Bird watching seems like one of those rites of passage as you get older. You reach a certain age and boom—you suddenly like studying our avian amigos. I have, apparently, reached that age. But I don’t always have time to tromp through fields with binoculars to catch fleeting feathers. Luckily, bird watching these days is extremely easy thanks to the arrival of bird feeder cameras. These devices are built with compact, weather-resistant cameras that typically detect motion to snap photos and videos when a bird comes to feast. They provide close-up views of the snacking species that wouldn’t be possible any other way.

One of the more popular bird feeder cameras—Bird Buddy—was launched as a Kickstarter and has taken the world of bird feeder cameras by storm. It offers an attractive yet practical design and pairs with an easy- and fun-to-use app. The Bird Buddy camera allows you to capture high-quality photos and videos of birds that visit your feeder, and AI even identifies them for you. I’ve had one up for a few months to put it through its paces and have been impressed with the device.

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Overview

• The Bird Buddy is a modern-looking bird feeder with a removable camera that automatically snaps photos and videos of birds that come to snack. 
• The easy-to-use app notifies you when you have a visitor and automatically identifies over 1,000 species of birds.
• The feeder holds 3.5 cups of birdseed and comes with a scoop.
• It comes with a few different ways to mount the feeder. Additional accessories are available for purchase separately.
• A Bird Buddy Pro membership unlocks certain app features and higher video quality and costs $2.50 monthly for an annual membership or $2.99 for a monthly plan. 
• The base-level Bird Buddy costs $239, but we suggest upgrading to the version with a solar roof for unlimited battery life for $299.

Pros

• Attractive, modern design
• Very little assembly required
• Lots of accessories available
• App is easy and fun to use
• AI features automatically identify birds and other critters
• Livestream is available
• Records quality, highly-detailed photos and videos
• Holds plenty of birdseed
• Camera is removable for easy washing
• Optional solar roof does away with charging the battery
• Bird Buddy provides frequent updates

Cons

• Requires a WiFi connection
• Water pools in the bird feeder, resulting in moldy birdseed
• Some features are locked behind a subscription paywall

Verdict

The Bird Buddy is one of the best bird feeder cameras available thanks to its excellent app usability, advanced AI, and high-quality images and videos. The sleek design is easy to install, clean, and fill, and the removable camera is a nice addition. The reliance on WiFi won’t work for everyone, but smart-home devices are increasingly common, and it allows for immediate access to your camera’s feed.

Bird Buddy setup

Setting up the Bird Buddy involves two parts: Connecting to a WiFi router along with the app and physically installing the bird feeder. The Bird Buddy doesn’t offer any onboard storage, so you’ll need access to a WiFi connection to use the camera and AI features. It uses an 802.11 b/g/n connection at 2.4 GHz plus Bluetooth for connection to the app. You’ll want to install the Bird Buddy app and pair your camera to the app before installing the bird feeder in your yard. 

I had substantial issues pairing my Bird Buddy to my WiFi and connecting it to the app, and had to call customer support for assistance. Luckily, the customer support team was incredibly helpful and patient in working through the troubleshooting, and we eventually got it all set up. It is worth noting that I had an early model, so Bird Buddy has likely solved some of those issues to make the pairing process smoother.

Physical installation is simple, depending on how and where you place your bird feeder. You can hang it, mount it to a one-inch pole with the included bottom mount, or purchase a separate wall mount for attaching to fences or walls. The camera slots right into the designated slot, and it’s easy to plug it into the solar roof (if you opt for that). 

Bird Buddy design & build quality

The Bird Buddy bird feeder features a sleek, modern design with smooth curves. Though looks are subjective, I think it looks much more polished than other bird feeder cameras. It’s available in blue or vibrant yellow. Bird Buddy says it features a “bird-friendly design,” though it doesn’t specify what exactly that means. The perch features a raised bird footprint pattern, providing some grip for talons. 

The birdseed compartment—which holds 3.8 cups—is enclosed by clear plastic on both sides, allowing you and the birds to see the seed level inside. A back door at the top opens to fill the bird feeder up, though it requires careful maneuvering to get the seed inside and not spill it everywhere since it is a rather small opening. The entire back also comes off for easier cleaning. 

Bird feeders and bird feeder cameras are, naturally, outdoor items. As a result, they need to be durable, rugged, and built to withstand the elements. The Bird Buddy ticks those marks nicely. It is made of new and recycled BPA-free plastic and feels solid and sturdy. I have had it up for a handful of months, and after a quick cleaning, it looks brand new. That’s even despite the intense Florida sun constantly beating down on it.

Water issues

My main frustration with the design of the Bird Buddy is regarding keeping rain out. There are holes in the bottom that drain water in the event of rain, but they are extremely tiny. Of course, that keeps the small seeds from falling out. Butt hose same seeds can clog the holes, preventing thorough draining. Also, the protective roof helps keep some rain out but doesn’t extend beyond the feeder very much. If there is any wind blowing the rain, it will end up in the feeder. As a result, I had issues with water saturating the birdseed and mold forming. 

Granted, this may be a function of where I reside in Florida—a state where strong thunderstorms are a near-daily occurrence in the summer and humidity levels are intense. I had to change the birdseed every week because of the molding. Birds do not like moldy seeds, so I don’t get as many visitors. That’s especially true if I don’t stay on top of cleaning things out. It also means that I’m dumping out seed regularly and cleaning the feeder frequently. Neither of these is ideal and keeps birds away for longer. It may be less of an issue with different birdseed mixes or locations, but it has severely limited the number of birds I attract. 

Camera module details

The Bird Buddy’s camera is housed inside a plastic case. It is weather-resistant, though Bird Buddy doesn’t provide an IP rating. It does say that it can operate in temperatures between -5°F and 120°F. As a result, it will work in most locations throughout the year. The camera module measures 5.1 x 2 x 1.5 inches and fits securely in the bird feeder with the help of a magnet in the back.

The camera takes five-megapixel photos and 720p HD live-streamed video. It is capable of 1080p video clips, though you’ll need to pay for a Bird Buddy Pro membership ($2.50 per month for an annual membership or $2.99 per month for a monthly plan). The 120-degree field of view is wide enough to capture birds hanging out on the side of the feeder. There’s also a built-in microphone for recording bird songs as well, which is a fun addition.

Motion detection

Bird Buddy also built a laser motion detector into the camera. This senses movement on the perch and triggers the camera to take photos or videos when a visitor is present (much like a wireless security camera). I don’t have my bird feeder in a location where I can easily keep watch to test how well the motion detection works. But every time I heard a bird making noise, I received a “postcard” (Bird Buddy’s way of telling you a bird was at your feeder), so it seemed just sensitive enough.

You can switch to Power Saver Mode in the app settings if you want fewer notifications or conserve battery. Or turn on Frenzy Mode to see anything and everything, though you’ll have to pay for a Pro membership. 

Power

For power, the Bird Buddy camera utilizes a 4000 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Bird Buddy says it will last between five and 15 days. Of course, that depends on how many photos it takes, how much you stream live video, and the weather. When it needs a charge, it uses a USB-C cable. I was using the solar roof, which results in infinite battery life. If you want to save some money and don’t opt for the solar roof, the camera is fully removable. That means you won’t need to bring the entire bird feeder (along with any tiny creatures or germs) inside for charging.

Bird Buddy app

I’ve been very impressed with the Bird Buddy app during my testing. It is well-designed in design and usability, with many playful components. It is intuitive to use and easy to find what you need very quickly, even as you are getting used to it. It’s clean and minimal, without too many extra things going on.

The app uses AI to automatically identify over 1,000 species, which includes squirrels and rare birds. Unfortunately, I have only had Red-Winged Blackbirds at my feeder, so I haven’t been able to test how accurate the AI identification is beyond that single species. But it always got the Red-Winged Blackbird right, so there’s that. 

When a bird visits your feeder, the app notifies you with a “postcard.” These postcards are then saved to your gallery so you can pull them back up anytime. They can even show multiple photos or videos of the same bird if they stick around for a bit. Should there be photos in a set that aren’t worth saving, you can discard them to keep your gallery from getting too cluttered.

Your gallery is sorted by bird type. Tapping on each lets you open all photos and videos the camera has captured over time of that particular species. The page for each bird species will also provide information on that bird so that you can learn more. That includes personality type, what they eat, where they are typically found, how big they are, and what they sound like. For example, the Red-Winged Blackbird page tells me that they are brawlers, open lovebirds, and social butterflies who like to eat insects and seeds and are as big as a slice of pizza.

Community features

Beyond content from your feeder, you can see photos and videos from feeders worldwide in a few different ways. First, you can add some to your list of feeders and receive postcards from them like it is your own feeder. However, if you want to add more than one feeder for more than 72 hours, you’ll need a Pro membership.

If you don’t want to add a feeder, you can still scroll through photos and videos from the community. It’s like social media just for bird content. Birdbuddy TV is a video feed of publicly shared videos from Bird Buddy users. Or you can scroll through photos from the community, applauding people’s results. You can even help identify species by tapping the Wingbuddy link at the top of the Community page. 

Image & video quality

A bird feeder camera doesn’t do much good if the photos aren’t clear enough so you can actually see your avian visitors. The five-megapixel resolution may not seem very impressive, especially compared to smartphones and dedicated cameras. While you won’t be able to print these images to poster size by any means, the camera does offer plenty of quality for viewing on your phone. 

The images are clear and sharp, especially when the bird hangs out on the perch. The camera can’t focus much closer than that, though. My main visitor liked to sit right in the birdseed, so it was frequently out of focus, but even still, I could see good amounts of detail with vibrant colors. The auto exposure overall does great, even in extremely high-contrast lighting situations. There were times that the bird was blurry from moving during the exposure, but that wasn’t the norm. 

The Bird Buddy video quality is also really good. The footage is clear and well-exposed. If you want higher-quality video, you can upgrade to a Bird Buddy Pro membership, though I have not tested it, so I can’t comment on how much better that video looks. 

So, who should buy the Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder? 

Bird feeder cameras are becoming more and more popular, with new options seeming to pop up regularly. Spending $299 (for the solar roof version) may seem pricey for a bird feeder camera. But the Bird Buddy is priced similarly to other devices, including its closest competitor, the Netvue Birdfy Pro. So, what makes the Bird Buddy stand out? 

The Bird Buddy includes a durable yet attractive build, an integrated solar panel for infinite battery life, multiple mounting options, and an easy-to-clean design with a removable camera, which gives it the edge for most users. It’s also remarkably easy to install, with essentially no assembly beyond popping the camera into the feeder. Add to that the easy-to-use and fun app with minimal features behind a paywall, and it takes a clear lead. It’s a connected device that makes you feel a bit more connected with the natural world. If you are interested in keeping an eye on the bird species in your area, it’s hard to beat Bird Buddy. 

The post Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder review: A camera that’s not just for the birds appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best Overall		Apple Watch Ultra 2		SEE IT	This watch offers full functionality without your phone and plenty of advanced activity tracking.
Best for running		Garmin Forerunner 965		SEE IT	The Forerunner 965 offers advanced running metrics even without additional accessories.
Best budget		COROS Pace 2		SEE IT	You’ll get advanced fitness watch features at a more affordable price.

If you lead an active lifestyle, are training for competition, or simply want to keep better track of your health, a fitness watch is a necessary addition to your everyday wear. These devices help you focus on what you’ve set out to do, whether running, cycling, swimming, or hiking. Some even allow you to download your favorite songs to onboard storage or take control of smartphone apps like Spotify. You can gain insight into where to maximize your efforts with detailed monitoring of your distance, steps, calories burned, heart rate, and more. Most wearables even provide data you can use to improve your sleep and offer specific training suggestions. No matter your goals, the best fitness watches will help you keep progressing.  

• Best overall: Apple Watch Ultra 2
• Best for the backcountry: Garmin epix Pro (Gen. 2) Sapphire Edition
• Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best for running: Garmin Forerunner 965
• Best budget: COROS Pace 2

How we chose the best fitness watches

As fitness enthusiasts and long-time athletes, we have used our fair share of fitness trackers. We used our personal experience, editorial reviews, and user feedback to select this guide. When considering the wide array of options available, we looked at what sensors and tech each watch used and what each watch did with all that data in terms of insights and suggestions. Accurate on-wrist heart rate monitoring, SpO2 measurements, and GPS were essential. Usability was a key consideration, as was durability. We prioritized watches that provide free access to your information instead of paid subscription models. 

The best fitness watches: Reviews & Recommendations

With so many brands and products available, there is bound to be a watch that aligns perfectly with your wants and needs. The good news is that you might not have to choose only one must-have feature since most smartwatches run the gamut of fitness-tracking features—though some handle particular needs, like running or sleep tracking, better than others. 

Best overall: Apple Watch Ultra 2

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Specs

• Battery life: 36 hours (70 with low power mode)
• Display type: Always-on OLED Retina 
• Water resistance: 328 feet
• Materials: Titanium case
• Size: 49mm case
• Weight: 2.16 ounces

Pros

• Available in three different band styles with multiple colors
• 3000 nit display more easily viewable in bright sun
• Made of recycled materials
• Support for third-party training apps
• Improved cycling features

Cons

• Battery life still lags behind other watches
• Recovery metrics are limited

While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 may be a splurge purchase compared to other fitness watches on this list, its top-shelf feature set makes it worth the cash. Thanks to its (optional) cellular connection, it is the best connected smartwatch for most, meaning you can leave the phone behind. You can listen to music without your phone (just use headphones or earbuds with situational awareness features, please). And you can send and receive messages or calls even if you are trail running (as long as you have service). That’s a great safety feature for fitness watches since you never know when you may twist that ankle and need a ride home. 

The Ultra 2 is highly capable when it comes to insights. The wearable measures your blood oxygen levels and takes electrocardiograms right from your wrist to keep extremely close tabs on your cardiovascular health. Of course, it’ll do the basics, like track your daily activity and measure your workouts, even if they include swimming.

The second iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra brings new cycling features to the table, including the ability to connect Bluetooth power meters, speed, and cadence sensors. It also estimates cycling power and power zones (when using a power meter). Another benefit of the Ultra 2 is that you can connect third-party training apps, such as TrainingPeaks. 

Unfortunately, the battery life of the Ultra 2, while better than the standard Series 9, is still pretty lackluster compared to the competition. And, of course, you’ll only be able to take advantage of all the features we’ve listed with an iPhone. But, the well-rounded features make this the best option for most people looking for a fitness watch. 

Best for the backcountry: Garmin epix Pro (Gen. 2) Sapphire Edition 

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Specs

• Battery life: Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode (42mm case), 
• Display type: AMOLED 
• Water resistance: 10 ATM
• Materials: Sapphire glass lens with steel bezel
• Size: 42mm, 47mm, or 51mm case
• Weight: 2.2 ounces (42mm 

Pros

• Flashlight is powerful and extremely useful
• Available in three sizes to fit your wrist best
• Advanced training metrics and suggestions
• Features topographic maps and weather overlays

Cons

• Expensive

If you like to hit the trail less traveled, the Garmin epix Pro (Gen. 2) is the best fitness watch you can get. The watch comes in two configurations (Pro Standard or Pro Sapphire) and three sizes, so you can dial in what you want and need. We particularly like the Pro Sapphire for backcountry use since the Sapphire lens is incredibly durable and scratch-resistant. In fact, it’s the only screen I’ve not managed to scratch, even after using and abusing it. Plus, Garmin tested the watch to U.S. military standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance, so you can trust it will hold up on even the most rugged adventures.

Beyond durability, the epix Pro (Gen. 2) has a built-in LED flashlight on the front side of the watch case. It is surprisingly handy, and I find myself utilizing it almost every day, but it would be especially nice if you are trying to navigate off a trail after dark. You’ll also have access to multi-band GPS ​​for accurate location information, which enables navigation via the topographical maps. I especially like that the map tells you the distance to the next fork to prevent missing a turn—one of several reasons it tops our best hiking watches. Garmin also added weather overlays so you can keep an eye on any storms that may be headed your way, which I have found extremely useful even when just grabbing a beer on the patio of a local brewery.

As with just about any Garmin smartwatch, you’ll have access to a robust list of sensors, activity recording, and insights. The epix Pro (Gen. 2) tracks your heart rate and blood oxygen levels all day and your HRV status while you sleep. It provides a Morning Report so you can get a picture of your sleep, training outlook, and even the weather. The watch will provide daily suggested workouts and even offers animated workouts for you to follow along. It can predict your race times, help you plan race-day strategies, and more. It’s essentially a helpful coach right on your wrist at all times.

The 42mm epix Pro (Gen. 2) offers 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode or up to 20 hours in GPS mode. The 42mm case size is ideal for my small wrists, but you can also opt for the 47mm or 51mm sizes and will see a boost to battery life in the larger versions. For example, the 51mm Pro Sapphire provides up to 31 days in smartwatch mode or 62 hours in GPS mode, which is a substantial difference. 

Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2

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Specs

• Battery life: 6 days
• Display type: AMOLED
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Materials: Aluminum case
• Size: 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches
• Weight: 0.8 ounces

Pros

• Slim, minimal design and size
• Plenty of sensors for health tracking
• Bright and responsive touchscreen
• Long battery life

Cons

• No third-party app support
• Subscription required to access all features and insights

The watches we’ve included here can be overkill for many people, which is where a fitness tracker comes in. The Fitbit Sense 2 is essentially a paired-down fitness watch. Though don’t let that fool you, it is still highly capable of helping you track your fitness and health. It is packed full of sensors, including a multi-path optical heart rate sensor, cEDA sensor, SpO2 sensor, skin temperature sensor, built-in GPS and GLONASS, ambient light sensor, and more. 

All of those sensors combine to give you useful health stats. It keeps an eye on your heart rate and alerts you if there is anything abnormal. You can track your sleep and stress levels. It automatically tracks exercises and can guide you on when it’s time to rest or workout. And as a smartwatch, you’ll get notifications right on your wrist. 

The lower price of the Sense 2 does mean there are some compromises. For example, if you want to take advantage of some features, such as the Daily Readiness Score or in-depth sleep information, you’ll need to pay for a Premium Fitbit subscription. And even then, it doesn’t provide as thorough performance and health insights as Garmin or Apple options. It also doesn’t support any third-party apps, so you’re stuck with Fitbit Pay, Google Wallet, and Google Maps. And there are no music controls or storage. But if you just want a basic device to help you stay active, the Fitbit Sense 2 is a great option.

Best for running: Garmin Forerunner 965

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Specs

• Battery life: Up to 23 days in smartwatch mode, 31 hours in GPS mode
• Display type: AMOLED
• Water resistance: 5 ATM
• Materials: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX, titanium
• Size: 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.5 inches
• Weight: 1.9 ounces

Pros

• Bright and colorful AMOLED display
• Lots of customization options
• Highly accurate GPS and heart rate
• Lots of training metrics

Cons

• Pricey
• A bit large on small wrists

For runners and triathletes, it’s hard to beat the Forerunner 965 (or any Forerunner, in my opinion). Though all of the fitness watches here offer plenty of running features, this Garmin watch is clearly purpose-built to help you truly improve your running performance. Considering the bright and colorful AMOLED display, it offers impressive battery life. Even with daily runs and the always-on display enabled, you should be able to get nearly a week of life out of your watch. And it charges quickly if you need to top it off before going out for a run. 

Garmin hits its training features out of the park, which is no different on the Forerunner 965. The Training Readiness feature looks at your sleep, recovery, training load, and more to better guide your workouts. And the daily suggested workouts can help you when you’re stuck. Garmin will even build training plans based on your races for truly fine-tuned suggestions. And the Training Status feature helps you understand your overall fitness at a glance. 

The Forerunner 965 can track a wide range of workouts, including multisport profiles for triathlons, duathlons, brick workouts, and swimruns. It’s an ideal tool for those focused on multiple disciplines. You can easily customize what you see on your watch for each activity, putting the information that you rely on front and center. The heart rate data is accurate, though wrist-based heart rate monitors don’t work well during swimming activities, so you will want to invest in that accessory if you’re a triathlete.

Beyond workouts, you can get turn-by-turn directions on courses you find or create in the Garmin Connect app or third-party platforms. Or, you can enter your desired distance for suggested routes, which is helpful when running in new areas. I also love the safety features of the Forerunner 965, which allow you to send a message with your live location right from the watch. It can even sense when an incident occurs and send a message automatically. You have to have your phone on you to use those, but it gives me some peace of mind when I’m out running.

Best budget: COROS Pace 2

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Specs

• Battery life: 20 days of regular use, 30 hours of activity tracking
• Display type: LCD
• Water resistance: 5 ATM
• Materials: 
• Size: 1.2 inch
• Weight: 1.05 ounces

Pros

• Excellent battery life
• Available with silicone or nylon straps
• Very lightweight and low-profile
• Accurate GPS and heart rate

Cons

• No music controls or contactless payment options

The COROS Pace 2 is a generation behind the current model, but it’s still an impressive watch, especially for the price. One of the best features of this fitness watch is the battery life. COROS promises up to 20 days of regular use, which includes tracking daily activity and sleep. It also offers up to 30 hours of full GPS battery life, which can last for serious ultramarathon runs. 

Another big advantage of the Pace 2 is how small it is. The watch weighs only 1.05 ounces (with the band) and is very low profile on the wrist. Despite the slim form factor, it is packed with plenty of sensors, including GPS, heart rate monitor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, and thermometer. You’ll be able to gather plenty of data to guide your training and monitor your health. The display isn’t as bright or beautiful as more expensive watches, and you won’t have access to music controls or contactless payments, but those are minor details for many.

From a training standpoint, the Pace 2 is highly capable. It offers activity tracking for a wide range of spots, including jump rope, swimming, rowing, weight training, and more. The navigation tools make it easy to find your way on runs or hikes. Like Garmin watches, it gives insight into your training status, training load, and recovery time to manage fatigue and prevent injuries. You’ll even have access to pre-designed workouts and plans or one-on-one support from a team of qualified coaches.

What to consider when shopping for the best fitness watch 

Whether you prefer running outside, spinning, or playing group sports like baseball, purchasing a fitness watch can be a great addition to your accessory collection. With sleek and customizable styles, you can wear your watch daily, no matter your activity. But before you buy a wearable designed to help you prioritize your health, you’ll need to prioritize the features that are your must-haves. 

Activity tracking and preferences

While many fitness watches are fitness omnivores—monitoring workouts of all stripes—some watches will specialize in certain activities. For example, Garmin tailored its Forerunner series of watches to runners with running-specific activity tracking, performance metrics, and more. If you focus on cycling or strength training, such metrics may be irrelevant to you. Also, if you opt for a specialized device that differs from your preferred workout type, you may not be able to track what you need due to limited sports profiles. As a result, it’s important to put some thought into what you most frequently participate in and look at what each fitness watch offers in terms of tracking and insights for that activity.

Battery life

A fitness watch doesn’t do much good if you need to constantly take it off in order to charge the battery. You’ll want to keep an eye on the promised battery life from the manufacturer, but remember to take that with a grain of salt. Individual usage and conditions can impact battery life significantly. For example, if you enable an always-on display and use the most precise level of GPS for long activities on a daily basis, you will burn through the battery much faster than someone who performs short workouts without the display on at all times.

Battery life is especially important for those who participate in long-lasting activities, such as hours-long trail runs or bike rides. For serious athletes, look for a model that offers 20 to 30 hours (or more) of battery life in GPS mode. If you are a more casual user but still hate needing to charge your device frequently, focus on fitness watches with days or even weeks-long battery life in smartwatch mode.

Performance metrics & training features

Some of us need a nudge to push workouts to the next level. Many devices offer lots of training tools to help you understand your current performance level and what you need to do to improve it. Some may feature built-in workout suggestions to specifically guide you. Others include access to fitness communities that put you in touch with both peers and professional coaches, both of which can offer inspiration or exercise routines to keep you motivated or mix up your routine if you get bored. 

Phone connectivity

The line between smartwatch and fitness watch has become incredibly blurry, with the two essentially being synonymous at this point. That said, there are varying levels of phone connectivity options in fitness watches that may impact what is best for you. 

Cheaper fitness trackers typically won’t offer built-in GPS, instead relying on your phone for connected GPS. That means you must have your phone on you for mapping, distance, and pace information. Pricier fitness watches all feature built-in GPS so that you can track your workouts without your phone. Some models will also provide on-board storage to save music or podcasts, meaning you can keep yourself entertained without having your phone on hand. Others may allow you to control your music, but you will need your phone on you to actually listen. 

Lastly, most fitness watches do not have a cellular connection, so you won’t be able to send or make calls on the watch itself. And you won’t be able to receive notifications if you don’t have your phone nearby. Look at the Apple Watch or Samsung Watch LTE versions if you want a device that can do it all. 

Sleep tracking

There are some days when you wake up ready to greet the day and others where you just want to pull the covers back over your head. It can be hard to know the difference between a good night’s sleep and a rough one, but fitness watches with sleep-tracking capabilities can help you get to the bottom of it. Most fitness watches monitor your heart rate and movement, which is closely related to sleep cycles. Once the device’s algorithmic smarts crunch all that information, it’ll help you understand why and when you are waking up. Then, you can take action to resolve the issue. Some watches even come with built-in meditation apps like Breath or Calm to help you wind down before bed. 

Advanced health metrics 

More health-conscious individuals may want a watch that tracks their fitness activity and offers a deeper understanding of their health beyond heart rates and calorie burns. Most Garmin watches, as well as the Apple Watch, include sensors to track your cardiovascular health by measuring your blood oxygen levels and taking electrocardiograms. This provides a better picture of your overall health, which can be very useful. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best fitness watch

• Best overall: Apple Watch Ultra 2
• Best for the backcountry: Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition
• Best fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best for running: Garmin Forerunner 965
• Best budget: COROS Pace 2

The best fitness watch will track your activity metrics and provide insight as to where improvements can be made. These devices are full of advanced technology to help you progress and monitor your fitness and health while preventing you from overtraining. They can also be used as smartwatches, so you are always connected, even when hitting the gym. The best option for you depends on your goals, priorities, and budget, but with so many options available, you’re sure to find the right fit. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best fitness watches in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Garmin vívosmart 5		SEE IT	This Garmin fitness tracker offers the ideal balance of price and features.
Best GPS		Fitbit Charge 5		SEE IT	The Fitbit Charge 5 offers built-in GPS that is fast to connect.
Best budget		Amazfit Band 7		SEE IT	You’ll get plenty of features with a comfortable design in this budget fitness tracker.

Gone are the days of basic pedometers being the only option for cheap fitness trackers. These days, even budget-friendly trackers offer advanced training and data-gathering functionality to help you monitor and push toward your fitness and health goals. Most even offer a plethora of smartwatch features to keep you connected when you’re on the move. While these budget options won’t give you the same level of performance as expensive fitness watches, you don’t need to drop a fortune to get a capable device. The best cheap fitness trackers will provide plenty of insight to keep you motivated and moving. 

• Best overall: Garmin vívosmart 5
• Best for sleep: Fitbit Inspire 3
• Best maximized minimalism: Whoop 4.0
• Best GPS: Fitbit Charge 5
• Best value: Xiaomi Band 7 Pro
• Best advanced: Garmin Forerunner 55
• Best budget: Amazfit Band 7

How we chose the best cheap fitness trackers

As a fitness enthusiast and frequent watch reviewer, I have used countless fitness trackers and smartwatches. When selecting the fitness trackers included in this guide, price was, of course, one of the most important factors. Beyond that, we considered sensors and tracking abilities, battery life, fit, and durability. Although cheap fitness trackers are inherently more basic than expensive fitness watches, we also looked at advanced features, such as sleep tracking, performance metrics, and more. We made our selections on a mix of hands-on experience, editorial reviews, and user feedback. 

The best cheap fitness trackers: Reviews & Recommendations

The best cheap fitness tracker for each person will vary, as your individual needs and goals will dictate which features are necessary. Despite their budget-friendly prices, the options below are highly capable and offer a range of capabilities and designs so that you can find the best device for your lifestyle.

Best overall: Garmin vívosmart 5

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: No
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance: 164 feet 
• Battery life: 7 days
• Display size: 0.41 x 0.73 inches
• Weight: 0.86 ounces (small/medium), 0.93 ounces (large)

Pros

• Free access to all your data
• Available in two sizes
• Lightweight, minimal design
• Accurate heart rate and sleep tracking
• Activity tracking for a range of activities

Cons

• No built-in GPS

Garmin’s smartwatches are some of the best fitness watches available, though most come with steep price tags. The vívosmart 5 comes at a much lower price point with more beginner-friendly features. Plus, Garmin doesn’t charge extra to access all of your data and training assistance features, which is why it earns our top spot. 

