Wear OS has made a real comeback in the past few years, and if you’re shopping for a new Wear OS watch today, you’ve gotplenty of good options. Of course, plenty of wearables are discounted for the Cyber Monday sales period, and now’s a great time to pick up a new smartwatch. As Gadgets Editor at AP, I’ve used practically every Wear OS device released in the past year — and these are the deals I’m recommending thisCyber Monday.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is a steal at $230 (or less)
If you’ve been following the Wear OS space for the past couple of years, you probably know that Samsung’s elbowed its way to the top of the heap with its Galaxy Watch devices. I think theSamsung Galaxy Watch 6is the easiest current-gen Wear OS watch to recommend even at its $300 MSRP, and for Cyber Monday weekend, it’s $70 off at just $230.
For $230, the Watch 6 offers top-tier performance and the latest Wear OS 4, plus an attractive design and battery life that’ll last you at least a full day on a charge. Samsung’s offering somedecent trade valueson top of this promo price, too, and if you’ve got another recent smartwatch to trade in, you can get a Watch 6 for $80, or $30, or even free, depending on the model you’re trading. That’s an outrageous deal.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is the de facto default Wear OS watch in 2023. With strong performance, good battery life, and the latest Wear OS 4, it’s a killer bargain at $230 — or even less, if you’ve got another recent smartwatch to trade in at Samsung.com.
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 is down to $245
TheMobvoi TicWatch Pro 5is not as easy to recommend as the eminently likable Galaxy Watch 6. Its chunkier styling may be less appealing, and Mobvoi’s watch is still on Wear OS 3.5 with no Wear OS 4 update confirmed so far. Frustratingly, it also doesn’t have access to the Google Assistant for hands-free help. But performance is rock solid, and thanks in part to the watch’s dual-layer display, the TicWatch Pro 5 lasts alongtime on a charge. Lighter use will see you topping up as little as twice a week — closer to fitness tracker territory than most full smartwatches can manage.
At its $350 MSRP, the TicWatch Pro 5 isn’t terribly easy to recommend unless battery life is your absolute top priority. But for Cyber Monday, it’s way down to $245 — $105 off retail. Atthisprice, the TicWatch Pro 5 still isn’t quite as good a watch as the Galaxy Watch 6 I recommend above, but its strong performance and incredible battery life mean it’s a very viable option if it meets your needs.
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 doesn’t come with the Google Assistant, but if offers strong performance and some of the best battery life you’ll get out of any smartwatch today. It’s on sale for $245 for Cyber Monday, a whopping $105 off MSRP.
The first-gen Pixel Watch is $150 off its launch price
We were hoping to see some substantial Pixel Watch 2 discounts this year, but Google’s newest wearable has stubbornly clung to its $350 MSRP for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The very similar first-generation model, though, is at its best price ever. It’s down to $200, which is $80 off what its cost lately and $150 off its launch price.
There’s no getting around the elephant in the room here: the original Pixel Watch’s battery life isn’t very good. It should last you a full 24 hours if you keep the always-on display turned off, but with AOD active, you probably won’t make it from one morning to the next on a single charge. Still, performance is good, the software experience is the same, and the first-gen Pixel Watch looks just as good as the Pixel Watch 2 — and I think they’re the two best-looking smartwatches around right now.
If you’ve been eyeing a Pixel Watch and don’t mind charging more often, you’re not sacrificing much else by going first-gen — and right now, you’ll save a full $150 versus buying a second-gen model. That’s a heck of a bargain.
Google Pixel Watch
The first-gen Pixel Watch doesn’t offer the same battery life as other Wear OS watches we recommend, but if you don’t care about sleep tracking or you’re willing to charge a couple times a day, it’s a very attractive option at $200.
It’s a great time to grab a new watch
With so many good options at such appealing price points, it’s a reallyexcellent time to pick up a new smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch 6, in particular, is an excellent deal, especially if you’ve got another smartwatch to trade in at Samsung’s online store. If you’re looking for something smarwatchish,but you don’t want to spend much on it, theFitbit Charge 6 is quietly one of the best deals of the year at $100.
