Fitness wearables have gained popularity in 2021, since nearly every manufacturer rushed to launch products with blood oxygen tracking abilities, a highly sought-after feature during the pandemic. If your New Year’s resolution is to get fit in 2022, a fitness tracker or a smartwatch would be a great companion. We have reviewed multiple fitness trackers and smartwatches over the year, and here’s a list of what we feel are the best wearables of 2021.
Best Smartwatch of 2021: Apple Watch Series 7, Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
We’ve got a tie for the top spot this year, as both the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 truly deserve to be named the best smartwatches to buy. Unsurprisingly, your choice of smartwatch will depend on the operating system of your smartphone, since the Apple Watch only works with an iPhone while the Galaxy Watch 4 can only pair with an Android smartphone.
Apple Watch Series 7
The Apple Watch Series 7 is an incremental upgrade over the Apple Watch Series 6, which won the same title last year. This year’s Apple Watch models have grown in size and pack in larger displays. Powering the Series 7 is the Apple S7 SiP, and it also gets support for fast charging, although this doesn’t currently work in India. Apart from the different materials used for the casing and the multiple colour options, you also have a choice between GPS-only and cellular-enabled models. The Apple Watch Series 7 starts at Rs. 41,900 in India.
Apple Watch Series 7 was accurate in almost every test we carried out. It managed step, distance, and heart rate tracking extremely well, though sleep tracking was its Achilies’ heel. The watch is also capable of SpO2 tracking and can record an ECG.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Samsung and Google worked together on the Galaxy Watch 4 series to revive Wear OS, and it has paid off. There are two similar models, the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. These watches are well designed and are powered by the Exynos W920 SoC. In terms of build quality, the Galaxy Watch 4 is made of aluminum while the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic uses stainless steel. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 prices start at Rs. 23,999.
Just like the Apple Watch Series 7, the Galaxy Watch 4 was accurate in most of our tests, tracking steps, distance, and even sleep correctly. It also supports SpO2 measurement and can calculate body composition. Internationally, the Galaxy Watch 4 can also record an ECG, but this feature isn’t available in India yet either. The Galaxy Watch 4 will pair with any Android smartphone easily but offers a …….