Despite being a cheap fitness tracker, the vívosmart 5 still gets plenty of Garmin’s advanced technology and accurate data collection so that you can maximize your training without spending too much. The built-in heart rate monitor constantly monitors and can alert you if your rhythm is too high or low while at rest. And it helps you understand how hard you are working during an activity. It also features a pulse ox sensor to check your blood oxygen saturation, though you’ll have to do that during the day manually.

As is typical of cheap fitness trackers, this device doesn’t offer built-in GPS. Instead, it relies on connected GPS with your phone. It also offers limited sports apps for activity tracking compared to Garmin’s more expensive models. But it tracks your sleep, stress, and respiration, and you can log your fluid intake, providing a well-rounded picture of your health. And you can get notifications from your smartphone, which adds a lot of convenience. 

Best for sleep: Fitbit Inspire 3

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: No
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Battery life: 10 days
• Display size: 1.5 x 0.7 x 0.5 inches
• Weight: 3.5 ounces

Pros

• Lightweight and slim
• Long battery life
• Bright AMOLED display
• Provides helpful sleep insight

Cons

• Requires a subscription for advanced insights and workout suggestions

While tracking your sleep may seem unnecessary, it can provide lots of insight and benefits to help you improve your health and fitness. The Fitbit Inspire 3 automatically tracks your sleep at night, providing information on how long you spent in light, deep, and REM sleep stages. It provides a Sleep Score at the night’s end so you can get the big picture. Plus, you can set a vibrating alarm to wake you up during the optimal sleep stage so that you actually feel refreshed when you wake up.

To keep things fun, the Inspire 3 pairs you with a sleep animal and shares a monthly personalized analysis of your sleep. However, you’ll need to pay for a Fitbit Premium subscription to get this feature. In fact, you need to pay for the Premium subscription for quite a few insights—including detailed sleep data, wellness reports, and a Daily Readiness Score—which keeps the Inspire 3 from earning the top spot. 

Beyond sleep, the Inspire 3 can track your steps and activities. The built-in heart rate sensor and SpO2 sensors provide useful information for tracking your fitness, such as your VO₂ Max and heart rate zone information. It relies on connected GPS, so you’ll need your phone for accurate distance and pace information. But you can get all your phone notifications on the watch, which is always an added convenience layer. 

Best for minimalists: Whoop 4.0

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: No
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance: 32 feet for 2 hours (IP68)
• Battery life: 4 to 5 days
• Display size: N/A
• Weight: 1 ounce

Pros

• Comfortable to wear for extended periods
• Lots of recovery insights
• Minimal, screen-free design
• Can be worn in many ways with Whoop accessories

Cons

• Requires a pricey monthly subscription

The Whoop 4.0 comes across as basic thanks to its minimalist design that bucks the trend of fitness trackers turned smartwatches. This unique device doesn’t feature a screen of any sort. You won’t be distracted by notifications popping up on your wrist or be preoccupied with keeping an eye on all those numbers during your workout. However, although the Whoop is basic in looks, it is not basic in capabilities.

The Whoop 4.0 features blood oxygen, skin temperature, and heart rate sensors to provide plenty of data. It can automatically detect a workout, or you can start one manually in the app. If you are strength training, the Whoop can track weights, reps, and sets. Then, the app takes all that data and provides lots of useful recovery information to help you get the most out of your workouts. 

Another benefit of the Whoop is that you can purchase a range of clothing items, including swimsuits, underwear, shirts, and more, that Whoop designed to hold the fitness tracker, allowing you to go wristband-free. That’s an ideal option for a lot of different sports and activities. Despite the lack of a screen, the Whoop 4.0 is the most expensive option on our list. Unfortunately, it also requires a pricey monthly subscription. But this is a unique device that many people prefer over traditional smartwatch-style trackers. 

Best GPS: Fitbit Charge 5

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: Yes
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Battery life: 7 days
• Display size: 0.86 X 0.58 inches
• Weight: 1.02 ounces

Pros

• GPS is fast to connect
• Includes an ECG app for monitoring irregular heart rhythms
• Sleek, slim design
• Bright touchscreen

Cons

• Lack of buttons can be frustrating

Most cheap fitness trackers only offer connected GPS, which isn’t very accurate and requires you to always keep your phone on you. But the Fitbit Charge 5 features built-in GPS, so you can get accurate pace and distance data even if you leave your phone behind. And it’s quick to connect, so you won’t be stuck waiting for it when you want to start your run.

Another bonus with the Charge 5 is the ECG app for detecting heart rhythm issues. You can even share this information directly with your doctor to assist in diagnosing problems. It also tracks your heart rate all day, including during exercise and at night, in order to provide fitness and sleep insights. The automatic exercise tracking is ideal for those who tend to forget to start their watch when beginning activities. And it offers a range of exercise modes with live stats right on your wrist during your workout. 

The Charge 5 features the classic fitness tracker design profile with a slim, minimal look. Fitbit opted for a button-free design on it, though, which means you’ll need to rely on the touchscreen for everything. That can get a bit annoying at times, but the touchscreen is nice and bright, so you’ll easily be able to see it even in bright sunlight. 

Best value: Xiaomi Band 7 Pro

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: Yes
• Heart rate monitor: Yes 
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Battery life: 12 days
• Display size: 1.64 inches
• Weight: 0.7 ounces

Pros

• Large, high-quality display
• Built-in GPS
• Affordable price
• Lots of workout and health-tracking features

Cons

• Sleep tracking isn’t accurate
• Mi Fitness app isn’t very user-friendly

Typically, if you want more advanced fitness tracking features, such as built-in GPS, sleep tracking, and a large display, you’ll need to spend well over $100. The Xiaomi Band 7 Pro offers a much more affordable alternative while ticking those boxes. 

The most surprising feature for a sub-$100 watch is the built-in GPS. It even supports BeiDou, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS satellite systems for more accurate location information. Plus, you can load your running course and track your progress right on your wrist. The Band 7 Pro offers 110 plus fitness modes for all levels of athletes and offers all-day heart rate tracking with a blood oxygen sensor. 

Another feature that makes this cheap fitness tracker stand out is the large display. It offers a 1.64-inch AMOLED touchscreen display. It features an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust brightness, which is not typically found in such budget-friendly devices. The battery should last you 12 days, depending on how you use it, and you’ll even have access to Amazon Alexa voice assistant. Overall, the Band 7 packs a lot of features into an attractive and affordable watch. 

Best advanced: Garmin Forerunner 55

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: Yes
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Battery life: Up to 2 weeks (smartwatch mode), or 20 hours (GPS mode)
• Display size: 1.04 inches
• Weight: 1.3 ounces

Pros

• Provides workout and recovery time suggestions
• Highly accurate GPS and heart rate
• Easy to use
• Lightweight

Cons

• Lacks a touchscreen

If you are starting to get more serious with your training, a step above a fitness tracker may be the way to go. The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a beginner-friendly running watch that still comes at a relatively affordable price, especially for what you are getting. For starters, it is lightweight and small, making it ideal even for those with small wrists. 

Garmin packed the watch with highly accurate GPS (as well as GLONASS and Galileo) so you can get detailed pace, distance, and interval data. It also features Garmin’s built-in rate monitor for all-day heart rate monitoring at rest and during activities. And it offers plenty of built-in sports apps for tracking your favorite activities. 

This watch is an ideal choice for runners for a few reasons. It offers cadence alerts to help you keep your cadence consistent. The PacePro technology helps you plan a race strategy for a selected course or distance, and you’ll also get daily suggested workouts based on your training history, fitness level, and recovery time. 

You’ll miss out on some of the more advanced features (sleep tracking, multi-band GPS tracking, and more) of Garmin’s more expensive watches, such as the Forerunner 955. But if you are just getting started on your running journey, you can’t go wrong with the Forerunner 55. To read more about this highly capable cheap fitness tracker, check out our full review. 

Best budget: Amazfit Band 7

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Specs

• Built-in GPS: No
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Battery life: 18 days
• Display size: 1.47 inches
• Weight: 0.96 ounces

Pros

• Very lightweight
• Affordable
• Accurate heart rate monitor
• Good battery life

Cons

• Touchscreen is a little finicky

If you’re searching for one of the cheapest fitness trackers available to get you started on the road to better fitness and health, the Amazfit Band 7 is your best bet. The Band 7 features a classic fitness tracker design with a narrow rectangular shape. It’s also very lightweight, which makes it more comfortable to wear, even for days on end. The AMOLED display is colorful and bright, though there is no ambient light sensor, so you’ll have to adjust brightness on your own. But it’s easy to see at full brightness even in full sun. 

The Amazfit Band 7 features a heart rate monitor and blood oxygen sensor wrapped up into one (BioTracker 3.0 PPG biometric sensor), providing accurate data. It can calculate your VO2 Max, stress levels, and sleep. I found those numbers to be on par with the more expensive Garmin watches I’ve used, which is impressive. And Amazfit provides lots of help text to explain what all those numbers actually mean. It can be a great tool for starting a fitness journey. 

As with most cheap fitness trackers, the Band 7 relies on connected GPS, so you’ll need to keep your phone on you for any activities where location, pace, or distance are important. And keep in mind that even with your phone’s GPS, those numbers won’t be very accurate. I found it to vary pretty significantly from my watch with built-in, multi-band GPS. 

Despite the budget-friendly price, the Band 7 promises up to 18 hours of battery life. I got roughly 16 days at a time in my testing, which is impressive for such a cheap fitness tracker. The watch’s touchscreen is almost too sensitive, and there are no physical buttons, so you’ll be stuck relying on that. But despite its shortcomings, I was very impressed with the Band 7. To learn more, check out our full review. 

Things to consider before buying a cheap fitness tracker

Just like any fitness tracker or watch, cheap fitness trackers come in a range of styles with various features. Which is best for you depends on your goals and how you plan to use the watch. But the following categories will help guide your decision in selecting the best cheap fitness tracker for you. 

Steps & heart rate

If you’re looking for a fitness tracker, you likely want to capture data from your workouts and daily life. Fitness trackers come with a wide range of data-collecting sensors. However, this is the one area where companies make sacrifices in order to offer lower-priced models. The result is that you will see fewer options on cheap fitness trackers when compared to more expensive devices. Nevertheless, there are two key sensors to look for if you want to use your tracker for fitness goals. 

The most basic thing to look for is an accelerometer. The accelerometer constantly senses the movements of the body in order to count your steps. All fitness trackers will at least be able to count your steps (just like the good old days). It will give you basic insight into your activity on a particular day.  

Most will also feature a built-in heart rate monitor. Some will offer additional sensors within the heart rate monitor array, including a pulse ox. This combination allows the device to capture additional data, such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate variability, sleep insight, training status, and more. That’s why a heart rate monitor is such a vital component of a well-rounded fitness tracker, as it gives you a much better idea of your fitness and progression to goals. 

GPS

Beyond step counting and heart rate monitoring, you’ll be limited in what the cheap fitness tracker provides. That includes GPS functionality. GPS connectivity helps provide accurate distance and pace information and can also map your activities to show where you ran or biked. 

Most cheap fitness trackers will rely on your phone for GPS, also called tethered or connected GPS. This method isn’t as accurate as built-in GPS, and it means that you have to keep your phone on you. That’s not a problem for some since you would have it on you anyway. And you may not be concerned about super precise pace and distance information either.

Others may get annoyed by the prospect of always carrying around a phone. Or perhaps you want accurate insights. If that is likely to be you, be sure to opt for a fitness tracker that features a built-in GPS unit.

Activity tracking

These days, most fitness trackers will also be able to track specific types of workouts. The types of workouts that a watch can record vary across brands and models, with some only supporting a small handful and others providing a robust list of activities. 

If all you take part in is the most common workouts—such as running, biking, or walking—then a basic fitness tracker with limited tracking abilities will get the job done. However, if you like to participate in racquet sports, swimming, weight lifting, or any other of the less common movements, you’ll want to opt for a fitness tracker with a longer list of options. 

Battery life

Like with any technology, you’ll be at the whim of your cheap fitness tracker’s battery life. The range of battery life across these devices is significant, though. Look carefully at promised battery life numbers, especially if you don’t want to be stuck charging your watch daily. 

Smartwatch abilities

As technology has progressed, the line between fitness tracker and smartwatch has become blurred to the point of nearly being indistinguishable. The result is that even cheap fitness trackers act as connected smartwatches. They won’t offer cell service like the Apple Watch, but they will tell the time and allow you to receive notifications from your phone when you have it nearby. 

Beyond those basic functions, some will even allow you to select from quick responses to respond to text messages. Certain watches may provide weather information or other basic insights that they pull from your phone. If you want a fully connected wearable, look for a device with a long list of smartwatch functions. And you’ll also want to verify that it will work with your phone.  

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best cheap fitness trackers

• Best overall: Garmin vívosmart 5
• Best for sleep: Fitbit Inspire 3
• Best minimalist design: Whoop 4.0
• Best GPS: Fitbit Charge 5
• Best value: Xiaomi Band 7 Pro
• Best advanced: Garmin Forerunner 55
• Best budget: Amazfit Band 7

Though the fancy, expensive fitness watches are certainly cool, they are, quite frankly, overkill for most people. If you are simply focused on getting or staying active, a cheap fitness tracker will be more than enough. The best option for you will depend on what type of activities you like to participate in, what information you want from your watch, and your style preferences. No matter what you’re looking for, one of the watches included here should meet your needs.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best cheap fitness trackers in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Apple Watch Series 8		SEE IT	You’ll get accurate fitness tracking abilities plus all your iPhone notifications.
Best for heart rate monitoring		Polar Ignite 3		SEE IT	It’s accurate heart rate sensor provides plenty of data to track your fitness and health.
Best with GPS		Garmin epix Pro		SEE IT	The highly accurate GPS and detailed maps keep you safer in the outdoors.

The very first fitness trackers were rudimentary step-counters, but technology has progressed drastically since then. Whether you want to hit that 10,000 daily step goal, monitor your sleep, or train in a specific heart rate zone, there’s a wrist-mounted wearable for you. Plus, most don’t just log and display info. They link with your smartphone and use sophisticated apps to show where you are in relation to your fitness goals and how you’re doing compared to historical data. With so many options, how do you know which is the best? From product design to functionality and battery life, we’ve tracked down everything you need to know to pick the best fitness tracker for you.

• Best overall: Apple Watch Series 8
• Best sleep tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best for pure metrics: Whoop 4.0
• Best for heart rate monitoring: Polar Ignite 3
• Best for battery life: Garmin Vivofit 4
• Best with GPS: Garmin epix Pro
• Best budget: Amazfit Band 7

How we chose the best fitness trackers

These days, the line between fitness tracker and advanced smartwatch is incredibly blurred, with the terms essentially used interchangeably. However, not everyone wants an expensive, robust fitness watch. As a result, we aimed to select models that would appeal to serious fitness enthusiasts and casual users alike. 

When selecting the fitness trackers included here, we looked at a range of features. GPS, water resistance, compatibility, and other health-tracking abilities were all important considerations. We also evaluated battery life, build quality, and comfort level. We based our recommendations on a mixture of hands-on experience, editorial reviews, and user feedback. 

The best fitness trackers: Reviews & Recommendations

In a world that already bombards us with information, do we really need more data in our lives? The quick answer, if you’re serious about getting fit, is “yes.” Research shows that setting goals, benchmarking progress, and getting feedback make us more likely to improve our fitness, health, and wellness. Add in accountability—yes, many of these trackers can post directly to social media—which is another proven way of sticking to your healthy lifestyle, and you can see why so many people are devotees. Below are some of our favorite options for a range of situations and preferences.

Best overall: Apple Watch Series 8

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Specs

• Battery life: 18 Hours
• Display type: OLED touchscreen
• GPS: Built-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou
• Water resistance: Up to 164 feet
• Compatibility: iOS
• Size: 41mm, 45mm
• Weight: 1.1 ounces (41mm), 1.3 ounces (45mm)

Pros

• Beautiful display
• Real-time updates
• Crash detection and fall detection

Cons 

• Expensive
• Battery life not as long as advertised

Right out of the box, the Apple Watch Series 8 is almost ready to go. I assembled the watch with the included band and powered it up. The included magnetic fast charger works with a USB-C port. I wasn’t able to charge it with a wall adapter, but connected it to my MacBook Air laptop. From there, I connected to the WiFi and used the Apple Watch app to customize the display—a stunning Retina display that makes it a pleasure to look at my wrist and is easy to see, even in bright light. 

It’s the health tracking that truly sets the Series 8 apart. The watch works with thousands of apps, so I could easily record a run on Strava while listening to a podcast or Audible book on my iPhone. It tracked my average pace, heart rate, heart rate zone, and more in a display that was easy to see with a quick glance. Then, once I was done, the Apple Watch synced with the Apple Health app to track and evaluate my progress. 

For the first time, I got insight into my VO₂ Max and where I compared with people in my age group. The Activity Tracker also tracks the calories I’ve burned, my steps, flights climbed, and walk steadiness, plus more granular metrics, like running stride length, ground contact time, and running power. Once an hour, the Watch notifies me it’s time to stand. 

The Apple Watch helps me track these metrics daily and over time, along with sleep. And I get notifications for texts, calls, and Slack messages. It can integrate into your life from a yoga flow to your workflow. One quibble is that the battery life is supposed to last up to 18 hours, but in my experience, it didn’t last that long, and after it died a few times mid-run, I made sure it was charged before heading out. 

But the reminders to complete my Activity rings help keep movement top of mind, even when I’m reluctant to lace up my sneakers for more miles. And the crash and fall detection features provide extra peace of mind. Having the Series 8 feels like having a health coach at my wrist, which, to my mind, is worth the investment. Here is a full review of the Apple Watch Series 8 that breaks down all the new features. We also have a guide to help you determine if the Apple Watch Ultra is worth the upgrade, and we acknowledge that the Apple Watch Series 9 is now an option, but this just means that the price on the more than still adequate Apple Watch Series 8 is that much more approachable.

Best sleep tracker: Fitbit Sense 2

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Specs

• Battery life: 6 days
• Display type: AMOLED touchscreen
• GPS: Built-in GPS, GLONASS
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Compatibility: Android, iOS
• Size: 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches
• Weight: 0.8 ounces

Pros

• Lightweight and comfortable design
• Lots of sensors for health data and sleep tracking
• Bright, responsive touchscreen display
• Accurate body temperature data

Cons

• No third-party app support
• No music support

The Fitbit Sense 2 is a highly capable fitness watch, but it shines with its sleep tracking. It automatically tracks your sleep, giving you insight into how long you sleep as well as time spent in light, deep, and REM sleep stages. It also shows how your sleep compares to others of the same age and sex. It also offers relaxing breathing sessions to help you wind down before bed. When it’s time to wake up, the Sense 2 can vibrate to wake you up when you are in the optimal sleep stage so you feel as refreshed as possible. 

Beyond sleep tracking, Fitbit built the Sense 2 with plenty of sensors for data collection. I can measure your heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, breathing rate, blood oxygen, blood glucose, and more. And the built-in GPS means you can track your workouts with detailed distance and pace information. 

The app displays the data clearly and lets you see historical data and a 30-day average, too. It provides plenty of metrics to help you keep an eye on your fitness and health and is compatible with iOS and Android phones. You’ll need to pay to take advantage of some features, and unfortunately, there is no third-party app support for the Sense 2. But for detailed sleep tracking, this is a fantastic choice. 

Best for pure metrics: Whoop 4.0

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Specs

• Battery life: 4 to 5 days
• Display type: N/A
• GPS: None
• Water resistance: 32 feet for 2 hours (IP68)
• Compatibility: Android, iOS
• Size: 1.7 x 1.1 x 0.4 inches
• Weight: 1 ounce

Pros

• Very comfortable to wear
• Can be worn in multiple ways with Whoop accessories and apparel
• Lots of recovery and health data
• No notifications or bright screen

Cons

• Requires a pricey monthly subscription
• No GPS

Most fitness trackers these days are also smartwatches. But all those notifications and the bright screen can be distracting, potentially taking away from you setting a personal best. If you are looking for a fitness tracker without all the fancy smartwatch features, the Whoop band is your best bet. This unique device is essentially a watch band with a bundle of sensors. There is no screen, so you can stay focused on the task at hand. 

The Whoop 4.0 is a minimal device in terms of looks and sensors. The company opted to stick with the absolute essentials: Blood oxygen, skin temperature, and heart rate sensors. These provide accurate data to help guide your recovery. The fitness tracker can automatically detect a workout, or you can manually start one via the app. It even tracks weights, reps, and sets when you are strength training to provide the impact that has on your body. It does not offer GPS, however, so you won’t be able to map out runs.

The main downside of Whoop is that it is a subscription-based product. Depending on your chosen plan, it will cost you about $20 a month. That comes with an Onyx band, but if you want one of the many other colors, it will cost you extra. Not everyone will love the lack of a screen, either. But you can buy clothing and accessories to wear your Whoop in positions other than your watch, which is very handy for certain types of activities. Whoop certainly is a unique way to gather data and keep track of your fitness and recovery.

Best for heart rate monitoring: Polar Ignite 3

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Specs

• Battery life: Up to 30 hours in training mode
• Display type: AMOLED touchscreen
• GPS: Built-in GPS, plus GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou
• Water resistance: 98 feet
• Compatibility: Android, iOS
• Size: 1.7 x 1.7 x 0.4 inches
• Weight: 1.2 ounces

Pros

• Very slim and lightweight
• Attractive design
• Provides lots of workout suggestions and guides
• Tracks sleep and other important health metrics

Cons

• Notifications are occasionally delayed
• Battery life isn’t great

Polar is well known for its highly accurate sensors and watches. There’s a reason many physiology and sports science labs rely on its products. The Polar Ignite 3 takes that technology and packs it into a tiny, wrist-based product. The heart rate monitor in the Ignite 3 uses 10 LEDs across multiple wavelengths and four light detectors to gather more accurate heart rate measurements from your wrist. I found it to be as accurate as a chest strap in most situations. 

Beyond heart rate, the Ignite 3 also offers many features to help you stay healthy and fit. It tracks your sleep, including nightly skin temperature, measures your VO2 Max, and provides lots of insights to help you manage your fitness and performance. It even suggests workouts if you want tips on what to do on a given day. Those suggestions include cardio, strength, and stretching, which is more than most watches will do. And it walks you through the workout in an easy-to-understand way. I particularly liked the stretching suggestions for loosening up after hard workouts. 

Even though the Ignite 3 is a highly capable fitness tracker and smartwatch, it’s extremely slim and minimal. It barely sticks up on my wrist, making it more comfortable to wear day in and day out. Unfortunately, the compact size meant a compromise in battery life. Polar promises 30 hours in training mode or 120 hours in watch mode, which lags behind the competition. Luckily, it charges quickly, so you can get back to keeping track of your steps sooner. 

Best for battery life: Garmin Vivofit 4

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Specs

• Battery life: Up to 7 days in smartwatch mode
• Display type: OLED touchscreen
• GPS: Connected GPS only
• Water resistance: 164 feet
• Compatibility: Android, iOS
• Size: Small/medium: 0.7 x 0.4 x 8.54 inches, Large: 0.7 x 0.4 x 10 inches
• Weight: Small/medium: 0.86 ounces, Large: 0.93 ounces

Pros

• Slim, minimal design in four colors
• Available in two sizes
• Advanced health and fitness tracking abilities
• Long battery life

Cons

• Relies on your phone for GPS
• Small screen limits data you can see

The Garmin Vivofit 4 is a true fitness tracker. It’s simple in design with a tiny build. This watch is available in two sizes and four colors with interchangeable bands, so you can pick something that fits you best. It is comfortable to wear all day and even at night, so you can even take advantage of its sleep-tracking abilities. 

Of course, the extra-long battery life comes with a few compromises. The primary downside is that it doesn’t offer built-in GPS (though Garmin makes plenty of multisport watches for that). Instead, if you want location information, you’ll need to keep your phone on you for connected GPS. But those who don’t want to be tied to a charger will appreciate this pared-back tracker.

The Vivofit 4 will track steps, distance, activities, and calories burned. It provides a personalized daily step goal and provides insight into your energy levels and recovery information so you can train smarter. The color display is customizable, and the Garmin Connect app adds functionality and helps you see your information. Plus, despite the budget-friendly price, it provides incident detection and the ability to instantly send messages and location information to emergency contacts, adding peace of mind when out on a run or bike ride.

Best with GPS: Garmin epix Pro

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Specs

• Battery life: Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode
• Display type: AMOLED touchscreen
• GPS: Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
• Water resistance: 328 feet (10 ATM)
• Compatibility: Android, iOS
• Size: Available in 42mm, 47mm, or 51mm case sizes
• Weight: 2.2 ounces (42mm)

Pros

• Built-in LED flashlight is surprisingly handy
• Advanced training tools and health measurements
• Highly accurate data
• Rugged and durable
• Bright, attractive display

Cons

• No solar charging
• Expensive

The Garmin Epix Pro is a serious watch for those dedicated to their fitness. It measures just about every health and fitness metric you could want, including heart rate, blood oxygen, HRV, VO₂ Max, training load, training effect, and so much more. As with most Garmin watches, the epix Pro gives you various fitness scores—such as Endurance Score, Hill Score, Body Battery, and more. These metrics help you keep an eye on when you may be overtraining and need to back off or when you should pick up the pace. 

This advanced fitness tracker suggests daily workouts and can track nearly an endless list of activities. It can even help you plan for specific races and help you navigate when you are on the course. The Up Ahead mode can show you checkpoints and aid stations, giving you peace of mind and helping you plan accordingly.

Garmin clearly built the epix Pro for the outdoors. It is rugged and durable, with lots of features to help you on adventures. The version linked here uses a scratch-resistant sapphire AMOLED display with a fiber-reinforced polymer case. It is tested to U.S. military standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance, so you’ll know it can handle whatever you throw at it. It comes in three different case sizes and multiple colors.

Additionally, the epix Pro offers terrain maps with relief shading and weather map overlays. I have relied on the weather maps on more than a few occasions to get back home before a storm hits. It also features an LED flashlight, which I have come to rely on in my day-to-day life far more than anticipated. Plus, the display of the watch is bright and vibrant, making it easy to see in the bright sun. Garmin also has plenty of unique and customizable watch faces so that you can personalize your watch quite a lot. 

The Garmin epix Pro is a highly advanced watch. As a result, it’s an expensive option. You can save a little by opting for the Pro Standard version instead of Pro Sapphire. Or, if you want all the robust Garmin health and fitness features for less, check out the Forerunner lineup. The Forerunner 955 Solar is a particularly good watch with impressive battery life. 

Best budget: Amazfit Band 7

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Specs

• Battery life: Up to 18 days
• Display type: AMOLED touchscreen
• GPS: Connected GPS only
• Water resistance: 164 feet (5 ATM)
• Compatibility: Android, iOS
• Size: 1.84 x 0.95 x 0.48 inches
• Weight: 0.96 ounces

Pros

• Compact and lightweight
• Very affordable
• Long battery life
• Accurate heart rate measurements

Cons

• Only offers connected GPS
• Finicky touchscreen

While many fitness trackers are on the pricey side, you don’t have to drop a fortune to get accurate fitness tracking capabilities. The Amazfit Band 7 is the best budget fitness tracker available thanks to its robust feature set, compact build, and sub-$50 price. 

The Band 7 is minimal in design, with a narrow rectangular AMOLED display. It’s large enough to see your important data without being too large, even on small wrists. There aren’t any buttons on the watch, so navigation is entirely based on touchscreen functionality. It’s plenty bright and colorful for bright days, and the information provided during workouts is nicely simplified so that you can quickly glance down and see what you need. 

Inside the band 7 is AMazfit’s ​​BioTracker 3.0 PPG biometric sensor. This is able to measure heart rate and blood oxygen levels. The watch can calculate VO2 Max and stress levels and track your sleep. I found these numbers to be as accurate as the more expensive watches I’ve used, including Garmin. Amazfit also provides lots of help text throughout the watch so that you can better understand what its metrics mean. 

The downside of the budget price is that it relies on tethered GPS, so you’ll need to have your phone on you if you want any GPS data from your activities. And even then, the GPS data isn’t as accurate as a multi-band GPS system. But the upside of this is that the battery life is seriously impressive for a budget watch. Amazfit promises up to 18 days with normal usage. In my testing, I was able to get 16 or so, which is pretty close. 

