, music stor…

Time to get serious

Fitbit Charge 4

$135 at Amazon

Pros

Built-in GPS
Active Zone Minutes
Altimeter
Spotify music controls
Fitbit Pay

Cons

Slightly more expensive
Shorter battery life

There’s plenty to love about the Fitbit Charge 4. It has all of the health and fitness tracking features you need in a compact, lightweight device. Not to mention, it has some nice extras like mobile payment and Spotify music controls.

Keep it casual

Fitbit Inspire 2

From $84 at Amazon

Pros

Activity/sleep tracking
Heart-rate monitoring
Active Zone Minutes
Female health-tracking
Over 20 exercise modes

Cons

Lacks built-in GPS and altimeter
No Spotify or Fitbit Pay

The Fitbit Inspire 2 is one of the company’s latest trackers. It’s been improved to offer the new Active Zone Minutes feature, 10 days of battery life, additional exercise modes, and an enhanced design that’s both slim and stylish.

Fitbit Inspire 2 vs. Fitbit Charge 4: It’s the little things that count

When …

All of the essentials in one efficient wearable.

Garmin has a knack for offering wearables that are rich with essential features, and the Vivoactive 4 follows in those footsteps. If you’re looking for a model that’s not super advanced but does a wonderful job at tracking key health and fitness metrics, this is probably the best Android smartwatch for you. Some of the main features include activity and sleep tracking, heart-rate monitoring, onboard GPS, blood oxygen tracking, and more.

This wearable is ideal for those who want more than a basic activity tracker without having to buy a premium watch that’s loaded with features they won’t use. The Vivoactive 4 is a perfect mid-range option, which happens to be pretty affordable compared to the other top Garmin smartwatches.

You won’t have to worry about an overly bulky design that puts a damper on your sense of style. The Vivoactive 4 is available in two sizes and a few different colors. Best of all, it has a shiny stainless steel be…

Every user has a different set of priorities and if you don’t want to spend a fortune on your Wear OS device, then you may find yourself interested in the best cheap Android watches. Luckily, there are numerous quality options available at lower price points. One of the most affordable yet feature-packed Android smartwatches you’ll find is the TicWatch S2, which is all about rugged durability. There’s plenty more where that came from.

Best Overall: TicWatch S2

The TicWatch S2 isn’t for the faint of heart. This smartwatch was designed with the active individual in mind. Whether you’re the outdoorsy type or a certified gym fiend, you’ll be glad to have this level of strength on your wrist. The large 1.39-inch display is crisp and easy to read. It’s not only waterproof but it was also built with military-grade durability, so you know it’s tough. You won’t have trouble keeping track of your stats, either. The combination of Google Fit and TicMotion will help you stay motivated with e…

When it comes to finding the best Android smartwatch, there are various factors you’ll want to consider. For starters, you’ll need to think about what features you want, what operating system you prefer, what design you’re seeking, and what size smartwatch is best for your wrist. There are a few different ways to go about this. Your method of choice will depend on what watch you’re interested in and what equipment you have available. Here are a few simple tips on how to measure your wrist for smartwatches.

How to measure your wrist with a tape measure

While most manufacturers will provide a general size range for the watch you’re considering, you may have the option of buying bands in different sizes that will better accommodate your wrist. The best way to go about this is to use a fabric tape measure to figure out the circumference of your wrist. Some companies offer a printout guide that you can use in place of a tape measure.

Wrap the tape measure around your wrist. Be sure …

If you’ve got your finger on the smartwatch pulse, you know that blood oxygen tracking is a common feature these days. It’s useful during sleep monitoring or when you’re at high altitudes. It will also alert you to potential issues such as sleep apnea or other breathing conditions. The Garmin Forerunner 245 is a superior running watch on its own, but it also has a built-in SpO2 sensor, which makes it even more appealing. We’ve rounded up the best smartwatches with blood oxygen monitoring.

Best Overall: Garmin Forerunner 245

Whether you prefer to run, bike, or swim, the Garmin Forerunner 245 is an excellent choice. It has the wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor for monitoring blood oxygen saturation levels, which can help gauge how your body is absorbing oxygen. It also comes with built-in GPS, heart-rate tracking, sleep monitoring, 5 ATM water resistance, and seven days of battery life.

We’d be remiss not to mention that this watch also has the company’s exclusive Body Battery feature, …