Best Smartwatches
Last year, Google introduced Android Wear, a new software platform developed for smartwatches and other smart wearables. During the Android Wear launch event Google has announced that a number of companies have already agreed to develop smartwatches powered by new OS, and, in the meantime, many of those watches were released on the market.Motorola and LG were the first OEMs to introduce new Android Wear smartwatches to the public. While the LG smartwatch debuted at Google I/O 2014 in June, Motorola’s device was released a few months later at IFA Berlin 2013 in September.Our Best Smartwatches of August 2015 post aims to help you choose the smartwatch that suits your needs. Here you will be able to find the most noteworthy smartwatches that are currently up for grabs.The Best Smartwatches of August 2015 post lists both technical information for each smartwatch and links to Amazon to help you order right away. You should know that the devices are sorted by manufacturer in alphabetical order and that all of them work with Android devies.
ASUS ZenWatch
ASUS introduced their first Android Wear device in September 2014 at IFA Berlin. It’s called ASUS Zenwatch and it’s available for purchase in two body colors (Sliver and Rose Gold) with a brown leather strap.ASUS Zenwatch is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor at 1.2 GHz, it has 4 GB storage, and 512 MB RAM. The display is a 1.64-inch unit with 320 x 320 resolution, 278 ppi pixel density, and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Zenwatch measures 51 x 39.9 x 9.4 mm and has a weight of 75 grams. The device is kept alive by a 1.4 Wh battery and it’s both water and dust resistant with an IP55 certification.ASUS ZenWatch is available through Amazon. It has a price tag of $129.00 and it can be purchased here.
LG G Watch
LG G Watch is one of the first Android Wear-powered smartwatches to see the light of day. The new device manufactured by the South Korean company was introduced at Google I/O 2014 in June and it hit the store shelves a few weeks later.LG G Watch is water and dust resistant with IP67 certification, it sports a 1.65-inch IPS LCD display, and quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 CPU. It’s also equipped with 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of on-board storage, 400 mAh battery, and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. LG G Watch is compatible with most Android devices running Jelly Bean 4.3 or later.LG G Watch is available in Black Titan and White Gold and it can be grabbed from Amazon at $150.00. You can order using this link.
LG G Watch R
LG announced their first round smartwatch in October 2014. Just like the previous LG watch, G Watch R is dust and water resistant with IP67 certification and runs Android Wear.LG G Watch R features a round P-OLED 1.3-inch screen with chronograph, while being powered by a quad-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 processor. It has 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB storage, Bluetooth 4.0, heart rate monitor and a 410 mAh battery. The smartwatch measures 46.4 x 53.6 x 9.7 mm and weighs in at 62 grams.The LG G Watch R from Amazon starting at $399.99. You can order one right away using this link.
LG G Watch Urbane
G Watch Urbane is the latest Android Wear smartwatch developed by the folks at LG. It has a more premium design than its predecessor, the same round display, and shares many of its features.LG G Watch Urbane boasts about a 1.3-inch Full Circle P-OLED screen with Gorilla Glass 3 protection, a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor at 1.2 GHz, 4 GB of internal storage, and 512 MB of RAM. It has an IP67 certification meaning it’s both water and dust resistant and it can be paired with devices running Jelly Bean 4.3 or later. G Watch Urbane has a full metal body and a screw-less back cover.On Amazon, the LG G Watch Urbane is available in Silver and Gold body colors at a price of $302.96. You can order yours using the following link.
Motorola Moto 360
Motorola announced their plans to release an Android Wear smartwatch back in March 2014, but Moto 360 didn’t see the light of day until September, when it was officially introduced to the public during IFA Berlin. Even though first Moto 360 customers had complaints about its battery life, Motorola has fixed the issue with a software update.Moto 360 is no doubt one of the best-looking smartwatches currently on the market. It has a nice design and great built quality and it’s available in a lot of body variants. It’s water and dust resistant with IP67 rating, has a 1.56-inch screen with 320 x 290 resolution and 205 ppi pixel density. The technical specs list also includes 512 MB RAM, 4 GB storage, and a 320 mAh battery. It has Bluetooth 4.0, a TI OMAP 3 processor, a weight of 40 grams, and a case diameter of 46 mm.On Amazon, Moto 360 is priced at $149.00. You can order yours using this link.
Pebble Time
Pebble Time is company’s latest smartwatch. Even though it’s not running Android Wear, the device is compatible with Android devices.Pebble Time features an always-on color e-paper display with LED backlight and the company promises a battery life of up to 7 days. You can submerge it into water at up to 30 meters, it comes with a built-in mic, and has a 9.5 mm thin chassis with curved profile and tactile buttons.On Amazon, Pebble Time has a price of $199.99 and its available on Black, Red, and White. You can order using this link.