This fitness tracker won’t cut it for serious athletes wanting all the data, but for those who simply want something to encourage them to stay active, the Amazfit Band 7 is a great choice. To read more about this watch, you can check out our full review. 

What to consider when shopping for the best fitness trackers

It’s easy to get bewildered by all the features and functions available in today’s fitness trackers. But the best fitness tracker for you is the one that will effectively and efficiently monitor exactly what you want it to—maybe your heart rate or the quality of your sleep—and deliver the info in a way that works for you. But it’s also smart to keep in mind that too many functions, such as GPS or an energy-sapping display, can drain your tracker’s battery life. They may also be more than you’ll actually need, leaving you paying for features that you won’t use. 

Heart rate sensors

These days, just about every fitness tracker or watch comes built with a wrist-based heart rate sensor. The accuracy of these depends on the particular watch, as well as how you are wearing the watch. Depending on the activity you are participating in, it won’t be as accurate as a chest-based monitor. But technology has improved significantly in recent years, and most watches provide plenty of accurate data for all but the most serious athletes. 

Sleep tracking

When it comes to fitness, we tend to neglect recovery. Yet it is a key component of fitness and health. That’s partly why sleep monitoring has become a key feature of fitness trackers and smartwatches. Some argue that you should know whether you’ve had a good night’s sleep just based on how you feel in the morning. Trying to beat a sleep score every night, they say, only adds stress and makes it less likely you’ll sleep well.

However, if you’re trying different approaches to improve your sleep—a relaxing pillow spray, avoiding screens before bed, or winding down with a warm shower—a tracking app can help you figure out what works best for you. While sleep trackers in labs use brain activity to measure the different stages of sleep—light, deep, and REM sleep—fitness trackers tend to use a combination of movement and heart rate tracking to estimate your sleep cycles.

You have to notify some trackers that you’re going to bed in order to initiate sleep monitoring, which may not be ideal for you. Others do it automatically as long as you are wearing your device to bed. Keep in mind that if you want to wear your tracker to monitor your activity during the day and your sleep at night, you’ll need a device with a long battery life or a quick charging time so you never have to miss a moment, night or day.

Battery life

When it comes to electronics, particularly small yet powerful ones, battery life can be a major concern. Depending on how you want to use your fitness tracker, battery life might be key when choosing one.

Many of the most popular products blur the line between fitness trackers and smartwatches. They come with a huge number of functions, such as sending and receiving messages, storing music, and GPS tracking. But these bells and whistles can be a real drain on your battery. You might find yourself needing to fast charge your device while you’re in the shower or sacrificing sleep tracking so it can power up overnight.

That might be fine if you just want to keep track of the odd HIIT class. But if you hate being a slave to a charger or want to take your tracker on a camping expedition without access to power, it might be worth sacrificing some features for longer battery life. Or you may need to pay for a more expensive model in order to get the best of both worlds.

GPS & GNSS

GPS—or Global Positioning System—is a series of satellites that circle the Earth. If you have a GPS receiver, it can use the relative positioning of these satellites to tell you exactly where you are. It’s this sort of geolocation technology that is used to help your car company or food delivery service locate you and how the map app on your phone gives you directions.

When it comes to fitness trackers, GPS can be helpful in a number of ways. Using what it knows about your location and the time you were there, you can get an accurate idea of your pace when you’re running or hiking. It can also allow someone who’s not with you to track your progress or help you create a map of your route. Further, on some devices, with an additional app, GPS can be used to help direct you along a pre-programmed route.

Fitness trackers have various ways of capitalizing on GPS. Some may include their own built-in receivers, which means you don’t have to have your phone with you. Others use the GPS in your smartphone to help geolocate you, which is referred to as tethered GPS.

The quality of GPS in fitness trackers varies, too. Sometimes, it’s tricky to squeeze a high-quality receiver into a small band or watch, and if accurate GPS is really important to you—say you’re a competitive runner and need a highly accurate record of your distances and pace—a GPS running watch might be a better option for you. For the most accurate location data, you’ll want to look for multiple GNSS (Global Navigation Satelite System) options in a single tracker. 

Display size & features

How much information do you want to see on the screen of your fitness tracker? Do you want all your info there? Or would you rather have a single piece of data on screen—your step count, calories burned, or heart rate—knowing that you’ll have to scroll through to get the other data you want?

As with so many choices, it’s all about compromises. If you want a full-color, bright, and fully customizable touchscreen, you’re probably going to sacrifice battery life. And if you want loads of information in one place, you’ll need to opt for a large fitness tracker, which may be rather clunky on your wrist. On the other hand, if you opt for a more basic, smaller display, you won’t be able to see your information as easily. 

Whatever you opt for, it’s worth spending a bit of time getting to know your tracker’s screen and working out how you can customize it so that the functions and information you want most are easily and quickly accessible. As with your phone, you may find some apps or functions installed that you don’t need. If you know you’re never going to record a ballet class, for example, delete that option if you can. The less information you have on screen, the easier it will be to zone in on what you want.

It might also be worth considering a screen protector if you’re going for a smartwatch-style tracker. These can be really thin and unobtrusive, and the best don’t interfere with functionality, just protect against scratches, scrapes, and damage.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best fitness trackers

• Best overall: Apple Watch Series 8
• Best sleep tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best for pure metrics: Whoop 4.0
• Best for heart rate monitoring: Polar Ignite 3
• Best for battery life: Garmin Vivofit 4
• Best with GPS: Garmin epix Pro
• Best budget: Amazfit Band 7

There’s no doubt that a fitness tracker can help you up your game when it comes to your workouts and that there are a host of different features and functions out there that can keep you on track, whether you’re a busy parent squeezing in a quick yoga class or a professional athlete trying to shave every last second off your time. The huge leaps and bounds in technology also mean that your fitness tracker can do double duty as a smartwatch, notifying you about everything from news headlines to your next meeting. The type of tracker you opt for will depend on your life, lifestyle, and what you want from it. But the choices are out there like never before.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best fitness trackers of 2023, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

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The Google Pixel lineup has long been an impressive range of smartphones. The cameras on the Pixel phones typically rival or surpass the Apple iPhone offerings, and Google has frequently led the way with impressive features and tools on these phones. The Pixel 7 series is no different, with three phones in the mix: The Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and Pixel 7a.

The 7a falls at the entry point to the lineup, with the smallest display and lowest price ($499). That doesn’t mean that Google skimped on features and specs, however. The phone borrows tech from its big siblings and offers the best camera of any mid-range phone available. Google sent me the 7a in Charcoal to test out for a few months, and overall, I was quite very happy with this phone.

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Overview

• The base price of $499 is relatively affordable compared to other phones.
• It features a 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display with adaptive brightness and 90Hz refresh rate.
• Its powerful Google Tensor G2 chip is also in the more expensive Pixel 7 and 7 Pro phones.
• The 64MP primary camera, 13MP ultra-wide camera, and 13MP selfie cameras offer plenty of quality, especially with Google’s advanced built-in editing tools.

Pros

• Available in four unique colors
• Wireless charging compatible
• Very capable camera
• Handy AI-based editing tools
• Good screen quality with a responsive touchscreen 
• Google provides frequent software updates
• Water-resistant

Cons

• Slippery to hold without a case
• Battery life is so-so and won’t last all day if you are using it a lot
• Coral color is only available through Google

Verdict

The Google Pixel 7a is a mid-range phone with a more affordable price than the Pixel 7 Pro or Pixel 7. Despite that, it features many advanced features found in those phones, including a powerful Tensor G2 chip and lots of AI-based enhancements to photos, calls, and general use. It lacks battery life and durability but still has much to offer. 

Google Pixel 7a design, build, & durability

Google Pixel phones are well-known for their slick design, and that tradition continues with the Pixel 7a. It measures 6 by 2.8 by 0.4 inches and weighs 6.8 ounces, barely bigger than the 6a. It also looks nearly identical to the Pixel 6a, with a high-gloss plastic back and aluminum edges. Unlike the 6a, however, the aluminum frame on the 7a is now the same color as the back of the phone, resulting in a more seamless look. The frame around the camera bar synonymous with Pixel phones is still there, though it has been upgraded from the plastic found in the 6a to alloy. This piece also matches the color of the phone. 

Durability

Google covered the front of the phone with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3. It is an older version of Gorilla Glass, which Corning released in 2013. The other Pixel 7 phones get the newest version—Gorilla Glass Victus—which is much stronger and more durable. Seeing such an old version on this new phone is somewhat disappointing, but it likely helps keep the cost down. We’d definitely recommend getting a screen protector (as we would with any phone) since it is relatively easy to scratch despite the scratch-resistant claim. I’m pretty careful with my phone, but it got some scratches just by being in my purse. 

For even more protection, Google built the phone with an IP67 rating. That means it can handle dust and submersion in three feet of water for 30 minutes. The Pixel 7 offers an IP68 rating, so you don’t get quite as much protection in the more affordable model. 

Display

The Pixel 7a features a 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display, the smallest Pixel phone available unless you count the Pixel Fold’s 5.8-inch screen when it’s folded down. The Pixel 7 offers a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, but both provide the same 1080 by 2040 resolution. That means the 7a offers a higher pixel density of 429 PPI than the larger phone. 

The OLED display is capable of a 90Hz refresh rate, though it is set to 60Hz by default. You’ll need to go into the Display settings and toggle on Smooth Display to take advantage of that higher refresh rate. It will use more battery, but it may be worth it if you are streaming a lot of content or playing games. 

Interestingly, Google doesn’t offer up the brightness of the 7a other than saying it features “high brightness mode.” Regardless, I haven’t had any issues seeing the screen, even when looking at the phone in the bright Florida sunshine. Google built the phone with adaptive brightness, which is enabled by default. The transition when moving from bright to dark areas is very smooth, with little lag. And if you make manual adjustments, the phone offers a machine-learning algorithm to remember your preferences after a few days. 

Handling

Even though the display is the same size as the Samsung Galaxy S23, the Galaxy is slightly smaller. The Galaxy S23 is also easier to hold than the Pixel 7a. While the rounded edges of the Pixel phone look nice, they make it very slick to handle without a case. It frequently slips out of my hand while casually using the phone on the couch. However, most will probably have the phone in a case, so that may be a non-issue for many. But, even though it is barely bigger, the Pixel 7a isn’t as comfortable or easy to hold as my Galaxy S23. 

Performance

Google built the Pixel 7a around its Tensor G2 chip, found in both of the more expensive versions of the Pixel 7. The 7a also provides 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage (which is the only option). The 6a only features 6GB RAM, so this is a slight upgrade. In terms of OS, it comes loaded with Android 13. 

The phone’s guts allow for snappy, smooth, and responsive performance. I’m not gaming on my phone (beyond playing Two Dots on occasion), and I don’t stream content beyond Instagram videos and the occasional YouTube tutorial, so I can’t speak to those demanding use cases. However, I never experienced any lagging or delays when opening apps or taking photos. The videos I watched were seamless and smooth, even with the lower 60Hz refresh rate. 

The phone did get rather hot when I was using power-hungry apps, as well as when charging the phone. It was never uncomfortable, and I never had any performance issues. But it did surprise me how warm it got—possibly the result of changing the CPU housing to cut costs. 

Google Pixel 7a battery life

The Pixel 7a uses a 4,385mAh battery. That’s slightly larger than the Pixel 7 (4355 mAh) but, unexpectedly, smaller than the 7 Pro (5000 mAh). It is fast charging and wireless charging compatible (which is a first for Pixel’s A line of phones), both of which add convenience. The wireless charging process is slow, however. It charges at 7.5 watts compared to the 20 watts available with the Pixel 7. When plugged in, you’ll get 18 watts. That’s lower than the Samsung Galaxy S23’s 25-watt fast charging and the Pixel 7’s 20 watts. But it can still charge up in roughly 1.5 hours, with a decent battery top-off in as little as 30 minutes.

Google claims the battery can last beyond 24 hours and offers up to 72 hours in Extreme Battery Saver mode. That said, battery life is very situationally dependent. Your particular settings and phone use can drastically change battery life. However, I was less than impressed by the battery life of the Pixel 7a.

I typically use my phone for roughly three hours daily, mostly casual social media use, web browsing, or Duolingo lessons. As mentioned, I don’t play serious games on my phone and don’t stream much content, but I have adaptive brightness turned on, and for most of my testing, I did not have Smooth Display mode on. Even with that relatively modest usage, my battery was almost always nearly dead by the end of the day. With even slightly heavier use, I would need to top off the battery during the day. 

One odd thing that I noticed was that certain apps drain the battery more substantially on the Pixel 7a than on my Samsung Galaxy S23. The biggest culprit was the USAA SafePilot app, which wrecked my battery life. Even on days when I was hardly using the phone, my battery was done by afternoon. That’s far from ideal, especially when I was out and about. 

Google Pixel 7a camera

Google Pixel phones have always been celebrated for their cameras. It’s one of the main selling points of these particular mobile devices. And the 7a lives up to that hype, offering the best camera you can find on a camera of this price. It even tops its more expensive siblings regarding megapixel count, albeit it falls behind in sensor size. 

There are three cameras on the 7a: A 64MP main camera with optical image stabilization, a 13MP ultra-wide camera, and a 13MP selfie camera. These offer an 80-degree, 120-degree, and 95-degree field of view, respectively. If you want a dedicated telephoto camera, you’ll need to upgrade to the Pro version, which offers a 48MP telephoto camera. The 7a provides a Super Res Zoom, a digital zoom with up to 8x magnification. 

Photo results

Simply put, the photos from the Pixel 7a are reliably good in most scenarios. Images are well exposed in good light with just enough contrast and saturation. They don’t look overly processed or sharpened, as is wont to happen on smartphones. They just look good and natural. Even photos of high-contrast scenes look nice without too much of an HDR look to them. Low-light images are overall excellent, though portraits in dim conditions tend to lack sharpness. 

The autoexposure does really well, but you can also adjust brightness while shooting if you want a different look from what the camera provides. The camera managed shutter speed well, giving me blur-free results of moving subjects in most scenarios with even decent light. Of course, there were times that wasn’t the case, but the phone offers an Unblur tool in the editing menu that can help. It’s not perfect by any means, but it is a nice tool. 

Where the camera lacks is, unsurprisingly, in the telephoto realm. Though digital zoom has improved in recent years, it is no substitute for a dedicated telephoto lens. The 2x zoom (one of the focal lengths you can quickly select) on the main camera does alright, with only moderate signs of the noise and oversharpening typical with digital zoom. Any more than that, however, and the quality goes down substantially. The 2x in portrait mode is worse than the basic camera mode, with very noticeable noise and over-sharpening. 

More camera modes

Beyond the basic camera and portrait mode, the Pixel 7a also offers a few additional camera modes to help in specific scenarios. Night Sight pulls out more detail in dim lighting conditions. It does so in part by taking a longer exposure, so you’ll need to hold the phone steady. But it does an impressive job of giving you more usable images in dark locations. 

You’ll also have access to Long Exposure mode, which purposefully adds motion blur to images. This mode can be used for creative shots, such as blurred trains, traffic at night, or the currently popular blurry portraits. I used it a few times to blur water from a fountain. While it doesn’t result in as high-quality photos as the standard camera with good light, it is fun to have the option of long exposure blur on a phone. 

Video capabilities

The primary camera of the Pixel 7a is capable of 4K video up to 60p, though that is only possible when using 1x or 2x zoom. If you want the wide-angle lens, it tops out at 30p. Slow motion mode lowers the quality to FHD. Unfortunately, for those looking for an iPhone alternative that offers a similar portrait video mode, that does not exist on the Pixel 7a.

There are multiple types of stabilization to take advantage of. Standard is ideal for light movement, which is what I used throughout most of my testing. It does an excellent job of stabilizing video for most situations. For those times when I was moving a lot, the Active stabilization provided even smoother results, though you can’t use the wide-angle lens with that mode. Locked is ideal for videos without movement at 2x zoom. And Cinematic Pan allows for cinematic panning shots at half speed without sound. 

The video results were very similar to photo quality. Videos were reliably exposed properly with enough saturation, contrast, and sharpness. I did not create cinematic, high-end social media content when testing the phone. Still, I was impressed with the video quality and stabilization for randomly documenting my life. As expected, videos in low-light situations were lower in quality, with some noticeable noise and lack of sharpness. But they are passable for most people’s purposes. 

Magic Eraser

I’m sure you’ve seen the Pixel advertisements that show off the Magic Eraser feature. It is sold as being a truly magical tool for removing unwanted items or people from your images. While it does a good job, it’s by no means perfect. And it requires rather specific scenery or backgrounds to get passable results. Now, keep in mind that I am a professional photographer who has spent a lot of time editing items out of images, so my standards and expectations are higher than most. But, I was not as wowed as I expected to be. 

When you open a photo in the editor, navigate to Tools and select Magic Eraser. The phone will process for a second and scan the image in an attempt to detect if there are things you would want removed automatically. It rarely picked up stuff I would have liked it to take out accurately. For example, in one photo of my husband in a kayak on a river, it suggested taking out my husband but leaving the kayak, which would be an odd choice. If it doesn’t find what you want, or you want to manually select, you use a brush to circle or paint in whatever you want removed.

In terms of results, don’t expect perfection. If there’s anything busy in the background, it will be noticeable where it attempted to remove something. Patterns on wood floors or forest floors throw it off, for example. But if the background is simple and mostly empty, it does a pretty good job. Redrawing your selection a few times can yield better results as well. 

At the end of the day, AI still isn’t perfect. It is helpful if you need to remove someone or something in a pinch. But don’t expect a miracle fix by any means. 

So, who should buy the Google Pixel 7a?

The Pixel 7a is quite impressive for a mid-range device. Google built the phone with the processing power of its more expensive models, which allows it to keep up with almost anything you may need. That is, of course, if you don’t mind charging it frequently. The display is an ideal size for most. It’s also nicely vibrant with plenty of brightness and responsiveness, which is nice for watching videos or editing photos. Its camera is very capable, producing attractive photos and videos without an overly processed look in most scenarios. 

The 7a doesn’t match the flagship build and fleshed-out features of other Pixel 7 models or higher-end phones from different manufacturers, but we wouldn’t expect that, given the price. If you simply want a phone that works with no fuss or absurdly fancy features, the Google Pixel 7a will tick those boxes.

The post Google Pixel 7a smartphone review: Stuck in the middle with you appeared first on Popular Science.

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Kayaks have not changed significantly in general shape and materials for quite some time, and the traditional design presents some logistical issues for most of us. Most companies craft their personal-sized boats out of rigid materials like hard plastic. That makes them heavy to transport and hard to store when you’re not on the water. If you live in a smaller apartment or home, having a kayak may be flat-out impossible simply because you don’t have a place to keep it. And transporting one on your own could require Herculean strength on top of having access to a vehicle large enough to hold it. 

Enter Oru Kayak. Inspired by origami—the Japanese paper-folding technique—Oru developed a range of unique foldable kayaks, offering a much more apartment-friendly solution. The result is a lightweight, compact, and highly portable boat that isn’t at risk of deflating like pack rafts and other inflatable options. Oru sent us its Beach LT Sport Kayak to test out for a few months, and we had a blast getting to know this truly distinct boat. 

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Overview

• The Oru Beach LT Kayak is a lightweight, open cockpit-style kayak that’s easy to store and transport.
• Despite being foldable, it’s stable on the water.
• It offers a rail system for mounting accessories like fishing poles or camera gear. 

Pros

• Only weighs 28 pounds
• Folds up to a large suitcase size for easy storage and transport
• Extremely stable in the water
• Easy to get in and out of
• Rails allow for easy accessory attachment
• Moves smoothly and quickly in the water
• Gel cushion seat adds comfort
• Adjustable backrest and footrest
• Easy to maneuver around

Cons

• Gets pushed around in windy conditions
• Some components showed wear after just a few uses
• Black plastic gets hot in the sun
• Expensive

Verdict

The Oru Beach LT Sport hits a sweet spot for those who want to get out and adventure on the water but don’t have the space or transportation for a traditional kayak. It isn’t a cheap option, but it is in line with heavier fishing kayaks.

The Oru Beach LT Sport Kayak’s design

The Oru Beach LT Sport Kayak falls roughly in the middle of Oru’s six different offerings in terms of size, price, and features. In fact, it combines features from its enthusiast-oriented Beach LT and the larger, more advanced Haven TT. Oru makes all of its kayaks out of 5mm double-layered, custom-extruded polypropylene—called OruPlast—which looks like a plastic version of corrugated cardboard. Oru coats the material with a 10-year UV treatment and claims its kayaks are puncture- and abrasion-resistant. 

The Beat LT Sport is a 12-foot-long, open-cockpit kayak, which means it leaves your legs exposed as you float but offers more room for gear. It weighs just 28 pounds but can hold up to 300 pounds. Oru says this kayak can be paddled in deep water but not in heavy wind or chop. Your best bet is to stick to calm days. It features rails on both sides for attaching fishing rod holders, cup holders, camera equipment, and more, making it the ideal Oru for fishing and other such adventures. 

The Beach LT Sport’s setup

One of the main perks of Oru kayaks is that they fold down into compact packages—33 inches by 13 inches by 29 inches, in this case. But that means that they do require assembly. For help with this, it comes with a handy book with graphics and step-by-step instructions. You can also scan a QR code to pull up a video of the assembly process, which was very helpful. 

Oru specifies on its website that assembling the Beach LT Sport takes 10-15 minutes. I found that to be accurate after I put it together a few times. The first time took about 20 minutes as my husband and I figured out the process and which pieces go where. It’s worth noting that the edge of the plastic is pretty sharp, and I managed to slice myself when putting the boat together the first time. It didn’t happen again, but definitely be careful as you assemble the kayak. After I got the hang of it, assembly was really quick and simple, and I could easily knock it out myself in 10 minutes or so. 

Putting the boat back into suitcase mode was more of a challenge than assembling it and took quite a bit longer, especially the first few times. There were instructions in the book with graphics for each step, but some weren’t very clear. It also took a lot of hunting to find a video of the disassembly process. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that the plastic was extra rigid the first few times, which made it tough to bend things back the opposite way. But, after working out some of the kinks—literally and figuratively—disassembly took roughly the same amount of time as assembly. 

The Beach LT Sport’s performance

A foldable kayak may be neat and useful, but it isn’t much good if it doesn’t perform well on the water. Luckily, the Beach LT Sport was fantastic in most situations. I was really surprised at how stable it was, especially considering how lightweight it is. I could move around in the kayak—reaching behind the seat to get the sunscreen and sun hat, casting a fishing rod, reaching over to grab my husband’s boat—without the slightest worry about tipping over. I even purposefully wiggled around a lot with no issues. Oru even specifies that these are great for dogs. I didn’t bring my pooch along while testing since she doesn’t do very well in boats, but it would definitely be stable enough for all but the most rambunctious dogs. 

Since the kayak is so lightweight, it is extremely easy to maneuver in the water. It picks up speed with ease, and I could turn on a dime. The boat cuts smoothly through the water, making for a really pleasant experience. And, as you would hope, the boat was completely watertight, so the only water I had coming in was dripping from the paddle. 

The lightweight design does have its downsides, however. Both the current and wind pushed me around pretty easily, which made it tricky to stay in one spot while fishing. When I went out in a nearby river or in windy conditions, I had to repeatedly put the fishing rod down and paddle back to my spot. Granted, this is going to be the case to a certain extent with most sit-in paddle-based kayaks when compared to a sit-on peddle-drive setup, but it still got to be frustrating. I also found myself skipping out on trips on windy days because I didn’t want to fight with the wind, and Oru specifies this boat isn’t for use in heavy wind or chop.

Oru Beach LT Sport comfort

Most people will be taking a kayak out for more than just a few minutes, so it needs to be comfortable to sit in for long periods. Oru clearly prioritized comfort with this model, as it includes a gel cushion seat, which is usually a separate upgrade. It’s nicely padded and comfortable to sit on. The backrest—which is lightly padded—is adjustable in height and reclining angle so that you can fine-tune your position. The adjustable footrest is just a plastic bar, but you can adjust its distance for an ideal sitting position.

I typically ventured out for a few hours at a time, and overall, I was quite happy with how comfortable the Beach LT Sport was. After an hour or so, I did get a bit restless and had to keep adjusting my position to be comfortable, but that’s true of any seated position for extended periods for me. Luckily, it’s stable enough to hold up to my wiggling around to get comfortable. 

Durability

Overall, I was really impressed by this Oru kayak, but it was not without faults. While Oru kayaks are made of rugged and durable materials, the front and back fairings showed signs of wear (slight tearing near the seams) after just a few uses. I didn’t pull on them any more than I had to in order to get them on the kayak, so this was surprising to see. Also, the rubber edging on the floor piece popped off slightly the first time I used it and continued to come loose throughout my testing. It tended to collect water, which would get inside the corrugated plastic. I’m sure it could be glued on, but I was disappointed that the piece came loose so quickly. 

It’s also worth pointing out that while Oru kayaks are made of highly durable plastic, the act of unfolding and folding puts wear and tear on the joints. That’s one aspect typical kayaks don’t need to consider. Oru specifies that its kayaks are rated to 20,000 folds, which means they should last for a very, very long time, but I only tested it for about half a dozen folds and can’t speak to long-term durability.  

So, who should buy the Oru Beach LT Sport?

I have wanted a kayak for a long time, but the idea of figuring out storage and then trying to transport the thing on my own as a small female was an obstacle. Inflatable kayaks have existed for a while, but you need to have some means of inflating them and then hope you don’t get a puncture. Oru Kayaks offer a sweet spot for a lot of people because of just how lightweight, compact, and portable they are without needing any additional equipment or tools. 

The Beach LT Sport is normally priced just shy of $2,000, which is at the expensive end, to be sure. But if you compare it to other fishing kayaks—which is what this is meant to be—it’s not out of line. That’s especially true when you consider the portability and storage benefits you get from this kayak compared to traditional ones. The Beach LT Sport has its downsides—it doesn’t perform well in windy conditions or in rough water—but it is also an extremely fun kayak in a tiny, easy-to-work-with package. 

More photos of the Oru Beach LT Sport

The post Oru Beach LT Sport foldable kayak review: Whatever, wherever floats your boat? appeared first on Popular Science.

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Garmin makes some of the best fitness watches available. They feature advanced tech and health tracking capabilities along with full smartwatch abilities, giving you the best of both worlds. And if you are training for any sort of event, they are invaluable training tools. And this Prime Day, you can find outstanding savings on a handful of options, from beginner-level devices to watches for competitive athletes.

Garmin epix Gen 2 $699.99 (Was $999.99)

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For adventure lovers, it’s hard to beat the Garmin epix watches. This particular version features premium white titanium and a bright AMOLED display, so it looks sleek even when you’re not on the trails. It promises up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, which is longer than most other adventure watches out there. And, as with most Garmin watches, it is built with a robust list of sensors for advanced health and performance measurements, accurate GPS tracking, and navigation tools with topographic maps.

More Garmin Prime Day deals

• Garmin Instinct $142.49 (Was $249.99)
• Garmin Vivoactive 4 $169.99 (Was $329.99)
• Garmin Venu 2 $429.99 (Was $399.99)
• Garmin Forerunner 745 $279.99 (Was $499.99)
• Garmin fenix 7X Solar $599.99 (Was $899.99)
• Garmin Edge 830 Sensor Bundle $349.99 (Was $499.99)

Prefer a smartwatch tailormade for an iPhone? We’ve collected the best Apple Watch deals; click here!

In the mood for something more analog? We’ve gathered some of the best men’s watch deals; click here!

The post Save up to $300 on Garmin watches with these Prime Day deals appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Garmin epix 2 Pro		SEE IT	It’s a well-rounded watch with impressive battery life and endless hiking features.
Best smartwatch		Apple Watch Ultra		SEE IT	This rugged smartwatch provides cell connectivity and sleek styling.
Best budget		Amazfit T-Rex 2		SEE IT	A budget-friendly price doesn’t result in fewer features on this watch.

Hiking watches are useful and important tools for those who spend time hitting the trails. At a minimum, a hiking watch should allow you to keep track of the time of day, how long you’ve been out, and how long you might have till sundown. Ideally, it should also provide altitude, barometer, and compass functions. More advanced watches for hiking may also offer various safety features, advanced navigation tools, energy expenditure and endurance estimations, and smartwatch functionality. No matter what, the best hiking watches will help keep you safe on your adventures and be able to handle whatever you throw at them. 

