A smartwatch has something to offer for everyone, ranging from health and fitness features to productivity on the go. They stay on the wrist throughout the day, which makes them very personal and helpful at the same time. This is what makes smartwatches an excellent gifting option for all age groups, including teenagers and elders. Here are some of the best smartwatch gift ideas to surprise your friends and family on occasions like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Diwali, and birthdays.
Also, Read | 13 Best Smartwatches with Google Assistant (2022)
Best Smartwatches to Gift Your Loved Ones
Smartwatches are available across various price brackets, depending upon the brand and features on offer. Below, we’ve mentioned the best smartwatches to gift across all budgets, ranging from premium to upper mid-range and budget options. Read on.
1. Apple Watch Series 7
When we talk about smartwatches, the first product that comes to mind is the Apple Watch which is also the benchmark in the category.
The latest Apple Watch Series 7 sports a premium swimproof design with a crack-resistant front. It comes in 41mm and 45mm versions with a Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display which peaks out at 1000nits of brightness. The watch also supports LTE (depending upon the model), Bluetooth, and fast charging.
Apple has included fall detection, a third-gen optical heart rate sensor, and ECG (here’s how ECG works) to track heart-related issues like atrial fibrillation. It is indeed the best smartwatch to gift your friends and family who’re using an iPhone.
Key Highlights:
- 1.61″ & 1.9″ LTPO OLED Display (41mm & 45mm)
- ECG Tracking and App Support
- 64-bit dual-core S7 Processor
- IP6X Dust-resistant
- WR50 Water-resistant
- Always-on Altimeter
- Fast Charging
- Fall Detection
2. Apple Watch SE
The Apple Watch SE is a toned-down version available at a lower price tag. It gets a slightly smaller Retina OLED display sans always-on functionality with thicker bezels and is available in 40mm and 44mm casing sizes.
You get a second-gen optical heart rate sensor and features like built-in calling and GPS. While there’s no ECG, it retains irregular heartbeat and fall detection, followed by an always-on altimeter.
While the Apple Watch SE lacks a couple of features vis-a-vis the Series 7, it’s still a great smartwatch to gift people in the Apple ecosystem, especially if you’re looking for a budget option.
Key Highlights:
- 1.53″ & 1.78″ LTPO OLED Display (40mm & 44mm)
- 64-bit dual-core S5 Processor
- Optical Heart-rate Sensor
- Always-on Altimeter
- Loud Speakers
- Fall Detection
- 50m Water-resistant
- Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS
3. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is currently one of the best Wear OS smartwatches you can buy right now. It runs the Wear OS 2 by Google with customizations on top by Samsung. There’s a Bixby assistant onboard and you can run third-party apps with ease.
The watch is available in 40mm and 44mm dial size options. Having said that, you can also opt for the Watch 4 Classic which flaunts rotating bezels. Under the hood, the watch bears the Exynos W920 platform alongside Samsung BioActive sensor, ECG, and four satellite GPS.
Besides looking premium, the Watch 4 is also quite durable, thanks to IP68 and MIL-STD-810G ratings. Overall, the watch feels very polished and justifies the premium price tag. This can easily be the best gifting option for people who’re into Android smartwatches.
Key Highlights:
- 1.19″ & 1.36″ AMOLED Display (40mm & 44mm)
- 1.5GB RAM & 16GB ROM
- Exynos W920 Processor
- Samsung BioActive Sensor
- ECG Tracking and App Support
- IP68 and 5ATM Water and Dust-resistant
- MIL-STD-810G Durability Rating
- Built-in GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Gallileo
4. Fitbit Sense
Fitbit Sense is a fitness-oriented smartwatch that comes with all the necessary features to keep track of your health. It packs an ECG heart rate tracking with alerts for irregular heart rhythms, an EDA sensor to detect stress levels, and a skin temperature sensor.
Interestingly, it features both Google Assistant and built-in Amazon Alexa which, making it easier to use the smartwatch with voice. The Fitbit Sense can be a perfect smartwatch to gift your parents and elders to keep a tab on their health.
Key Highlights:
- 1.58″ AMOLED Display
- Fast Charging
- Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa
- EDA Sensor Tracking
- ECG Tracking and App Support
- Skin Temperature Sensor
- NFC Payments with Fitbit Pay
- 5ATM Water-resistant
5. Garmin Vivoactive 4
If you are looking for a more premium healthcare smartwatch, then the Garmin Vivoactive 4 is the perfect choice for you. It is a GPS smartwatch that records all the movements with twenty preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps.
You can download your favorite songs and playlists from Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music on the watch and listen to it through your wireless headphones. It also has a safety feature to track the location of family or friends manually or automatically with built-in incident detection.
Other features include NFC payments, Connect IQ Store and Body Battery Energy monitoring which combines heart rate variability (HRV), stress, and activity data to calculate your body’s probable energy reserves.
Key Highlights:
- 1.3″ Garmin Chroma Display
- 20 Preloaded GPS and Sports Apps
- NFC Payments with Garmin Pay
- Connect IQ Store (Download Apps, Widgets, Watch Faces)
- Built-in Incident Detection Feature
- Download Songs to the Watch
- Pulse Ox Sensors (Health Monitoring)
- Body Battery Energy Monitoring
6. Fossil Gen 6 Men/ Women
Fossil Gen 6 is the latest smartwatch by the brand that comes with a premium swimproof design. It gets powered by Snapdragon 4100+ processor, runs Google Wear OS, and has support for contactless payments.
It equips an always-on display alongside automatic activity monitoring and a blood oxygen tracker. While the battery life may not be as great, it can be charged to 80% in just about 30 minutes.
