Black Friday proper is now in the rear-view mirror, but the Black Friday deals continue, and there's still plenty of opportunity to find a bargain on the best smartwatch.
If you're looking for a wearable for your Android phone, or you want an Apple Watch alternative, you can still find great deals on fitness-focused wearables from Samsung and Google.
If you want a creative deal, AT&T will give you a bonus Apple Watch SE (2022) if you purchase any new Apple Watch, or a second Google Pixel when you buy a first. You need to connect both watches to your cellular plan and pay for them over a three-year installment plan. If you plan on keeping the watch connected for only a full year, that's still equal to $100 discount.
Best Buy also deals on the first generation Apple Watch SE, as well as plenty of other wearables, including Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 devices.
Black Friday smartwatch sales (US): quick links
Black Friday smartwatch deals have seen big box retailers Walmart and Best Buy dropping prices on last year's Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch models.
US:
- Best Buy: Solid deals on last year's Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch
- Target: Great deals on a wide variety of Apple Watch options
- AT&T: Buy any Apple Watch get an Apple Watch SE free (with contract)
The best Black Friday smartwatch deals still available in the US
Black Friday smartwatch sales (UK): quick links
- Amazon: great savings on Apple Watch and more
- Argos: early savings on Samsung and Garmin
- Currys: buy now pay later options on all smartwatches and fitness trackers
- John Lewis: great trade-in offers available now
- Very: savings Xiaomi, Honor and more
Buying tips: 3 of the best smartwatches to look for on Black Friday
The big screen Apple Watch
The Apple Watch 7 is basically the Watch 6 with a slightly larger screen and the ability to charge faster – most people will likely choose the Watch 7 because of the new attractive colors it comes in, rather than any new features. While it still packs a wide variety of impressive features, and is a superb second screen for an iPhone user (as well as being genuinely useful to anyone who needs the ECG or blood oxygen monitor regularly) the Watch 7 doesn’t offer the battery life, fitness or design overhaul that it needs to inspire an upgrade. Read more: Apple Watch 7 review
For
- Bright, large screen
- Fast charging
Against
- Workouts are basic
- Battery life isn't long enough
The best Apple Watch for the money
If you know you want a new Apple Watch, the Watch SE is the one to go for: it’s got all the useful features of the Watch 6, but it’s much cheaper, and thus one of the best smartwatches around. The always-on display is sorely missing, but the fitness tracking – including motivating nudges to keep you active – is as good as ever, and will improve when Fitness Plus lands. However, the Watch SE comes with the same issues as the rest of the Apple Watch line: some features and apps are too lightweight, and the battery life is just too short to get the best out of the watch. Read more: Apple Watch SE review
For
- Premium design
- Great range of features
Against
- Lacks always-on display
- Battery life lacking
The smartwatch that really spins
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has all the traits of a premium smartwatch, but it falls short in a few key areas. While its rotating bezel makes navigation a breeze, and it ticks lots of boxes in terms of fitness and software, it’s fiddly to control when you’re working out, its battery life is awful, and while these issues might be justifiable to a degree in a budget wearable, they’re hard to take in a watch that’s billed as a premium device. Read more: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic review
For
- Rotating bezel feels intuitive
- Solid build
Against
- Battery life is awful
- Workout controls are fiddly
Black Friday smartwatch deals: Our predictions
When will the best Black Friday smartwatch deals start in 2022?
Black Friday is over for another year, but there are still lots of deals available - we’re rounding them up in our best smartwatch deals page.
Where will the best Black Friday smartwatch deals be?
We will, of course, bring all the best Black Friday smartwatch deals here as soon as they drop. If you want to browse for yourself ahead of time, we’ve got a list of all our favourite sites to check out for early offers of smartwatches.
Top US retailers:
Amazon: a broad smartwatch selection at great prices
Best Buy: save on a wide range of smartwatches
Walmart: get free shipping on these smartwatches
Top UK retailers:
Amazon: often the cheapest smartwatches in the UK
Currys: free delivery, on a wide selection of smartwatches
John Lewis: extended warranties on premium smartwatches
Top 3 tips to buy a smartwatch
There's no wrong way to choose a smartwatch. Maybe you're a fitness fanatic and you want to track all of your various exercise and activities. Maybe you just want convenient notifications and won't suffer a device that isn't stylish. Big or small, robust or simple, there are plenty of options for every wearable buyer.
1. Check out our best smartwatches guide
At TechRadar, we’ve tested almost every smartwatch on the market, and with that knowledge we’ve created a best smartwatch guide, highlighting all the top options. Or, if money is tight, take a look at our best cheap smartwatch guide.
Every watch on those pages comes highly recommended, and you can see at a glance what we like about each model, too.
2. Check if a deal is really a deal
If you see a smartwatch at a reduced price, it’s worth double checking whether it's as good a deal as it appears. We do this ourselves, but you can also compare it to the prices elsewhere, or use a browser extension like The Camelizer to see how the current price compares to previous prices.
Sometimes retailers can do tricky things like listing the price as a reduction from an old starting price that hasn't been valid for quite some time, so not all deals are as good as they look.
On Black Friday, we’ll highlight all the best deals too, so keep an eye on this page and the rest of TechRadar for genuine bargains.
3. Keep an eye on older models
Recent smartwatches might be new and exciting, but the biggest Black Friday discounts will usually be found on older models – especially if a new version has been released more recently.
So, rather than the Apple Watch 8, for example, consider buying an Apple Watch 7. You’ll likely find it for a lot less money and won’t miss out on too many features.
Which smartwatch is best for you?
There are a lot of smartwatches to be on the lookout for during Black Friday 2022, but what wearable devices will be best for you? Here's a rundown of the top devices to keep an eye on as the discounts appear.
Our favorite watch for Apple iPhone users is the Apple Watch 8, because it is an all-around winner that does everything you'd expect a watch to do. If you want a watch that can do the unexpected, the Apple Watch Ultra can act as a SCUBA diving computer, and can connect with satellites if you ever need a mountain-top rescue.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 can hold it's own against any smartwatch, and that's why it's our pick for best Android smartwatch. You can upgrade to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and get some very cool GPS features, including a tracker that can give you directions when you're on a trail, not just on the road.
If you want something that is less expensive but still totally capable, the Fitbit Versa 2
tops our list of best cheap smartwatches. It has plenty of fitness features, and it works great with both Apple and Android devices, thanks to Google's universal Fitbit software.
