The best smartwatches for men you can buy

Modern smartwatches are fast becoming essential pieces of tech that help you get through the day. These wrist-worn companions not only display the time but double as personal fitness trainers and, in some cases, completely independent smart devices. Choosing a suitable smartwatch for your wrist is a tough decision. But we’re here to make your life a little easier. Find a list of the best smartwatches for men you can buy in 2023 below.

Buying the right men’s smartwatch for your needs

We understand that the majority of the smartwatches mentioned below could appeal to both men and women, but we’re specifically considering models that have larger faces, chunkier or svelte styling, and reliable health tracking. Before we consider the individual options, it’s important to understand what features are essential to you. You’ll naturally gravitate toward an Apple Watch if you own an iPhone. For Android users, it’s mostly open season.

Do you find yourself pegged to the boardroom or office? A comfortable, minimalist device that melds style and substance might be best for the stylish man. The likes of Samsung and Withings are well-versed in creating beautiful watches without sacrificing functionality.

Men leading more active lifestyles seeking gym companions or a general health tracker should consider smartwatches with GPS. A selection of specific smart tracking modes and a wide array of sensors are also useful to provide more intuitive insight. Looking for an outdoor option? We also have a few candidates for you with longer battery life and off-the-grid features. If you’re budget-limited, don’t worry — you don’t need to break the band on a fitness tracker.

The best smartwatches for men

• Apple Watch Ultra: The Apple Watch Series 8 is also worth a shout, but we love the Ultra for its brash styling, massive lens, and rugged design. It’s also packed with more specialized sports features that adventurers will love.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Samsung upped the ante with its latest smartwatch series’ new Pro model. Packing a much larger 45mm dial, outdoor features, and a more durable build, it’s the best Wear OS smartwatch for men you can buy.
• Garmin Venu 2 Plus: Garmin’s latest addition to the Venu line, the Venu 2 Plus features everything you should need, whether you’re out on the trail or trekking the concrete jungle. It’s our top pick for the best Garmin smartwatch for men.
• Fitbit Sense: The best Fitbit smartwatch for men you can buy is the Fitbit Sense. It’s a better value prospect since the debut of its successor, and it packs plenty of sensors for detailed health tracking.
• Withings ScanWatch: The Withings ScanWatch is the best hybrid watch. It’s arguably also the best smartwatch on this list for health tracking as it packs medical-grade SpO2 and ECG sensors.
• Fitbit Charge 5: For something more straightforward, the Fitbit Charge 5 is the best fitness tracker for men. The new color screen makes this line more attractive than ever.
• Xiaomi Mi Band 7: The best cheap fitness tracker for men is the Xiaomi Mi Band 7. It’s a capable, no-fuss fitness tracker with a few new tricks for casual athletes.

Apple Watch Ultra: The best smartwatch for men

Ignoring the sheer statement the Apple Watch Ultra makes on a wrist is difficult. The massive 49mm lens dwarfs most smartwatches, while the bulky titanium body protects the device’s smart internals from weekend adventures.

While you won’t find many unique smart features on the Ultra that you would on the Series 8 or Watch SE (2022), we think it’s a better buy thanks to its long battery life, the programmable Action button, and more accurate GPS performance. Add on the depth sensor for swimmers, additional running data for athletes, and a skin temperature sensor for better sleep tracking, and you have a watch that’ll revel in an active lifestyle.

Of course, all these additions make for a massively expensive smartwatch. Apple’s now playing in Garmin’s league with its lofty list price. However, it’s a worthwhile investment for men who own an iPhone.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: The best Wear OS smartwatch for men

You have a little more variety when shopping for a Wear OS 3 smartwatch in 2023, but Samsung’s flagship line remains the most complete package.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, in particular, is our choice. It features a sleek yet hardy aesthetic with a sapphire lens, a titanium build, and a new lip that runs around the outside of the watch’s dial. You forgo the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic’s more rugged design with a physical rotating bezel, but the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro also includes more for your money.

Chief of the new features is the much, much larger battery. The larger power store fuels the watch’s outdoor-orientated features, from GPX map support to Track Back for lost hikers. If you don’t like the new D-buckle clasp, you can always snag a third-party band to enhance the watch’s look further.

Despite its advancements, it remains limited in several ways. For one, its new skin temperature sensor only benefits those who menstruate, at least for now. You may also find better battery life from products from other smartwatch stables. But if you don’t mind these small roadblocks, and can cough up the cash, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is an excellent smartwatch for men.

Of course, if you still crave the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and its bezel, it’s still available to purchase.

Garmin Venu 2 Plus: The best Garmin smartwatch for men

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is the best all-around Garmin smartwatch the company has ever made. Aesthetically, it’s also one of the company’s best-looking products to date.

Building on the strengths of the original Garmin Venu 2, the Plus edition adds smartwatch features that help to round out the user experience. Active men will still find over 25 workout modes, the only ECG feature on a Garmin watch, Body Battery, sleep score, Health Snapshot, Garmin Pay, and music storage. What’s new is support for Google Assistant and the ability to make and receive on-wrist phone calls when paired to a nearby smartphone.

However, compared to Wear OS devices and the Apple Watch, the Venu 2 Plus still lacks app support. The heart rate sensor could also use some work, especially regarding consistency. Finally, it’s quite pricey but you can find it on sale regularly often.

