Choosing the best smartwatches for battery life is very subjective. A true smartwatch with apps and smartwatch will rarely last more than a few days. I can point you to dozens of fitness watches that last a week or more. Some watches ditch AMOLED for MIP and solar panels to extend their battery lives across months of use. But many of you won't want to make these compromises.
I've tested dozens of watches across brands, and personally prefer watches that last for long stretches between charges. That said, some people need Wear OS or WatchOS smarts, and so this guide will point to smartwatches that strike the battery-smarts balance.
We'll also find you those smartwatches that will let you take an entire vacation or mountain hike without needing to pack a charging cable, focusing both on daily battery life and GPS battery life. Which smartwatches offer the best battery life? Here’s a round-up.
Michael Hicks is Android Central's resident smartwatch geek, having reviewed or tested dozens of wearables from Samsung, Google, Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, Coros, Polar, Withings, Amazfit, and others. He spends his free time running or hiking while wearing several watches at once, testing which is most accurate.
At a glance
Best overall
Our top pick can only go to a watch that can technically last indefinitely so long as you get enough daily sunlight. The Instinct 2X Solar is rugged, packed with Garmin training smarts, and a built-in flashlight.
Best Wear OS
The OnePlus Watch 2 only lasts four days, but that's twice as long as other Wear OS watches, and you get smarts like third-party apps, Google Assistant commands, and text replies that fitness watches can't offer. It can even last 12 days in its power saver mode.
Best budget
You can go for a two-week vacation with this tracker and leave the charger at home. It's limited to basic health and sleep data, plus some useful fitness insights, but it's very affordable compared to the rest.
Best hybrid
Hybrid watches aren't known for their software smarts; don't expect much beyond simple notification pop-ups. But it has extremely insightful health data, a classic design, and a month-long capacity per charge.
Best premium
Consistently lasting three days with AOD active, the Watch Ultra is on the pricey side but has the best Android watch software, better health and fitness tools, and four years of promised updates to help it last a while.
Best longevity
If battery life is your main concern, you won't find another watch that matches its insane 320 GPS hours or three months per charge thanks to its solar tech. Beyond that, its software is much more advanced than the Instinct 2X Solar.
Best overall
Our top pick doesn't actually have "Unlimited" battery life, especially if you use plenty of dual-band GPS or the built-in flashlight. But thanks to its efficient solar panel and low-res MIP display, the Garmin Instinct 2X Solar will offset all the notifications, continuous health tracking, and short GPS bursts if you spend a few hours outdoors every day. If not, you'll still have a strong 40-day baseline.
I gave the Instinct 2X Solar a glowing review, not merely because its battery life was "head and shoulders above any other GPS watch I've ever tested," but because it has most of the same training tools as my favorite Forerunners like training load/readiness, HRV stress data, sleep analysis, and recovery time estimates. It's extremely useful for training, both during the day and at night (thanks to the flashlight).
Other MIP Garmin watches do better, like the Garmin Enduro 3 (see below) or Fenix 8 Solar, or come close with more useable AMOLED tech. But the Instinct 2X Solar costs about half as much as these premium models, and I'm focused on keeping our best battery picks as accessible as possible.
On that note, I considered the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar for this spot, simply because it costs $100 less and still has "Unlimited" battery on top of a 28-day baseline — and it's more comfortably compact. But when you compare the Instinct 2 vs 2X, the more-efficient solar panel, dual-band GPS, and more readable MIP display make the 2X the best choice.
