Having GPS in smartwatches has become a pretty common practise these days, but that alone doesn't always guarantee accurate positioning. Dense foliage and tall structures can easily throw a watch's GPS data way off, leading to inaccurate tracking. If you're serious about your workouts, then you need something more precise than just GPS alone.
That's why the best smartwatches for GPS precision offer multi-system GNSS or multi-band GPS. There's also "All-systems GNSS" which pulls data from multiple satellite systems. This way, one can substitute its data if the other gets blocked. "Dual-frequency GPS" is incredibly accurate because it uses the original L1 satellites and the newer, and more accurate L5 satellites with a protected aeronautic frequency and faster signal error correction.
We have tested all the picks listed below and can assure you that they are not simply smartwatches with improved accuracy on paper. We have included the most accurate models at the top and rare fitness trackers with onboard GPS.
These are the best GPS smartwatches for location accuracy and mapping
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The most accurate GPS smartwatch
Aside from being our top pick for the best running watches, the Forerunner 265 supports All-Systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS. Our reviewer found its post-workout maps extremely accurate in areas where foliage and buildings thwart GPS-only watches. It lasts 16 hours in SatIQ mode, switching to dual-frequency when the signal weakens, but otherwise uses battery-saving GPS.
Most affordable dual-frequency
The COROS PACE 3 costs a mere $230, lasts a day longer than the Forerunner 965, and offers 15 hours of dual-frequency GPS or 25 hours of "all-systems" mode that uses five GNSSs at once (most watches only use two at a time). It's a fantastic deal, and despite the accuracy not being at the same level as the Garmin Forerunner series during testing, it's still highly accurate compared to most other brands.
Best affordable accuracy
Even though the COROS PACE 3 wins on paper, the Garmin Forerunner 165 — which only offers 17 hours of all-systems GNSS mode and lacks some features like training load — beat the PACE 3 in a GPS accuracy test for both a traditional run and a track run. It's not quite as precise as the 265, but the Forerunner 165 costs $200 less and is accurate enough that everyday runners should be satisfied with the outcomes.
Hardcore fitness for iPhones
You'll rarely find dual-frequency GPS on a traditional smartwatch. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the exception, with 12 hours of dual-frequency tracking that's auto-corrected behind the scenes with Apple Maps data and a nationwide database of tracks; in our accuracy testing, the smartwatch did exceptionally well. The 36-hour battery life may be disappointing, but the ultra-bright squircle display and apps mitigate it.
Same tech, better battery, and maps
The Garmin Forerunner 965 has the same perks as the 265 for a slightly higher price but lasts 19 hours in dual-frequency GPS mode and an extra 10 days in smartwatch mode. Unlike the Forerunner 265, it also comes with pre-downloaded topographical maps, so you can hike and look ahead to trailheads instead of downloading GPX files. Our Forerunner 965 vs. 265 guide runs through the other essential differences.
Runner-up for best GPS accuracy
The COROS PACE Pro is a great option for the price. Its 1.3-inch AMOLED display produces excellent colors, has an impressive 1,500-nit brightness, and has a dual-frequency GPS. You can also create custom routes thanks to landscape and topographical maps in the COROS app. The PACE Pro wins in accuracy over options such as the Amazfit, which wasn't very accurate.
Best watch for GPS and battery life
Most AMOLED watches can't use dual-frequency GPS for long because it needs a ton of power before draining the battery. The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar uses its massive battery, low-energy display, and solar panel to last 36 hours in multi-band mode. Outside of workouts, it can last an "unlimited" amount of time in low-energy modes if you spend enough time outside and don't use the built-in flashlight too much.
Best Android watch for GPS accuracy
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is undoubtedly the best Wear OS watch, beating rivals such as the Pixel Watch 3. It has a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 432 x 432. It has an exciting upgrade with its dual-band GPS, which triangulates your position using various satellites to avoid obstacles such as mountains, foliage, and buildings. Samsung also adds 32GB of storage, Energy Score, and AI-powered suggested replies.
Your Android "pro" option
On this list, we've mostly emphasized fitness watches over traditional Android watches. The Galaxy Watch Ultra supports dual-band GPS, and its accuracy is at the level of a Garmin watch. The Galaxy smartwatch gave more than 60 hours of runtime on one charge, which is higher than Samsung's claim. You can also download offline GPS maps if you don't have a signal for Google Maps.
Want a fitness tracker with built-in GPS? Try one of these!
Our favorite fitness tracker
One of the rare fitness trackers with built-in GPS, the Fitbit Charge 6 is about as accurate as your typical GPS-only device. It relies on your smartphone tracking data to correct it in "Dynamic GPS" mode. The lack of an altimeter for elevation data and some reported antenna issues make it more difficult to advise for running. Still, it does exceptionally well in other areas like heart rate data and is very affordable.
Basically a mini-smartwatch
We're including this on our list of fitness trackers with high-precision sensors to monitor your workouts and overall health precisely. The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 has sensors to monitor continuous blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, breathing training, and female health management. You can choose from over 150 sports modes, such as recovery time, training results, etc.
Last-gen favorite
The Fitbit Charge 5 isn't something we recommend buying anymore, now that the Charge 6 has supplanted it, but if you can find a refurbished one for cheap, it essentially has the same design and features as the newer model, including built-in GPS. Otherwise, the fact that we're including it here should clue you in to how rare built-in GPS is for petite fitness bands.
Deciding how much GPS accuracy you actually need
We've described all the distinct watches with All-Systems GNSS or dual-frequency/ multi-band GPS, but do you need those? Or is simple GPS data all you need? Well, it depends on where you typically work out.
All-Systems mode uses two or more satellite systems at once. Still, this benefit depends on how well alternative systems like GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, or QDZZ perform in your area. Garmin says multiple GNSSs help with "increased performance in challenging environments and faster position acquisition than using GPS only," while COROS recommends it for these areas: "city near tall buildings, neighborhoods with significant tree canopies or mountainous/hilly terrain." This is a helpful perk, but you're still liable to deal with reflecting location signals.
Dual-frequency mode offers the most precise data you can get because it tracks you across L1 and L5 multi-directional satellite data, so if one signal is blocked, you can still count on the other to pick up the slack. Garmin says this delivers "more consistent track logs, improved positioning, improved multi-path errors, and fewer atmospheric errors." COROS recommends it for "rock/ice climbing sheer rock faces in narrow canyons, hiking deep within forests, in between mountain peaks, or near sheer cliff drop-offs such as the Grand Canyon."
In other words, you might not need dual-frequency tracking unless you find yourself in harsh conditions, but it's certainly nice to have, and it generally offers better tracking even if you live somewhere totally flat. On the other hand, this mode also consumes the most battery life, so you must consider which GPS smartwatch will last long enough for your needs.
As for trackers, most of our favorite fitness trackers rely on connected GPS, meaning you need your phone nearby to track your workouts. Most phones have pretty accurate location data on par with what you'd get with a GPS-only smartwatch, so a fitness tracker or watch with built-in GPS lets you run without a phone but doesn't necessarily give you a vast accuracy boost. Only with All-Systems or dual-frequency will you get the best possible performance, which means choosing a bulky fitness watch over a tracker.
