Not a phone, but a smart watch

BotherRed · November 1, 2023

So I know the phone that I'd like to get is the Samsung Galaxy S23 or S22, but I'd also appreciate having a smartwatch as well, just for the health stuff that comes with it. As great as the phone is, having the watch always be there would help to keep a more accurate step tracking, sleep tracking, etc.

I have chosen a high-end phone, but I don't want a super high-end watch. Only something that'd be compatible with it and that could use the Samsung Health app. I do plan to try and save a bit of money by waiting for Tech Monday/Black Friday to buy it.

Do you have any recommendations?

Naijin · November 1, 2023

8 minutes ago, BotherRed said:

So I know the phone that I'd like to get is the Samsung Galaxy S23 or S22, but I'd also appreciate having a smartwatch as well, just for the health stuff that comes with it. As great as the phone is, having the watch always be there would help to keep a more accurate step tracking, sleep tracking, etc.

I have chosen a high-end phone, but I don't want a super high-end watch. Only something that'd be compatible with it and that could use the Samsung Health app. I do plan to try and save a bit of money by waiting for Tech Monday/Black Friday to buy it.

Do you have any recommendations?

I personally love my Huawei Watch GT2. It's almost 3 years old and can still comfortably get over 1 week of charge. I use it for sports with GPS and wear it daily for about 12 hours at least. It's more of a notification/time/fitness tracker than a full smartwatch. To make calls, it uses bluetooth etc. A full smartwatch will last you 1-2 days at max.

There are more of those fitness trackers/smatwatches, Honor is the same as Huawei. Asus has the VivoWatch SP which can also last up to 14 days. If you prefer more step tracking and sleep tracking with an analog watch, Fossil has hybrid watches for that.

AndreiArgeanu · November 1, 2023

Depends on budget and expectation of battery life. Personally I used a Xiaomi Mi band although not sure if it works with Samsung Health. There are similar watches to it, they're cheap and they have long battery life, (I could get over a week of battery with normal use on my Mi Band) and it tracked sleep, steps, heart rate and all that, plus it was 5 ATM rated meaning you could swim or shower with it no problem. But the screens aren't particularly large and they're not as feature rich as other watches.

BotherRed · November 1, 2023

12 minutes ago, AndreiArgeanu said:

It was 5 ATM rated meaning you could swim or shower with it no problem.

I'm unsure if the ATM rating is done with fresh water or salt water. I only ask this because for this up coming summer I'll be seeing my family by the sea side and there's a good chance we'll go swimming, but glad to know I wouldn't have to remove it for showering if I go with that option.

NavyCobra1417 · November 1, 2023

Without knowing a budget, I'd keep an eye out for holiday deals on Galaxy Watch 4/5/6

BotherRed · November 1, 2023

5 hours ago, NavyCobra1417 said:

Without knowing a budget, I'd keep an eye out for holiday deals on Galaxy Watch 4/5/6

Don't really have a budget in mind as I'm just kind of hoping the sales are the best as I'm keeping most of the cash for the phone itself

IAmAndre · November 1, 2023

Again, it would be easier if you had a budget in mind, but quite honestly, I would say, stay away from Galaxy and Apple devices, get a Garmin instead. Garmin has much more experience in terms of tracking devices and the difference with the "tech" brands is just night and day.

I'd say go to their website and see what suits you best. I know it might be confusing because they've been releasing tons of models in the past few years, but at least they have something for every budget, from $250-3000+. Even the cheapest models are imo better than the competition i.e more accurate tracking and more importantly, battery life. It's crazy to think that even the most expensive Apple watch can barely last a day with always-on display, while a similarly-priced Garmin would last for days or weeks. And yes, Apple rates the battery life in hours while Garmin uses days on their website.

The Garmin software suite is also way better with more features, and that's both a plus and a minus because their user base is made of enthusiasts for the most part.