How to choose a smart sport watch ?

May 10, 2020

How to choose a smart sport watch ?This smart sport watch buying advice could give you some good ideas.

Demanding athletes cannot be satisfied with a classic connected watch to measure their performance: their functions linked to daily activity are too limited. The smartwatch sports integrates a GPS and offers many expert features (stride analysis, training load, VO2 Max, etc.). There are multisport models (running, swimming, triathlon, golf …) and others centered around one. Here are the elements to take into account to choose your sports watch correctly.

A CONNECTED WATCH DEDICATED TO SPORT

Sports connected watches do not play in the same category as those offered by smartphone manufacturers (Apple Watch, Samsung Gear). Their primary vocation is to support athletes with expert functions related to their training and metabolism. They are enhanced with a Bluetooth connection to communicate with the smartphone, whose notifications they display (messages, calls, alerts linked to applications, etc.). Their design is more rudimentary and their screen less flashy. But their autonomy is clearly better than that of connected watches. Note that some classic watches are stamped “sport” (Apple Watch Sport, LG Watch Sport), but these are variations with a plastic strap, not real sports watches.

GARMIN, TOMTOM AND POLAR IN POLE POSITION

Garmin, TomTom and Polar are the main manufacturers of connected watches dedicated to sport. Adidas and Nike tried the experiment well, but both gave up pursuing this activity. Among the sports equipment manufacturers, only New Balance is still in the race with its Run IQ (which did not really shine during our laboratory tests). In all cases, these sports watches work with a proprietary operating system specific to each manufacturer, not under Android Wear, Watch OS or Tizen.

RUNNING, SWIMMING, GOLF

Connected watches dedicated to sport integrate a pedometer and measure the distance traveled on a daily basis. Some models are dedicated to a single sport (golf, nautical activities), but most support the sportsman in different activities: hiking, cycling, running, swimming and even sometimes skiing. A heart rate monitor most often tracks your heart rate. An altimeter will refine the accuracy of your location, especially for your mountain hikes. Some models automatically detect the sport practiced. And once you get home, the watch can sometimes measure the quality of your sleep.

AN APPLICATION AS A COMPANION

Smartwatches for sports sometimes have enough memory to store music. In this case, no need to take your smartphone with you during your sports sessions. In all cases, they communicate with your smartphone via Bluetooth. A free application to download in the App Store (iPhone) or the Google Playstore (Android smartphones) allows you to view your route, view statistics of your activities and access the settings.

WHAT WATCH FOR THE AMATEUR SPORTSMAN?

Do you play a sport regularly but are not so keen on investing in a smartwatch dedicated to athletes? A classic connected watch will no doubt meet your needs. By default, whether they work with Watch OS (Apple Watch) or Android Wear (LG Watch, Huawei Watch, etc.) or Tizen (Samsung Gear), connected watches already integrate basic functions (daily activity, running , cycling…) and basic statistics. They are enough for the greatest number. If it has a GPS, the watch does not need the smartphone to record your route (so you can practice your activity without the smartphone). In addition, many applications whose vocation is to train you offer more advanced functions. Examples include Runkeeper, Runtastic or Endomondo. Our test of running applications shows that the free versions of these applications are already well enough supplied for amateur athletes.

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