Tips and guide to buy a sports watch In 2023
Smart watches have come a long way in recent years, so much so that now several categories within them must be differentiated, which can be separated because they are very different from sports watches themselves.
We are talking about watch models that, despite having some features typical of smartwatches, such as notification synchronization, have as their strong point the collection of physical and health data, as well as sports activities.
Then each one processes and displays them in a different way, and there are even some that give you advice to improve in different sports, particularly running, cycling or swimming.
We have prepared a GPS sports watch buying guide for 2023 with some models that we can recommend and also with everything you need to know before buying one, what to look for and what features are really important.
Table of Contents:
- Recommended models
- Choose the right size for your wrist
- Attention to materials
- screen visibility
- Check the water resistance
- connectivity
- Media Control Capabilities
- Battery
- Heart rate monitor, pedometer and other measurements
- Specific or generic app
Recommended models of sports watches
Garmin Fenix 7
Multisport smart watch with GPS, touch screen and heart rate and blood oxygen sensors among others for athletes.
Bike Inn €591
Amazon €589
Worten €589
Worten €599
MediaMarkt €700
Of all the brands that compete in this sector, Garmin is surely the most acclaimed. It has models in all price segments, but its high-end today are the Garmin Fenix 7 in all its versions.
There is even an edition with solar charging, somewhat more expensive. What is clear is that at the battery level (up to 22 days), connectivity with GPS and NFC and precision they really have few competitors.
However, it is the Garmin software and the way it processes data and information that its users like the most, in addition to the strength of the numbers: you can share exercise data and compare it with friends in real time.
Polar Ignite 3
The latest renewal of the Ignite range offers multiple improvements and design successes. The screen of its 43 mm box is finally AMOLED and protected by Gorilla Glass. It barely weighs 35 grams, so it is very comfortable and light.
The spheres are now more customizable, and the model is focused on making the user understand their own body rhythms with SleepWise, which is a function that records your cycles so you know when you are ready to perform at your best in a sporting activity and when you should continue resting a few more hours or days.
With more than 150 profiles for types of activities and its double GPS to measure distance and speed, the Polar Ignite 3 is an excellent option that we can sometimes find on sale.
Suunto 9
Ultra-durable GPS watch with long battery life, heart rate tracking, stress, recovery and barometer for weather functions, perfect for athletes of all types.
Amazon €359
MediaMarkt €359
Bike Inn €364
The English Cut €369
My Electro €399
The Finnish brand Suunto is gaining ground little by little, and that the competitiveness is maximum. It does so by also betting on a minimalist design and fairly resistant models.
The Suunto 9 Peak is relatively affordable, it has a good battery and a robust design like few others, but it also has good precision when measuring all kinds of data. Perhaps as a legacy of being a Nordic company, they place a lot of emphasis on reading weather data.
Choirs Apex 2 Pro
This premium high-end model emphasizes autonomy as a claim, in addition to having a rather attractive design.
Amazon €499
bikeINN €502
Available in various colors and materials, the Coros Apex 2 Pro has broken into the field of GPS sports watches as one of the best, by surprise and standing up to other brands that have been in this for much longer.
It does it above all, standing out in terms of battery, which in saving mode can last practically a month, something out of the ordinary for now.
The brand's software also allows you to create all kinds of workouts, viewing advanced data that has been collected during them, something that few manufacturers can match, which is why they boast of having helped world-famous athletes like Kipchoge.
Beyond running and outdoor activities, the Apex 2 Pro also counts weight training series in the gym.
Polar Pacer Pro
This watch is designed for running, with VO2 Max measurement among other features.
bikeINN €249
Media Markt €286
Amazon €300
Unlike other sports watch models, the Pacer Pro is fully focused on running, although it can measure other activities.
To do this, it offers highly advanced functions, such as performance tests, a barometer with measurement of race power or VO2 Max, which is used to calculate your maximum heart rate.
It is ideal for running, so if you are only interested in measuring this sport, it is not bad because it is significantly cheaper than other multisport models.
Garmin Forerunner 965
We could not fail to mention in this list the Forerunner 965 and its fantastic 454x454 resolution AMOLED screen and its titanium bezel. The autonomy of this high-end watch for runners is excellent, as it will last between three and four weeks depending on use.
Its software is one of the most advanced by adding long-term training modes for a month or increasing the depth of data that it gives us in the race, such as vertical oscillation data or average contact time with the ground.
