Recently , a heated discussion broke out in the comments under an article about the experience of switching from an Apple Watch to a simple G-Shock. The community’s opinions were divided: some supported the author and showed interest in regular watches and, in particular, protected Casio models, while others gave a lot of arguments in favor of universal smart watches. Based on the discussion, we compiled a list of cool G-Shock models for any budget and, in addition, decided to also release a selection of smart watches recommended by Lifehacker readers.
1. Huawei Watch Fit 3 Active
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.4 inches, 480 × 408 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 10 days.
A universal smartwatch with a bright AMOLED display and excellent battery life that will suit a wide range of users. The model attracts with its convenient shell, abundance of functions and training modes, as well as a large set of modules and sensors. It has GPS and Bluetooth calls, player control, sleep tracking, heart rate and blood oxygen levels. The price tag is affordable.
2. Huawei Watch GT4
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.43 inches, 466 × 466 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 14 days.
Another successful Huawei model with a bright Always-on display, decent battery life and advanced health monitoring. The watch combines the roles of a smart assistant and a professional trainer , making it easier to cope with everyday affairs and keep fit. There are thousands of watch faces, hundreds of sports modes to choose from, as well as monitoring of heart rate, sleep quality, women’s health and stress levels.
3. Huawei watch GT 3 Pro
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.43 inches, 466 × 466 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 21 days.
An advanced model with sapphire glass and titanium bezel, which is completely protected from dust and moisture, and also has a rich set of modules. The watch has a microphone and speaker for conversations, GPS and NFC. It supports not only heart rate measurement, but also ECG, temperature and blood oxygen. More than 100 training modes are available with automatic recognition of the most popular ones. You can track all activities, sleep quality, stress levels, women’s health .
4. Amazfit GTR 4
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.43 inches, 466 × 466 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 14 days.
Stylish watch with a minimalist, almost classic design and a bright round screen. Control is carried out by a rotating head and a button that starts the training mode (150 activities). The model has a huge number of dials for every taste, supports calls via Bluetooth and player control, and can play music from the built-in memory. An improved activity monitoring sensor allows you to track your heart rate, blood oxygen concentration, sleep quality and stress level.
5. Amazfit T-Rex Pro
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.3 inches, 360 × 360 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR100.
- Autonomy: up to 18 days.
A brutal smart watch with a sports bias for extreme sports enthusiasts and outdoor enthusiasts. The gadget supports 104 types of training with GPS track recording, and recognizes the main options automatically. With the help of the watch, you can control music, find a lost smartphone, use a compass , and also monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep quality, and stress. The model is completely protected from dust and water, and can function properly at low temperatures.
6. Amazfit Bip 5
- Screen: TFT, 1.91 inches, 320 × 380 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 26 days.
Lightweight watch with a large informative screen and record autonomy. The model weighs only 26 g and is almost not felt on the hand. At the same time, users have access to GPS navigation, receiving calls from the phone, constant pulse monitoring, as well as measuring oxygen in the blood, monitoring the quality of sleep and stress levels. The gadget has a function for tracking activity during training in 120 different modes.
7. Amazfit Neo
- Screen: monochrome STN, 1.2 inches.
- Protection: IP68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 37 days.
Minimalistic smartwatch with a cool vintage design, in which you can guess the notes of Casio classics. Due to the basic functions and monochrome screen, which is always visible from any angle, one charge is enough for more than a month. The model can display notifications, count steps, calories and heart rate, and also shows the weather, physical activity index and supports several training modes, including walking , running and cycling.
8. Amazfit Balance
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.5 inches, 480 × 480 pixels.
- Protection: WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 25 days.
A laconic watch with an aluminum case and a round display, the peak brightness of which is 1,500 nits. Inside, there is everything you need: a microphone and speaker for working as a headset, GPS, a heart rate monitor, and even a temperature sensor. More than 150 types of workouts are available. At the same time, the model is equipped with an AI assistant that creates detailed reports on activity and sleep, and then gives recommendations for improving your form. There is even information on fat and muscle content and an analysis of other body parameters.
9. Xiaomi Redmi Watch 4
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.97 inches, 390 × 450 pixels.
- Protection: WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 30 days.
A balanced model in a metal case with good battery life and a large AMOLED display. The latter supports the Always on mode, with over 200 stylish watch faces available to choose from. The watch allows you to talk via Bluetooth, use GPS navigation, measure your heart rate and blood oxygen levels, track your sleep quality and stress levels . There are over 150 training modes with different types of activity.
10. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.2 inches, 396 × 396 pixels.
- Protection: IPX68.
- Autonomy: up to 2 days.
A popular model from Samsung with a sporty design and a round screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass DX+. It can be used as a headset, has built-in GPS and NFC modules, and a biometric sensor can track not only pulse and blood oxygen, but also blood pressure and ECG. In addition, detailed sleep statistics, body parameter analysis (fat, muscle, water), and stress level monitoring are available. The watch can track more than 90 different types of exercises and provide a report at the end of the workout.
11. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.4 inches, 450 × 450 pixels.
- Protection: IPX68, WR50.
- Autonomy: up to 2 days.
A classic version of the previous watch, which is similar in function, but has a more elegant design and premium materials. The case of this model is made of stainless steel. The rotating bezel with pleasant clicks is convenient to use for navigating the interface.
12. Garmin Forerunner 55
- Display: MIP, 1.04 inches, 208×208 pixels.
- Protection: 5 ATM.
- Autonomy: up to 14 days.
One of the entry-level models in the Garmin line of sports smart watches, which is designed not only for runners and swimmers, but also for active people. The model’s main advantages are impressive autonomy due to the energy-efficient MIP display, an accurate GPS module and a heart rate monitor. The watch contains built-in training plans, personal recommendations for load and recovery, and also supports synchronization with popular sports applications.
13. Garmin Fenix 7X Solar
- Display: MIP, 1.4 inches, 280 x 280 pixels.
- Protection: WR100.
- Autonomy: up to 37 days.
This premium smartwatch with a stainless steel and polymer case has the ability to recharge from the sun. It is positioned as an ideal companion for fans of an active lifestyle, sports and extreme sports. The watch is completely protected from dust, water, scratches and low temperatures. The set of sensors includes a heart rate monitor, barometer, altimeter, thermometer and supports the connection of external sensors via the ANT+ protocol. The menu includes a lot of workouts with detailed tracking of parameters, loading topographic maps into memory, listening to music without a phone. There is even a built-in LED flashlight.
14. Garmin Epix 2
- Screen: AMOLED, 1.3 inches, 416 × 416 pixels.
- Protection: IP68, WR1000.
- Autonomy: up to 16 days.
Top smartwatch with a durable composite case made of stainless steel and polymer, equipped with sapphire crystal, which covers a bright full-color AMOLED screen. The gadget allows you to receive calls and notifications, use GPS navigation on built-in topographic maps , listen to music both from the internal memory and from a smartphone. Inside there is a compass, heart rate monitor, barometer, altimeter, thermometer, blood oxygen saturation sensor, gyroscope and accelerometer. All this is used for the most detailed tracking of indicators during training and personal recommendations for achieving set goals.
15. Haylou LS09A
- Screen: TFT, 1.28 inches, 240 × 240 pixels.
- Protection: IP68.
- Autonomy: up to 27 days.
Budget smartwatch with a nice price and excellent battery life, which is ideal for getting to know this type of device. The model supports notifications, phone search and music control. Health monitoring is provided by a heart rate monitor with the ability to continuously measure, a pulse oximeter to check the level of oxygen in the blood and a function for analyzing the duration and quality of sleep. 12 training modes are supported, including walking, running, cycling and yoga .