I review new smartwatches all the time — these are the Prime Day deals you should buy
by Savannah Howe · Android PoliceWould you look at the time — it's Prime Day already. The highly anticipated shopping holiday comes with oodles of opportunities to save some cash, whether it be early holiday shopping, late back-to-school shopping, or just the pick-me-up we're all always convincing ourselves that we deserve.
Prime Day has just about anything you need (and a bunch of stuff you don't) in its magic bag, but my attention has been firmly focused on smartwatches. I've reviewed wearbles from Wear OS to Garmin here at Android Police, so I know a thing or two about which you should buy. Normally I'd talk your ears off about the best smartwatches out there right now, but sometimes the best watch is the one that's on sale. Read on for the five Prime Day discounts on smartwatches that I'd actually be tempted by.
Snag the Pixel Watch 2 for $171
No, you're not any less cool for shopping one generation older
We get it. The third gen Pixel Watch is new and shiny and beautiful. But really, is the Pixel Watch 2 any duller? If you're a frugal shopper, anything on sale sparkles, and this month's Prime Day is the Pixel Watch 2's time to shine. Discounts vary by finish, but you could scoop up the wearable for as much as 50% off.
At a glance, it's visually identical to the Watch 3, so even if you're a habitual buyer of the latest and greatest, the Watch 2 won't cramp your style. It also supports the new Wear OS 5, so the Watch 2 won't see obsolescence for at least a couple more years. The only spec that you may feel the hurt with on this "older" watch is its, in the best of terms, merely fine battery life. If you're an AOD user, expect to put the watch on the charger every night. However, with every standard smartwatch feature you'd expect and a sleek visual appeal, the Watch 2 is a fantastic Prime Day steal for frugal Pixel users.
Google Pixel Watch 2
$171 $250 Save $79
The Google Pixel Watch 2 is the sequel to Google's first self-branded smartwatch. The second generation doesn't reinvent the wheel, instead offering a handful of low-key improvements like a redesigned digital crown, Wear OS 4 out of the box, and a newer chipset that should offer better performance and battery life.
Save over $100 on the Casio Men's G-Shock Move DWH5600
A well-received hybrid watch
If you're looking for a smart watch, but not a $400+ wrist-bound computer, you might like the Casio G-Shock Move DWH5600, which the Prime Day gods blessed with a steep 43% discount. Besides a mouthful of a name, this watch offers a list of features that fall somewhere in between a traditional timepiece and the more advanced wearables available now. It'll track your sleep and workouts, for example, but does so on a very minimalist negative display.
This is no beauty queen, but the G-Shock's rugged design blends in well with the cycling, running, hiking environments where it would be most at home. The biggest caveat you must get used to is its half-baked companion app, which Stephen discussed in further detail in his review earlier this year. App headaches aside, you can't beat $130 off for the G-Shock. Who knows, maybe things have improved on the app front since we last wrote about it.
G-Shock Move DWH5600
$170 $299 Save $129
The G-Shock Move DWH5600, with its resin build and 200 meters of water resistance, brings hybrid smartwatch features to a classic design. It looks like a classic 5600 but can monitor your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and workouts. Battery life lasts over a month, with a mix of wired and solar charging.
The already cheap CMF Watch Pro 2 is even cheaper
A decent discount for a watch that works about 80% of the time
Listen, sometimes you just have to put style over substance. The Nothing CMF Watch Pro 2 is a stylish watch, but also an incredibly affordable wearable, priced at less than $100 even before the Prime Day deal kicks in, which pitches the price down to $69 from $79. All four finishes included on Amazon partake in the discount, too.
No one is arguing that the matte aluminum ring and vibrantly colored leather bands on the CMF Watch Pro 2 don't look super cool, and there are several reasons to like Nothing's watch, including a gorgeous OLED display and a surprisingly comprehensive health sensor set, given the price. We had a fair share of gripes with the Watch Pro 2, though, including bouts of unresponsiveness and questionable build quality. In any case, if you're looking for a watch that costs less than $100, tracks sleep, stress, blood oxygen, and activity, and keeps you looking slick while doing it, then Nothing's watch could be a good fit for you.
CMF Watch Pro 2
$69 $79 Save $10
For $70, the CMF Watch Pro 2 includes an impressive set of features, including heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen sensors, and sleep tracking. It's also capable of tracking 120 different types of workouts, including common workouts like walking and running being detected automatically. It sports a bright and vibrant 1.32-inch AMOLED display, and the Watch Pro 2 has several colors and bezels to choose from.