• Best overall: Garmin epix Pro (Gen. 2)
• Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Ultra
• Best for backpacking: Garmin fēnix 7 Pro
• Best basic: Casio G-Shock DWH5600-1
• Best solar-powered: Garmin Instinct 2X Solar
• Best budget: Amazfit T-Rex 2

How we chose the best hiking watches

As an avid hiker and trail runner since a young age, I’ve spent my fair share of time in the woods and have learned what is important to have with you in those situations. In addition, other members of our staff have been known to plan months-long trips around opportunities to explore the National Park System, and have taken their fair share of adventure accessories with them. This insight, along with a mix of hands-on use, reviews, and brand reputation, guided the selection of hiking watches included here. In making our selections, we looked at key features like compass and altimeter functions, GPS, connectivity options, safety features, battery life, and more. 

The best hiking watches: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether you are hitting a short local trail or tackling an epic thru-hike, these watches will help you keep track of your achievements and stay safe on the safest, most efficient route. 

Best overall: Garmin epix 2 Pro

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Specs

• Case diameter: 42mm (also available in 47mm and 51mm sizes)
• Weight: 2.2 ounces (42mm version)
• Display type: AMOLED
• Battery life: Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode (42mm version)
• Sensors: Multi-band GPS, heart rate, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light, pulse oximeter 

Pros

• Available in three different sizes and lots of colors
• Ruggedly built 
• Includes a bright flashlight
• Lots of safety features and health tracking

Cons

• A nearly endless list of settings and customizations can be overwhelming

Garmin’s epix watch has been one of the standards for hiking, trail running, and ultra-marathons since its initial release in 2015. The new epix 2 Pro is even more advanced and capable, offering a nearly endless list of features, sensors, and settings. For starters, it comes loaded with a plethora of activities to track, from the basics like hiking, running, and cycling to strength training, surfing, hunting, and more. You’ll also get lots of training tools to help improve your fitness, including Endurance Score, Training Status, Recovery Status, VO2 Max measurements, and more.

As with most Garmin multisport watches, the epix Pro gets a robust list of sensors for health and activity tracking. It offers the essentials for hiking, including a barometric altimeter, compass, and GPS. But it also provides advanced multi-frequency positioning for accurate location data, which allows you to use the watch for navigation purposes. You can even upload specific courses to keep you on track during events. And it offers weather maps to allow you to check the radar for precipitation, cloud cover, wind, and temperature. Something we love about top-of-the-line Garmin watches (this one, as well as the fēnix 7 Pro below) is maps. Loads of preloaded maps, which look crisp and detailed on the always-on AMOLED screen (available under scratch-resistant sapphire glass or slightly-less-resilient Corning Gorilla Glass, if you want to save $100).

One thing we especially love about this adventure watch is that it is available in three different case sizes—42mm, 47mm, or 51mm—making it more suitable for a wider variety of wrists. It’s important to keep in mind that the case size does impact battery life. For example, the 51mm version offers up to 31 days in smartwatch mode compared to 10 days for the 42mm. So you’ll have to choose whether form factor or less frequent charging is most important to you. 

All sizes of the epix 2 Pro come with an LED flashlight that’s built into the side of the watch. It is surprisingly useful in day-to-day life but is also a game changer when navigating in the woods after dark. It does drain the battery faster, of course, but it is really nice to have. And the Red Shift Mode makes it easier to see the watch at night without blinding yourself or impacting your sleep cycle.

Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Ultra

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Specs

• Case diameter: 49mm
• Weight: 2.2 ounces
• Display type: Always-On Retina LTPO OLED
• Battery life: Up to 36 hours
• Sensors: Multi-band GPS, compass, altimeter, pulse oximeter, heart rate, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light, water temperature, depth gauge 

Pros

• Built with cellular connectivity
• Larger screen is useful
• Attractive styling
• Accurate GPS with navigation tools

Cons

• Battery life isn’t great
• Training tools are lacking

For many, a dedicated and highly specific sport watch is not the best option. The Apple Watch Ultra offers an easily approachable combination of smartwatch functionality and fitness tools in upgraded Apple Watch hardware. It comes standard with LTE connectivity, and thanks to the dual speakers and three-mic array, you’ll be able to take calls right from your wrist as long as you have cell reception (and pay for compatible coverage). That means you can leave your phone behind on hikes and still have a way to call for help if you need to. 

As a smartwatch, it will blend seamlessly with your day-to-day style while also holding up to your big adventures, thanks to the rugged build quality. The watch’s face features sapphire glass to prevent scratches, and the titanium case is IP6X rated for dust resistance, water resistant to 330 feet, and tested to MIL-STD 810H standards.

The Apple Watch Ultra offers plenty of sensors to capture health data throughout the day as well as when you are tracking a hike. The large display makes it easy to see your information at a glance and navigate through menus. It utilizes dual-frequency L1 and L5 GPS, which results in highly accurate location information. That means you’ll get precise distance measurements and be able to use the watch for navigation as well. 

While the promised 36-hour battery life of the Apple Watch Ultra is longer than Apple’s other watches, it doesn’t come close to what the likes of Garmin and Amazfit are capable of. And it doesn’t offer as many training tools as Garmin watches. But if you want a watch that is for more casual hiking and daily wearing, the Apple Watch Ultra is a great choice.

Best for backpacking: Garmin fēnix 7 Pro

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Specs

• Case diameter: 42mm, 47mm, 51mm 
• Weight: 2.6 ounces
• Display type: Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel
• Battery life: Up to 18 days or 22 days with solar in smartwatch mode
• Sensors: Multi-band GPS, heart rate, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, ambient light, pulse oximeter

Pros

• Solar charging extends battery life
• Available in three sizes
• Accurate health and training data
• Advanced map features
• Built-in LED flashlight

Cons

• Some may prefer an AMOLED display

Garmin’s fēnix 7 Pro is nearly identical to the epix Pro above, with all the same health and fitness tracking features. You can easily keep track of your training and recovery status, track all your activities, and receive recommendations on how to improve. It even provides a Hill Score for working on how you’ll handle elevation changes, a key skill for many backpacking trips. And you get access to detailed maps, including weather map overlays and relief shading on topographical maps for better navigation.

What makes the fēnix 7 Pro different is the sunlight-visible, memory-in-pixel (MIP) display instead of the colorful AMOLED found in the epix. It’s not bright and colorful and crisply detailed like the epix display, but it is plenty visible on even the sunniest days. And it also doesn’t pull near as much battery, providing longer life between charges than the epix 2 Pro. 

Extending battery life even more is the solar-charging capabilities of the fēnix 7 Pro. With solar charging, the 47mm watch promises up to 12 days in Max Battery GPS mode. In Expedition GPS mode, Garmin says you can get up to 74 days with solar (Garmin’s solar-charging numbers assume all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions). 

If you are on a backpacking trip, any extra boost to battery life is appreciated. And, provided the weather conditions are right, you’ll easily hit the solar-charging requirements during your trip. You may even be able to use more precise GPS settings as a result. As with the epix 2 Pro, the different case sizes offer different battery life estimates, so if battery life is critical to you, you may want to go with the 51mm size. 

Best basic: Casio G-Shock DWH5600-1

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Specs

• Case dimensions: 2 x 1.7 x 0.7 inches
• Weight: 2 ounces
• Display type: Memory-in-pixel
• Battery life: 35 hours with activity functions
• Sensors: Heart rate, accelerometer, pulse oximeter

Pros

• Solar charging
• Lightweight and classic design
• Nearly indestructible with classic G-Shock styling
• Includes basic activity tracking

Cons

• Relies on a phone’s GPS

The other watches selected in this buying guide are incredibly feature-rich. But sometimes you want just a basic watch for hiking. The Casio G-Shock DWH5600-1 fits the bill. This watch is an update on the square G-Shock that was first released 40 years ago and looks remarkably similar to that classic watch. It is just as indestructible, with a shock-resistant construction and a whopping 656-foot water resistance. 

Despite similar looks, the newly updated received some modern upgrades. For example, it now features a high-definition memory-in-pixel display that is highly visible even in bright light. And it sports an optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, and pulse oximeter. Casio teamed up with Polar to offer workout analysis, sleep data, and breath exercises. 

Although you can track your activities, this basic hiking watch does not offer built-in GPS. Instead, it relies on your phone’s GPS for location data, which is not as accurate as watch-based options. There’s also no altimeter or compass, so it won’t offer navigation help. But, it offers just enough for those who want something simple and rugged with the ability to keep track of their hikes.

Best solar-powered: Garmin Instinct 2X Solar

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Specs

• Case diameter: 50mm
• Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Display type: Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel
• Battery life: 40 days or unlimited with solar in smartwatch mode
• Sensors: Multi-band GPS, heart rate, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, and pulse oximeter 

Pros

• Built-in flashlight
• Seriously impressive battery life with solar charging
• Plenty of activity and healthy tracking features
• Rugged build 

Cons

• Large size isn’t ideal for all wrists
• Low-resolution display isn’t for everyone

Garmin’s Instinct 2X Solar is one of the best hiking watches for many reasons but foremost is the absurd battery life. With the most accurate GPS settings, you should be able to get up to 27 hours without solar or 36 hours with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions. Or, if you are on a long expedition, you could get unlimited battery life using Expedition GPS with enough sun or 60 days if it’s a winter expedition.

The Instinct 2X is a large watch and, as a result, is best suited for bigger wrists. If you want something smaller, the Instinct 2 Solar also offers impressive battery life in 40mm and 45mm case sizes. But the 2X is fitted with improved Power Glass, resulting in 50 percent more energy from the sun compared to the other Instinct models. That’s a significant difference, especially if you are tackling longer hikes. 

On top of the battery life, the watch is extremely rugged. It’s tested to U.S military 810 standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance and is water-rated to 328 feet. The LED flashlight is both convenient and adds a layer of safety when in the backcountry. And the Instinct 2X features Garmin’s typical advanced fitness and health tracking features so you can successfully prepare for your hikes. You’ll also be able to take advantage of advanced navigation tools. And the smartwatch functionality makes this GPS watch ideal for daily life as well.

Miss ole-fashioned analog watch hands? The Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar has you covered.

Best budget: Amazfit T-Rex 2

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Specs

• Case diameter: 47mm
• Weight: 2.3 ounces
• Display type: AMOLED
• Battery life: Up to 24 days with typical usage
• Sensors: GPS, pulse oximeter, heart rate, compass, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light

Pros

• Lots of features for the price
• Excellent battery life
• Vibrant display
• Rugged build

Cons

• Very bulky

While most hiking watches get quite expensive, you don’t have to break the bank for an impressive option. Amazfit makes a variety of budget watches that are more than capable, but its T-Rex 2 is especially impressive for the price. It’s extremely rugged, meeting MIL-STD-810G standards for withstanding extreme temperatures and environments. That includes water resistance to 328 feet, 158 degrees F heat resistance, -40 degrees cold resistance, and 96H salt spray resistance. 

Besides the rugged build, this outdoor watch offers dual-band positioning and support for six positioning systems. It enables you to import route files and navigate in real time on the watch. It promises up to 24 days of battery life with normal use or 45 days in battery saver mode, which is quite a bit longer than the Apple Watch Ultra. 

Despite the budget-friendly price, the T-Rex 2 offers really advanced training tools and health tracking. It features more than 150 built-in sport modes and can connect to a heart rate strap if you want the most accurate measurements. It automatically recognizes 15 different types of strength training exercises and can count reps for you. It offers training metrics like VO2 Max measurements and training effect information, and you can build training templates to guide and improve your performance. 

Features to consider when shopping for hiking watches

While any watch that tells the time could be considered a hiking watch, the best hiking watches will offer more advanced features to help you track your hikes and health, improve performance, and stay safe in the wilderness. All those specs can get confusing and overwhelming, though. Here are some of the key features to pay attention to when shopping for an adventure watch:

Battery life

How long a watch battery lasts is a crucial factor when selecting a hiking watch. That’s especially true if you want to take on any long hikes or treks. At a minimum, it is frustrating and annoying when your watch dies out on the trail. But it can result in dangerous consequences as well, especially if you are relying on the watch for navigation or weather alerts. 

Watch manufacturers will list battery life for essentially best-case, minimal-use scenarios, which is important to keep in mind. If all you plan on doing is short hikes, you can get away with a watch that has a battery life of only a few days (just be sure to charge it before your hike). But if you want to tackle long hikes or even multi-day exertions, look for a watch that promises battery life in months, not days. You may also benefit from solar charging and an option that offers lots of customizability in terms of GPS and other features that drain battery life. 

Build quality

Hiking can put you in some rugged situations, so it’s important your watch can withstand that. The watch face should be made of durable materials to prevent scratching, or you’ll soon be unable to read it. Sapphire glass is one of the most durable options, though Corning Gorilla Glass is another tough option. 

Beyond the surface of the watch, you’ll also want to make sure that the case is built for adventure. A hiking watch should be water-resistant in case you get caught in a downpour or fall in a river. And it should be able to handle dust, bumps, and knocks. Military testing is a good sign that the company designed the watch for tough environments, but Ingress Protection (IP) ratings are also useful in judging how robust a watch will be. 

Sensors

While you don’t necessarily need a bunch of sensors on your hiking watch, they can certainly help. ABC (altimeter, barometer, and compass) functions are the most basic for navigating the backcountry. These can alert you to important weather changes, help you keep an eye on the altitude, and give you rudimentary navigation tools. For more advanced navigation, built-in GPS is the way to go. That’s especially true if you won’t have cell reception to access maps on your phone while hiking. 

Beyond those, there are some health-related sensors that you may find beneficial. A heart rate sensor and pulse oximeter can help keep an eye on your health and performance. They can keep you from overexerting yourself, which is especially useful on longer hikes where it’s important to keep a steady, even pace. Plus, they allow for advanced performance measurements that assist in training to improve your performance, helping you build up to bigger hikes. 

Size

A watch doesn’t do much good if it isn’t comfortable enough to wear. The size of the case plays a big role in how comfortable the watch is, so it’s important to pay attention to this before purchasing a hiking watch. A big watch may provide a larger screen, but it can feel annoying on small wrists or even limit movement. Generally speaking, a 50mm case size is considered quite large, while 42mm is more suitable for small wrists. 

If provided, you’ll also want to look at the thickness of the watch, the weight, and the band length. Thick watches can get annoying because they don’t fit under jackets or base layers very well. And you’ll need a band that fits your wrist without excessive amounts of leftover material. 

Additional features

Beyond the necessities, some watches will offer extras that could make hiking even more enjoyable or safer for you. That could be built-in weather apps, maps, and safety features. Also, if you want to use your hiking watch for more than just hikes, activity tracking, and smartwatch functions may be ideal as well. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best hiking watches

• Best overall: Garmin epix Pro (Gen. 2)
• Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Ultra
• Best for backpacking: Garmin fēnix 7 Pro
• Best basic: Casio G-Shock DWH5600-1
• Best solar-powered: Garmin Instinct 2X Solar
• Best budget: Amazfit T-Rex 2

As with most things, there isn’t necessarily a one size fits all approach to the best hiking watch. Someone who is going on casual day hikes through a local park will likely have different needs and wants in a watch than someone seeking out week-long treks through the wilderness. No matter what your style, though, one of the watches in this guide should meet your needs and expectations.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best hiking watches for 2023, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Ace 3		SEE IT	It’s made specifically for children.
Best for style		Fitbit Luxe		SEE IT	Its good looks make it appealing to a wide audience.
Best for teens		Inspire 3		SEE IT	Get slightly older kids some more advanced features.

Fitbits for kids can be a great way to encourage children to develop healthy habits and active lifestyles from an early age. Beyond serving as motivational tools to get moving, they also help you keep an eye on how much exercise your child is getting. Some even offer kid-specific features to gamify movement, making it fun to get active. Fitbits don’t just monitor exercise, though. They can help keep track of stress levels, monitor heart rate, store music, receive phone notifications, and even track sleep. No matter the age of your child, we have compiled the best Fitbits for kids. 

• Best overall: Ace 3
• Best for teens: Inspire 3
• Best for style: Fitbit Luxe
• Best with GPS: Fitbit Charge 6
• Best Fitbit alternative: Amazfit Band 7

How we chose the best Fitbits for kids

When selecting the best Fitbits for kids, we started by comparing the entire Fitbit lineup, many of which we have actually reviewed. We focused on models that offer kid-friendly features, reasonable pricing, and designs that will appeal to a younger crowd. While there’s one model specifically made for kids, other models can appeal to slightly older children and teens who have different needs. We also included a Fiitbit alternative if you are looking for a budget-friendly fitness tracker outside of the Fitbit brand.

The best Fitbits for kids: Reviews & Recommendations

A Fitbit, one of the leading brands of activity trackers, can motivate your child to get the recommended daily amount of exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control, kids from ages 6 to 17 need about 60 minutes of physical movement per day to stay healthy. Fitbits can easily help track those minutes to ensure adequate movement. Below are the best Fitbits for kids, no matter what their current level of activity may be.

Best overall: Ace 3

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Why it made the cut: With a touchscreen display, eight days of battery life, impressive memory, and Parent and Kid View, this is the obvious choice for most young ones.

Specs

• Ages: 6+
• Water resistance: Up to 164 feet
• Battery life: Up to 8 days
• Charge time: 2 hours

Pros

• 8 days of battery life
• Bedtime and alarms
• Parent and Kid View
• Water-resistant 
• Interchangeable bands 

Cons

• Pricey for young kids
• No heart rate monitoring

The only Fitbit specifically made for children, the Ace 3 comes with tons of great features relevant to young ones. With eight days of battery life, a touchscreen display, bedtime alerts, reminders to move, a step counter, and gentle alarms to wake your kids up, this Fitbit comes fully stocked.

One of the most kid-friendly aspects of the Ace 3 is the fun virtual badges, animated clock faces, and personalized avatars that add a healthy sense of competition and play to their activity. Your kids can also personalize their Fitbit with interchangeable accessories, like Minions bands, for an added fee. 

There’s both parent and kid view, and it’s also water-resistant up to 164 feet, so they can even wear it while swimming. It’s by no means cheap, but with all the bells and whistles, we think it’s worth the investment. 

Best for teens: Inspire 3

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Why it made the cut: Easy to use and accessible for teens with a one-year premium trial included, this is a great starter tracker for young adults looking to track calories, heart rate, steps, and more at home and at school.

Specs

• Ages: 13+
• Water resistance: Up to 164 feet
• Battery life: Up to 10 days
• Charge time: 2 hours

Pros

• Easy to use and accessible
• Affordable 
• Up to 10 days of battery
• Six-month Fitbit Premium membership included
• Competitive games

Cons

• Screen may be hard to read in the sunlight
• Band wears after some time

The Inspire 3 is Fitbit’s most accessible and easy-to-use fitness tracker, which makes it a solid option for teens. New Fitbit users get a six-month free trial of Fitbit Premium so they can have access to guided meditations, exercises, and accountability to make their fitness and health journey even easier. 

The Inspire 3 connects to a smartphone, providing call, text, and app notifications right on your teen’s wrist. That means they won’t have as much of an excuse for ignoring your calls or texts. Come nighttime, it offers a sleep mode to pause notifications and turns the screen off so that their sleep isn’t interrupted.

With its sleek design and simple interface, Inspire 3 is a great starter Fitbit for tracking steps, heart rate, distance, calories, food logging, menstrual health, sleep, and more. The battery lasts up to 10 days, and there are even fun games in the app like Get Fit Bingo, for more competitive-minded teens.

Best for style: Fitbit Luxe

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Why it made the cut: Fashion-forward and stylish, the Fitbit Luxe features a menstrual health tracker, several stress management tools, and sleep aids useful for teens.

Specs

• Ages: 13+
• Water resistance: Up to 164 feet
• Battery life: Up to 5 days
• Charge time: 2 hours

Pros

• Call/text notifications 
• Connects to phone GPS to track pace and distance
• Menstrual health tracker
• Stylish design
• Stress management features

Cons

• Pricey
• Website says the battery lasts 5 days, but quicker depending on use

Swimproof, slim, and fashion-forward, the Fitbit Luxe is the perfect tracker for teens who want to be more hands (or wrists?) on with their health. It not only takes care of all-day tracking but also connects to a phone’s GPS to track pace and distance and allows wearers to stay connected with friends via call and text notifications. 

If your teenager has periods, they can track ovulation, record period symptoms, and log flow with the built-in menstrual health tracker, which can help them feel informed about their menstrual health. It also has several stress-management features, such as guided breathing, to help with mood and stress levels. We want to note that teenage girls have enough societal pressure, and we love that Fitbit’s team is committed to helping teenage girls stay healthy and happy without focusing on striving for perfection.

It’s not the cheapest option, but the Special Edition gorjana Soft Gold Stainless Steel Parker Link Bracelet doubles as a bracelet that goes with every outfit, which would make for the perfect birthday or holiday gift!

Best with GPS: Fitbit Charge 6

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Why it made the cut: This Fitbit with GPS can track over 40 workouts, including swimming, and has a built-in GPS system for more accurate location and distance information during workouts. 

Specs

• Ages: 13+
• Water resistance: Up to 164 feet
• Battery life: Up to 7 days
• Charge time: 2 hours

Pros

• Comfortable to wear 24/7
• Built-in GPS with access to Google Maps
• Bigger touchscreen display 
• Heart rate tracker
• Built-in YouTube Music controls

Cons

• Music controls require a subscription
• Expensive compared to other options

Fitbit’s most advanced fitness and health tracker yet, this Fitbit with GPS comes with tons of elite features in a slim and lightweight design. It features an on-wrist ECG app, step tracker, calorie tracker, automatic exercise recognition, swim-tracking, and sleep monitoring. It also allows your kids to set goals, and it buzzes when they hit certain heart rate zones. Plus, the main draw: built-in GPS for tracking routes and workouts.

The built-in GPS allows for much more accurate data related to distance and pace during workouts. The Charge 6 also comes with Google Maps, which provides turn-by-turn directions right on their wrist, giving you peace of mind that your child won’t get lost on a run or bike ride.

Fitbit also included YouTube Music controls on the Charge 6, though you will need a subscription to access that feature.

Best Fitbit alternative: Amazfit Band 7

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Why it made the cut: This budget-friendly Fitbit alternative offers accurate heart rate data, movement goals, and a vibrant display without the subscription fee.

Specs

• Ages: 13+
• Water resistance: Up to 164 feet
• Battery life: Up to 18 days
• Charge time: 2 hours

Pros

• Long battery life
• Accurate heart rate data
• No subscription required to access all features
• Affordable

Cons

• Touchscreen is finicky
• Lack of buttons takes time to get used to

While Fitbit makes some excellent fitness trackers, you’ll need a subscription to access all features and data. For many, that makes Fitbits for kids a less-than-ideal choice. The Amazfit Band 7 is a great alternative in part thanks to the lack of a subscription but also due to the initial budget-friendly price. You’ll spend less upfront and overtime with this cheap fitness tracker.

Despite the low price, the Band 7 has a lot to offer. Amazfit promises up to 18 days of battery life, and during my testing, I was able to get 16 days or so with a daily workout. Of course, actual battery life is heavily dependent on how you use the watch and if you have the always-on display on, but it is still impressive for the price. It also charges quickly, so you can get back to tracking movement in no time.

The built-in BioTracker 3.0 PPG biometric sensor tracks heart rate and blood oxygen levels. I found the heart rate data to be very accurate during runs and weightlifting sessions, even when compared to more expensive Garmin watches. The watch uses that information to calculate VO2 Max, stress levels, and to track sleep. It also provides a PAI, or Personal Activity Intelligence, score, which gives you a picture of how active you are and what your activity level should be for you as an individual.

The Amazfit Band 7 can track 120 different workout types. That includes basics like running, cycling, and yoga but also more obscure things like kite-flying, jumping rope, and badminton. No matter what your child is into, there’s a good chance this fitness tracker can track it. It also pairs with a phone so that your kid can receive phone notifications on their wrist.

To learn more about the Amazfit Band 7, check out our full review.

What to consider when shopping for the best Fitbits for kids

The best Fitbits for kids will fall into the fitness tracker category due to the inherent lower price and slim design. While many of these options share features, there are still some key things to consider before purchasing a device for your child.

A quick note on the term “Fitbit”

For some people, the term “Fitbit” has taken on a more general meaning—it’s a catch-all that references any fitness tracker. It’s like how we often call plastic storage bags Ziploc bags. In reality, Fitbit is a specific brand that’s owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company. We’re keeping this list almost entirely specific to that brand because the company makes a lot of excellent devices, but have included an alternative as well.

Battery life

Battery life is a key component of any device for kids. If their fitness tracker needs to be charged daily, there’s a good chance it won’t actually be worn very much. Most Fitbits promise a battery life of up to five days, but actual battery life is dependent on how your child is using the watch and what types of settings and features are turned on. You’ll want to consider how responsible your kid is—or how much you want to be hands-on with charging—and choose a watch with a battery life that matches.

Features

While Fitbit products have commonalities, some trackers come with unique features. It’s important to identify what you want to get out of your Fitbit. Do you want a hybrid tracker and smartwatch that can sync with a smartphone and offer more complex functionality? Or do you want simple fitness tracking? Do you need GPS built in? How important are stress management tools?

Sleep tracking may also be an important feature for your child. The Sleep Foundation says that sleep not only helps your child’s energy levels but also impacts a slew of other important developmental areas such as memory, focus, mood, learning, motor skill development, and overall happiness.

Luckily, Fitbit has a tool to help you narrow in on the best option for your particular needs. Take the company’s Fitbit quiz to help you make your decision. 

Budget

How much are you looking to spend? While some budget Fitbits are around $80, they can go all the way up to several hundred, depending on features and frills like GPS tracking and smartwatch capabilities. The kid-specific Ace is one of Fitbit’s cheaper models, which makes sense since kids are prone to breaking and losing gadgets on the regular. Buying a kid a $250 smartwatch can be a real gamble. 

Style

Your Fitbit’s style should reflect your child’s age and development. Some Fitbits, like the Ace 3, are meant for small children around six years, and others are meant for older teens, like the Inspire 3 or Luxe. A kid won’t wear something if they hate the way it looks.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Fitbits for kids

• Best overall: Ace 3
• Best for teens: Inspire 3
• Best for style: Fitbit Luxe
• Best with GPS: Fitbit Charge 6
• Best Fitbit alternative: Amazfit Band 7

Fitbits for kids are a great tool to make healthy living a convenient part of your child’s daily life. From fun incentives, cool features, and built-in tracking, it’s never been easier to teach your child how to have agency over their health. Hopefully, this article helps you narrow down the best Fitbits for kids so you can find the one that is right for your child.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Fitbits for kids in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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I bought one of the very first LifeStraws around a decade ago for my now-husband to use on our camping trips. But, that filtration straw required you to grovel on the ground and drink through the straw directly from the source, making it a great emergency tool but not ideal for situations when you want to filter water you carry with you. LifeStraw’s new Peak Solo changes that and should be a fantastic tool for outdoor pursuits and general preparedness. It is the smallest filter from LifeStraw yet, making it even more portable and stashable than the original Peak Series. And the 28mm threading makes it more versatile and easier to use than the company’s classic straw filter. Here’s what to expect with the new filter.

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LifeStraw Peak Solo details

The Peak Solo is a highly capable filter in a very tiny package. It weighs just 1.7 ounces and measures only 5.1 by 1.3 inches, making it easy to toss in a backpack or store in an emergency kit or glove compartment in a car. The end cap features a loop to which you can attach a carabiner, so you can clip it to your pack or keychain.

Despite the compact size, the filter is still highly effective. It offers protection against 99.999999 percent of bacteria (including E.coli and Salmonella), 99.999 percent of parasites (including Giardia and Cryptosporidium), and 99.999 percent of microplastics. It meets the US EPA and NSF P231 drinking water standards for removing bacteria and parasites, giving you more confidence that it will keep you safe.

One of the best features of the Peak Solo is the 28mm threading. This allows you to attach the filter to standard water bottles. You can then drink through it like a straw and use the leak-proof covered mouthpiece to keep your water safe and contained. Or, more usefully, you can use it as a squeeze filter in order to filter water into a different container. It provides a three liters per minute flow rate, allowing you to fill a one-liter bottle in only 20 seconds. That’s huge if you are trying to fill up multiple water bottles or filter water for other people in your hiking group.

