Best Fitness Smartwatches 2023: 12 Watches That Can Help Optimize Your Workout

AS TECHNOLOGY advances, the fitness watch market is constantly changing, allowing you to not only track your progress during your workouts, but also log every health stat you can imagine. Some are so advanced that they can even help you identify health issues like AFib (atrial fibrillation, also known as irregular heartbeat), and newer models help you monitor everything from your recovery and energy levels to how well (or poorly) you sleep every night.

Read more: Best Workout Headphones

But on a more basic level, these watches can offer GPS connectivity to help you stay on your training course and offer pinpointed location data, a plethora of built-in training programs, and basic activity tracking. Depending on what your fitness goals are (like losing weight or cutting time off your mile PR), the addition of a fitness watch can help you identify where your training is lacking, or even where you may be pushing it a little too hard thanks to recording your laps and splits, as well as heart rate and oxygen levels. Plus, many fitness watches are also focused on optimizing your recovery to help you achieve the best rest and restoration so you can kick-A during your future workouts.

Read more: Best Smartwatches for Men

With so many options to choose from, and each fitness watch offering up so many different health and fitness offerings, it may feel overwhelming to narrow down which one you should go with. Which is why we created this curated list to help you decide whether you want a full-blown smart device or just a fitness-oriented timepiece to record your laps and splits.

Best Hybrid Smartwatch: Citizen CZ Hybrid Smartwatch

Best Hybrid Smartwatch

Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid Smartwatch 44mm

Best Hybrid Smartwatch

Citizen CZ Smart Hybrid Smartwatch 44mm

Now 20% Off

$280 at Amazon

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeUp to 15 daysCase Size44mm

With top-tier performance measurement tools and actual hands, a hybrid smartwatch promises the best of both worlds. Citizen’s CZ Hybrid won our “Best Hybrid Smartwatch” award in our 2023 Tech Awards for its beautiful diver-inspired design and sturdy build—the CZ has a generous 15-day battery life and water resistance of up to 30 meters. Under the hood are all the essential metrics like heart rate, steps, weather, calories burned, and sleep tracking.

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Most Stylish Fitness Watch: Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition

Most Stylish Fitness Watch

Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition, 44mm

Most Stylish Fitness Watch

Fossil Gen 6 Wellness Edition, 44mm

$299 at Amazon

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeAbout 24 hoursCase Size44mm

Winner of our “Most Fashionable Smartwatch” in our 2023 Tech Awards, the Gen 6 channels a classic timepiece look (with a crown!) and is nice and slim on the wrist. It’s true some of the home screen designs don’t do the watch justice when it comes to looking, but the fun part is you can swap between several presets (we like the Pepsi-beveled home screen). And for tech, the Gen 6 tracks everything from heart rate to SpO2 to even sleep. If you’re looking for a fitness watch looks as good as it performs—and has a solid mid-tier price point—then look no further.

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Best Apple Watch Overall: Apple Watch Ultra

Best Apple Watch Overall

Apple Watch Ultra [GPS + Cellular 49mm]

Best Apple Watch Overall

Apple Watch Ultra [GPS + Cellular 49mm]

$799 at Amazon$800 at verizon.com

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeUp to 36 hoursCase Size49mm

The Apple Watch Ultra is pricey, but it’s also worth mentioning it’s not much different than other fitness watches of the same tier. In fact, one can argue the Ultra is in a class of its own, blending the superior day-to-day use of an Apple watch with the same rugged specs one might see on a brand like Suunto. The Ultra contains many of the same new features as the Apple Watch Series 8, plus a much more sizable watch face, a titanium frame, a better battery life, and a water resistance of up to 100 meters. Lest we forget to mention the style points because the Ultra looks dang good on any wrist.

Read more: Apple Watch Ultra Review

Best for the Outdoors: Suunto 9 Baro

Best for the Outdoors

SUUNTO 9 Baro Titanium

Best for the Outdoors

SUUNTO 9 Baro Titanium

Now 25% Off

$449 at Amazon

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeUp to 7 daysCase Size50mm

Hailed in many circles as one of the best hiking and trail running watches around due to its accurate barometer to help track weather trends (including storm alarm and sunrise/sunset) and intelligent GPS system. While you can’t go wrong with the stainless steel model, the titanium model with the nylon strap is our favorite preference. You’ll pay about $100 more, but when it comes to a fitness watch that packs as many features as the 9 Baro while also staying blissfully lightweight and tough you’ll be happy you made the upgrade.

