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There’s tons of competition when it comes to smartwatches, making it difficult to know which one is right for you. Especially when you’re on a budget.
You’ve got luxury watches like the Garmin Marq Commander Carbon Edition, designed for athletes…and those of us who have night vision goggles…at the ripe price of £2,799/$3,200. But then you also have the Ruiman watch which answers calls and serves as a basic pedometer at £23.99/ $39.99.
If you’re looking for a smartwatch that serves as a balance between the two, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we take a look at the top five Smartwatches under $400.
However before we jump in, it’s a good idea to ask yourself a couple of questions…
What to consider before buying a Smartwatch
Before you spend a fortune on a new smartwatch it’s important to ask yourself why you’re buying one.
Is it because you want to use it to track your fitness, make and receive calls or maybe you want to wear one for safety reasons? Or you might just like the different styles.
Though all the watches mentioned in this ranking are generally very good, different models carry different USPs. I’ll do my best to mention them, but if you’re looking for something specific, it won’t hurt to do some extra research after reading.
You also need to consider what device you are using it with. Some smartwatches are built to be paired with specific phones. You don’t want to buy an Apple Watch Series 9 if you’re an Android user!
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the best budget smartwatches to buy under $400.
5. Garmin Vivoactive 5 Smartwatch
The Garmin Viivoactive 5 is geared towards athletic users rather than those who use their smartwatch as an extension of their phone since it can’t make or answer calls like the other watches on our list.
It is compatible with both Android and iOS users and has a similar style to most other smartwatches. It most closely resembles the Googe Pixel Watch, whilst being a tad thinner.
Garmin watches in general offer more detailed fitness tracking such as a broader range of post-workout feedback and detailed breakdowns compared to the other brands. It can even detect naps and has a wheelchair mode that tracks daily pushes.
Additionally, it has a unique 48.5 waterproof depth rating, can count swimming strokes and has a multi-sport mode which is great for those who switch between different sporting activities quickly.
The Vivoactive 5 can also track your distance, intensity minutes, calories burned, menstruation, sleep, respiration steps, and stress level. But, unlike the Google Pixel watch 2, it can’t measure flights of stairs climbed, and lacks on-screen workout animations.
It also has fall detection and a lot of the same safety features that the rest of the watches on this list enjoy.
The reason why the Vivoactive 5 is number five on the list is that it cannot do some of the more day-to-day smartwatch features such as placing a phone call. Although the watch can notify you if you are receiving a call or message, it doesn’t have a speaker, microphone or voice assistant support.
It’s also limited with what third-party apps it can download and only comes in one size (42mm) despite its predecessor having two options. A slightly odd decision.
When you add all of that up, it can feel a little bit pricey. This is a watch that starts at £229.00/ $299.99 on Amazon but doesn’t have many of the everyday features people want. This is a fitness tracker above all else.
BUT
It’s unique selling point is it’s battery life. Whilst the other watches on this list offer a day or two of battery life on average, the Garmin Vivoactive Smartwatch boasts up to 11 days. If you know Garmin, you’ll already be aware of their excellent battery record. The Vivoactive is no different.
So if you don’t care so much about using it for communication purposes, and want it more to track your fitness, it’s a great option.
4. Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)
The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is a top 5 smartwatch for many reasons.
It’s got a sleek design and customisable face and enjoys the features more advanced Apple smartwatches offer at a much lower price.
Similarly to the Google Pixel Watch 2, it has the same type of display (OLED/AMOLED) and is sweat-resistant as well as dustproof and water-resistant. It’s great for an everyday user who is intrigued about their general fitness, whether you’re out jogging or sitting behind a desk all day. It’s also got a good sleep tracker!
Like the latest Apple watch, you can make and decline calls on an Apple Watch SE 2. And if you’re an AirPods user you can connect them to your watch and use it to receive FaceTime calls.
Although its main boast is the price. You can get a bit of Apple tech from Amazon as cheap as £162.00/ $179.99. Which is a great deal for a well-built smartwatch with so many features.
It does have some drawbacks…
You are essentially getting an Apple Wath lite.
It’s a cheaper alternative to the Apple Watch Series 6 but lacks the always-on display and blood oxygen monitoring. The display is noticeably inferior to the Apple Watch Series 8 and 9 and it doesn’t have the advanced ECG technology which can detect arrhythmias.
Plus, it’s not nearly as slick as newer smartwatches with faster processors. The Apple Watch SE 2 also misses out on some of the more innovative features found on newer Apple Watches, namely Double Tap; the ability to answer your phone by just tapping your finger and thumb together.
Its battery life is not great, often not even lasting 24 hours which almost made it number five on this list. But considering that this is the standard issue for most smartwatches in this price range, and the fact it’s so cheap, it clawed its way back to number four.
In general, the Apple Watch SE 2nd generation does the job of being a cheaper Apple Watch well. So, if you want to track your health (but in less detail than a Garmin), be able to make calls, interact with phone notifications and get the ‘Apple look’, the SE is a satisfactory option.
NOTE: The Apple Watch SE 2 is only compatible with Apple devices, so don’t buy this watch if you have an Android phone!
3. Google Pixel Watch 2
The Google Pixel Watch 2 is compatible with Android devices and offers more health-tracking features and a much better battery life than its Pixel Watch 1 predecessor.
