Best budget smartwatches: top 10

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Natalie Vesna 06.03.2021

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Our review presents the best budget smartwatches in 2021 — 2021, which you can purchase at a price of no more than 8000 rubles. The devices have advanced technologies and offer the most useful features, thanks to which the gadget will become your assistant in a fast-paced everyday life.

Good to know: The best watches with NFC

Honor Watch ES

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Honor Watch ES is the best affordable smart watch for those who love sports and lead a healthy lifestyle. Combining the features and design of a smartwatch and a fitness tracker, the device comes in handy during workouts, showing all the necessary information on its color rectangular display: from heart rate to steps taken and calories burned, as well as other vital data.

Available in a variety of colors: white, black and pink. Therefore, Honor Watch ES will look good on both a man’s wrist and a woman’s.

Characteristics

Functions

• Blood oxygen measurement (SpO2)
• VO2max
• Breathing exercises
• Stress monitoring
• Sleep Quality Tracking
• Watch faces personalization
• Strap change
• Menstrual cycle calendar
• Incoming call notification
• Smartphone notifications
• Calendar events
• 95 training modes
• Heart rate measurement 24/7
• Animated virtual trainer
• 12 animation tutorials
• Automatic recognition of 6 types of workouts
• Personalized instructions and tips in the app
• Always-On Display (for some watch faces)
• Weather
• alarm clocks
• Stopwatch and timer
• Torch
• Phone search
• Remote control of the camera and music player of a smartphone

The watch runs on a single charge for up to 10 days, depending on the settings and features used. There is a fast charging technology, thanks to which the gadget is charged within 30 minutes.

Herzband Slim

Previously, it was thought that cheap smartwatches could not offer high-tech features and only had a basic set of features: step counting, smartphone notifications, and tracking total sleep time. Now, however, you can get a range of sensors in one inexpensive device that can be used to track your health.

These devices include the Herzband Slim fitness bracelet. Its ultra-thin body contains sensors that not only record the pulse, but also measure the user’s blood pressure. For a small price, you get a sports tracker that will be your personal trainer during your workouts, suggesting a dangerous heart rate value and providing you with real-time indicators of your activities on the display.

Under the technical specifications presented, you can read all the functionality of the tracker, which got into our top budget smartwatches for its abilities.

Characteristics

Functions

• Pedometer
• distance calculation
• Calorie counter
• Heart rate measurement
• Pressure measurement
• Critical heart rate alerts
• Sleep monitoring
• Activity Tracking
• Tracking a route using the GPS of a connected phone
• Reminders
• Smartphone notifications
• Call alerts with caller name
• Phone search
• Camera control
• Stopwatch and timer
• Alarm
• Reports in the Hband app

The battery has a capacity of 120 mAh, and charging the gadget is easy and convenient: no wires are required, just unfasten the strap and insert the tracker into the USB port.

Additional options

Torch

It is especially useful for those who have to return from circles and sections in the evening. Yes, and there are a great many simple everyday situations when a flashlight can really come in handy. By the way, children’s imagination cannot be discounted. In the eyes of preschoolers, the flashlight will be more attractive than some complex functions, because you can play detective with it.

Pedometer

Allows you to track your child’s physical activity. There are models in which there is a reward system for more excitement. For example, an electronic pet can live in a watch, which you can “feed” by walking a given number of steps.

video call

Calling and seeing each other is priceless. And at the same time, you can check if your child is wearing a hat.

Camera

Children and teenagers love to share interesting things they see during the day. And it’s great when there is an opportunity not only to tell, but also to show.

Search function

Have you ever had the desire to call the remote control from the TV, which disappeared to God knows where? Here is the same thing. The clock will beep and can be found quickly. After all, not all children have a perfect order in the room, right?

Actually, hours.

Show time. Some models can also voice it, this feature will be useful for the smallest.

Amazfit Bip S

Compared to its predecessor, the Amazfit Bip, the S version features an even lower cost, as well as an increased body size and new features. In the S edition, the user gets 10 sport modes along with high heart rate notifications.

The design is almost identical to the previous model: a rectangular plastic case with a square display, a silicone strap and several colors to choose from: red-orange, black, pink and white.

