Hey! I’m new to wearables, and I’m curious. Is it really important to stick with one brand? My phone is a Samsung. Should I just get a Samsung watch, or will any Android watch work just fine?
It’s more about the features you want than sticking to one brand.
If battery life is important, Samsung might not be the best choice for you. What do you want most out of your watch—battery life, health tracking, fitness tracking, or maybe some other features?
If you don’t go with Samsung, you might miss out on some Samsung-specific features, like automations (for example, if sleep is detected, your phone volume can turn on automatically). It’s all about the little things that make life easier.
Personally, I hate having to charge things every day, so adding another device to that list isn’t appealing. Other brands can do most of the same things, but the data is often tied to their own app. I use Google Health, but it never syncs well with Samsung Health or Google Health from the Mi Fitness app. I’m using a fitness band now, but I’m looking for a smartwatch.
Other brands like Garmin focus more on fitness and hiking, and they come with a specific community and challenges. Brands like Xiaomi and Huawei offer longer battery life, but their software and services might not be as good, in my opinion.
Apple and Samsung lock you into their own ecosystem by tying features to the same brand for phone and watch.
If you buy into that, it means you’ll have to buy both a new phone and watch if you want to switch. That can be expensive. I’d suggest looking at brands that aren’t locked into one system, like Garmin, which works well with both Android and iOS.
Or if you just need basic features, maybe consider some of the cheaper independent options.
I used to have a couple of Fitbits, but they broke quickly, so I started looking for something better.
I ended up with a Garmin Forerunner, and I loved it. It lasted for years until the battery started dying, so I bought a replacement. For under $200, it was great quality and super durable. Battery life was about a week at its best.
Now I have a Garmin Tactix Delta, which I bought used. The face is bigger, the battery lasts longer—about 3 weeks. It charges fast, too. The only time the battery drains quicker is if I use GPS, but I don’t need that all the time. Now I decide when to charge it. My wife has a Samsung watch, and it needs to be charged daily. No thanks!