Ordinary smartwatches are great for communication and using apps, but dedicated GPS sports watches provide extensive customization of the user experience with a focus on training. You don’t have to be a professional triathlete to enjoy the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, and avid runners could easily train and excel using a value sport watch like the Coros Pace 4. Google took a significant leap forward with the new Fitbit Premium personal health coach service and for the past month it has served as my fitness coach, setting the bar for those of us who want a personalized experience that supports a standard life of work, play, and activity.
With a sports watch, your sleep, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and more can help calculate adequate recovery time for optimal training periods. Exercises and other activities to help you improve your fitness may be presented, while stress measurements, breathing exercises, blood oxygen monitoring, ECG measurements, and more are designed to help you improve your overall health and wellness.
In our January update, I added more personal experiences from my testing periods with the various watches on this list.
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What is the best sports watch right now?
After testing and living with more than 20 sports watches over the past year, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is my pick for the best sports watch available today. It is expensive and a bit chunky, but there is not a single sport or activity that I am unable to track, including golf, fly fishing, indoor rowing, and more. The Fenix 8 Pro has a fantastic LED flashlight, a brilliant AMOLED display, InReach satellite and LTE messaging support, long battery life, the ability to take calls from the wrist or record voice notes while you are out running, and much more. It does everything well, and is perfect for those who want a watch that is durable enough to last for years while participating in activities outside of cellular coverage.
If you are looking for a coach that captures data from all of your activities and provides personal guidance for optimal health and wellness, the Google Pixel Watch 4 with the beta version of Fitbit Premium sets the standard that Apple, Garmin, and others should model in the future.
Also: The best Garmin watches: Expert tested
The best sports watches of 2026
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Why we like it: The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro connects seamlessly to Android and iOS smartphones, in addition to golf club sensors, bike sensors, and more. I’ve used the Fenix 8 Pro with an iPhone 17 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Google Pixel 10 Pro, and Moto Razr Plus, as well as my Garmin CT10 club sensors and Garmin speed/cadence sensors.
Just about every sport is covered with an updated smartphone experience so you can customize the watch settings on your phone and sync them over to the watch. One feature I use daily that ensures a Garmin will always be found on one wrist is the LED flashlight. I cannot express how useful this functionality is, which makes the Fenix 8 Pro an essential tool in my collection.
Also: This flagship Garmin watch has satellite superpowers that make it irreplaceable for me
Who it’s for: For a few years I carried a Garmin inReach device along with me when I went trail running, hiking, and fly fishing outside the range of cellular connectivity. In addition, I had a phone or watch to function with the inReach device for advanced communications. The new Fenix 8 Pro brings LTE and satellite connectivity options to the wrist and it’s great to have everything packed into one device that has solid battery life too. If you enjoy outdoor adventures and want a watch that helps you stay connected on and off the grid, then this is the watch for you.
Other communications features for the Fenix series include an integrated speaker and microphone that supports phone calls from the wrist, access to your connected phone’s assistant, onboard voice commands, and voice recordings.
The large AMOLED display is also excellent for navigation and mapping while on your adventure with support for ski maps, golf courses, and more. My golf game has improved thanks in part to using the Fenix 8 Pro with my connected clubs.
Who should look elsewhere: Unlike Apple and Google, you need to have an inReach subscription to access the satellite emergency response functions on the watch. You can purchase a monthly subscription for as low as $7.99 and even that low price includes unlimited LTE support. However, if you are not interested in a subscription plan, then consider the standard Fenix 8 AMOLED or another Garmin watch.
Garmin Fenix 8 Pro (51mm) tech specs: Display: 1.4-inch 454×454 pixels | Battery Life (GPS tracking mode): 78 hours | Dimensions: 51x51x16.5 mm | Weight: 90 grams (with band) | Water/Dust Resistance: 10 ATM | Band Size: 26mm
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The Garmin Enduro 3 is the company’s ultimate GPS multi-sport watch, made with premium products and advanced sports tracking features. It is now crowned the battery champ for Garmin, with up to 320 hours in GPS mode with solar charging.