Read more: Best Hiking Boots

Best for Marathon Training: Garmin Forerunner 955

Best for Marathon Training

Garmin Forerunner 955

Best for Marathon Training

Garmin Forerunner 955

$500 at Amazon$500 at Walmart$500 at Macy’s

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery Life15 days in smartwatch mode, up to 42 hours in GPS modeCase Size46.5mm

Released back in June, the Forerunner 955 found immediate praise from Garmin fans thanks to its premium performance and respectable price point. From marathons and triathlons to days spent out in nature, the 955 provides a sizable watch face that’s easy to see in direct sunlight. Our two favorite features include the energy level reader, called “Body Battery”, and Training Readiness, which is a tracker that analyzes your sleep quality, training intensity, and recovery time to tailor your approach to your workouts.

Read more: Best Gifts for Outdoorsmen

Most Versatile Apple Watch: Apple Watch Series 8

Most Versatile Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS 41mm]

Most Versatile Apple Watch

Apple Watch Series 8 [GPS 41mm]

$449 at Amazon$349 at Walmart$399 at tigerdirect.com

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeUp to 18 horusCase Size41mm, 45mm

There’s not much more to say about Apple’s signature smartwatch that hasn’t already been said—but we’ll rave about it a little more. The top wearable on the market got better in its latest edition with a new skin temperature sensor, a crash detection monitor, and a low-power mode for extended battery life. Plus you’re still getting the best heart rate tracking, ECG readings, and blood oxygen levels one can get from a smartwatch.

Read more: Apple Watch Series 8 Review

Best Basic Apple Watch: Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

Best Basic Apple Watch

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40mm]

Best Basic Apple Watch

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) [GPS 40mm]

$284 at Amazon$249 at Walmart$249 at tigerdirect.com

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeUp to 18 hoursCase Size40mm, 44mm

Introducing the 2nd generation of the Apple Watch SE! Nearly identical to the Series 8, the SE (2nd Gen) offers the same basic activity tracking and new watch features like crash detection and an upgraded processing chip. When compared to the Series 8, you sacrifice not having some of the high-level sensors like the blood oxygen sensor and electrical heart sensor, however, what you get in return is a favorable price point of $250.

Amazon’s Choice: Coros Pace 2

Amazon’s Choice

Coros Pace 2

Amazon’s Choice

Coros Pace 2

$199 at Amazon

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Battery Life30 hoursCase Size42mm

The latest version of the affordable GPS watch is ultralight thanks to a 50 percent weight reduction in a new nylon band, a switch from a silicone band. The Pace 2 comes with over 200 exercises pre-loaded for the upper body, lower body, core work, and more to help you with training and running. And among our favorite features is a new muscle heat map that allows you to see which muscle groups are getting the most action in a daily, weekly, or monthly view, so you can adjust your training accordingly. Carries 30 hours of full GPS battery life, and up to 20 days of use without a charge.

Read more: Best Heart Rate Monitors

Most Durable Fitness Watch: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

Most Durable Fitness Watch

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

Most Durable Fitness Watch

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

$308 at Amazon$259 at Walmart$260 at dell.com

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

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Battery Life40 hoursCase Size40mm, 44mm

No iPhone? No problem. The Galaxy Watch 5 can go anywhere thanks to a large scratch-resistant screen and a strong titanium case. Our favorite features include advanced sleep coaching that analyzes your sleep habits and suggests what you can do to improve, as well as a body composition reader to get stats on body fat, body water, and BMI (Body Mass Index). Oh, and how could we forget to mention the Galaxy Watch 5’s accurate GPS specs and voice navigation?

