8 (Android) Wear OS Watches to Buy and Avoid

Android Wear watches have always been more fashion-forward than your average smartwatch, but they're otherwise unimpressive. The devices lack the powerful processors and advanced fitness-tracking features offered by Apple's watchOS platform.

Google rebranded Android Wear as Wear OS in March and has rolled out a new version of the operating system that brings fitness features and notifications within easier reach. (Here are all of the fixes coming to Wear OS). Wear OS watches can be used with both Android and iOS devices, which is a plus, but their apps and fitness features are limited compared with Apple's lineup of watches. Our current pick for the best smartwatch for Android users is Samsung's Galaxy Watch, which runs on Samsung's Tizen OS smartwatch platform, not on Wear OS, and lasts up to four days on a charge.

If you're in the market for a Wear OS smartwatch, you may be better off waiting until this fall, when the first devices with Qualcomm's next-gen 3100 smartwatch chip roll are rumored to roll out. But if you want to give Google's platform a try now, here are the Wear OS watches to buy (and the ones you should avoid).

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Samsung and Apple are going all in with health and fitness features for their smartwatches, but Wear OS devices have lagged behind. Fossil's new Q Control is the first Android smartwatch I love to wear while working out. You can use Google's preinstalled Fit Workout app to track exercise or download an app such as Strava or Runkeeper from the Google Play Store on the watch. The Q Control is also swim-proof, and you can track pool workouts with MySwimPro. The downside: The Q Control has a slow processor, which caused apps to load slowly and crash suddenly. But for $275, this is a solid watch that works with both iOS and Android and can easily transition from the gym to the office. It's one of the few Wear OS watches worth buying.

Size: 45 mm
Battery life: One day
Heart rate? Yes
Built-in GPS? No
LTE? No

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The Ticwatch E is a simple, fitness-focused Wear OS watch that impresses with built-in GPS and GLONASS for more accurate run tracking. It offers the usual features, though, as with all Wear OS devices, you'll get more from pairing it with an Android phone than an iPhone, because then you can answer calls and texts from the watch. The Ticwatch doesn't have an LTE connection, so it relays those calls and texts from your phone.

I preferred the more affordable Ticwatch E ($159) to the slightly more expensive S ($199), because its design is cleaner. The E comes in three colors: black, white and bright yellow-green. When I showed the black version I was testing to an anti-smartwatch colleague with discerning taste, he said he would actually consider wearing it. (I was shocked.) Unlike cheaper smartwatches, the band on the Ticwatch E was comfortable to wear all day long, and it's also interchangeable for adding a less-sporty look to your smartwatch.

Size: 44 mm
Battery life: About a day
Heart rate? Yes
Built-in GPS? Yes
LTE? No

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Mobvoi's sporty smartwatches were a huge hit on Kickstarter, and for good reason. The $200 Ticwatch S has a more athletic design than the cheaper Ticwatch E ($159). The black version I tested had green numbers around the bezel, more rigid lugs and a chunky piece on the left side that surrounds the Ticwatch's lone button, which is used to call up the watch's list of apps. The Ticwatch S doesn't have interchangeable watch straps because its GPS antenna is built into the band. That also makes the watch larger and less sleek than the Ticwatch E. Mobvoi says its Ticwatch S and E devices last about two days without needing a recharge, but in my experience, it was closer to one.

Size: 45 mm
Battery life: One day
Heart rate? Yes
Built-in GPS? Yes
LTE? No

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If you need a fitness-tracking smartwatch, skip the ZenWatch. But if you want an elegant, endlessly customizable touch-screen timepiece, Asus' third-gen version is a solid option. It's more than just a pretty face: The ZenWatch 3 offers tools to find your missing phone, send an SOS or use your watch as a remote camera. You can see a preview of the scene your phone's camera is aimed at and snap a photo, all from your wrist. The ZenWatch 3's battery life of 28 hours is also solid compared with the runtimes of rival Wear OS devices, which barely last a day.

Size: 45 mm
Battery life: 28 hours
Heart rate? No
Built-in GPS? No
LTE? No

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Skagen's first touchscreen smartwatch is one of the most high-fashion Wear OS devices you can buy right now. But you're paying a lot for good looks, because the $295 Falster doesn't do much. It handles basic Wear OS tasks, such as notifications and step tracking, but it lacks a heart-rate monitor and GPS. Not to mention, the Falster's mesh band is uncomfortable to wear while working out or sleeping. I love how the Falster looks on my wrist, but it needs to be more useful to be more than just a pretty face.

Size: 42 mm
Battery life: One day
Heart rate? No
Built-in GPS? No
LTE? No

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With its GPS, heart-rate sensor and cellular connection, it seemed like LG's Watch Sport would become the Wear OS watch to beat. Unfortunately, the watch's poor battery life and massive size hinder its otherwise pretty stellar features. We loved being able to download apps directly to the watch and get accurate running mileage without a phone nearby, but the Watch Sport can't even make it through a full day on a charge. And its thick frame makes it heavy and uncomfortable to wear. LG is rumored to be working on a new Wear OS watch that takes advantage of Qualcomm's next-gen wearables chip, so hopefully its next attempt will be a winner.

Size: 45.4 mm
Battery life: 16 hours
Heart rate? Yes
Built-in GPS? Yes
LTE? Yes

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Huawei's Watch 2 is a fitness-focused smartwatch that we wanted to love. With decent battery life, even after runs, plus solid activity-tracking features, it seemed like Huawei had cracked the code for Wear OS (then Android Wear). The watch can last three weeks in watch mode, though you'll get a little over a day with active app usage and the GPS turned on for workouts. But it's not the greatest smartwatch, with no LTE in the U.S. and limited apps. There are plenty of other fitness-tracking bands with GPS and heart-rate monitoring that are slimmer, lighter and more affordable.

Size: 45 mm
Battery life: More than a day
Heart rate? Yes
Built-in GPS? Yes
LTE? Not in U.S.

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