Woman measuring blood pressure with modern smartwatch | photo credit: adrian825
Like smartphones, smartwatches are becoming an essential part of our gadget-owning lifestyles. Not just to keep track of time, but to view daily statistics linked to our well-being. For youngsters, smartwatches are a way to flaunt another accessory, for working professionals they are a clock-cum-reminder machine and for the elderly, they are used to monitor vitals.
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While there are many ways to define a smartwatch, choosing one for yourself can be a daunting task. And we’re here to make it a little easier with this shopping guide.
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A good, bright display is the most desired feature in a smartwatch. Being just over an inch in size comes with restrictions, so the dial of your watch needs to be bright, and most importantly, visible in the sunlight. Choose a smartwatch with AMOLED display as they are vibrant and you can recognize the font even in sunlight.
sensor
We all understand the importance of blood oxygen monitoring in early pandemic days, so look for smartwatches that provide you with additional functions like heart rate monitoring, stress count or duration tracker along with this feature. provides.
battery
Anything without good battery backup becomes a pain in the long run, and the same applies for smartwatches. Choose the wearable variant that offers 3-4 days of battery life while all the features like GPS are on.
Having said that, battery life is a correlated feature depending on the make of the watch and the tasks we run through it on a daily basis. For example, a smartwatch with an AMOLED display will consume more battery as compared to other IPS panels.
os
This remains an important aspect as we have to interact with our smartwatch multiple times a day. Clean OS makes the experience better and more immersive. It also becomes a personal experience as some will prefer Wear OS while others have watchOS running on their smartwatch. Both the OS’ experiences have been different. Still, familiar.
Properties
Features vary based on price. We can get ECG and body temperature functions on high-end watches, while SpO2 and heart rate features come in handy on most smartwatches today. Similarly, answering messages directly on a watch is exclusively found on the higher variants, while call accept/reject feature, music controls can be easily found. Storing files locally on the watch is again a premium feature not found on all models.
Some time-tested models that can be your companions in the process of monitoring and fitness are:
apple watch se
‘Affordable’ smartwatch launched with premium Series 8 Watch watch se Gives you the original and Apple precision of almost everything. It features all the sensors for daily activity tracking, but you don’t get the ECG feature that Apple Watches are known for. With Retina LTPO AMOLED display, the Watch SE retails for around ₹29,900.
samsung galaxy watch5
probably the most inclusive android smartwatch For now, we have an AMOLED display protected by sapphire crystal glass and it comes with an IP68 rating. The Galaxy Watch5 comes with Android Wear OS 3.5, One UI Watch 4.5 and is powered by Exynos W920 (5nm) chipset. With bioactive sensors to monitor health and other stats, it costs approx. ₹30,000.
Garmin Venu Sq2
The Venu series has been the most successful smartwatch for Garmin in India last year. AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass protection Garmin Venu Sq2 Comes with several health-tracking features like oxygen saturation, respiration tracker, fitness age and sleep monitoring. Known for its GPS accuracy, the Venu Sq2 is one of the best smartwatches available around Rs.27,990.
fitbit versa 4
Known for its accuracy and features, the US-headquartered brand has been a serious player in the smartwatch category. with versa 4, we get an AMOLED display and the option to answer/reject calls, adjust volume and read text on your wrist. However, it does not come with typing feature. Fitbit has also included sensors for tracking heart rate, SpO2, and sleep tracking. Long battery life is the USP of the Versa 4 which can be found for around ₹20,000.