WE KNOW how hard it is to keep tabs on one's overall health. For that, we turn to fitness trackers to help, and namely fitness watches. The writers and editors of Men's Health have been wearing and documenting fitness watches as far back as 2015, when we had the privilege of reviewing the very first Apple Watch. We started comparing fitness trackers and fitness watches as early as 2017. It's also worth mentioning Men's Health gains exclusive access to most fitness watch releases, which oftentimes allows us to get a first look at a fitness watches before available to the public.
With that all being said, Men's Health has tested well over 40 of the latest and greatest fitness watch releases over the past eight years, ranging from brands like Garmin, Suunto, Apple, and more. We've seen all top-selling smartwatch models grow through each generation, which gives us an encyclopedia of knowledge in being able to cross-compare older watch models to their new versions to see if an upgrade is actually worth an upgrade. Right now in 2023, we currently list seven fitness watches that are worth your hard earned cash, but if you want to know our number one pick before we start, that would be the Garmin Forerunner 255. It's a watch that promises versatility in training, durability in design, and an easy-to-use interface all for a respectable mid-level price point.
On the most basic level, the best fitness watches can offer GPS connectivity to help you stay on your training course and offer pinpointed location data and basic activity tracking. Depending on what your fitness goals are (like losing weight or cutting time off your mile PR), the addition of a fitness watch can help you identify where your training is lacking, or even where you may be pushing it a little too hard thanks to recording your laps and splits, as well as heart rate and oxygen levels. Plus, many fitness watches are also focused on optimizing your recovery to help you achieve the best rest and restoration so you can kick-A during your future workouts.
Best Sleep Trackers | Best Smart Rings | Best Smartwatches for Men | Best Solar Watches | Best Compression Boots
With so many options to choose from, and each fitness watch offering up so many different health and fitness offerings, it may feel overwhelming to narrow down which one you should go with. Which is why we continue to curate and update this list to help you decide whether you want a full-blown smart device or just a fitness-oriented timepiece to record your laps and splits.
Shop the best fitness watch deals on Amazon
Best Fitness Watch Overall: Garmin Forerunner 255
Garmin Forerunner 255
Pros
- Excellent for all types of activity tracking
- Ideal for triathalon and marathon training
- Runs smooth on Android and iPhone
- Stylish enough for everyday wear
- Elevate V4 sensor that tracks Pulse Ox
- Can store up to 500 songs offline
- Long lifespan
Cons
- Watch is not touchscreen
| Accuracy | 8.0 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8.0 out of 10 |
| Features | 8.0 out of 10 |
| Design | 8.0 out of 10 |
You can't go wrong with any of the Garmin Forerunner watches, but we especially like the Forerunner 255 due to the value you get for the price. When testing, we found this watch is versatile in every way. You can use it no matter what kind of smartphone you have, and you can use it for fitness and for everyday wear—the Forerunner 255 has a rugged build, but it's slim and stylish enough to wear with casual outfits.
In terms of what activities work best on this watch, we loved using it for running, cycling, kayaking, and hiking. We also found the its long battery life (up to 30 hours in GPS mode) and 50 meter water resistance make it ideal for triathlon training and marathon training. In terms of how the Forerunner 255 stacks against the Forerunner 245 (the watch the 255 upgraded over), the Forerunner 255 packs double the battery life without GPS mode (14 days to 7) and about five extra hours in GPS mode (30 hours to 25 hours). The Forerunner 255 is also running a new Elevate v4 sensor, which is something the Forerunner 245 doesn't have. The Forerunner 255 does have sleep tracking like the Forerunner 245, except new to the Forerunner 255 is a Morning Report feature that summarizes your sleep, shares your HRV (heart rate variability status), and recommends daily workouts.
We name the Forerunner 255 our best fitness watch because it just performs well in so many categories. Like mentioned above, it's versatile, but it's also balanced in all areas and not too expensive. The durability of the Forerunner 255, and of the Forerunner series in general, is another key reason why we love it. You can get away with using this watch for at least a few years, which in turn factors out an even lower cost-per-wear to share with it's medium-range price point. The one detail users might not like about the Forerunner 255 is it's not a touchscreen, so don't expect to open this up and start tapping away. We think this is a small detail to overlook, as fitness watches with touchscreens are not always the most durable.