Alternative pick: Aside from the Instinct 2 Solar, I've tested and enjoyed using the COROS VERTIX 2S, which also lasts 40 days per charge and beats it for dual-band GPS hours (43 vs. 36) despite having a higher-res, full-color MIP display. It won't recharge in sunlight, but it still lasts a long time!
| Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | You won't find many "unlimited" recharging watches like this | ★★★★★ |
| Display | Very readable outdoors, but low-res and limited by two-window design | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Design | Ruggedness and cool outdoorsy feel, though some will prefer the smaller Instinct 2 | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | Expensive compared to mainstream watches, cheap compared to other Garmin solar watches | ★★★☆☆ |
| Software | Excellent for fitness tools, but missing mainstream smarts and high-end Garmin tricks, and rather slow CPU | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Health | Excellent accuracy for standard metrics and all-day SpO2 data, but no ECG or skin temp | ★★★☆☆ |
| Fitness | Will absolutely help you improve as an athlete, with no subscription required | ★★★★☆ |
Best Wear OS
A long-lived Apple or Android watch is relative. A typical Galaxy or Pixel Watch lasts about 48 hours in ideal conditions, while the OnePlus Watch 2 lasts about 72 to 96 hours depending on your settings and how active you are with apps. Almost any fitness watch does better, but the Watch 2 is an excellent, efficient option if you need proper smarts.
It lasts longer than the competition because it uses the Wear OS Hybrid Interface, which relegates background tasks like notifications and health tracking to the low-powered coprocessor to save battery life. Every Wear OS watch has this tech, but OnePlus uses its own RTOS for these tasks, and it's more efficient for whatever reason. That helps it hit an ideal 100 hours, or about 72 hours with AOD enabled according to our OnePlus Watch 2 reviewer.
There's also a Power Saver mode that extends the battery life to 12 days, but since it disables most of the smarts that make the Watch 2 worth picking over a fitness watch — from the Wear OS apps and Google Assistant to health tracking — you probably won't get much use out of it. What matters more is its speedy VOOC charging, which tops off the 500mAh battery in an hour or less.
I personally reviewed and liked the cheaper OnePlus Watch 2R variant, which has the same hardware, battery, and software but a lighter, less rugged design. Either could have taken this slot, and I'll admit I prefer the 2R, but finding a long-lasting watch isn't just about battery life: the Watch 2's stainless steel and MIL-STD-810H rating for durability will make it more appealing.
Alternative: I also considered the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, a Wear OS watch with the same four-day smart mode and an impressive 45-day "Essential mode" that uses a dim backlit display to last longer. But I chose the Watch 2 because the TicWatch series takes years to receive updates, while OnePlus is due to offer two OS updates and three years of security updates, so it'll stand the test of time.
| Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Consistently long-lasting thanks to hybrid OS | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | Large and high-res, average brightness, no smaller size option | ★★★☆☆ |
| Design | MIL-STD-810H and attractive design, wish it had a smaller size option | ★★★☆☆ |
| Price | Excellent price for what it offers, though the Watch 2R is even cheaper | ★★★★☆ |
| Software | Wear OS with promised software support, Google Assistant, third-party apps | ★★★★☆ |
| Health | Missing the essentials, could be better on accuracy | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Fitness | Accurate dual-band GPS, but lacking on training tools and metrics | ★★☆☆☆ |
Best budget
When it comes to fitness trackers — aka pseudo-smartwatches — it's unclear whether they belong on this list or not, but they last one or two weeks per charge and cost significantly less than true smartwatches. For some people looking for the best battery life, something like the $50 Amazfit Band 7 is exactly what they want.
Having reviewed this back in 2022, I'm still hoping Amazfit sells a newer model someday, but the Band 7 still holds up to scrutiny. It technically lasts 18 days per charge but will probably hit 12 days with regular tracking and notifications. Like most Amazfit trackers, it has over 120 sports modes ranging from popular to obscure. It has continuous heart rate, stress, and blood oxygen tracking, and basic notification pop-ups.
Despite being so cheap, the Band 7 has fitness insights you'd find on fancier watches like VO2 Max, training load/effect, and recovery time. The PAI score summarizes your training data and tells you if you're on track to improve (or lose fitness) as an athlete. I appreciated getting these insights, even if the Band 7 missed out on useful tools like built-in GPS or non-touchscreen controls.