The fast flow rate is partly due to enhanced membrane microfilter performance, which reduces clogging from sand and silt. It comes with a backwash syringe to clean the filter, prolonging its life. It is made from durable and sustainable materials, including 50 percent post-consumer recycled BPA-free plastic.

The Peak Solo can filter up to 2,000 liters of safe drinking water, half of what the original Peak Series Straw is capable of. But you can buy replacement parts to keep you from purchasing an entirely new product, which is ideal. The smaller size is definitely worth it in my book, and I will be added at least one to my hurricane emergency kit as we enter hurricane season.

Pricing & availability

The new Peak Solo is available for purchase today for $29.96. And, as with all LifeStraw products, every purchase provides a child in need with safe drinking water for a year, making you feel even better about your purchase.

The post The LifeStraw Peak Solo is a tiny water filter for camping and emergencies appeared first on Popular Science.

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Garmin has been at the top of the fitness watch game for some time, making a range of smartwatches for beginners and pro-level athletes alike. Though each line of watches is tailored to a specific event—such as running, golf, flying, or diving—they can essentially do it all for the multisport enthusiasts and endurance athletes out there. Right now, Garmin is running sales on many of its smartwatches. That includes many editions from the Forerunner line, which was the world’s first GPS running watch and is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. These watches are a great way to take your training to the next level, perfect as we head into summer (weather and wildfires permitting).

Garmin Forerunner 945 $399.99 (was $499.99)

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The Garmin Forerunner 945 has come a long way since the original Forerunner 201 was released in 2003. This advanced running watch provides the ability to sync music directly to the watch to keep you entertained on your runs. It offers 10 hours of battery life in GPS mode with music or up to two weeks in smartwatch mode. You’ll also have access to full-color onboard maps, a handful of safety and tracking features, and Garmin’s full suite of performance metrics and training insights. It’s not the latest version of the Forerunner, but it is still well worth purchasing.

Garmin fēnix 7 – Sapphire Solar Edition $699.99 (was $899.99)

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Garmin recently announced a Pro version of the adventure-focused fēnix 7, but the fēnix 7 is still a fantastic choice and more than enough watch for most people. This version offers the tougher Sapphire glass, so you won’t have to worry about scratches as much. And it provides solar charging, which promised 22 days of battery life in smartwatch mode when it gets access to enough sun. As with most Garmin watches, it features an accurate heart rate monitor and GPS, along with a long list of data collection and fitness tracking features.

Even more Garmin watches on sale:

• Garmin Forerunner 45 $129.99 (was $199.99)
• Garmin Forerunner 245 $199.99 (was $299.99)
• Garmin Forerunner 745 $349.99 (was $499.99)
• Garmin epix (Gen 2) – Sapphire Edition | 47 mm $799.99 (was $999.99)
• Garmin Instinct 2 Solar – Surf Edition $349.99 (was $448.99)
• Garmin Instinct 2S Solar $349.99 (was $449.99)
• Garmin Instinct Solar – Standard Edition $319.99 (was $399.99)
• Garmin Venu 2 Plus $299.99 (was $349.99)
• Garmin Venu Sq $119.99 (was $199.99)
• Garmin Vivoactive 4 $199.99 (was $329.99)
• Garmin tactix Delta $699.99 (was $899.99)
• Garmin tactix Delta – Solar edition $899.99 (was $1,099.99)
• Garmin quatix 7 Sapphire Edition $799.99 (was $999.99)
• Garmin Approach S12 $149.99 (was $199.99)
• Garmin Approach S42 $249.99 (was $299.99)
• Garmin D2 Mach 1 $1,199.99 (was $1,299.99)
• Garmin D2 Air X10 $499.99 (was $549.99)

More Garmin products on sale:

• Garmin inReach Messenger $249.00 (was $299.99)
• Garmin inReach Mini 2 $349.99 (was $399.99)
• Garmin Approach R10 $549.99 (was $599.99)
• Garmin Striker Cast $129.99 (was $179.99)
• Garmin Striker Plus 4 $139.99 (was $159.99)

Garmin software updates

On top of running sales on many of its watches, Garmin has also announced a software update for the Enduro 2, epix (Gen 2), fēnix 7 series, Forerunner series, Instinct 2 series, and MARQ (Gen 2) watches. This update will include the addition of wrist-based running dynamics such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and more. These metrics will be measured right from the wrist, so you won’t need to purchase additional accessories if you are interested in that information.

The free software update also provides a Load Ratio to help you stay in shape and acclimation improvements to assist with altitude acclimation. Garmin also added an obstacle racing activity to keep track of your run time, the number of obstacles, heart rate, and more during obstacle course events. It will also record split times between running and obstacle sections during races. Finally, Targeted Adaptive Coaching for Cycling is now available. This will provide a week of daily suggested cycling workouts directly on the watch, which adapt to your performance and upcoming events that you add to your Gamin Connect calendar.

These updates have already started to roll out to compatible devices. You can update your new smartwatch by turning on automatic updates and syncing with Garmin Connect or by using Garmin Express. Don’t let these prices pass you by (but if they do, it’s probably because they have been training with a Garmin watch)!

The post Up your summer fitness with $200 off select Garmin smartwatches appeared first on Popular Science.

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Garmin is well known for its expansive list of rugged fitness watches, with multiple lines specifically tailored to different activity types. And now, the options for adventurers and serious endurance athletes are even more extensive with the announcement of updated Pro versions of the epix and fēnix 7 watches. 

Most of the updates to these premium next-gen. multisport watches are incremental software changes, such as more activity types and new fitness measurement tools. But there are also a few notable hardware and build upgrades, including a new size option and AMOLED display for the epix Pro and an LED flashlight in all three sizes of both the epix Pro and fēnix 7 Pro. Both watches will also benefit from trickle-down features from the new Forerunners.

Garmin epix Pro details

Garmin just debuted its epix 2 line of watches last year. Despite how new the series is, the company is rolling out some worthwhile updates to make it even better in a new Pro version. With vibrant metrics-rich watch faces and extensive sensors/navigation features in a sleek body, the epix Pro remains a great choice for boardroom-to-backcountry adventures and weekend warriors, from climbers and mountaineers to ultra-marathon trail runners. 

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epix Pro and build changes

The epix came in two sizes—42mm and 47mm—while the Pro version adds a 52mm option for those who really want a statement piece on their wrist. The larger size offers more than just a dramatic look, however. Garmin packed extra battery into the 52mm version, which promises up to 31 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. The 42mm and 47mm both should provide 10 and 16 days of battery life, respectively. 

Like the epix Gen. 2, the Garmin epix Pro will be available in Standard Edition, which features Corning Gorilla Glass and stainless steel case, or the Sapphire Edition, which uses a more durable Sapphire lens and titanium case. And all three sizes get an even brighter upgraded AMOLED display for a colorful, detail-packed watch face. 

All three sizes will offer an LED flashlight, which can vary in intensity and features a strobe mode. We were glad to see the flashlight included even on the smallest watch since it is a potentially game-changing feature. It can illuminate your path while trail running or hiking in the dark and help others see you, which is invaluable if exercising near a road. 

The epix Pro also gets an updated and optimized heart rate sensor. Garmin didn’t provide any information on what exactly that means, but it says these changes will provide “enhanced multisport performance tracking.”

Fitness tracking features

Garmin watches are already robust in their fitness tracking abilities, but the company is not one to just let things be. The epix Pro will offer new activities, which include team sports such as soccer, basketball, and racquet sports, as well as horseback riding and more.

Beyond new tracking modes, Garmin also created new training features. Hill Score gives you a better idea of how your training impacts your ability to run uphill. Uphill segments are automatically detected and analyzed, and that information is combined with other physiological metrics to provide a score from one to 100. It even breaks the score down into Hill Endurance and Hill Strength, which reflect short, fast efforts versus long, sustained climbs. And it offers feedback to improve your training over time. 

The second new feature—Endurance score—looks beyond your VO2 Max, giving a more personalized look at your fitness. It analyzes both short-term and long-term endurance training and takes into account all types of activity, not just running or cycling. And, like Hill Score, it provides training feedback to help you understand your score.

Additional new features

The Garmin epix Pro will provide a unique Red Shift Mode, which changes the display to shares of red. This lessens the impact on your vision when looking at your watch in the dark and reduces any sleep cycle disturbance you might get from the standard display. You can manually turn on this display mode or schedule it to automatically turn on and off based on sunset and sunrise time. And you can even select certain activities that automatically use Red Shift Mode.

Up Ahead mode will allow you to view running points of interest, such as checkpoints and aid stations, right on the map. This allows you to better understand what’s in front of you and plan accordingly on your race or activity. 

The last feature those navigating the backcountry will especially appreciate is the new weather map overlays and relief shading on topographic maps. The weather overlays can display temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover, to help you make more informed decisions on the go. And relief shading will assist in navigation. You can also opt into Outdoor Maps+ for even more map content, including satellite imagery and more detailed maps.  

Garmin epix Pro pricing & availability

The epix Pro is available for purchase as of today, starting at $899.99.

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Garmin fēnix 7 Pro details

Like the epix Pro, most changes to the fēnix 7 Pro are smaller software additions. The fēnix 7 Pro still comes in 42mm, 47mm, or 51mm sizes, though you no longer have the option of a version without solar charging. You can, however, choose between Standard Solar or Sapphire Solar, depending on how robust you want your watch face. 

Like many of Garmin’s new watches lately, including the Instinct 2X, the fēnix 7 Pro will feature an LED flashlight in all sizes. It offers a broad pattern, variable intensities, red safety light, and strobe mode. 

New training features

The fēnix 7 Pro also gets a new heart rate sensor. Garmin says this next-gen sensor utilizes “more spatially diverse optical sensors and sport-specific algorithms.” It should provide even better performance tracking for more activities, giving you even more accurate insight into your training. 

Like the epix Pro, the fēnix 7 Pro will also get the new Endurance Score and Hill Score for better endurance training insight. It also gets its share of new activities, including white water rafting, motocross, overlanding, and dozens more. And the watch will provide access to the weather map overlays, new relief shading, and Up Ahead mode.

Garmin fēnix 7 Pro pricing and availability

All versions of the fēnix 7 Pro are available for purchase at a starting price of $799.99.

The post Garmin’s newest smartwatches are even more adventure-ready appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Sennheiser MKH 416		SEE IT	Professional sonics and build capture the sound and fury of whatever you’re doing, wherever you are.
Best compact		Rode NTG3B		SEE IT	A relatively moderate price tag but wide frequency response means this giant sound from a small package.
Best for DSLR		Rode VideoMic Pro+		SEE IT	Able to run off of AA batteries, with a build that belies its affordable price tag, this is a perfect beginner mic.

Shotgun mics are flexible tools for capturing natural, focused sound for film and television, environmental recordings, sporting and live events, vlogs, or voice-overs. Their narrow pickup pattern rejects noise from the sides and, to a certain extent, the back, keeping the focus on your subject. The best shotgun mics are light enough to mount on a camera or carry on a boom pole all day and, in many cases, built with enough durability to survive the rough-and-tumble life of location recording. 

Plenty of times, you’re on the street or live streaming and don’t have the luxury of individually miking people, or you’re filming a scene where you can’t have a visible lavalier mic. That’s why you’ll find top-notch shotgun mics throughout the professional world—often accompanied by professional-level prices. But shotguns have been around for a while, and these ubiquitous tools of the trade are often inexpensive enough that even beginners and budget-minded users can add quality equipment to their kit bags. 

With every reputable—and less than reputable—microphone manufacturer producing them, it’s sometimes hard to figure out which shotgun mics deliver on their promise of great sound. So to help you out, we’ve rounded up a list of tips, advice, and the best shotgun mics.  

• Best overall: Sennheiser MKH 416
• Best compact: Rode NTG3B
• Best for DSLR: Rode VideoMic Pro+
• Best for most situations: Shure VP89M
• Best professional: Neumann KMR 81 i
• Best mini: Rode VideoMicro II
• Premium pick: Schoeps CMIT 5
• Best budget: Audio-Technica AT897

How we chose the best shotgun mics

We based our selection of the best shotgun mics on our own personal experience in the film, TV, and professional audio worlds, as well as conversations with other professional audio engineers and filmmakers, experts at equipment rental houses, and musicians. We consulted specialty review sites, industry trade magazines, and blogs, and read through the online impressions of typical users to see if performance typically matched a mic’s promise. In evaluating our selections, we prioritized sound quality and looked at construction (including moisture resistance), price, size, and how each microphone is powered.

The best shotgun mics: Reviews & Recommendations

Shotgun mics are ideal for recording dialogue on a movie set, the action on the court at a basketball game, or animals out in nature. It’s important to note that no shotguns will reject all off-axis sound. But they do an excellent job of keeping the focus on your subject.

Best overall: Sennheiser MKH 416

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Specs

• Weight: 6.17 ounces
• Length: 9.84 inches
• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Wide frequency response for clear, natural sound
• Tight polar pattern isolates sound sources
• Moisture resistant

Cons

• Expensive

Sennheiser’s name repeatedly pops up when discussing the best microphones, and the venerable German manufacturer doesn’t slack off with their flagship MKH 416 shotgun mic. This professional-grade piece of kit has a wide 40-20,000 Hz frequency response, with a hyper-cardioid polar pattern at the low to mid frequencies that does an excellent job of rejecting off-axis sounds while zeroing in on the dialogue and other mid-frequency sources.

The shotgun works great indoors or out across various environments, thanks to an RF condenser design that’s highly moisture-resistant. And the MKH 416’s compact and light construction makes it easy to mount the mic on a boom pole without sacrificing maneuverability or tiring out your operator.

Make no mistake; you can get excellent shotgun mics for less money. But as good as they are, none provide the combined level of sonic quality, robust construction, and all-around utility of the MKH 416.

Best compact: Rode NTG3B

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Specs

• Weight: 5.75 ounces
• Length: 10.4 inches
• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Wide frequency response for natural sound
• Moisture resistant 
• Easy to mount on a camera or boom

Cons

• Slightly thinner sounding

Rode makes excellent mics. And thanks to its relatively moderate price tag, the NTG3B represents a common first step into the world of high-quality microphones. But thanks to its wide, natural 40-20,000 Hz frequency response and excellent build quality, it’s also the last stop for many pro and semi-pro indie filmmakers, documentarians, broadcast journalists, podcasters, and in-house audio-video teams.

It has excellent off-axis rejection, and its RF condenser technology protects it from moderate moisture. It isn’t quite as sensitive or directional as our top pick, Sennheiser’s MKH 416, but it usually costs about $300 less—and includes a handy metal case. For all but the most demanding users, that is often worth the trade-off. It’s still not what we’d consider “budget-priced,” but you definitely get what you pay for in terms of sonic integrity and build. 

Best for DSLR: Rode VideoMic Pro+

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Specs

• Weight: 4.3 ounces
• Length: 6.69 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Built-in shockmount resists handling noise
• Extremely compact design
• Multiple power options
• 3.5mm TRS connectors

Cons

• No XLR connectivity
• Off-axis rejection could be better

Rode designed this compact and handy shotgun mic with mobile journalists, vloggers, and run-and-gun shooters in mind. It connects to cameras or audio recorders via a 3.5mm TRS cable and features an integrated shockmount that protects it from handling noise. The VideoMic Pro+ also has a built-in cold-shoe mount—so no extra arms or connectors are needed to mount it on your camera. 

The mic can be tuned to handle different recording environments, with buttons providing low-cut filters at 75 Hz or 150 Hz. You can also boost the frequency at 7 kHz if things start sounding a bit muddy. The mic has adjustable gain, as well, to help compensate for very loud or soft sounds. 

The VideoMic Pro+ won’t accept phantom power, but it does allow you to use AA batteries, Rode’s rechargeable battery, or an external battery that can connect via USB. 

With a shorter barrel, this shotgun mic sometimes has trouble rejecting off-axis sounds, especially in environments with large and noisy crowds. But if you want to keep your kit low-profile and nimble, this trade-off might be worth it.

Premium pick: Schoeps CMIT 5

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Specs 

• Weight: 3.35 ounces
• Length: 9.88 inches
• Frequency response: 40 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Natural sound
• Three switchable filters
• Shielded against electronic interference
• Compact design

Cons 

• Very expensive.
• Sensitive to environmental issues

Shoeps makes some of the best-sounding microphones in the business, and the CMIT 5 is no exception. It has a frequency response of 40-20,000 Hz tuned to provide flat, transparent, natural audio. But it also has three filters in case some additional acoustic sculpting is required: increase vocal clarity with a 5 dB boost at 10 Hz; roll off some bass at 300 Hz to offset proximity effect; or do a steep cut below 80 Hz to help wrangle handling-noise from a mic boom. It’s designed to perform best when paired with a high-gain mic preamp and is ideal for high-end applications like capturing dialogue, foley work, sound effects, or recording nuanced instruments.

However, Schoeps mics are some of the most sensitive to environmental issues like humidity. You don’t want to bring the CMIT 5 into the jungle or shoot down in Florida outside of an environmentally controlled building. This microphone is for the studio, concert hall, or closed set.

Remember that the best of the best comes with a high price tag, and the Schoeps CMIT 5 might be more microphone than many people outside the professional field need. 

Most versatile: Shure VP89M

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Specs 

• Weight: 4.9 ounces
• Length: 9.41 inches (Capsule), 4.02 inches (Preamp)
• Frequency response: 50 Hz to 20 kHz

Pros

• Unique modular capsule design
• Excellent sound quality
• Switchable low-cut filter
• Rugged yet lightweight build quality

Cons

• Requires 11 to 52 VDC phantom power

If you record in various situations, you typically need multiple shotgun mics to suit each scenario. But the Shure VP89M offers a unique modular design with interchangeable capsules, so you can stick with one mic even across indoor or outdoor applications. This version has a medium capsule, but you can also purchase short and long capsules to round out your kit. 

Shure built this mic around a Class-A transformerless preamplifier. It features a switchable low-cut filter to assist with less-than-desirable bass frequencies. The Medium capsule provides a narrow 50-degree acceptance angle, while the Long capsule offers a narrower angle, and the Short is wider. The mic produces a clean and natural sound that is very well-balanced. And it can easily pick up sound from up to 10 feet away, making it a worthy long-range mic option.

The Shure VP89M features a standard XLR 3-pin output. The aircraft-grade aluminum alloy construction adds to its durability but keeps the mic lightweight, making it easier to use for long periods. And it can operate in a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels. Though you must purchase the different capsules separately, this comes with a windscreen and carrying case. 

Best professional: Neumann KMR 81 i

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Specs 

• Weight: 5 ounces
• Length: 8.9 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Warm, clear sound
• Works in a variety of situations
• Low sensitivity to wind and handling noise
• Compact enough to mount on a camera

Cons

• Expensive

Neumann makes some of the best microphones, and the KMR 81 i is no exception. It has a steep price tag, but you get a lot for that high price. It is a super-cardioid mic and uses a pressure gradient transducer and an interference tube depending on the wavelength of the frequency for versatile use. 

The Neumann KMR 81 i is compact and light enough to be used on a camera for handheld shooting. Though the mic is specifically designed for film and TV applications, it also works well for recording individual musicians, orchestras, and more. The limited off-axis coloration keeps the sound consistent even if the subject is moving around. 

Most importantly, the KMR 81 i produces a high-quality, clear, warm sound. The 90-degree recording angle picks up just the right amount of sound. It offers switches to control a 200Hz low-cut filter and a -10dB pad to reduce traffic and wind noises. It also comes with a windscreen for even better results when outdoors. You’ll also get a leather carrying case and a one-year warranty.

Best mini: Rode VideoMicro II

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Specs 

• Weight: 1.4 ounces
• Length: 3.1 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Pros

• Very compact and lightweight
• Affordable
• Straightforward and easy to use
• Excellent sound quality

Cons

• Only supports 3.5mm analog output

The Rode VideoMicro II, is, as the name suggests, tiny. At only 3.1 inches long and weight 1.4 ounces, it’s smaller than just about everything out there. This small shotgun mic is ideal for beginners getting into filmmaking or vlogging, partly because of its compact size. It’s also very simple to use. You mount it to your camera’s hot shoe, plug in the 3.5mm TRS cable, and you are good to go. It can even connect to a smartphone or tablet should you want to.

The VideoMicro II is also reasonably priced, under $100. But, despite the budget-friendly price, it produces quality sound. It comes with both foam and furry windshields, which do an excellent job of filtering out background noise. And Rode’s built-in HELIX isolation mount system keeps noise from any knocks and bumps down to a minimum. 

The mic has no physical controls, so you are more limited than when using more expensive models. But it only draws a tiny bit of power from your camera, so you won’t have to cut recordings short to charge back up. The short form factor even makes it feasible to use on gimbals, making it an ideal microphone choice for run-and-gun videographers and vloggers.

Best budget: Audio-Technica AT897

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Specs 

• Weight: 5.11 ounces
• Length: 10.98 inches
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Pros

• Inexpensive
• 80 Hz low-cut switch
• Lightweight
• Battery and phantom powered

Cons

• Susceptible to moisture
• Slightly brittle sounding 

With microphones, you often get what you pay for. But Audio-Technica’s AT897 delivers high-quality results while still costing less than $250. Its wide 20-20,000 Hz frequency response, with a switchable roll-off at 80 Hz, allows the mic to capture very natural sound. That said, the response across all those frequencies could be flatter, and you can expect some brittleness in the higher end that you won’t find on more professional-grade mics. Off-axis sound rejection is good but not great.

The AT897 is built like a tank, and while I wouldn’t suggest tossing it onto concrete or driving over it with a truck, it’ll generally survive the mishaps you’re likely to encounter when recording on location or out in nature. However, it’s susceptible to moisture and high humidity, so keep an eye on the weather if you’re using it outdoors. 

A nice bonus: This mic can run off an AA battery, which is particularly handy when the budget doesn’t allow for recorders or cameras that supply phantom power—for instance, in a classroom. Despite some shortcomings, this is an excellent shotgun microphone for beginners who want to develop their technique, schools, or anyone operating under a tight budget while still wanting plenty of features and quality. 

Things to consider before buying the best shotgun mics

Microphones have polar, or response, patterns, which describe how they “hear” sound sources depending on where they’re placed. A shotgun microphone is a type of mic with a very narrow, front-facing response known as a “supercardioid” pattern. This means the mic mostly picks up sound from whatever you point it at while rejecting sound from the sides and, to a lesser extent, the back.

Frequency response

Frequency response is measured in Hertz (Hz) and describes how well the microphone captures sound at different frequencies. Shotgun microphones tend to have very wide, flat responses—that is, they pick up a range of frequencies more or less equally well—to better represent what the human ear can hear. They’re often tuned a bit to help emphasize dialogue and other mid-range frequencies. 

Condenser vs. dynamic microphones

There are two main types of microphones: condenser mics and dynamic mics. In very basic terms, microphones use diaphragms that vibrate when hit by sound waves. These vibrations generate electronic impulses that can be recorded or converted directly back into sound. Condenser mics have very thin diaphragms sensitive to subtle, quiet, nuanced sounds. But they’re more delicate and susceptible to heavy handling and moisture.

Dynamic mics, with their thicker diaphragms, aren’t as good with nuance but do very well when blasted with loud noises. They’re also robust and can survive a lot of abuse. (Singers usually use dynamic mics on stage; if you’ve ever been to a punk show, you’ve seen the damage they can withstand.) 

Because shotguns are meant to capture even whispered dialogue, they’re almost always condenser mics. Some mics—like those in Sennheiser’s MKH series—use RF condensers in their capsules versus AF condensers, which do a better job of resisting humidity. But it’s important to understand the options and even test a mic to ensure you get the right one for the job at hand.

Length

Shotgun mics come in various lengths, from a compact 3 inches or 4 inches to more than one-foot long. Consider how you’ll use the mic when deciding whether you want a compact one. If you’re mounting it on a camera, a smaller profile makes the mic lighter and much more maneuverable. Longer shotguns tend to have tighter polar patterns; they’re great when recording concerts or sporting events, and you want to minimize the overwhelming crowd noise. But put one on a camera, and you’re liable to poke someone’s eye out!   

Power

Like all condenser mics, shotguns require some power source. They usually rely on 48v phantom power delivered from a recording device, mixer, or camera. But some also have an option of using an AA battery, which can be a lifesaver if you find yourself in a situation where phantom power isn’t available. (For instance, some wireless rigs don’t deliver power themselves, so pick up and power up those rechargeable batteries.)

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best shotgun mics

• Best overall: Sennheiser MKH 416
• Best compact: Rode NTG3B
• Best for DSLR: Rode VideoMic Pro+
• Premium pick: Schoeps CMIT 5’
• Most versatile: Shure VP89M
• Best professional: Neumann KMR 81 i
• Best mini: Rode VideoMicro II
• Best budget: Audio-Technica AT897

If you’re shopping for a shotgun microphone, you’ve got a lot of options—that’s the good news. Manufacturers like Sennheiser and Rode make mics at different prices that all deliver excellent audio. The trick is figuring out which mic suits your needs best without accidentally overspending. It’s not easy—and that’s the bad news. Navigating all these microphones takes time and careful research. It also helps to use the mics before you buy one so you can tell from first-hand experience if it’s right for you.

That said, our own experience working with these mics professionally takes us back, time and again, to the classic Sennheiser MKH 416. It’s hard to beat the sound quality, which is simply excellent. But if you can’t quite afford one, Rode’s NTG3B, our pick for the best compact shotgun mic, is an excellent second choice. It sounds almost as good and has the same resistance to humidity. I’ve used both in professional settings and never had any complaints. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best shotgun mics in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Outdoor gear has historically not been very friendly to the environment that it encourages you to go and enjoy. But outdoor gear maker NEMO aims to change that and has announced its first-ever fully recyclable sleeping bag. The company wanted to get a more eco-friendly bag to consumers faster, so it opted to redesign its already popular three-season Spoon shaped bag instead of creating something entirely new. The bag also is the first in NEMO’s Endless Promise series, which Nemo says is a step toward its goal of cutting emissions intensity in half by 2030. We love to see companies making tangible moves to be more environmentally responsible and have high hopes for this bag.

NEMO Forte

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The redesigned Forte is now made using a single material family and is 100% recyclable. It is made up of a recycled liner, bluesign-approved shell fabric, and Zerofiber PCR insulation, which is made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials. As is typically the benefit of synthetic insulation, it maintains loft and warmth even when wet. And it packs down small to save space. 

The new Forte gets NEMO’s Classic Spoon shape, providing extra room at the shoulders and knees for side sleepers. It also features upgraded Thermo Gill vents with a multistage zipper system to expand the usable temperature range of the bag and overall improve comfort. Hot sleepers and warm-weather campers can rejoice about better temperature control. When the weather is cold, the Blanket Fold draft collar will help to keep out cold air. An integrated pillow pocket will keep your pillow in the right place while you sleep. The full-length double slider YKK zipper makes it easy to get in and out. And it can be zipped together with a sleeping bag with a zipper on the opposite side to create a double sleeping bag.

The Forte is available in men’s and women’s versions in two different lengths and either 20- or 35-degree temperature ratings. Pricing ranges from $179.95 to $239.95, depending on what length and temperature rating you go with. They are available now on NEMO’s website and will be available for purchase at retailers worldwide in June 2023. We suspect this will likely be our favorite sustainable sleeping bag, and we’re eager to test it as we refresh our coverage of camping essentials. 

Endless Promise program details

With the launch of the NEMO Forte, the company is also announcing its newest sustainability program. The Endless Promise product line aims to take “responsibility for the entire life cycle of each product.” That starts with reducing resource consumption and ends with keeping gear out of landfills. As a result, products in this series are specifically designed to be repairable, resellable, and recyclable. 

And NEMO plans to incentivize people to take part in this program. When you are done with a new Forte sleeping bag, you can send it back to NEMO for either resale or recycling. If the bag is in good enough condition to be reused, you will receive a NEMO gift card for the resale value of the bag. If the bag instead needs to be recycled, a $20 NEMO gift card will be sent as a thank you for recycling. For bags that go the recycled route, NEMO partnered up with Unifi, a textile recycler, to turn Forte bags into Repreve polyester yarns so that they can live on.

The post NEMO unfurls its first recyclable sleeping bag appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		Apple Watch Ultra 2		SEE IT	This watch offers full functionality without your phone and plenty of advanced activity tracking.
Best for running		Garmin Forerunner 965		SEE IT	The Forerunner 965 offers advanced running metrics even without additional accessories.
Best budget		COROS Pace 2		SEE IT	You’ll get advanced fitness watch features at a more affordable price.

