Best Android smartwatch in Australia for 2024: the top Google-powered wearables

So you’ve forked out for one of the best phones and need the best Android smartwatch to pair with it, but which of the many options is right for you? You might be searching for a smartwatch that will offer superior productivity support, will fit the bill as the best fitness tracker, or offer the best of both worlds. Finding the right wearable for you can be easier said than done.

Over the years, we’ve put a wide variety of top contenders to the test, looking closely at factors such as performance, fit, software support and more. As a result, we’re confident we know what it takes to identify the top Android wearables worth their place on your wrist.

We’ve looked at smartwatches from Samsung, Google, Fitbit and Garmin, with options to suit an array of different needs and budgets. Below, you’ll find our picks for the best Android smartwatches in Australia.

The quick list

Below you'll find a summarised roundup of our picks for the best Android smartwatch in Australia. We've selected a range of models, comprising various brands that cater to specific uses and budgets. 

The best Android smartwatch for 2023

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Scroll through the list to read more in-depth reviews for each of our best Android smartwatch picks. You can also click through to read the full reviews, written by TechRadar's team of smartwatch experts, and easily check the latest deals using our price comparison widget. 

The best Android smartwatch overall

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)
The best smartwatch for Android overall

Specifications

Sizes: 40mm, 44mm
Battery Life (Rated): 40 hours
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: Optional
Mobile Payments: Samsung Pay

Reasons to buy

+
Slimmer bezels
+
Much-improved mechanism to change straps
+
Detailed sleep tracking

Reasons to avoid

-
Same battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is the natural evolution of its Watch 5 predecessor. Once again, this is a smart looking watch in every sense of the word. It looks great on your wrist while offering powerful features and its super AMOLED display is both sharp and clear, as well as able to handle very bright outdoor scenes. 

Performance wise this latest-gen Galaxy Watch is both fast and responsive, although notably more so when paired with a Samsung smartphone. There's no iPhone support here either, so if you were hoping to pair this Wear OS watch with iOS, you're out of luck, but you can use some of the models listed further down. 

Samsung has stuffed the Galaxy Watch 6 with features, including improved sleep tracking and Custom Workouts that triathletes in particular should appreciate. And once again, Samsung has enabled the Galaxy Watch 6 to analyse your body composition, with accurate results. 

All this is a neat and affordable package is what makes the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 the best Android smartwatch overall. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review.

The best Android smartwatch for Pixel

Google Pixel Watch 2

(Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)
The best Wear OS showcase

Specifications

OS: Wear OS
Compatibility: Android
Display: 1.2-inch AMOLED
Processor: Qualcomm 5100
Onboard storage: 32GB
Battery duration: 24 hours
Charging method: Proprietary wireless charging
IP rating: Up to 5ATM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 4G LTE

Reasons to buy

+
Lighter body
+
Improved processor speed
+
New workout features
+
Faster charging

Reasons to avoid

-
Overall size hasn't changed

Google made a safe but significant upgrade in the Pixel Watch 2. Its predecessor wasn't a bad smartwatch, but there were areas that could've done with improvement, and that's exactly what the Pixel Watch 2 gives you. 

The overall design has remained largely the same, save for a thinner piece of glass covering the display, but that's hardly a negative against it, since we found the original model to be one of the best-looking smartwatches money could buy. What Google has done with this model is made it lighter, which not only aids comfort during the day, but also at night so you're more likely to wear it to bed so you can track your sleep. 

The charging pad has changed, which is definitely a good thing, as it now provides a faster charge. And you might need it, since you're only looking at roughly a day's use from a single charge. The rival Apple Watch is similar in this regards, but when you have other brands producing smartwatches that can last days or even weeks, it is a little disappointing. 

Elsewhere, however, it's good news. There's automatic workout detection onboard (finally) and a new multi-path heart rate sensor that claims to more accurately monitor your heart beat, especially during more intense workouts. A new selection of safety features also work in the Pixel Watch 2's favour. 

As a smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 2 is great, too. It's a perfect showcase for Wear OS, being quick to navigate around and managed to pick up Google Assistant voice prompts with no issue at all. 

Read our full Google Pixel Watch 2 review

The best Android smartwatch for outdoors

Custom route on a Garmin Fenix 7S

(Image credit: Future)
Garmin's top-tier sports watch

Specifications

OS: GarminOS
Compatibility: Android and iOS
Display: 1.3-inch 260 x 260 Memory-in-pixel
Processor: Dual-frequency GNSS
Onboard storage: 16GB
Battery duration: Up to 18 days
Charging method: USB
IP rating: 10ATM
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS

Reasons to buy

+
Ideal for athletes and hikers
+
Extra-tough design

Reasons to avoid

-
Low-contrast display
-
No mic for hands-free calls

For anyone who can't stay still, the Garmin Fenix 7 is a perfect smartwatch for tracking everything possible. It gives you all the tools you could need to understand your current fitness level, as well as to set and achieve your goals. 

The Fenix 7 offers advanced workout tracking and training tools, along with superb navigation apps, and offers a sturdy build for the purposes of adventuring. That said, its size and ruggedness might be excessive for someone that simply wants a stylish timepiece. 

