Live a healthier life with these wearables

If you want a fitness tracker that stays completely out of your way and never pesters you for attention, the Google Fitbit Air is the best screenless option you can buy right now, and the Google Health app is a big reason why.

The screenless design keeps your focus on your day rather than your wrist. It’s genuinely slim, sliding under a shirt cuff without any bulk, and light enough that you’ll forget you’re wearing it overnight. Sleep tracking held up well in our testing, catching the disturbances we remembered and closely matching how rested we actually felt the following morning. 

The real draw here isn’t the hardware itself; it’s how the Air connects into the new Google Health app. There are no cluttered dashboards or walls of numbers you’ll never read. The app runs on both iOS and Android and points you toward things you can genuinely act on, largely through Google’s AI-driven Health Coach. 

That coach genuinely surprised us during testing. Tell it you work from home, or that Mondays start at 6am, and it shifts its workout and sleep suggestions to match. You can also log meals or extra activity by voice or by snapping a photo, which is a handy shortcut if food tracking is already part of your routine.

There is a catch worth knowing about. Full access to the coaching features requires a Google Health Premium subscription at £7.99/$9.99 a month. Given the Air itself costs £84.99/$99.99, we think that’s a reasonable ask, particularly when you put it next to what a Whoop membership demands. Skip the subscription and you still get the core fundamentals: heart rate, steps, and sleep data.

For workouts, the Air logs heart rate, calories, and steps, but with no screen you’re either reaching for your phone mid-run or going by feel. Some people will prefer that simplicity. Others won’t. 

Battery life is a genuine highlight, with close to ten days per charge in our testing, well beyond the seven days Google claims. There’s no bicep strap option, but 5ATM water resistance means swimming is covered, and replacement straps are reasonably priced.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro takes everything that has made the Fenix series a firm favourite among endurance athletes and layers on a set of useful additions that push it even further ahead of the competition.

At its core, you get the same multi-band GPS, Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor with ECG readings, and Garmin’s mapping and navigation stack that remains the best in the business. The training analysis tools go deep enough to satisfy even the most data-obsessed athletes, with Training Readiness telling you when to push hard and when to ease off, Garmin Coach now extending to strength plans alongside running ones, and Daily Suggested Workouts giving you a structured training week without having to build one yourself. 

Preloaded topographic maps are ready straight out of the box, with Up Ahead and Dynamic Round-Trip Routing proving particularly useful on race day or during longer adventures, flagging waypoints and rebuilding routes on the fly.

Where the Pro really distances itself from the standard model is in connectivity. Built-in LTE allows for calls, messages, location sharing, and live tracking without needing a phone in your pocket, while integrated InReach satellite technology picks up coverage the moment you venture properly off-grid. SOS functionality and Garmin Response back everything up if things go wrong. 

There is also a 51mm MicroLED variant available which is brighter and sharper than the AMOLED, making maps and data noticeably easier to read in strong sunlight.

For those who want the deepest training tools, the finest mapping available, and the peace of mind that comes from LTE and satellite messaging, the Fenix 8 Pro is exceptionally hard to beat.

It’s taken Garmin a while to embrace the direction of the smartwatch industry at large fully, but the wait has very much been worth it thanks to the brilliance of the Garmin Venu X1.

Unlike the more rugged, adventure-focused Garmins of old, the Venu X1 charts a new path to serve as a more direct competitor to the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Even just by looking at it, you can tell that the Venu X1 is nothing like Garmin’s usual batch of devices – its square design is straight out of the Apple playbook, and instead of the chunkier frame that you might see on the Fenix 8 or the Enduro 3, this fitness tracker is incredibly slim, being just 7.9mm thick.

Alongside the revamped design is a new screen that really shows off Garmin’s operating system in its best light. This two-inch panel isn’t just massive, with plenty of room to show off the watch face and any workout metrics, it’s also wonderfully bright with a colourful AMOLED panel. 

When you are diving into that data, it’s very much the same experience that we’re used to seeing with Garmin’s very best watches. From our testing, heart rate data was largely in sync with a dedicated chest-worn heart rate strap, and you can see exactly which parts of a run had you struggling, giving you insight as to where you need to improve in the future.

All of this is great, but one of the key reasons why you’d want to choose the X1 over the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the inclusion of an eight-day battery life. That destroys the two-day stint of Apple’s wearable, which also happens to be a fair bit more expensive. Throw in the fact that the watch also has a built-in torch which can be used to find your way on a trail, and it’s easy to see why the Garmin Venu X1 is among our favourite fitness trackers right now.

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While the absolute top-tier Garmin wearables will always be worth picking up for those who spend almost all of their time exercising, the company’s entry-level/mid-range options are now so good that they’re a far better buy for the majority of people. With that in mind, if you enjoy going to the gym, attending the local park run or are simply tempted to start making moves towards a healthier lifestyle, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 is the ideal wearable companion.

