Cheap vs. Expensive smartwatches — what’s the real difference?

Budget smartwatches are cheaper but not necessarily significantly inferior to premium ones. The difference often lies in the hardware, health sensors, and ecosystem capabilities.

SlashGear writes about this topic.

What really distinguishes cheap models from expensive ones?

The Apple Watch holds almost 30% of the global market and remains the most recognizable smartwatch, largely due to the popularity of iPhones and the tight integration between Apple devices. With a starting price of $399 (and an SE version starting at $249), the Apple Watch is a tough competitor in the sub-$200 segment, where affordable alternatives are plentiful.

In the budget segment, you can often find fitness trackers and smartwatches. While an expensive watch with a full set of sensors can replace a tracker, not every tracker can perform the functions of a smartwatch. If you only need to count steps, track basic training, and monitor your sleep, a reliable tracker under $100 will suffice. Smartwatches come into play when you need more features, such as viewing and managing notifications, playing music, and customizable watch faces. The best ones allow you to reply to messages, store music offline, make calls without a smartphone, and install additional apps. These features are offered by brands like Apple and Samsung, which explains the higher price. At the same time, trackers or "trimmed-down" smartwatches are appropriate when you only need the essentials.

Many people prefer affordable models. For example, the Amazfit Active 2, priced at $99, is a fully functional smartwatch that looks and works just as well as much pricier competitors. However, compared to premium devices, there are significant limitations in terms of watch face flexibility and application selection. More expensive models rarely compromise on hardware. They have bezel-less LTPO-OLED displays with better battery life and Always-On. Tactile feedback is much more pleasant, and built-in speakers allow you to listen to music or talk without a phone.

Devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Apple Watch Series 10 have more sensors, opening up access to advanced health features. For example, the Apple Watch has an ECG feature, which is currently almost non-existent in the budget segment. The platform is worth mentioning separately: Google's Wear OS and Apple's watchOS have a wider catalog of apps and better software support. More powerful hardware provides smoother animations and faster operation, which are often lacking in inexpensive watches.

Finally, ecosystem benefits can be crucial. Little things, like being able to unlock a MacBook with an Apple Watch, add up over time and create a richer user experience.

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