Men's Smartwatch

Men's Smartwatches

The watches here are built around training rather than notifications, which is the distinction worth making before comparing prices. A running watch records pace, distance, heart rate and cadence from built in GPS without needing a phone, then reports training load and recovery so the next session is set against the last one rather than guessed at. A general smartwatch does activity tracking alongside apps, payments and messages. Both track sleep and daily steps; only one of them is designed to be looked at mid run.

Case size and strap width are worth checking against the wrist rather than assumed, since a larger case reads more easily mid session but sits heavier overnight for sleep tracking. Battery life on a GPS sports watch is quoted two ways, in smartwatch mode measured in days and in GPS mode measured in hours, and the second figure is the one that matters for a long run or a hike. Check whether the watch pairs fully with your phone, as some features differ between Android and iPhone.

Garmin supplies the range, covering the Forerunner 55, 165 and 265S running watches, the rugged Instinct E and the Vivoactive 5 for everyday activity tracking. For the full range including trackers and general smartwatches see smart watches and fitness trackers.

Prices are live all year, so see what is reduced now on smart watches on sale, or the Black Friday smart watch deals.