Fitbit Sense: The best Fitbit smartwatch for men

On paper, the Fitbit Sense is the best Fitbit smartwatch for men. It’s loaded with sensors, including a skin temperature monitor, an EDA sensor to measure stress, and an ECG for heart health. On top of this specialized tech, you’ll also find an SpO2 sensor, heart rate monitor, and Fitbit’s stellar sleep and daily activity tracking. It’s an impressive smartwatch for men intent on improving their overall fitness score step-by-step.

However, the Sense’s biggest threat is arguably its cheaper sibling. It’s debatable whether its fancy tech is worth the premium, especially when held against the Versa 3. You might also lament Fitbit’s half-baked smartwatch features compared to its peers.

The Fitbit Sense 2 also brings a sleeker design, always-on stress monitoring, and a refreshed UI to the table, but it’s barely a smartwatch and lacks Google Assistant support, thir-party apps, and Wi-Fi connectivity. We still recommend users looking for a better smartwatch experience purchase the original Sense. If you don’t mind Wear OS or a much smaller watch face, the Google Pixel Watch may be an alternative, too.

Withings ScanWatch: The best health-focused watch for men

The Withings ScanWatch is a hybrid watch, but this list wouldn’t be complete without it. First off, it’s a gorgeous piece of technology melding classic analog watch aesthetics with modern touches. You could argue that it’s the best-looking device on this list.

Its beauty isn’t skin deep, either. The ScanWatch is thick with health tech, including medical-grade ECG and SpO2 sensors. These power its real unique selling points: atrial fibrillation (AFib) and sleep apnea tracking — two features that some men who struggle to breathe easily at night may consider indispensable. As a hybrid smartwatch, the ScanWatch’s battery life is the best of all the devices on this list, lasting a month between charges.

While it’s a wholly polished experience, the ScanWatch lacks the app support and large digital display of its actual smartwatches contemporaries. But men seeking the perfect balance between classic style and heart health monitoring will feel right at home.

Seeking the functionality of the ScanWatch but want something that makes more of a statement? The bulkier Withings ScanWatch Horizon ($499.95 at Withings) might be right up your alley if you can stomach its price tag.

Fitbit Charge 5: The best fitness tracker for men

Want a pure fitness-first tracker with limited smartwatch features? Few devices can come close to Fitbit’s Charge series. While the older and cheaper Charge 4 is also a viable contender for this crown, the Charge 5 brings a larger, color AMOLED display, an ECG, and an EDA stress monitor to the table. You’ll also get an SpO2 sensor, heart rate monitor, and excellent sleep tracking consistent with other Fitbits.

The Charge 5 doesn’t necessarily have a feature set to match its list price. It sacrifices an altimeter and the lengthier battery life offered by its predecessor — two factors that make it less attractive to men who regularly hike or run. However, if you’re looking for something sleek that doesn’t occupy much space on the arm, the Charge 5 is the ticket. It’s also now much cheaper as it gains in years.

Xiaomi Mi Band 7: The best budget fitness tracker for men

Finally, what if a slim budget is a limiting factor? The Xiaomi Mi Band series has long been the cheap fitness tracker of choice, and the Mi Band 7 continues this tradition. It features a much larger display, which fits larger wrists better. It’s also complemented by an upgraded UI that’s easier to navigate for those with bulkier fingers.

Underneath its skin is a larger power store, all-day SpO2 monitoring smarts with low oxygen alerts, and built-in training metrics. This combination makes it a great choice for gym-goers and runners on a budget. While it doesn’t feature marked upgrades over its predecessor, you’ll struggle to find a better fitness band at this price point.

Honorable mentions

That’s it for our list of the best smartwatches for men, but it’s only a fraction of what’s out there. We also want to give an honorable mention to the following smartwatches:

• Apple Watch SE 2 ($269.99 at Amazon): The entry-level Apple Watch trades some health features, like the ECG and SpO2 tracking, for a lower price.
• Garmin Fenix 7 ($699.99 at Amazon): This is arguably the most powerful outdoor watch money can buy. It’s pricey, but if you find yourself out on the trail more often than not, its functionality is invaluable.
• Garmin Forerunner 265 ($449.99 at Garmin): Garmin’s middle-of-the-road running watch features a bright and beautiful AMOLED screen, better battery life, and great feature set for those who want a marathon companion.
• Suunto 5 Peak ($210.84 at Amazon): Suunto’s mid-range outdoor watch is light, tracks over 80 sport modes, and packs built-in GPS. It’s also affordable for those who may find Garmin’s products too expensive.
• Fossil Gen 6 ($189 at Amazon): Fossil’s classic circular timepiece now packs an SpO2 sensor, faster charging, and a brighter display. The long-promised Wear OS 3 upgrade has also rolled out, creating a smoother software experience.
• Fitbit Inspire 3 ($99.95 at Amazon): If you need nothing more than the basics, the sub-$100 Fitbit Inspire 2 is worth your time. It’s slim and light packs plenty of battery life, and includes a Fitbit Premium subscription to sweeten the deal.
• HUAWEI Band 6 ($53.54 at Amazon): A surprise hit, the Band 6 is a stellar fitness tracker with few flaws. It packs SpO2 tracking, a smartwatch-sized screen, and plenty of endurance. It’s wonderfully cheap, too.

Top questions and answers for men’s smartwatches