Why you should buy this: It’s a good-looking hybrid analog and smartwatch that’s packed with fitness tracking features.Who it’s for: Men or women who like traditional watches, but want to try out a smartwatch.

Why we picked the Withings Steel HR Sport

Smartwatches tend to look like pieces of technology, mostly because of the touchscreen, but what if you want a smartwatch that looks more like a traditional watch? Well then, you want a hybrid smartwatch, which does away with the touchscreen but still includes smartphone connectivity for notifications and fitness tracking. The choice in this category is growing and evolving, and you can spend very little or an awful lot, depending on your preferences and the size of your wallet.

We think the Withings Steel HR Sport strikes a nice balance between style and substance with a classic analog watch face, and a 40mm, matte black, stainless steel casing with a single side button. It comes with a choice of silicone or leather bands or can be paired with any third-party 20mm band you like.

At the top of the analog watch face, there’s a small LCD that shows health metrics and incoming notifications from your paired smartphone. It measures heart rate, step count, calories burned, and more. There’s also connected GPS tracking (which means it uses your phone) and support for VO2 Max which estimates the oxygen you use during exercise. It will prod you about your fitness goals and also tracks your sleep, giving you a report on the quality.

Up to 25 days of battery life rounds out a great value package. The only doubts we have are about the performance analysis and the tiny display. If you like the sound of this, but would rather spend less then the Withings Move ECG is worth a look, though the ECG feature is still clearing the FDA. The Withings ScanWatch is also coming soon and it boasts a bigger display and the ability to monitor irregular heartbeat and atrial fibrillation. If you are willing to spend a lot more for a Swiss timepiece and import, then the Alpina AlpinerX deserves your consideration. If you want something that sports traditional watch hands, but with an E Ink display behind them, then the Fossil Hybrid HR could be for you.

Overall, though, the Withings Steel HR offers a nice combination of tracking features for the casual user and looks and feels just like a regular, traditional watch.

How do I decide between an Apple, Tizen, or Wear OS smartwatch?

Although it sounds like a complicated question, this is surprisingly straightforward. If you own an Android phone, then you can use a Tizen — which is the operating system used on Samsung’s smartwatches — or a Google Wear OS watch. The Apple Watch only works with Apple’s iOS software.

If you own an iPhone, all smartwatches work with your phone provided you use Samsung’s or Google’s special app to sync the two up. However, be aware that neither Wear OS or Tizen watches will provide the same level of functionality as they do when connected to an Android phone. This is due to certain restrictions that Apple applies to third-party devices and what they are allowed to access in the iOS software. For this reason, and many others, we don’t recommend iPhone owners buy any other q18 smartwatch than the Apple Watch.

For Android phone owners wanting a smartwatch, it may come down to design preference which model of watch you buy, but we do prefer the way Tizen operates on the Samsung Galaxy Watch, over many Wear OS smartwatches.

How durable is a smartwatch?

Because it’s on your wrist, smartwatches are exposed to danger. They’re easy to knock against things, and can often get wet. Does this mean you must be extra careful with your watch? Some smartwatches, like the Casio Pro Trek WSD-F30 and the Mobvoi Ticwatch S2, meet military standards for toughness, and will withstand harsher treatment than others.

While many smartwatches are water-resistant today, from the Apple Watch Series 4 to the Kate Spade Scallop 2, not all have sapphire crystal over the screen. This adds an extra level of scratch resistance to the screen and also provides a beautiful reflective sheen, but you’ll have to pay a little more for the pleasure. The Tag Heuer Connected Modular 41, the Montblanc Summit 2, and the Kronaby hybrid watches all have sapphire crystal over the screen.

It’s sensible to treat your smartwatch carefully, even with these extra levels of protection, but no more so than you would with a traditional watch.

Do I need a smartwatch with GPS?

If you are a runner and intend to use your smartwatch to track routes, and crucially don’t want to run with your phone, then yes you do need GPS. Most modern smartwatches come with GPS as standard anyway, so you may find it’s ready and waiting if you need it. If your smartwatch doesn’t have GPS, then it can still often use your phone’s GPS when connected, but it will be slower to operate.