Smartwatches with the Best Battery Lives – Our Top Picks

One of the most common complaints about smartwatches is their notoriously short battery lives.  After 18 hours or less most smartwatches are in need of a full charge.  But, there are some smartwatches that can actually go for longer. Here is a look at some of our favorites.

Vector Watch Luna Smartwatch – 30 days between charges 

Yup, that’s right, 30 days between charges.  No more messy cords beside your bed.  By using a low-power monochrome display, it is able to direct more power to the battery and avoid the need for frequent charging. Stylish, sleek and elegant, with a variety of models to choose from, the Vector Watch is designed to look more like a traditional watch.  The screen is not touch screen, buttons are used to control it’s features. The black and white, always on screen is classic, without all the flashes of bright color more typical of other smartwatches.  Vector watches deliver personal, customized notifications that are only visible to the wearer when the watch is turned to face them in order to ensure privacy.  Silent vibrations notify the user of incoming calls, messages, emails and app alerts, which can all be dismissed with a quick flick of the wrist.  Apps can be downloaded from the the Vector App Store.  Apps include social media, sleep tracker, alarms, calendars and more. Streams can also be added to give you information such as time zones, calorie counters and social streams.  Other watch apps include Music, Nest, Uber, Evernote, BBC and ESPN.  It is compatible with iOS, Windows 10 and Android smartphones.  That being said, Vector Watch focuses on being a “smart” watch, emphasis on watch.  It’s focus is on aesthetics and watch functionality, without the complications – and on that it succeeds tremendously!

Vector has merged with fitness giant Fitbit and the future is bright for Vector.  No doubt fitness tracking features will be included in future models.

Sony SmartWatch 3 – 2 days between charging 

Marketed as the smartwatch that “makes life simpler and smarter,” the Sony SmartWatch 3 comes in a variety of colours and styles.  The 2-day battery life of the Sony SmartWatch is better than most smartwatch competitors and lets you track movements and activities without worrying about charging.  Powered by Android Wear you can get messages, facebook notifications or listen to music.  Your favorite apps are at your fingertips including messaging, news, music and facebook that will all automatically sync to your watch.  GPS tracking will track your route and distance and the accelerometer will detect exactly what activity you are doing whether you are running, walking or just out for a leisurely stroll.  And, no need to worry about a little rain as the Sony SmartWatch 3 is water protected.

While the charge may not be as long as the Vector Watch Luna Smartwatch, it is a more typical smartwatch, with a large touch screen and lots of bells and whistles.  If this is the type of smartwatch you are after, then the Sony SmartWatch 3 definitely has one of the best battery lives we’ve seen.

Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity – Solar Powered (No Charging Required)

The Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity looks like an attractive high-end watch, but is actually a functional, though limited smartwatch as well. It is solar powered so has no battery life limitations.  While aesthetically you are unlikely to find a better looking watch, the Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity sacrifices some of the features of other smartwatches.  That being said, the two biggest complaints of smartwatches tend to be their short battery life and their lack of visual appeal.  The Eco-Drive solves both of these problems.  Attractive and solar powered, it checks off two boxes from the smartwatch wish list.  Being solar powered means you will never have to charge your watch, that’s right, never!  It charges when exposed to both natural and artificial light.  While additional smartwatch features are limited, the Eco-Drive Proximity does have a few.  It alerts the user to incoming messages – calls, calendar events and email, using a silent, vibration alarm system.  A second feature of the Proximity is that it is able to remotely trigger your iPhone to vibrate and sound an alarm, even if your phone is in silent mode.  This is a particularly handy feature if you are one of those people who tend to misplace your phone multiple times a week!

So, if you are looking for an elegant, high-end watch with a few “smart” features the Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity might just be for you.  If you are looking for a smartwatch with all the bells and whistles, then keep on looking.