Are you looking for the best smartwatch under $300? You are in the right place; I have shared some of the most trending and latest smartwatches that measure your fitness and health and receive smartphone notifications.
Smartwatches are becoming expensive with time because of the high demand.
But still, you can get a premium quality smartwatch for under 300 bucks, which would give you a plethora of health tracking features, GPS, NFC features, and much more.
You can go for top brands like Samsung, Fossil, Garmin, and Polar for your budget range. All these brands offer exclusive smartwatches under $300.
Let us dive deeper into the article. I have shared all kinds of smartwatches. Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or want a casual watch, strength training watch, or fitness tracking, they are all there.
Best Smartwatches Under $300
Our Top Picks…
1- Galaxy Watch 5
- Bezel Material: Aluminum frame
- Glass Material: Sapphire crystal
- Display: 1.4″ Super AMOLED display
- Storage: 16 GB
- Battery: 50 hours
- Water Rating: 50 meters
Galaxy Watch 5 is one of Samsung’s latest flagships that offers bundles of health tracking features. This smartwatch is primarily focused on your health and sleep tracking.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is similar to the previous Galaxy Watch 4. But this flagship watch has an aluminum frame and Sapphire crystal glass protection, making it the most durable watch.
With a built-in sleeping couch, you can not only track your sleep patterns, but it also guides you on how to improve your sleep habits. Based on your previous sleep data, it creates a 5-week program for you.
Regarding health tracking, Galaxy Watch 5 features 3-in-1 bioactive sensors that measure your heart rate, SpO2 performance, stress level, and more.
Thanks to its Bioelectrical impedance Analysis (BIA), it comprehensively analyzes body fats, body water, skeletal muscles, and more.
Galaxy Watch 5 offers an FDA-approved ECG app that helps you check signs for afib and generate a pdf report. You can also measure your blood pressure.
For outdoor enthusiasts and athletes, the watch offers 90+ sports activities, tracks your performance more efficiently, and helps you to hit your goals.
Lastly, Galaxy Watch 5 has improved battery life, giving you 50 hours of battery life on a single charge.
The new Galaxy Watch 5 is the best option for android users. It helps you to improve your sleep habits, has a built-in GPS, can make calls, NFC, and a lot of smart features.
Pros
- Vibrant AMOLED display.
- 3-in-1 Bioactive Sensor.
- BIA feature.
- 90+ sports activities.
- Built-in GPS and NFC features.
- LTE feature helps you to make calls without a phone.
- Onboard music storage and music controls.
Cons
- Upgrades are minor as compared to the predecessor.
- Battery life needs more improvements
- Not compatible with iPhone
2- Garmin Venu Sq 2
- Bezel Material: Anodized aluminum
- Lens Material: Gorilla Glass 3
- Water Rating: 5ATM
- Battery Life: 11 days in smartwatch mode
- Display: 1.41″ AMOLED
- Weight: 38 grams
Even though Garmin watches are expensive, the Venu Sq 2 is the best under a $300 budget.
Venu Sq 2 is the best option for strength training athletes, weighting, or cardio fitness. Thanks to its special features like body battery energy, respiration rate, and pulse ox rate, it helps me quickly check my performance during workouts.
It includes many HIIT workout profiles and other outdoor apps that help you keep moving and track your fitness.
The cardio fitness intensity minutes feature is a big plus point that measures your time spent in any heart-pumping activities. The more intense minutes you earn, the greater your performance will be.
Apart from training features, Garmin Sq 2 includes a sleep-tracking app, heart rate tracking, fitness age, stress tracking, and more.
Despite health and fitness features, this watch includes accurate GPS tracking for your challenging environment. And 11 days of long battery life helps you keep tracking your goals for a long time.
Unluckily, this watch has few smart features, and you cannot make calls or reply to text messages. But overall, Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a better deal for strength training lovers.
Pros
- Very stylish design.
- The AMOLED display looks brighter.
- Lots of training features.
- Excellent health tracking.
- Built-in GPS.
Cons
- No music storage.
- Cannot make calls.
- Limited third-party app support.
3- Amazfit GTR 4
- Bezel Material: Aluminum alloy
- Display: 1.43″ HD AMOLED display
- Water Rating: 5 ATM
- Weight: 34 grams
- Battery Life: 14 days with typical usage
If you want a precise navigational watch with training and recovery features, look at the new Amazfit GTR 4. This smartwatch is jam-packed with sports features and other smart features.
Because of the built-in speaker and microphone, you can make phone calls and instantly reply to text messages. It has a nice and sophisticated design with a crown.
