I need help finding a smartwatch, too many choices!

[ChainNoise]

Alright, I'm just about fed up with my freebie Samsung Gear Fit 2. The band keeps popping off and it's just generally very clunky. Here's what I'm after, which must play well with my Samsung Galaxy S7:

-ability to link up to an external HRM strap
-ability to record HR during exercise at the gym/during strength training
-ability to notify and read new texts
-ability to notify when someone is calling my phone
-ability to record a run via GPS

That's really all I need out of a watch. There's got to be something out there that isn't ridiculously priced with mountains of features I don't need or care about. The smaller the better!

[JAGI410]

Today's the day for shopping for one of these!

I have nothing to offer, other than my Samsung Gear Sport is still ticking like a champ. It'll do all those things except GPS, since it still needs a phone.

[Malinois]

Garmin’s Vivoactive 3 is on sale right now for $129 from various outlets (was $99 for Black Friday but still a great deal). Also, the Garmin Forerunner 235 is now $149 at Best Buy.

[Gummee]

Garmin 9XX watches do that. I'm pretty sure the 7XX series do too, but I don't have one of those

Ditto with the Fenix series

I've got both. The Fenix is more an 'adventure' watch. Bigger, heavier. The 9XX is lighter and smaller

HTH

M

[trener1]

You can do everything you want but connect it to HRM strap with the Garmin Vivosport, It does have the optical HR though, I have one and it is great.
It was pretty heavily discounted over the weekend.
I think I saw it for less then $100 on a few websites

[ChainNoise]

Originally Posted by trener1

You can do everything you want but connect it to HRM strap with the Garmin Vivosport, It does have the optical HR though, I have one and it is great.
It was pretty heavily discounted over the weekend.
I think I saw it for less then $100 on a few websites

After doing a bit of research on the above models, I bit the bullet and grabbed a Vivosport 3 for $116 through Amazon just before I passed out last night. I've been reading the optical HR is also pretty dang accurate now, so I'll give that a shot too! Thanks guys

[GonaSovereign]

I'd recommend the Omega Speedmaster. It has time, a chronograph for timing things down to the tenth of a second, a tachemetre for tracking repeated tasks. You can get versions with a date window as well.

Need a GPS? Look around - that's where you are.
Need an HRM? Place finger on wrist.

You never need to replace a battery, because it's manually wound. It's safe for a surface swim if a river crossing goes poorly, and more importantly is proven to work on the moon.

The thing has been kicking posterior since 1957, so you know they stand up. Plus, if you need to spend $200 on a replacement i-whatever say every two years, the Speedmaster would be much less costly over its lifetime. It doesn't go in the landfill when you're done with it; people hope for the right to buy it from you.

It also looks a lot better on the wrist. Case closed.

[old fat man]

I have an Amazfit Bip. Does all the above except connect to external HRM. Best parts? Less than $70 and battery life is 30+ days between charges unless you use GPS recording every day. Also very light, water proof, and durable.

[dpdan93]

Originally Posted by GonaSovereign

I'd recommend the Omega Speedmaster. It has time, a chronograph for timing things down to the tenth of a second, a tachemetre for tracking repeated tasks. You can get versions with a date window as well.

Need a GPS? Look around - that's where you are.
Need an HRM? Place finger on wrist.

You never need to replace a battery, because it's manually wound. It's safe for a surface swim if a river crossing goes poorly, and more importantly is proven to work on the moon.

The thing has been kicking posterior since 1957, so you know they stand up. Plus, if you need to spend $200 on a replacement i-whatever say every two years, the Speedmaster would be much less costly over its lifetime. It doesn't go in the landfill when you're done with it; people hope for the right to buy it from you.

It also looks a lot better on the wrist. Case closed.

I like this guy

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by GonaSovereign

I'd recommend the Omega Speedmaster. It has time, a chronograph for timing things down to the tenth of a second, a tachemetre for tracking repeated tasks. You can get versions with a date window as well.

Need a GPS? Look around - that's where you are.
Need an HRM? Place finger on wrist.

You never need to replace a battery, because it's manually wound. It's safe for a surface swim if a river crossing goes poorly, and more importantly is proven to work on the moon.

The thing has been kicking posterior since 1957, so you know they stand up. Plus, if you need to spend $200 on a replacement i-whatever say every two years, the Speedmaster would be much less costly over its lifetime. It doesn't go in the landfill when you're done with it; people hope for the right to buy it from you.

It also looks a lot better on the wrist. Case closed.

Well said altho like this 'un more better...only $19,000 or so new...YIKES...

[denapista]

Garmin Fenix line of watches or Suunto watches.
I think both of those brands are having huge sales.
I wanted everything you described, and my Garmin Fenix 3 has been solid!

[dpdan93]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Well said altho like this 'un more better...only $19,000 or so new...YIKES...

White dials are well north of 20k now... yikes is right


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fbhidy]

Originally Posted by Gummee

Garmin 9XX watches do that. I'm pretty sure the 7XX series do too, but I don't have one of those

M

I have the 735xt and wear it daily as well as use it as my cycling 'computer'.

It absolutely does all of the things you're asking of it plus more.

What it doesn't do (well or at all) for me (but you aren't asking about) is:
1) doesn't let me know when the battery is getting low (I end up checking it the night before any big rides, though it has died on me once or twice.)
2) maps suck
3) importing routes is a chore, see #2

The good:
1) Works great as an everyday watch
2) smart notification can be enabled/disabled by individual phone app (text=yes, facebook=no, etc)
3) battery life is multiple days (5+ depending on what you have turned on)
4) ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity is pretty good, better than my wife's Samsung Gear (not the original, not the latest, but not sure which model.)

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by GonaSovereign

I'd recommend the Omega Speedmaster. It has time, a chronograph for timing things down to the tenth of a second, a tachemetre for tracking repeated tasks. You can get versions with a date window as well.

Need a GPS? Look around - that's where you are.
Need an HRM? Place finger on wrist.

You never need to replace a battery, because it's manually wound. It's safe for a surface swim if a river crossing goes poorly, and more importantly is proven to work on the moon.

The thing has been kicking posterior since 1957, so you know they stand up. Plus, if you need to spend $200 on a replacement i-whatever say every two years, the Speedmaster would be much less costly over its lifetime. It doesn't go in the landfill when you're done with it; people hope for the right to buy it from you.

It also looks a lot better on the wrist. Case closed.

If you map out that cost over time of ownership, I'd be curious when those lines converge, what with the chrono service running $750-$800 from Omega every 5 years or so. On top of the $5k for the watch now.

[dpdan93]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

If you map out that cost over time of ownership, I'd be curious when those lines converge, what with the chrono service running $750-$800 from Omega every 5 years or so. On top of the $5k for the watch now.

I wouldn't advise anybody to buy a speedy pro new from a dealer with their depreciation. Early 2000s models can be had for 3ish which at that point I think the curve has flattened. Probably couldn't sell whatever smart watch you buy for close to what to you pay for it in a few years, and in decades from now they'll be utterly worthless