You can buy the smartwatch in different dial and strap combinations to match the style aMen’snder of the person you’re gifting it to. The ones designed for men have a more classic design while the ones for women have a jewelry-inspired style paired with rose gold and purple straps.
Key Highlights:
- 1.28″ Always-on AMOLED Display
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 4100+ Processor
- Google Wear OS
- 2x Fast Charging
- Contactless Payments (NFC SE)
- 3ATM Water-resistant
- Bluetooth 5 and GPS
- Control Smart Home Devices
7. Amazfit GTS 3
Amazfit GTS is a mid-range smartwatch that offers a stable software experience and a premium design which people may often confuse for an Apple Watch. There’s a big AMOLED display up front with the always-on feature.
You get built-in Amazon Alexa onboard alongside one hundred and fifty sports modes and a high-precision navigation system. Amazfit has also equipped an offline voice assistant to let you do basic tasks without being connected.
The watch is highly customizable with tons of watch faces available. It’s one of the best smartwatches to gift your loved ones without making a hole in your pocket.
Key Highlights:
- 1.75″ Always-on AMOLED Display
- Built-in Amazon Alexa
- Offline Voice Assistant
- 150+ Sports Modes
- High Precision Navigation Systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, and QZSS)
- 100+ Watch Faces and Always-on Displays
- 5ATM Water-resistant
8. OnePlus Watch
If you are an Android enthusiast, you must be aware of the OnePlus smartwatch which the brand released last year. While the watch lacks Wear OS which could have been added given the price, it mainly plays out on its premium design.
There’s a 1.39-inch AMOLED display up front and a 4GB of storage to store up to 500 songs. You get health monitoring and up to 14 days of battery life which is an advantage against Wear OS smartwatches.
With Warp charging technology, it can pump in a week of charge with just 20 minutes of charging. You cannot install third-party apps or pay via NFC, yet it’s a worthy smartwatch gift for someone who appreciates design and battery over anything else.
Key Highlights:
- 1.39″ Curved AMOLED Display
- Warp Charging
- Up to 14 Days Battery Life
- Over 110 Workout Modes
- 5ATM + IP68 Water-resistant
- Built-in GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
- 4GB Storage (Store Up to 500 Songs)
9. Amazfit GTR 3
The Amazfit GTR 3 is a sibling smartwatch to the third-gen GTS with minor differences. It has a round AMOLED display with curved edges and flaunts a long-lasting battery that can give up to twenty-one days of backup.
For the rest of the part, it shares similar specifications to that of the GTS 3 like over 150 sports modes, a powerful navigation system, continuous health monitoring, and 5ATM water resistance.
It also packs built-in Alexa and offline voice control to control the smartwatch and do the tasks hands-free. With a similar round profile, it’s a close alternative to the OnePlus Watch.
Key Highlights:
- 1.39″ HD Round AMOLED Display
- Built-in Amazon Alexa and Offline Voice Assistant
- Zepp OS and Apps Support
- 150+ Sports Modes
- 5ATM Water-resistant
- Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS and QZSS
- Up to 21 Days Long Battery Life
- 24H Health Monitoring
10. Amazfit GTS 2 Mini
Amazfit GTS 2 Mini is another smartwatch from the company on the list, thanks to the attractive price tag of less than $100. You get an AMOLED display with a 2.5D curved panel which looks great in this category.
Besides, the watch also equips built-in Alexa, GPS, heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring, and over seventy sports modes. If you want to gift a budget smartwatch that doesn’t look or feel cheap by any means, this is the one to go for.
Key Highlights:
- 1.55″ Curved AMOLED Display
- Built-in Amazon Alexa and GPS
- 24H Heart Rate, SpO2, Stress Tracking
- 70+ Sports Modes
- 5ATM Water-resistant
- PAI Health Assessment System
- Up to 14 Days Battery Life
11. Huawei Watch Fit
The Huawei Watch Fit is a fitness band in the form factor of a smartwatch with a big rectangular display. It features a 1.64-inch vivid AMOLED display with 280 x 456 resolution and automatic brightness adjustment.
The Watch Fit comes with TruSeen 4.0 heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, 96 sports modes, and 12 mated workouts. You get over a week of battery life, making it a great gifting option for friends and family who’re into fitness and training.
Key Highlights:
- 1.64″ Vivid AMOLED Rectangular Display
- TruSeen 4.0 Heart Rate Monitoring Technology
- 96 Sports Modes
- 12 Animated Workout Modes
- Built-in GPS Tracking
- 5ATM Water-resistant
- Up to 8-10 Days of Battery Life
12. Amazfit Bip U Pro
Amazfit Bip U Pro is one of the cheapest smartwatches with built-in Alexa in the market. For a price of less than $70, it gets a good-looking LCD display but has significant bezels for obvious reasons.
You get over sixty sports modes, real-time heart rate monitoring, sleep quality monitoring, and Amazfit’s PAI health assessment system. It’s also 5ATM water resistant making it safe to swim for short durations under ideal conditions.
While there’s no always-on display, you do get different watch face options to customize the look. It is available to buy in colors including Pink, Green, Warm Pink, and evergreen Black options.
Key Highlights:
- 1.43″ HD LCD Color Display
- Built-in Amazon Alexa
- 5ATM Water-resistant
- PAI Health Assessment System
- 60+ Sports Modes
- Integrated GPS System
- Amazfit OS Support
Best Smartwatch to Gift This Season
Thesedoesn’tome of the best smartwatch gift ideas for your friends, family, and loved ones. I hope the above guide helps you buy the best budget and premium smartwatches to gift this holiday season. Stay tuned for more tips, tricks, how-tos, and buying recommendations around wearables.