Why we like it: In addition to extremely long battery life and a superb LED flashlight, the Enduro 3 sports the latest Garmin user interface. The same black titanium with sapphire glass and amp yellow highlights from the Enduro 2 are present, along with an ultra-comfortable UltraFit nylon band. I purchased the Enduro 3 so that I could have a watch that I only need to charge about once a month with my typical daily lifestyle.
Also: My favorite Garmin sports watch ever just got a new version, and it’s $200 cheaper
Compared to the Enduro 2, the Enduro 3 has a longer battery life, twice the solar energy harvesting capability, the new Garmin Elevate fifth-generation heart rate sensor, new activity and mapping functions, and a redesigned user interface. Some of these software-related improvements could come to the Enduro 2, but the extended battery life and improved heart rate sensor are alone worth the upgrade.
Who it’s for: The Enduro 3 is built for those who participate in a variety of sports or who want a watch with a battery that lasts for weeks. It connects seamlessly to Android and iOS smartphones too, in addition to golf club sensors, bike sensors, and more. Just about every sport is covered, now including pickleball, with an updated smartphone experience so you can customize the watch settings on your phone and sync them over to the watch. Outdoor adventures are well supported with trail run VO2 max calculations, ultrarun activity, and adventure racing supported on the Enduro 3.
Who should look elsewhere: The Garmin Enduro 3 is only available in one size, so if you have smaller wrists, you should look at something like the Venu X1 or a Forerunner 570. The display is superb in well-lit environments, but the MIP is not as vivid as the newer AMOLED displays so if you want a vibrant color display, consider a watch with an AMOLED display.
Garmin Enduro 3 tech specs: Display: 1.4-inch 280×280 pixels MIP | Battery Life (GPS tracking mode): 320 hours with solar charging, 120 hours without | Dimensions: 51x51x15.7 mm | Weight: 63 grams (with Ultrafit nylon band) | Water/Dust Resistance: 10 ATM | Band Size: 26mm
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The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro far exceeded my expectations, and if I didn’t review watches for a career, I could probably be perfectly satisfied with the T-Rex 3 Pro, which provides a comparable experience to watches priced two or three times as much. Several other wearable technology reviewers agree it is a fantastic watch that punches far beyond its low price.
While I tested and prefer the larger 48mm model, Amazfit also now has a smaller variant (44mm) so even more users will be happy with this fantastic watch.
Why we like it: Garmin was the first to release a smartwatch with a dedicated LED flashlight and the T-Rex 3 Pro was the first non-Garmin watch to incorporate one and it is a game changer. The large 1.5-inch 480×480 pixels resolution AMOLED Gorilla Glass display is brilliant with up to 3,000 nits of brightness, making watch faces with lots of complications easy to view and interact with. I love that Amazfit added the ability to enable night mode, which changes everything on the display to one color, and with this watch, you get the choice of three colors.
Review: Amazfit just got the one Garmin feature I use every day – and now I’m conflicted
The watch has a very large 700 mAh capacity battery that can provide up to 38 hours of continuous GPS tracking. Expect to go two to three weeks between charging as you enjoy tracking your activities, sleep, and more.
Unlike some other modern smartwatches, the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro connects to external Bluetooth sensors and action cameras. All of the advanced metrics found in flagship sports watches are present with an integrated AI coach and a natural language voice assistant.
Who it’s for: The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is perfect for the multi-sport athlete who is not tied to a legacy ecosystem from Garmin, Polar, Coros, or Suunto. It is also affordable, yet doesn’t compromise on performance or battery life, so it is tough to beat.
Who should look elsewhere: Amazfit is an up-and-coming company that is seeing great success with its wearables and partnership with Hyrox. If you want a watch with a broad community of support and challenges, then look to Garmin or Coros.
Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro tech specs: Display: 1.5-inch, 480 x 480 pixels AMOLED | Battery life: 25 days | Dimensions: 48 x 48 x 14 mm | Weight: 52 grams (w/o strap) | Water resistance: 10 ATM | LTE Cellular option: No
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The original Coros Pace was the first GPS sports watch I ever tested from the brand. Since then, the company has released several new watches while continuing to provide software updates, leading all others in this level of support. The Coros Pace 4 is the company’s most affordable sports watch, priced at just $249 while sporting a brilliant AMOLED display and support for the extensive Coros ecosystem.
