Is it worth buying a smartwatch?

10 Tem 03:38

Smartwatches are super useful if they fit your needs, otherwise, they're just an unnecessary expense. I, for example, bought an Apple Watch because I wanted to see my notifications without constantly checking my phone and to use the health tracking features. The ECG and blood oxygen measurements in the health section actually work. But paying $300 for just a timepiece is ridiculous, of course. When it comes to price-performance, if you have the budget, I'd at least look at something from Apple, Samsung, or Garmin because generic brands often disappoint in terms of battery life and software support. For instance, mine lasts more than two days, and I use it daily for fitness tracking—I'm quite happy with it.

10 Tem 03:56

Before buying a smartwatch, I also questioned myself like you: "Is it really necessary?" Four years ago, my brother insisted on getting an Apple Watch, so I borrowed it and used it for a month. In the first week, I thought how pointless step counting and heart rate alerts were; sometimes they even caused unnecessary panic with incorrect data. But in the third week, while running on a treadmill at 8 km/h, I suddenly got a "high heart rate" alert. At that moment, I was truly out of breath, and thanks to the device's warning, I slowed down and managed to rest. From that point on, the smartwatch was no longer "pointless" to me. For you, too, deciding based on your use case is crucial. If you just want to reply to messages without taking out your phone, even budget models will suffice. Similarly, if sleep tracking and basic sports metrics interest you, mid-range watches like the Garmin Venu series make sense in terms of price-performance. My advice is to take advantage of borrowing or in-store trial periods; because how a watch feels on your wrist, screen visibility, battery life, and touch responsiveness are things you can't understand until you try them. Even I hated the pressure on my wrist and the glass screen of the Apple Watch before buying it. Eventually, I got an Apple Watch, ignored its features, used a screen protector, and now I use it almost obsessively.

10 Tem 06:40

Smartwatches first caught my attention when I was using the S20 series, and that's when I switched to the Galaxy Watch 3. It was great for notifications and fitness tracking, but I think its biggest value was "dealing with the phone less." For example, while running, I could forget about my phone in my pocket and just use the watch, with heart rate data and message alerts right there. The irregular heartbeat alerts in health tracking also came in handy—I went to the hospital and found out there was actually nothing wrong. Later, I tried the same approach with the Pixel Watch. What I liked most about it were the health measurements similar to ECG. But in terms of price-to-performance, I think Galaxy Watches are better because prices became more reasonable starting from the Watch 4. I even waited a month before buying one and timed it for a discount period, so I got it for almost half price. Ultimately, if you want more than just fitness tracking and notifications (like replying to WhatsApp messages or NFC payments), you should reconsider your budget. Otherwise, you're just buying a fancy watch to sit in your garage.

10 Tem 07:16

I’d say it really depends on what you're looking for, but in my case, a smartwatch has saved me more than a few hassles. I basically use it for what you mentioned: health tracking (oximeter, heart rate, sleep) and notifications without having to pull out my phone. If you run or go to the gym, the built-in GPS is a huge plus. That said, if you just want something to say you own one, it’s probably not worth it. As for price, you can find decent models like the Amazfit GTR or Huawei Watch GT for around €150-200 these days. If you go for premium brands like Apple or Garmin, you’re paying for that closed ecosystem and extra-long battery life. My tip: make a prioritized list of 3 key features and compare based on that.

10 Tem 07:53

Dude, I was really overthinking it when I had to get a smartwatch six months ago. I'm into fitness tracking, and my brother kept telling me I should stop jotting down notes on my phone. In the end, I went with the Huawei Watch GT 3. Honestly, I haven't regretted it since, except for the times I have to plug it in for an hour or two at night to charge it. Speaking of health tracking, it does a surprisingly good job with heart rate and calorie counting. Compared to my brother's, it's like they hired a doctor—he ended up buying the same one. I also love how convenient the notifications are; I can reply without even touching my phone. But if you want a proper app experience, you really need to go for a model that supports Android Wear or Wear OS. If you're looking for brand recommendations, the Apple Watch isn't bad, but it's pretty pricey. I'd say a mid-range Garmin or Amazfit is a smarter choice.