One last note: Get the Forerunner 255 in the Music edition. Doing so will allow you to upload over 500 songs to listen too offline while leaving your phone at home. No more having to run with your phone in your hand.
Sizes: 41mm, 46mm | Battery life: Up to 30 hours in GPS mode, 14 days in smartwatch mode | Water resistance: 50 meters | GPS: Yes Sleep tracking: Yes | Music storage: 4 GB | Warranty: 1-year
Read more: Best Gifts for Outdoorsmen
Most Accurate: Masimo W1
Pros
- Superior metric tracking, especially when it comes to heart rate
- Innovative features like Hydration Index
- Display is simple and easy to read
- Generous warranty
- 40mm watch face looks good on all wearers
Cons
- Doesn't have music storage or phone notifications
- Barebones style
| Accuracy | 9.0 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 7.0 out of 10 |
| Features | 7.5 out of 10 |
| Design | 7.5 out of 10 |
Ever since our Fitness Director, Ebenezer Samuel, tested the Masimo W1, the innovative fitness watch has become a hot topic in our conversations on what the future of fitness tech might hold. The W1 was actually awarded our "Most Accurate Smartwatch" in our 2023 Fitness Awards this year, and now that title is carrying on over to this guide here. How accurate are we talking? When testing, Eb wore a pulse oximeter at the same time while training with the W1, "I matched my pulse oximeter to my live heart rate on the W1 and found the W1 was always within 2 BPMs of the oximeter," he says. "This is the most accurate smartwatch I've ever used, period." Another feature Ebenezer loved—that many of us in the office also caught onto—was the W1's Hydration Index, an index feature to help track how hydrated the wearer is at all times.
Simply put, no other fitness watches are tracking body metrics in such an accurate and exciting way right now. Fitness watches are notorious for not having the most pinpoint heart rate monitors (wearable heart rate straps are often recommended if you want the closest reading) and so for the W1 to get as close as it did to Eb's pulse oximeter is huge.
The downside about the W1 has a lack of special features: it has zero ability to download or listen to music and doesn't send phone notifications. The W1 is also $500, which is a steep price for a fitness watch. Alas, the ultimate decision on the W1 comes down to how serious you are about tracking your fitness, and how less serious you are about wanting special features or having a sleek and sexy watch design. If your answers to the prior dilemmas fall in line with what the W1 is promising, then by all means jump in on the hype train and give it a go.
Sizes: 40mm | Battery life: Up to 24 hours | Water resistance: 50 meters | GPS: No Sleep tracking: Yes | Warranty: 3-year
Best for Recovery Tracking: Google Pixel Watch
Google Pixel Watch
Google Pixel Watch
Pros
- Easy-to-read display
- Quality sensors that help provide reliable readings
- Water resistant up to 50 meters
- SOS emergency feature
- ECG reader
- Tracks sleep
Cons
- Battery life could be longer
| Accuracy | 8.0 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 7.0 out of 10 |
| Features | 8.0 out of 10 |
| Design | 7.0 out of 10 |
Running Google's Wear OS and connected to Fitbit activity tracking, the Google Pixel Watch is an excellent fitness watch for tracking recovery training. Thanks to high-performance sensors, you get spot-on readings for general metrics and advanced metrics; the best feature about this watch is the ECG monitor, which helps provide data like heart rhythm.
Most Google Pixel Watch users have strong opinions on how they view the smartwatch. Common qualms include a need for better battery life, not enough workout modes for training, and quirks like having to turn on the bedtime mode manually before going to sleep. But what the Pixel Watch does well is accurately track your health and sleep metrics while providing a clear display that makes it easy to read your data. The watch design is also blissfully simple, and doesn't look or feel too bulky or heavy on the wrist (if anything, the Pixel Watch could probably have a few larger watch sizes to offer). All-in-all we believe the Pixel Watch competes as a top fitness watch, especially if you have an Android.
What do buyers say? "It has a few shortcomings with it being a first generation product, but it's still the best Android smartwatch on the market. The marriage between Google and Fitbit worked out well and this watch is their (successful) child. I recommend trying it out, you will like it," said one Amazon reviewer.