Garmin is one of the most popular smartwatch makers in the world, largely due to the multinational GPS-enabled technology company’s focus on hyper-accurate fitness tracking. While Apple still holds 30% of the global market (and over 50% of its revenue), according to a February 2023 Counterpoint Research report, Garmin has achieved a position of prominence on people’s wrists from the boardroom to the backcountry. When it comes to premium multisport wearables, Garmin is the endurance athlete’s top choice because of the depth of activities supported and battery life that can outlast almost any adventure. We’ve pulled together several of the company’s most popular products to help you find the best Garmin smartwatch to fit your lifestyle, sense of style, and budget.   

• Best overall: Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar and Garmin epix (Gen. 2)
• Best running watch: Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar
• Best for hiking: Garmin Instinct Solar 2
• Best for diving: Garmin Descent G1 Solar
• Best fashion wearable: Garmin Venu 2
• Best budget watch for beginners: Garmin Vivoactive 4

How we chose the best Garmin smartwatches

All Garmin smartwatches provide a degree of wellness metering; they measure steps, monitor your heart rate, and generally check to make sure you’re still alive. But if you take your training seriously, the best smartwatches feature activity tracking, pulse oximeters to measure the oxygen in your blood, stress metering, energy-level monitoring, sleep trackers, customizable training regiments, and challenges designed to help you improve in your favorite sports. The Garmin Connect app syncs to your iOS and Android phones, providing access to customizable coaching and a community of athletes to compete with. If you’re serious about training, durability should also trump style. You don’t want it falling apart the first time you bang the watch against a machine at the gym, or you take a hit on the playing field. And if you’re a swimmer, your watch has to be waterproof, too. We took all these factors, and more, into consideration.

The best Garmin smartwatches for 2023: Reviews & Recommendations

Once you’ve considered your specific needs, it’s time to dig into the Garmin lineup. With multiple models in different lines—including sports & fitness, outdoor recreation, swimming, fashion, luxury, and more—there are plenty of options. Here are our top picks from several categories:

Best overall: Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar

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Why it made the cut: If you want metrics that tell you if you’re in the weeds and guidance that helps you get out of the woods, the fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar can keep up with whatever you’re up to.

Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 57 hours/73 hours with solar (GPS only mode)
• Weight: 2.68 ounces

Pros

• The battery life, which can stretch from many days to several months depending on usage and solar energy conditions
• Touchscreen and button navigation/controls
• The visibility in sunlight
• The durability of the titanium body and sapphire crystal

Cons

• Expensive
• Bulky

The Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar is perfect for gym rats, anyone who plays a wide variety of sports, and especially people who believe new terrain equals new gains. It tracks more activities than other watches and includes advanced training features like PacePro for grade-adjusted pace guidance throughout an activity. Plus, the heart monitor works underwater. Adventurous athletes will appreciate the preloaded TopoActive maps (updateable via Wi-Fi), ski maps for more than 2,000 ski resorts, and a multiband global navigation satellite system. Whether it’s jet lag or running laps, the sensor-packed smartwatch gives you insight into your body’s battery (tracking everything from heart rate and blood oxygen to respiration and sleep to stress and hydration). The downside: It’s predictably expensive and chunky. The upsides, though …

Watches need to be charged. Most of Garmin’s smartwatches plug into a wall via a proprietary multi-pin USB cable (don’t lose it!) that attaches to the back of the case. At the higher end of the product line, these watches run for about 26 hours under a constantly tracking GPS load or 173 days in battery-saver mode. However, if you’re someone who spends a lot of time outdoors—whether hiking, gardening, or running, for instance—Garmin’s solar watches can extend that time, well, almost indefinitely. Garmin uses what the company calls “Power Glass,” which is integrated behind tough Corning Gorilla Glass 3 in the standard Solar edition or Power Sapphire in the upgraded flagship (shown catching sunlight on a crisp January hike above), to turn a few hours of direct light into days of use. As a bonus, the Power Glass doesn’t take up real estate on the watch’s face, leaving ample room for all the other information Garmin’s watches provide. 

As its name suggests, the Garmin Solar watches can be powered by the sun; three hours of direct light is enough to keep one running. It’s a boon for outdoor enthusiasts, especially athletic ones who will appreciate the robust set of activity trackers, personal coaching, and other wellness features. It’s a great fitness watch, but the fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar isn’t the prettiest of Garmin’s premium products because it lacks the advanced AMOLED touchscreen found on the Garmin epix (Gen. 2)—though that vivid display (shown below on the same winter day in a bit of shade for comparison) means the epix can’t match the fēnix 7 in battery life even though it’s otherwise as full-featured. Though a week or two, depending on mode, ain’t bad and more than enough if most of your training and traveling centers around convenient recharging stations.  

Best running watch: Forerunner 955 Solar

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Why it made the cut: The Forerunner 955 Solar offers excellent battery life with a seemingly endless list of features and capabilities, from training and safety tools to full smartwatch abilities and countless customization options. 

Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: Yes
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 42 hours/49 hours with solar (GPS only mode)
• Weight: 1.86 ounces

Pros

• Long-lasting battery life
• A plethora of sensors for lots of data
• Full smartwatch capabilities
• Touchscreen

Cons

• Solar charging doesn’t add much to battery life

If you are serious about improvising your fitness and performance, a watch with many sensors is a must. There’s no such thing as too much data for such athletes. That’s where the Forerunner 955 Solar comes in. It’s jam-packed with just about every sensor you could imagine so that you can measure everything from heart rate to stride length and even REM sleep.

Garmin then uses all that data to provide training suggestions and status updates via the watch and the Garmin Connect app. It helps prevent overtraining, offers a rough guide for improving your performance, and suggests workout ideas to keep your training fresh (as we found out in our full review). Your Forerunner 955 can even give predictions on race times for different distances. It’s essentially like having a coach right there on your wrist (or in your pocket).

Beyond fitness tracking, the watch also pairs with your phone for full smartwatch capabilities. It will give you notifications for calls, texts, and all your apps and even let you send some preformatted responses right from the watch. And you’ll have access to important safety features for runners so that they can track your progress on an activity (LiveTrack), and you can quickly request help (Assistance).

Best for hiking: Instinct 2 Solar and Instinct 2S Solar

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Why it made the cut: The Instinct 2 Solar provides truly impressive battery life and rugged design for those who seek out long adventures.

Specs

• Display: 0.79 x 0.79-inch or 0.9 x 0.9-inch monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 30 hours/48 hours with solar
• Weight: 1.52 ounces or 1.86 ounces

Pros

• Ridiculous battery life
• Available in two sizes
• Robust fitness tracking and health features
• Garmin Pay compatible

Cons

• Black and white display 
• Detailed maps and graphs don’t show up well

Hiking—especially long hikes and backpacking—requires more from a watch than many other activities. Battery life, in particular, is critical. Recording with GPS for long periods can eat through battery life, and having your hike recording disappear because of a dead battery is extremely frustrating. The Instinct 2 Solar attempts to solve this with its absurdly long battery life. For example, in Expedition mode, you can get up to 105 days of battery with the right solar conditions.

Part of the long battery life is thanks to the rather simple monochrome display. It’s not a fancy color touchscreen like some of the more premium Garmin watches, but it’s easily visible even in bright sunlight and fits the rugged design of the watch. Additionally, the Instinct Solar 2 comes in two case sizes: 40mm or 45mm. That’s especially ideal for those with tiny wrists who don’t want a giant watch (like me, for instance). And a newer Instinct 2X Solar has been released with a larger bezel for those who prefer a larger display and longer battery life, so now there are three size options within the family.

The watch comes with more basic sensors, including heart rate, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, thermometer, pulse ox monitor, compass, and a few GPS modes. Even though it doesn’t have as many sensors as the more expensive watches, it still provides training details, statuses, and suggestions to improve your fitness without thinking much about it. 

Best for diving: Garmin Descent G1 Solar

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Why it made the cut: The solar capabilities of the Descent G1 Solar prolong the battery life, allowing you to stay out longer while recording your dives. Plus, it offers a full suite of freediver-friendly features to keep you safe and help you improve your apnea performance. 

Specs

• Display: 0.9 x 0.9-inch monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 26 hours/39 hours with solar
• Weight: 2.32 ounes

Pros

• Excellent battery life and fast charging
• Dive features are intuitive and easy to use
• Very customizable
• Pairs with other Garmin fitness devices like heart rate monitors and power meters

Cons

• Monochrome screen
• Not as sleek as the more premium Garmin dive watch

While most forms of exercise overlap with what you would want from a watch, diving presents a unique situation. Environmental conditions such as tide and weather are even more critical when diving, and different data types are useful to stay safe. The Garmin Descent G1 Solar is a robust and rugged dive computer and exercise watch that is water-rated to 100 meters. It’s the ideal tool for those who dive but don’t want a separate device for exercise on land.

This watch can keep you updated on the current tide, surf, and weather conditions, provides GPS coordinates of your surface entry and exit points, and can pair with the Garmin InReach communication device. All these features will help keep you safe even if you are in a remote location. Plus, you’ll get up to 25 hours of battery life in dive mode, so you won’t have to worry about your watch dying mid-dive session.

The Descent G1 Solar comes loaded with multiple types of diving, including single and multiple gas dives (including nitrox and trimix), gauge, apnea, apnea hunt, and closed-circuit rebreather. But it’s also ready for just about any other type of activity, from running to cycling and even hunting and yoga. My husband has been using this watch for six months and said it is a fantastic partner to have with you in the field (or in the water) on long days.

Best fashion wearable: Garmin Venu 2 

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Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch AMOLED optional always-on mode
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 22 hours (GPS without music); 11 days as just a smartwatch
• Weight: 1.73 ounces

Sometimes you want a smartwatch that is less focused on your workouts but can keep you up on work while you’re out. While keeping track of your steps, etc., is valuable, sometimes you want to control your watch and control your life. The Garmin Connect app allows the company’s watches to sync to iOS and Android phones via a robust Bluetooth connection. This opens up advanced wellness features and biometric tracking, as well as a way to further customize the watch’s features. But what I really love is how syncing the two lets me subtly check my messages and calendar alerts by simply glancing at my wrist. I can also control my music, navigate through a new city, and many other things I’d normally use my phone for—all while keeping my hands free. Now, reaching into my back pocket for anything other than answering a call seems like a waste, even when not working out.

The Venu 2 features a colorful, touch-sensitive AMOLED display that’s as easy to read as it is to navigate. This is great because the smartwatch is loaded with features, including activity tracking, a powerful GPS, onboard storage for up to 650 songs, and seamless integration with your smartphone via the Garmin Connect app. This is a watch you can wear all day, in any setting, and it’ll never look out of place (and you can read more about the experience in our full review).

Best budget watch for beginners: Garmin Vivoactive 4

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Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)
• Touchscreen: No
• Battery life with GPS: Up to 18 hours (GPS without music)
• Weight: 1.78 ounces

Pay attention to your budget when choosing a smartwatch. If you don’t need advanced features, like solar power, and AMOLED screens, then don’t pay extra for them. If you’re looking for a basic fitness tracker and something that syncs with your phone, many of Garmin’s entry-level watches will suit you just fine. 

They still offer basic sports apps, GPS, and access to apps and widgets from the Garmin Connect store, and they’ll integrate with iOS and Android phones. While future-proofing yourself might seem smart, smartwatch technology develops quickly and by the time you’re ready for more advanced features, watches featuring them might drop in price. Only pay for what you’ll use. 

Garmin’s Vivoactive 3 GPS smartwatch features built-in sports apps, a contactless payment system, and the ability to sync with compatible smartphones. It comes housed in a classy package that looks great in the gym and out and about, and the watch face can be personalized by visiting Garmin’s Connect IQ store.

What to consider when choosing a Garmin smartwatch

After holding the pandemic at bay with packaged cookies and streaming TV, people have been reintroducing regular exercise and movement into their lives in living rooms, gyms, trails, and beyond. And achieving goals is easier if you can accurately track them. However, if you’re not a hardcore athlete, you don’t need the same features someone training to hit specific benchmarks would. When choosing the best Garmin watch, focus on finding the health monitoring features you want without paying extra money for those you’ll never use. Here are some things to think about when choosing the best Garmin activity tracker:

Features

Are you looking for a simple workout tracker, or do you need advanced metrics? Will it be closely monitoring your health? How important is the sleep tracker function? Do you prefer a fitness watch that allows you to organize your life by providing access to your phone’s messages and calendars? Will you pay for things by tapping your watch? Download and play music, or control the music player on your phone? How important are GPS features? Different watches offer different combinations of these features and more. There’s a big difference between something like the $199 Garmin Forerunner 55 (reviewed here) or the $169 Garmin Forerunner 35, which are dedicated Garmin running watches, and something like the $399 Garmin Venu 2, which is more of a well-rounded smartwatch you’ll wear all the time.

Style

Many of Garmin’s best sports watches aren’t exactly elegant to look at. Think about when and where you plan on wearing your watch. Do you like the bulky aesthetic of classic sports watches, like the Garmin Instinct Solar, or do you want a watch you can wear all day—maybe even going straight to work from the gym? Don’t forget to look at the different color options available to each watch model, and keep in mind that watch bands are often customizable.  

Battery life

Do you spend a lot of time camping? Do you go weeks without seeing an outlet? Or are you home each night with access to a charging station? Make sure the watch you purchase won’t let you down by running out of juice. This doesn’t necessarily mean larger batteries—Garmin makes solar versions of most watch series that can last for weeks if exposed to enough direct sunlight. For other watches, battery life can come down to usage. The Venu 2, for instance, can last up to 11 days in battery-saver mode, but it will die in just 7 hours if you’re playing music and using GPS. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Garmin smartwatches

• Best overall: Garmin fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar and Garmin epix (Gen. 2)
• Best running watch: Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar
• Best for hiking: Garmin Instinct Solar 2
• Best for diving: Garmin Descent G1 Solar
• Best fashion wearable: Garmin Venu 2
• Best budget watch for beginners: Garmin Vivoactive 4

It’s no mystery why Garmin has become a top smartwatch company. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to watch design, Garmin has offered up options focusing on health and fitness, all-day wear, and high-tech gadgetry designed to fit individual users’ lifestyles. Sometimes the differences aren’t obvious, and shopping for a Garmin watch can feel daunting. But by identifying your needs first and consulting this guide, you’ll be able to zero in on the smartwatch that’s best for you. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Garmin smartwatches for 2023, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The rise of smartwatches has made health and fitness tracking seem inherently more expensive. Even fairly straightforward watches containing only the most basic sensors tend to be pricey. There used to be many budget options when “Fitbit” was synonymous with fitness tracker, but many seem to have disappeared as convergence devices have increased. Enter Amazfit. The company is relatively new (established in 2015) but already has a robust lineup of budget-friendly activity accessories. And with the Amazfit Band 7, the brand has a bracelet-style tracker that takes a step back from pricier smartwatches so you can track your steps (and other performance metrics) as you move toward your fitness goals. Let’s take a close look at the conveniences and compromises that accompany a $50 fitness watch.

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The Amazfit Band 7’s design

While all of Amazfit’s watches are more affordable than most options, the Band 7 falls in Amazfit’s Essential Series lineup, which, as you might guess, is its lowest tier. The Band 7 follows in the footsteps of the Band 5 (there was no Band 6) but presents a larger, more rectangular display, better battery life, and some general software upgrades. There’s no built-in GPS, and there are minor usability issues, but the compromises are minimal and, for most, insignificant. The watch is surprisingly capable for such a low price, with a good amount of health data and tracking opportunities. What it is not, however, is flashy.

Minimal is the best word to use when describing the design of the Amazfit Band 7. It is a simple rectangular shape with no buttons or design flourishes whatsoever. The band is one seamless piece that secures the watch face, with no special design or color inserts. The stock models are available in beige, pink, or black (the color I received to review). Should you want something else, you can also buy $10 replacement straps in green, blue, pink, or orange. 

The watch strap connects with a snap button-type design. That makes it easier to put on, but I also had issues with the edge catching on things resulting in the band unsnapping and the watch coming loose on my wrist. The band is also fairly large. I have small wrists, yes, but I used the second to last hole. Amazfit lists the minimum wrist size as 6.5 inches. So if you have smaller wrists than that, you’ll likely want to stay away from the Band 7 unless you don’t mind wearing it higher on your arm. 

Although the band may be a bit long, the watch itself is really slim. It only measures 1.7 x 1 x 0.5 inches, so it looks great, even on my miniature wrists. And it’s low-profile enough that the watch face doesn’t get caught on long sleeves. 

The lack of buttons is either really great or really annoying, depending on your preferences. It was a bit of both for me. I like the sleek look of a button-free design. But there were definitely times when having a button would have been nice. For example, if the watch turns off—either because I turn it off or it goes to sleep after not being worn for a few days—you have to connect the watch to a charger to turn it back on because there’s no power button. I found this very annoying, especially if I wanted to pop out for a run or walk. 

Display

Despite the budget price, the watch features a rather nice display. It’s a 1.47-inch HD ​​AMOLED display with a resolution of 198×368, 282ppi, and very minimal bezels. I really like the narrow rectangular design, as it provides enough screen real estate to see things easily but doesn’t take up my entire wrist to do so. It just looks really nice to me. 

It’s a colorful display and is easy to see in most situations. You have to adjust brightness manually, though, which is tricky if the brightness is turned down and you are out in the sun. You can adjust that setting in the app, but that’s a bit of a pain if you are on a run, for example. The screen is topped with tempered glass and an anti-fingerprint coating. Tempered glass isn’t as durable as other options, such as Gorilla Glass. Yet I haven’t managed to scratch the Band 7 display despite scratching my more expensive, Gorilla Glass-topped Garmin Forerunner 955. 

As you may expect, since there are no buttons, the display is a touchscreen, so you can swipe and tap through menus and settings. It is plenty responsive; in fact, I had issues with it being too responsive. When I crossed my arms, there was enough pressure to activate the touchscreen and enter the menu to change the watch face. It got quite irritating. 

Sensors

Amazfit fitted the Band 7 with its ​​BioTracker 3.0 PPG biometric sensor. Put simply, PPG sensors use low infrared light to measure how much light is absorbed by blood vessels. This provides a constant measurement of heart rate and blood oxygen levels (SpO2). It can also use that data to calculate and track VO2 Max, stress levels, and sleep. You will have to turn on settings to automatically track SpO2, as it defaults to only manual measurement.

The watch also utilizes a geomagnetic sensor and a three-axis acceleration sensor. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth 5.2 BLE, and that’s the extent of its sensors and connectivity. 

One of the aforementioned compromises due to the budget price is the lack of GPS connectivity in the watch itself. Instead, it relies on tethered GPS, meaning you’ll need your phone for all GPS data. That leads to some accuracy issues compared to watches with built-in GPS, especially multi-band GPS like the Garmin Instinct 2S Solar. If you want your route tracked or need distance data, you must have your phone along. And even with your phone, distance and route information won’t be as accurate as watches with GPS. 

Setting up the Amazfit Band 7

Setting up the Amazfit Band 7 is mostly straightforward, albeit a bit tedious. Most of the setup process is done on your phone in the Zepp app (Amazfit is powered by Zepp Health’s health management platform). The initial pairing process with my Samsung Galaxy S22 was very easy, with a simple scan of a QR code on the watch using the app. 

From there, however, things get a little bit complicated and a lot annoying. You have to grant a lot of permissions, more than any other watch platform I’ve used before. It seemed to go on forever. I also had a really hard time finding some of the menus for permissions that the Zepp app specified. It mentioned menus that simply do not exist on my phone, even though it says it’s specific to the phone manufacturer. Then, if you want to get notifications on your watch, you have to go through each individual app that you want notifications from. Which, again, was a bit tedious. 

The Amazfit Band 7’s features

As a budget device, you’d expect the Band 7 to be extremely limited in functionality and abilities. And while it certainly doesn’t have as robust a feature set as a $500 watch, the watch is surprisingly feature-rich for $50. It won’t be a replacement for serious athletes that need highly accurate information and robust tools, but it’s more than capable for most people. 

Battery life

The battery life on the Band 7 is quite surprising, given the low price of the watch. The watch offers a 232 mAh rated capacity, and Amazfit promises up to 18 days of battery life with typical usage. It says heavy usage will result in up to 12 days of battery life. Of course, all this depends on your watch settings as well, as the always-on display and certain settings like stress measuring will eat away at battery life. 

In my testing, I got an average of 16 days of battery life. I typically do one dedicated workout (either a run or strength training session) a day with anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour of duration. And I generally track a few short walks per day on top of that because of my dog. I did not have the always-on display running because I wanted to save the battery more, which greatly affected how much battery life I could get.

When the battery did run out, I was able to charge the watch quickly. Amazfit claims that the theoretical charging duration is two hours, and I found that to be accurate. If I needed a quick top-off before a workout, 15 minutes of charging would give me enough juice to record an hour-long session. The charger uses a magnetic design. In line with the watch’s design, it’s a tiny charger, making it easier to bring along on trips than other watches I’ve used. 

Activity tracking

The Amazfit Band 7 can track 120 different types of activities. That includes the basics like outdoor and indoor running, hiking, and cycling. But it also can track badminton, belly and square dancing, jumping rope, jiu-jitsu, and even kite-flying or swinging. Essentially, if there’s an activity you want to do, chances are there’s a unique profile for it on the Amazfit Band 7. 

Tracking is easy, though, by default, the workout widget (where all the activities are) is quite low in the list, so you’ll need to scroll a bit. I thought that was an odd default placement since that’s one of the main reasons to get a watch like this. But you can customize that placement in the Zepp app. Then, you simply tap on Workout and choose the type of workout you want. 

Before you start tracking, you can also adjust settings by tapping the ellipses above the “Go” button. For example, for outdoor running, you can set a workout goal (miles, time, or calories). You can set workout alerts for different metrics like high heart rate or minimum pace. And you can even set the watch up for interval training, which is a nice feature. 

Data collection and insights

The Band 7 is fairly limited in sensors, but it offers the most important ones for basic insights: a  PPG biometric sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and a three-axis acceleration sensor. It uses these three sensors to collect and calculate heart rate, SpO2, VO2 Max, and stress levels. 

The watch can also track your sleep, breaking it down to give you insights into how long you slept, REM sleep, and how often you were awake during the night. While it doesn’t apply this information to your training, and it isn’t highly accurate, it can at least give you a rough idea of your sleep.

Your training information and data provide a few key insights: PAI and Training Status. PAI, or Personal Activity Intelligence, uses a simple 100-point scale to reflect how active you are, with the goal of keeping it at or above 100 to reduce your risk of disease. It is based on an algorithm that assesses your age, gender, resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, and accumulated heart rate over seven days. Because an algorithm powers it, it’s dynamic and based on you as an individual instead of using generalizations.

While Training Status and PAI are enough for most users, The Band 7 and Zepp app won’t provide the in-depth data and insights serious athletes want or need. For example, Garmin (what I’m most familiar with) provides training stats such as the training effect of each individual workout, power curves, race predictions, training readiness, and heart rate variability (HRV) information. Most of that isn’t relevant to those simply trying to stay active and healthy, but if you want focused training for performance reasons, the Amazfit Band 7 and companion app likely won’t cut it. 

Smartwatch features

On top of all the fitness tracking, the Band 7 provides some smartwatch functionality. It doesn’t provide cellular connectivity, and there is no microphone, which limits its capabilities, though that’s to be expected at this price point. But you can get notifications on the watch from your smartphone from just about any app you use. You can’t interact with those notifications in any way, but you can at least see them to know if it’s something important enough to pick up your phone.

Beyond notifications, the watch also provides access to weather information. And if you are playing music on your phone, you can control it from the watch. I really liked that feature while in the gym working out. If a song started in my UE Fits earbuds that I didn’t want, I could just hit next right on my wrist instead of needing to pick up my phone and sweatily navigate to Spotify. 

Zepp app

The Zepp app is clean and clutter-free, with three primary tabs containing settings and data that you may need. The Homepage of the app features data cards to give you snapshots of what you most want to keep track of. For example, it can show steps, sleep, workout history, exercise status, and more. You can customize this, both in terms of which cards are shown and their order, which is nice. 

The Health tab is also customizable, though with far fewer options. It primarily shows you a breakdown of your workouts and your target goals (which you can edit). Since all of this can be found on the Homepage, it’s a bit confusing that a separate tab is needed.

The third tab is your Profile, which gives you access to settings, goals, connected accounts, and more. It’s also where you access your devices to change device-specific settings.

The app runs very smoothly on my Samsung Galaxy, and it’s quick to sync the watch when I make changes via the app as well. It doesn’t provide as in-depth insights as the Garmin app and doesn’t offer the social component Garmin does, but Zepp works well and provides basic and necessary information. 

The Amazfit Band 7’s usability and accuracy 

Overall, the Amazfit Band 7 is straightforward to use. It has its quirks—such as a lack of buttons for input—that make getting used to it a little tricky at first. But most of the controls are intuitive and easy to figure out. The sensitive touchscreen can be a bit annoying but is small in the grand scheme of things. 

One aspect that I really love about the Amazfit Band 7 is that it provides help text on the watch itself for certain data sets and features. For example, under Workout Status, if you tap the “i” at the bottom of the screen, a rather thorough explanation of EPOC pops up. Since the budget-friendly watch is largely geared toward those who aren’t exercise experts, these terms may be completely new. Explaining what they mean and why they are important right on the watch is extremely helpful and valuable. 

I found the watch’s heart rate monitor to be very accurate, even compared to a dedicated heart rate monitor, which is typically more precise. Likewise, the calculated VO2 Max was in the range it should be for me, though I plan on getting a lab test done for a truly accurate comparison. 

I rarely find sleep tracking very accurate, and that was the case with the Amazfit Band 7. There were nights it seemed spot on, but most of the time, it seemed at least slightly off, and nights it was completely incorrect as well. It also tends to think I’m taking a nap if I take the watch off for more than a few minutes.

How the Amazfit Band 7 stacks up against the competition

There’s no shortage of fitness watches available, with even Amazfit’s own line of devices quite lengthy. I’ve also been using Amazfit’s T-Rex 2. At $200, the T-Rex 2 is still quite a bargain compared to the likes of a Garmin, though it’s four times more expensive than the Band 7. And in most ways, the price difference is noticeable. The T-Rex 2 is decidedly more aggressive looking and significantly larger. It’s much more rugged, having passed 15 Military-Standards Tests (MIL-STD-810G) to withstand harsh conditions. And it comes with more health data and built-in dual-band positioning. You get a lot more watch in the T-Rex 2, albeit in a very different style that isn’t for everyone.

Garmin’s fitness watches tend to be one of the gold standard options for athletes, and the prices certainly match that. The company has done a fantastic job of managing health and fitness data to provide useful and accurate information for training purposes. Amazfit does a nice job of providing useful insights, but it isn’t as thorough as Garmin, especially in the minimal Band 7 watch. Garmin’s watches offer more robust feature sets and data tracking than the Band 7, yet still offer battery life that’s nearly as much as the simpler Band 7.

So, who should buy the Amazfit Band 7?

I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the Amazfit Band 7. After exclusively using fairly expensive fitness watches for the past 10 years, I assumed that such a budget-level watch would be lacking and less impressive. But that was not the case. 

The Band 7 has some big wins, no matter what price point you are looking at. It sports a sleek design, lengthy battery life, accurate heart rate measurement, music controls, plenty of fitness-focused features, and a wide array of activity types. Of course, with the low price comes some disadvantages: No built-in GPS, a finicky touchscreen, and a cheap band enclosure design. It also doesn’t provide as in-depth training insights or data compared to more expensive watches. As a result, it isn’t great for serious, focused athletes looking for specific performance improvements. But it offers much more than the $50 price would lead you to believe. 

So who’s the Band 7 ideal for? It’s a fantastic choice for those looking for a simple device that can help encourage them to be more active. Not everyone needs access to race predictions and hyper-accurate pace and stride information. But the Amazfit Band 7 can help you learn more about exercise terms and support you in keeping tabs on your activity levels to work toward a healthier, more active lifestyle. And it can do this while functioning as a general smartwatch, making it even more well-rounded. 

The post Amazfit Band 7 fitness & health tracker review: Back to basics appeared first on Popular Science.

