Smartwatches have quickly become mini-computers with many features, from messaging to health tracking. But to continuously enjoy these benefits, enduring battery support is required. Many popular smartwatch models frustratingly require that you drop the watch on the charger at least once every day or two, which means you likely have to sacrifice important data you’d otherwise be collecting, like sleep trends or your step count.
So, unsurprisingly, battery life is a key metric to consider when weighing features and hardware. From favorites like Garmin to budget winners like Amazfit, some reputable models offer a good combination of software, hardware, and cost. Thankfully, this list includes the best smartwatch options that prioritize battery life without sacrificing too much in the process.
Top long-lasting smartwatches
Best overall
Garmin Venu 3
Two weeks of battery in smartwatch mode
The Garmin Venu 3 is one of the best all-around performers when it comes to mixed-use smartwatches. It’s our top choice for long-lasting battery for a reason; the Venu 3 stays ticking for up to two weeks when used in general smartwatch mode, even longer in the power saving setting, and for about one day with 24/7 GPS turned on.
- Onboard speaker to accept calls
- Local memory for music playlists
- Satellite positioning to track outdoor workouts
The Garmin Venu 3 is an excellent smartwatch for more than just its outstanding battery life, but it’s a good place to start. Using the Venu 3 conservatively in smartwatch mode grants up to two weeks of battery use. Mix in a daily run that engages the watch’s GPS function, or other premium features like the nightly pulse ox tracking, and you’ll see that number hover between a week and 10 days.
But if you have the always-on display enabled, expect to get about four days of use at most, which still far outpaces many competitors, including the Google Pixel Watch 2.
Read our review
Garmin Venu 3 smartwatch review: The best Venu yet
Garmin added an onboard speaker and third side button, but the real superstar is the Venu 3’s battery
What else is there to love about the Venu 3? We can’t go without mentioning its extensive suite of fitness activities to track, plus Garmin’s automatic daily movement goals that adjust to your current step and calorie trends. The Garmin Venu 3 also features a bright AMOLED display that stays visible under harsh sunlight.
With a 45mm lens piece, the Garmin Venu 3 we tested sits in an androgynous happy medium that looks nice on most wrist sizes. We also like the Venu 3’s built-in speaker; assuming the connected phone is on your person, you can accept calls directly on the Venu 3 without wrangling your phone out of a zippered pocket or arm sleeve.
Premium pick
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Samsung’s longest-lasting
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is still Samsung’s only Pro smartwatch, and that’s mainly because it is the most rugged model the company has produced to date. It also happens to have the longest battery life of any Samsung smartwatch thus far.
- Easily reaches three days of battery life
- Sapphire crystal glass and titanium body
- Offers plenty of features with Wear OS
- Thick and heavy
- GPX maps only support hiking and cycling
- Default band is clunky
You might look at the Samsung Galaxy 5 Pro as something of an outlier since the company has moved on to newer models, but to be fair, this is still the only Pro model in its ranks. Part of the reason for that has a lot to do with the rugged build, courtesy of sapphire crystal glass protecting the screen and a titanium body that can withstand some punishment. You get plenty of health and fitness tracking features, along with the useful Wear OS features, so this is a pretty fully loaded smartwatch despite its finicky strap mechanism.
Samsung claims up to 80 hours of battery life per charge, though it largely depends on what you’re doing with it, as the always-on display and GPS tracking are the two biggest drainers. With moderate use and a mixture of features, the Galaxy 5 Pro could reach three days, making it stand out among other Wear OS models that simply can’t last that long on one charge.
Read our review
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review: All-star battery, minor league fitness tracker
Maybe this pro should have stayed an amateur
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro still offers unique features other Samsung watches don’t, like the GPX maps that work for hiking and cycling, but they’re also still limited in scope. However, it loses out on the physical rotating bezel, a Samsung Classic smartwatch staple.
Best value
Amazfit Band 7
Battery for days on a budget
The Amazfit Band 7 is all about value; it functions primarily as a basic fitness tracker, with some smartwatch functions sprinkled throughout. You will give up certain features you would otherwise get with more expensive alternatives, but it’s hard to argue with the price — especially since its battery lasts longer than most.
- Excellent battery life
- Decent feature set
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Not as polished as others
- No temp sensor or built-in GPS
- More fitness tracker, less smartwatch
A squared design makes the Amazfit Band 7 look a little like an Apple Watch, but it’s an otherwise entirely different device in style and functionality. At just over 42mm, the device isn’t particularly large, and its lightweight body makes it comfortable to wear for long stretches. The included silicone band is particularly thin, leading to heightened comfort for athletes who tend to be hyper-aware of watches rubbing on their wrist.
