In my role as TechRadar’ s Senior Fitness and Wearables Editor, I test a lot of smartwatches and fitness trackers. I’ve tested around a dozen wrist-based fitness trackers this year alone, and what I haven’t tested, I’ve asked other writers to put through their paces for me. My personal testing bank this year includes the following:
Google Fitbit Edge (review to come)
Coros Pace 4 Pro (review to come)
Apple Watch Ultra 4
Apple Watch Series 12
Google Pixel Watch 5
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Huawei Watch GT Runner 2
Garmin Cirqa
Google Fitbit Air
Garmin Forerunner 170
Garmin Fenix 9 Pro
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro
The devices that other writers have tested on my behalf include the Garmin Forerunner 70 , Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 , Amazfit Active 3 Premium , Coros Nomad, Suunto Race 3s, Huawei Band 11 and many more. Then there are the items from previous years, as well as devices such as heart rate monitors and smart rings. Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of smartwatches and fitness tech, and I’m well placed to advise on which Black Friday smartwatch deals to consider. So, some readers might be surprised when I say that my advice to the majority is to give most of the above trackers a wide berth on Black Friday, with the possible exception of the Google Fitbit Air and Garmin Cirqa . Why shouldn’t we buy any of these watches? (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Most smartwatches, like smartphones, work on churn: every one to two years, a company will release a newer model of the same watch, with a few new features and perhaps a minor tweak to the design. It’s keeps their watch lines up to date, delivering the best-in-class health metrics for buyers, while ensuring that the range regularly stays level with the competition, rather than becoming outdated and requiring a total overhaul. Technology moves quickly. For example, this year saw Apple deliver new Siri AI features and a more accurate, redesigned LED sensor array to the Watch, which better detects your heart rate overnight. Wear the Watch overnight and it will give you a Readiness Score the next day, which tells you how much energy you’re likely to have in the tank for the day ahead. This can aid in planning your training sessions, and help you tailor your habits to ensure maximum Readiness when you need it. These features aren’t available on the older watches — but previous models do include everything else. The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 look and operate the same as the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 , bar a few other quality-of-life fixes, making them an excellent buy on Black Friday. And retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy in the US, and Argos in the UK will be offering significant discounts to clear old stock…