Top 5 Sports Smartwatches Reviewed: Which One Fits You?

The Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the ultimate sports and adventure watch, offering advanced features for athletes like runners, cyclists, swimmers, hikers, divers, and more. It boasts a rugged titanium case, now available in satin black, and a Superbright Always-On Retina display.

With incredibly accurate precision dual-frequency GPS, powerful health, safety, and connectivity features, and up to 36 hours of battery life for normal use or 72 hours in Low Power Mode, it's built to handle anything you throw at it. The 49mm corrosion-resistant titanium case, sapphire front crystal, and large Digital Crown, along with the customizable Action button, offer instant control over various functions. It's tested to MIL-STD 810H and is water-resistant up to 100 meters.

This advanced smartwatch also includes cellular capabilities, so with a service plan, you can make calls, send texts, stream music, and get directions without needing your iPhone nearby. The advanced Workout app provides comprehensive training tools, including heart rate zones, custom workouts, and training load insights to help track your fitness progress over time.

For athletes, this watch excels in various sports. Runners benefit from the precision dual-frequency GPS for enhanced accuracy, automatic track detection, and advanced running form metrics, which offer insight into your efficiency. Cyclists get powerful metrics such as speed, heart rate, and elevation, with the ability to connect directly to Bluetooth accessories like power meters for advanced data like Functional Threshold Power and cadence.

Hikers can navigate using offline maps and tools like the Compass app, which includes features such as elevation, longitude, and Backtrack to retrace your steps. Swimmers enjoy automatic stroke detection, lap counts, and custom pool workouts, while open-water swimmers can track routes and tide conditions at over 115,000 beaches. For divers, the Oceanic+ app offers full dive computer capabilities, monitoring depth up to 40 meters and providing water temperature readings, certified to EN13319 standards.

Beyond these key features, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 provides a highly customizable experience. You can choose from various band styles, including sport bands, tailored to different activities and comfort preferences. The device runs on WatchOS, with software updates continually enhancing functionality, especially in health tracking and workout metrics.

In terms of health monitoring, the Ultra 2 tracks not only heart rate but also advanced metrics like ECG, blood oxygen levels (SpO2), and sleep. These features integrate seamlessly with the Health app for comprehensive wellness insights. The Ultra 2 is also equipped with environmental sensors like a barometer and thermometer, making it ideal for tracking data in extreme outdoor conditions, such as mountain climbing or diving.

The device is built to endure tough environments, whether you're navigating dense forests or challenging high altitudes, with its dual-frequency GPS and multi-band GNSS providing accurate tracking. Additionally, with its impressive battery optimization features, including Low Power Mode, users can prolong battery life during intense, GPS-heavy activities.

For those looking to integrate third-party apps, the watch connects to various fitness and sports apps to enhance your experience for specific activities like cycling or running. Safety features such as Crash Detection, Fall Detection, and Emergency SOS add an extra layer of protection, especially during outdoor adventures.

The Ultra 2 is not just built for performance but also sustainability, utilizing recycled titanium and contributing to Apple's broader environmental goals. With cellular eSIM technology, it’s perfect for international travel, keeping you connected wherever you are.

This smartwatch features a brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display combined with traditional button controls and a lightweight titanium bezel for durability. It offers an impressive battery life of up to 23 days in smartwatch mode and up to 31 hours in GPS mode, perfect for extended outdoor adventures.

Navigate any route confidently with full-color, built-in maps and multi-band GPS, ensuring accuracy even in challenging environments. The training readiness score helps determine if you're ready for intense activity, using data on sleep quality, recovery, training load, and HRV status to provide a close estimation of your condition.

Plan race strategies with personalized daily workout suggestions based on the race and course you input into the Garmin Connect app. The watch’s race widget adapts these suggestions after each run to match your performance and recovery. With the press of a button, you can switch between sports using built-in profiles for triathlons, duathlons, brick workouts, swimruns, or create your own custom multisport profiles.

Gain insights into your overall effort with the training status feature, which uses indicators like HRV status, recent exercise history, and performance to let you know if you're training productively, peaking, or overstrained. After waking up, you can check your morning report, which provides an overview of your sleep, recovery, training outlook, and weather.

