A smartwatch’s always-on capability comes in quite handy. When you’re working out, you can check the time and your workout progress without drawing attention to yourself by tapping your wristwatch screen or turning/raising your wrist. While most watches don’t show smartphone alerts in the darkened watch mode (also known as Always-on display), you can usually alter the information that appears on the screen to suit your needs.
In this article, we take a close look at the top always-on smartwatches on the market today. We’ve included here watches from a wide variety of brands, pricing points, and functional categories. Always-on displays are nice to have, but they shouldn’t be the primary selling point for a smartwatch. Before you go out and buy your next piece of clothing, it’s a good idea to figure out what’s most important to you and what you like.
Contents
Our Best Pick:
The Apple Watch Series 6 is the only smartwatch worth considering for iPhone owners. The Apple Watch Series 5 does, however, include always-on-display capabilities, making it a viable option for those on a tighter budget. There is a wider variety of options available for Android users.
We’re torn between recommending the Samsung Galaxy Active 2 with its confined Tizen OS and the Ticwatch Pro 4G, which has superior hardware but lags behind Google Wear OS. It’s up to the reader to figure it out now. Nobody understands your specific smartwatch requirements better than you do.
Top Smartwatches With Always-on Display:
Amazfit GTS 2: Smartwatch with 1.65
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 42 mm Version
- Weight: 53.8 g (1.9 oz)
- OS: Amazfit OS
- Storage: 3GB
- Display: 1.65″ AMOLED | 348×442 pixel resolution
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Battery Life: 14 days battery life
- GPS: Yes
- NFC: No
- Water and dust resistance: 5 ATM rated
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0
- Sensors: Heart rate tracker, accelerometer sensors, geomagnetic and air pressure sensors, SpO2
Two Minute Review:
For Android users, Amazfit GTS 2 is a low-cost substitute for the Apple Watch. Both the Amazfit GTS 2 and the Amazfit T-REX were developed by the Chinese company Huami (which we will discuss later). The watch looks and feels much like Apple Watch. The Huami has earned a reputation for being blatant copycats. In doing so, they gain a competitive advantage in the market and the appreciation of its customers.
Don’t take it on faith that we say so. Check out the features and see how they stack up against other popular watches like the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Active 2 and Watch 3. In addition to advanced sensors like an electrocardiogram (ECG), you will have access to other crucial health features like an accelerometer, altimeter, and SpO2 sensor.
It boasts a stunning high-resolution 1.65-inch display. And you can only keep so many tunes on your device. Many of the watches on this list, including this one, boast displays with a brightness capacity of 1000 nits. Additionally, it includes an AOD function.
The Amazfit watches’ battery life is extremely excellent. When it comes to labeling, the corporation stands behind what it sells. As a watch buyer, you can’t help but be impressed by the Amazfit’s staggeringly long battery life.
Amazfit T-Rex: Smartwatch With 1.3” AMOLED Display
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 47 mm
- Weight: 58 g
- OS: Amazfit OS
- Display: 1.3-inch AMOLED | Resolution 360 x 360
- Always On Display: Yes
- Battery Life: 20 days on mixed usage (20 hours when GPS activated)
- Water, Shock and Dust Resistance: ATM 5 rated, 12 Military Certifications
- GPS Connectivity: Has onboard GPS + GLONASS
- Voice Assistant: No
- NFC: No
- Sensors: BioTrackerTM PPG Bio-Tracking Optical Sensor, 3-axis acceleration sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Ambient light sensor
Two Minute Review:
The Amazfit T-REX is the most affordable smartwatch with an Always-on screen. But T-REX is not unique among Amazfit watches in terms of display; rather, it is distinguished by its tough build. This watch has been tested to withstand water depths of up to 50 meters and has passed military standards for ruggedness and durability.
It has more than 14 sports modes, but it can’t keep up with the performance of dedicated sports watches like Suunto and Garmin. Similar to the GTS 2, it has a respectable battery life of 20 days under normal conditions. But if you use GPS constantly, your battery will die a lot faster.
To further discuss GPS, it supports not just GPS but also GLONASS. If you have been living under a rock, GLONASS is the Russian equivalent of the Global Positioning System. You can get far-reaching coverage with a multi-satellite navigation system installed.
Apple Watch Series 6: The Best AMOLED Display Smartwatch
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: Yes
- Size: 44mm Version
- Weight: 47.1 g (1.66 oz)
- OS: watchOS 7.0, upgradable to 7.1
- Display: Sapphire crystal glass | 448 x 368 pixels (~326 PPI density) | 1.78 inches, 10.0 cm2 (~60.0% screen-to-body ratio) | Retina LTPO OLED, 1000 nits (peak)
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Storage & Memory: 32 GB and 1 GB
- Battery Life: Up to 18 h (mixed usage)
- GPS: Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS
- NFC: Yes, Apple Pay (Coverage: 41 countries worldwide)
- Water Resistance: 50m water resistant
- Voice Assistant: Yes, Siri
- Fall Detection: Yes
- Sensors: Blood oxygen sensor, Electrical heart sensor, Third-generation optical heart sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Ambient light sensor
For iPhone owners looking to save some money, the Apple Watch Series 5 is a viable choice because it was the first Apple Watch model to feature an always-on display. The optical heart rate sensor, an onboard altimeter, and FDA-approved ECG sensors are just a few of the high-tech features found in the newest Series 6 watch from the firm.
The watch’s Retina OLED display has an impressive 448 x 368 pixels of resolution, making it a very clear and detailed readout. More content can be seen on the screen thanks to the Apple watch’s superior display, which boasts exceptionally high quality.
It can withstand water pressure up to 50 meters deep, has a slim design, and can be used for contactless payments and navigation thanks to its Near Field Communication (NFC) and inbuilt GPS. The LTE variant includes an embedded SIM card, allowing for hands-free calling. It stands on its own as an entertaining and engaging activity in its own right.
It has all the bells and whistles of a smartwatch, including the ability to stream music over WiFi and LTE, local storage for listening to music when you’re not connected, near-field communication for use with Samsung Pay, and a voice assistant (Bixby)
The duration of use on a single charge is excellent. With the smartwatch feature activated, the battery life is enough for two to three days. Additionally, the watch is compatible with contactless charging, which is great news for those who value the ease of this feature.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: Yes
- Size: 45 mm Version
- