There’s a good chance that no other smartwatches or wearable devices will release by the end of the year, after all New Years Eve is only a couple days away. Naturally, it makes sense then to take a look back at all the devices that launched this year and crown the best. It’s going to be a tough job, considering there were dozens — if not hundreds — of devices that hit the market this year. Of course, you probably have your own favorites and we encourage you to share down in the comments.
All that aside, let’s jump right into it and take a look at some of the best smartwatches of 2014.
The Best Smartwatches of 2014
There were quite a few contenders this year, several of which came from the Android Wear line and are powered by the same OS. That doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t compete with one another, however as the hardware is defined by the manufacturer. The Moto 360 is a completely different device from the LG G Watch R, right along with all the others out there.
This list was chosen by us, chosen from everything that released in 2014. If you do not agree with the list, or you would like to nominate your own choices feel free to join the discussion below. That said, it may or may not differ from similar sites out there that have covered the same thing – we aren’t the only site to cover smartwatch and wearable news, after all. Stay tuned for another piece on the best fitness trackers of 2014.
3. LG G Watch R
The Moto 360 was the first touchscreen, Android Wear smartwatch to hit the market with a round display, but LG soon followed suit. The G Watch R is the rightful successor to the G Watch, which was quite frankly an average device. It did offer some pretty interesting features, and was one of the first devices powered by Android Wear — it even launched well before the Moto 360. However, the uninispired rectangular design and lack of health tracking support earned it a much lower place on the rating scale. We didn’t dislike the G Watch R — as you can see from our review of the device — however, it certainly wasn’t one of our favorites either.
The G Watch R improves on nearly everything that was flawed or missing from the G Watch. The large, vivid display is round and attractive. It uses the entire screen, unlike the Moto 360 which has a small unusable sliver on the bottom due to sensors. It even mimics the style and design of a traditional wristwatch, and ends up looking a hell of a lot like a diving watch. That said, it’s powered by the Android Wear OS so the experience you get on this device and others — a la Moto 360 — is nearly identical.
At $299, the G Watch R is a little more expensive than our number one pick — the Moto 360 — but that doesn’t mean you’ll be disappointed if you decide to spring for it instead. The G Watch R is an incredible device all around, and offers some truly practical uses. It also achieves well over two days of battery life — provided you’re not relying on it heavily — which is world’s better than most comparable devices.
2. Pebble Steel
It’s relatively easy to overlook the Pebble Steel which was first unveiled at CES back in January, and went on sale later in the month. It is the successor to the original Pebble smartwatch, and it’s better in almost every way. The design, composition and features are all improved.
Of course, the Steel costs a bit more at $199, but it’s definitely worth the price. You’d think by now that the Steel would have been far surpassed by many other devices, but that’s just not true. Sure, it’s lacking a few things like a full-color touchscreen display and advanced health tracking support but it still definitely holds its own against the competition.
Of particular note, is the incredible third party support thanks to the SDK which allows independent developers to create custom apps, watchfaces and more for the device. Thanks to it’s black and white e-ink display it achieves a full seven days of battery life even with Bluetooth active. There are three different styles to choose from, including a dark black, almost gunmetal polish or a stainless steel one. No matter which model you choose, it comes bundled with two swappable wrist straps, one of the leather variety and the other comprised of steel links. Other than the bright display, you’d be hard pressed to discern the Pebble Steel from a traditional timekeeper, which is perhaps what makes it so attractive.
At the end of it all, even with the large selection of devices out there today, you really can’t go wrong with the Pebble Steel.
The Best Smartwatches of 2014, Our Number 1 Pick: Moto 360
As we dove into 2014, the Moto 360 was certainly one of the most anticipated devices of the year. It wowed everyone with it’s refreshing — yet surprisingly traditional — round and minimal design. It was one of the first and only watches to launch this year with a round, touchscreen display. The LG G Watch R followed suit shortly after, but the Moto 360 is a lot more stunning when it comes to aesthetics. It features remarkably slim bezels, a completely minimalist design, comfortable wristbands, and a sizeable, round display that just seems to capture your eye. Of course, it is a little large especially when it’s mounted on your wrist, but we challenge you to find a comparable smartwatch that is noticably smaller. They all seem to be pretty bulky these days.
At launch, it did suffer from rather lackluster battery life and a few performance issues. However, the device has since received updates to fix any problems that did exist. Battery life is improved, screen problems have been addressed and the Android Wear OS has even seen a few feature updates recently.
At $249.99 the Moto 360 is a bit more pricey than some of the other options out there but it is hands down one of the best smartwatches on the market currently. It also happens to be our number one pick for 2014.
The Best Smartwatches of 2014 Runner-Ups
Those are the hands-down, absolute three best smartwatches that launched in 2014. However, there were plenty of other devices that deserve at least an honorable mention. To be perfectly honest, if you decided to purchase one of the devices listed below instead of the three above, you’d be just fine.
- Samsung Gear S – a standalone Tizen-powered smartwatch with 3G connectivity
- Asus ZenWatch – an elegant, Android Wear smartwatch that quietly launched at the end of 2014
- Sony SmartWatch 3 – a fitness/smartwatch hybrid from Sony that offers the best of both worlds
Now that you’ve seen our list of the best smartwatches of 2014, what are your thoughts? Would you have included different devices on the list than we did? Keep in mind, we left fitness trackers and general wearables out, and instead confined our list to smartwatches only. We’ll be releasing another piece (separately) on the best fitness trackers of 2014.
Do you own one of the best smartwatches of 2014? Do you regret the purchase or are you happy with your device?