Alternatives: We haven't reviewed the recent Xiaomi Smart Band 9, which just launched globally this summer, but it has a 1.62-inch AMOLED, a Vitality points system similar to PAI, and up to 21 days of battery life, all for about the same price.
| Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Impressive longevity in a compact device | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | Surprisingly large and bright for a tracker | ★★★☆☆ |
| Design | Not especially attractive or rugged, pretty basic | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Price | Can't be much cheaper, but doesn't feel excessively cheap | ★★★★★ |
| Software | Limited on smarts aside from some basic apps, no GPS | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Health | Gives you continuous data on the essentials | ★★★☆☆ |
| Fitness | Surprisingly in-depth training guidance, though not as on-point as other picks | ★★★☆☆ |
Best hybrid
I'm currently reviewing the Withings ScanWatch 2, but even though I haven't written up my thoughts yet, it's not hard to summarize my thoughts. It barely uses any battery per day, it tracks a ton of health data, and it keeps things simple, using its tiny OLED display portion to show a little information at a time.
Many of the best smartwatches for battery life are, to put it bluntly, ugly; they're basic squircles or thick plastic behemoths. The ScanWatch 2 isn't what you'd call light, but its stainless steel chassis and traditional watch hands have an old-timey appeal. It blends in as a more traditional watch, so you can wear it and forget about it.
During its 30-day battery span, you'll get data on your heart rate, heart rhythm, blood oxygen, breathing rate, sleep quality, and skin temperature, with FDA-approved accuracy for its active ECG readings for AFib. Many of our other top picks track the same data, but only the ScanWatch 2 has 24/7 skin temp data for health insights.
You may not hit 30 days exactly if you regularly work out (because of the always-active display) or enable every health tracking tool like blood oxygen, but you'll get darn close.
Alternative: The Garmin Instinct Crossover has a traditional fitness watch look with hands that move to the 3-9 spots to make room for notifications, and it lasts 28 days (or 70 if you pay for solar) per charge. That said, we have plenty of thick, data-packed watches on this list, so I figured Withings offered better variety.
| Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Good efficiency for a hybrid watch | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | Barely counts as a display, but it clearly displays notifications and apps | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Design | People will love the Classic steel aesthetic and crown | ★★★★★ |
| Price | About average compared to mainstream smartwatches; you may want the monthly sub | ★★★☆☆ |
| Software | Doesn't really have any; it's a hybrid! | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Health | All of the accurate health data you could want, pairs with your smart scale | ★★★★★ |
| Fitness | No built-in GPS, has some basic sport modes and Withings+ workouts | ★★☆☆☆ |
Best premium
Although the OnePlus Watch 2 has the battery life you crave, it may not have the polished software you want. Google may develop first-party Wear OS, but Samsung's One UI Watch spinoff is the most popular Android watch option, with the promise of four years of software version updates adding new tricks every year. The Galaxy Watch Ultra, with its three-to-four days of battery life, military-grade ruggedness, and software perks, is the better device.
Having reviewed the Galaxy Watch Ultra, I'm very impressed by its speedy performance, powered by a 3nm Exynos CPU that's more efficient than most watch chips; it loads apps in a snap, but without burning through battery. It also has the upside of dual-band GPS and heart rate data that did impressively well in my fitness testing.
At launch, the Galaxy Watch Ultra battery didn't impress me, but it was because of launch software issues draining the battery. Since Samsung fixed the problem, it consistently lasts three days with AOD active, barely using any battery during sleep tracking or when idle on my wrist. It's not a perfect device, but it certainly feels like a flagship watch.
You'll appreciate the 3,000-nit display (only matched by the Apple Watch Ultra 2), the voice assistant commands, and the third button for quick fitness app shortcuts.
Alternative: iOS users have an obvious alternative in the Apple Watch Ultra 2, since Samsung borrowed heavily from it when designing its own Ultra. Still, that watch will barely last two days, giving Samsung the edge. For Android users, I'll point back to the OnePlus Watch 2.
| Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Longer-lasting than most mainstream watches | ★★★★☆ |
| Display | Large, vivid, and smooth display; only comes in one size | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | Durable and stylish, though heavy and lacks buttons/crown of other picks | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | Look for a trade-in deal, as this is quite expensive | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Software | Four years of Wear OS, Google Assistant, third-party apps | ★★★★★ |
| Health | Highly respected Samsung Health metrics with no subscription | ★★★★☆ |
| Fitness | Comparable GPS and HR accuracy to Garmin watch in tests; may be uncomfortable for sleep tracking; no training plans | ★★★☆☆ |
Best longevity
If you clicked on our guide of the best smartwatches for battery life and cared solely about the raw battery numbers, then the Garmin Enduro 3 is the watch for you. It can last an absurd three months per charge with daily solar recharges, or just as long indoors in battery saver mode. You might "only" get a couple of months if you regularly use dual-band GPS tracking, but it's still in a different league from any other watch.
