The best Wear OS watch 2023: top ex-Android Wear smartwatches

The best Wear OS watch offer a level of versatility that you might not get from its competitors. That’s especially true for Wear OS 2-powered models that are compatible with Apple devices. So, while many of them may be less known than the Apple Watch range, that doesn’t stop them being worth your time.

As there is a wide variety made by different manufacturers, you’ll need to really have a think about what features you need the most. That’s on top of finding a design that suits your style and knowing your budget. Whichever watch you choose, however, you can rest assured you’ll get a clean interface that clearly provides your phone notifications, along with reliable health and fitness tracking, and some good looks. 

We’ve tested pretty much most of the best smartwatches on the market, and that includes those running Wear OS from major brands like Samsung, Huawei, Fossil, TicWatch, MisFit, and Google. And, we gathered the best of them here, noting performance, features, build and design, and price.

If you don’t think a Wear OS watch is right for you, the best Apple Watches may be more suitable. Otherwise, take a look at the best Wear OS watches below, along with pros and cons, a quick overview, and a link to the full review. 

The best Wear OS watch 2023

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is Samsung’s top smartwatch and the best of the small number of Wear OS 3 watches, combining a premium design with a durable build, a great AMOLED screen, and plenty of health and fitness smarts.

Its tough exterior, hefty battery, and advanced GPS features – such as route generators for endurance workouts – mean it’s also the closest thing Wear OS has to the Apple Watch Ultra – and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is also a whole lot cheaper than Apple’s top wearable.

It’s still on the expensive side, its features will be overkill for many, and it’s unlikely to sway Garmin converts. But this article is about the best Wear OS watches, and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro certainly ranks high there.

Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review

A photo of the black 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

(Image credit: Basil Kronfli / TechRadar)

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 has a smaller battery than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and also a less bulky – but less durable – build. However, it’s also significantly cheaper, meaning it’s likely to be the better option for a lot of people.

With a bright, sharp and responsive screen, multiple size options, a lightweight build, and a wide range of fitness features, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is just an all-round excellent smartwatch.

Our review noted that battery life is just a day, and that some features are reserved for users of Samsung phones – but certainly if you have a Samsung handset this is a top choice, and even if you don’t it’s well worth considering.

Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review

Google Pixel Watch always on display

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The Google Pixel Watch is Google’s first attempt at a smartwatch, and what an attempt it is, with an elegant design and a small but superb 1.2-inch screen.

This also has Fitbit tech under the surface, so it’s excellent as a fitness tracker as well as a smartwatch, and despite an older chipset performance is smooth. The Pixel Watch also offers hands-free Google Assistant access, which is useful, and the software as a whole impresses.

Our main complaints include a lack of sizing choices and a slightly tricky band switching system, but these are small issues with an otherwise fantastic smartwatch.

Read the full Google Pixel Watch review

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Returning to Wear OS means the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is one of the best Wear OS watches out there, even if it’s no longer the latest model. It doesn’t use a typical Wear OS UI, embracing One UI Watch 3 instead, but it’s still a top-end smartwatch that can track workouts along with mostly everything else you can think of.

That comes at a price for iOS owners (don’t count on it working with your iPhone) and you’ll need a Samsung smartphone to gain features such as blood pressure or ECG measurements, but it’s the right combination, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 offers great looks, decent battery life, and speedy performance. 

Fitness enthusiasts will particularly appreciate the new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor that means the watch can track your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and body composition, right down to skeletal muscle mass and body fat percentage. 

Read the full Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review

Fossil Gen 6

(Image credit: Future)

The Fossil Gen 6 is the company’s latest smartwatch, and it features a powerful chipset, a good display and a sleek design. If you’re looking for a top-end Wear OS watch, the Fossil Gen 6 may be a suitable choice for you.

We particularly liked the 1.28-inch display with its 416 x 416 resolution that looked bright and crisp in all lighting conditions.

The design is where this watch sings though, and if you like the look of the Fossil Gen 6 you’ll likely be happy with your smartwatch purchase.

Read the full Fossil Gen 6 review

TicWatch Pro 3

(Image credit: Future)

6. TicWatch Pro 3

The watch with two screens

Our expert review:

Average Amazon review:

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Specifications

Compatibility:

Android, iOS

Display:

1.4″ 454 x 454 OLED paired with LCD screen

Processor:

Snapdragon Wear 4100

Onboard storage:

8GB

Battery duration:

Up to 72h, 45 extra days in Essential mode

Charging method:

Magnetic connecting pin

IP rating:

IP68

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC

Check Amazon

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Reasons to buy

+

Big battery lasts 3 days

+

Fast chipset

Reasons to avoid

Sometimes poor interface

Sleep tracking isn’t the best

Smartwatch manufacturer Mobvoi have a variety of TicWatch products in this list, but the very best is the TicWatch Pro 3. It comes with some top-end specs, a phenomenal battery life and it won’t cost as much as some other smart wristwear either.