Sizes: 41mm | Battery life: Up to 24 hours in GPS mode | Water resistance: 50 meters | GPS: Yes Sleep tracking: Yes | Warranty: 1-year
Read more: Best Home Gym Equipment
Best Deal: Coros Pace 2
Pros
- Awesome price point
- Great entry watch for running
- Customized training modes
- Insightful muscle heat map feature
- Fun to wear for outdoor sports and activities
Cons
- Not as many specs as other GPS watch competitors
| Accuracy | 7.0 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 7.5 out of 10 |
| Features | 7.0 out of 10 |
| Design | 7.5 out of 10 |
The latest version of the affordable GPS watch is ultralight thanks to a 50 percent weight reduction in a new nylon band, a switch from a silicone band. The Pace 2 comes with over 200 exercises pre-loaded for the upper body, lower body, core work, and more to help you with training and running. One fun feature we found when testing the Pace 2 is the new muscle heat map, a metric that allows you to see which muscle groups are getting the most action in a daily, weekly, or monthly view, on your body so you can adjust your training accordingly. The muscle heat map is read on your phone through the Coros app and it helps show what muscles have been targeted the most by your programming of completed sets, reps and time. The one downside is the heat map only reads exercises by what major muscle group was being used for the movement, so you won't get the fullest picture of every single muscle you hit in each exercise. Nonetheless, the heat map was fun to view and gave us reminders we might have worked one muscle group much more than we thought.
The Coros Pace 2 is well worth inclusion on this list due to its durability and battery life. With GPS on, the Pace 2 can go up to 30 hours, and with GPS off it can go up to 20 days. Now, it's worth saying you don't get the same kind of features and smooth user interface as some of the other watches on this list, but that's not what the Pace 2 is at heart. No, what makes this watch phenomenal is it's $200; a steal when you consider it's a fitness tracker that will last you well through two years or use, and perhaps even more.
Sizes: 42mm | Battery life: Up to 30 hours in GPS mode, 20 days in smartwatch mode | Water resistance: 50 meters | GPS: Yes Sleep tracking: Yes | Music storage: N/A | Warranty: 2-year
Best for iPhone Users: Apple Watch Ultra
Apple Watch Ultra
Pros
- Rugged style design
- Can be used as a dive watch up to 100 meters
- Great for everyday use
- Blood Oxygen and ECG reader
- Wayfinder face with a live compass
- Siren for emergencies and water temp sensor
- Upgraded microphone and speakers over Apple Watch Series 8
Cons
- Popular colors sell out fast
- Battery life not as long as other outdoor watches
- Expensive
| Accuracy | 8.0 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8.0 out of 10 |
| Features | 9 out of 10 |
| Design | 8.5 out of 10 |
The Apple Watch Ultra is pricey, but it's also worth mentioning it's not much different than other fitness watches of the same tier. In fact, one can argue the Ultra is in a class of its own, blending the superior day-to-day use of an Apple watch with rugged specs one might see on the most expensive Garmin and Suunto watches. What's beautiful about the Ultra is it contains the same new features as the Apple Watch Series 8, plus a few more—plus a bigger watch face, a seriously strong titanium frame, a better battery life, and an eye-popping water resistance of up to 100 meters. Whew, that took a lot of our breath. Allow us to gather ourselves.
So the major qualm about the Apple Watch Ultra is it's price point. After wearing the Ultra for over six months, we've noticed it react quite well to nasty falls and dings. The Ultra can take a car door or a metal turnstile to the face and act like nothing happened. It's also fallen from shoulder high and smacked right into concrete and come away unscathed. None of this means you shouldn't flip your Ultra before a set of kettlebell cleans, but this watch is still dang tough, and so you won't have to worry very much about your investment going down the drain if you were to ding or drop it on something. The second reason the watch is worth the price point is worth it are the ease-of-use thanks to a bigger screen, combined with the additional features the Ultra has that the Series 8 does not. Buying the Apple Watch Ultra over an Apple Watch Series 8 gets you an additional Wayfinder face with a live compass, a siren for turning on in emergencies, a water temperature sensor, a depth gauge, and an upgraded speaker and microphone setup.
What the Apple Watch Ultra has going for it is its seamless use for iPhone users, which is why we gave it the title above. The Ultra also carries style points, especially if you like a rugged watch design. We truly loved working out with this watch during our testing, but we've also trusted it as a go-to for the occasional everyday wear and for traveling.