Of course, it also has all the features that have made Garmin watches the favorites of runners. Of course, the stock is usually low and you have to be attentive to the usual stores to see when it is replenished.
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple's new smartwatch brings us a larger screen with improved brightness that makes it possible for us to see everything more clearly. It has been added an S8 processor and new detection functions...
Amazon €475
MediaMarkt €475
The English Cut €485
Despite not being a sports watch itself but a smartwatch, it is worth including the Apple Watch Series 8 here, which measures health data quite accurately, especially heart rate, and incorporates options such as electrocardiograms. , which are never too much.
This generation also measures skin temperature and allows you to upload your own personalized running workouts to the corresponding application in watchOS, so for example you can do series and have the watch measure everything automatically.
To this we must add the possibility of having the model with a 4G internet connection and making mobile payments with NFC.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
This smartwatch has a titanium body with a 45mm sapphire crystal dial, which incorporates an electrocardiogram function, a 1.4" Super AMOLED screen, NFC for mobile payments and more...
FNAC €289.99
Amazon €315
MediaMarkt €399
PcComponents €419
It would be unfair not to include what for us is the best smartwatch with Wear Os of 2023, and the best alternative to the Apple Watch, since it follows the same philosophy. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is not a watch designed exclusively for athletes, but it meets almost all the requirements that they may request on their routes and training sessions.
Its huge battery offers us up to three days of autonomy and has all the necessary sensors to track our workouts and routes, perfect as a smartwatch for running. Its heart rate monitor is one of the best, and its construction in titanium and sapphire crystal ensures that it will withstand almost anything.
Its only drawback is its price, which is not that expensive considering the materials with which it is made, and, above all, its size, which may be too big for small wrists. Also, it has been being lowered for weeks now, so stay tuned.
Choose the right size for your wrist
Size and weight will always go hand in hand, so when buying your sports watch you should make sure that its size is not excessively large, despite the fact that the current fashion is to wear them excessively large.
Many manufacturers offer the same model in two different dial sizes. Keep in mind that the smaller its size, the less you will notice that you are wearing it when making movements with your arms and the less it will slip.
A few grams may seem like a small thing when you go about your daily life , but when your body is pushed to the limit during workouts, believe us, it will seem like a ton!
It is true that fashion and style trends often favor large watches (even excessively large at times), but when choosing your sports watch, what should prevail above all else is comfort. It seems like a no-brainer, but you may soon regret it if you don't follow this advice.
Attention to materials
The choice of the materials that make up the watch is directly related to the previous advice for buying a sports watch . The use of metal chains or steel cases that are too bulky can significantly increase the weight of the watch and make it more uncomfortable to wear.
In this sense, the presence of polycarbonate, carbon fiber or other light alloys for the case and the use of silicone straps or hypoallergenic derivatives is the best choice for several reasons: they hardly add weight to the total set, improve comfort and increase durability. sports watch durability.
If training is characterized by something, it is because you sweat—and a lot—and sometimes there is also dust and very repetitive movements, during the stride when running, for example. The use of silicone/rubber straps prevents the skin around the watch from being irritated by contact with the strap.
It is also important that the screen offers some kind of resistance to avoid scratches on the first start. The best is the sapphire glass that high-end watches incorporate, but a Gorilla Glass or similar protection could be enough if you run and do not expect falls or routes through the sand.
Some manufacturers offer the option of easily changing bracelets. That way you can combine it according to your style and give a more elegant touch to your sports watch when you're not training.
screen visibility
Having good screen visibility is a must for any smart sports watch. Keep in mind that the information displayed must be clear enough to be read at a glance. You can't stop your training to read the screen!
In addition to being clear, it must offer a good level of brightness that allows it to be read without problems even in bright sunlight, something that will be very common if you practice running, cycling and many other outdoor sports activities.
As usual, the technology of the screens of smart sports watches can be different types: electronic ink, LCD or TFT and OLED in the different developments of the manufacturers. There are even some models that offer analog display models where the active icons simply light up.
You should also check if it has a touch screen or not, since this feature will have a significant impact on its battery life. In addition, the distribution of the options menus and the navigation through its menus must be simple so that you do not waste too much time configuring it before each training session.
Check the water resistance
Water is very present in sports activities (not only in the necessary hydration of the body). You sweat, it rains, you cool off in a break, etc. Even if you are not going to practice nautical or aquatic sports, having a waterproof smartwatch will always be welcome.
