Looking to buy a wearable to adorn your wrist with? The first question that comes to mind is whether you should get a smartwatch or a fitness tracker?
Well, the answer depends on what you expect the device to do. A smartwatch makes it easier to respond to emails, texts, and calls and see social media notifications. On the other hand, fitness trackers have traditionally focused on health and activity monitoring, such as how many steps you’ve taken during the day.
Read more: Best smartwatches you can buy today
But in 2018, the line dividing smartwatches and fitness trackers has blurred considerably. Today you can buy a fitness tracker that delivers notifications to your wrist or a smartwatch that can measure your heart rate.
However, if you’re looking for something that looks more like a bracelet than a watch, then you’ll probably have to go with a fitness tracker. Another here’s another major advantage to consider for those pondering the dilemma: fitness trackers are a lot more affordable than smartwatches.
For the purpose of this article, we gathered up some of the best fitness trackers available on the market today. The products you’re going to find in this list offer advanced fitness tracking capabilities, but also borrow some smartwatch capabilities.
Garmin Vivosport
Despite not sporting a pretty standard design, the Garmin Vivosport includes a color display, GPS and is also water resistant. Even so, the wearable does not track swimming sessions like the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro.
On the bright side, the Vivosport is great for tracking other kinds of workouts such as jogging or cycling. The product also includes an all-day stress tracking tool which helps you monitor your body’s response to various stressors.
The battery powering Garmin’s fitness tracker is said to be able to provide a battery life of up to 7 days. The smart tracker also relays smartphone notifications to your wrist.
Garmin Vivosport purchase links: Garmin | Amazon | Best Buy | B&H Photo | Newegg
Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro
The Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro benefits from a great design which looks great on the wearer’s wrist. It comes with a 1.5-inch AMOLED display which allows users to see their stats clearly.
It includes a GPS and a heart rate sensor and can be used to track your swimming sessions too (yes, it’s waterproof!) The Fit 2 Pro also emulates a smartwatch in a number of areas. For example, it shows notifications (in a dedicated area on the left of the watch face) and allows users to interact with them (reply to a text message).
Other highlights include a decent battery life (up to three days) and offline Spotify support.
Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro purchase links: Samsung | Amazon | Best Buy | B&H Photo
Fitbit Charge 2
Can’t have a list of fitness trackers without mentioning Fitbit, can we? The Charge 2 includes a sleek display for at a glance information and can connect with the GPS on your phone (no GPS on board).
It includes a heart rate tracker, but unlike the Gear Fit 2 Pro it’s not waterproof and offers limited notifications. Although its battery is rated as being able to last up to 4-5 days.
The Fitbit Charge 2 is the best in the category for sleep tracking. It offers in-depth information on Sleep Stages, as well as Sleep Insights so you can improve your sleep patterns.
Fitbit Charge 2 purchase links: Fitbit | Amazon | Best Buy | Newegg | B&H Photo
Moov Now
Probably the most affordable fitness tracker on this list, the Moov Now is a wearable without a display.
Yet, the Moov Now can provide real-time audio coaching for different workouts including running, cycling, cardio boxing or body weight.
Being waterproof, users can wear the device when they are swimming or cycling in the rain. The product features a lightweight and breathable band. You can either wear the Moov Nov on your wrist or around your ankle while you train.
Moov Now purchase links: Moov | Amazon | Target | Newegg
Huawei Band 2 Pro
Huawei has its hands in a lot of different pots. While the company is primarily known for its gorgeous and powerful handsets, there are some wearables worth checking out as well.
The Huawei Band 2 Pro was released just a little over a year ago, but is still one of the best budget options. The fitness tracker sports a slim and comfortable design, while including many different health tracking features.
The biggest downside is that the display is not a touchscreen, leaving users to stick to the hardware buttons. Nonetheless, you can pick up the Band 2 Pro for just $68.99 from Amazon.
Huawei Band 2 Pro purchase links: AmazonÂ
Xiaomi Mi Band 3
Just like Huawei, Xiaomi has been entering just about every market it can find. The Xiaomi Mi Band 2 was a fan favorite in the fitness tracker department thanks to its sleek design and crazy-low price.
Needless to say, the Mi Band 3 had some big shoes to fill. Not only did those shoes get filled, but for just $40, you get more features than other, more-expensive options and more.
You don’t have to worry about a bunch of extra frills, while keeping track of your health and notifications. The only downfall for this could be its strange charging method, but it’s still a great buy.
Xiaomi Mi Band 3 purchase links: GearBest | Amazon
Motiv Ring
When it comes to wearable fitness trackers, you likely won’t think about wearing a ring. Well, Motiv is hoping to change that frame of mind with the release of the Motiv Ring.
This ring doesn’t look like it will go above and beyond, but features up to 3-day battery life. The Ring includes Google Fit compatibility, along with step counter, sleep tracker, and a heart-rate monitor.
Unfortunately, the price will be a tough pill to swallow – $200. If money is no object and you’re interested in trying something new and different, then the Motiv Ring is perfect for you.
Motiv Ring purchase links: Motiv | Amazon
So which of the above fitness trackers appear to you the most? Let us known what you look for in a wearable from this category in the comment section below.