Zepp Health is the baked-in fitness and wellness companion, offering a variety of fitness tracking features, including a Daily Readiness score to gauge performance and preparation.
Read our review
Amazfit Band 7 review: Amazing fit for your casual exercise journey
Not an elite athlete or weekend warrior? You still deserve a high-quality fitness tracker, and this might be the one
Amazfit rates the Band 7 battery life at up to 18 days on what it considers “normal” use, which means leaving the always-on display off and doing the basics for activity and sleep tracking. Even with heavier usage, though, you can probably hit at least 10 days without skipping a beat and losing out on all the tracking features. If you’re new to Amazfit, you may have to adjust to the interface and how everything works, but it’s hard to find this much at this price.
Big, bold choice
OnePlus Watch 2
Wear OS lasting for days
The OnePlus Watch 2 brings longer battery life to Wear OS, making it a unique choice for anyone seeking an enduring model. This device also has a slick design compared to its predecessor, adding to its value.
- Superb battery life for Wear OS
- High-quality build
- Vibrant display
- Proprietary charger
- Crown rotates for no reason
- Health tracking needs a boost
The OnePlus Watch 2 isn’t a subtle choice when you consider its 47mm size, making it one of the biggest options on this list. Its overall thickness and weight may also give you pause compared to the more lightweight options available, though you won’t feel uncomfortable wearing it at length. It is a Wear OS watch, but there are no exclusive features for OnePlus devices.
A vibrant display helps the watch look nice, and it’s easy to navigate, but OnePlus still has software kinks to work out. The digital crown also doesn’t even scroll when rotating it. Assuming the company fixes these things with software updates, the Watch 2 can really hit a different stride, but as is, there is a bit of a trade-off. It tracks various health and fitness metrics, though consistency and accuracy need to be updated to improve on both fronts.
Read our review
OnePlus Watch 2 review: Worth it for the battery alone
With two chipsets and two operating systems, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers revelatory battery life — but not much more
But the watch’s greatest asset is battery life. The device’s two processors work together, giving the wearer four days of use on a single charge. The Snapdragon W5 chipset handles Wear OS apps and the more power-intensive features, while a low-power BES2700 chip running a real-time operating system (RTOS) handles background tasks, like maintaining the connection to your phone and how the health sensors perform. True to OnePlus’ pedigree in fast charging, it can also fully charge to 100% in less than an hour. It is a proprietary charger, so you don’t want to lose it, but at least it detaches to make it easier to take with you and plug in any USB-C cable.
Hybrid design that lasts
Withings ScanWatch 2
Classic style that feels timeless
The Withings ScanWatch 2 is a high-end hybrid smartwatch capable of delivering excellent battery life despite offering more features than its predecessor. An upgraded PPG sensor and temperature sensor add to improved overall performance.
- Outstanding battery life
- Slim and lightweight profile
- Distraction-free screen design
- Digital display is small
- Analog sub-dial only tracks steps
The Withings ScanWatch 2 takes a different approach by way of a hybrid design that blends advanced digital features with a traditional timepiece. It’s elegant and sophisticated, made all the better by the fact it holds up really well in light of the mixed focus. Sapphire crystal protects the display from nicks and scratches, while the lightweight body feels comfortable on your wrist for extended wear.
The small digital display isn’t necessarily conducive to viewing all the details and notifications you might want to see, but the benefit is prolonged battery life that lasts up to 30 days with one charge. Even if you factor in the new PPG and skin temperature sensors doing their thing, it would be hard to see the ScanWatch 2 dropping below three weeks per charge. That’s simply outstanding compared to the norm for smartwatches — even if this is more of a hybrid.
Read our review
Withings ScanWatch 2 review: The smartwatch you wear to dinner
It’s not perfect, but the ScanWatch 2 offers digital features with an analog aesthetic
That’s also where you have to accept some differences, like how the analog sub-dial only tracks steps and no other activity. On the bright side, you can see all the metrics in the Withings app.
Affordable Venu 3 alternative
Garmin Vivoactive 5
A battery stalwart all around
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 is a smartwatch and fitness tracker rolled into one, offering a variety of worthwhile features. A key one is the long battery life that can last for a week or more on one charge, adding to the overall convenience.
- Up to 11 days of battery life
- Beautiful AMOLED display
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Only comes in one size
- No altimeter
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 strikes the right balance, making it a useful and effective wearable. It’s a smartwatch and fitness tracker in one, and its 42mm size and lightweight build give it broad appeal. It can track over 30 sports and activities — with improved GPS coordination — plus monitor heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen, and more. It is, however, missing an altimeter, so if you’re looking to keep tabs on how many stairs or floors you climb, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
The information it does log will be showcased on its vivid AMOLED display, which can last for up to five days in always-on mode. It’ll achieve up to 11 days if you leave that feature off. GPS and other use cases, like streaming music, could affect how long it lasts, but you should be able to go for days before it needs to recharge. Even when it does, the included proprietary charger replenishes it fairly quickly.
