What are the best waterproof smartwatches under $200?
One of the things that irk me the most about this subject is the transparency of many smartwatch companies. Most of the companies claim a watch is waterproof, but after further research, the smartwatch would only be IP68 or IP67. In other words, the watches are just barely water-resistant, only able to handle splashes of water, showers, and a few minutes of shallow water in a pool.
Many people end up purchasing a smartwatch precisely because of the waterproof capabilities they think they’re getting. Feeling duped a month or so later, they find out by customer service that their smartwatch isn’t compatible with extended periods in water.
In short, it isn’t very easy finding smartwatches on the market that are both; truly waterproof and under $200. They may be rare, but fortunately, they do exist. After testing, extensive research, and the help of a few tech junkies; We were able to find the 3 most water-resistant watches below $200 on the market.
Here Are The 3 Best Waterproof Smartwatches Under $200
- Ticwatch S2
- Garmin vívoactive 3
- Fitbit Versa
1. Mobvoi Ticwatch S2
Running below $200, the Ticwatch S2 is a water-resistant smartwatch with a fantastic design. Since it’s 5 ATM waterproof, you are able to go 50 meters underwater without any damages. Not only does it look amazing, but the durability is great, as well. With the 810G certified military standard durability and Corning Gorilla 3 glass, the watch is designed for vigorous traveling conditions.
The watch and built-in mic is entirely water/swim proof. With its 415mAh battery, you get roughly 2 days of battery life.
A great feature to have is the built-in mic that can take Google Assistant commands. Unfortunately, the responses from Google Assistant are only visual, considering there isn’t a built-in speaker. At 1.39-inches, the screen size is just about right. It’s not too big where the watch is bulky, but it’s large enough for a pleasant display view.
One of the best features of this watch is its Wear OS by Google. As a matter of fact, this is one of the cheapest watches with Wear OS.
The Ticwatch Pro 4G/LTE has many beneficial features for active or passive use. To name a few, you get a 24-hour heart rate monitor, a sleep tracker, Google Assistant, GPS, etc. To best track your sleep, download the TicSleep app on the watch. This watch also gives you a plethora of watch faces to choose from.
Overall, the Ticwatch S2 is a fantastic waterproof smartwatch running below $200. This watch is basically the exact same as the Ticwatch E2, which you can find on the same link to Amazon.
Details & Tech Specs
- Knurled stainless-steel bezel
- 24h Heart Rate Monitor
- Battery life: Smart mode 2 days
- Battery type: 415mAh battery
- 5 ATM waterproof
- US Military Standard 810G certified durability
- 1GB RAM
- Sleep tracker with TicSleep app
- GPS
- Built-in microphone
- Built-in Google Assistant
- 12-month warranty
- Screen size: 1.39-inch
- Wear OS by Google
- Proactive sports mode
- Amoled screen
2. Garmin vívoactive 3
Just recently, Garmin cut this watch’s price in half. The Garmin vívoactive 3 previously at $250 now runs around $116. First and foremost, the smartwatch is exceptionally comfortable and lightweight. Many smartwatches are generally bulkier, considering the amount of hardware that goes into each of them.
Nevertheless, the vívoactive 3 is relatively slim and doesn’t even have a bump on the bottom that’s used to monitor your heart rate. The battery life is decent at approximately 5-7 days. Once connected to a compatible smartphone, you can receive notifications. However, you can’t reply to the watch.
Made out of Corning Gorilla Glass 3, this watch is extremely durable and nearly scratch-resistant. Automatically coming preloaded on the Garmin vívoactive 3 are 15 GPS and indoor sports apps. A critical feature that comes in handy is its ability to track your stress level.
Stress the silent underlying creator of many sicknesses and diseases. The fact that vívoactive 3 is able to track your stress level is a massive benefit. You are also easily able to see the display in direct sunlight. Overall, the Garmin vívoactive 3 is a fantastic smartwatch running well under $300. Be sure to check out the reviews on Amazon below.
Details & Tech Specs
- Contactless payment
- Removable bands able to be changed
- Touchscreen
- Battery life: 5-7 days
- Smartphone notifications
- 15 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps
- Stress level tracker
- Able to see the watch display in direct sunlight
- Swim proof/Water-resistant
3. Fitbit Versa
Last up, the Fitbit Versa is a decent water-resistant smartwatch running below $200. Let me first state this about this watch; it is not as waterproof as the other two watches on this list. There have been many complaints of water damage after continuous use in the water.
On the contrary, there have been many excellent reviews of how resistant it is to water. Fitbit claims this watch can handle 50 meters underwater for 30 minutes. This watch also has swimming APPs to keep track of your laps.
With a great design and decent build quality, this device is competitively priced. The front frame is made of Gorilla Glass 3, which is very durable and nearly scratch-resistant. After people tested the durability by throwing it from 5 stories up, there was still no damage to the watch.
The anodized aluminum casing is very durable, as well. I also like how it automatically turns on while flicking your wrist to look at it. Unfortunately, the Fitbit Versa does not have a built-in GPS. If you want GPS, you must sync it with your smartphone.
Its ability to hold 300 songs and Bluetooth pairing gives you the ability to run with Bluetooth headphones and listen to music. This ability enables you to run or exercise without your smartphone for music. Overall, the Fitbit Versa is a decent smartwatch with water-resistant capabilities running under $200. Like mentioned before, there are many contrary views on the water-resistant capabilities of this watch. Be sure to check out the reviews on Amazon below.
Details & Tech Specs
- Able to sync with both iPad and smartphone
- Water-resistant up to 50 meters for 30 minutes
- Does not have built-in GPS
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Comes with a charging dock
- Gorilla Glass 3
- Anodized Aluminum Casing
- Heart rate monitor
Quick Recap
Here Are The 3 Best Waterproof Smartwatches Under $200
- Ticwatch S2
- Garmin vívoactive 3
- Fitbit Versa
What’s a smartwatch?
A smartwatch is essentially a wristwatch with smart features. While it depends on the brand, some of these smart features might include a heart rate monitor, the ability to text, make phone calls, GPS, sleep monitor, etc.
How much does a smartwatch cost?
With a few exceptions, the cost of smartwatches dramatically varies as you can get them anywhere between $28 all the way up to the $3000’s. However, some of the more popular smartwatches hover in the $200-$500 range.
Do any smartwatches provide GPS and GLONASS?
Very few smartwatches provide GPS and GLONASS. The few that do are Garmin Fenix 5X, Garmin fēnix 5X Plus, Garmin Fenix 6, and Garmin Instinct.
If you’re looking for over-ear headphones, see our top picks here.
See the top made-in-USA sunglasses here.
See the difference between hiking waterfalls or mountains here.
Need a modern outdoor coffee table? See the top picks here.
Need an alarm clock? See the top choices here.