Best for Bringing Your Workouts Anywhere: Garmin Venu 2

Best for Bringing Your Workouts Anywhere

Garmin Venu 2

Best for Bringing Your Workouts Anywhere

Garmin Venu 2

Now 30% Off

$280 at Amazon$300 at Walmart$400 at lenovo.com

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Pros

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Cons

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Battery LifeUp to 11 days in smartwatch mode, 8 hours in GPS mode with musicCase Size45mm

The Garmin Venu 2 reliably tracks key health stats and measures metrics like heart rate variability, stress levels, and more with the help of Garmin Coach. But what sets this fitness watch apart from the others is its ability to easily stream animated on-screen workouts from your wrist. In fact, the Venu 2 comes preloaded with 25 sports apps, with everything from HIIT training, strength workouts, yoga, and Pilates.

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Best for Runners and Triathletes: Polar Vantage M2

Best for Runners and Triathletes

Polar Vantage M2

Best for Runners and Triathletes

Polar Vantage M2

Now 17% Off

$250 at Amazon$300 at Walmart$264 at probikekit.com

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

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Cons

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Battery Life30 hoursCase Size46mm

Offering over 130 sports profiles, the M2 is built for just about any activity you want to track. However, it performs the best as a running and cycling companion thanks to its long battery life (30 hours) and its easy data syncing to apps like Strava, TrainingPeaks, and more.

Read more: Best Running Shoes

Best Entry-Level Fitness Watch: Fitbit Charge 5

Under $150 and trusted by thousands, the Charge 5 is the perfect entry-level fitness watch for those who want to get an idea of what a performance tracker can give them. The device is supremely thin and lightweight, making it easy to get used to for those who don’t typically wear a device on their wrist while working out. As far as measurements go, you get a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, calories burned, and more. But the best feature the Charge 5 has is its Active Zone Minutes, which allow you to hit your intensity level goals.

Read more: Best Home Gym Equipment

Should I Buy a Fitness Watch?

An easy way to decide if you should get a fitness watch or not is by identifying a few key metrics you’d like to track. In a recent article, we spoke with Michael J. Joyner, M.D., a human-physiology researcher at the Mayo Clinic, to get his opinion on fitness trackers. “If your goal is to finish a 10K, then the distance you can run without stopping is more relevant than something like your respiration rate,” Dr. Joyner told MH. “You have to ask yourself how collecting more-granular data is going to help you achieve your goals.”

Before purchasing, take a second to write down your specific needs for a fitness watch and then list some metrics you’d like to measure. Whether you’re looking for a watch that will help you train for a marathon, or looking for a watch that’s going to help you hiking, you can find a fitness watch out there tailored to what you want.

Read more: How to Get the Most Out of Your Fitness Tracker

Key Features to Look for in a Fitness Watch

As mentioned above, you’re going to want to list down what you think you might want in a fitness watch. On top of this notion, though are a few features every fitness watch should have. Those include step counters, heart rate monitors, and calories burned. A quality fitness watch should also carry basic water resistance (especially when against sweat), and durable construction (scratch-resistant screens and strong case materials).

The more bells and whistles you attach, the higher in price your watch can climb. The sky is the limit in what you can pay—there are watches out there over $800—but sometimes those prices are worth the investment. This is especially true when looking at adventure watches that are outfitted with state-of-the-art GPS systems and barometers that track storms and weather patterns—a powerful set of features that ultimately helps keep you safe. Whatever you settle on, make sure you’re choosing a fitness watch that covers the bases. Then, you can go up in price from there and get a better-customized device with each upgrade.

How We Selected

For the past two years, we consulted with Men’s Health’s Fitness and Gear editors on the top fitness watches for men. Experts including our fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., our fitness editor Brett Williams, NASM, and our gear and commerce editor John Thompson, put countless men’s fitness watches through the gauntlet to evaluate their fit, performance, and ease of use. We also considered price points, as some fitness watches have a better overall value than others.

Download the Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training and use your new fitness watch to track these workouts.

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Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.

Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men’s Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health in 2017, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.  

John Thompson

Gear and Commerce Editor

John Thompson is the Gear and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health, where he covers fashion, grooming, gear, and technology. He was previously the Style & Gear Editor at BroBible.com, and a commerce writer for TheManual.com. His interests include shopping for rare vintage clothes and following his favorite baseball team, the Kansas City Royals.