Read our review
Garmin Vivoactive 5 review: AMOLED all the things
The new Vivoactive 5 offers some nice upgrades
It’s also important to remember where the Vivoactive 5 falls within Garmin’s lineup. It’s not focused as much on running as the Forerunner series does, nor is it as ruggedized as the Fenix series. Think of it more as a more affordable alternative to the Venu series.
Staying alive
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro
Only charge sometimes
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is the company’s most versatile smartwatch, driven by a dual-layer display that creates a unique user experience and saves battery life every time you put it on your wrist.
- Incredible battery life
- Rotating crown does something
- Dual-layer display is nifty
- Mobvoi Health is a work in progress
- No Google Assistant
- Stuck on Wear OS 3.5
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is something of a rarity for Wear OS devices in that it lasts for up to four days per charge when you don’t have GPS on. You’re more likely to hit three with moderate usage — a little less if you really go hard with it — but it proves to be an efficient wearable. The dual-layer display is a big reason why the battery holds up so well. It combines a low-power LCD panel with the main OLED display to share certain features in favor of power consumption. This way, you can see basics, like the time and date, step count and heart rate, among other notifications, while the main screen handles all the heavy lifting from Wear OS.
The TicWatch Pro 5 isn’t going to dig as deep as others when it comes to activity tracking, though you can expect at least a dozen workouts from the TicExercise app. Built-in GPS helps track outdoor activities, while the heart rate monitor and SpO2 sensor keep tabs on health metrics. The whole package won’t feel as established as other more expensive Wear OS smartwatches, but this watch won’t feel like it’s holding back too much, either. A redesigned rotating crown helps with navigation, while a slimmer frame gives it a more refined look.
Read our review
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: An iterative update to a great watch
A refined TicWatch Pro 5 experience, but some lingering flaws remain
It would just be nice to see this watch make the jump to Wear OS 4 and give Google Assistant a chance to activate. Both of those features are still out of action, making the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro feel a little bit behind the best Wear OS smartwatches out there.
Decent third-party app support
Suunto Race
Here you go, Strava nation
The Suunto Race is a quality fitness-tracker/smartwatch feautring a sturdy steel or titanium build and 16GB or 32GB of onboard memory. Athletes can take advantage of heart rate, SpO2, and ECG sensors, plus an impressive 12 days of battery life when used in smartwatch mode.
- Bright, vivid AMOLED display
- Store offline maps
- Highly competitive water resistance rating
- Doesn’t automatically send data to phone
- Unimpressive haptics
Suunto is rising in popularity as a quality alternative to mainstream smartwatch brands. Assuming you’re logging some average use on the Suunto Race, it’ll give you up to 12 days of use in standard smartwatch mode, or up to 26 days in the less power-hungry setting.
Read our review
Suunto Race review: Purpose-built to perfection
A true fitness tracker in a smartwatch world
Reminiscent of the Garmin Venu 3, this is a rugged smartwatch that’ll withstand its fair share of brushes with sharp or unforgiving edges, thanks to the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens. Measuring 49mm across the lens face, smaller-wrist wearers may feel a bit like a child in their father’s shoes wearing this one, so keep that in mind.
The Suunto Race supports a variety of third-party fitness apps to help further your training goals. One caveat, though, is that the Race price could lead someone to expect standalone GPS connectivity in their watch, but this isn’t something the Race offers.
Smartwatches that keep on going
Smartwatches, and wearables generally, continue to get better at tracking health and activity, though battery life is a constant work in progress, which is why it’s common to see compromises to make them last longer. If longer battery life really matters to you, it’s something you have to keep in mind as you look for the next one to strap on your wrist.
The Garmin Venu 3 is a stud for battery life, and while it may not offer all the features and integrations you’d get with a Wear OS watch, it’s a good upper-midrange option for active users among the more expensive Garmin options. If you want Wear OS with a more rugged body, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is still the sturdiest model the company offers to date, offering a nice mix of phone integration with a slew of tracking features to go with it.
If your budget can’t quite reach that high, you could also look at the Amazfit Band 7 as an alternative, especially if you feel you don’t need the extra bells and whistles and want more of a fitness tracker than a smarwtatch. It still offers more than just a rudimentary feature set, which is a big reason why it’s on this list.
Best overall
Garmin Venu 3
Track your workouts for days
$444 $450 Save $6
Garmin’s Venu 3 looks stylish with its sharp AMOLED screen, yet packs a whole lot underneath with all the fitness features available to stay active. Plus, it does it all with battery to spare.
