September 29 of every year is celebrated as World Heart Day. It was created by the World Heart Federation in order to spread awareness about heart health and cardiovascular diseases. You’d be surprised to know that cardiovascular diseases are responsible for nearly half of the deaths due to non-communicable diseases across the globe. World Heart Day is especially important this year due to the ongoing pandemic. If there’s anything that the coronavirus pandemic has taught us, it’s to learn to take care of ourselves and give our health prime importance. As the world learns to adapt to the new normal, can technology help us maintain our heart health? The answer is yes. The world of wearables is exclusively designed to help you manage your health and fitness levels. In the honor of World Heart Day, let’s take a look at the top 7 wearables with heart rate monitors that’ll make you fall in love with exercising.
1. Garmin Vivoactive 4:
- OS: Proprietary OS
- Display: 1.3-inch transflective MIP display (260×260 pixels) (283 PPI)
- Waterproof/Water-resistant:
- Monitoring Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Heart rate monitor, GALILEO, GPS+GLONASS, Distance tracker, calorie tracker
- Battery Life: Up to 5 Days
- NFC Support: Yes (Garmin Pay)
If you’re a smartwatch fanatic then you must be familiar with the Garmin’s line of GPS fitness trackers. They’re unrivaled in competition in terms of their fitness features. The Garmin Vivoactive 4 is designed to impress sports enthusiasts who don’t want to splurge thousands of dollars on fitness trackers. It’s available in two sizes, but I’d recommend you to buy the 43 mm option. It has a 1.3-inch screen with a transflective MIP display and a screen resolution of 260×260 pixels. The watch is adorned with multiple sensors such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, GALILEO, GPS+GLONASS, distance tracker, and calorie tracker. In addition to these features, the watch has additional trackers such as respiration and hydration tracking to estimate your sweat metrics post a workout session. It also has a pulse oximeter that reflects light on your skin and calculates the oxygen saturation level in your blood. All these hi-tech features make it an ultimate fitness watch that you would love wearing all day long.
Pros:
- Excellent for exercising.
- Onboard music and GPS connectivity.
- Compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
- Gorgeous design.
- Accurate fitness tracking features.
Cons:
- Spotify/Deezer integration is not user friendly.
- ANT+HR broadcast mode is finicky.
2. Fossil Gen 5:
- OS: Google Wear OS
- Display: 1.28-inch AMOLED display (416×416 pixels)
- Waterproof/Water-resistant: Up to 50 meters
- Monitoring Sensors: Altimeter, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, microphone, GPS
- Battery Life: 24 Hours
- NFC Support: Yes (Google Pay)
The Fossil Gen 5 can be your stumbling side block into the world of luxury fitness trackers. The Google Wear OS platform has had its fair share of ups and downs for the past decade. But, if it is your preferred OS choice, then Fossil Gen 5 is the perfect watch for you. The most impressive features of this watch are – built-in speaker and microphone, impressive Google Wear OS performance, impeccable battery life, and 1 GB RAM space. With Google Fit at work, this classic timepiece can handle your fitness needs with ease. It’s great for water sports enthusiasts as it is waterproof up to 50 meters. It also has an accurate onboard GPS tracker and 24/7 heart rate monitoring to give your heart the attention it needs. Even though the smartwatch lacks certain metrics such as sleep tracking, its other technologically advanced features definitely provide more bang for your buck. You even get a choice between the classic Carlyle model and the more feminine Julianna model.
Pros:
- Excellent user interface.
- 24/7 Heart rate sensor.
- Onboard GPS.
- NFC Support.
- Stylish design.
Cons:
- Lacks sleep tracking.
- The display can be improvised.
3. Amazfit GTS:
- OS: Proprietary OS
- Display: 1.65-inch AMOLED display
- Waterproof/Water-resistant: Up to 50 meters
- Monitoring Sensors: GPS, ambient light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, sleep tracker, distance tracker, calorie tracker, and activity tracker.