The Coros Pace 4 is a bit small for my wrists and aging eyes, so I passed it along to one of my daughters to try out next, and it’s perfect for those looking for a smaller, lighter sports watch.
Why we like it: The Pace 4 is extremely light at just 32 grams with the nylon band and has a 1.2-inch AMOLED color touchscreen display with a rotating dial that helps you easily navigate the watch interface. The watch incorporates a 22mm quick-release band system so you can swap it out with another band if you wish.
Also: One of the lightest sports watches I’ve tested doesn’t sacrifice features for build
This watch provides 41 hours of battery life with GPS tracking, as Coros continues to set the bar for battery life. Track running, strength training, and even running power from the watch are supported.
Who it’s for: If you are looking for a lower-cost GPS sports watch from a company that will support the watch for years, then the Pace 4 is one to consider. The Pace 4 is also rather small and light so people with smaller wrists can enjoy a flagship experience with the watch.
Coros provides a fantastic smartphone application and website with free coaching and detailed analysis and reports, so data hounds will love diving into every detail of their health and wellness.
The AMOLED display looks great and can be used with the touchscreen or with the buttons. A new charging system is incorporated, which extends to a standard USB-C cable.
Who should look elsewhere: If you are looking for a large rugged watch or need one that lasts for more than 41 hours in GPS mode, you should consider something like the Garmin Enduro 3. The Pace 4 also has very limited mapping capabilities so if that is something you need check out the Coros Apex 4.
Coros Pace 4 tech specs: Display: 1.2-inch 390×390 pixels | Battery Life (GPS tracking mode): 41 hours | Dimensions: 43.4×43.4×11.8 mm | Weight:32 grams (w/ nylon band) | Water/Dust Resistance: 5 ATM | Band Size: 22mm
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Why we like it: The latest in its triathlete-tailored Forerunner series, the Garmin Forerunner 970 builds on the extensive training features from its predecessor and enhances the hardware with an LED flashlight so you can run safely in the dark. Other hardware features from the Fenix 8 are present on the Forerunner 970, including a microphone and speaker for calls from your watch, access to your phone’s voice assistant, and the ability to record voice notes while you run.
Aside from the impressive performance metrics like outlining your running routes, showing training effects, and measuring VO2 Max, the 970 adds running economy and running tolerance when paired with a Garmin HRM 600 heart rate monitor. Garmin also launched its new Evening Report features on the 970, so you can prepare for the next day as you begin your sleep.
Also: My favorite Garmin safety feature is coming to Forerunner models – and I can’t recommend it enough
Who it’s for: Improved GNSS tracking with multi-band and multi-frequency support, managed via SatIQ, ensures your exact location is always accurately tracked. Bold color mapping is available for turn-by-turn navigation, trail running, and more.
While the Forerunner 970 is focused on the runner and triathlete, it also offers full support for more than 30 activities, with the ability to customize the data screens and run reports on all of your sports.
Who should look elsewhere: If you are a runner but do not need all of the advanced metrics found in the Forerunner 970, the premium price point may not be worth it for your needs. There are other more affordable Forerunner models that may meet your needs, including the previous generation, the Forerunner 965.
Garmin Forerunner 970 features: Battery life (GPS): 26 hours | Display technology: AMOLED | Unique feature: Advanced training metrics and Evening Report | Size: 47 mm
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Why we like it: The Polar Grit X2 is essentially the same watch as the Polar Grit X2 Pro in a sleeker form factor that is also priced $200 less. It is the latest sports watch available from the company with a focus on multiple new sensors and features. If you are looking for the most exhaustive smartphone application and website for analyzing your data and running reports, then a Polar watch is the way to go for accessing that data. The custom training plans are fantastic, even for off-season training.
The watch has multi-band GPS, and tracking has proven to match other flagship sports watches. The Grit X2 provides blood oxygen, wrist-based ECG, nightly skin temperature, and more. I was just wearing it the other day when the Polar OS 5 software update was released, which brings a dark map mode, rate of perceived exertion support, multiple alarms, new widgets, and night mode so that I can finally sleep with it on and not wake my wife when I roll over.
