We compare the biggest and best smartwatches up to 2014 from Sony, Samsung and more, so you know which watch is right for you…
Smartwatches are a little bit hot right now, with tons of tech lovers rocking these mini machines on their wrists. They keep you notified whenever you’ve got messages or updates waiting, and they usually pack tons of great features, such as fitness tools and media controls. Some of them even let you answer calls or take snaps, if that’s your bag.
Here’s our pick of the top 5 best smartwatches…
1. Sony SmartWatch 2
It may not be the best-looking watch in this list, with a chunky plastic design, but the Sony SmartWatch 2 is affordable, easy to use and packed with great features. You get the full range of social tools and fitness trackers, and there’s built-in NFC to quickly and easily pair with your gear. The interface is slick and responsive, and now you can fully customise the look and feel to suit your mood.
The best part? The Sony SmartWatch 2 is compatible with any Android phone (version 4.0 and above).
Read our full Sony Smartwatch 2 review.
2. Samsung Gear Fit
Samsung’s Gear Fit is easily one of the funkiest-looking smartwatches we’ve seen, with a cool curved screen and stretched design, and it’s so light you’ll forget you’re wearing it. It only works with a select range of Galaxy smartphones, and it packs less features than Samsung’s Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo watches, but if you’re after a lightweight fitness tracker you won’t find much better elsewhere.
Read our full Samsung Gear Fit hands-on review. And check out our ‘which Gear is right for you‘ comparison review.
3. Pebble Steel
Pebble’s latest smartwatch is a gorgeous bit of kit, replacing the glossy plastic of the original model with a premium and elegant metallic design. Frankly, we’d happily rock it on our wrists even if it did nothing at all, but the Steel comes packed with an ever-expanding selection of apps. Do we really need to say more? Just look at it. Look at it!
4. Samsung Gear 2 Neo
The second Samsung smartwatch on this list is the Gear 2 Neo, which is almost identical to the Samsung Gear 2 but slashes the built-in camera. Why have we picked the Neo over the full Gear 2? We personally don’t reckon the camera will get much use, and the results aren’t too hot, so we’d rather save a bit of cash and grab the Neo instead. See our full comparison review for more info.
The Gear 2 Neo comes with the same IR support, heart beat sensor and fitness apps, and you can still use it to answer calls if you don’t mind looking like a total colin. But bear in mind that, like the Gear Fit, it only works with certain Galaxy smartphones.
Read our full Samsung Gear 2 Neo review.
5. LG Lifeband Touch
More a wristband than a smartwatch, the LG Lifeband Touch is regardless a very cool piece of kit. The OLED display is built directly into the rubber strap, and keeps you updated on your sweaty progress during exercise sessions. Best of all, it’s the only wrist device that can connect to both iOS and Android devices.
What’s your favourite smartwatch, and did we miss out any you love? Let us know in the comments below.
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