What to Know Before Buying Your First Smartwatch

This definitive guide to the best smartwatches of 2018 explores everything you need to know before buying a smartwatch, including what to watch out for and the different models available, along with which smartwatches we feel are best for every type of person.best 3G Smart Watch

A smartwatch isn’t going to replace your smartphone. They have tiny screens and many of the apps you use every day — Instagram, Twitter, Facebook — don’t have smartwatch apps. If you expect to stream Netflix from your wrist, you’re having a laugh. Plus, most smartwatches don’t have LTE, meaning they can’t receive calls or texts when not tethered to your smartphone or connected to wi-fi. But smartwatches do have some advantages. They show you who’s calling, texting or emailing you without forcing you to look at your phone. They effectively replace your need for a dedicated fitness tracker. And some look pretty cool. Whatever your lifestyle and which smartphone you use, you’re bound to find something that suits you.

Not all smartwatches are the same, however. Most fall between a fitness tracker and something that relays smartphone notifications to your wrist. Some smartwatches can work untethered, completely autonomously from a smartphone — you can make calls, send texts and navigate directions, all while your smartphone is miles away. There are also hybrid smartwatches, made by mechanical watch manufacturers like Tag Heuer, Fossil and Withings, that have sensors to track fitness and traditional watch battery that lasts months.

Before pulling the trigger on an Apple Watch Series 3, or one of the new Android 2.0 smartwatches made by Samsung, LG or Huawei, do some research. Make sure it’s a smartwatch that’ll work to its full potential with your current smartphone and matches your budget and how you want to use it. If you work out a lot, get a fitness-focused smartwatch. If you go off the grid, get an LTE-connected one. Whatever your case, make sure you know the basics.