It’s got a bubble-like design with a round dial and multiple choices of band styles. It’s certainly a unique look and one you either love or hate. There are more environmentally friendly credentials too with an 80% recycled aluminium body. Plus it’s noticeably lighter than the Apple Watch Series 9, offers wireless charging and a bright display with a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
You can even make calls and send texts by using Google Assistant.
The Pixel Watch 2 has comprehensive safety features such as emergency SOS, fall detection, emergency contact dialling and more (similar to most of the other watches on this list).
In terms of wellness, it’s very similar to the Galaxy Watch 6 but the Pixel watch makes use of functions licensed from Fitbit.
The Pixel Watch 2 is a good choice for those who are looking for an all-rounder. It has a good rating for water and dust resistance, making it very capable of dealing with harsh weather conditions. Like a lot of the more expensive smartwatches out there, the Pixel Watch 2 offers temperature tracking, detailed sleep monitoring, heart rate monitoring, blood oxidation measuring and stress tracking as well as the usual activity tracking.
There is a caveat, however. A lot of these features require a Fitbit Premium subscription. And despite its improved battery over the previous generation, it lasts roughly a day and a half with light to medium usage. However, it does only take about 75 minutes to reach full charge, compared to the 2.5 hours on the Apple Watch SE 2.
Furthermore, it only comes in one size (41mm).
Of course, the most attractive thing about it is the price. At £299/$349, the Pixel Watch 2 is a clean, refined and functional smartwatch.
So if you are after a solid sports watch, with a great display and communication features that outperform the Apple Watch SE 2, the Pixel Watch 2 is a safe bet. Just bear in mind the Fitbit subscription!
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic earned its place in the top two for many reasons.
It is in many ways very similar to the Google Pixel 2, but with some slight enhancements.
Although it does have some issues with its heart rate accuracy, it offers a lot of the same (or similar) features as the Google Pixel Watch 2 such as wellness tracking, activity, sleep and temperature.
But it takes it a little further, being able to measure blood pressure and body composition- if you have a Samsung phone that is!
Samsung also says that the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic also has a slightly better battery life than the Pixel Watch 2, lasting up to 40 hours. But real-world tests show that the reality sits at a more modest 24 hours. This pales in comparison to the 11-days battery life of the Garmin Vivoactive, but it is doing a lot more stuff like tracking notifications.
Sealing the Galaxy Watch 6’s number two spot is the £289/$289 price tag. At $60 less than the Pixel Watch 2, and with more features packed in, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is a steal. You are getting a better watch for less money.
If you want to take things one step further (and get a discount at the same time) you could also purchase the standard Samsung Galaxy Watch 6.
1. Apple Watch Series 9
Topping our list and beating the Samsung is the Apple Watch Series 9.
Like other Apple watches, the Series 9 is generally comfortable, light in weight and stylish. Looks are all subjective, but the square design has a much smaller bezel around the display compared to the others which means more screen real estate. In terms of overall look and wear, it looks more like a smart device than an actual watch- if that’s what you’re into.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the most popular smartwatch for a reason. It can not only track a huge range of fitness parameters (although not as many as a Garmin), but also perform useful tasks like unlocking your car with its UWB technology or answering calls by just tapping your thumb and forefinger together. It can also capture photos from your iPhone by acting as a remote control.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is an excellent everyman. It’s great for athletes, with Apple stating the S9 is ‘swimproof’ and can be submerged to depths of up to 50 meters. Like the Pixel and Galaxy Watch, the S9 can automatically detect workouts and enjoys heart rate and blood oxygen sensors. However, the S9 differs from the Pixel watch because you don’t have to pay a Fitbit subscription fee.
Safety-wise, the Apple Watch Series 9 not only has fall detection and emergency SOS calls, but it also has crash detection. Meaning it can call for help on your behalf after a car crash.
The display is also beautiful. At a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, the Series 9’s display is easily seen in harsh sunlight and has vibrant colours. It is also built to Apple’s typically high specifications.
There are some issues, however. Mainly the battery life.
Apple has struggled with battery life for their smartwatches for a while, with users often finding their device dead before the day is over. The Series 9 has a much better stated battery life than the Series 8 at 18 hours, but it is easily outlasted by the Pixel and Galaxy. And this is frustrating. If you forget to plug in your device before going to sleep, you will have a dead smartwatch the next day.
The charging time of about 75 minutes is pretty much the same as its competitors, however.
Value for money is also the crux of the matter with Apple products. And for once, I think Apple just about wins out. Only because of the current discounts to be found.
As a disclaimer, the Apple Smart Watch Series 9 isn’t cheap. But, for the build quality and list of features you get, the price tag is, I promise, worth it. You can currently buy it from Amazon for $329/£398.
For most users, the Series 9 smartwatch covers all bases and then some.
Summing Up
Despite the Apple Watch Series 9 taking the top spot in this article, and the recent price drop, it’s still the most expensive watch on the list. Partly because it’s only a few months old, and still seems shiny and new. Which it is!
But if you want to save a bit of money, all of these watches are good enough for the average user.
As mentioned above, figure out what you are specifically looking for in your new smartwatch and what compatibility you need. Whatever the case, here’s to you and your new smartwatch!
Next: 6 Reasons You Should Buy the iPad mini 6 TODAY
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