Even though it packs a relatively affordable price point of £279.99/$299, the Vivoactive 6 still has the same great fitness and sports tracking software that has made Garmin such a mainstay in this industry. Daily step tracking is reliable, as is the Body Battery monitor which gives you an idea of how much energy you have left in the tank so that you can tweak your next workout accordingly.

There’s GPS tracking for when you’re delving into an outdoor workout, letting you see after the fact which parts of your route had you struggling, and there’s even onboard storage so that you can listen to your go-to running playlists offline and without needing your phone with you.

All of this is shown to you via a gorgeous 1.2-inch AMOLED display that not only makes Garmin’s watch faces pop with an eye-catching level of contrast, it’s also incredibly easy to read in darker scenarios, which couldn’t always be said for some of Garmin’s older displays.

Compared to its predecessor, the Vivoactive 6 is now slimmer, so it can sit on your wrist and feel less obtrusive than before. The upgraded UI also feels like a step in the right direction, making the Vivoactive 6 feel far more intuitive and closer In style to what you’d get with more traditional smartwatches. As a final note, the Vivoactive 6 manages to decimate competing devices from Apple and Samsung where battery life is concerned, reaching up to 11-days of use on a single charge.

Budget-conscious athletes who can live without the premium extras found on more expensive wearables should put the Huawei Watch Fit 5 near the top of their shortlist.

For something sitting at £149.99, it packs in a great deal. The 1.82-inch AMOLED display is bright and punchy, and it sits alongside two physical buttons that work in tandem with the touchscreen to help you navigate HarmonyOS 6.10 without any fuss.

An optical heart rate sensor handles real-time tracking while also running Pulse Wave Arrhythmia analysis, which can flag serious conditions like atrial fibrillation. Runners and cyclists benefit from deeper workout metrics too, with the added option to pair external sensors such as power meters, which is an impressive inclusion at this price point.

A standout addition is the new mini-workouts feature. These are short, simple sessions that can be completed pretty much anywhere, with each one taking just 30 seconds, making it easy to sneak some movement into your day without a great deal of effort.

Rounding things out, the Watch Fit 5 tracks sleep quality and general wellbeing alongside dual-band GPS, 5 ATM water resistance, and up to 10 days of battery life on a single charge. For those taking their first serious steps into fitness tracking, it’s a compelling package.

Xiaomi has taken what made the Smart Band 9 Pro a solid budget pick and pushed things noticeably further with the Band 10 Pro. 

The design feels more premium this time around, there’s even a ceramic edition for those who want something a bit more special. The AMOLED panel has grown to 1.74 inches with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, meaning it’s genuinely readable in direct sunlight in a way that cheaper trackers often aren’t.

Like the Smart Band 9 Pro, the Band 10 Pro also brings built-in GPS, so you can head out for a run or ride without your phone in your pocket. A new PPG module and reworked algorithms have sharpened heart rate and sleep tracking, too, which were areas where the Smart Band 9 Pro could be hit-or-miss. 

There are over 150 sports modes on board, and 5 ATM water resistance means swimming is no problem, with dedicated pool and open water modes included. If contactless payments matter to you, there’s an NFC version available at a slightly higher cost.

Battery life reaches up to 21 days, though leaning on GPS and the brighter display will bring that figure down. The companion app remains fairly bare-bones, particularly around workout breakdowns and sleep analysis, but it handles the basics without getting in the way. 

At £69.99, the Band 10 Pro is one of the strongest cases for spending just a little more than the absolute minimum on a fitness tracker.

The Garmin Forerunner 970 is the best option for cardio tracking on this list, earning that spot by packing a sharp AMOLED display, best-in-class sensor accuracy, and a suite of running-specific tools into one seriously capable sports watch.

Garmin’s shift to AMOLED has been gradual, but the 970 shows the company has fully found its footing with the format. The panel is notably brighter than what you’d find on older Forerunner models, and the addition of sapphire crystal protection means it holds up better against scratches than most rivals in this category.

The software side runs on Garmin’s own operating system, which works smoothly with both iPhones and Android devices. Garmin Connect remains the hub for syncing data and adjusting settings, and a new optional Connect+ subscription adds AI-driven insights on top of the standard experience. The watch itself gets a reworked interface that tries to blend sports and smartwatch functionality more naturally than previous generations managed.

Where the 970 really separates itself is in tracking depth. Multiband GPS and an upgraded sensor array put it near the top of the field for accuracy, and two new running-specific metrics, running economy and running tolerance, give you a clearer picture of how your training is actually affecting your body over time.

