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In 2024, smartwatches are among the hottest trending products, and for good reason. With advancements in battery life, Artificial intelligence, computing power, and screen quality, the time to buy has never been better.
However, the Australian smartwatch market is flooded with cheap Apple knockoffs and unreliable online sellers. Even well-known brands are hastily releasing subpar products that aren't worth your hard-earned dollars. This is where we come in.
If you're considering purchasing a new smartwatch, our monthly updated list will guide you in making the best choice, focusing on features, build quality, and overall value for your money.
Read this article written for the Australian market before making a purchase.
Garmin Vivoactive 4: Solid but pricey smartwatch – $599 at Amazon.com.au
Where to buy the Garmin Vivoactive 4 smartwatch in Australia
If you aren’t price sensitive, Garmin may be the brand for you. This rugged smartwatch offer a more generalist approach to the format.
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Why Garmin makes the list of best smartwatch products for health
Overall, this smartwatch stands out in its category. Ever since their inception, smartwatches have been criticized for issues like short battery life, frequent call drops, and complicated pairing processes. Garmin, however, has integrated high-quality chipsets and firmware into their product, delivering a satisfying experience.
Designed for adventure and travel, the Garmin Vivoactive 4 comes with robust features, including built-in GPS that offers connectivity and data transfer without needing a smartphone. This enhances streaming and location capabilities, which can be essential on the go. Unfortunately, these features significantly drain the battery, limiting continuous usage to just 4-5 hours.
Smartwatch excels in the variety of features it offers, but usability is compromised. Garmin aims to provide every possible recreational feature, but this extensive list impacts the device's usability. Its size and weight might feel cumbersome, especially for those with smaller wrists, leading to discomfort. Additionally, the setup and user interface can be quite complex, causing frustration whenever we tried to activate a specific feature or setting.
Apple Watch Series 7: A smartwatch that lives up to the Apple name – $1119.00 at Amazon.com.au
Where to buy the Apple Watch Series 7 in Australia
While the first versions of the Apple Watch were less than perfect, the American tech giant is finally finding its stride. And if the astronomic price tag doesn’t scare you, then the Series 7 may be the smart watch product you have been waiting for.
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Why Apple gets our approval for the Series 7
Boasting a big sense of style with a high cost, Apple has put together a watch that's a joy to wear. The different band and bezel options are paired with a large touchscreen that is bright and easy to read. The materials feel top-notch. If these features are important to you and you're ready to spend, you'll be pleased.
Created by Apple, for those who love all things Apple. If you're all about Apple products, the Series 7 is hard to beat. But if you use gadgets from other brands, the high price might not seem worth it. Apple does a great job of making the Series 7 work smoothly with their own products, making it easier to find lost devices and connect to multiple things at once. Just remember, it’s best suited for Apple fans.
Decent technical features. It was surprising that Apple hasn't caught up with other brands on battery life and speed. As usual, their improvements have been small steps. This is the seventh version of the Watch, after all.
Made for health, but might not suit everyone. One area where Apple does well is the strong health tools in the Series 7. The sensors are precise and gather a lot of info. To really benefit from this, make sure your apps and devices work well with Apple’s health tools and be okay with them having your data.
There are many, many smartwacthes in the market. And while we attempt to test as many as possible for our readers, some units simply don’t make the cut. Here’s a quick peek at others that didn’t make the list.
Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle – $457.00 at Amazon.com.au
Known for its affordable and stylish watches, Fossil's move into the smartwatch world seemed like a natural step. The Carlyle does a decent job in several areas but doesn't stand out in any particular one. It ends up being a general-purpose device that might not meet specific needs well.
Fitbit Versa 4 – $369.00 at Amazon.com.au
Fitbit has made a name for itself with straightforward, unobtrusive fitness trackers. They should probably focus on this "less is more" approach rather than venturing into smartwatches. The Versa 3 only handles basic smartwatch tasks adequately and becomes an extra gadget if you're mainly interested in health monitoring. Maybe with a few more updates, they can refine it, but for now, it's best to steer clear.
Samsung Watch 4 – $395.00 at Amazon.com.au
The Samsung Watch 4 makes a strong attempt at being a fitness-focused, powerful smartwatch. However, its awkward interface, limited features, and odd design choices make it hard to recommend. Samsung has a history of improving products over time, so their smartwatch line may get better with future updates.
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