Let’s be honest, money does matter. Though it’s nice to dream of having the best of the best, most people can’t purchase the most expensive smartwatch, or wear an entirely different smartwatch each day of the week.
So we tend to find something that is either affordable or something just beyond affordable and save it for it. In this article, we are going to look at some best affordable smartwatches of 2024.
I know that what one considers affordable cheapest, another might have to put a little money aside for weeks or even months to purchase a good affordable smartwatch. For that reason, the list of watches that we are covering, are watches that offer the best bang for the buck.
Huawei Watch 2 Classic
Feature Set
- Super-sharp 1.2-inch OLED panel at 390×390 pixels
- 1.1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor
- 768MB of RAM
- 4GB of internal storage
- Heart rate sensor
- Built-in GPS and NFC
- IP68 water resistance
- 420mAh battery that will last about a day and a half
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G + optional 4G LTE model
- 60.5 grams
Pros:
- It’s about 0.2-inch smaller than its predecessor but with a better resolution.
- At 60.5 grams, it’s much lighter than the competition.
Cons:
- Has a fake chronometer bezel that doesn’t spin despite looking like it should
- Small display (1.2″ 390 x 390)
- Performance can be sluggish
- Does not have a built-in cellular modem for untethered internet access
Sporty But Not Too Sporty
The Huawei Watch (pronounced “Wah-way”), is a sporty watch that comes preloaded with 5 apps: Daily Tracking, Heart Rate, Workout, Google Fit Workout, and Google Fit. This sounds great, but the downside is that there is no one central app that shows you your workout history, one that allows you to set goals or even measure your progress. Instead, you have to switch from one app to another, and that’s no fun.
Workout on the Watch
The “Workout” app is great, but you can’t view it on your phone, which is limiting, not to mention frustrating. If exercising and fitness are your number one priority, then this watch may not be the right fit for you.
On the side of the watch, you will find two buttons, one at the two o’clock position and one at the four o’clock position. If you long-press the top button, Google Assistant is at your beck and call. If you simply press and release the same button quickly, it will bring up the app menu. The bottom button is used to record workouts.
Although I wish that they had not used a fake chronometer that does not spin, the watch as a whole looks very nice. It’s attractive and can be worn almost anywhere. The watch is slightly thinner and much lighter, which feels much less clunky than its predecessor.
Asus ZenWatch 3
Feature Set
- Three color options: Rose Gold, Silver, and Gunmetal
- Ambient light sensor
- 316L stainless steel body
- 1.39″ circular AMOLED display
- Resolution of 400 x 400
- IP67 certified
- 340mAh battery
Pros:
- Awesome design
- Excellent display
- Charges up to 60% in fifteen minutes!
- Great performance
Cons:
- The watch strap connector is proprietary
- It doesn’t have GPS, NFC, or a heart rate monitor
- No stand-alone apps due to no GPS or NFC
This watch has a classic look to it. With the right color, watch face, and band, it has that vintage look to it. I think it’s the lugs that bring out this look. They stand out but not in a bad way. They add to the design, making it look more. . expensive? It gives that classy look and feel to it.
The strap easily connects with its quick-release pin. The only problem with it is that it is proprietary, meaning that you won’t be able to use third-party bands. To their credit, ASUS is planning to release both leather and rubber bands in the future.
60% in 15 Minutes!
The fact that this smartwatch charges up to 60% in 15 minutes is quite remarkable. With a fast-charging system like that, you never have to worry about running out of battery life. Just think, it will be well more than halfway charged in the time it takes to shower. That’s fast.
Misfit Vapor
Feature Set
- Touch-sensitive dial bezel navigation
- Accurate heart-rate sensor
- Interchangeable bands
- Very bright 1.39-inch fully-round AMOLED screen
- 44mm stainless steel case
- 13.5 mm thick
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor
- 4GB of internal storage
- Easy-to-use interface
- 4 colors to choose from
Pros:
- Touch-sensitive dial bezel for easy navigation
- Swim Proof (5ATM which means that it can withstand 164 feet deep in the ocean).
Cons:
- Glass scratches easily
- Very wide (thick) bezel (to accommodate the touch-sensitive)
- Can’t use Android Pay due to no NFC
- No built-in sleep-tracking capability
Touch Sensitive Bezel
Taking the lead from the Samsung Gear S3 and the Gear Sport, with the MisFit Vapor, you can navigate by using the touch-sensitive bezel around the watch face. You literally “dial” the bezel with your finger without actually moving anything because the bezel does not have any moving parts. The bezel is entirely touch-sensitive which is unique and fun to show off.
The Misfit Vapor comes in a variety of colors: Jet (black), Stainless Steel, Rose Tone, and Gold Tone. Each color provides a completely different look and is sure to accommodate a variety of tastes.