Pebble Steel
Pebble Steel comes with a design that is very close to a traditional watch. Steel, is the second generation smartwatch developed by the US-based company.Pebble Steel is not developed using Android Wear or Tizen OS, but you can download apps and themes from a dedicated app store. Pebble Steel measures 46 x 35.5 x 5 mm and weighs in at 56 grams. In the package you will get both metal and leather straps.Just like Pebble Time, Steel is not running Android Wear or Tizen OS, but Pebble’s own operating system. It has a dedicated app store, a size of 46 x 35.5 x 5 mm, and a weight of 56 grams. The package includes both metal and leather straps, the watch promises up to 7 days of battery life, and it’s waterproof up to 5 atm.On Amazon, the Pebble Steel has a price tag of $149.99. You can order one using this link.
Samsung Gear S
Samsung Gear S is the most recent smartwatch released by the South Korean company. The device is powered by Tizen OS and it has a SIM card slot. The SIM support allows the smartwach to receive notifications even though it’s away from your phone.Gear S arrives with a 2.0-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 360 x 480 pixels, it has 512 MB of RAM, and 4 GB of native storage. The processing tasks are handled by a dual-core 1.0 GHz Exynos CPU manufactured by Samsung, while the connectivity features include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, and USB 2.0.Sensors-wise, Gear S comes with accelerometer, gyro, compass, HR monitor, ambient light, barometer, and UV sensor. On Amazon, it’s available at $99.99 with a two-year AT&T contract, or $299.99 without a contract.
Samsung Gear Live
Gear Live is the only Android Wear smartwatch in Samsung’s portfolio. The device was introduced to the public at Google I/O 2014 in June and it was given away for free to the attendees of the conference.Samsung Gear Live can be purchased in Black and Wine Red body colors. In terms of specifications it arrives with a 1.6-inch Super AMOLED screen, quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, and 512 MB of RAM. It features 4 GB of native storage, a 300 mAh battery, weighs in at 59 grams, and it’s water and dust proof with IP67 rating.The Samsung Galaxy Live is up for grabs starting at $100.39. You can order using the following link.
Samsung Gear 2
Samsung Gear 2, just like Gear S, comes pre-loaded with Tizen OS. Because it runs Samsung’s proprietary operating system, the smartwatch is only compatible with a number of Samsung device such as Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note 4 Edge, Galaxy S4, or Galaxy S3. Gear 2 saw the light of day in February 2014 at MWC tech fair in Barcelona.Samsung Gear 2 can be purchased in Black, Orange, and Brown. It has IP67 certification meaning it’s water and dust proof, it has a 2 MP BSI camera, and the processing tasks are handled by a dual-core 1.0 GHz Exynos processor. It also features Bluetooth, NFC, 300 mAh battery, 512 MB of RAM, and 4 GB storage. The display is a 1.63-inch unit with Super AMOLED technology.
On Amazon, Samsung Gear 2 is priced starting at at $139.95. You can buy one using the following link.
Samsung Gear 2 Neo
Samsung Gear 2 Neo debuted synchronized with Gear 2 at MWC 2014 in Barcelona. Gear 2 Neo it’s actually a lower end variant of the Gear 2, running Tizen OS and being compatible with the same Samsung terminals.Samsung Gear 2 Neo is equipped with a 1.6-inch Super AMOLED display, has a dual-core 1.0 GHz Exynos processor paired with 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB internal storage, and a 300 mAh battery. It has IP67 certification and connectivity features such as Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and IR blaster. In short, it’s a Gear 2 without a camera module.Samsung Gear 2 Neo can be purchased from Amazon at a price of $149. It’s available in three body colors Charcoal Black, Mocha Gray, and Wild Orage and you can order it using this link.
Samsung Gear Fit
Samsung Gear Fit is orientated at the customers who are the sporty type. It’s also worth noting that it was announced in February 2014 at MWC Barcelona and that it’s the first smartwatch in the world to feature a curved screen.Gear Fit comes pre-loaded with Tizen OS and it’s only compatible with select Samsung devices. It has a 1.85-inch Curved Super AMOLED display and the same dual-core 1.0 GHz Exynos processor. It has 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB internal storage, and a 210 mAh battery. The sensors list includes heart rate monitor, gyro, or accelerometer and it has a Bluetooth 4.0.The smartwatch is water and dust resistant with IP67 rating. Samsung Gear Fit is available on Amazon starting at $147.99. You can place your order here.
Sony Smartwatch 3
Sony Smartwatch 3 is the first Android Wear-powered smartwatch developed by the Japanese giant. Since it’s running Android Wear, Smartwatch 3 can be paired with almost any Android device running Jelly Bean 4.3 and above.Sony Smartwatch 3 comes in two body colors: Black and Yellow. It features a 1.6-inch Transreflective screen with 320 x 320 resolution, quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and 4 GB storage. It’s both dust and water proof, it has a weight of 45 grams, NFC, and Bluetooth 4.0. Sony says that the 420 mAh battery of their Android Wear smartwatch is capable of getting the device awake through 2 days of typical usage on a single charge.