Smartwatches are no longer a novelty. I see more wrists strapped into wearables than analog timepieces on a daily basis. Yet, a growing market only means more room for competition and a more confusing shopping experience. After testing countless smartwatches over the years, I’ve honed in on what makes a device the most valuable, including user experience, feature set, fitness tracking tools, and sensor package, without forgetting about comfort and looks. Depending on what ecosystem you belong to, the watches below represent the top smartwatches I recommend in 2026 so far.
Google Pixel Watch 4: The best smartwatch for Android users
When Google first entered the smartwatch space, the Pixel Watch line took a few generations to find its footing. The Pixel Watch 4 absolutely delivers. To start, the newest model offers the most complete Wear OS experience yet, pairing Google’s Tensor G4 chipset with the powerful Wear OS platform for faster performance, smoother navigation, and stronger integration across the Pixel ecosystem.