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The Best Sports Watch of 2024: Read on for the Top 5!
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Time to read 7 min
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Time to read 7 min
In the world of sports and fitness, sports watches have become an indispensable tool. Going beyond just telling the time, these advanced gadgets provide a wealth of information that helps athletes optimize their performance. From tracking your heart rate and sleep cycles to monitoring your VO2 max and providing detailed GPS routes, a sports watch is the perfect companion for anyone serious about their training. But with so many choices on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is best.
That’s why we’ve done the research for you and present you with the top 5 best sports watches of 2024. Each best sports watch in this list has been rated based on features, ease of use, value for money, and customer reviews. Let’s get started!
The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the GPS running watch that goes beyond pace and heart rate stats. The Garmin Forerunner 55 is the perfect watch for the athlete who wants to get a lot of data out of their watch when it comes to running. With features like Garmin coach, HIIT training, VO2 Max race predictor and recovery advisor, you can train smarter and better and go beyond just pace and heart rate stats. Take the guesswork out of your training with personalized training guidance and daily suggested workouts based on your training history and fitness level. Understand your body better with advanced wellness features that track your breathing, intensity minutes and more throughout the day.
Advantages:
✅ Built-in Sports apps
Amp up your workout with activity profiles for track or virtual running, pool swimming, Pilates, HIIT, and even breathing exercises. The new Race Predictor takes your fitness level and training history into account to help you achieve your race goal and see the effect of your training on your predicted finish time.
✅ Daily recommended workouts
Get personalized guidance with daily recommendations for running workouts of varying intensity based on your training history, fitness level and recovery time. The latter is crucial for your body. After each workout, the built-in recovery time feature lets you know how long you should rest before attempting another major effort.
✅ Pacepro
This feature provides GPS-based pace guidance for a given distance in the Garmin Connect™ app to help you plan your race strategy, so you can adjust your effort based on what lies ahead.
✅ Wellness tracking
Advanced wellness features like intensity minutes, fitness age, respiration tracking, hydration tracking and more.
✅ Garmin Connect app
Upload your activities to the Garmin Connect app to interact with a thriving online community where you can connect on the go and even share your triumphs via social media.
Disadvantage:
❌ Not suitable for payments : Despite its advanced features, the Garmin does not support contactless payments.
The Polar M430, an advanced sports watch designed with the serious runner in mind. This watch is more than just a tracker; it’s a personal coach, a motivator and an everyday companion that helps you achieve your fitness goals.
With a range of features specifically designed to optimize your training, Polar M430 is an indispensable tool for anyone serious about running. Whether you’re training for a marathon or simply aiming to improve your personal best, Polar M430 gives you the tools and insights you need to take your performance to the next level.
Advantages:
✅ Versatile training features : The Polar M430 offers a wide range of training features, including heart rate, pedometer, GPS and swimproof. The watch is also compatible with apps such as MyFitnessPal, Strava and TrainingsPeaks.
✅ Long battery life : The watch has an impressive battery life of 30 hours in GPS low power mode.
✅ Built-in activity tracker : The Polar M430 has a built-in activity tracker that measures your daily activity and sleep patterns.
✅ Optical heart rate measurement : The Polar M430 has a built-in heart rate monitor with 6 LEDs, so you no longer need to wear a chest strap.
Disadvantage:
❌ No notifications : It is not possible to receive notifications such as messages, notifications and calls on the Polar M430.
With Polar M430 by your side, you are ready to take on any challenge and achieve your running goals.
The Garmin Vívosmart 5 is a no-nonsense, easy-to-use activity tracker that’s perfect for those who want to track their daily activities without any fuss. Unlike the Garmin Forerunner 245, which is more geared towards runners, the Vívosmart 5 is designed for a wide range of activities, making it a great choice for an active lifestyle.
Advantages:
✅ Versatile Tracking: Vívosmart 5 can track a wide range of activities, including walking, running, strength training, yoga, cycling, swimming, and more. It also measures your sleep quality, blood oxygen saturation level with the Pulse Ox2 sensor, and your stress level.
✅ Smart notifications: You can receive smart notifications on the Vívosmart 5, so you always stay connected.
✅ Long battery life: The Vívosmart 5 has a battery life of up to 7 days, which is about the same as the Forerunner 245.
✅ Water Resistant: The Vívosmart 5 is waterproof and swimproof, which is a plus for those who enjoy swimming as part of their fitness routine.
Disadvantage:
❌ No Wi-Fi : The Vívosmart 5 does not have Wi-Fi connectivity, which means you'll always need a connection to your smartphone to take advantage of the watch's full functionality.
The Garmin Vívosmart 5 is a great choice for those who want a versatile, easy-to-use activity tracker that can track a wide range of activities. While it may not have the same running-specific features as the Forerunner 245, it still offers a wide range of features that make it a great choice for an active lifestyle.
The Polar Unite fitness watch and tracker is an excellent choice for those who strive for a balanced life. This watch provides a wealth of insights into your health and helps you balance workouts, recovery and daily life in perfect harmony. It is designed to keep your body and mind in harmony.
Advantages:
✅ Advanced heart rate measurement : Polar Unite offers advanced optical heart rate measurement. This helps you track your workouts accurately and improve your performance.
✅ Sleep & Recovery Tracking : This watch tracks your sleep stages, measures your recovery from daily exertion and stress every night, and gives you personalized workouts based on your fitness level. This helps you understand your body better and adjust your routines accordingly.
✅ Comfortable and stylish design : Polar Unite's slim and ultra-light design is optimized for 24/7 use. It's comfortable to wear day and night. Plus, you can personalize it to your style with a choice of different wristbands.
Disadvantage:
❌ No built-in GPS: This means you'll need to have your phone with you if you want to record your speed, distance and route during your workouts.
The Polar Unite and the Polar M430 both have their unique features. While they both offer advanced heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking, the M430 has built-in GPS while the Unite does not. On the other hand, the Unite has a slimmer and lighter design, which makes it more comfortable to wear 24/7. Additionally, the Unite offers more personalization options with different wristbands and display colors.
This complete sports watch is equipped with a stopwatch, countdown timer and dual time. It is 5 ATM waterproof and has a modern design. The flexible strap is adjustable from 160 mm to 255 mm circumference, making it comfortable to wear for almost everyone. The watch is equipped with strong and scratch-resistant glass.
Advantages:
✅ Affordable : At just €24.80, the SKMEI is one of the most affordable smartwatches on the market.
✅ Versatile functions : This watch has many functions that come in handy during sports: Alarm, stopwatch, Backlight, Dual time, countdown timer and the date
✅ Stylish design : With a steel buckle, water-resistant design, rubber strap and black dial, this watch matches any sports outfit.
Disadvantage:
❌ Wearing Comfort: The watch may feel quite large and bulky on the wrist, especially for people with smaller wrists. This may affect the wearing comfort, especially during prolonged use or during intense physical activities.
When choosing the best sports watch, consider your training goals, the sports you practice, and what statistics you want to track. Price, comfort, battery life, and compatibility with your smartphone are also important.
Key features may include GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, water resistance, battery life, and compatibility with your smartphone.
A sports watch can help you track your progress, optimize your workouts based on your heart rate and other data, and monitor your recovery to prevent overtraining.
A sports watch is usually more robust and has more advanced sports and fitness features, while an activity tracker is more focused on tracking daily activities such as steps and sleep.
Some of the best sports watch brands are Garmin and Polar, which are known for their advanced features and reliability.