When it comes to smartwatches, the Apple Watch is often considered to be one of the best on the market. According to our tests of the Apple Watch 7 and Apple Watch Series 8, we particularly love its design, high-quality craftsmanship, and impressive range of features. However, there is one major drawback: it is only fully compatible with iOS devices and comes with a minimum price tag of 400 euros.
Thankfully, there are alternatives out there for those who want the functionality of a smartwatch without the high price tag. For example, the Yonmig Smartwatch is one of the most popular on Amazon due to its affordable price and similarity in appearance to the Apple Watch. There are also smartwatches from lesser-known brands such as Rogbid, as well as virtually identical Apple clones from no-name providers. Other competitors to Apple in the wearables space include Huami (Amazfit), Xiaomi, and Hama.
One such Apple clone is the GX8 Ultra, which bears a striking resemblance to the Apple Watch Ultra. While it has a great price point, currently just under 19 euros on Aliexpress, its functionality falls somewhat short. Despite having a metal casing and being visually similar to the Apple Watch, its pulse measurement feature is inaccurate and sluggish compared to more accurate trackers. Additionally, many of its features appear to be fake, such as the EKG measurement. However, the GX8 Ultra makes up for it with decent notifications from your smartphone, a bright 2-inch display, and onboard NFC.
The Yonmig Smartwatch is a much better alternative for those looking for a budget-friendly device. This affordable smartwatch retails for around 30 euros on Amazon and offers a range of features, including step tracking, calorie and distance tracking, sleep tracking, and GPS via a connected smartphone. It can also notify users of incoming calls, messages, and control music playback. While it is impressively water-resistant for its price point, its app is somewhat limited and lacks key features such as notifications for many popular apps.
The Hama Fit Watch 5910 is almost identical to the Yonmig Smartwatch but adds a GPS for standalone functionality. It retails for around 50 euros and is one of the best budget-friendly smartwatches with GPS available. Despite sharing many of the same features as the Yonmig, there are still limitations with its notification functions, and the battery life falls short at roughly five days.
For those looking for something a bit different, the Rogbid King offers a square design that bears only a passing resemblance to the Apple Watch. This Android-based smartwatch is not only more expensive than the other options mentioned here but is also a bit clunkier and less polished. It does, however, include GPS, access to the Google Play Store, and some fairly decent phone call features.
Finally, the Redmi Watch 2 Lite from Xiaomi offers the best overall package when it comes to budget-friendly smartwatches. It offers GPS, excellent battery life, and a 1.55-inch display all for just under 45 euros. Additionally, it comes with a host of features such as sleep and blood oxygen tracking, and it’s water-resistant up to 50 meters. However, its square design is reminiscent of the Apple Watch, and it lacks some of the more robust smart features that pricier models offer.
In conclusion, there are many viable options for those looking for a budget-friendly alternative to the Apple Watch. While these devices may not have all of the features and polish of their Apple counterparts, they are definitely worth considering for those seeking a smartwatch that can provide a good range of features at a fraction of the price.