While I technically haven't tested the Garmin Enduro 3 yet, I'm in the midst of testing the Fenix 8, which launched at the same time and has most of the same software. Both are flagship Garmin models that share most of the same software perks.
It has built-in TopoActive maps for exploring national parks, with NextFork telling you what trailheads are ahead and a new "dynamic round trip routing" tool that helps you pick the right trail loop to get home on time, all visible mid-hike on your wrist. You can even subscribe to fancier Outdoor+ maps for satellite imagery. It's still an MIP display, so it saves on battery and looks fantastic in direct sunlight (where it'll recharge energy as you trek).
With the Enduro, you get all of the perks of the high-end Garmin Forerunner 965, but with 90 dual-band GPS hours instead of 19. You also get unique sport insights for activities like golf, back-country skiing, surfing, and cycling that many won't need but some will really benefit from. Of course, all its "smarts" are fitness-related; you won't get an assistant, calling, or third-party apps.
Alternative: The Enduro 3 is on the costly side, so look for older generations of Enduro or Fenix that might lose a month or two of battery but still last plenty long for most. The Fenix 8 Solar comes in more sizes, has a built-in mic & speaker, and looks more stylish. If you're looking for a long-lived MIP option from another brand besides Garmin, I'll point again toward COROS.
| Attribute | Quick look | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Top-class for standard and solar battery | ★★★★★ |
| Display | If you don't mind MIP, this gives you all the space you need | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | Comfortable weight, titanium bezel, useful buttons | ★★★★☆ |
| Price | Only accessible to well-off athletes | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Software | Missing some of the Fenix 8's tricks | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Health | Accurate and in-depth data like Body Battery and ECG readings | ★★★★☆ |
| Fitness | All of the training tools you could ever want | ★★★★★ |
Honorable mentions
I recommended alternatives throughout this guide because battery life is just one consideration when choosing a smartwatch. Some might do better for battery but worse in other areas. So along with the picks above, I'm including a few alternate selections I've personally tested and whole-heartedly recommend.
Affordable MIP excellence
One of the best running watches out there, the COROS PACE 3 lasts 15 days with continuous heart and stress readings, or 38 hours of GPS tracking. It has advanced EvoLab training metrics and at 30g weighs about a third what many of our top picks weigh, making it extremely comfortable. If you don't want to spend much and want an MIP watch, this is my first recommendation.
Up to 45 days* with Wear OS
As I mentioned above, there are three Wear OS watches that consistently last at least three days, and the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro was the odd-watch out. It finally received the Wear OS 4 update after a long wait, but isn't likely to receive any others, but as is, this is a marathoner of a watch that can technically last over a month if you disable its smarts and AMOLED display for a simple backlit backup.
For Apple fans
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, like the Galaxy Watch Ultra, combines premium specs with a premium price. 36 hours is barely a blip compared to, say, an Enduro 3, but it's twice as long as the Apple Watch Series 10, so if you can afford it, why not pay so you don't have to charge it more than once a day? In my review, it excelled for HR and GPS accuracy, and tended to last a little longer than Apple's estimate.
No solar required for power
This heavy, expensive watch doesn't have the hook of solar recharging, but on its own merits, it'll last 36 days with HR and HRV checks, or up to 118 hours of GPS tracking. You'll rarely find any smartwatch hitting those numbers. This watch is designed with serious climbers or skiiers in mind, people who need a rugged watch that won't quit across long excursions.