Sizes: 49mm | Battery life: Up to 36 hours | Water resistance: 100 meters | GPS: Yes Sleep tracking: Yes | Storage: 32 GB | Warranty: 1-year
Read more: Apple Watch Ultra Review
Best for Android Users: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Pros
- Ultra strong titanium case
- Sizable scratch resistant screen
- Solid price point
- Advanced sleep coaching and body comp features
- Seamless compatibility for Android users
- Thin design that's similar to Apple Watch 8
Cons
- Water resistance isn't ideal for avid swimmers who like to use a fitness watch
- Battery life can fluctuate on the watches
| Accuracy | 7.5 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 6.5 out of 10 |
| Features | 7.5 out of 10 |
| Design | 7.5 out of 10 |
No iPhone? No problem. The Galaxy Watch 5 can go anywhere thanks to a large scratch-resistant screen and a strong titanium case. Our favorite features include advanced sleep coaching that analyzes your sleep habits and suggests what you can do to improve, as well as a body composition reader to get stats on body fat, body water, and BMI (Body Mass Index). The body comp stats are prone to some inaccuracy, so don't get too caught up in the numbers. But, when tracked consistently, they give you a solid window into your own body composition trends.
We can't forget to mention the Galaxy Watch 5's accurate GPS specs and voice navigation, which elevates the accessibility and makes it capable of use in many different environments. The Google Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch 5 are probably the two main devices competing for the best smartwatch for Android users. What the Galaxy Watch 5 has over the Pixel Watch though is several generations of trial and error (the Pixel Watch is still on its first generation). The array of features available and the materials used to craft the watch have been optimized a few times over, thus producing a seriously strong, long-lasting fitness smartwatch most users will be happy adding to their training arsenal.
Sizes: 40mm, 44mm, 45mm | Battery life: Up to 20 hours in GPS mode | Water resistance: 50 meters | GPS: Yes Sleep tracking: Yes | Music storage: 16 GB | Warranty: 1-year
What do buyers say? "The version 5 is amazing. The upgrades are fantastic. The ECG is easy to use, the battery life is super good, usability and ease are A+," said one Amazon reviewer.
Best Outdoor Fitness Watch: Suunto 9 Baro
SUUNTO 9 Baro Titanium
SUUNTO 9 Baro Titanium
Pros
- Strong build
- Barometer tracks altitude and provides storm alerts
- Premium GPS system
- Excellent price for what you're getting
- Extremely long lifespan
Cons
- Not a touch screen
- No blood level oxygen tracking
- Watch software can feel slower to some
| Accuracy | 7.5 out of 10 |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 9 out of 10 |
| Features | 7.0 out of 10 |
| Design | 7.5 out of 10 |
The 9 Baro is a top adventure watch for hiking, trail running, and other outdoor activities due to its ability to combine body metrics with a GPS and barometer. What's nice is the barometer can help determine altitude and also determine when air pressure changes quickly, which will thus trigger a Storm Alert feature that helps predict if there's some nasty weather swirling around. As for the GPS, you get ultra-accurate route plans and location positioning. The downside about the navigation though is Google Map fans can't run the program on the watch, but what you do get is a program called "Breadcrumbs". Breadcrumbs will help you navigate routes and give you precise turn-by-turn notifications when you approach forks in the road—so really you just have to learn how to get comfortable with Breadcrumbs at the start of using this watch.
In terms of fitness tracking, the 9 Baro is right on par with many of the other watches. It comes with over 80 sport programs that are dependable and precise. The heart rate monitor of this watch is good, not great, and so that's one small area the watch is lacking in. However, the 9 Baro ultimately does two things exceptionally well: the first is it's tough as nails (stainless steel case, waterproof up to 100 meters), and the second is it's built to go the distance (battery life exceeds 20 hours in GPS mode). You can find other outdoor watches with much more features and shiny displays, but when you consider the price point of the 9 Baro to the reliable performance, then it's a solid watch for any and all types of outdoor activity. If anything, start here when looking at a fitness watch that also functions well as an outdoor watch, and then specialize further into outdoor watches if you want to get more advanced.
