Is your smartwatch obsolete? My top picks for 2026

January 3, 2026

By Kim Komando

I got a new Apple Watch last October. My old one from 2020 had been sitting in a desk drawer for years. I’d stopped wearing it because I found myself obsessively checking my step count, heart rate and every other metric. I wondered if things might be different now that I’m no longer my mom’s caregiver consumed by constant health crises. Maybe I could enjoy wearing one again. And I do.

If your smartwatch is more than 3 years old, it’s basically a fitness tracker with a landline. Batteries degrade. Sensors lose accuracy. And you’re missing out on useful features like fall detection, sleep apnea monitoring and alerts that can detect an irregular heartbeat before you even notice something’s wrong.

Here are my smartwatch picks.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 ($799). If you want the most accurate GPS and the longest battery life Apple offers, this is it.

• The good: The screen is massive and bright, even in sunlight. It has an Action button you can program to start a workout instantly or trigger an emergency SOS. The battery lasts two to three days. And it has fall and crash detection.
• The bad: The price. And if you have small wrists, it feels like a small computer.

Apple Watch Series 11 (23% off, $329). Solid choice if you want the classic look and have an iPhone.

• The good: It detects sleep apnea and warns you that you’re getting sick before you feel a sniffle. Fall detection is standard. It charges fast, 0% to 80% in about 30 minutes. And irregular heart rhythm notifications have caught AFib in people.
• The bad: You have to charge it every day.

Samsung Galaxy Ring ($399). This is for you if you want the data but hate the watch.

• The good: It’s a ring. No screen, no notifications, no distractions. It tracks your sleep, heart rate and skin temp from your finger. It’s waterproof, and the battery lasts a full week. No monthly subscription fees like Oura that tracks over 50 health metrics, including sleep, activity, stress, heart health and women’s health.
• The bad: No GPS, no fall detection, no emergency features.

Garmin Venu 3 (22% off, $350). Best for the person who wants a digital coach.

• The good: The battery lasts 14 days. That’s longer than most New Year’s resolutions. It tells you whether to work out or take a break. It has fall detection and incident detection for outdoor activities like biking.
• The bad: It’s complex to learn.

I wear the Apple Watch Series 11. I didn’t want to drop $799 on the Ultra 3 in case I ended up shoving it back in a drawer like the last one. I might upgrade the next time I’m near an Apple Store. And if I do, I’ll run a little giveaway, maybe you’ll be the lucky winner of my barely used Series 11.

Still wearing an old smartwatch? Hit those links and buy a new one. Know someone who keeps asking if they really need to upgrade or wants to get healthy in the new year? Send this to them, especially because fall detection and accurate health tracking matter.

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