Compare smart watches and health tracking bracelets

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are one of the best wearable technology accessories that help improve exercise habits. From keeping track of your steps and heart rate to specific exercise logs and activity statistics, these devices can help you reach your fitness goals.

However, although often grouped together, smart watches and fitness trackers are not the same.

So what is the difference between the two types of equipment? And how do you choose the device that suits you best? Here is everything you need to know before making a decision.

What is a smartwatch?

A smartwatch is a wearable technology accessory that takes the shape of a regular wristwatch. However, the ability to synchronize and control functions on a smartphone is what makes this device smart.

As a result, smartwatches do more than display time. Their exact features will vary by brand, but overall, smartwatches come with a lot of functions, besides simple operation tracking. Most smartwatch models allow you to check notifications, read messages, view incoming calls, etc.

Smartwatches often have physical tracking functions, such as built-in step counting and heart rate. However, these physical features are not the main function of the device.

Different brands will prioritize sleep, exercise, and heart rate monitoring to varying degrees. But they will also have a significant number of other features related to activity tracking.

Other common high-end smartwatch features include music app control, text message answering, voice recording, NFC payment capabilities, and phone call management. phone.

A few examples of smartwatches include Apple Watch, Huawei Watch GT, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Fitbit Versa. For more detailed information, please refer to the article: Understanding Smartwatches.

What is a fitness tracker?

The fitness tracker is a wearable that gathers exercise and activity data for users. These trackers can take many different forms, from wristbands, necklaces to shirt accessories.

In fact, some fitness trackers don't have any LED screens or interactive faces. Instead, you can only view data from these tracking devices via the linked smartphone app. These tracking devices are often simple pedometer or sleep monitors and lack features like heart rate monitor.

Some fitness trackers, like the Bellabeat Activity Tracker or Huawei Band 3e, have a removable core unit. They are usually the same size as a USB token. Thanks to this compact size, you can attach them to various accessories such as buckles, bracelets or necklaces. In fact, some health-monitoring bracelets allow you to clip them to shoelaces or bra straps.

The main function of a health tracking bracelet is activity tracking. Therefore, features outside this core function are often limited or completely unavailable.

High-end fitness trackers may include LED screens, specific activity tracking, heart rate monitoring and vibration alerts for phone messages. However, they often do not have many applications, the ability to reply to messages or how to interact remotely with the phone.

A few examples of fitness trackers include the Fitbit Inspire, Huawei Band and Xiaomi Mi Band. Some of the most minimalistic health monitoring bracelets including the Bellabeat Leaf Urban and the discontinued Jawbone UP brand.

Compare smart watches and health tracking bracelets

While a smartwatch can act as a fitness tracker, a fitness tracker is focused primarily on activity tracking and has few other features. A few more advanced health watch models are also available, offering some notification functions and apps. However, physical monitoring is still the main focus.

Smartwatches, on the other hand, offer a much more perfect wearable. In fact, some standalone smartwatches now have eSIM functionality, making them unnecessary to be within range of a paired smartphone for use.

The smartwatch also comes with many app control features, customization capabilities, and native functionality.

Therefore, health monitoring bracelets are often cheaper than smart watches. They are also usually lighter, more compact and can take many different forms. Health monitoring bracelets also have longer battery life due to their limited functionality.

Smartwatches, on the other hand, usually have LED screens that are the same size as a large watch face, have a unique form, and are often significantly more expensive than health track bracelets. In appearance, they are more similar to analog watches, usually including the knobs, winders and buttons often found on analog watches.

Should I buy a smartwatch or a fitness tracker?

Whether a new smartwatch or fitness tracker is the best option depends on each person's needs and a few other considerations.

There are a few questions you should answer yourself before making your decision, including:

1. What is your budget?
2. What will you be using the device for? (for example, tracking a workout or controlling a smartphone app remotely)
3. How compact do you want your device to be?
4. Is your workout likely to damage a large screen?
5. What about essential features like music control and answering calls?
6. How often are you willing to charge the device?

If you want to own a wearable that can track activity for the least amount possible, you should choose a fitness tracker. You may also want a fitness tracker, if you are worried about breaking a watch screen or a large watch on your wrist that bothers you.

Even if you want a device with a touch screen and some extra features, you can still consider a high-end health watch bracelet. However, this option is best suited if your main goal is to track exercise and activity.

But if you want a large number of extra features in addition to tracking, and don't mind the larger form factor, as well as the extra cost, you should consider buying a smart watch. Intelligent instead. While smartwatches generally cost more than health monitoring bracelets, you can still find an affordable smartwatch from many brands.

Now you know the difference between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker. You can decide which device is best for your needs.

Wish you find yourself a suitable product!