Sizes: 50mm | Battery life: Up to 25 hours in GPS mode, 7 days in watch mode | Water resistance: 100 meters | GPS: Yes Sleep tracking: Yes | Music storage: N/A | Warranty: 5-year
Read more: Best Hiking Boots
How We Selected
For the past eight years, we consulted with Men's Health's fitness and gear editors on the top fitness watches for men. Experts, including our fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., our fitness editor Brett Williams, NASM, and our gear and commerce editor John Thompson, put countless fitness watches through the gauntlet and scored each fitness on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest) on four separate design categories. Those qualities are accuracy, battery life, special features, and overall design.
- Accuracy: The accuracy score of a fitness watch begins and ends with how precisely it tracks your heart rate (most other stats, with the exception of new hydration tracking features, are derived from this baseline data). This mark is as much about pure accuracy as it is about consistency of accuracy, which is key in helping you understand your own fitness trends. We rated the Wasimo W1 and Garmin Forerunner 255 at the top of our accuracy pool based of each watch's ability to give precise readings better than the fitness watches on the roundup.
- Battery life: Reflective of each watch's battery life, this score also took into account fitness watches that had variability in the times it took between charging. For example, the Samsung Galaxy 5 watch took a ding because the battery life seemed to fluctuate, giving us an average time of 20 hours per use, but sometimes it went much longer and other times it felt much shorter. Fitness watches that could go for days with GPS turned off were also taken into consideration and given a boost in scoring.
- Special features: This category takes into account if a fitness watch has advanced body metrics and tracking abilities. A couple star examples in this category include the Masimo W1 for its Hydration Index and the Coros Pace 2 for its Muscle Heat Map.
- Design: Design takes into account the overall wearability of the fitness watch. Does it sit well on the wrist? Does it look good? Is the software smooth and easy to use? Are the button nice and fast, or are the slow and sticky? The Apple Watch Ultra takes the cake for best design out of all our fitness watches.
One More Note on Selection: What you don't see reflected in our scoring system is price point, but we certainly took that into account in our selection process. The fact of the matter is some of these watches are loaded with much more tech and features, and thus they get better scores by default if everything performs how it designs. However, that doesn't mean a watch with slightly lower scores is significantly worse than the expensive watch. Deciding between the two comes down to what you're comfortable on paying and how you determine value, and so we try to highlight this kind of subjectivity throughout the story.
Should I Buy a Fitness Watch?
An easy way to decide if you should get a fitness watch or not is by identifying a few key metrics you'd like to track. In a recent article, we spoke with Michael J. Joyner, M.D., a human-physiology researcher at the Mayo Clinic, to get his opinion on fitness trackers. "If your goal is to finish a 10K, then the distance you can run without stopping is more relevant than something like your respiration rate," Dr. Joyner told MH. “You have to ask yourself how collecting more-granular data is going to help you achieve your goals.”
Before purchasing, take a second to write down your specific needs for a fitness watch and then list some metrics you'd like to measure. Whether you're looking for a watch that will help you train for a marathon, or looking for a watch that's going to help you hiking, you can find a fitness watch out there tailored to what you want.
Read more: How to Get the Most Out of Your Fitness Tracker
Key Features to Look for in a Fitness Watch
As mentioned above, you're going to want to list down what you think you might want in a fitness watch. The main key feature we strongly recommend paying close attention to is music storage and playback, as this will allow you to listen to your music without having to carry your phone in your hand or strap it to your arm.
Every fitness watch should have basic features like step counters, heart rate monitors, and calories burned. A quality fitness watch should also carry basic water resistance (especially when against sweat) and durable construction (scratch-resistant screens and strong case materials).
The more bells and whistles you attach, the higher in price your watch can climb. The sky is the limit in what you can pay—there are watches out there over $800—but sometimes those prices are worth the investment. This is especially true when looking at adventure watches that are outfitted with state-of-the-art GPS systems and barometers that track storms and weather patterns—a powerful set of features that ultimately helps keep you safe. Whatever you settle on, make sure you're choosing a fitness watch that covers the bases. Then, you can go up in price from there and get a better-customized device with each upgrade.
Download the Beginner's Guide to Strength Training and use your new fitness watch to track these workouts.
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men's Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He's logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men's Health in 2017, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.
John Thompson is the Gear and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health, where he covers fashion, grooming, gear, and technology. He was previously the Style & Gear Editor at BroBible.com, and a commerce writer for TheManual.com. His interests include shopping for rare vintage clothes and following his favorite baseball team, the Kansas City Royals.