Also: Finally, a rugged sports watch that I’d recommend to everyone (and tracks health reliably)
Polar continues to use an AMOLED display under curved Gorilla Glass 3 material. Offline maps are also provided for phone-free navigation and points-of-interest. More than 150 sports profiles are included, so you can be certain that the Grit X2 will track every activity.
Who it’s for: The Grit X2 is built for fans of Polar watches that want the latest and greatest in a bit less rugged watch body. Polar is very focused on training and helping you achieve your fitness and sleep goals, but it has fewer smartwatch features than most other sports watches.
Who should look elsewhere: The Polar Grit X2 is pretty expensive compared to other sports watches so if you are not embedded in the Polar ecosystem then you may want to look elsewhere. There are also no third party apps so make sure you are all in on Polar before buying this watch.
Polar Grit X2 tech specs: Display: 1.28-inch 416×416 pixels | Battery Life (GPS tracking mode): 30 hours | Dimensions: 45.8 x 45.8 x 12.7 mm | Weight: 62 grams (with strap) | Water/Dust Resistance: 50m | Band Size: 22mm
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The Apple Watch maintained the same form factor and basic design for eight years, but all of that changed in 2022 when Apple released the radical new Apple Watch Ultra, built and optimized for the outdoor adventurer. The Ultra 3 builds on the Ultra and Ultra 2 with the new S10 processor, a larger display, improved battery life, and enhanced connectivity options with support for 5G and satellite networks.
Also: I compared the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to Garmin’s inReach satellite connectivity – here’s the winner
Why we like it: The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the most rugged and capable Apple Watch to date and offers a bright, flat 49mm display made of scratch-resistant sapphire glass and 3000 nits maximum brightness with wide angle support. The new Hypertensions Notifications feature provides more health information to users with the potential to save lives and increase awareness of high blood pressure diagnoses.
Support for satellite connectivity from your wrist is a key feature in watches launched in late 2025 and in our testing the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the best thanks to no subscription fees (at least for two years), an ability to send text messages and your location directly from the Apple Watch 3 to friends and family with no fees, and easy connectivity to emergency services via satellite when necessary. Others require a subscription, require a special application for the recipient, or limit connectivity.
My Oura Ring 4 battery life is down to just three days, so I left it behind, and now use the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for sleep tracking. I would love to see Apple enhance the Apple Health experience since so much valuable data is collected, but not readily used to guide and help people improve their health and wellness.
Who it’s for: Beyond the build quality and advanced training functions, no other smartwatch supports as many applications and utilities as an Apple Watch, clearly making it the best smartwatch available today. Its capability to serve as a primary means of communication also makes it tough to beat.
Who should look elsewhere: If you are not an iPhone user, then don’t even consider an Apple Watch Ultra 3 since it doesn’t connect to an iPad or MacOS computer. There are great options from Google and Samsung if you own an Android smartphone.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 tech specs: Display: 49mm, 422 x 514 pixels OLED LTPO3 sapphire glass | Battery life: 42 hours | Dimensions: 49 x 44 x 14.4mm | Weight: 61.8 g | Water/Dust resistance: 100m with IP6X | 5G cellular option: Yes, and satellite
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Why we like it: Google continues to improve its Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 4 is the best smartwatch on the market when it comes to safety features. The Pixel Watch 4 also continues to integrate Fitbit features, including improved heart rate sensors and GPS tracking, making it the best watch available for both Fitbit and Google Pixel fans.
The emergency satellite SOS functionality works well and is valuable to have with you with no subscription required. In addition, emergency sharing, safety check, and automatic emergency detection features make this a watch that keeps an eye on you when you are not able and also provides a communications platform when you need help without a phone by your side. Some safety features are available even without a cellular subscription plan so Google is very focused on keeping you safe.
Also: Which smartwatch has the best safety features? I tested them all, and here’s how Google fares
Who it’s for: The Google Pixel Watch 4 is a stunning smartwatch with lovely, stylish color options and a form factor that is attractive and functional. Google also made the watch fairly easy to repair if there is ever an issue through the use of screws instead of adhesives.
The new Fitbit Premium beta experience is fantastic, and sets the bar for all other smartwatch brands when it comes to customized coaching and guidance on your health and wellness. I primarily run and row on a Hydrow rowing machine, so I used the beta Fitbit Coach and its AI integration to create a custom workout plan that offers these two primary exercises and then adjust based on my completion, fitness level, and recovery. If you are looking for the best smartwatch for coaching, nothing currently beats the Pixel Watch 4.