With multi-band GNSS and SatIQ technology, the watch delivers exceptional accuracy in tough environments while conserving battery life. It also offers wrist-based running dynamics, such as cadence, stride length, and ground contact time, along with running power to measure how much force you're applying during runs.

This watch is particularly well-suited for running, triathlons, swimming, cycling, and outdoor activities such as hiking and trail running. The multi-band GPS and advanced metrics make it ideal for tracking performance in endurance sports, while the durability and waterproof design ensure reliability during intense, long-distance activities. The multisport features make it an excellent companion for athletes who participate in a variety of disciplines, from running to swimming to cycling.

Elevate your style with a smartwatch that combines functionality and design, available in two sleek color options and featuring a vibrant AMOLED display. It’s perfect for athletes who value both performance and connectivity, offering seamless GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth integration for every activity. The battery life is a standout feature, delivering up to 19 hours in GPS mode, 7 hours in GPS with music, and up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, ensuring you stay powered throughout your day and workouts. For those long training sessions, the rapid recharging and battery saver mode keep you going when you need it most.

Beyond its impressive battery, this smartwatch is a powerful health companion, ideal for athletes like runners, cyclists, hikers, and swimmers. It tracks key health metrics, including heart rate, sleep patterns, blood oxygen levels, and stress, giving you a full picture of your wellness. With long battery life, you can monitor your health continuously, ensuring uninterrupted tracking of your progress.

The watch also supports a variety of preloaded workouts such as cardio, yoga, strength, HIIT, and Pilates, making it perfect for gym-goers and those looking to vary their routines. By connecting to the Garmin Connect app, you can create custom workouts or follow Garmin Coach’s adaptive training plans, ideal for marathon and triathlon preparation, helping you push your fitness goals further.

Enhancing your workout experience, the smartwatch stores up to 650 songs, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer (premium subscriptions may apply). Pair it with wireless headphones (sold separately) for a phone-free music experience while you run, cycle, or hike, turning every workout into a fully immersive experience.

Whether you're scaling mountains or biking through rough terrain, this rugged smartwatch is designed to withstand the toughest conditions. Its durable titanium build handles rain, dust, and even ocean swimming, making it perfect for any adventure, including extreme sports like trail running, mountain biking, and open-water swimming. Galaxy AI enhances your workouts by tracking and analyzing your performance in real-time, allowing you to compare your current runs or bike rides to previous efforts. By identifying patterns and progress, the AI provides actionable insights to help you push your limits and continuously improve your fitness.

In addition to performance tracking, Galaxy AI delivers personalized insights tailored to your daily activity. By analyzing your sleep quality, heart rate, and step count from the previous day, it calculates an Energy Score that tells you how prepared you are for the day ahead. This score helps you understand your physical readiness, so you can adjust your training intensity accordingly, making each workout—whether it’s running, cycling, or hiking—more effective and aligned with your body’s condition.

Moreover, the AI goes beyond just performance metrics—it offers daily Wellness Tips based on the data collected from your watch. These suggestions, such as optimal recovery techniques or adjustments to your routine, are designed to help you maintain peak fitness and well-being. Galaxy AI learns from your behavior and adapts over time, giving you increasingly accurate advice to optimize your overall health and fitness goals, making it a great tool for endurance sports like marathons, triathlons, and long-distance cycling.

During workouts, you can rely on more accurate heart rate tracking, thanks to Galaxy AI’s ability to filter out the effects of physical movement. These detailed insights are collected by your watch and analyzed on your phone, providing a clearer picture of your health and fitness progress. Additionally, the customizable Quick Button lets you control your workout experience, allowing you to start, pause, or end sessions with ease. For added security during outdoor activities like rock climbing or long treks, you can activate an emergency siren, offering peace of mind when you're on the go.

The smartwatch also features the longest-lasting battery ever, providing up to 100 hours of use on a single charge, ideal for athletes participating in ultra-endurance sports or multi-day outdoor adventures. Whether you're running in the morning or playing basketball at night, this extended battery life ensures you stay powered throughout your day. Staying connected is easy with Smart Reply, which uses Galaxy AI to suggest quick text replies based on your conversations, making communication effortless even when you're on the move.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the built-in GPS helps you navigate new trails with confidence, making it perfect for activities like trail running, mountain biking, and hiking. Whether you're running or cycling, it guides you back home, ensuring you stay on track during every adventure. At night, the smartwatch continues to support your health by tracking your sleep patterns. With personalized tips for improving your rest and the ability to detect moderate to severe sleep apnea, this feature helps you optimize your recovery and wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the next challenge.