Its display could also look sharper and it may not be the same level of productivity powerhouse that many of its competitors are, but for the avid adventurer or fitness fanatic this is a powerful investment.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 7 review

The best Android smartwatch for battery life

TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra on wrist

(Image credit: Future)

4. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS

More than month of use on a single charge

Specifications

Sizes: 47mm
Battery Life (Rated): 3 days (up to 45 days in Essential Mode)
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: No
Mobile Payments: Google Pay

Reasons to buy

+
Affordable
+
Impressive fitness tracking
+
Exceptionally long battery life
+
Clever always-on display

Reasons to avoid

-
Still no Wear OS 3 update

We haven't reviewed the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra ourselves here at TechRadar, but our sister site Tom's Guide gave it such a glowing review, that we felt compelled to include it here on this list. 

The standout feature of the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra is its long-lasting battery, which is good for up to 45 days. You will need to turn off certain features in order to eke out so much juice, but even with said features disabled, you still get a decent Android smartwatch experience, especially for the low price you'll pay. 

Our colleagues at Tom's Guide also loved the always-on display, which actually employs two separate layers: one being the main AMOLED display and the other being a low power screen that just shows basic but essential information. It's this feature that helps to lengthen the time between charges. 

Elsewhere you get a good suite of sports to track and monitor and built-in GPS to keep a record of your distances. The main gripe that continues to plague the TicWatch 3 Pro Ultra, however, is the lack of the latest Wear OS 3. Mobvoi released the TicWatch in 2021 and yet, there is still no update for it. A beta has been released in 2023, so we expect the full version to see the light of day eventually, we're just still not sure when. 

Read the full TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS review (Tom's Guide)

The best budget Android smartwatch

Fitbit Versa 3

(Image credit: TechRadar)
Low on price but big on features

Specifications

OS: HarmonyOS
Compatibility: Android and iOS
Display: 1.43-inch 466 x 466 AMOLED
Processor: Dual-chipset
Onboard storage: 4GB
Battery duration: Up to 14 days
Charging method: Qi charging
IP rating: IP68
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS

Reasons to buy

+
Built-in GPS
+
Lightweight and comfortable
+
More budget-friendly

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor side button
-
Lacking many productivity features found in competitors

The Fitbit Versa 3 may not be a strictly Android smartwatch like most others on this list, but its ability to pair more than well enough with Android smartphones and stand out with quality features and performance makes it worthy of consideration – especially at its price point. And that price is now even more attractive given the Versa 3 now sits as a generation behind the latest Fitbit Versa 4.

But the latest Fitbit Versa, despite being newer, is inferior to the Versa 3 for a few key reasons. Namely, the update to the line loses some key features found in the Versa's third generation, such as the ability to support third-party apps and music playback when not connected to Wi-Fi.

With built-in GPS and a quality AMOLED display, the Fitbit Versa 3 dazzles particularly as a fitness tracker, which comes as no surprise with it being a Fitbit. As we mentioned in our review, "the Fitbit Versa 3 is an excellent wearable, though it's more a fitness tracker than a smartwatch, with very limited productivity apps on offer."

Regardless, if you're looking for a quality wearable to pair with your Android smartphone and you're shopping with a slightly tighter budget, there's every chance the Versa 3 might be the perfect fit for you.

Read our full Fitbit Versa 3 review

The best Android smartwatch for running

Garmin Forerunner 265S on wrist

(Image credit: Future)

6. Garmin Forerunner 265

The best smartwatch for Android for runners

Specifications

Sizes: 46mm
Battery Life (Rated): 13 days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: No
Mobile Payments: No

Reasons to buy

+
Bright, crisp AMOLED display
+
Useful updates to the run button
+
Good looking

Reasons to avoid

-
Not cheap
-
Extra brightness can mean sacrificing battery

Garmin didn't do anything drastically different when developing the Forerunner 265. The company took the already-excellent Forerunner 255, redesigned the case slightly, gave it an AMOLED screen and voila. And the result is one of the best running watches Garmin has ever made. 

The new AMOLED screen is bright and easy to read and use, and while it does impact battery life slightly compared to its predecessor, you are still able to close to two weeks of use from a single charge, depending on how you use it and which features you have enabled. 

The Forerunner 265 adopts a number of features from other past Foreunner models, including offline music storage, Training Readiness and Morning Report, which can all be used to help elevate your training and track your progress with ease and accuracy. 

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review

The best Android smartwatch for fitness tracking

7. Garmin Venu 3

The best fitness-tracking smartwatch

Specifications

Sizes: 43mm
Battery Life (Rated): Up to 14 days
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
LTE: No
Mobile Payments: Garmin Pay

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous AMOLED display
+
Built-in speaker and mic for on-wrist calls
+
Wheelchair user tracking

Reasons to avoid

-
Expensive
-
Misses out on some premium training features

The Garmin Venu 3 does an awful lot, very well. In many ways, it's the perfect blend of smartwatch and fitness tracker in a gorgeous package, not just for Android phones but any phone. Chief to its appeal is the stunning display, which really is one of the best we've laid eyes on and then you have its battery life, which can be up to 14 days depending on how you use it. 

