Best smartwatches 2021: our first selection

20 January 2021 | Apple Watch , Smartwatch

If you're looking for the 2021 best smartwatches, please bear in mind, it very much depends on what you expect from a specific smartwatch.

Today's smartwatches provide plenty of functions. In a world where most people ask for ease of use, such devices are the perfect answer to their needs covering the most different expectations.

Would you prefer to use it as a phone? Yes, you can. Are you interested in monitoring your heart rate? That's as easy as it gets. Finally, would you use and replace your laptop too? They're closer and closer to doing it. In brief, you can find the option you're looking for. Let's not forget the plenty of styles and brands currently available.

Once you've set your priorities, let's take a look at three choices to pick among the most recommended smartwatches for 2021.

Smartwatches for iPhone

Apple always knows how to make things right, and in our preliminary 2021 best smartwatches' ranking, we couldn't avoid mentioning it.

According to most people, here is the best 2021 smartwatch available. Why? Let's find out.

Apple Watch Series 6

Main features

An Apple Watch Series 6 can monitor your blood's oxygen rate, along with oxygen saturation, thanks to an innovative technology combing LED and photodiodes. This timepiece can perform periodic scans even while you sleep to make sure your health isn't at risk, anytime and anywhere.

Using a specific App, you can also perform an ECG by merely placing your finger on a particular spot. However, don't think you can replace a medical visit and never forget you should always speak to a doctor.

As far as physical activities concern, data monitoring includes an altimeter. The available apps monitor every type of sports activity, from yoga to swimming, cycling to running, and beyond. Apple has also improved the screen brightness to check your data without stopping and raising your hand quickly.

Specs sheet:

• Size: 40 x 34 x 10.7mm and a weight of 30,5g (Aluminum), 39,7g (Stainless Steel) and 34,6g (Titanium). Or 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm with a weight of 36,5 g (Aluminum), 47,1 g (Stainless steel) and 41,3 g (Titanium)

• Display: the 44 mils wide offers a 368 × 448 pixels resolution and a 977 squared mil surface. The 40 mm variant comes with a 324 × 394 pixels resolution display and a 759 square mil surface. Each model comes standard with a Retina Always-on LTPO OLED display and 1000 nit brightness.

• Battery: it's a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, lasting up to 18 hours., rechargeable via a magnetic charging cable

• Sensors: GPS / GNSS, Compass, Always-on Altimeter, O₂ Level Sensor, Electric Heart Rate Monitor, Second Generation Optical Heart Rate Monitor, Accelerometer up to 32g with Fall Detection, Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor

The Apple Watch Series 6 is available in various color combinations and two different band types. Furthermore, you can choose between three material options: titanium, aluminum, and stainless steel.

Please take a look at the official Apple page, where you may read plenty of details about the Apple Watch Series 6 model.

There's no denying Apple is first and foremost a must-have; nevertheless, its leadership among the 2021 best smartwatches is well deserved.

Best Android smartwatch

There are several models we would recommend. Their performance is stunning, and your choice among two options is often a matter of style and specific features.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3

Main Features

This smartwatch can check blood pressure and take an ECG by pressing the push-button on the dial for as long as 30 seconds. Like the Apple Watch, it can measure the oxygen levels in your blood, allowing you to check your current sports activities' progress.

It has over 120 home-workout programs, as well as one for sleep advice and tracking. Regarding tracking, Samsung has partnered with the National Sleep Foundation to provide better guidance on adopting correct behavior.

Please, let me highlight the Smart Reply feature, which analyzes messages and photos you receive and suggests answers related to macro-categories like food, celebrations, and more.

Specs

•   Dimensions: 46,2 x 45,0 x 11,1 mm and a weight of 53,8 g

•   Display: 1,4 "(34.5mm), with Super AMOLED technology and 360 x 360 resolution with 16M color depth

•   Battery: 340mAh capacity, lasting more than 56 hours under intensive use and up to 151 hours under standard use

•   Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope, Brightness Sensor, Optical Heart Rate Sensor

This smartwatch perfectly blends functionality with aesthetics. The appearance is distinctly different from its competitors, looking more like a real watch. Its design is a killer and adopts a rotating bezel to shift between apps quickly.

It is available in two sizes, three colors: Mystic Black, Mystic Silver, and Mystic Bronze.

Here you'll find the official page showing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in detail.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

Main features

If you are a sports lover, here is your smartwatch. It can monitor seven sports activities at the same time, without you needing to do anything: wear it, start moving, and it'll start tracking. If you need to monitor additional activities, you can enter the manual mode and do whatever you like.

This smartwatch for Android offers a function called Running Coach, which gives you real-time tips to achieve your previously set running goals. However, sports activities are only one of many kinds of monitoring processes you can use. For example, you can control your state of stress and manage it thanks to guided breathing exercises.

However, the truth is that Samsung's Tizen platform (this Samsung runs on this specific platform) offers a limited number of apps compared to Apple's.

Features

• Dimensions: 44,0 x 44,0 x 10,9 mm, weight 30 g

• Display: 1.4 "(34.5mm) size, Super AMOLED technology, 360x360 resolution, 16M color depth

• Battery: non-removable, 340 mAh, duration 60 hours under intense use (over 131 with regular use). It does not require any cables to be recharged.

• Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope, HR Sensor, Brightness Sensor

Among the other features are:

• Military-grade resistance under the most adverse conditions: waterproof up to 5 ATM and IP68 dust proofness

• Excellent compatibility with smartphones from other brands (albeit with exceptions depending on the country)

• Available in different strap colors

It is a smartwatch that also takes style into account, as well as performance. An additional feature helps you match dial color and outfit: take a picture of what you're wearing, and it'll let you select a color-matching dial.

If you want to explore this timepiece further, please visit the official page of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2.

(Photo credit: courtesy of Apple, Samsung)

Tommaso Sabia @Horbiter®