- Battery Life: Up to two weeks
- NFC Support: Yes (Fitbit Pay)
If you’re looking to step foot into the world of wearables without breaking the bank, then the Amazfit GTS is the way to go. Not only do you get an excellent battery life of two weeks, but also get a smartwatch that’s adorned with technologically advanced features. It includes features such as a 24/7 heart rate monitoring, up to 50 meters water-resistance, and accurate sleep tracking. This device sits comfortably on your wrist and even has an onboard GPS that makes sure you don’t lose your way into the woods. You can even sync your entire data with the Amazfit app but be prepared to encounter a lengthy process and a finicky user interface. The star of the party here is the battery life of the watch. An honorable mention also goes to the AMOLED display and the price point of this timepiece. It looks a lot like an Apple watch and delivers a lot of the advanced features in a very affordable price range.
Pros:
- Sleek and gorgeous design.
- Accurate fitness tracking.
- AMOLED display.
- Two-week battery life.
- Onboard GPS.
Cons:
- Slow firmware updates.
- Notification alerts are finicky.
4. Apple Watch Series 6:
- OS: WatchOS 7.0
- Display: 1.78-inches Retina LTPO Capacitive touchscreen (448×368 pixels)
- Waterproof/Water-resistant: Up to 50 meters
- Monitoring Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, barometer, always-on altimeter, compass, SpO2, VO2 max.
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
- NFC Support: Yes (Apple Pay)
If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate premium range fitness tracker, then count your lucky stars because I’ve got for you the Apple Watch Series 6. If you’re an iOS user and love the perks that come with this OS, you’ll cherish this Apple timepiece. Apple likes to keep its design simple and timeless which is why you won’t notice much difference in Series 6 and its predecessors in terms of design. However, the watch does offer you a plethora of features. These include – heart rate monitoring, onboard GPS, always-on display, altimeter, blood pressure oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, and NFC support. Another unique feature offered by the company on this watch is a subscription-based video work out service named Apple Fitness +. Even though the Apple Watch Series 6 is an expensive purchase, it is certainly the best in the market. The watch is now available in an array of colors, namely – blue, red, gold, and graphite.
Pros:
- Always-on display.
- Built-in ECG.
- Apple Fitness +
- Emergency calling.
- Accurate fitness tracking metrics.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- More or less the same design as the predecessors.
5. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2:
- OS: Tizen OS
- Display: 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display (360×360 pixels)
- Waterproof/Water-resistant: Up to 50 meters
- Monitoring Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, barometer, VO2 max, GPS, and compass.
- Battery Life: Up to 48 Hours
- NFC Support: Yes (Samsung Pay)
If you’re looking for a smartwatch with the most upgrades, then you’ve got to check out the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. It has a compact and sleek design with a clear and vivid AMOLED display. With the new capacitive bezels, it’s easier for you to navigate through the interface of the watch. If you’re new to the Tizen OS, it might take a little time for you to wrap your head around it. But don’t worry, once you get used to it, there’s no going back. When we talk about the monitoring sensors and fitness features of this watch, let’s just say that it has got plenty. These include – onboard GPS, automatic heart rate tracking, accurate sleep tracking, water, food, and caffeine-consumption tracking. The standout feature of this watch is the Fitness Coach. This feature offers you real-time pace metrics and the goals of your workout session before you begin it. The Galaxy Active 2 also measures the maximum oxygen you’ll need during an intense workout session known as VO2 max. Along with these features, you can also enjoy smartphone notifications, NFC support, Wi-Fi connectivity, and music storage. This budget-friendly all-rounder timepiece with a plethora of upgrades is a perfect pick for the fitness freak in you!
Pros:
- Compact and sleek design.
- Running analysis.
- Automatic fitness tracking.
- Onboard GPS, NFC, and ECG.
- Optional LTE connectivity.
Cons:
- Below average third-party apps support.
- Tizen OS is a little finicky.
Any of the above-listed smartwatches will be the perfect pick for you. All these watches have one or other fitness features that everyone will enjoy. Depending on your budget, you get sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, pulse oximeter, NFC support, and animated on-screen workouts. So, go take out sports shoes, put on your newly-bought smartwatch, and get ready to live the zen life!