Comparing battery life across brands
Our guide is focused on the best smartwatches for battery life, which means focusing on other aspects besides longevity. If you're mainly interested in finding specific data on battery life, and want more options than what we've tested for ourselves, the tables below will help you choose what you need.
First, we'll break down the longest-lasting MIP and AMOLED watches, split off into their own tables. Many runners prefer the longevity of MIP tech, while others prefer the visual upgrade of AMOLED and don't mind losing some battery life for it.
Our tables focus on the best battery watch options for each brand or subbrand, rather than listing out dozens of options.
| Watch | Daily battery / with solar | GPS / with solar | Dual-band GPS / with solar |
|---|---|---|---|
| COROS APEX 2 Pro | 24 days | 66 hours | 24 hours |
| COROS PACE 3 | 17 days | 38 hours | 15 hours |
| COROS VERTIX 2S | 40 days | 118 hours | 43 hours |
| Garmin Enduro 3 | 36 / 90 days | 120 / 320 hours | 60 / 90 hours |
| Garmin fenix 8 51mm Solar | 30 / 48 days | 95 / 149 hours | 52 / 65 hours |
| Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar | 15 / 20 days | 42 / 49 hours | 20 / 22 hours |
| Garmin Instinct 2X Solar | 40 days / "Unlimited" | 60 / 145 hours | 27 / 36 hours |
| Polar Pacer Pro | 7 days | 35 hours | N/A |
| Brand | Daily battery life | GPS battery life | Dual-band GPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitbit Sense 2 | 6 days | 5 hours | N/A |
| Garmin fenix 8 51mm AMOLED | 29 days | 84 hours | 62 hours |
| Garmin Forerunner 965 | 23 days | 31 hours | 19 hours |
| Garmin Venu 3 | 14 days | 26 hours | N/A |
| Garmin Vivoactive 5 | 11 days | 21 hours | N/A |
| Polar Vantage V3 | 10 days | Unknown | 43 hours |
| Suunto Race | 16 days | 65 hours | 50 hours |
| Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro | 14 days | Unknown | Unknown |
We're also listing out mainstream watches that we've specifically tested or reviewed, and can recommend on its own merits unrelated to battery life. You can decide what battery life number is good enough for your needs!
| Watch name | Daily battery life | Power Saver | GPS battery life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch S series | 18 hours | 36 hours | 7 hours |
| Apple Watch Ultra 2 | 36 hours | 72 hours | 12 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 | 40-48 hours | ~72 hours | Unknown |
| Google Pixel Watch 3 45mm | 48 hours | ~72 hours | ~10 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra | 72 hours | 100 hours | 13 hours |
| OnePlus Watch 2 / 2R | 72 hours | 12 days | Unknown |
| Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro | 90 hours | 45 days | Unknown |
How to choose
How to choose between the best smartwatches for battery life
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When deciding on the best smartwatches for battery life, your first consideration should be this: MIP or AMOLED? More fitness watch brands are transitioning to AMOLED because they're brighter, more efficient, and less likely to burn in than they were in the past, and because they want to compete with mainstream watches. But the old guard still prefers MIP, which is lower-res and looks worse indoors but is much more readable outdoors in most conditions. I prefer AMOLED, even if it means shorter battery life; you'll have to decide if you agree or disagree.
If you choose MIP, decide whether or not you need a solar panel. The Garmin Instinct 2X Solar or Enduro 3 might sound appealing, but if you don't get frequent, direct sunlight for the watch to pick up on, you won't actually have "unlimited" battery. And if you work out daily with dual-band GPS tracking, the watch won't be able to refill its battery quickly enough. You may want to choose a watch that skips the pretense and just lasts a long time on its own merits.
If you choose AMOLED, the next decision is obvious: do you want a smartwatch or fitness watch? Among the best Android smartwatches, most Wear OS models last no longer than four days, whereas even short-lived Fitbit watches last six days and Garmins last a couple of weeks. Do you want to lose functionality in exchange for battery peace of mind?
I can't answer those questions for you! Hopefully, I've given you enough information to decide on your own.
