I’m looking for a smartwatch with a few key features. It should last about a week or more on a charge, track steps accurately, and send notifications for calls, texts, and maybe messenger. It would be a bonus if I could text manually on both Android and iOS. I don’t need too many extra features, since I don’t wear the watch while sleeping, and I don’t focus much on heart rate, blood pressure, or stress tracking, though I might check those occasionally. Also, my wrist is quite small, only about 15cm, so something too bulky might not be ideal.
The smartwatch you’re looking for might not exist just yet. There are a couple of challenges.
Apple locks certain features to their Apple Watch only, so if you want to text back, that’s really limited to Apple Watch models. The longest battery life you’ll get with an Apple Watch is about 3 days, even with the Ultra 2 model. Apple Watches are also limited to iOS, so they won’t work with Android.
Most Wear OS watches are similar, with a maximum of about 3 days of battery. Wear OS is more open than Apple Watch, though, and it works on both iOS and Android. You could check out the OnePlus Watch 2. It might not last a full week, but its smart power system can help extend battery life by turning off Wear OS and using a simpler operating system. This reduces smart features but could be enough for your needs.
That said, you’ll probably be looking at a few options that give you a week or more of battery life, like the Garmin Venu 3, Garmin Fenix 8, or Amazfit Balance. These watches can also handle some manual text replies when paired with an Android phone. If you connect them to an iPhone, you can use Siri for text functions too.
The Venu 3 comes in two case sizes: 42mm (Venu 3S) and 45mm (Venu 3). The Fenix 8 comes in 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm. The Balance is 46mm. If you’re not too concerned about health features, you might be okay with a larger watch. Just note that very large watches can sometimes mess with heart rate readings, but since that’s not a big concern for you, it shouldn’t be a problem.
@Eli
Thank you for such a detailed reply!
I’m currently using an iPhone, and I’ve considered getting an Apple Watch. But I don’t want to go all-in with Apple, in case I switch back to Android in the future. So I’m looking for something that works with both. I’m definitely considering the models you mentioned, like the Garmin Venu 3 and Fenix 8, and I’ve also looked at the Amazfit T-Rex 3. I’m just worried it might be too big and end up looking ridiculous, like Ben 10 with a massive watch!
@Cade
Just a heads up, the Amazfit T-Rex 3 doesn’t have a speaker, only a mic. So if you’re planning to take or make calls through your watch, it won’t be an option. That’s why I didn’t mention it.