It’s been a huge year for smartwatch launches with plenty of new models from the likes of Apple, Google, Samsung, OnePlus and other brands.
Some took a backstep and others really stepped up. As usual, we’ve been up close and personal with these devices, testing them for weeks and months to find out which ones you should buy.
It’s now time to crown the best new smartwatch of 2025, along with runners-up.
Best New Smartwatch of the Year – Winner: Google Pixel Watch 4
Chris Martin / Foundry
Google came runner-up for this award last year with the Pixel Watch 3, and although the Pixel Watch 4 might look nearly identical at a glance, it hides a lot of significant upgrades.
as perfect as smartwatches got this year
There are some big updates to the design, including the fact that the screen and battery are now replaceable – and you can do it at home with relative ease thanks to no signs of glue.
That screen is now a unique domed display, which works really well and the Pixel Watch 4 has much faster charging and a handy new dock to boot. Add in the latest version of Wear OS with Material 3 Expressive user interface and Gemini baked in and you’ve got the best new smartwatch of 2025.
There’s very little to dislike here, with only minor niggles in our 9/10 review. Fitbit Premium still costs extra to get things like your Morning Briefing and Gemini could do with a bit of work, but otherwise, this is as perfect as smartwatches got this year.
Read our Google Pixel Watch 4 review.
Best New Smartwatch of the Year – First Runner Up: OnePlus Watch 3
Mike Sawh
The Watch 2R won this award last year with its unbeatable value for money but there is no 3R to date. Still, the OnePlus Watch 3 is an excellent smartwatch, particularly now the firm has added a smaller 38mm model we’d long been requesting.
As well as style and features, the main reason to buy this over rivals remains it’s exceptionally long battery life in comparison.
Read our OnePlus Watch 3 review.
Best New Smartwatch of the Year – First Runner Up: Apple Watch Series 11
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
It’s a case of yet more refinement from Apple’s core flagship smartwatch but there’s no denying that the Series 11 is yet another great smartwatch.
The obvious choice for most iPhone users, the wearable improves in various areas including sleep tracking, battery life, fitness features and durability. The only spanner in the works is that the SE 3 does much of this for a lot less.
Read our Apple Watch Series 11 review.
Author: Chris Martin, Managing Editor, Tech Advisor
Tech Advisor Managing Editor Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been with us for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.