The one genuine drawback is battery life. At roughly 4 to 5 days of moderate use, it falls a long way short of the 15 days delivered by its predecessor, the Forerunner 965. If runtime is your main concern, the 965 remains the smarter buy. For anyone else who wants the most advanced cardio tracking on this list, the Forerunner 970 is an outstanding pick; just be prepared for the premium asking price that comes with it.

The Oura Ring 5 is our top pick for the best smart ring you can buy right now, and it earns that spot in large part because of how far Oura has pushed the design. 

Where the Ring 4 came close to looking like genuine jewellery, the Ring 5 is the first version that actually pulls it off. At 6.09mm wide and 2.28mm thick, it sits among the slimmest rings available anywhere, and the titanium build not only keeps things lightweight but also offers noticeably better scratch resistance than before. The gold version we tested came across as convincingly premium, which isn’t something you could say about every smart ring out there.

Beneath that refined exterior, the Ring 5 delivers the same sharp sleep and wellness tracking that built Oura’s reputation. The readiness score and sleep breakdowns remain some of the best you can get from any wearable, giving you a clear picture of how your body is recovering and where adjustments are worth making.

The one consideration worth flagging is that, unlike some rivals, Oura still operates on a monthly subscription model. At £5.99/$5.99 per month, you get access to a clean, polished app with smart food tracking and an AI health coach built in, but it is an ongoing cost you will need to factor into your decision before committing.

The Watch Fit 5 Pro is the best pick on this list for those who want a Huawei fitness tracker with serious stamina and a genuinely useful set of health monitoring tools, even if it doesn’t always steal the spotlight from flashier models in the range.

At first glance, the 44.5mm case bears a resemblance to an Apple Watch, and Huawei has stuck closely to the design language of its previous Pro model. The lug-style connector makes swapping straps a much less fiddly process than the pin mechanisms found on other Huawei smartwatches.

Where the Fit 5 Pro starts to diverge from the competition is in its software. iPhone users will feel boxed in, unable to act on notifications or access the full app library, while Android users get a better deal with a handful of useful extras. That said, Huawei’s own wellness tools are genuinely worth having. Sleep tracking and stress monitoring both performed well during our testing.

Fitness tracking is where the Fit 5 Pro really earns its place on this list. A wide range of sport modes covering walking, running, and hiking are all backed by dual-band GPS for accurate route and pace data. 

The 5ATM water resistance rating extends to recreational diving at depths of up to 40 metres, which is a genuinely impressive spec for a fitness tracker at this level. There is also a new mini-workout feature that nudges you into simple exercises during periods of inactivity.

Battery life came in at around a week during our testing, which is a strong showing for stamina among fitness trackers in this category.

Form’s smart swimming goggles have earned a loyal following for good reason, and the second-generation Smart Swim 2 Pro remains one of the most compelling options on the market. 

Any swimmer who has tried tracking their sessions with a wrist-based watch will know that glancing down mid-lap is less than ideal, and that is precisely where these goggles carve out their niche. The built-in AR display puts your pace, distance and heart rate directly on the lens, so you can check your metrics without breaking your rhythm for a second.

Stroke detection proved accurate during testing, picking up different techniques without issue, and lap counts stayed reliable throughout. Battery life sits at 14 hours, which is enough to cover several sessions before you need to reach for the proprietary magnetic charging cable, though that is one area where Form asks you to play by its own rules.

The Swim 2 Pro’s tougher Gorilla Glass 3 lenses make it the better choice for swimmers who spend more time in open water or regularly train in more challenging conditions. They should stand up better to knocks and wear than standard plastic lenses, adding extra reassurance for anyone who is harder on their kit.

The Amazfit Helio Strap is one of the most compelling subscription-free fitness trackers you can buy right now, and it earns that distinction by delivering a deep feature set without asking for a penny beyond the upfront cost. 

There is no screen, which will immediately put some buyers off, but for anyone who finds constant wrist notifications a distraction during training, that absence is actually a selling point rather than a shortcoming.

The feature list is impressive for the price. You get 27 sports modes, 25 strength exercises that the strap detects automatically, and a dedicated Hyrox race mode for tracking combined running and effort. That kind of sports coverage would be noteworthy on a device priced twice as much.

Accuracy is where the Helio Strap really justifies its place on this list. Heart rate tracking held up well throughout testing, and VO2 Max estimates were similarly reliable. BioCharge Wake, Zepp Health’s take on a readiness score, tracked closely with readings from an Oura Ring worn simultaneously, which is no small feat. 

Sleep tracking was a highlight too, with wake and sleep times, sleep stages, and overnight heart rate data all consistent with what the Oura Ring recorded on the other wrist. Battery life is rated at up to 10 days by Amazfit, but expect closer to a week once continuous stress monitoring and blood oxygen tracking are switched on. 

At £99/$99 with no subscription required, the Helio Strap is an easy pick for anyone who wants capable, out-of-the-way fitness tracking without an ongoing monthly commitment.