Review: I tried the Google Pixel Watch 4 – and these key features made it feel indispensable
Who should look elsewhere: If you use an iPhone, don’t even think about the Pixel Watch 4. Google WearOS watches used to work with iOS, but that is no longer the case so you need an Android phone to use this watch. It’s also not the best option for those looking for a rugged watch due to its proud display and minimalist form factor.
Google Pixel Watch 4 tech specs: Display: 1.2-inch (41mm) and 1.45-inch (45mm) AMOLED | Battery life: 30 hours (41mm) and 40 hours (45mm) with AOD | Dimensions: 41 x 41 x 12.3mm and 45 x 45 x 12.3mm | Weight: 31 g (without band) and 37 g | Water/Dust resistance: 5 ATM/IP68 | LTE cellular option: Yes
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Why we like it: The Suunto Vertical 2 is one of the best GPS sports watches I have used in this price range. It shines with accurate location tracking, useful health/wellness data, and solid hardware. With the addition of a dedicated LED flashlight I have considered making this my primary watch for extended use.
The Suunto smartphone app is well-designed and provides one of the best user interfaces I have seen from a sports watch brand. It provides key weekly stats at a glance, while colorful, detailed results are just a tap away.
Also: I found a smartwatch that’s just as reliable as my Garmin (but much cheaper)
Who it’s for: The Suunto Vertical 2 is a flagship sports watch that provides customized data fields and accurate health tracking. If long battery life is one of your primary needs, Suunto is working some kind of magic with one of the longest lasting watches with an AMOLED display, easily providing several days of use and up to 65 hours with the highest level of location tracking.
Suunto released a significant update in January 2026 that provided improved external sensor support, new data fields, automatic transitions in triathlon mode, and more.
Who should look elsewhere: If you are looking for a watch that has a social network associated with it then consider something from Garmin. Suunto has third party apps, but they are a bit limited so don’t expect music, wrist-based payment systems, and other smartwatch features.
Suunto Vertical 2 tech specs: Display: 1.32-inch 466 x 466 pixels AMOLED | Battery Life (GPS tracking mode): 65 hours | Dimensions: 48.6 x 48.6 x 13.5 mm | Weight: 87 grams (with strap) | Water/Dust Resistance: 100 M | Band Size:22mm
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We chose the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro for its support for just about every activity/sport you can participate in, satellite and LTE connectivity, vibrant AMOLED display, ability to function as a smartwatch with a microphone and speaker, and LED flashlight. However, with an abundance of exceptional options available, this table can help you compare the best models based on pricing and special features.
| Sports watch | Price | Special features |
| Garmin Fenix 8 Pro | $1,300 | Gorgeous AMOLED touchscreen display, InReach satellite and LTE services, vast performance metrics |
| Garmin Enduro 3 | $750 | Extremely long battery life with solar, LED flashlight, every sport included |
| Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro | $380 | Personalized training plans, LED flashlight, long battery life, rugged design and durability, affordable price |
| Coros Pace 4 | $249 | Vibrant AMOLED, lightweight, extensive features |
| Garmin Forerunner 970 | $750 | Brilliant AMOLED, extensive recovery and training metrics, focused on triathletes |
| Polar Grit X2 | $800 | A vast amount of data captured, lovely display, accurate GPS tracking, rugged design |
| Apple Watch Ultra 3 | $799 | Rugged design, vibrant display, safety features, satellite and 5G connectivity |
| Google Pixel Watch 4 | $350 | Powerful Fitbit Premium AI coaching, three-day battery life, satellite safety features |
| Suunto Vertical 2 | $600 | AI coaching, custom training plans, long battery life, LED flashlight |
It depends on your purpose for using it and how much money you want to spend. If budget isn’t a concern, then options like the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro or Apple Watch Ultra 3 provide you with beautiful displays and advanced performance metrics. Meanwhile, the Coros Pace 4 or Google Pixel Watch 4 are excellent starter watches with lots of features and affordable pricing.
