Want to surprise that special someone with the best wearable in 2018?
We put together this gift guide with the best choices, across all price categories.
Whether you want to get the most powerful smartwatch, a minimalistic fitness tracker or something a bit more unusual, you’ll definitely find something awesome here.
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1. The biggest announcement of the year was the Apple Watch Series 4 and there’s a reason we’re starting the gift guide with it. Yes, it’s pricey, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a smarter smart watch.
The Apple Watch Series 4 not only steps it up a few notches as compared to the Series 3 specs, but it is also an FDA-approved wearable that can perform electrocardiograms (ECG). It monitors heartbeats for irregularities, then compiling them into a PDF ready to be sent to your physician.
It’s also a great device for the elders, as it features slipping or fall detection.
2. The other option if you’re looking for the best smartwatch is obviously the Samsung Galaxy Watch, which hides plenty of features in the 46 mm or 42 mm chassis.
With an embedded SIM that’s going to save someone who just ran out of phone battery and built-in side speakers to provide the tunes, the Samsung Galaxy Watch definitely goes beyond usual smartwatches.
Not to mention up to 7 days of battery life and wireless charging!
Grab it here.
3. Mobvoi isn’t yet an established player in the smartwatch arena but the TicWatch Pro is definitely one of the best smartwatches in town and comes with Google Pay too.
The WearOS device brags about up to 30 days of battery life in “Essentials Mode” and 2-5 days in the standard mode.
The TicWatch Pro can also handle plenty of abuse – it’s rated IP68, has a reinforced carbon fiber case the strap is a combination of Italian leather on the outside with silicone on the inside for added durability.
Did we mention more than 1000 watch faces?
Check out the TicWatch Pro here.
4. If you’re looking for a hybrid smartwatch with sporty looks look no further than the newly-launched the Withings Steel HR Sport.
The watch face is minimalistic with just a few color accents but underneath you get all the fitness tracker options you need, including sleep tracking. Oh yes, and it promises 25 days of battery life. What more can you ask?
5. In case you were thinking that a simple fitness tracker is the safest gift choice, the Garmin Vivosport is a runner’s best friend.
While it won’t win any style awards, the Garmin Vivosport is still one of the slimmest and most competent fitness trackers around.
Sporting a heart rate sensor, a heart rate sensor and GPS, the Vivosport has plenty of modes, including one for the gym that can work as a rep counter.
The only thing missing is a swimming tracker, even though the Vivosport is 5ATM water resistant.
All in all, though, the Garmin Vivosport is still a good choice for no-frills fitness tracking and discreet looks.
6. When looking for the best wearables you can’t go wrong with something from Fitbit. We recommend the Fitbit Versa, the smaller, cheaper Ionic, with a female-friendly design and plenty of customization options.
Featuring a continuous heart rate monitor and local storage enough to store 300 songs, the Fitbit Versa will be the essential wearable for active and fashion conscious people (so many gorgeous color combos!).
The best part is definitely the personalized on-screen workouts, not to mention the water resistance to 50 meters.
7. Another great Fitbit is the Fitbit Flex 2 and for one reason only: it fits into any gift-giving budget and into any wardrobe due to the sheer number of colors available.
This competitively priced fitness tracker looks like a simple silicone bracelet but tracks steps, distance, calories and move minutes, recording your workouts in the Fitbit app.
The Fitbit Flex 2 also features a vibrating alarm for easier mornings, so that’s covered as well.
8. Speaking of looks, the Misfit Vapor 2 is a dream come true for minimalists with its black plated stainless steel case and a simple black silicone band.
Beyond design, the Misfit Vapor 2 is powered by Wear OS and sports a microphone that keeps Google Assistant at hand at all times. Oh yes, it also has storage for songs, so feel free to leave your phone behind for the next workout.
9. A more budget-conscious choice for fitness trackers is definitely the Amazfit Bip, which looks pretty awesome for its price point.
Not only it looks good but it also promises up to 30 days of battery life with regular use and up to 45 days if you keep notification to the minimum.
A month on a single charge with GPS, pedometer, sports tracker, heart rate sensor AND always-on display? Yes, it’s possible.
10. For those looking for a minimalist smartwatch that simply looks good, the Sony FES Watch U is definitely it.
The Sony FES Watch U doesn’t feature fitness tracking or any other perks, it just promises to match any outfit you choose.
This gorgeous smartwatch has an e-paper display that extends to the strap, protected by mineral glass (the white and silver model) or scratch-proof sapphire glass (for the black version).
Because the display is E-paper, you can download dozens of face and strap designs, without worrying about battery life – just like a Kindle reader, this screen can last for 2 weeks on a single charge.
Oh yes, if the designs available for the FES Watch U aren’t artsy enough for you, you can also store and display your own images.
11. Speaking of minimalistic, you can’t get any streamlined than with the Motiv Ring, a fitness tracker that, well, doesn’t look like a watch or bracelet.
This futuristic ring features sleep and heart rate tracking, plus calories and steps counters. Wrapped in titanium and waterproof up to 165 feet, the Motiv ring might look delicate but it’s actually pretty tough.
With a battery life of up to 3 days and just 90 minutes to a full charge, it also offers great autonomy in a tiny package.
Order it here.
12. And finally, we couldn’t help including the Snap Spectacles 2. Wearables are more than just fitness trackers and the Snap Spectacles 2 could genuinely be called “fun recorders”.
The Nico model comes with a more conservative square frame but takes it up a notch, being capable of recording more than 70 videos on a single charge.
At a press of a button, you can record video in circular, square or widescreen format, syncing them to Snapchat for easy sharing on most major social platforms.
These babies are also waterproof and let you take photos even underwater, so check them out.
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