Given that these are the cheapest smartwatches out there, you won’t get contactless payment technology, a smart assistant, built-in music, or support for third-party apps.

Characteristics

Functions

• Active Activity Tracking
• 10 sports modes
• Pedometer
• Distance calculation
• Calorie burn counter
• sedentary reminders
• Pulse measurement
• Sleep monitoring
• PAI (Personal Activity Assistant) metrics
• Critical Heart Rate Alerts
• Smartphone notifications
• Call and message alerts
• Phone player control
• Weather forecast
• alarm clocks
• world time
• Change of dials
• Working with the Zepp App

Amazfit Bip S can offer a battery life of up to 40 days, which, in addition to the modest price, also attracts many buyers.

Top 10 Best Budget Smartwatches of 2021

HUAWEI Watch Fit

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This smartwatch made it to the top 10 best budget watches due to its low price and the ability to conduct animated workouts with the user. To do this, you do not need to go to the gym, especially since the device automatically monitors the state of the owner during sports.

Each fitness course has its own level of difficulty, from stretching to warm-up exercises and advanced workouts.

Outwardly, the watch is very similar to Honor Watch ES, but the strap fastening is considered a clear difference (here the bracelet looks like a glove). Taking into account the shape of the product, the device can be described as a hybrid between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch.

The body of the gadget is quite large, so the watch will look more harmonious on a male hand than on a thin female wrist.

In addition to sports functionality, the budget smartwatch HUAWEI Watch Fit offers the basic set of features that you expect from such a device. You will learn about it under the table of device specifications.

Characteristics

Functions

• 96 workout modes
• 12 animated activities (including 44 exercises)
• Heart rate measurement (24/7)
• Estimation of blood oxygen saturation SpO2
• Women’s menstrual cycle calendar
• Sleep monitoring
• Pedometer
• alarm clocks
• Phone search
• Sleep Improvement Tips
• Measuring your stress level
• Breathing exercises
• Smart Notifications
• Connected smartphone notifications without the ability to reply to messages

Read: The best women’s smart watches: top 20

With a bright, clear and high-contrast display, the HUAWEI Watch Fit offers up to 7 days of heavy use and up to 10 days of regular use. If you use always-on GPS during exercise, the watch will run for 12 hours.

Conclusion

The modern rhythm of life forces us to keep in touch with partners, relatives and close people literally on the go. Therefore, it is very convenient to answer a call quickly and without making unnecessary movements, view an incoming message or notification, and most importantly, this can be done while playing sports, driving a car or shopping. Now, with the help of smart watches with or without a SIM card, you can not only find out the time, but also always stay in touch and not miss important events.

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Amazfit GTS

We also included the Amazfit GTS in our list of inexpensive smartwatches, although their price may seem rather big. These are the most expensive Huami wearables. However, compared to Apple or Samsung products, they are classified as a budget segment.

The Amazfit GTS offers a two-week battery life, a bright square display, 12-sport activity tracking, and an optical heart rate sensor. Perfect for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, having everything you need and no frills in your arsenal.

You can choose the color of the product at purchase, and the 20mm strap is easy to change (you can find many third-party bracelets on the Internet).

The watch works with the Zepp app, which displays all the statistics of training and health status. But they do not support third party applications.

Characteristics

Functions

• 12 sports modes
• Change of dials
• Call and message notifications
• Social media alerts
• Pulse measurement
• PAI Health Assessment
• Sleep monitoring
• 5 modules for displaying content on the display
• Weather forecast
• Alarm
• Stopwatch
• Smartphone search
• High heart rate alerts
• GPS route tracking
• Phone music control

The biggest strength of the Amazfit GTS is battery life. With intensive use of the watch, the battery will last up to two weeks. According to Huami, during this period, continuous heart rate measurement, sleep monitoring, 150 received on-screen notifications, 30 wrist lifts to view the time, 5 minutes of other daily activities, 3 times a week for 30 minutes of training with GPS on are performed.

Charging takes place magnetically within 2 hours.

Where is it better to buy cheap watches: Russia, China or the USA?

If we conduct a comparative analysis of prices for the most affordable watch models, then in the USA they amounted to approximately $ 41, which in terms of our money is 2518 rubles, 83 kopecks (data as of January 14, 2020).

