All in good time ? Faced with brands with sports DNA, such as Polar, Garmin, or G-Shock, more generalist manufacturers are rushing to hang their connected watch on our wrist. You can choose from: tocantes under Wear OS (Google) or IOS (Apple), which have sport and health benefits, but which are also (and above all) personalized with third-party applications. Alternative: watches that offer less extensive functionality and prefer to play the trendy jewelry card. So that time stops at the foot of the tree, “20 Minutes” offers you its selection.
The chic, but not expensive basic: Mi Watch Lite, from Xiaomi
With its fake Apple Watch airs, the Mi Watch Lite from Xiaomi has a small effect on the wrist. Measuring 41 x 35 x 11.9 mm for 35 grams, it has a 1.4-inch LCD screen (320 x 320 pixels). Waterproof (to less than 50 meters), the watch is weighted with a cardio frequency meter sensor, an onboard GPS and even an altimeter. Eleven training modes are integrated. On a daily basis, it measures our activity, monitors the quality of our sleep and even suggests exercises to relax. Collected data can be accessed in the Xiami Wear Lite app by day, week, month and year. 69 euros.
Our opinion : Impossible to customize with third-party applications, this watch remains simple to use and can meet fairly conventional needs. And bonus: its good autonomy makes its use less intrusive: a simple weekly recharge in normal use is enough!
Fashion without frills: Gen 6 Hybrid, from Fossil
Available in two models (“Stella” for women; “Machine” for men), the watch Gen 6 Hybrid is compatible with Android or Apple smartphones. However, it cannot be customized with third-party applications. Still, it provides the main functions expected of a connected watch through its own application: time (with analog hands); notifications on its black and white screen; tracking activities, continuous heart rate, sleep. For the first time at Fossil, the measurement of SpO2 (the saturation of oxygen in the blood) is also on the menu. Also new is native support for Amazon’s Alexa, using a built-in microphone. Its autonomy can reach up to 14 days. From 229 euros (45 mm – Machine model; 40.5 mm – Stella).
Our opinion : A nice watch without spending too much? This new model has two particular merits: its simplicity (with most of the functions that can be expected from this type of product); its autonomy which, thanks to an e-ink screen (like that of e-readers) can reach two weeks. A good party!
The communicator that resists everything: Galaxy Watch 5, from Samsung
The Galaxy Watch 5 from Samsung appears with a polymer case set with an anodized aluminum bezel. Apart from its new sapphire crystal screen, the tocante looks like its big sister, the Galaxy Watch 4. IP68, the watch has the best possible certification for its resistance to dust and water. It retains its two physical buttons, including one to summon its personal assistant (Bixby from Samsung, or Google Assistant).
Sport and health oriented, offering a range of complete functions (from the calculation of the number of steps to the electrocardiogram), the Watch 5 remains a very pleasant tocante on a daily basis, capable of managing telephone calls (without having to take your smartphone in hand ), and even reply to text messages directly from their screen. 2€99 (40mm); 329 euro (44mm).
Our opinion : This Watch 5 is a good extension of Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones. Its autonomy reduced to one day weighs down its use a little if you want to use it for intensive sports. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (399 euros) will go further: up to 3 days of autonomy. Please note that some Health functions are only accessible from a Samsung smartphone.
The youngest player: Pixel Watch, from Google
With the PixelWatch Google launches its first connected watch. This chubby and lightweight model (36 grams) is only available in one size: 41 mm, but comes with two strap sizes.
Customizable using around twenty screens, the watch has a 32 GB memory. This is a significant space for storing applications, or music, without bothering with your smartphone during a session. sports, with its 41 compatible physical activities. Among its many sensors, an oximeter (to measure the oxygen level in the blood). Its autonomy can reach up to 24 hours. Without an announced resistance IP standard, the Pixel Watch can, according to Google, “resist immersion in a shallow pool and sweat”. 379 euro (41mm).
Our opinion : The excellent GPS tracking of this watch is a plus. Note that the Pixel Watch works with the Fitbit application (brand acquired by Google)… Application which is paid (8.99 euros / month) to access certain data, such as the history of its respiratory rate.
The most complete for programming a baby: Apple Watch, Series 8
Differentiating itself from many competitors by its square dial, the latest AppleWatch Apple has been capitalizing on the know-how of its manufacturer since 2014. IP6X, weighing 38.8 grams, it offers small improvements in sports monitoring (with the consideration of intervals), or that of Sleep. Apple highlights its new temperature sensor for monitoring menstrual cycles. Another innovation is the detection of falls, or even road accidents, thanks to its barometric sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope. €499 (41mm); 539 euro (45mm).
Our opinion : Undisputed reference among connected watches, the Apple Watch is evolving on the margins and its autonomy of up to 18 hours remains unchanged. The compatibility of its contactless payment service with most banking establishments is a real plus, the Apple Watch visibly reassuring banks: no longer the trouble of having a credit card on you, even for large sums! We only regret that we have to juggle three applications (App Watch; Health and Fitness) to take advantage of all its advantages.