Most sports watches offer resistance to splashes and sweat, certified by the IP index with an IPX4 or higher, which guarantees its perfect operation even when it starts to rain while training or splashed with water when cooling off or drinking water.
Other models extend this protection with a higher degree of tightness with IPX7 or IPX8, which allows you to shower with it without problems and even swim. Sports watches designed for water sports or swimming deserve a separate chapter . These easily support immersions beyond 3 meters as they have a much more sophisticated sealing system.
Some watches use the same atmosphere system used in traditional watches, being 5 ATM splash resistant, 50 ATM submersible and suitable for swimming and other water activities, and EN13319 certified for deeper immersions.
Connectivity
Connectivity is the foundation that differentiates smart watches from conventional watches . This connection is mainly made between the sports smartwatch and your smartphone, but it can also be linked with other sports devices such as chest straps to measure heart rate or accessories to measure pedaling cadence.
The version of Bluetooth used by the sports watch will also determine its autonomy, since version after version the standard has been refined to save resources and improve connection stability.
This link with your smartphone will allow you to receive notifications from your mobile on your watch, and even answer calls.
But Bluetooth isn't the only technology that will keep you connected. Many smartwatches already offer GPS tracking . This allows them to record your training routes or use route tracking features in real time.
You can also find high-end sports watches with 4G LTE connectivity through an integrated eSIM that offers greater smartphone autonomy, being able to receive calls or answer emails without having to have your mobile nearby. A perfect solution for those who prefer to train lightly, but do not want to give up staying within reach.
Media Control Capabilities
The fact of being linked to the smartphone allows smart sports watches to perform other tasks that you do not expect to find in a watch. Assuming mobile multimedia control tasks is one of the most common.
Training with music is much more fun, as well as serving as a motivational element to increase the intensity of the training. Many smart watches allow you to control the music playback functions, the volume or skip to the next song.
Some of them even integrate a memory chip in which you can store your music and play it without having to be linked to any mobile.
There are models that go a little further in the control of multimedia functions and integrate a remote shutter control for the mobile camera, small microphones from which you can answer the calls you receive without having to pick up your mobile or, the most extremes, they even integrate a small camera from which to take your own photos from the watch or make video calls.
Battery
We could not fail to mention the importance of battery life in this guide to buying a sports watch . It is undoubtedly one of the great weaknesses of these devices, although great advances have been made in this field.
From barely offering a day of autonomy, smart sports watches have come to offer up to a month of use in some cases. The complexity of integrating a battery as large as possible in a very limited space and that does not imply a considerable increase in weight are behind this problem.
The average autonomy offered by smart sports watches is around a week of use.
Logically, this autonomy depends to a large extent on the use made of GPS connectivity, notifications or the different functions, since manufacturers tend to make quite optimistic estimates of battery life.
Heart rate monitor, pedometer and other measurements
In a smart sports watch, you cannot miss the monitoring functions that include the functions you need for your physical activity.
The most common are the heart rate monitor, pedometer, and different specific functions that measure specific factors of the sporting activity that you practice, such as cadence for cycling, lengths for swimming, or the distance covered and your speed for running enthusiasts. Heart rate monitoring is increasingly present in these smartwatches for sports.
Rest is essential for a workout, so it is also common to find smart watches for sports with sleep monitoring functions. With this function you can keep track of the hours you sleep per day and the quality of that rest.
The monitoring functions that the smartphone registers are highly defined by the specialization of the smart watch in a specific sports category. For example, you can find sports smartwatches geared toward water sports, offering features like GPS-based marine navigation or sun exposure time.
Other sports watches designed for adventure or mountain sports can record data such as altitude or compass to keep you oriented even when GPS is not working. they can even include SOS systems with location!
Specific or generic app
The last advice in this guide to buy a sports watch is not specifically included in the watch itself but in the way it shows all the data it collects during your training and sports practices.
Most do it through an app installed on the phone to which it sends all the data it records. As a general rule, brands develop their own apps to display this data and adjust other options in the operation of the mobile.
That's not to say that these sports smartwatches can't sync with other generic sports platforms like Google Fit or Apple Health, although doing so will likely give you some control over some settings and customization options on the sports smartwatch.
In addition, it is also worth taking into account the compatibility with operating systems, since some of these sports smart watches only allow you to connect with smartphones of your brand or that use a certain operating system.