The advanced BioTrack 4.0 sensor gathers all the health data, including your heart rate, SpO2 performance, sleep patterns, and more. Using its Zepp app, you can analyze your all-day activities.
The feature I love the most in this watch is a dedicated strength training app. It tracks your set duration and set count and shows which muscle group is most active in your body and which needs improvements.
During your workouts and sports, you can view your anaerobic performance, training load, training effect, etc. All these stats help you to better understand your performance.
Amazfit GTR 4 also has a strong grip on navigational features. It not only tracks your routes but gives turn-by-turn navigation helping you to reach your destination.
The good thing is that you can play music directly on your Amazfit GTR 4. It also stores music or streams from Spotify.
Amazfit GTR 4 performs better than Apple or Galaxy watches in terms of battery life. It gives you 14 days of battery backup with typical usage. At the same time, it lasts for 50 days in clock mode.
Overall it is a good Smartwatch under $300 that gives all health, strength training, and navigational features in one place.
Pros
- Durable design.
- 150+ sports modes.
- Excellent grip on strength training features.
- Improved battery life.
- Very affordable price.
- Navigational features are awesome.
- Can make calls and reply to a text.
Cons
- No NFC features.
- Too many settings.
- Watch faces are not too exciting.
4- Fitbit Versa 4
- Bezel Material: Aluminum
- Water Rating: 5 ATM
- Weight: 40g
- Display: 1.58″ AMOLED display
- Battery Life: 6+ days
Fitbit Versa 4 is a new addition to the Versa series. The smartwatch has a highly comfortable design and stylish look. It is the most recommended smartwatch for women under $300.
Versa 4 has a nice and elegant look, and a thin profile makes it the most lightweight smartwatch on the list. It has an Aluminum bezel that gives a premium look.
Despite its elegant look, Versa 4 has the most exclusive health tracking features.
The new addition to this watch is the Cardio fitness score, which estimates your fitness performance using VO2 max. You can also use its “Daily Readiness Score” to determine which workouts are best.
For cardio enthusiasts, the Fitbit Versa 4 brings Active Zone Minutes that count your time spent in any heart-pumping activity. The more active minutes you earn, the greater your performance will be.
You can track your sleep, stress core, breathing rate, temperature, and much more besides cardio features.
Thanks to the latest Blood glucose tracking (in the app), you can see how your daily activities and sleep affect your blood glucose. That is why Fitbit Versa 4 is a great smartwatch for people with diabetes.
Under the hood, the Fitbit Versa 4 has tons of smart features. You can make calls, use built-in Alexa assistants, make contactless payments, and more.
Overall, the Fitbit Versa 4 is the best smartwatch under $300, and it gives you 6 days of decent battery life, navigational features, many health features, and menstrual health tracking.
Pros
- The best option for females
- Excellent health-tracking features
- Track your cardio fitness level.
- In-app Blood glucose tracking.
- HRV features are amazing.
- Built-in GPS and Google maps.
- Google wallet.
Cons
- Lack of third-party app support.
- Speaker quality is poor.
5- Fossil Gen 6
- Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
- Water Rating: 3ATM
- Weight: 72g
- Display: 1.28″ AMOLED display
- Battery Life: 24 hours
Fossil Gen 6 is a Wear OS watch with a wide range of third-party third-party app compatibility. The latest refined software gives lag-free performance and tracks your health more precisely.
The Fossil Gen 6 looks similar to its predecessors. But this time, Fossil has added Snapdragon Wear 4100+, which gives a very smooth and fast performance.
Another new feature in Fossil Gen 6 is the SpO2 sensor; it measures your blood oxygen saturation level and tells how your body absorbs oxygen during activities.
Because of the Wear OS, Fossil Gen 6 includes many smartwatch features. You can use Google pay for contactless payment, Google maps for navigation, Google Assistant, and more.
In terms of fitness tracking, Fossil Gen 6 is not something that gives high-end features. But it is okay to take it on a run or a walk; it is not recommended for pro athletes and strength training.
Fossil Gen 6 measures your heart rate, SpO2, sleep, calories, etc. You can also sync data with Google Fit and other third-party apps.
The good thing about Fossil Gen 6 is its stylish look, and it has a ton of beautiful watch faces, which is why it is the best option for casual use.
Moreover, you can play songs on Fossil Gen 6. Also, you can stream music from Spotify, Youtube Music, Deezer, and other streaming apps.
Like other Wear OS watches, Fossil Gen 6 gives you 24 hours of battery life. The battery life seems inferior, but WearOS watches do not have long-lasting batteries.
