Key takeaways:
All five watches tracked steps and distance accurately, but heart rate accuracy varied.
The Apple Watch Series 11 was the most accurate heart rate monitor during workouts.
The Garmin Venu 4's heart rate tracking has more data, ideal for serious training analysis.
If steps and distance accuracy are your priorities, you don't need an expensive smartwatch.
I never set out to train for a marathon when I began this project. In my mind, I'd committed to a few leisurely jogs, rocking what looked like the entire smartwatch section of Best Buy stacked on my wrists to find out which was the most accurate. I've tested dozens of smartwatches over the years, but never five at once, and never under the level of scrutiny this test demanded. Mile after mile, I pushed my heart rate (and my body) well beyond my comfort zone with the finish line in focus.
Fitness trackers have come a long way since the early Fitbit days of step counting, and in today's wearable landscape, a reliable step counter isn't enough. Smartwatches, rings, fitness bands and even earbuds compete for real estate on your body to monitor everything from heart rate to temperature. To edge out the competition, they must be accurate enough to catch subtle changes in your vitals and turn that data into results.
I tested five models (one at a time), ranging from $80 to $550, to determine which was most accurate for steps, distance and heart rate. Heart rate, in particular, is the most critical (and the hardest to get right) since so many other metrics depend on it.
From left to right: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Google Pixel Watch 4, Amazfit Bip 6, Garmin Venu 4 and Apple Watch Series 11, alongside the Polar H10 chest strap and tally counter used in our accuracy tests. Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET
It's not like I was starting from scratch. I'd already reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Google Pixel Watch 4, Garmin Venu 4, Apple Watch Series 11 and Amazfit Bip 6, and each had proven itself in its category. There's a reason they landed on our best lists. But glancing at a workout summary and dissecting raw data are entirely different beasts.
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