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Garmin is keeping the ball rolling, and you running, this year with exciting releases. The company released two vibrant new watches in its Forerunner series in March. And now, Garmin has announced the newest product in its rugged, adventure-focused Instinct line: the Instinct 2X Solar and the Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition (shown below). The new smartwatches get many improvements and exciting editions compared to the Instinct 2 Solar, including even better solar charging and a more rugged, durable design. It’s also the first Instinct to feature a built-in flashlight and the Obstacle Course Racing activity type. We really enjoyed the Instinct 2 Solar, and this adventure watch looks even better. 

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Garmin Instinct training features

In keeping with Garmin’s wearables, the 2X series has robust training features and tools. It offers 24/7 health and wellness tracking, including wrist-based heart rate, sleep monitoring, respiration tracking, heart rate variability, Pulse Ox, and more. 

There’s a vast range of sports and activity types, so you can track whatever you like to do to stay active. New in the Instinct line is the Obstacle Course Racing activity. This new activity mode lets you manually record obstacle splits and automatically track them after your first lap. The data from the activity will include the number of runs on a course, times, the number of obstacles, time spent on each obstacle, basic run metrics, and more. If you’re a fan of Tough Mudders, Spartan Race, or the new military-inspired obstacle competitions, this watch will be a big help. 

You’ll also have access to Garmin’s Training Readiness and Morning Report features. These help you plan and maximize your training and maximize to ensure healthy, well-balanced progress. And the multi-band GNSS provides highly accurate positioning to give you price route information and even navigation tools.

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar details

The Instinct 2X Solar gets some very exciting upgrades from the Instinct 2 Solar. It is even more rugged and built to U.S. military standards (MIL-STD-810). The 50mm polymer case—10mm larger than the Instinct 2 Solar—will withstand just about anything you throw at it.

One of my complaints with the Instinct 2 Solar was that the solar charging didn’t give all that much of a benefit. But Garmin says that the Power Glass lens on the Instinct 2X Solar (both the standard and Tactical Edition) will produce 50% more energy than the Instinct 2 Solar. It requires three hours of direct sunlight, but that’s a significant improvement and should mean that solar charging actually results in a real addition to battery life.

This watch’s other exciting new feature is the built-in LED flashlight (shown below). It even offers variable intensities and strobe modes. It could be a significant asset for hiking or any sort of activity in the backcountry, especially in emergency situations. 

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition details

The Tactical Edition of the Instinct 2X Solar gets the same training features, sensors, and build qualities as the standard edition. But on top of that, Garmin says it is also “packed with features specific to tactical operations, including Jumpmaster and tactical preloaded activities.” It features a Stealth Mode, which prevents GPS location sharing and disables wireless communication. And the built-in multi-LED flashlight can be set to either white or dedicated green, resulting in natural vision at night.

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar pricing & availability

The Instinct 2X Solar is available in four colors: Flame Red, Graphite, Moss, and Whitestone. It’s available for purchase now for $449.99. The Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Edition is also available now for $499.99 in two colors: Black or Coyote Tan. 

The post Garmin announces an even more rugged Instinct smartwatch appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		Galaxy Watch 5		SEE IT	Slick styling, optional cellphone connectivity, and lots of health tracking features put this watch on top.
Best dedicated fitness tracker		Fitbit Sense 2		SEE IT	The Fitbit Sense 2 is lightweight and slim but still offers lots of sensors and good battery life.
Best stylish smartwatch		Skagen Jorn Gen 6 Smartwatch		SEE IT	The Skagen Jorn is a unique hybrid watch, featuring traditional watch hands with full smartwatch capabilities.

The Apple Watch was not the first connected watch. Thanks to Dick Tracy, people have been dreaming of wrist-worn communicators since the 1940s, and companies have actually produced usable companion devices since the early 2000s. But since “Apple’s most personal device ever” launched in 2015, it’s come to dominate the smartwatch market by sheer volume. However, the best wearable for everyone, especially Android users, isn’t necessarily Apple’s. Many Apple Watch alternatives provide various tech that can match and even top the Series 8 experience. Really, the phrase “Apple Watch alternative” sometimes does these gadgets a disservice. Apple’s offering is great, but other top smartwatches and fitness trackers deserve recognition for their own forms and features. The best Apple Watch alternatives satisfy all kinds of purposes: collecting health metrics, delivering notifications, tracking outdoor adventures, and much more fantastic functionality without committing to watchOS/iOS. 

• Best overall: Galaxy Watch 5
• Best dedicated fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best smartwatch for Android users: Ticwatch Pro 3
• Best smartwatch for the triathlete in training: Garmin Forerunner 955
• Best stylish smartwatch: Skagen Jorn 38MM Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch
• Best for health data: Polar Ignite 3
• Best battery life: Garmin Instinct 2S Solar
• Best budget smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 4

How we chose the best Apple Watch alternatives

When selecting the recommendations included in this list, we evaluated a range of features, specs, and tools that make smartwatches useful and desirable. To function as an Apple Watch alternative, phone connectivity in some capacity was an absolute must. The selected watches also needed a robust array of sensors to capture important health and activity data. We aimed to choose watches with different styles since style is such a subjective topic. And lastly, we assessed important specs such as battery life, display quality, and durability. Combining this research with peer recommendations, critical reviews, and plenty of hands-on experience, we narrowed down our selection to the best Apple Watch alternatives.

The best Apple Watch alternatives: Reviews & Recommendations

The best Apple Watch alternatives are delightfully varied, and you’re sure to find one that strikes your fancy. So let’s look at the non-Apple products that can keep your phone in your pocket but your life connected.

Best overall: Galaxy Watch 5

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Specs

• Weight: 1.2 ounces (44mm), 1 ounce (40mm)
• Case size: 1.7 x 1.74 x 0.38 inches (44mm), 1.54 x 1.59 x 0.38 inches (40mm)
• Display resolution: 450×450 pixels (44mm), 396×396 pixels (40mm) 
• Battery life: Up to 50 hours
• Waterproof rating: IP68
• Connectivity: BT 5.2, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz & 5GHz, NFC, LTE
• Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, ambient light, compass, GPS, BioActive sensor (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensor, Electrical Heart sensor (ECG), and Optical Heart Rate sensor), mic/speaker
• App support: Android

Pros

• Attractive design, with swappable straps
• Optional 4G LTE version
• Available in two sizes
• Plenty of health-tracking features
• Excellent third-party app support

Cons

• Battery life is lacking
• Some features only work with Samsung phones

The Galaxy Watch is one of the most direct competitors to the Apple Watch. That’s partly because it is one of the few watches that offer an eSIM for cellular connectivity. The eSim and built-in mic and speakers mean you can take calls and receive and respond to text messages via the watch. You don’t need your phone on you all the time to take advantage of the smart features, which is a nice option to have. The combination of Wear OS and an Android 8.0 or above phone, however, allows for Google Maps navigation, interaction with Google Assistant, and more.

The Galaxy Watch5 has a sleek, minimal design. It’s available in two sizes—40mm and 44mm—and comes in four colors. At only 1.2 ounces for the larger watch (44mm), it’s lightweight, making it more comfortable to wear. It is packed with useful sensors, including Samsung’s BioActive sensor array, responsible for sleep tracking, heart rate, blood oxygen monitoring, ECG, and body composition analysis. It will provide lots of health and fitness insights. It even automatically detects exercise, which is helpful if you tend to forget to start tracking as I do.

The downside of this watch is the battery life. The 40mm watch utilizes a 284mAh battery, while the 44mm features a 410mAh battery. If you use the device for any exercise tracking at all, you’ll need to charge it daily. Nighttime is the most logical time to charge it for most, but that means you’ll miss out on sleep tracking, which is a selling point of the watch. (A titanium-cased Galaxy Watch5 Pro version increases the durability, wellness sensors, and battery life.)

Best dedicated fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2

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Specs

• Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Case size: 1.5 by 1.5 by 0.45 inches
• Display resolution: 336 x 336 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 6 days
• Waterproof rating: Water resistant to 164 feet
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, NFC
• Sensors: GPS/GLONASS, heart rate, altimeter, skin temperature, gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient light, SpO2, cEDA, mic/speaker
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Very slim and lightweight
• Lots of sensors
• Good battery life
• Easy to use

Cons

• No music support
• Subscription required to take full advantage of its features

The Fitbit Sense 2 is the company’s best and brightest smartwatch. It packs plenty of sensors, including onboard GPS to track your runs and bike rides. It also features a skin temperature sensor and Fitbit’s cEDA (continuous ElectroDermal Activity) sensor to help track stress. And it promises a six-day battery life (depending on usage), which is very strong.

At less than an ounce, this is one of the lightest smartwatches available, especially for one with such a robust set of sensors. It’s sleek and minimal, fitting nicely even on small wrists. And you can choose between three colorways. In addition, the Sense 2 gets an added physical button compared to the first version, making navigation easier.

Unfortunately, Fitbit removed third-party app support from the Sense 2. That means it isn’t as much of a smartwatch as other options. For example, there’s no Spotify app or music support, so you’ll have to rely on your phone. But there is a built-in speaker and microphone, so you can take calls on your wrist, as long as your phone is nearby. 

Best smartwatch for Android users: Ticwatch Pro 3

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Specs

• Weight: 1.5 ounces
• Case size: 1.8 x 1.9 x 0.5 inches
• Display resolution: 454 x 454 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 72 hours (Smart Mode) or 45 days (Essential Mode)
• Water rating: IP68
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi
• Sensors: GPS/Beidou/Glonass/Galileo/QZSS, accelerometer, gyroscope, PPG heart rate, ambient light, barometer, mic/speaker
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Good battery life
• Dual display helps save battery life
• Fast and responsive
• IP68 waterproof rating

Cons

• Somewhat pricey
• A bit bulky

With a Snapdragon 4100 processor, the TicWatch Pro 3 is among the fastest Apple Watch alternatives on the market. It has all the usual high-end smartwatch features, including onboard GPS and NFC for payments. There’s a whole host of sensors and data tracking features, including a heart rate monitor, barometer, sleep tracking, and SpO2 monitoring.

It also has one very clever feature: a lower-power LCD screen right on top of its regular AMOLED display. That allows you to switch over for up to 45 days of battery life in “essential mode.” And there is an ambient light sensor in the watch, so it can automatically adjust the brightness of the AMOLED display.

The Ticwatch features a rugged design that will hold up to whatever activities you participate in. It’s a waterproof smartwatch with an IP68 rating, so you can even swim in it. That said, even though it is 28 percent lighter than the previous version of this watch, it is still fairly large and chunky. It may not be best for the small of wrist.

Best smartwatch for the triathlete in training: Garmin Forerunner 955

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Specs

• Weight: 1.8 ounces
• Case size: 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.5 inches
• Display resolution: 260 x 260 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 15 days (smartwatch mode)
• Water rating: 5 ATM water resistance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
• Sensors: Heart rate, GPS/Glonass/Galileo, thermometer, pulse oximeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, barometric altimeter
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Long battery life
• Highly customizable
• Collects loads of data
• Useful training assistance

Cons

• Pricey

Garmin specializes in super-advanced fitness and outdoor tech gear, making its gear one of the best Apple Watch alternatives for serious athletes. The Forerunner 955 is specifically focused on running, though it can track about any kind of workout you can think of, including ones specific to triathlon training. It includes a dizzying array of sensors to ensure you improve. It calculates elevation changes, measures your pace against an average for your fitness level, calculates VO2 Max, and can even measure stuff like ground contact time and stride length. In addition, the watch provides plenty of training help, such as suggested workouts and training load insights, to help you maximize your fitness. 

Despite all the data it collects, the battery life is fantastic. And You can easily customize battery consumption to get what you need out of the watch in a given situation. In smartwatch mode, Garmin promises 15 days of battery life. And when using the All Systems GNSS plus Multi-Band mode (the most accurate location tracking), Garmin specifies up to 20 hours. Should you want a little extra juice, Garmin also makes a solar version of this watch. Of course, battery life depends on your usage, but I was easily able to get the promised numbers when using the Solar version of this watch, even without getting the minimum sun exposure. 

There is no microphone on the watch or optional cellphone connectivity, so you will need your phone to take advantage of the notifications and safety features (unless you opt for the older Forerunner 945 LTE). But you can send pre-formatted responses to calls and texts and interact with notifications from certain apps. And it is surprisingly sleek for all the sensors that are onboard, even on small wrists. Of course, if you’re more of a weekend warrior and don’t mind charging more often in exchange for the most vivid visual experience, the Garmin epix 2 has an AMOLED touchscreen display that brings it near parity with an Apple Watch presentation.

Best stylish smartwatch: Skagen Jorn 38MM Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch

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Specs

• Weight: Not provided
• Case size: 1.5-inch diameter, 0.5 inches thick
• Display resolution: 240 x 240 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 14 days
• Water rating: 3 ATM water resistance
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 LE
• Sensors: Accelerometer, microphone, PPG heart rate
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Sleek, attractive styling
• Unique hybrid design
• Good app support
• Built-in microphone

Cons

• Fitness tracking isn’t great
• Lacks a speaker

Skagen, the Danish-design-inspired imprint of Fossil, has a line of hybrid smartwatches called Jorn, which have uniformly been extremely good-looking watches. The hybrid design may not be for everyone, but it is a unique combination of classic watch looks with smartwatch features. The watch hands cleverly move out of the way so that you can easily read the E Ink display, and it still offers plenty of customization options. And it comes in 38mm or 42mm sizes with different color and band options. 

The Jorn features a built-in microphone as well as Amazon Alexa support. You can use voice control to set timers, reminders, and ask questions. Unfortunately, it lacks a speaker, so responses are displayed on the watch instead of spoken back to you, and you can’t take calls. But it does add a layer of functionality that some may appreciate. And it’s Android and iPhone compatible, so you can use it’s companion app with just about any phone.

The sensors in the Jorn watch are somewhat minimal but include an accelerometer and PPG heart rate monitor for basic exercise and health stats. These will track your steps, sleep, heart rate, and SpO2. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in GPS, so the watch relies on tethered GPS, which requires your phone. If you are looking for a serious fitness watch, this isn’t the best option, but we think it’s the most stylish Apple Watch alternative available. 

Best for health data: Polar Ignite 3

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Specs

• Weight: 1.2 ounces
• Case size: 1.7 x 1.7 x 0.4 inches
• Display resolution: 416 × 416 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 30 hours (training mode)
• Water rating: Water resistant to 98 feet
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1
• Sensors: GPS/Beidou/Glonass/Galileo/QZSS, accelerometer, heart rate 
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Attractive styling 
• Really slim on the wrist
• Lots of smart health and training features
• Vibrant display

Cons

• GPS is inaccurate 

Polar has long been a staple in the fitness and health world, investing heavily in research and offering a range of watches and sensors. The third iteration of the Ignite is the sleekest yet, with attractive yet minimal design features. It’s available in four colorways, some of which (such as the Greige Sand) hardly look like fitness watches. It features an extremely slim profile, barely sticking up from my wrist.

The watch offers fairly minimal sensors, but it still collects plenty of data for excellent health and fitness insights. It provides the Polar Precision Prime sensor for highly accurate heart rate data. Unfortunately, despite the multi-band GPS, the location data is disappointing and inaccurate. This won’t matter for some, but if precise location tracking is essential to you, this watch won’t be your best choice. 

Where the Ignite 3 does shine is the health data it collects and the insights it provides. It provides accurate sleep-tracking information and uses that to help guide daily workout suggestions. It even provides secondary workout suggestions, such as stretching activities to keep you healthy. And Polar’s FitSpark suggests different types of exercise to keep your training well-rounded. It can provide a lot of information to help you stay on top of your training and health in general.

Best battery life: Garmin Instinct 2S Solar

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Specs

• Weight: 1.8 ounces (45mm), 1.5 ounces (40mm)
• Case size: 1.8 x 1.8 x 0.6 inches (45mm), 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.5 inches (40mm)
• Display resolution: 176 x 176 pixels (45mm) 156 x 156 pixels (40mm)
• Battery life: Up to 28 days, unlimited with solar (smartwatch mode)
• Water rating: Waterproof to 328 feet
• Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+
• Sensors: Heart rate, GPS/Glonass/Galileo, thermometer, pulse oximeter, accelerometer, compass, barometric altimeter
• App support: Android and iOS

Pros

• Outstanding battery life
• Two sizes available
• Lots of training tools
• Highly accurate data collection

Cons

• Rugged, old-school design isn’t for everyone

Garmin’s Instinct 2S Solar has a lot going for it, but its battery life is certainly the main highlight. In smartwatch mode, Garmin says it offers unlimited battery life if you get three hours of 50,000 lux sunlight conditions a day. Of course, when you use the various GPS modes and tracking exercises, that goes down. But I got about a week of life from my 40mm version while doing some activity once a day, even without getting the required sun exposure per day for the solar benefits.

The watch also gets a robust set of sensors and tracking features, in line with most of Garmin’s products. It can suggest workouts and keep track of your training status to ensure you are getting the most out of your activities and advancing your fitness. You can even use it to navigate should you need help getting back to your starting point. Overall it’s a fantastic training partner.

The Instinct 2 Solar is a vastly different Apple Watch alternative in its styling. It has a rather rugged, old-school watch styling, which some may not like. The display is also a simple monochrome transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, so don’t expect fancy color graphics or touchscreen functionality. But it connects to your phone and provides notifications on the watch. There is no microphone or speaker, so you can’t take calls on the watch, but you can use it to reject or accept a call that you then take on your phone. And like the Forerunner 955, you can send prewritten responses to texts or calls directly from the watch, which is handy if you are in the middle of something. 

Best budget smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 4

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Specs

• Weight: 1 ounce
• Case size: 1.7 x 1.4 x 0.4 inches (without heart rate base)
• Display resolution: 390 x 450 pixels
• Battery life: Up to 8 days (typical use)
• Water rating: 5 ATM water resistance
• Connectivity: WLAN 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, and BLE
• Sensors: Geomagnetic, accelerometer, barometric altimeter, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, dual-band & 6 satellite positioning systems, BioTracker™ 4.0 PPG biometric sensor, mic/speaker
• App support: Android 7.0 and above, iOS 12.0 and above

Pros

• Sleek and comfortable design
• Lots of sport modes
• Good battery life

Cons

• Data collection isn’t the most accurate

Amazfit is a well-established maker of budget smartwatches, and the GTS 4 is a great one. It provides an eight-day battery life (depending on usage), which is surprising for a watch of this price. That can even be extended to 16 days in battery saver mode. It also has lots of sensors to measure your heart rate, steps, blood oxygen levels, stress, sleep, location, and more. 

As a smartwatch, the GTS 4 pairs with your phone and delivers notifications right to your wrist. And it can sync with apps like Strava and Google Fit. It features a built-in mic and speaker, so you can receive and make calls from the watch if your phone is near. It has a strikingly Apple Watch-like design, which is sleek and minimal.

Of course, as a somewhat inexpensive watch, there are some downsides. The companion app (called Zepp) is a bit clunky, with some settings difficult to find. And the data collection tends to be a bit inaccurate, especially the sleep data and the automatic stand suggestions. And you’ll lose some features like third-party app compatibility. But it still has a lot to offer as long as you aren’t relying on the data for precise training.

What to consider when looking for the best Apple Watch alternatives

Non-Apple Watch smartwatches are available running all kinds of different software platforms. And many of them will work with both Android and iOS, in case you ever switch phones. Apple Watch alternatives come in a few different flavors. There’s the direct competition, which would be Google’s Wear platform and the Samsung Galaxy Watch. And there are also more fitness-centric offerings, both for casual workouts and intense outdoors lovers, plus a whole crop of budget-friendly smartwatches that provide health tracking and notifications.

What’s the difference between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker?

In general, the phrase “fitness tracker” is used to differentiate these models from a smartwatch in a few ways. Fitness trackers are typically smaller. They often look more like a bracelet with a small screen than a big, fancy watch. They are, as their name suggests, focused on fitness: a good fitness tracker should have not just a step tracker, but also a heart rate monitor and sleep tracking tech. Many high-end fitness watches can also integrate with more robust devices like chest strap heart rate monitors. 

That said, the line between fitness tracker and smartwatch has blurred. Modern fitness trackers have some features we’re more likely to associate with smartwatches They may have the ability to deliver notifications of texts and emails from your phone, might have a speaker so you can activate Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some even sport similar faces and design elements.

But if you plan on wearing your wristpiece all the time, it’s fair to want something less like a fitness tracker and more like a full-featured smartwatch: you want it to have a bigger screen, because you’ll be looking at it more, and to have non-fitness-focused features too.

What watch features and sensors do I need?

A brief comparison of smartwatches will reveal a wide array of features and sensors. Of course, many companies have their proprietary names for traditional sensors, making matters more complicated. What sensors and features you need in a watch depends on how you intend to use it. 

If you mainly want a smartwatch for notification and call purposes, make sure you prioritize a watch with a microphone, speaker, and potentially cellular connectivity as well. Suppose you are more interested in highly accurate fitness information. In that case, you’ll want a multisport watch with a whole suite of features such as multi-band GPS, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, and more. 

Do I have to spend hundreds of dollars on a smartwatch?

The current generation of Apple Watch, the Series 8, starts at a whopping $399 (and goes up to $799 if you decide the Apple Watch Ultra is the right one for you). If you don’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles, just something that’ll track your health metrics and stick that data into a fitness app, plus maybe deliver some alerts, you don’t need to spend that much. In fact, you can spend barely a tenth of that price and get something surprisingly great.

The biggest use cases for smartwatches, according to Statista, are notifications and fitness tracking—and you can snag a budget smartwatch or fitness bracelet that can do that for you, acting as your everyday connected wearable at a fraction of the price of full-featured smartwatches.

What’s the most stylish smartwatch?

Smartwatches and fitness trackers aren’t known for being the most stylish accessories. They have some fundamental requirements that make being stylish difficult. For example, they have to be big enough to contain a touchscreen, a heart rate monitor, and a battery, which means that even the smallest tend to be on the bulky side.

For those who take wristwatches seriously, even the Apple Watch can be underwhelming from an aesthetic perspective. It’s a basic square made of glass and aluminum. Most Apple Watch alternatives are the same way: either a slim bracelet-style fitness tracker or a square or circular smartwatch. These tend to look just fine at the gym or when out for a run, but in more formal settings can look out of place.

Luckily, a few companies are getting on board with different designs. For example, the Amazfit T-Rex 2 leans into retro-style chunkiness, while hybrid smartwatches like the Skagen Jorn or Garmin vivomove 3 offer traditional analog watch hands with smartwatch features.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best Apple Watch alternatives

• Best overall: Galaxy Watch 5
• Best dedicated fitness tracker: Fitbit Sense 2
• Best smartwatch for Android users: Ticwatch Pro 3
• Best smartwatch for the triathlete in training: Garmin Forerunner 955
• Best stylish smartwatch: Skagen Jorn 38MM Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatch
• Best for health data: Polar Ignite 3
• Best battery life: Garmin Instinct 2S Solar
• Best budget smartwatch: Amazfit GTS 4

There’s truly no shortage of wearables these days, with most smartphone makers offering watch choices and fitness trackers increasingly becoming more like smartwatches. Thus, choosing the best Apple Watch alternative can be overwhelming. The good news is that whether you are looking for a hyper-focused fitness watch, a stylish smartwatch, or a simple blend between the two, there is an efficiency-boosting accessory for you among the choices we’ve compiled so you can complement your look and lifestyle.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

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Garmin already has an extensive lineup of advanced running watches in its Forerunner series, but it just got even larger. The wearable tech company has announced two new smartwatches: the Forerunner 265 and 965. The highlight of the release is their vibrant AMOLED displays, a first for Garmin GPS running smartwatches. Each will offer an optional always-on, full-color touchscreen (though you can lock the display during activity and rely on Garmin’s classic five-button navigation system). We loved the Garmin Forerunner 955, and its fundamentals form the basis of the new models, so we have high expectations for these new additions to the Forerunner family.

Training features of the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 965

Garmin’s watches traditionally offer an impressive suite of sensors and performance tracking/analyzing features. As a result, they make great Apple Watch alternatives, especially for athletes. And this all holds even more true with the two new offerings. Like existing Forerunners (and other Garmin watches), they will calculate VO2 max, performance condition, training effect, and more. And all of that data is used to calculate a training readiness score to help you plan your rest better.

Sleep is a key component of performance, which Garmin clearly understands. Its watches can track your sleep, in part by evaluating heart rate variability, providing a more complete wellness and training picture. And, provided you sleep wearing the watch, a Morning Report summarizes your sleep, your day’s training outlook, and the environmental conditions you can expect. 

These watches will also offer daily suggested workouts, which adapt after every run to help you improve your running performance and prevent overtraining. The race widget, along with Garmin Coach and PacePro, will provide training tips and predictions for race performance based on specific course details, weather, and performance. They can even measure running power and running dynamics without any additional accessories. Now, however, shall of these metrics will be more visible and vivid indoors and out, thanks to the upgrade from memory-in-pixel displays.

Garmin Forerunner 265 details

The Forerunner 265, priced at $449.99, sits right between the Forerunner 255 Music and 955. It gets the full set of sensors found in Garmin’s advanced fitness smartwatches, including the wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor. The 265 also offers Garmin’s safety features, such as incident detection and LiveTrack.

As a smartwatch, it easily connects to your phone for smart notifications and allows you to download music from Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music to the watch for phone-free Bluetooth listening. And you can use Garmin Pay for contactless payments. 

The Forerunner 265 will be available in two sizes, each offering different battery life. The 42mm Forerunner 265S promises 24 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 15 days in smartwatch mode. The larger Forerunner 265, with a 46mm case, should provide up to 20 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 13 days in smartwatch mode. 

Garmin Forerunner 965 details

Garmin designed the Forerunner 965 for seriously dedicated athletes. It’s at the top of the Forerunner lineup, priced at $599.99. As a result, it will feature all the same things mentioned above and more. Garmin says it adds “additional performance metrics, built-in mapping, and the ability to store more songs right on the watch” compared to the 265. 

The 965 also offers a new feature, called load ratio, to “track short-term to mid-term load ratio” to stay healthy while training. Stamina insights will also help track exertion levels for a well-rounded picture of your training. And ClimbPro shows real-time information on climbs during a run, including gradient, distance, and elevation gain. There are also full-color built-in maps for route planning and navigation.

The 965 will feature a 47mm case with a lightweight titanium bezel. The AMOLED display is Garmin’s largest yet at 1.4 inches (the epix Gen. 2), Garmin’s first AMOLED-equipped watch, has a 1.3-inch screen). Garmin says it will provide up to 31 hours of battery life in GPS mode and up to 23 days in smartwatch mode.

Pricing & availability

The Garmin Forerunner 265 will cost you $449.99 for either the 42mm or 46mm versions. It is available for purchase now. The Garmin Forerunner 965 will run you $599.99 and won’t ship until late March/early April, but can be pre-ordered now.

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There is no shortage of general fitness and multisport smartwatches these days, but fewer catering hyper-specifically to runners, particularly the way the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar does. This wearable sits at the top of Garmin’s Forerunner line and is jam-packed with helpful training tools, no shortage of smartwatch features, and impressive battery life. Garmin, a multinational specializing in GPS-enabled technology, designed it with endurance athletes in mind, though it still provides many benefits for casual enthusiasts. Following in the footsteps—or is that stride—of the Forerunner 945 (released in 2019), the Forerunner 955 offers several incremental, not necessarily essential updates, as well as a couple of marquee additions. I’ve tested the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar for six months, giving me plenty of time to learn about the watch and whether it’s a worthy upgrade for most people.

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The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar’s design

The changes between the Forerunner 945 and Forerunner 955 are subtle, carrying over most of the design language from the previous iteration. This may explain why the launch price of $599.99 is the same between both models. But there are a few things that stand out on the newer iteration. For starters, the transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display has been upgraded. The 955 uses a 1.3-inch display with a resolution of 260 x 260 pixels, while the older 945 is 1.2 inches with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. It’s not a huge difference, but you will get a slightly larger display with the 955, which is nice for quick glances at your numbers while working out. 

The most notable change is that the 955 now features touchscreen capabilities, which the 945 did not. I appreciated the touchscreen functionality, which is one of the main reasons I have stuck with the 955 over my Forerunner 745 or the Instinct 2S Solar. I’ve found that it makes scrolling through widgets and (sub-sub-sub)menu items much easier than repeatedly pushing buttons. And I enjoy tapping the screen to enter a menu or view a notification more. If you are prone to accidentally swiping, you can turn touch off completely or choose which specific activities have touch functionality turned on (it defaults to off for all activities).