| Buy this sports watch… | If you want or are... |
| Garmin Fenix 8 Pro | The best Garmin with a modern display, LED flashlight, extensive support for a variety of activities, and connectivity all of the time |
| Garmin Enduro 3 | An athlete who participates in an extensive variety of sports, wants custom workout data screens, and uses your watch for everything |
| Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro | An ultra-rugged watch for less than $400, and one that also pairs well with the Helio Ring, so you don’t have to wear a watch for sleep tracking |
| Coros Pace 4 | An affordable lightweight option that supports flagship features and a modern AMOLED touchscreen display |
| Garmin Forerunner 970 | The best sports watch for runners and triathletes looking for a watch with a lovely AMOLED display |
| Polar Grit X2 | Easy custom training plan creation that incorporates running with strength, stretching, and other workouts. Vast access to data for detailed reports |
| Apple Watch Ultra 3 | The best watch for Apple users with rugged design, 36 hours of battery life, and action button for quick access to exercise apps. Satellite and 5G make sure you stay connected even without an iPhone |
| Google Pixel Watch 4 | An Android smartphone user who wants a coach mounted on your wrist and you do more than just run or bike. The AI coaching is tough to beat |
| Suunto Vertical 2 | An affordable sports watch with a LED flashlight, very long battery life, brilliant display, and accurate GPS tracking |
Sports watches are designed to accurately capture data from training and race events to help us improve. They are also important for helping people evaluate their health and wellness, even if they are casual athletes who are not training for a specific event. Several factors will help you quickly narrow down available candidates, so let’s take a closer look and help you select the best sports watch for you.
- Battery life: Expect your smartwatch to last a full day and night, so you can track your sleep, and then charge it while you get ready for work. A few new smartwatches are now easily lasting 48 hours between charging, with some pushing that another day or two, so we are seeing improvements in battery life.
- Smartphone app and website: All sports watches include an associated smartphone application, and the overall experience with the watch can be dependent on the usability of the smartphone app. Some brands also have incredible websites to access your data for deep analysis and more. Polar provides one of the most extensive website experiences with its Polar Flow service. Coros and Garmin also provide useful website experiences, so you don’t have to spend too much time looking at a small display to track your performance.
- Price: Most sports watches are priced in the $500 to $800 range, but there are also some affordable models for casual athletes. Serious athletes are looking for a watch that captures accurate data so price is not as important as accuracy. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 bucks this trend with a low price and support for capturing an extensive amount of data and helping you understand and use that data to improve your performance.
- Accuracy: I’ve been using sports watches for a long time, and some of my worst experiences happened when I went out on a training session and then came back to find that the watch either never captured the data or it was lost when the session ended. It takes a considerable amount of time to complete a number of activities to test the accuracy and reliability of the watch. GPS accuracy is usually good with most watches today using dual frequency and multi-band GNSS, so when a watch isn’t accurate, it is fairly obvious. Heart rate accuracy is also important, but a reliable armband or chest strap is a more reliable method to capture the best heart rate data.
Exercise is a part of my life, and just about every watch in this list has been mounted on my wrist for extensive testing, primarily while running, indoor rowing, trail running, and biking. I’ve been an athlete my entire life and love spending many hours with each of these sports watches. When we test sports watches, we typically follow the same routine for each one to see which performs best.
- Daily wear: I wear the sports watch as my primary watch with data fields, applications, and other elements being tested as if it was my only watch.
- Workouts: Sports watches are first and foremost designed and sold to help track your activities and help you improve your health, wellness, and performance. I take my sports watch out for running with GPS, rowing on the Hydrow, biking on trails, and walking with the family. I track GPS and heart rate data, and then I evaluate the accuracy against proven GPS sports watches, typically a Garmin watch.
- Training plans: One of the reasons I started wearing a sports watch many years ago was to train for a half marathon. The ability to either use the watchmaker’s software to create a training plan or to import a plan from another service that syncs to the watch is essential for a sports watch. The watch can then guide you through your training plan and the ability for the watch to perform that function is key to our evaluation.
- Sleep and activity tracking: Sleep tracking has improved with watches over time and we evaluate them as compared to smart rings and other watches. Most sports watches today use sleep data, and other data captured while you sleep, to calculate your recovery metrics to help inform you of your preparedness for activities you plan to take part in that day.
