I'll be upfront: I'm a Samsung guy. Always have been. I've dabbled with a Garmin but never committed — every watch on my wrist has had a Samsung logo on the back. So no, this is not a balanced five-watch comparison from someone who has tried them all.
What it is: honest advice from someone who ignored most of his watch's features for years, then started training for an Ironman and suddenly started using every single one of them. If you want a place to start, here are the five things I'd actually think about before buying.
Tip 01 — Platform: Pick the one that already fits your life
This is the first question to ask yourself: have you had a smartwatch before? If yes — what brand? That answer should do most of the work for you. Your old data, your familiar interface, your muscle memory for where things live — it all stays in one place if you stick with the same platform. Switching means starting from scratch, and that's more friction than most people need.
If this is your first watch, or you're genuinely open to changing, then spend ten minutes with each brand's interface on YouTube before you buy anything. Look for: is the screen clean, is it easy to tap, do you like how the workout summaries look? These days most platforms are fast and responsive — the one that feels right to you on a small screen is probably the right call.
💡 Simple rule: Already have a Samsung? Stay Samsung. Already have an Apple phone? Apple Watch is a no-brainer for the integration. Starting fresh? Try the UI before you buy.
Tip 02 — Battery Life: The thing no one thinks about until it's 10pm
When I started using my watch properly — GPS runs, sleep tracking, the whole thing — I realised how quickly an older watch drains. My Samsung was getting embarrassing. Picture this: it's 10pm, long day done, you crawl into bed and reach for your watch to track sleep. Low battery alert. Annoying.
It's not a dealbreaker but it's one of those small daily frictions that quietly kills your habit. If you're serious about tracking sleep and workouts consistently, you need a watch that doesn't demand a charge every other day.
Here's the catch though: a watch advertising 9-day battery life but with weak GPS tracking is no good if you're a runner. Always read battery life in the context of how you'll actually use it. Heavy GPS use drains things fast regardless of the brand claim on the box.
🔋 Aim for: At least 2–3 full days of real-world use including a workout per day. Sleep trackers need to survive through the night reliably — that means charging during a shower or during work, not at midnight.
Tip 03 — GPS: Fine until it isn't
Not all GPS is created equal. I found this out the hard way with my Galaxy Watch 5 — occasionally it would add a phantom 5km to a run. Not ideal when you're trying to pace correctly. Small discrepancies don't matter much for casual walking or gym sessions, but the moment you start doing structured running or cycling, GPS accuracy becomes the thing that determines whether your data is actually useful.
Garmin and Coros are generally considered the gold standard here. Their signal acquisition is fast, their tracking is consistent, and their algorithms are built specifically for athletes. Samsung and Apple have come a long way and are completely fine for general fitness use — but if you're chasing race splits or building a serious training log, it's worth knowing the difference.
📍 Bottom line: Casual use? Any modern watch is fine. Training for an event? Read the GPS reviews specifically, not just the overall rating.
Tip 04 — Health Sensors: The data you didn't know you needed
This one crept up on me. I thought I was just buying something to track runs and get notifications. Then I started looking at my HRV (heart rate variability) and realising my body was telling me things I was completely ignoring. High resting heart rate after a big training week? That's your body asking for a rest day, not another session.
Most modern watches will give you heart rate, sleep stages, blood oxygen, and some form of readiness or recovery score. The brands vary wildly in how accurate and how useful these actually are in practice. Samsung has solid sleep tracking. Garmin's Body Battery feature is genuinely one of the better recovery tools out there for everyday training. Apple Watch's heart rate data is well-regarded.
You don't need to be obsessed with the data — but having it available quietly in the background, especially when you're building a new training habit, gives you context that you just don't get from going purely by feel.
❤️ What to look for: HRV tracking, resting heart rate trends, and sleep staging. Those three together will tell you more about your recovery than almost anything else.
Tip 05 — Price: Don't start at the top of the range
This is especially true if you've never used a watch properly before. The best smartwatch in the world is a waste of money if you hate wearing a watch and take it off after two weeks. Start in the mid-range — something that covers the basics well — and upgrade once you actually know what you use and what you wish you had.
Most of the meaningful features (GPS, heart rate, sleep tracking, notifications) exist across a wide price range. What you pay more for at the top end is typically better GPS chipsets, nicer screens, longer battery life, and more premium materials. Those things matter — but they matter more to someone twelve months into consistent training than someone who's just starting out.
My actual advice: set a budget, find the best-reviewed watch in that range that covers the platform and battery criteria from tips 1 and 2, and buy that. Revisit in two years once you know what you're actually missing.
💰 Rough guide: $200–$350 covers everything a beginner to intermediate trainer needs. Save the flagship money for when you've outgrown it.
Quick answers
What should I look for when buying my first smartwatch? Start with platform compatibility, battery life, and GPS reliability. Health sensors and price round out the decision. Don't overthink it — a mid-range watch from a reputable brand will cover 90% of what you actually need.
Which smartwatch has the best GPS for running? Garmin and Coros are the go-to choices for runners who need accurate tracking. Samsung and Apple are fine for general fitness use but can occasionally throw off distance data.
How long should a smartwatch battery last? Aim for at least 2–3 real-world days with daily workouts included. If you want consistent sleep tracking, longer is better — charge during the day, not at midnight.
Do you need a smartwatch to train for a triathlon? No — but it helps a lot. Multi-sport tracking, heart rate zones, and recovery scores make structured training significantly easier to manage. Start with something solid and upgrade when your training demands it.
Written by Will — Founder of Chunky Systems. Currently training for an Ironman. Samsung watch on wrist, taking notes.