Finest hybrid smartwatches of 2022

Printed Aug 11, 2022 11:00 AM
Smartwatches are one of the helpful items of wearable tech on the market. Nevertheless, the chunky our bodies and digital faces of the sensor-packed Apple Watches and Fitbits of the world don’t attraction to everybody’s sensibilities. So whereas the most important tech firms construct watches that emphasize the tech, many manufacturers have built-in a few of the easiest, most helpful smartwatch options into standard timepieces. The typical “hybrid” smartwatch options analog hour and minute arms, with a small display screen or screens beneath to point out stats like coronary heart fee and tracked steps. For many individuals, the perfect hybrid smartwatches present stability between a watch that will provide you with the health monitoring and coronary heart fee monitor you need with out wanting misplaced in an expert office.
How we picked the perfect hybrid smartwatches
I’ve been writing about tech for practically a decade for publications reminiscent of PC Gamer and Enter, amongst others, so I understand how to discern between the subsequent huge factor and the subsequent huge bust. I’m additionally a watch fanatic who has owned greater than my justifiable share of sensible and conventional timepieces over time. To find out these suggestions, I consulted technical specs and assessments performed by consultants, in addition to shopper evaluations to search out the perfect hybrid smartwatches for every kind of individuals.
Issues to contemplate earlier than shopping for a hybrid smartwatch
Choosing a hybrid smartwatch over a standard smartwatch or health tracker is, most of the time, rooted in style. You need some sensible options, however not on the expense of how a basic wristwatch appears to be like and feels in your wrist. Consistent with that, most hybrid smartwatches have a comparatively standardized set of sensible options, together with step monitoring, sleep monitoring, and extra. Some options, like surfacing notifications out of your cellphone, aren’t on each mannequin, although, so it does pay to consider how “sensible” you need your watch to be.
It’s all concerning the options
Although hybrid smartwatches don’t differ as a lot in function set and value vary as different tech, you must needless to say they aren’t all equivalent. Most hybrid smartwatches supply a point of health monitoring, sleep monitoring, and water resistance. Sure options—like GPS integration, altimeters, blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring, and 100-meter water resistance—are typically reserved for dearer fashions.
Excessive-end hybrids additionally are likely to have higher battery life, although even the least costly of the bunch last more than extra tech-forward smartwatches just like the Apple Watch Collection 7 and Samsung Galaxy Watch4. The typical battery lifetime of a hybrid smartwatch is round two weeks, although some go as excessive as 25 to 30 days and not using a cost.
Aesthetics are all the pieces
There are two important causes to purchase a hybrid smartwatch: much less frequent charging and sheer aesthetics. As a watch fanatic, I strongly choose the spherical face and analog motion of a hybrid over the blocky silhouette of a Fitbit. As such, you must actually take into account the appear and feel of the hybrid you need before you purchase it.
You also needs to measure your wrist earlier than making any buy. Most hybrid watches have a case diameter of 42mm, which is sort of giant on these of us with smaller wrists. When you’ve got a wrist dimension of 6.5 inches or much less, you’ll in all probability need to put money into a smaller 38mm mannequin as an alternative.
The perfect hybrid smartwatches: Critiques & Suggestions
Now that you recognize what to search for in a hybrid smartwatch, you’re prepared to choose one for your self. In case you’d like somewhat assist jumpstarting your search, we’ve chosen the perfect hybrid smartwatches for every kind of customers. Whether or not you need to shell out a bundle for a high-end watch with all of the bells and whistles or purchase a less expensive mannequin with simply the necessities, we’ve got you coated.
Finest total: Withings ScanWatch
Purchase it used or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the minimize: The Withings ScanWatch presents all the pieces you may hope for in a hybrid smartwatch.
Specs
- Dimension: 38mm or 42mm
- Coronary heart monitor: Sure, with oxygen ranges
- Sleep monitoring: Sure
- Exercise monitoring: Sure, with altimeter
- Water resistance: 50m
- Battery life: 30 days
- Different options: Sapphire glass
Professionals
- Nice function set
- Water resistance
- Is available in a number of sizes
Cons
French well being tech producer Withings focuses on gadgets that monitor your physique, together with sensible scales, thermometers, and blood strain screens. Their flagship watch, the ScanWatch, integrates deep well being monitoring performance right into a easy, elegant hybrid timepiece. Going past primary step and coronary heart fee monitoring, it options an altimeter to trace vertical actions, reminiscent of climbing stairs, and a pulse oximeter for blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring. Its 30-day battery life makes it one of many longest-lasting watches. It’s additionally waterproof and authorized for as much as 50 meters (or 5 atmospheres) of water strain.
It additionally offers numerous room so that you can decide a watch that matches your fashion. It is available in two sizes and Withings presents extra colours and types than lots of its rivals. In plain black with metallic {hardware}, it’s a easy and chic on a regular basis accent.
All of that operate pushes the ScanWatch’s value up increased than lots of our different picks, nevertheless it presents a powerful mix of favor and tech substance.
Finest for iPhone: Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR

Purchase it used or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the minimize: The Skagen Jorn is a sublime hybrid smartwatch with a singular e-ink show, and it has nice app integration to your cellphone.
Specs
- Dimension: 38mm or 42mm
- Coronary heart monitor: Sure
- Sleep monitoring: Sure
- Exercise monitoring: Sure
- Water resistance: “Water Resistant”
- Battery life: 14 days+
- Different options: E-ink show
Professionals
- A number of dimension choices
- Fashionable design
- First rate options
Cons
- E-ink show might not attraction to everybody
- Interface might be complicated
Skagen is thought for his or her style watches, and the Jorn brings a really interesting “Bauhaus”-like sensibility—a cleanly geometric German retro-modern aesthetic—to the hybrid smartwatch market. Its signature function is a pointy e-ink show, akin to what you’d discover in an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite or the basic Pebble Watch. It reveals your steps, coronary heart fee, and different stats with chronograph-like icons that completely match the watch’s look. The distinctive design and controls aren’t as intuitive as different watches, nevertheless it’s a small value to pay for such consideration to element.
In case you’re a fan of buttons, the Jorn has three so that you can play with somewhat than the normal “maintain/faucet” design of the Apple Watch, and its app integration and customizability have obtained excessive marks from reviewers.
As a complete, the Skagen Jorn is a powerful hybrid smartwatch for individuals who care extra concerning the watch and its aesthetics than sensible options. Nevertheless, it really works very properly for what it’s.
Finest coronary heart fee monitor: Garmin Vivomove HR

Purchase it used or refurbished: Amazon, eBay
Why it made the minimize: The Garmin Vivomove HR presents wonderful health monitoring and an interesting design.
Specs
- Dimension: 40mm, 43mm
- Coronary heart monitor: Sure, with oxygen ranges
- Sleep monitoring: Sure
- Exercise monitoring: Sure
- Water resistance: 50m
- Battery life: 5 days (sensible mode), 14+ days (watch solely)
- Different options: Stress monitoring
Professionals
- Good health options
- Many colour choices
- Simple to learn
Cons
- Costly
- Quick battery life for sensible mode
Although it isn’t particularly a “health watch,” the Garmin Vivomove HR delivers extra fitness-driven options than most hybrid smartwatches, making it a notable alternative for individuals who particularly need one to discreetly monitor their coronary heart. It has devoted stress monitoring and leisure timers so you may monitor your vitals in any scenario, in addition to SpO2 monitoring. It falters a bit on battery life in comparison with different hybrids, particularly once you use the sensible options, although.
The design of its face is a bit easy in comparison with our different picks, and it’s much less customizable than most, nevertheless it does have that true “Bauhaus” look. Whereas it is available in a number of sizes and lots of colours, we discovered that many types and colours are a lot more durable to return by within the 40mm “small/medium” dimension.
In case you’re a health fanatic, the Vivomove has the sting over rivals because of its stress monitor and leisure timers. However its excessive value limits its attraction in comparison with different watches within the house.
Finest for small wrists: Fossil Girls’s Monroe Hybrid

Purchase it used or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the minimize: The Fossil Girls’s Monroe packs a variety of punch right into a watch that appears good on any wrist.
Specs
- Dimension: 38mm
- Coronary heart monitor: Sure
- Sleep monitoring: Sure
- Exercise monitoring: Sure
- Water resistance: 30m
- Battery life: 14+ days
- Different options: None
Professionals
- Matches any wrist
- The female silhouette isn’t frequent amongst smartwatches
- Aggressive feature-set
Cons
Look, there’s no delicate technique to put this: The overwhelming majority of smartwatches on the market function masculine (or at the very least masculine-leaning) designs. Hybrid watches, specifically, are sometimes primarily based on bigger “males’s” watches. In case you’re in search of one thing female, somewhat than merely selecting a smaller case dimension, Fossil’s Monroe is certainly the best way to go. The mid-sized 38mm case will match virtually any wrist, in contrast to the 42mm (and even larger) smartwatches on the market.
It doesn’t skimp on the options both, with notification assist, exercise monitoring, a coronary heart fee monitor, and extra. The one actual draw back to this hybrid smartwatch is that it lacks a singular tech-driven function. The Monroe is solely a method play however, since female hybrid watches are pretty uncommon, that could be a signature function unto itself.
Finest waterproof: Withings Metal HR

