If you’re in the market for a smartwatch and are willing to spend up to Rs 30,000, there’s a good chance you’re not a first-time smartwatch buyer. A recent report from Statista suggests that smartwatch user penetration in India is likely to hit 3.5% by 2024 and climb to 6.29% of the total population by 2029. The report predicts that the smartwatch market in India will grow at an impressive 11.05% percent resulting in a significant jump from USD 1.19 billion in 2024 to USD 2.01 billion by 2029.
Most buyers in the premium and super premium segments in India are looking for specific use-case scenarios from their smartwatches. Connectivity with your smartphone and tapping into an app ecosystem is one of those purchase drivers. This allows you to use quite a few apps directly from your wrist especially when you need quick updates, controls or notifications in the middle of a workout or a meeting. This is where Google’s Wear OS smartwatches from Google, Samsung or OnePlus come to the party. The Apple Watch is easily the most sorted smartwatch on this front, but the premium watches that we’d recommend within the Apple Watch line are way above the Rs 30,000 mark. Then there’s wellness, where brands like Garmin score. We round up the best smartwatches you can buy right now under Rs 30,000:
OnePlus Watch 2r
This is a follow up to the OnePlus Watch 2. The 2r offers a more affordable option with a marginally cheaper price tag. It misses out on a stainless-steel chassis and Sapphire Crystal glass like on its predecessor, but that apart, it comes with all the features that makes the OnePlus Watch 2 one of our favourite Wear OS smartwatches. We are partial to the Gunmetal Gray colour way on the 2r, with a black strap and matte black chassis. The 2r is crafted in aluminium and is IP68-certified for dust and water resistance. The other thing you will notice is dual-tone chronographic markings on the display that adds to its appeal as a stylish accessory. Aside from the stellar performance (it’s powered by a Snapdragon W5 processor) it’s the 1.43-inch AMOLED display (466 x 466 pixels) that has our attention.
What we like: vibrant display and premium design
Price: Rs 17,999
Garmin Forerunner 165
Garmin remains our top recommendation for serious runners and fitness enthusiasts. Garmin announced a price cut soon after its launch that saw both the Forerunner 165 and the Forerunner 165 Music drop below Rs 30,000. The Forerunner 165 is designed to take your running to the next level with GPS, pace, distance and wrist-based heart rate. Most Garmin fans look forward to the Morning Report that reviews your sleep and also summarises your training outlook for the day. It’s not just running, you can tap into more 25 built-in activities, including cycling and swimming. The pricier Music version allows you to download songs and playlists from your Spotify or Amazon Music accounts for phone-free listening, while the Connect IQ store gives you access to watch faces and apps.
What we like: Garmin Coach feature, battery life and wellness features.
Price: Rs 25,490 onwards
Google Pixel Watch 2
The focus might be on Google’s 2024 Pixel Watch 3, but it’s the Pixel Watch 2 that might well be the best deal for most users after a recent price cut. The Pixel Watch 2 was launched along with the Google Pixel 8 twins in 2023 and is one of the best-looking smartwatches under Rs 30,000. It sticks with the Pixel watch design template that exudes a premium vibe and is powered by a Qualcomm 5100 that delivers an improved, 24-hour battery life with the always-on display. The Pixel Watch 2 comes with Google’s new Wear OS 4 and useful features like Safety Check
What we like: Design, Fitbit wellness features, Best of Google Wear OS.
Price: Rs 29,990
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
This year, Samsung launched two versions of its Samsung Galaxy smartwatch including a new Ultra version. The Galaxy Watch 7 should work for most users and is one of most versatile smartwatches with the perfect blend of style, wellness features and the Wear OS ecosystem. It comes in two sizes (40mm and 44mm) and is available in a GPS/Bluetooth variant or with LTE connectivity. An immersive display is a given with a Samsung smartwatch, you also get a whole bunch of wellness features that include Body Composition and advanced sleep tracking.
What we like: Wear OS, wellness features and immersive display
Price: Rs 29,999 onwards
Amazfit Balance
Amazfit has sought inspiration from the sleek angles of luxury cars and the elegance of traditional watches to craft one of the pricier smartwatches in its portfolio. It is embellished with an anti-glare glass bezel and flaunts a large 1.5-inch HD AMOLED display. Like most brands in the premium smartphone space, Amazfit ticks some key wellness boxes. It offers an intuitive Readiness Score each morning that is based on your sleep resting heart rate, sleep heart rate variability, breathing quality, and temperature. Amazfit is also playing up the AI capabilities of this smartwatch with Zepp OS 4 that creates a seamless option to interact with your smartwatch with voice-to-text replies.
What we like: Battery life and AI features
Price: Rs 24,399