Make the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 yours with near half-off
Another older model that won't let you down
Samsung gave us the Galaxy Watch 7 this year. It's an excellent Android smartwatch, but so is the Watch 7's older sibling. The Galaxy Watch 6 is a great daily driver watch for Samsung users, offering all the health tracking and communication options most users need. It's normally a $300+ wearable, but since it is included in Prime Day's sales, you have a short window of opportunity to save almost $140 on the Watch 6. The discount varies by finish and connectivity option (between Bluetooth and LTE), but you could save as much as 48%.
Since the Galaxy watch is best used with Galaxy phones, it doesn't make a lot of sense to make linear comparisons to competing first-party watches from Apple and Google. However, compared to older generations of the Galaxy Watch, the sixth generation shows a pleasing upward trajectory in speed, display, battery, and design improvements that, in my opinion, more than justifies the Watch 6's price, especially for Galaxy users on the hunt for an upgrade. The biggest reason to hesitate on the Watch 6 compared to its newer sibling is the murky release timeline for Wear OS 5, although we hope to see the newer OS on the watch in full, non-beta form soon.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
$161 $300 Save $139
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is surely one of the best Android watches available, especially if you are already in the Samsung ecosystem. With a sapphire crystal display, Exynos W930 processor, 2GB of RAM, and up to a 425mAh battery, this watch is built to be a solid performer.
The Polar Grit X2 Pro, an outdoorsy favorite, is $100 off right now
Not Prime Day, but seize it anyway
If every other smartwatch on this list isn't enough for you -- not enough battery life, not enough health monitoring, not enough third-party integration -- then Polar's Grit X2 Pro might fill the void. It's one of the most feature-decked fitness trackers I've used, and is priced accordingly, but you can grab it in the gray finish for $100 off right now.
Even with this current discount, $650 is a lot to spend on a smartwatch. So what kind of person does it take for the Grit X2 Pro to be a sound investment? Well, you'd be someone who does a lot of back-country hiking, where the Grit X2 Pro's onboard storage of topographical map data would prove valuable. Or you'd work in an intensive outdoor profession, like construction, where an ultra-durable stainless steel and sapphire glass build withstands the environment. Or, you'd be a dedicated athlete, someone who expects pack-leading GPS accuracy, advanced recovery settings, and synchronization with fitness apps like Strava. Anything less than any of this, and the Grit X2 Pro may be more than you need.
Polar Grit X2 Pro
$645 $750 Save $105
Polar gives the Grit X2 Pro a makeover with a bigger and brighter AMOLED screen and a choice between a stainless steel or titanium body, plus offline maps and improved GPS to make it a more viable training tool on your wrist.
A few honorable mentions
Smaller savings, but more styles
The five deals above slash a decent chunk of cash off watch prices, but there are many more Prime Day smartwatch deals ongoing — they're just not as generous. The Garmin Lily 2, a wearable I loved for its elegance and subdued display, is currently $50 off in the mulberry and tan finishes.
Recently sent the kids back to school? Smart wearables like the Fitbit Ace LTE, a cellular-enabled activity tracker and communication device for youngsters, are a favorite of Android Police parents. The Mild Strange Arcade finish comes at $50 off during Prime Day, and the Spicy Moovin (yeah, I don't know) finish can be yours for $60 off.
There are a several newer Garmin AMOLED watch options than the Vivoactive 5, but that doesn't mean that it still isn't a good buy in 2024. Take advantage of a Prime Day deal that cuts the Vivoactive 5's price by $50 -- the only catch is you have to want the black finish, as none of the others are included in this month's shopping holiday.
Garmin Lily 2
$250 $300 Save $50
The Garmin Lily 2 was clearly made with women in mind, a svelte and fashionable smartwatch with a lightweight body and more streamlined lugs to swap out for other bands. This watches leans on your phone's GPS for more accurate tracking during exercise and activity, plus extra fitness choices to track to keep you moving away from a sedentary lifestyle.
Fitbit Ace LTE
$170 $230 Save $60
The Fitbit Ace LTE is a new wearable for kids from the company now owned by Google. It tracks activity, has built-in calling and messaging, and is water-resistant. To ensure privacy, location data is deleted after 24 hours, and activity data is deleted after 35 days.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
$250 $300 Save $50
Garmin's Vivoactive 5 builds on the success of its predecessor with a sharp AMOLED screen and plenty of fitness features for tracking your health. With thoughtful features such as a sleep coach and guided meditation sessions, Garmin's flagship wearable aims to put you in touch with your body in ways you've never thought of before.
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