5 best fitness trackers and smartwatches of 2016

Wearable devices are gaining in popularity, even if smartwatches are still battling to win over consumers. Here are some of the best in 2016.

Basic wearables – mostly fitness bands – accounted for 85 percent of the wearables market and saw steady growth in the third quarter of this year, according to IDC, which added that “simplicity is a driving factor” behind their popularity.

“Smart wearables,” such as smartwatches, on the other hand, are seeing a more muted acceptance among consumers, IDC said.

Here’s the top 5 list, starting with two smartwatches and ending with three popular, proven fitness trackers.

Apple Watch 2: The first hardware update to the Apple Watch since it was introduced in April of 2015 is cosmetically unchanged, except for being slightly thicker to accommodate a larger battery. Otherwise, the Apple Watch Series 2 is faster– due to new silicon– features built-in GPS (to make it more independent of the iPhone) and is now waterproof. It’s also a good fitness and health tracker, can handle email and messaging, take phone calls, and be used as a digital wallet via Apple Pay. New Watch packages like the Apple Watch Nike+ are attractive because they’re no more expensive than the cheapest Apple Watch 2, and come with recognized branding and cool bands. Apple Watch Series 1 (which is still being sold) starts at $269, and Apple Watch 2 starts at $369.

APPLE WATCH NIKE+ COMING SOON, UPS FITNESS ANTE

Samsung Gear S2/S3: Last year’s Samsung Gear S2 is still one of the best smartwatches. The rotating bezel, classic circular screen, and Super AMOLED display make it a standout. Recently, Samsung introduced the Gear S3, a larger watch than the Gear S2. (The downside being the S3 may not be a good fit for some, due to its size.) The Watch’s design is still striking, and the S3 has a better rotating bezel and improved display. A LTE version of the Gear S3 is available with cellular service provided by AT&T or T-Mobile. Onboard GPS is included on all watches. And, like Apple, Samsung has a focus on fitness, supported by Samsung apps and an evolving Samsung S Health platform. Samsung Pay (which allows purchases, including a limited number independent of the phone) comes with the watch too. Note that the Gear S2/S3 run a separate operating system (Tizen) from Google’s Android Wear. This means there’s a relative dearth of apps. There is support for connecting to non-Samsung Android phones, though. The S3 is not waterproof (i.e., it’s not swimproof) like the Apple Watch 2. The Samsung Gear S2 starts at $249.99 and the S3 starts at $349.99.

Fitbit Charge 2: The Charge 2 is the top fitness tracker. The release of the Charge 2 earlier this fall helped to secure Fitbit as the No.1 worldwide wearable device vendor (based on shipments) in the third quarter, according to IDC. Highlights include a large OLED display that can simultaneously show time and fitness data, an always-on heart rate monitor, long battery life, swappable bands, and, as always, excellent fitness tracking. Lacks a built-in GPS (but can pull in GPS data from a phone) and is not waterproof. Price: $149.95.

Garmin Vivosmart HR+: This wearable device often makes it to the top of fitness tracker review lists. It offers built-in GPS, lots of activity tracking, and heart rate. Battery lasts up to a week and it’s water resistant. One of the few downsides is that it’s a little on the bulky side. Regularly $199.99.

Samsung Gear Fit 2: The slim Gear Fit 2 sports an amazing Samsung curved AMOLED display and form-fitting wristband. The display combined with physical design comes pretty close to being a mini-smartwatch dedicated to fitness. Other highlights include smartphone notifications and automatic activity/sleep tracking. It also boasts built-in GPS, heart-rate monitoring, and 4GB of onboard music that you can control from your wrist. Relatively inexpensive compared to fitness tracking rivals in its class, Gear Fit 2 is priced at $179.99.