Top 10 Best Wearable Tech Gadgets 2020
Are you a technology enthusiast who wants to play with the latest gadgets? Do you want to track your fitness routine, analyze your sleep patterns or check your smartphone notifications without taking it out of your pocket? Wearable technology is catching up fast and with a growing ecosystem of devices already present, wearable gadgets definitely are here to stay.
Wearable technology is fairly new and constitutes a variety of gadgets. Step monitor, heart rate tracker and fitness bands were the first ones to create a market for wearable technology. Of late, major players like Apple, Motorola and Sony have entered into the wearable tech space by introducing smartwatch. In this article we look at the best wearable tech devices available and help you choose the one best suited to your requirements.
What to Consider for Wearable Tech
Wearable devices come for as less as $30 and the upper limit can go beyond $500. Different gadgets have different functions so rather than paying through the roof for a device that does everything (and then never using it again), we recommend you to answer the following questions:
- What for do I need a wearable device?
- What features am I likely to require in future?
- Do I have a smartphone and other devices running on same platform?
- How many devices do I need to connect with it?
- Do you plan to track your fitness regime, track your phone’s notifications, monitor your heart rate and count the steps you walk in a day, or something else?
If you’re rushed for time, we have handpicked some of the best wearable tech gadgets you can trust in the following chart:
Top 10 Wearable Tech Devices Ranking
| Picture | Name | Type | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Apple Watch 38mm Aluminum Case Sport with White Sport Band | Watch | $$$$ | 4.6 |
 | 2. LG Watch Urbane Wearable Smart Watch - Silver | Watch | $$$ | 4.4 |
 | 3. LG Electronics G Watch - Retail Packaging - Black | Watch | $ | 4.4 |
 | 4. Motorola Moto 360 - Black Leather Smart Watch | Watch | $$ | 4.3 |
 | 5. UP2 by Jawbone Activity + Sleep Tracker, Oat Spectrum, Lightweight Thin Straps | Fitness Tracker | $ | 4.2 |
 | 6. Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS-Enabled Unisex Sport Watch | Fitness Watch | $ | 4.1 |
 | 7. Pebble Steel Smartwatch Stainless | Watch | $$ | 4.1 |
 | 8. Samsung Gear 2 Neo Smartwatch - Black (US Warranty) | Watch | $$ | 4.1 |
 | 9. Fitbit Charge HR Wireless Activity Wristband | Fitness Tracker | $$ | 4.0 |
 | 10. Nike+ Fuelband SE | Fitness Band | $$$ | 3.8 |
Purchase Information
Given the abundance of wearable devices available, picking the right one is a big task. It gets more difficult because these devices have not been around long enough to get first hand reviews from a trusted user base. Looking at the following parameters will be a good place to start your selection:
- Design. How appealing is it? How easily can the display be read? You want your device to be robust enough, given the occasional brush your wrist will experience from time to time.
- Phone Connectivity. A Bluetooth enabled phone, preferably with Bluetooth 4.0, is essential for connecting it wirelessly with a wearable device. Also, your phone and its Operating System need to be compatible with the gadget you buy.
- Water Resistance. If you plan to swim or shower after the gym with your device on, make sure it is water proof, else you’ll end up with an expensive paperweight.
- Battery Life. Fitness bands are usually expected to last a week on single charge, though there aren’t a lot of devices passing that benchmark. For a watch, 2-3 days of running time is what you should be looking at.
- Compatibility With Apps. You’ll hardly find a device that works well with all apps across all Operating Systems. If you plan to use a specific set of apps and they are available only for Android or iOS, make sure your device is built on the same platform and connects well with your phone.
- Voice Control: Though not absolutely essential, it is a nice to have feature. If the gadget you wear can follow voice commands instead of requiring touch/button push all the time, it makes operation easy and fun.
3 Best Wearable Tech Devices Reviews
1. Apple Watch 38mm
Apple has been really careful in adding new products to its portfolio. So, when they do it, you take notice and as has been the case with iPod, iPad and the iPhone, the watch has successfully challenged a number of then existing wearable devices. It inherits from Apple’s rich tradition of polished, premium design and attracts attention.
Coming to performance, base of the watch has heart rate sensor which is like oxygen for fitness enthusiasts. The screen has packed a lot into a small display without feeling crowded. It syncs wonderfully with your iPhone. Default view is that of a watch. You can swipe downwards to check notifications and you can swipe up to check Glances (iOS’ Notification Centre widgets), which houses everything from your music to your weather details.
Before you get your hands around it, take note that it cannot be your first Apple device. An app would run on watch only if it is there on the iPhone.
2. LG Watch Urbane
When you buy a smartwatch, you want it to work with as many devices as possible so that it doesn’t become obsolete if you change your phone. If you are already in the Android ecosystem this is a high value product as it will work with most devices that run on Android 4.3 or later. Android has a wide variety of fitness apps to choose from and its heart rate monitor syncs well with them.
If your phone is out of Bluetooth range, it automatically connects with it via Wi Fi to get notifications. Wearable tech is still evolving and almost every smartwatch needs to be charged in the evening if you use it extensively during the day. In this scenario, Urbane works really well as it can go two days on full charge. Round face stainless steel styling with a tinge of gold or silver looks classic and smart, which means it will turn heads anywhere.
3. LG Electronics G Watch
If you are new to the wearable ecosystem and want a taste of it without shelling out too much, LG’s G watch is a good place to start. It is slim and lightweight so you can comfortably wear it all day. Powered by Android Wear, it uses Bluetooth 4.0 to automatically sync with your android devices running on version 4.3 or higher.
It easily follows “OK Google” commands and lasts a day on single charge. It organizes the information you need and delivers it on the screen, right when you need it. 4 GB of built in storage makes it easy to install multiple apps and associated data. All in all, a good wearable option in budget that gets the job done.