This uses the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset with 1GB of RAM, and we found this smartwatch to be one of the most powerful devices of this list. Apps load quickly, and we didn’t find any time where you’ll be left waiting for something to boot up.

Where does this smartwatch come into its own? Battery life, as the smartwatch can last for up to 45 days in something called ‘Essential Mode’ that allows you to extend its battery life if you’re away from your charger for extended periods. It’ll even last for a full three days without that turned on though.

Read the full TicWatch Pro 3 review

Fossil Sport

(Image credit: TechRadar)

7. Fossil Sport

Previously the best

Our expert review:

Average Amazon review:

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Specifications

Compatibility:

Android, iOS

Display:

1.2-inch 390 x 390 AMOLED

Processor:

Quad-core 1.2GHz

Band sizes:

22mm straps

Onboard storage:

4GB

Battery duration:

Two days

Charging method:

Proprietary

IP rating:

IP68

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS

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View at Amazon

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Reasons to buy

+

Lightweight design

+

Powerful watch

Reasons to avoid

Lacks high-end features

GPS can be slow

The Fossil Sport is a great combination of value and features in a lightweight body that you’re able to wear comfortably day-to-day or when you’re working out. There’s GPS and the battery life often lasts around two days.

It was one of the first smartwatches to sport the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset. That means this watch offers a smoother experience than a lot of the others in this list.

Overall, if you’re looking for a smooth experience or an easy to use smartwatch. you’re almost certain to enjoy the Fossil Sport. Plus, the price has dropped a lot in recent years so that makes it much more attractive.

Read the full Fossil Sport review

Ticwatch E2

(Image credit: Future)

8. TicWatch E2

One of the cheapest Wear OS watches

Our expert review:

Average Amazon review:

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Specifications

Compatibility:

Android 4.3+, iOS 8+

Display:

1.39″ 400 x 400 OLED

Processor:

Snapdragon Wear 2100

Onboard storage:

4GB

Battery duration:

Around 48h

Charging method:

Magnetic connecting pin

IP rating:

IP67

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1

View at Walmart

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View at Mobvoi

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Check Amazon

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Reasons to buy

+

One of the cheapest options

+

Easily two day battery life

Reasons to avoid

No NFC for payments

Bland design

The reason the TicWatch E2 sits so highly in this list is largely down to its price. It’s one of the best cheap smartwatches money can buy, and it sports the latest in Wear OS software.

Compared to the last-gen TicWatch E, you’ll get 30% better battery life here with our reviewer saying it lasted for over two days with average usage. You’ll get less if you’re using lots of fitness features though.

It’s waterproof so you can take this watch into the swimming pool, there’s GPS to track your location and there are lots of other features here too. It lacks NFC, so you can’t use this for Google Pay, but considering the price you’ll likely love what the TicWatch E2 can do.

Read the full TicWatch E2 review

Fossil Gen 5

(Image credit: Future)

The Gen 5 is a decent Fossil smartwatch but not a patch on the Fossil Sport sitting at number one in this ranking. The Gen 5 cost is more expensive without bringing too much else, but you might prefer its classic watch looks to the Sport’s more active design.

The Gen 5 comes in a larger Carlyle version or a smaller Julianna, but both have the same premium features like bright vibrant displays, GPS, a heart rate sensor, 1GB RAM and the latest Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset, meaning it’s very fast and responsive. 

Its battery saver modes are genuinely useful and it has water resistance up to 30m, but it’s more expensive than other Wear OS watches and the speaker is poor.

Read the full Fossil Gen 5 review 

A TicWatch S2 in someone's hand

(Image credit: TechRadar)

10. TicWatch S2

Remarkably similar to the E2

Average Amazon review:

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Specifications

Compatibility:

Android 4.3+, iOS 8+

Display:

1.39″ 400 x 400 OLED

Processor:

Snapdragon Wear 2100

Onboard storage:

4GB

Battery duration:

Around 48h

Charging method:

Magnetic connecting pin

IP rating:

IP67

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1

View at Mobvoi

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View at Mobvoi

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Check Amazon

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Reasons to buy

+

Another cheap option

+

Waterproof design

Reasons to avoid

Lacks NFC

No LTE variant

This watch is very similar to the TicWatch E2 on paper, and that’s largely because it is. In fact, all of the spec is exactly the same here and the company has released two versions with different names because they have differing designs, but S2 has a more durable design than the E2 that is listed above.

The S2 has military grade durability so it should be able to take a bit more of a beating than any other watch on this list making it suitable for adventurers as well as runners.

Other than that, you’ll have two-day battery life, GPS, a waterproof design and all the other benefits of the latest Wear OS software. If you’re trying to save money look at the TicWatch E2, but if you prefer this design the S2 isn’t much more expensive.

Read the full TicWatch S2 review