Best smartwatches for battery life 2025

One of the most important aspects of a good smartwatch is battery life. No matter how much it can do, if the battery dies often, you aren't going to get the most out of it. Some of the best smartwatches require daily charging, or charging every day and a half. If you can get into the groove of that, you might not mind. But if you want to go for days, even weeks, on a single charge, you'll need the best smartwatches for battery life.

Extended battery life sometimes comes at the expense of certain features, like no AMOLED screen or always-on display. Sometimes, it means being able to leverage a solar power alternative as a back-up. Even the smartwatches with the best battery life drain more quickly when you use certain features, like built-in GPS. This is something runners, especially, will want to keep in mind.

I've tested dozens of watches across brands and not surprisingly, I prefer watches that last longer between charges. It's just simpler not to have to think about charging every day. That said, some people need Wear OS or WatchOS smarts, so this guide recommend smartwatches that strike the battery-smarts balance.

But we also include smartwatches that let you take an entire vacation or mountain hike without needing to pack a charging cable. Which smartwatches offer the best battery life? Here’s a round-up.

Written by

Written by

Michael Hicks

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 doesn't have "unlimited" battery life, mainly 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, ongoing 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 solely because its battery life was "head and shoulders above any other GPS watch I've ever tested" but also because it uses a comparable set of training tools as my favorite Forerunners, such as training load/readiness, HRV stress data, sleep analysis, and recovery time estimates. The flashlight makes it useful for both day and night training.

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. However, 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 regarded the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar for this spot simply because it costs $100 less, still has an "unlimited" battery on top of a 28-day baseline, and is more comfortably compact. However, when you contrast the Instinct 2 to the 2X, the 2X has a more optimized solar panel, dual-band GPS, and a more readable MIP display, making it the best choice.

Alternative pick: Besides the Instinct 2 Solar, I've tested and enjoyed using the COROS VERTIX 2S. It 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!

Best Wear OS

A long-lived Apple or Android watch is relative. In ideal conditions, a typical Galaxy or Pixel Watch lasts about 48 hours, while the OnePlus Watch 2 lasts 72 to 96 hours. However, the battery life depends on your settings and how much you use the apps. Almost any fitness watch performs better, but the Watch 2 is an excellent, practical option if you need proper smarts.

The smartwatch lasts longer thanks to the Wear OS Hybrid Interface, which assigns background tasks like health tracking and notification 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 is more efficient for whatever reason. According to our OnePlus Watch 2 reviewer, that helps it hit an ideal 100 hours, or about 72 hours, with AOD enabled.

A Power Saver mode also extends the battery life to 12 days. However, since it turns off 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 faster VOOC charging, which tops off the massive 500mAh battery in an hour or less.

I 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 confess 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 sturdiness will make it more appealing.

You can get even more from the newer OnePlus Watch 3, which sports even longer up to five days battery life or 120 hours thanks to its larger 631mAh battery, and up to 16 hours in Power Saver mode. Our reviewer calls the battery life "epic" and loves that it recharges in a flash as well.

Alternative: I also considered the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, a Wear OS watch with the same four-day smart mode and an outstanding 45-day "Essential mode" with a long-lasting dim backlit display. 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 you don't end up with an outdated smartwatch any time soon.

Best budget

It's unclear whether fitness trackers—aka pseudo-smartwatches —belong on this list, but they last one or two weeks per charge and cost significantly less than true smartwatches. For some people looking for the best budget option, something like the Amazfit Bip 3 Pro Smart Watch is exactly what they want.

The Amazfit Bip 3 Pro has a fully customizable watch face that lets you edit its information. You can also also visit the app for more watch face options. The watch shows data for your active minutes, standing time, and steps. It'll also show your stress levels, and you can do handy things like control your music from the watch.

Despite being so cheap, the Bip 3 Pro 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 aren't remaining steady) as an athlete. It's great getting these insights on the Bip 3 Pro if you're only looking for something on a basic level.

Alternatives: We haven't reviewed the Xiaomi Smart Band 9, which launched late last year, 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.

Best hybrid

I reviewed the Withings ScanWatch 2 earlier this year, which barely uses any battery per day, tracks a ton of health data, and keeps things simple, using its tiny OLED display portion to show a little information at a time.

To put it bluntly, many of the best smartwatches for battery life are 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 a classic charm. It blends in as a more classic watch and seamlessly integrates into your daily routine.

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 precision for its active ECG readings for AFib. Several of our other recommended options track the same data, but only the ScanWatch 2 has 24/7 skin temperature data for health insights.

You may not hit 30 days precisely if you regularly work out (because of the always-active display) or enable every health tracking tool like blood oxygen. I got at least two to three weeks per charge with daily workout tracking. I love that even when the battery is at 0 percent, you'll still get some sleep and basic step tracking for a time until you finally make your way over to the charger.

Alternative: The Garmin Instinct Crossover has a classic 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. We have plenty of thick, data-packed watches on this list, so I figured Withings offered better variety.

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. Samsung promises four years of software version updates, adding new tricks yearly. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is the better device, with three to four days of battery life, military-grade ruggedness, and software perks.

I've reviewed the Galaxy Watch Ultra and am very impressed by its speedy performance. The smartwatch's 3nm Exynos CPU is more efficient than most watch chips and loads apps in a snap without burning the battery. It also has the upside of dual-band GPS and heart rate data, which did impressively well in my fitness testing.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra battery didn't impress me at launch, but it was because launch software issues were 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 value 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: The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an obvious alternative for iOS users, as 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, or wait for the upcoming OnePlus Watch 3.

Best longevity

If you clicked on our guide to the best smartwatches for battery life and care solely about the raw battery numbers, then the Garmin Enduro 3 is your watch. It can last an outrageous three months per charge with daily solar recharges or just as long indoors in battery-saver mode. You might "only" get a few months if you regularly use dual-band GPS tracking, but it's still in a distinct league from any other watch.

While I technically haven't tested the Garmin Enduro 3 yet, I'm testing the Fenix 8, which launched simultaneously and has most of the same software. Both are flagship Garmin models that share most of the exact 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 to choose the correct trail look to be home at a specific time, all visible mid-hike on your wrist. You can even subscribe to fancier Outdoor+ maps for satellite imagery. It's still a 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 sports 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 costly, 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.

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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 wholeheartedly recommend.

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 give you the data you need.

First, we'll break down the longest-lasting MIP and AMOLED watches and split them 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 each brand or subbrand's best battery watch options rather than listing dozens of options.

We're also listing out mainstream watches that we've specifically tested or reviewed and can recommend on their own merits unrelated to battery life. You can decide what battery life number is good enough for your needs!

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 its brighter, more efficient, less likely to burn in than in the past, and 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 if a solar panel is necessary. 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 choose a watch that skips the pretense and 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, but hopefully, I've given you enough information to decide. I hope the information helps you select a watch you'll love and be happy with for years to come.

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