If you want the best smartwatch under $300 for casual routines and daily fitness tracking, then Fossil Gen 6 is worth considering.
Pros
- Very stylish look.
- Built-in GPS and NFC.
- Wear OS has a very smooth performance, with no lagging.
- Sleek design.
- Vibrant AMOLED display.
Cons
- Battery life could be improved.
- Lack of exclusive health and fitness features.
- Not recommended for outdoor use.
- Only 3 ATM water ratings.
6- Garmin Instinct
- Bezel Material: Fiber-reinforced polymer
- Weight: 52g
- Water Rating: 10 ATM
- Battery Life: 14 days
- Display: Two-window design; 0.9” x 0.9”
Garmin Instinct is the top-rated smartwatch under $300, having a plethora of features for outdoor folks.
Because of the Military standard design, it is considered the most durable watch of the Garmin family. Garmin Instinct features a reinforced polymer case with chemically strengthened glass that protects it from daily wear and tears.
The battery life is impressive, giving 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and 16 hours in GPS mode. You can also go for the Solar variety that gives 54 days of extended battery backup.
Garmin Instinct features a built-in GPS, compass, barometric sensors, and thermometer for outdoor adventures. Instinct is the best option for hiking, camping, and trekking.
Even though Garmin Instinct lacks major fitness features, it can track your heart rate, all-day stress, sleep, and women’s health.
It includes various sports profiles, HIIT workouts, and cardio workouts. The watch can automatically track reps during strength training.
Garmin Instinct is the best option for outdoor sports, hiking, and harsh environments. It has a vigorous design and extended battery backup.
Pros
- Very durable design
- Excellent GPS tracking.
- Long battery life.
- ABC sensors.
- Waterproof design.
Cons
- Lack of color display.
- Button control design.
- Lack of recovery and major health features.
7- Garmin Vivoactive 3
- Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
- Display: 1.2″ Garmin Chroma Display.
- Weight: 43g
- Water Rating: 5 ATM
- Battery Life: 7 Days.
If you love hiking or trekking, the Garmin Vivoactive 3 is the best option for under $300. It includes many features, a built-in GPS, and much more.
In terms of design, Vivoactive 3 has stainless bezels making it a durable watch. Because of the 5 ATM water rating, you can swim or bathe with this watch without worries.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 comes with 15 preloaded sports apps; during sports activities, and it measures your VO2 max performance, heart rate, calories, distance, and other metrics.
Apart from preloaded workouts, you can create and add them to the Garmin Connect app.
Based on HRV data, Vivoactive 3 gives you a stress score to find the best time to calm your body. For women, it offers Menstrual cycle tracking, and you can view your cycle predictions and more.
The good thing is that Garmin Vivoactive 3 helps you stay connected, and you can view your smartphone’s notifications and respond to text messages.
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music has various music controls, and you can stream music on it directly from Spotify and other music streaming apps.
Regarding battery life, Garmin Vivoactive 3 gives you 7 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and 13 hours in GPS mode, which is enough for hikers and outdoor sports.
Pros
- Durable design.
- Excellent GPS.
- Play music.
- Track a wide range of activities.
- A good option for outdoor activities.
Cons
- iOS users cannot respond to texts.
- No recovery features.
8- Apple Watch SE (Gen 2)
- Bezel Material: Aluminum frame
- Glass Material: Ion-X Strengthened Glass
- Display: 1.78″ OLED
- Water Rating: 5ATM
- Battery Life: 18 hours
You can also go for Apple Watch SE under a $300 budget, a good deal for iPhone users. Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) is a successor to the original Apple Watch SE, and it comes with tons of improvements.
The watch has a 1.78″ OLED display that looks crisp and vibrant, and it is protected by strengthened glass that resists daily wear and tears. The latest Apple S8 chip gives a very smooth performance.
Like Apple Watch Series 8, this one also comes with crash detection. In any accident, the watch will automatically contact nearby emergency services.
Further, you can check your heart rate, and Apple Watch SE automatically notifies you about irregular heart patterns. You can also track your sleep performance with a built-in sleep app, which gives comprehensive data on your sleep stages.
What I love the most about this watch is its “Medications” app, which helps you remind yourself when to take medicines during the day.
It provides various sports modes and GPS for outdoors to track your runs, hiking, trekking, and more. Turn-by-turn navigation helps you to stay on the right path and reach a destination easily.
The Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) also has a Cellular that allows you to reply to notifications and answer phone calls without iPhone connectivity.
If you are a music lover, you can use its built-in Apple Music app to access millions of tracks and songs. You can also use Siri assistant, the Wallet app, and more.
Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) is a good option under $300 if it gives 18 hours of battery life, some health features, and some entertainment apps.
Pros
- The large display with 1000 nits looks vibrant.
- Affordable option.
- Built-in GPS.
- Sleep tracking.
- Siri and NFC features.
Cons
- No ECG and SpO2.
- Battery life needs improvements.
- No temperature sensor.
9- SUUNTO 5 PEAK
- Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
- Glass Material: Plastic
- Display: 1.1″ matrix display
- Water Rating: 3ATM
- Batter Life: 7 days
Last up, the Suunto 5 peak is the best smartwatch under $300. This one is the best option if you love outdoor training, hiking, camping, hunting, etc. Suunto 5 Peak is a durable watch with stainless steel bezel.
The watch has nice battery life, and you can easily use it for 7 days on a single charge. The new tour mode gives 100 hours of battery backup with GPS tracking.
It gives 80+ sports modes for outdoor training so that you can track your performance anytime. During activities, it tracks your heart rate performance, recovery, calories burned, steps, and more.
Suunto 5 Peak is packed with many training features that help you do effective workouts and training. You can use interval training features to check your training recovery, load, and heart rate points. All these features help you to easily understand your performance.
Similarly, during hiking, you can check altitudes, vertical speed, ascent/descent, and weather conditions on your wrist. With new 3D heatmaps, you can discover new safe routes and places.
Overall, Suunto 5 Peak is the best option for training and outdoor purposes. It has a wide collection of training and recovery features. But if you want smart features like making calls, sending sms, NFC, etc., you should skip this watch.
Pros
- Durable design.
- Excellent mapping and navigational features.
- 80+ sports modes.
- Good sleep tracking.
- A lot of training and recovery features.
Cons
- Lack of smart features.
- Only 3ATM water rating.
Guide To Buy Best Smartwatch Under $300
Almost every brand launches a new smartwatch every year, and with an increasing number of smartwatches, it is not easy to choose the best option according to your budget.
Every smartwatch is made for a certain purpose, and it may be for outdoor, health tracking, runners, or strength training. So before purchasing any smartwatch you have first to consider a few factors.
1- Design & Style
If you are a person who pays much attention to design, then you can skip this one. Design is an important thing for many users, there may be a casual or formal smartwatch, and you can choose one that meets your requirements.
Likewise, for outdoor purposes, you have to go for some rugged and tactical design, which is durable and can withstand wear and tear.
Durable watches usually have stainless steel and aluminum bezel design that makes smart watches more robust. Garmin and Suunto are the two brands that give durable smartwatches.
You can pick a stylish smartwatch with a decent or elegant look for a casual routine. Galaxy watches, or Fossil watches, are the best casual wear.
2- Fitness Features
Most people use smartwatches to track their fitness routines and health. Smartwatches have many fitness features like heart rate tracking, calories counter, step tracking, sleep tracking, stress tracking, and more. These are some of the basic fitness and health features.
Depending upon your need and requirement you can expand your budget to get a smartwatch with exclusive fitness features.
ECG app, blood pressure, and SpO2 are the premium health and fitness tracking features you can consider if you want a high-end fitness tracking watch.
3- Training & Recovery Features
Next, you must look for training features in strength training and cardio workouts. Numerous smartwatches measure your strength training, HRV, and Cardio workouts.
Similarly, a smartwatch should have a recovery feature that lets you know how well your body is and the best time to do the next workout.
4- Smart Features
Smartwatches have many smart features like making calls, replying to text messages, NFC, and navigational features. Depending on your need, consider these features in a smartwatch.
5- GPS
GPS is one of the important things in any smartwatch, especially if you are an outdoor lover. You should choose a smartwatch with a built-in GPS.
Garmin and Suunto watches give excellent GPS performance; they have built-in maps, heatmaps, TOPO maps, and turn-by-turn navigations that help you to keep on the right track.
6- Battery Backup
Last but not least, battery life is one of the important elements of any smartwatch. A smartwatch with extended battery life helps you to track your performance for a long time.
Similarly, for outdoor enthusiasts, selecting a smartwatch offering a minimum of 7 days of battery life is important. For a casual routine, a rule of thumb is to go for a smartwatch with up to 24 hours of battery backup.
Final Words:
You have now found the best smartwatch for under $300. If you are facing confusion, check the buying guide, which will help you choose a smartwatch according to your preference.
Lastly, you should use a smartwatch to achieve your fitness goals, or go hiking, trekking, or camping. They make your adventures memorable and keep track of your activities.
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