Apple Watch Series 12
- Accurate heart-rate and health tracking
- Daily Readiness score
- Bright, always-on screen
- About a day of battery, and it only works with an iPhone
Updated 19 Oct 2026
Best smartwatches
With an iPhone, get the Apple Watch Series 12; with Android, the Pixel Watch 5. Runners should look at the Garmin Forerunner 170, which works with either and lasts days.
If you need something specific
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Best value for iPhone
Apple Watch SE 3
- Same chip as Apple's pricier watches
- Always-on screen
- Sleep and fitness tracking
- No ECG, blood oxygen or hypertension alerts
Best for adventures
Apple Watch Ultra 4
- About two days of battery
- Accurate dual-band GPS
- Tough titanium and sapphire
- Twice the price of a Series 12 that has most of the same health features
Best for Android
Google Pixel Watch 5
- Works with any Android phone
- Very accurate GPS
- Fast charging
- One to two days of battery, less with GPS on
For Samsung phones
Samsung Galaxy Watch9
- Thin and light
- Lots of health features
- Bright screen
- About a day of battery, and some features need a Samsung phone
Best running watch
Garmin Forerunner 970
- About two weeks of battery
- Maps and dual-band GPS
- Most detailed training advice
- Chunky, and one of the most expensive running watches
Best budget running watch
Garmin Forerunner 170
- Daily suggested workouts
- About 10 days of battery
- Light, with a sharp screen
- Single-band GPS and no triathlon mode
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How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: Tom's Guide, TechRadar, TechRadar, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 19 Oct 2026How we decide