Anyone who’s spent time searching for the best smart watches for men has probably noticed that the smart watch market has exploded over the past few years.
It wasn’t long ago that the Apple watch was pretty much the only game in town. But today there are dozens (if not hundreds) of options that come from a wide range of manufacturers—and with an even wider range of features, styles and prices to choose from.
Guys who want a watch that’s both smart and sharp could easily spend hours pouring over all of the available options, weighing the various features against their respective prices and styles, and trying to determine which options provide the best blend of form and function.
How do I know? Because that’s exactly what I did. (Look we’re in the middle of a pandemic—I have a lot of time on my hands.)
I scoured the internet searching for the best men’s smart watches that not only offer a ton of cool features, but also look sharp enough that any style-conscious man would be happy to wear it on his wrist all day.
In this post I’ll share the results of my research, and explain what, in my opinion, makes each option below one of best smart watches for men.
The Best Men’s Smart Watches
(For Guys Who Want a Timepiece That’s Both Sharp and Smart)
Apple Watch Series 6
One of the first is still one of the best
The Apple Watch has come a long way since it debuted back in April of 2015.
In addition to important performance upgrades like a longer battery life, better screen brightness (which is key for reading on such a small screen) and advanced new health-monitoring features like tracking the O2 levels in your blood, over the past few years Apple has also made the upgrade that style-conscious guys have been waiting for most:
Better strap options.
The new series comes with a wide range of stylish straps. And with hundreds more available on Amazon, the Apple Watch continues to be an industry leader in both smart functions and sharp style.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
The Best Android Smartwatch
Engadget declared the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 the “best non-Apple smartwatch,” which may seem like kind of a backhanded compliment to Samsung, but a good note for guys trying to rank the best smart watches.
Fortunately for Samsung, the Galaxy 3 is the best Android smartwatch, and while it can’t quite overtake Apple for the overall crown, it comfortably beats Google’s Wear OS, despite the fact that it runs Google’s own software.
In addition to pairing well with other Android devices, the Galaxy Watch 3 offers improvements over earlier models in the health, fitness and sleep tracking departments, including blood oxygen readings.
Design-wise the Galaxy 3 looks more like a classic chrono watch than a smartwatch, which is a plus for guys who want to maintain a more classically masculine vintage while still enjoying all the modern features a smart watch provides.
Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle
Fossil has long been a go-to for guys looking for stylish, affordable and masculine (if a bit chunky) watches, making its smart watch offering very much on brand.
Available in your choice of leather or stainless steel strap, the Gen 5 looks great, though with 44 mm case, some guys might find it a little large. (I personally prefer watches in the 40 to 42 mm range, but I have scrawny handsomely slender wrists.)
The Gen 5 is powered by Google’s Wear OS software and compatible with both Android and Apple devices, making it a good option for guys who aren’t brand loyal and want to be able to pair their watch with devices operating on both platforms.
Garmin Vivoactive 4
The Best Smart Watch for Sports and Active Men
It should come as no surprise that the most rugged smart watch on this list comes from Garmin, the company that made its name building GPS devices built for adventure.
The same could be said for its smart watch offering, which is perfect for hikes, bike rides and other outdoor adventures. Fortunately for those of us who prefer to get active indoors, Vivoactive comes preloaded with more than 20 indoor sports apps, including yoga, running, swimming and more, and makes it easy to listen to music with playlists from Spotify, Amazon music or Deezer.
If you’re looking for a smart watch that will help you get active, get the Garmin.
Movado Bold Motion Connect 2.0 Smartwatch
Maybe the Most Luxurious-Looking Smartwatch
Maybe the sharpest-looking smart watch on this list, the Movado Bold Motion Connect 2.0 looks like the smart watch James Bond would wear if he didn’t have Q custom-making bespoke gadgets for him.
Compatible with both iOS and Android, the Movado Bold displays phone calls, appointments, emails, texts and social media messages on its LED screen, and can be used for five full days before it needs to be recharged.