In Russia, the demand for smart smart watches has grown significantly. The average price of budget watches is 1270 rubles. Many users prefer to order watches in China on AliExpress.

Accordingly, China has the lowest prices for popular wrist gadgets. On the same Aliexpress, Smart Watch models cost about $10. Thanks to the cheapest price segment, China has far surpassed the North American and European markets in smartwatch sales.

Xiaomi Haylou Solar LS05

Inexpensive smart watch Solar LS05 is a product from Xiaomi’s sub-brand called Haylou.

Solar LS05 is equipped with heart rate tracking and offers 12 multi-sport modes for training. The watch assesses the quality of sleep and helps to cope with stress with the help of breathing exercises.

The round display renders bright and vibrant colors, so you can see content quite well in direct sunlight. This allows you to use the watch outdoors and see all the necessary information on the screen.

The accessory is available in only one color, but it looks pretty decent not only on a man’s hand, but also on a woman’s. You can also change the dials at your discretion, but, unfortunately, there are not many of them.

The Solar LS05 does not have GPS or NFC modules, and since it is a cheap smartwatch, their absence is considered acceptable. In addition, with a very small amount of memory, it is impossible to install applications on this watch. Therefore, activity data is only stored in the Haylou Fit app on the connected smartphone.

Characteristics

Functions

• Activity Tracking
• 12 sports modes
• Sleep monitoring
• Smartphone notifications and alerts
• Call notifications
• Real-time data in the application on a smartphone
• Continuous heart rate measurement
• Pedometer, calorie counter, distance
• Breathing exercises
• Weather
• Stopwatch and timer
• Mobility Reminders
• Smartphone music player control
• Find my phone feature

Xiaomi Haylou Solar LS05 keeps a charge for 15 days with round-the-clock heart rate reading. If you disable this feature, the watch will stretch up to 30 days. Charged with a magnetic USB cable.

TicWatch GTX

Quality and affordable smart watches for Android and iOS TicWatch GTX offers multi-sport features that include 14 training modes, automatic activity tracking and all the basic features that a smart watch can provide.

You can swim and play outdoor sports with this device. It is also possible to personalize the watch faces and control the music of the smartphone.

In the interests of low cost, the manufacturer has deprived the device of built-in GPS, so you can track your run route only through the GPS of a connected smartphone. Despite this drawback, the watch provides all the necessary functionality that is necessary when playing sports.

TicWatch GTX is an inexpensive but good smart watch for a man’s hand with an elastic and comfortable silicone strap. Stylish and versatile, available in only one black color.

Characteristics

Functions

• 14 sports modes
• Phone notifications
• Call and SMS alerts
• sedentary reminders
• Weather forecast
• Sleep tracking
• Pulse measurement
• Pedometer and calorie counter
• Stopwatch
• Alarm
• Smartphone player control
• Phone search
• Customizable watch faces
• Activate the screen by raising your hand

The GTX model does not run the WearOS operating system, as in previous editions, but Realtime OS. As a result, the watch does not suffer from battery life issues, providing 7 days in normal use and up to 10 days in power saving mode. Charger type — magnetic cable.

How to choose a budget smart watch?

Before you buy a smart watch in 2021, you should pay attention to some characteristics:

• Brand. Manufacturers today offer both inexpensive and expensive watch options. Therefore, it is better to study the smart watch of the chosen brand, since the functionality depends on it.
• Screen Options. The higher the clock resolution, the clearer the display will be.
• Battery type. The best option is Li-on. It is able to provide long battery life.
• Waterproof. This parameter determines the level of moisture resistance of the smart watch while swimming or taking a shower. An excellent option is the WR50.

HUAWEI Watch GT Active

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The HUAWEI Watch GT Active is one of the best affordable watches for men that offers long battery life and does a great job of tracking activity and notifications. Stylish and elegant design fits harmoniously on the wrist, and an interchangeable strap allows you to choose the option for your style.

If you’re more interested in sports tracking than smartwatch features, the Huawei Watch GT Active covers most of the features of today’s fitness tracker: active heart rate measurement, comprehensive cardio options (such as running, cycling, and swimming), sleep monitoring, and route tracking. GPS.

The watch is not designed for professional athletes and you will not find strength training options here. In addition, there is also no way to answer an incoming call, only a reset.

