Tom's Guide Picks 3 Smartwatches, Topping List With Amazfit Active 3 Premium
Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 23
Tom's Guide Picks 3 Smartwatches, Topping List With Amazfit Active 3 Premium
1 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Jun 23
Summary
Amazfit Active 3 Premium led Tom's Guide editor James's top-3 smartwatch picks because it works with both iPhone and Android while costing about half as much as Apple and Google flagships.
170-plus activity modes, built-in GPS, offline maps and roughly 8 days of tested battery life made Amazfit the best overall choice, even though it lacks deeper phone features like calls, apps and emergency alerts.
Apple Watch Series 10 was the recommended iPhone option because its S10 chip and watchOS 26 deliver near-Series 11 performance at a lower price, with ECG, sleep apnea warnings and blood-oxygen tracking offset by 18-hour battery life.
Pixel Watch 4 was the top Android pick, pairing with any Android phone, missing a manual step count by just 29 steps in testing and lasting close to 60 hours on the 45mm model.
The ranking reflects a broader smartwatch split: platform-specific models now dominate premium features, while cross-platform options like Amazfit compete mainly on value and fitness tracking.