The gap between a smartwatch and a smart band is diminishing. Smart bands are becoming more like smartwatches, and smartwatches are doing everything that smart bands do.
Because both are converging, people are getting confused.
The main confusion is between smart bands and budget smartwatches because both have similar functions.
So, after using both the smart band and smartwatches, here is our honest smartwatch vs smart band comparison.
Smartwatch vs Smart Band Comparison
Looks and Design
Looks and design are what differentiate the smartwatch and smart band. One can easily tell by the looks if it’s a smartwatch or smart band.
- Smart bands usually have rectangular shapes, and smartwatches have rounded and square shapes.
- Smart bands are smaller in size and comfortable to wear at any time. However, Smartwatches are bigger and are not as comfortable as smart bands.
- If you sleep with your wearable to track your health and sleep, you will find the smart bands more convenient.
- Smartwatches take the lead when it comes to looks. These watches look stylish and premium compared to a smart band.
So looks and design is completely subjective. Smart bands are better for more convenience, whereas Smartwatches are better for looks.
Winner: Tie
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Fitness Tracking
Smart bands or Fitness bands are specially made to track your fitness data. But smartwatches do that, too, along with a lot of other things.
But which one should you rely on for accurate data?
The most important thing you should keep in mind is that budget smartwatches and smart bands show an estimated reading. They are not 100% correct.
If you want the most accurate results, you have to spend a lot.
As smart bands always fall in the budget category, you can’t expect them to be 100% accurate.
The accuracy level of smart bands is around 80 to 90%, depending on the activity you are performing. It doesn’t show the most accurate data, but still, it is better than having no data.
The same goes for budget smartwatches. To keep the price as low as possible, companies use low-quality sensors, which don’t track activities correctly.
That’s why these budget fitness wearables show different data when performing the same activity.
The accuracy increases as the price increases. That’s why premium smartwatches show more accurate data.
The accuracy level of premium smartwatches is around 90 to 95%, which is again, not 100%.
Now it’s clear that these wearables can’t compete with dedicated health equipment. But carrying so much tech on your wrist is impressive.
So which one is better for fitness tracking?
For beginner to moderate level fitness tracking, get a good quality smart band like Amazfit Band 7. Its sleep tracking and health accuracy are mostly accurate for the price.
For a moderate to high level of fitness tracking, you should get a good-quality smartwatch. The Pebble Cosmos Endure is a great smartwatch under 5000.
If you want a more premium experience, you can look for some expensive options like Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.
Winner: Smartwatches
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Features
Smartwatches are way ahead of smart bands in terms of features.
The primary feature of smart bands is fitness tracking. The modern smart bands also show call alerts and notifications from selected apps. But you can’t interact with those notifications.
However, the primary purpose of a smartwatch is way more than that. You not only get fitness tracking but also see call alerts, make and receive calls, and send preset messages.
On premium smartwatches that have Google Wear OS, you can install and use any app you want from PlayStore.
Some smartwatches have LTE, which lets you make and receive calls without carrying your smartphone.
So, it won’t be wrong to say that premium smartwatches are down-scaled versions of smartphones.
Yes, you can’t capture photos on smartwatches, and we are not comparing both, but the point here is that smartwatches are becoming more like smartphones to some extent.
Because smart bands lack all these features, it’s a clear win for smartwatches.
But do note that budget smartwatches don’t have all these features, but still, they are slightly better than a smart band.
Winner: Smartwatches
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Battery Life
Battery life is an area where smart bands take a significant lead. Because of the small display with less PPI, fewer features, and simple UI, smart bands consume way less power.
Smartwatches, on the other hand, have bigger displays, higher PPI, more features, and more complex software. All these consume more power.
Have you ever noticed budget smartwatches last 7 to 15 days, whereas premium smartwatches last only 1 or 2 days at max?
That’s because budget smartwatches have a simple UI that lets you do nothing. Budget smartwatches are oversized versions of smart bands with a few additional features like BT calling.
That’s why they don’t consume more power and last for days on a single charge.
Premium smartwatches, on the other hand, let you do everything. The UI is cleaner and smoother on these watches, which consumes more power.
When you install apps, the power consumption increases further.
That’s why premium smartwatches last a day or two.
No matter what, smart bands have significantly better battery life. So if you hate charging your wearable devices every night, you should stick with a smart band or a mid-budget smartwatch.