Check out our full smartwatch testing methodology for more information on our testing process.
Latest information on sports watches in 2026
Amazfit ended 2025 with the launch of the Amazfit Active Max and then Garmin kicked off 2026 with its high-end tactical Tactix 8 Cerakote Edition watch and a golf watch for junior golfers with the Approach J1. Stay tuned for lots more from all of the key sports watch makers in 2026.
This is a tough one to answer, and in many cases, you will find that people are pretty tied into one brand and then continue buying new models when they are released. Many of these sports watch brands have other products to offer that sync data between the watch and other products. For example, I ride bikes with a Garmin bike computer and also own a Garmin scale so purchasing Garmin watches makes a lot of sense for me.
Polar has heart rate monitors and a scale too while Coros just launched its first bike computer. Thankfully, many of these products appear as standard sensors so you can use a Polar chest strap with a Garmin watch and vice versa.
You can adapt to any watch over time so the major differentiator comes down to the smartphone, and possibly website, experience. Are you able to easily view your workout trends, develop and implement training plans, and improve your performance using the brands tools that are provided to analyze and understand all of the data that is collected by the watch?
I’ve spent decades using GPS sports watches to track running, biking, hiking, and more. While these capture an extensive amount of detailed data, battery life has risen to the top of my priorities. However, when Garmin released watches with an LED flashlight, those models became my preferred wearable and I use the flashlight daily.
Thus, a Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is usually found on one wrist. However, now that others have LED flashlights, the Suunto Vertical 2 is also often my companion.
An Apple Watch Ultra 3 was on my other wrist until Google provided the beta of Fitbit Premium with its AI coaching feature that puts Apple to shame.
One aspect we have seen over the past few years that can be used to differentiate between these GPS watches is the update process. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a GPS sports watch and want to use it for years to track your progress, improve your performance, and run reports, it is important to stick with one company. Hopefully, that also means using a watch for years as well.
Garmin used to let me down with a lack of updates, but now supports an easily accessible public beta program and provides updates on a quarterly basis. The company has proven to update older models for a couple of years, so it is easier to recommend its watches today.
Coros set the bar over the past couple of years with limited hardware releases and major software updates that have added an extensive number of features. The company even released an update for the Vertix that added touch-screen capability. When you buy a Coros watch, you can likely count on it having the latest and greatest software for three years and having a battery life that will last you at least a week with sports tracking for several events.
Polar has also demonstrated an ability to provide software support and major feature updates for years, along with a longer period of time between hardware releases.
Apple is the leader in the smartwatch market and brings its excellent iPhone update process over to the Apple Watch.
While smartwatches all have touchscreen displays, GPS sports watches tend to have either hardware button navigation or touchscreen navigation. Most watches also offer a combination of the two so you can decide when to use your preferred method.
It often comes down to what activities you engage in and the environment in which you perform them. For example, I run in the rain and the dark in the fall and winter, so touchscreens have been finicky for me in the past.
I can always rely on hardware buttons and even use them without having to look at the watch face. Touchscreen displays are often disengaged while working out, which is the best of both worlds.
Latest updates
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January 2026: We updated some of our personal experiences with the various sports watches. In addition, software updates have been released for many watches, improving the functionality and making each one a bit more compelling.
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December 2025: Several new watches were removed from the list because so many new watches were released in the fall of 2025. It’s tough to beat the Fenix 8 Pro when you run and hike outside of cellular range and now have satellite coverage, but then again the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Google Pixel Watch 4 also have satellite support for emergency situations. Suunto, Coros, and Polar also released compelling new products. It also looks like the LED flashlight is coming to more sports watches thanks to Garmin’s innovation.
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July 2025: We changed our pick for the Best overall sports watch from the Garmin Enduro 3 to the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED, thanks to the latter’s sheer number of sports support offered, excellent display, and LED flashlight. The Enduro 3 is now our pick for Best for endurance athletes, taking the title from the older Coros Vertix 2S, which fell off this list. The newer Suunto Run became our new pick for the Best value sports watch, overtaking the Suunto Race, which also fell off this list. We also updated text and pricing throughout the article.
Alternative sports watches worth considering
Smartwatches Reviewed & Compared
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