As with the 945, the newest Forerunner features a full-color display. You may expect that it would be more difficult to read in sunny conditions compared to traditional exercise watches’ high-contrast, monochrome display. But that is not the case. I found it as easy to see and read, even at a glance when in direct sun, as my Instinct 2S Solar. And, with the customization options, you can even choose color schemes that are easier to read for you.

Unfortunately, the case and included band are only available in white (technically named “Whitestone,” the version I’ve used) and black instead of a range of colors like other Garmin watches. I was a bit worried about the white staying white. I have been pleasantly surprised by its resilience, however, even while working on a car engine and getting quite greasy. 

The band and large watch case tend to trap water, though, so if you shower or swim in the watch, you will want to take it off to dry things off more thoroughly. I wore my Forerunner 955 for a handful of weeks nonstop and ended up with a bit of a reaction where the sensors are. It was minor and cleared up with some time sans watch, but it’s something to be aware of. 

While the Forerunner is still decidedly a fitness watch in design, it still has rather sleek looks. And considering all the tech that is packed inside, it’s impressively thin (14.4mm). The 46.5 x 46.5mm watch face still looks giant on my wrist, but that’s the trade-off when you want to take advantage of a large screen size on child-sized wrists. 

Materials

The bezel of the watch is made of fiber-reinforced polymer, which seems to be incredibly durable. I have hit this thing on hard surfaces far too many times, and the perimeter doesn’t have a scratch. One of the benefits of the all-plastic design is that it helps cut down on weight. The all-polymer, 46.5mm Forerunner 955 only weighs 1.86 ounces. For comparison, the 47mm fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar features a titanium bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer with a titanium rear cover, weighing 2.57 ounces. That may seem like a tiny amount, but for serious endurance athletes, every fraction of an ounce adds up, making the Forerunner the better choice for those individuals.

Topping the display is rugged Corning Gorilla Glass DX. I managed to scratch mine somehow, so it isn’t impenetrable, but I haven’t exactly babied it either. It would have been nice to get the more durable Power Sapphire glass that tops the fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar or the Sapphire edition of the Garmin epix (Gen 2).

Lastly, the band of the watch is made of silicone. The silicone is a bit thick and, as mentioned, tends to trap moisture, so may not be for everyone. Luckily, it is Garmin QuickFit compatible in the 22mm size so you can purchase bands made of nylon, leather, metal, or titanium instead, should you wish. 

Setting up the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar

Garmin consistently does a fantastic job of making its products easy to set up and use and remains consistent with the Forerunner 955. This is especially true if you are already a Garmin user. The watch comes with a partial charge so that you can get started right away. You’ll need to download the Garmin Connect app, but the watch walks you through all the necessary steps, making setup clear and confusion-free. It’s a fast process if you do the bare minimum for setup.

Where things get a bit more complicated is all of the personalization available on the watch. While you certainly don’t need to mess with most settings just to get started, there are seemingly endless options—with more added semi-regularly. I appreciate Garmin’s Auto Update—it saves me from having to remember to check for OS updates, which I usually forget—and I feel like I am regularly discovering new things in menus or in the post-workout display, which is always fun. 

The watch face can be fully adjusted, as can any of the visible widgets when you scroll down and the layout of each workout screen. You can even adjust things as nitty-gritty as accent and background colors. If you want to really fine-tune your watch, it could take a while. In fact, I’ve had this watch for around six months and I’m still tweaking things.

The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar’s features

The Forerunner 955 Solar is so packed with features that I could easily write an entire book describing everything. It seems that the capabilities of this watch are nearly endless. As such, I’ll be focusing on the items that I used most frequently and those that are the most widely helpful. 

Usability 

Navigating the watch is pretty straightforward, especially if you’ve used a Garmin watch. There are tiny (and hard to see) labels on the bezel and the buttons themselves to point you in the right direction for the most common things you’ll need to access. But, for specific menu items, you’ll likely need to spend some time digging around or reading the manual.

My biggest complaint about the Forerunner 955 is how you turn it off and on. My other Garmin watches have simply involved going to the Power Off menu item, and that was that. But the Forerunner 955 asks you to take the extra step of confirming that you want to turn it off. Given that you have to go into a menu within a menu to get to this, it seems unlikely that you would accidentally turn it off. The extra step is subtle but annoying. 

Additionally, startup time is much slower. Sure, more tech is involved in the Forerunner 955, but it takes just over 20 seconds to turn on fully. It’s nit-picky, sure, but if I’m powering up to get going on a run, it’s a bit annoying to wait for that, especially when that hasn’t been the case on other watches I’ve used.

Data collection and insights

Being at the top of Garmin’s running watch line, the Forerunner 955 comes with just about every possible sensor packed inside. It features the Garmin Elevate Gen4 optical heart rate sensor, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, and pulse ox blood oxygen saturation monitor. Those sensors are, of course, used when recording an activity, but many are constantly recording data. For example, you can always check your heart rate and steps. And you can take a pulse ox reading on-demand or while sleeping.

All of those sensor readings are used to provide insights such as Training Status, Training Readiness, stress level, sleep data, and Body Battery. It also provides hyper-specific stats such as run cadence, stride length, vertical ratio, ground contact time, and more. The information is there to help guide your training to maximize your fitness and potentially even assess form issues.

The data collected also helps manage general health with features such as Abnormal Heart Rate alerts. For example, if your heart rate is abnormally high, the watch will suggest breathing exercises to reduce stress and help you calm down. I’ve found this to be a helpful tool in high-stress situations, as it reminds me to reset and mentally take a step back from the thing causing the stress.

GPS

For location tracking and mapping, the Forerunner 955 provides access to three Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)—GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. There are four settings to choose from—GPS only, All Systems, All Systems + Multi-Band, and Ultratrac—which differ in accuracy and impact on battery life. Ultratrac is the mode for multiday excursions as it provides the best battery life but the worst accuracy. The watch defaults to All + Multi-Band GPS for the most accurate results.

The watch also comes equipped with Garmin’s SatIQ, which determines the optimal GPS mode based on your environment. And new to the 955 is the dual-frequency GPS. This combines the All Systems option but then also connects to two satellites at once for exceptional accuracy, even when in canyons or a city. It does use much more battery, however. 

I only used the watch in pretty wide open spaces but found it to be very accurate with no issues. I compared it to data from a simultaneously worn Instinct 2S Solar (a watch I’ve written extensively about), and they were the same as far as my naked eye could tell. 

Smartwatch features

Beyond that obvious fitness tracking, the Forerunner 955 is also a robust productivity partner. It can connect to your phone, allowing you to receive messages and notifications. You can even select pre-formatted quick replies to text messages to respond right from your watch. 

The watch lacks a cellular connection and a microphone, however, so you cannot take calls like on an Apple Watch 8, etc. But you can at least see who is calling to determine if you want to bother getting your phone out. And you can reject and respond to calls with pre-formatted messages as well. 

Beyond the basics, you’ll also get access to Garmin Pay, which allows you to save cards to your account and pay with your watch. This is great, in theory, but my bank (USAA) isn’t participating in Garmin Pay, so I have been unable to use the watch for payment. Additionally, you can connect music providers, such as Spotify, to save music or podcasts directly to your device when you don’t want to have your phone on you. Again, this is great in theory, but I ran into nothing but issues when trying to set up music and never was able to get more than a handful of songs to sync. So I haven’t really been able to test that feature successfully.

Safety features

As someone who mostly runs alone, the safety features of the Forerunner 955 are extremely appreciated. And, in line with the rest of the watch, there’s no shortage of them, either. It’s important to note right off the bat that you will need to have your connected phone with service on you to take advantage of these features. And all of these features need to be set up within the app in order to be used. 

The most basic feature enables the basic safety tenet of outdoor recreation: Make sure people know where you are and when you expect to be done. When you begin an activity with GPS (weightlifting, for example, is not included), the watch connects to LiveTrack. This emails a real-time view of your location to your preselected contacts. Or you can share a link (accessed via the app on your phone) with anyone you’d like so they can follow along and ensure you are progressing as anticipated.

Additionally, there are some bigger safety features for even more peace of mind. One enables you to quickly call for assistance directly from the watch with the press of a few buttons. By entering the menu accessed with the top left button, you can navigate to “Assistance.” Once there, there are three options: “It’s an emergency. Please get help,” “Not an emergency, but please pick me up,” and “I need help. Follow my location to find me.” 

I tested the “Not an emergency” option with my husband to see what would happen, and Garmin sent him a message with the pre-formatted text along with my coordinates. It sent him multiple messages until I selected that I no longer needed assistance, which triggered a follow-up message to him to let him know I was okay. While you do need your phone to take advantage of this feature, it makes it much faster and easier to get help than getting out your phone and texting or calling someone. 

The last safety feature you’ll have access to is incident detection. If your Forerunner 955 detects an incident, it will display a notification on the watch. If that isn’t dismissed promptly, it automatically sends a message with your name and location to your emergency contacts. Unfortunately, Garmin doesn’t provide any information on what this exactly means or how it detects an incident, but in theory, this is an excellent feature to have. It’s worth noting that, unlike the Apple Watch Ultra, the Forerunner 955 cannot notify emergency services for you since it doesn’t include a cellular connection like the Apple Watch. 

Garmin app

When you set up the watch, you must pair it to the Garmin Connect app. The app allows you to see your data in more detail. Of course, you can access most of your insights on the watch itself, but it is a bit easier to digest and sift through via the app, especially if you really want to dive into the data.

Where the app really comes in especially handy is with customization. Just about every setting can also be changed within the app once you select “Forerunner 955” from the Connected Devices list. Changing settings and customizing things via the app is a bit easier to do than on the watch. That’s especially true of the message and workout data screen settings. And some things, such as Garmin Pay, can only be set up in the app.

Battery life

The battery life of this watch is certainly one area where the Forerunner 955 shines. As with anything, the extent of the battery life depends on how you are using the watch but, no matter what, it is impressive. Of course, it’s worth pointing out that any solar battery life estimates mentioned by Garmin are based on “all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions.” For someone like me, who works inside and is lucky to get outside for an hour or two, that means I’m not really getting any advantage from solar charging on an average day.

Garmin promises 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode or 20 days with solar. During those times that I wasn’t able to exercise much and was using the watch as, well, a watch, I was absolutely getting the promised battery life. As mentioned, I’m not meeting the full required conditions for solar charging, but I did get some boosts that resulted in a few extra days. 

With the watch set to All Systems GNSS mode plus Multi-Band and without music, Garmin says you’ll get up to 20 hours, or 22 hours with solar. Since I didn’t complete any lengthy (more than a few hours) events while testing this watch, I didn’t fully push this to the limits. But, even with using the most accurate GPS setting, I was able to get a 30-minute to an hour-or-so-long workout in daily and still have my watch battery last a full week.

The thing that drained the battery most was fiddling with the settings and downloading music to the watch. I went from 80% battery to just 1% while trying to get a single small playlist to sync fully over the course of a few hours. So, if you aren’t in a situation where you can charge your watch, it’s best to save the settings adjustments and music syncing for another time. 

While the long battery life is certainly appreciated, the thing I most love about my Forerunner 955 is how quickly it charges. I’m guilty of forgetting to charge it up when needed on a far too regular basis. But I can plug it in as I get ready for a run and have it at 50% battery (depending on how low it was to begin with) in just 10 minutes or so. It’s crazy speedy.

The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar’s activity & fitness tracking experience

As expected, since this is a running watch, the activity tracking options are robust. The 955 comes preloaded with the basic types of workouts—such as running, swimming, and cycling—but you can quickly add just about anything you can think of, including Ultra Run, eMTB, Backcountry Ski, and more. You can even create custom workouts or import workouts from third parties like TrainingPeaks.

Recording workouts is incredibly easy. It’s done by simply pressing the top right button, selecting the type of workout, and then pushing start. Where things can get complicated, as mentioned, is all the customization you can do. You can choose to adjust what fields are displayed on the watch during your workout, customize notifications and audio cues, along with many different options specific to different types of workouts.

Training status and readiness

As you complete activities and wear your watch throughout the day (and night), Garmin collects data to offer insights into your training. The Training Status feature shows whether you are actively getting fitter (productive), holding steady, or even detraining (the worst). It can even tell you what types of activities you should add more of to maximize your training. For example, mine frequently tells me that I have a low aerobic shortage and need to work in easier runs.

Training Readiness is another helpful tool. As the name implies, it helps you assess how ready you are for your training. It may suggest that you back off and give yourself more time to recover or that you are prepared to dive right into a serious workout. It simply helps to keep you from overtraining and gives you a more clear picture of your training load. 

Both are very nice, but you can’t take full advantage of them if you aren’t wearing your watch 24/7. For example, to collect heart rate variability (HRV) data, you’ll need to wear the watch while you sleep. I’m not a fan of sleeping in a watch, so I don’t get highly accurate data for some of these fields as a result.

Suggested workouts

One feature I love about Garmin watches is the “Suggested Workouts” for running or cycling. These can be accessed in the Morning Report or when you start a workout. When providing these suggestions, Garmin factors in the above items, plus your Training Load & Load Focus, VO2 Max, and more. The result is that they are customized to you. It then suggests a workout to improve your fitness based on all that data. It’s great for days when you don’t want to think about what you should do or if you want something different but don’t want to pay for a coach.

Of course, these features should be taken with a grain of salt. Garmin doesn’t know if you are getting over an illness, dealing with stress at work, or managing an injury. It can infer some things based on the data it collects, but it won’t be perfect. There have been many times that my watch suggested a sprint, VO2 Max, or long run when my body could not handle that at the time. Your best bet is to use it all as a guide, listen to your body, and, if you really want results, hire a coach.

So, who should buy the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar?

As the watch’s name suggests, the Forerunner is truly a running watch. Sure, it offers all the basic—and not-so-basic—watch functions to make it suitable for anyone wanting a smartwatch. But if you aren’t an exercise enthusiast, you’ll be paying for many features and tech that you won’t actually be using.

And the extensive list of training features makes the watch more suitable for avid, focused runners looking to improve performance. It’s especially useful for runners competing in races. That said, as someone who is currently more of a casual runner than anything else, I found it rather motivational and aspirational. I’m not currently training for any races or even pushing the limits hard (thanks to some nagging injuries), so while I don’t necessarily care about things like the Race Prediction widget, it is fun to see those numbers changing when I’m consistent with my working out. At the same time, the Forerunner 255 can provide many of the same training and health features for an average of $258 less.

And, in terms of the Solar capabilities, which come at a $100 surcharge, they don’t seem to provide a substantial enough boost over the basic battery version for most. But if you’re one of the runners who can benefit from the lengthy list of features packed into this watch, particularly the touchscreen, the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar will be a fantastic training partner.

The post Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar running watch review: The power to persevere appeared first on Popular Science.

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While many activity trackers strive for sleek, discreet designs, Garmin created the Instinct 2 Solar for those who like classic outdoor watch styling without sacrificing advanced features. Despite its rugged, rather old-school body and display, the second iteration of this Garmin solar watch is a robust smartwatch with highly accurate GPS, wrist-based heart rate monitoring, and integrated solar charging. While there haven’t been many changes on the exterior, the watch’s software has some updates that many will appreciate, mostly related to activity tracking. The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar promises to give you more accurate training information and keep you from charging as often and, in most respects, it delivers. 

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The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar’s design

As already mentioned, the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar doesn’t look very different from the original Instinct Solar. The case is made of the same fiber-reinforced polymer, the display is still Garmin’s transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, and both versions are topped with Corning Gorilla Glass for durability. The Power Glass tech allows the watch to charge by absorbing sunlight through both visible side panels and an invisible layer atop the display. The bezel has been ever so slightly redesigned, though it’s like a spot-the-difference game to see what changed since it’s so subtle. 

The Instinct 2 Solar comes in the original 45mm, 53g case options and a new, smaller 40mm, 43g size (technically designated the 2S). The latter—in the color “Neo Tropic”—is the watch I have been eating, sleeping, and breathing in for the past month or so. Despite my child-sized wrists, it fits well and, thanks to the 13.3 mm thickness, it doesn’t look clunky like other sports watches I’ve used. The band that comes with the smaller size is quite short, however. So while it fits me (just barely), many will likely need to purchase a separate, longer band.

It is a rugged watch, intended to be put through the wringer. It’s water-rated to 100 meters, so it can stand up to some deep free-dives, making a bit of sweat and rain a piece of cake. And it’s thermal and shock resistant, so if you climb with it on and take some hard falls, it should easily survive. I wore mine to the gym, knocking it on a fair share of weight racks and bushwhacked through some dense forest, and it still looks brand new without so much as a scratch anywhere. 

The display is a slightly higher resolution than the original Instinct Solar (156 x 156 pixels for the 2S vs. 128 x 128 pixels for the original) but, as mentioned, it is still the same old-school, monochrome look. This basic display contributes significantly to the Instinct’s 21-day battery life even when in smartwatch mode. It isn’t very fancy to look at, however.

The watch has a pretty large bezel, which eats up quite a bit of screen real estate. So while it collects tons of data and shows you graphs of certain things, such as sleep quality, I have found it a bit difficult to read and assess the graphs on the watch itself because of the small, monochrome screen. If I really want to see the information, it’s a much better experience to pull it up in the Garmin app instead. 

Setting up the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar

Garmin makes the setup process for any of its watches incredibly easy, especially if you already have a Garmin watch and account. The watch comes with a partial charge right out of the box, so you can get to set up right after opening it. You will need to download the Garmin Connect app (available for iPhone and Android), but the watch guides you through the process step-by-step and makes it very easy to pair with your phone/app using a Bluetooth connection. 

I was already a Garmin user, so the setup took only a few minutes on my Samsung Galaxy S10. But even if you are starting from scratch, it shouldn’t take much longer. Of course, if you want to take the time to customize things like notifications, tones, and watch faces right out the gate, you could spend quite a while in both Garmin Connect (the watch’s settings/metrics hub) and Garmin Connect IQ (the watch’s app, or “widget,” store, which did not work with the original Instinct). When in Connect, you’ll see steps that still need to be completed for full setup by tapping on the watch at the top. However, some, such as connecting to Garmin Pay, can wait or not be done at all, depending on what you want to use. 

The Garmin Instinct 2 Solar’s features

The Instinct 2 Solar is a comparatively simple smartwatch despite costing $450, lacking some of the fancier features of higher-end, Garmin offerings like the multisport fēnix 7 Sapphire Solar and premium running Forerunner 955. Those watches offer color touchscreens, more advanced training suggestions, and more detailed navigation maps. But the Instinct 2 Solar is still plenty feature-rich and provides loads of insights and data.   

Battery life

I would be remiss if I didn’t start out with the feature advertised in the name since “Solar” is one of the main selling points of this watch. Because of the basic display and the solar charging, it can last a seriously long time, though that seems to be with some caveats. 

According to Garmin, the Instinct 2 models improve slightly on the original and the 40mm Instinct 2S can last 21 days in smartwatch mode/51 days with solar and has potentially unlimited battery life when in battery saver mode (more in the standard-sized model). However, I have not been able to get that kind of battery life out of it, partially because it assumes the watch gets 3 hours of 50,000 lux sunlight conditions a day and partially because that number is based on general wear, with no or at least limited activity tracking. With a GPS-enabled activity nearly every day, and sometimes more than one, I have to charge it about once a week (running GPS nonstop, battery life is rated at 22 hours/28 with solar). Admittedly, I’m also not spending much time in the most intense sun right now, thanks to the summer heat, so I’ve not been able to take full advantage of the solar functionality—though I plan to gauge the battery life claims more as I evaluate other sports watches, so this section will be updated. Even without taking full advantage of solar, however, it still lasts longer than my much-loved Forerunner 745, and some time on the window sill or a sunbaked rock will keep it running for a day or two in a pinch.

You can change how often and what sensors pull from the battery, so you can customize it to get more battery life. And when the battery is running low, the watch prompts you to switch it to battery saver mode, which gives you a very pared-down display with no smartwatch functionality. And when you need to plug it in for a charge with the provided proprietary multi-pin USB cable (though no wall adapter), it bounces back quickly. I was able to fully charge the battery from 0% to 100% in about three-and-a-half hours, so it’s quick to top off the battery when you need to.

Activity tracker

If you’re buying a Garmin watch, it’s almost certainly for its acumen as a fitness tracker. The Instinct 2 Solar offers activity modes for just about every type of exercise, workout, and sport you could imagine, from treadmill and trail running and cycling (road, eBike, indoors, mountain, etc.) to climbing, swimming, and even breathwork and multi-day expeditions. HIIT timers are in the newer model, as well. Some you will need to add to the watch, but doing so hardly takes any time at all and can be done on the watch itself or the app.

Garmin also makes a few different editions of this watch, which have unique, hyper-specific modes. For example, the Surf Edition has specific tracking for surfing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing, along with tide data that you can’t access on the Standard Edition. There’s also a Tactical Edition, with Jumpmaster activity, waypoint projection, dual-position GPS format, preloaded tactical activity, and a stealth mode. Of course, the Standard Edition has just about everything other than some of those specialized activities so, for most, it will be the one to get.

No matter what type of activity you do, it is straightforward to track it. Different activities offer specific information on the watch face, though all of that is customizable, so you can choose what information is most important to see while tracking. For example, I like to have my heart rate and distance prominently displayed when on runs, while things like cadence and lap time aren’t important to me. 

You can also choose to silence tones and notifications during workouts. For example, if I’m out for a run, I don’t want to be notified that someone liked my Instagram post, so I can easily choose to block those during that activity. 

The watch can also give you suggested running workouts to help improve your fitness. When you click to start a run, a screen will pop up with “Today’s Suggestion” that provides a brief summary of the run and its training effect. It’s a nice way to mix up your workouts without paying for a coach or doing your own extensive research. 

Data collection and insights

The watch obviously collects quite a lot of data while recording activities, relying on the plethora of sensors built into it. It connects with three Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)—GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo—for better accuracy, has the newer Garmin Elevate Gen4 optical heart rate sensor, plus includes a barometric altimeter, compass, accelerometer, and thermometer. But it also collects lots of data when you aren’t explicitly recording an activity. For example, you can always see your heart rate and step count. 

If you wear the watch to bed, it will also track your sleep, giving you insight into your sleep stages throughout the night. I have found the sleep tracking to be hit and miss in terms of accuracy, with some nights showing as excellent sleep even though I most definitely was awake for chunks of time and do not feel rested in the morning. 

Though it’s not always accurate, wearing the watch during sleep allows Garmin to get a more complete picture of your fitness and recovery status, which is new on this Instinct 2 Solar. On this second version, you can now access Garmin’s Training Status, VO2 max, and Recovery time. If you are serious about your training, these are all very helpful. 

While the provided VO2 max value relies on an algorithm and heart rate data, the estimation yields similar results to a proper VO2 max test, which relies on indirect calorimetry and requires expensive lab equipment. And, if you click on the Training Status on either the watch or the app, it will tell you if you need to adjust your training in any particular way to improve your fitness. Of course, it is generalized, so if you are training for something specific, it may not be very accurate, but it does a great job for general fitness. 

Smartwatch features

Like most fitness trackers these days, the Instinct 2 Solar is a full smartwatch. That means it pairs with your phone to provide notifications on the watch’s display. Any notification you get on your phone can come through, though some allow more interaction than others. It’s handy when you are in a situation where you can’t or don’t want to pick up your phone but you want to know if any important calls or messages are coming through. When out and about, I typically leave my phone in my purse when out and about and only take it out if it’s something I care to deal with right then. 

The Instinct 2 Solar doesn’t have a cellular connection and it lacks a microphone, so you can’t take calls or use a voice assistant, etc. But, you can set up prewritten responses to texts or calls and respond from the watch, which is ideal for when you are in the middle of something. You can also like Instagram messages from the watch, should you care to do that. 

Safety features

One of the things that I love about the Instinct 2 Solar is the safety features. Garmin added Incident Detection to this second iteration, which uses the sensors in your watch to detect if a fall or crash may have occurred on a walk, run, or ride. If it does detect an event, it will text your emergency contact, which you can set up in the app.

There is also the ability to request assistance manually, though quickly, if needed. By simply holding the top left button for three seconds, the watch will send a text or email to your emergency contact with your exact location. It will continue to send your location until you end it and can even send an “I’m OK” text if things resolve themselves. You will need to have your phone on you and have service to use it, but it is very nice to know that feature is there if I ever find myself in a dicey situation. 

As a robust GPS watch, you’ll also be able to use Garmin’s TracBack. It is an extremely beneficial tool for any backcountry activities, as it allows you to follow your traveled path without needing to place waypoints as you go. Should you get lost, it makes it much easier to find your way back even if you don’t have expert-level navigation skills.

Lastly, you’ll also have access to Garmin’s LiveTrack. When you start a run, hike, or bike ride, you can send LiveTrack information to whomever. It’s an excellent feature for backcountry activities so that someone can know where you are and if your outing takes as long as expected. All these extra layers of protection make me feel safer when out alone on runs, bike rides, or hikes, and make my husband more comfortable with my solo trips as well. 

Garmin app

Though you can do a lot on the watch, the Garmin Connect app provides the best method for viewing and analyzing data collected by the device. As mentioned, it can be hard to decipher some data on the watch, so being able to see all that information in the app is very useful. The app also provides even more information and training data than the watch does, so you can really nerd out and get into the nitty-gritty. 

The app also lets you fully customize your watch, from downloading specialized faces to changing notification settings and enabling safety features. You can do much of that on the watch itself, but it may be easier for some to do on the app. 

For those who like the social aspects of staying active, Garmin also has its own platform for that within the app. You can connect with other Garmin users, with options to “like” or comment on their activities. There are even challenges that you can join to stay motivated. It’s not as feature-rich as apps like Strava, but connecting with others can be a big motivator. And you can also link your Garmin account to Strava, should you want your data to sync there. 

Usability and accuracy

Overall, the watch is easy and intuitive to use. The labels on the bezel help identify what key functions fall under each button (labeled Control, Menu, ABC, GPS, Set), but you will want to read through the manual or do a walkthrough to figure out where certain settings are hiding. I did find the menus slightly more confusing than on my Forerunner 745, but not overly so.

I had some lagging issues when pushing buttons for the first time in a while, resulting in me waiting for it to go to the right menu when wanting to start a workout or view certain stats. It isn’t terribly long, but it is enough to be a bit annoying and hasn’t been an issue on other Garmin watches I’ve used. 

I wore both the Instinct Solar 2S and Forerunner 955 Solar (which I’m also reviewing) on a handful of runs—both on my left wrist, though I also had a chest-based heart rate monitor that I only had paired with the Instinct. Results did vary slightly across pretty much all fields when I examined them in Garmin Connect, but it was all well within the margin of error. So, I would fully trust the results from both watches. I anticipated any heart rate-related fields to be different since chest straps provide much more accurate and reliable data than wrist-based. 

Garmin will suggest workouts for you when starting a run, and interestingly those varied slightly between the two watches as well. The Forerunner 955’s recommendations seemed to align better with my current fitness level and pacing abilities, though that is strictly based on perceived effort type insight. The Instinct Solar 2S also didn’t have any motivational type messages pop up after a run as the Forerunner 955 did. Although small and perhaps somewhat silly, it made me prefer running with the Forerunner. 

So, who should buy the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar?

There are other fitness-tracking smartwatches that are sleeker and thus better suited for blending into everyday wear (such as the Apple Watch Series 7). The rugged styling of the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar means that it doesn’t necessarily fit well with fancy attire, though I have to admit I am one of those who wear their Garmin no matter what the outfit, so this is a matter of personal preference.

Though the watch fully tracks activities and collects loads of data, it doesn’t present the information quite as elegantly or thoroughly as some of Garmin’s more specialized watches. As a result, it probably isn’t the best option if you are an intensely focused, multisport athlete (that’s where the fēnix 7 and even more expressive EPIX Gen. 2 series come in). And, as a runner, I much prefer the Forerunner 955, as it provides better workout suggestions and gives me more information about my preferred type of training. The higher-resolution color screen on the Forerunner also makes it easier to see data while running, which I appreciate. 

The durability and long battery life when outside, however, make the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar a truly fantastic smartwatch for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a more casual but still comprehensive activity tracker. It also has navigation modes that are helpful for activities. I definitely see the advantages of this watch for longer hikes, climbs, or multi-day adventures and plan on using it for such trips in the future. You can trust that it will survive some serious trips and that the battery life, once settings are customized, will keep up with your lifestyle.

The post Garmin Instinct 2 Solar smartwatch review: A highly capable adventure watch appeared first on Popular Science.

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