It may not have all the bells and whistles of the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy, but anyone looking for style first and functionality second could hardly do better.
Montblanc Summit 2 Smartwatch
Classic Precision Meets Modern Functionality
German brand Montblanc has long one of my favourites for their fresh-smelling colognes and (expensive, but exceptional) pens, but has long been known for making stylish and expertly crafted watches.
Like most of the other watches on this list, their entry into the smart watch market uses Google’s WearOS and comes loaded with multiple apps, in addition to a wide variety of Google Play apps.
Skagen Connected Falster 2
The Minimalist Man’s Smart Watch
Another well known watch maker that’s delving into the the smart watch world, Skagen’s taken a minimalist approach to its Connected Falster 2, and the results are as sleek as they are smart.
Available in a wide variety of straps and either a black or silver 40 mm case, the black-on-black look (pictured here) is particularly striking. The band is silicone, but the overall look is so sharp that you could easily see this watch being worn with a well cut suit.
In addition to sharp style, the watch is feature-rich. Compatible with both iPhone and Android, it comes with a built-in fitness tracker, microphone and music storage & controls, and allows you to receive notifications and app alerts from your phone, among other features.
Withings Steel HR Hybrid Smartwatch
Sleek and Sophisticated
And speaking of minimalist smart watches you could wear with a suit…
The Withings Steel HR Hybrid refuses to sacrifice style in the name of smarts, instead blending the two into a timepiece that looks so good, you’d wear it even if it were dumb.
Fortunately, it’s anything but. From heart rate tracking to receiving smart phone alerts, the Withings may not have the most features of any watch on this list, but it checks all the standard boxes while offering an incredible battery life: 25 days, plus 20 more on power reserve mode.
Timex Metropolitan R AMOLED Smartwatch
Pretty Awesome. Very Affordable.
Timex may not be the flashiest brand on this list but it’s certainly one of the most reliable.
And just as the Weekender is a perfect starter watch for any young man delving into the world of NATO strap watches, the Metropolitan provides an excellent (and cost effective) entry point into smartwatches.
With a hi-resolution touch display, 12 days of battery life, 20 display screens to choose from and enough features to get you started – including heart-rate monitoring, activity tracking and GPS – this is a low-cost smart watch for guys on a budget.
TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45mm Smartwatch
The Smartwatch Splurge
From one end of the price spectrum to the other, Tag Heuer’s Connected Modular is basically the Rolls Royce of men’s smart watches.
The Swiss manufacturer has long been known as one of the world’s premier luxury watchmakers, and their smart watch comes with all the trappings you’d expect from the top of the men’s watch mountain: the case and bracelet are made from sandblasted titanium, the face is made from scratch-resistant crystal and the Intel Atom processor means its smart watch features are lightning fast.
Add it all up, and this isn’t just a smart watch—it’s a statement.
The Next (Smart) Step Toward (Sharp) Style
Rocking the Right Watch is a Good First Step—But There are Many More
Now that you know which of the many options on the market constitute the best smart watches for men, you’ll be able to choose a timepiece that’s as sharp as it is smart.
But as much as I love a good accessory, the truth is that your watch (smart though it may be) is really only one small detail in your overall look.
And while nailing the watch game is a great first step toward sharper style, there are a lot more details that you need to nail if you really want to look your best. Nine of them, in fact.
To help you put your best face forward, I’ve put together a head-to-toe checklist outlining nine important aspects of your look you need to get right.
Enter your email address below and I’ll send you the nine details you need to nail if you want to out-dress the other guys and elevate your overall appearance.
Don’t Let the Other Guys Out-Dress You
Find out how to look sharp and stand out.
Enter your email address below to discover the Nine Details You Need to Nail.
I will never send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
More Men’s Watch Advice and Recos from Irreverent Gent:
- How to Wear a Pocket Watch
- How to Wear a NATO Strap Watch
- Timex Weekender Review
- In-Depth Undone Watches Review
- The Most Stylish Watch Boxes for Men
- The Best MVMT Men’s Watches
- The Cheapest Rolexes for Men