Winner: Smart Bands
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Smartwatch vs smart band, which is better?
Both are good at their own and serve their purpose well.
But let’s make it simple and clear. If your budget is between 1000 to 3000 Rupees, then you should buy a smart band.
On the higher side of this range, you will get pretty good smart bands that can track your health reliably and show you accurate data.
If your budget is Rs 3000 or above, then you should buy a smartwatch.
In some exceptional cases, when you want the most accurate data but hate the big design, then you can buy premium smart bands that will cost you Rs 5000 or even more.
But except for those cases, you should buy a smartwatch if your budget is Rs 3000 or more.
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Some Worth Buying Smartwatches
Here are some good smartwatches you can consider buying in budget price segment.
CrossBeats Armour
The CrossBeats Armour is an excellent smartwatch that comes with a lot of features and a premium look.
As the name suggests, it’s a sort of rugged-looking smartwatch, but not entirely. It balances out the rugged looks and casual design.
Some of its features are:
- Bluetooth calling with a clear voice.
- Super AMOLED display with 100% RGB color gamut and 1000 nits brightness.
- Titanium alloy body with MIL-STD810H certification.
- 3 ATM grade (30 meters) waterproof.
- 15+ days battery life.
- 125+ sports modes.
- Heart Rate, BP monitoring, sleep tracking, SpO2 monitoring, and more.
- Free Straps.
The CrossBeats Armour is a complete package under Rs 4000. It’s an excellent value-for-money smartwatch. (Check Best Price Here)
Fire-Boltt Dagger Luxe
If you like steel straps, then the Fire-Boltt Dagger Luxe could be a great option. Its primary features are:
- Stainless steel design.
- Shockproof body.
- Bluetooth calling.
- AMOLED display with 600 nits brightness.
- 5 days battery life with active Bluetooth calling.
- Voice assistant.
- Multiple sports modes.
- Heart Rate, sleep tracking, SpO2 monitoring, and more.
The Fire-Boltt Dagger Luxe is also a great smartwatch under Rs 5000. You can consider it if you like a feature-loaded watch with steel straps. (Check Best Price Here)
There are a lot of other good smartwatches that you can consider, but we can’t list them all here. So we advise you to have a look at other smartwatches and pick the one that suits your budget and needs.
But before buying any smartwatch, make sure to check its features and reviews.
Some Worth Buying Smart Bands
Here are a few smart bands that are worth spending on.
Amazfit Band 7
Amazfit Band 7 costs around Rs 3800, and for that price, you could get a good quality smartwatch.
But as said earlier, not everyone is fond of big-size smartwatches. Some just want more convenience with health tracking on their wrist.
For those, Amazfit Band 7 could be an excellent smart band. Some of its features are:
- HD AMOLED display with 282 PPI.
- 12 days battery with typical use and 6 days with heavy use in real life.
- 120 sports mode.
- 24-hour Blood-Oxygen monitoring and SpO2 test.
- Built-in Alexa Voice Assistant.
It’s a good package overall. It doesn’t have mind-blowing features, but it is made to deliver a satisfactory experience. (Check Best Price Here)
Redmi Smart Band Pro
We understand that spending Rs 4000 on a smart band is not always the best choice, especially when good smartwatches are available for the same price.
So if you want something affordable, then the Redmi Smart Band Pro could be an excellent option. Its main features are:
- Always-ON AMOLED display.
- HR and Blood Oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring.
- 110+ sports modes.
- 14 days battery life.
- 5 ATM water-resistant.
- LifeQ health algorithm.
For a price of under Rs 2000, the Redmi Smart Band Pro has a lot going for it. It’s a very good smart band overall. (Check Best Price Here)
There are a lot more smart bands available in the market, but these two are the best value for money.
Final Verdict
You might have noticed that companies are launching more smartwatches than ever. On the other hand, smart bands are just disappearing.
That’s because smartwatches are getting more affordable, and smart bands can’t evolve anymore.
If you ask us, we will suggest you get a smartwatch, even in the budget segment.
You might not get the best experience on budget smartwatches, but still, it will be better than most smart bands.
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So this was our honest smartwatch vs smart band comparison. If you still have any doubts, feel free to ask us in the comment section.
Do you agree or disagree with this comparison? Do share your thoughts.