Purchase it used or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the minimize: The Withings Metal HR is a completely featured hybrid smartwatch that provides 50m of water resistance for an inexpensive price ticket.
Specs
- Dimension: 36mm, 40mm
- Coronary heart monitor: Sure
- Sleep monitoring: Sure
- Exercise monitoring: Sure, with multi-sport assist
- Water resistance: 50m
- Battery life: 25 days
- Different options: None
Professionals
- Aggressive value
- Visually interesting
- Good battery life
Cons
- Some might choose a bigger case dimension
- Older mannequin
The Withings Metal HR is an older, easier hybrid smartwatch, however one that also holds up. For lower than $200, the Metal HR presents solely barely much less performance than our prime decide for $100 much less. Extra importantly, the Metal is rated for 50m of water resistance, which implies you may take it within the pool or the ocean with out worrying about it. It presents nice battery life—25 days—and options multi-sport monitoring to report extra correct activity-specific well being information.
Although most of the watches on this checklist function a minimalist fashion, the Metal options what stands out as the easiest look. I fairly like its two-dial configuration. Nevertheless, with a 40mm case, it’s smaller than many of the picks on our checklist and is probably not an ideal match for folks with very giant wrists.
Finest finances: Fossil Males’s Collider Hybrid HR

Purchase it used or refurbished: eBay
Why it made the minimize: The Fossil Males’s Collider HR delivers all of the options you need from a hybrid smartwatch for $50 to $100 lower than the competitors.
Specs
- Dimension: 42mm
- Coronary heart monitor: Sure
- Sleep monitoring: Sure
- Exercise monitoring: Sure
- Water resistance: “Water Resistant”
- Battery life: 14 days
- Different options: None
Professionals
- Low cost
- Good battery life
- Visually interesting
Cons
- Lacks rated water resistance
- Just one dimension
Often on sale, the Males’s Fossil Collider HR typically prices half as a lot as lots of our different picks. Regardless of that value hole, it’s simply as sensible, with exercise monitoring, sleep monitoring, and a coronary heart monitor. Its 14-day battery life, whereas removed from best-in-class, may be very strong for a inexpensive possibility. Plus, it is available in plenty of interesting colours and strap combos.
Like Fossil’s Monroe, the Collider lacks a hook past its very cheap price ticket. That stated, its core options are strong and it’s an ideal cut price in case you’re in search of the fundamentals.
FAQs
Q: Can you purchase refurbished smartwatches?
Completely, lots of our really useful hybrid smartwatches might be bought refurbished from Amazon, eBay, or different resellers for a decreased value. For instance, you should purchase a refurbished Garmin Vivomove for $100 proper now. We’ve added a hyperlink to at the very least one used buying possibility for every watch on this checklist.
Q: Can you utilize a hybrid smartwatch and not using a cellphone?
Hybrid smartwatches can inform time completely nice with out syncing to a smartphone, as they’re watches at the start. Their sensible options—coronary heart fee monitoring, step monitoring, and so forth—require one, although.
Q: How do you cost a hybrid watch?
Most hybrid smartwatches cost by way of magnetic USB cables that you just plug right into a wall, just like conventional smartwatch chargers.
Q: Are you able to textual content on a hybrid smartwatch?
Many hybrid smartwatches both show your texts or at the very least present you a notification once you obtain one in your cellphone. Most, nonetheless, don’t will let you reply. If texting by way of your watch is a precedence, you must take into account shopping for an Apple or Android Put on watch.
Closing ideas on the perfect hybrid smartwatches
As with many merchandise on the market, these hybrid smartwatches in the end have rather a lot in frequent with one another. Nonetheless, the satan is within the particulars. In case you’re in search of top-of-the-line options, it’s possible you’ll determine to go for a extra conventional smartwatch as an alternative. Nevertheless, if aesthetics are what you’re in search of, all of those watches could have you well-covered. Moreover, who needs to cost their watch on daily basis, anyway?