Choosing a Smartwatch: How to Find the Right Gadget

This guide provides a clear, practical overview of choosing a smartwatch: how to find the right gadget, with useful context, important details, and straightforward takeaways for everyday readers.

Compatibility With Your Smartphone

Imagine that you have just bought a smart watch and realize that the device you put on your hand is unusable because your phone doesn't recognize it. That's a pretty frustrating situation. That's why compatibility testing is necessary when buying a smartwatch.

Most smartwatches on the market are made by smartwatch companies. Their main goal is to get you into the ecosystem of their mobile device. The Apple Watch, for example, will only pair with an iPhone. By doing so, Apple "hints" that you will have to buy an iPhone first.

Samsung is more liberal in this matter. Apple's main competitor allows the Galaxy Watch to connect with mobile devices other than their brand. Despite this, the watch has some features that can only be unlocked when paired with a Samsung smartphone.

But you can buy watches from brands that don't make smartwatches. Such models offer all the features at once and support both iOS and Android.

Tips : See superwatches.com for a review of the best waterproof smartwatches.

Display

The screen is the key element of a smartwatch. There are currently four display options on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

The choice will have to be made between AMOLED, IPS, E-Ink or the monochrome dot display, familiar to those who have seen electronic watches from the 80s and 90s. Those who want a modern color display are limited to the first two options.

AMOLED displays will give you the best viewing angle, high contrast and deep blacks. IPS screens, on the other hand, offer better color reproduction and a lower price point.

If it doesn't matter to you whether the display will deliver color, then another option is added, and it's E-Ink.

But the E-Ink display, which is standard in e-books, does not cheapen the device, even on the contrary. But it is the most safe for the eyes of all four options, and it is the most convenient to read messages and other small text. 

Control Interface

Modern smartwatches use three control options: touch, button, and a combination of touch screen and buttons. The choice here is undeniable: the touch display wins in convenience. Although if you live in a cold country like Russia, where you have to wear gloves most of the year, it is worth considering the option with buttons.

A new dilemma will arise with touch controls, and that is the size of the display. It should be large enough so that you can easily tap the screen to view notifications or perform other actions.