MisFit Apps
This smartwatch does have 5 built-in proprietary apps that are unique to the MisFit. They include: Forecast (a weather app), a world clock, Misfit Activity (tracks all activity), Misfit Activity Review (review all the activity you have tracked), and Misfit Pulse (an accurate heart rate monitor that tracks your heart rate throughout the day)
Mobvoi Ticwatch E
Feature Set
- 1.4″ 400 x 400 OLED Display (287dpi)
- MediaTek MT2601 Dual Core Processor
- 512MG of RAM
- 4GB of storage
- Up to 24 hour battery life
- IP67 water resistance
- WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1
Pros:
- Full charges is less than 1 hour
- Built-in microphone and speaker
- Tremendous value for the money
- Accurate heart-rate sensor
Cons:
- No NFC
- No Android Pay
It Just Looks Real
I like that this smartwatch is ‘always on display’. The thick build also adds to the belief that it’s not a digital watch, but an analog watch. For some, this might be a turn-off, but for me, I love it when someone sees me ask my watch a question and it answers, especially if they have no idea that I’m wearing a smartwatch!
People typically wear their watch on the arm that they use less. For example, if you are right-handed, typically, you’ll wear your watch on your left arm. If you are left-handed, you’ll probably wear your watch on your right arm. I bring this to your attention be the button on the side of the Ticwatch E that is used to pull up the navigation is on the left side. So if you wear your watch on your left wrist, you will end up using your right thumb to pull up the menu to navigate, and vice versa, if you are left-handed.
GREAT Value for the Price
This watch is made of polycarbonate material, and the watch face has anti-scratch glass. On the underside of the watch, you’ll find a small heart rate sensor in the center of the watch so that any pulsating lights can not be seen when wearing the watch. It has 4 flat charging pins that connect to its proprietary charging port.
At such a low price, you might think that this watch might be sluggish or missing in performance. On the contrary, the navigation is smooth and holds its own. Certainly nothing to be embarrassed by.
The Ticwatch E comes with both a microphone and a speaker. While other smartwatches at this price point may not include a microphone and speaker, the Ticwatch E does. You can easily place and receive calls while on WiFi.
Fitness Apps
As to fitness, though it does have a Mobvoi proprietary fitness tracker built in, you’d do better to download and install ‘Runtastic’ or ‘Google Fit’ for a well-rounded fitness tracking experience.
Built-in GPS
With Android Wear 2.0, these apps (and others), don’t require you to strap your phone to your arm (or even have it nearby), for the Ticwatch E to work, thanks to the built-in GPS.
You will be hard-pressed to find better value for the money with the Ticwatch E smartwatch. It is just an all-around great smartwatch, and I for one, would be surprised if you too, did not feel the same. For reference, it has a 4-star rating out of nearly 1,000 Amazon reviews.
LG Watch Style
Feature Set
- 1.2-inch P-OLED 360 x 360 resolution (299ppi) display
- Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset
- Ambient Light Sensor
- 512MB of RAM
- 4GB of storage
Pros:
- Super bright and sharp display
- Simplistic Design
- Only 10.8 mm thick!
- Accepts any 18mm bands
- Automatically displays in landscape mode when charging
Cons:
- Week vibration
Snapdragon and Wear OS 2.0
With the new Snapdragon Wear 2100 chipset coupled with Android Wear 2.0, the watch just sings. It is very smooth and quick to navigate and does not show any lag at all.
The operating system has taken huge steps in the right direction as it is now capable of managing multiple tasks independently of your cell phone. Wear OS 2.0 is much more fluid than it was before and now crashes are far and in between.
No Flat Tires Here
This watch has an ambient light sensor (ALS) embedded beneath the screen. No more black bar at the bottom of the watch screen. The light sensor is seated below the screen itself, which is not necessarily a first, but it is the right choice on their part.
Light on Vibration
Surprisingly, the LG Style does not vibrate as much as one might expect. Let’s be honest, when a smartwatch vibrates on one’s wrist, it makes VERY little sound if any, and the entire point of the vibration is to notify the wearer. Perhaps they can increase the intensity of the vibrator in the watch a little more on their next release. It would be a welcome update.
Simple by Design
One of the most attractive things about this watch is that it is simple by design. Like the Mobvoi Ticwatch E, it looks like a regular analog watch, with a functional crown to bat, except the hardware button on the Style has the crown positioned in the right place, (the right side of the watch), which serves as a twistable crown from which you can navigate.
It needs to be stated just how thin this watch is in comparison to other smartwatches we have seen over the last couple of years. At 10.8 mm, it convinces others that it’s a nice-looking analog watch.
In Conclusion
You need to understand that you do not have to spend 8 billion dollars to get a great watch. Of course, many other smartwatches offer great value for the money, and again, what one might consider inexpensive, another might consider outside of their budget.
My hope in writing this article is to show you that you have options, and they are not all very expensive options.