Garmin has also now integrated a microphone and speaker, which means you're free to make and receive calls from the Venu 3 itself. The speaker has multiple uses, too, such as being able to play guided meditations, for example, which is very handy indeed. 

The overall health and fitness tracking capabilities have been improved as well. You can track and record results for pretty much any exercise discipline you can think of, and sleep tracking has been upgraded too, and everything is collated to give you an overall health score. 

The Garmin Venu 3's predecessor was already a fantastic performer, but the Venu 3 manages to improve in virtually every way. It can be pricey, but we think it's worth every cent. 

Read our full Garmin Venu 3 review

The best Android smartwatch for sleep trackong

Fitbit Sense 2 review

(Image credit: Andrew Williams)
An excellent Android smartwatch with mental health tools

Specifications

OS: Fitbit OS
Compatibility: Android, iOS
Display: 300 x 300 AMOLED
Processor: N/A
Onboard storage: N/A
Battery duration: Up to 6 days
Charging method: Magnetic connecting pin
IP rating: Water resistance to 50m
Connectivity: Bluetooth

Reasons to buy

+
Detailed stress logging
+
On-board GPS

Reasons to avoid

-
Many tools require Fitbit Premium
-
Step counting slightly inaccurate

The Fitbit Sense 2 does a lot right. It retains the excellent health-tracking of its predecessor, improves upon the stress-tracking features and throws a physical button onto the side of the case that has a genuine use. But unfortunately, Fitbit removed the ability to install third-party apps, meaning you're locked into the Fitbit ecosystem. This may not be a deal breaker for some, but it's something to take note of. 

While we wouldn't outright recommend the Fitbit Sense 2 as the best smartwatch for your wrist, it is one of the best for tracking your sleep. The Sense series is all about holistic health as to opposed to fitness health, and as a result does a good job of showing you good statistics each morning when you wake up. The only downside, is these stats are hidden behind a Premium subscription. 

Pay the extra cost however, and you may find your sleep quality and duration can improve. 

Read our full Fitbit Sense 2 review

The best Android smartwatch for swimming

Garmin Forerunner 945 with black band

(Image credit: TechRadar)
A feature-packed swimming watch perfect for triathletes

Specifications

Waterproof rating: Up to 50m
Screen: Yes, colour touchscreen
Heart rate tracker: Yes
Activity tracking: Yes
GPS: Yes
Battery life: Up to two weeks
Compatibility: Android/iOS

Reasons to buy

+
Heart rate sensor works underwater
+
Excellent swim tracking tools
+
Built-in music player

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the most stylish

If you're a keen swimmer and want the best Android smartwatch to track each stroke, lap and overall distance, the Garmin Forerunner 945 is the one for you. You can get it in a bundle with two chest-strap heart rate monitors: one for running and cycling, and another specifically designed for the pool.

We'd encourage to seek out the chest straps, as they can pick up changes in your heart rate more quickly than a sensor on your wrist. But, the wirst-based heart rate monitor on the Forerunner 945 itself is still good, and more crucially, it works underwater.

It also has a built-in music player, so you can use it together with a pair of waterproof headphones to listen to tracks in the water, and there's a huge range of features tailored to swimming. Open-water swimming metrics include distance (with GPS tracking), pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance and efficiency, plus calories burned.

There are more options for pool sessions, such as stroke type detection, pacing alerts, auto rest, specialised pool workouts (which can be downloaded to the watch via Wi-Fi), and drill logging.

Add on the huge array of other fitness tracking tools, plus smartwatch features like contactless payments, and this is an exceptional watch in and out of the water.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 945 review

How we test the best Android smartwatches

When testing a smartwatch we pair it to our phones and use it for days, so we can tell what it's like for everyday use - this includes working out its true battery life, seeing how it handles notifications, and appreciating any extra features it has.

We also take it for workouts with us, so we can see if it's accurate at measuring distances and time, and to see if the fitness modes bring any cool extras.

To create our ranking we considered our review score, the specs, features, performance, price, and how they stack up to alternatives.

How to choose the best Android smartwatch

How to choose the best Android smartwatch for you

First off, don't buy an Apple Watch, as they don't work with Android.

Beyond that it's a case of picking one with the features you need. Do you care about being able to take an ECG or is basic heart rate monitoring enough? Are you into health and fitness or do you mostly just want notifications? Consider all that, along with what prices and styles suit you.

Do these smartwatches also work with an iPhone?

Most smartwatches that work with Android will also work with an iPhone. However, you might lose out on some functionality, and there are a few that won't work at all, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and 5, as well as the Google Pixel Watch. For the best results with an iPhone, stick to an Apple Watch or consider a less costly option from Fitbit. 

Tom Bedford
Contributor

Tom Bedford was deputy phones editor on TechRadar until late 2022, having worked his way up from staff writer. Though he specialized in phones and tablets, he also took on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fitness, mobile gaming and more. He is based in London, UK and now works for the entertainment site What To Watch.

He graduated in American Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. Prior to working on TechRadar, he freelanced in tech, gaming and entertainment, and also spent many years working as a mixologist.