The COROS PACE 3 Sports GPS watch is designed for those who seek comfort, durability, and lightweight performance. With its ultra-light 11.7mm body and a total weight of just 30g, including the nylon band, it offers a distraction-free experience that you can wear all day and night, ensuring that comfort accompanies you through every adventure.

Complementing its lightweight design is the 1.2" transflective touchscreen display, which remains always-on for easy visibility. The touchscreen interface offers versatile settings, including modes like Always On, Navigation and Activity Interface, and Navigation Only. This customizable interface enhances the user experience, allowing you to adapt the display to your specific needs during various activities.

As you push yourself through your workouts or daily routines, this GPS watch’s extended battery life keeps up. Offering up to 38 hours of continuous GPS tracking or 17 days of daily use (with Daily Stress disabled), it ensures you can focus on your goals without worrying about recharging frequently. This long-lasting performance is particularly important when navigating challenging environments, where accurate GPS data is crucial.

This sports watch doesn’t just offer longevity, it also excels in precision. Equipped with a redesigned satellite chipset and optional Dual-Frequency GPS, it delivers highly accurate location data, even in urban environments with tall buildings. With air pressure monitoring and estimated elevation, the device ensures you stay informed about your surroundings, enhancing your overall experience.

Planning your next adventure is also seamless with the watch’s built-in route planner. Using the COROS app, you can create custom routes or search for destinations, syncing them directly to your wrist. The breadcrumb navigation feature ensures you stay on track, providing reliable guidance throughout your journey. While on these journeys, you can also enjoy your favorite music directly from the device, which allows you to store and play music via Bluetooth headphones. This feature offers a more immersive experience, enabling you to stay motivated without the need for your phone.

With a wide range of activity modes, including running, trail running, biking, swimming, strength training, snowboarding, skiing, and cross-country skiing, this sports companion is optimized for all types of workouts. This extensive selection ensures that no matter what sport you pursue, the watch provides accurate performance tracking to help you reach your full potential, all while enjoying your favorite tunes along the way.

The HUAWEI Watch GT 3 is a versatile and durable smartwatch, designed for fitness enthusiasts and general users alike. It features a sleek, premium design with a stainless steel case and customizable watch faces, available in two sizes, 42mm and 46mm, to suit different wrist sizes and style preferences. The watch also includes a scratch-resistant glass display, providing durability and protection from everyday wear and tear, ensuring it maintains its pristine appearance over time.

Equipped with a high-quality AMOLED display, the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 offers vibrant colors and excellent brightness, ensuring clarity even in bright outdoor environments. The touch-sensitive screen is highly responsive, making it easy to navigate through the various functions.

One of the standout features of the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 is its impressive battery life, which can last up to 14 days on a single charge, depending on usage. This makes it a great choice for users who require long-term tracking without the hassle of frequent recharging.

In terms of health and fitness tracking, the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 excels, offering continuous heart rate monitoring, SpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking, sleep and stress monitoring, and over 100 workout modes, including running, cycling, swimming, and hiking. The AI running coach is a particularly useful feature for users looking to improve their fitness routines. With built-in GPS, the watch provides precise tracking for outdoor activities, along with route guidance for those who enjoy exploring new trails.

The watch is water-resistant up to 5 ATM (50 meters), making it suitable for swimming, showering, and other water-based activities. This allows users to track their workouts in wet environments without worrying about damaging the watch.

Powered by HarmonyOS 2.0, the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 integrates seamlessly with other Huawei devices, while also being compatible with Android and iOS smartphones. It supports notifications for calls, messages, and apps, alongside voice assistants and music playback controls, though it does have limited third-party app support compared to competitors like the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

In terms of price, the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 is positioned in the mid-range category, offering excellent value for money. Its combination of advanced fitness tracking, long battery life, water resistance, and scratch-resistant design makes it an ideal choice for users seeking a smartwatch that balances style, functionality, and durability.