They are light and comfortable, the hand gets used to them very quickly. GT Active can be described as a fitness tracker in the form of a smart watch.

Read: The best men’s smartwatches

Characteristics

Functions

• Pulse measurement
• Sleep tracking
• Activity monitoring
• GPS route
• Sports modes
• Triathlon mode
• Waterproof for pool swimming
• Step counter and calories
• Floors climbed
• Measures pace and distance
• Drop call
• Silent alarm
• Stopwatch
• Change of dials
• Smartphone notifications

On a single charge with basic functionality, the watch will last up to 14 days, while with all the included features such as GPS, heart rate monitoring, and exercise tracking, continuous use of the watch will allow the battery to last up to 22 hours.

Power is provided via a proprietary charger for 120 minutes.

Amazfit Pace

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Our list of inexpensive smartwatches has been expanded by the Amazfit Pace as one of the most versatile and convenient wearable gadgets for fitness and health tracking.

The presence of built-in GPS, with which you can view the routes of your movements, a heart rate sensor and music controls make this device a convenient tool during training.

Like many cheap devices, it has its drawbacks: for example, in bright sunlight, the information on the display is hard to read, and some users would like to increase the strength of the vibration signal. The display can only be awakened by pressing the button.

The downside is that you can only view GPS data as a picture on the watch itself, not on the app or anywhere else. But all other indicators are displayed in the software along with analysis and statistics.

A big plus is the presence of a Wi-Fi connection, which makes it possible, when going beyond Bluetooth, not to lose connection with your smartphone, which means you do not miss important notifications.

Characteristics

Functions

• Fitness and daily activity tracking
• Sleep quality monitoring
• Smart notifications with vibration
• Call alert
• High heart rate alerts
• sedentary reminders
• Various sports activities
• Weather forecast
• Alarm
• Compass
• Stopwatch
• Timer
• Music playback
• Pedometer and calorie counter
• Tracking pace, distance
• Runner Training Plans

The battery capacity is 280 mAh. Amazfit says the watch can last 5 days with moderate use, with GPS and heart rate on all the time, about a day and 11 days in time-only mode.

Amazfit Verge

Rounding out our top cheap smartwatches is the Amazfit Verge, one of the very best in Amazfit’s line of wearables. They offer 12 sports modes, GPS tracking, the ability to make and receive phone calls, listen to music, all with a whopping battery life of up to 5 days.

The watch uses a new generation PPG sensor for accurate heart rate monitoring, which allows you to see changes in heart rate throughout the day, detect deviations and monitor your overall health.

The device is only water-resistant to protect against splashes when washing hands or during brief immersion in water. Do not swim or shower with the watch.

Characteristics

Functions

• 12 sports modes
• Activity Tracking
• Calorie and step counter
• Pulse measurement
• Sleep monitoring
• Dual satellite positioning GPS+GLONASS
• Change of dials
• Storing and playing music files
• Smartphone player control
• Ability to make calls
• Calendar Reminders
• Connected smartphone notifications
• sedentary reminders
• personal assistant
• Activate the display by raising your hand

If used moderately, the battery will last up to 10 days. Receiving messages and making calls along with this, the device will last up to 7 days. Intensive use of the gadget will provide 3 days of work with workout tracking, heart rate measurement and a large stream of notifications. The charge lasts for two and a half hours.

What is a watch-phone and their types

A smart watch phone is a smartwatch with a phone call function. This means that the owner of the accessory has the opportunity to receive / make calls and carry on a conversation right from the wrist, without taking the mobile phone out of his pocket or bag. Such a device is of two types:

1. Connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth
2. Standalone smart watch with sim card

In the first case, the user connects the watch to a smartphone via Bluetooth in order to make or receive incoming calls to the wearable device through their phone. Then the watch acts as a bluetooth headset.

The second type is a standalone smartwatch without connecting to a smartphone with the ability to install a SIM card in it or already with a pre-installed eSIM. Such smartwatches may have specifications marked LTE, 4G or Sim Card.

Classification

For the convenience of reviewing similar devices available on the market, we classified them into three groups:

1. budget models.
2. premium models.
3. Watch-phone for children with a GPS tracker.

We propose to consider in detail each group and give examples of devices with characteristics and descriptions.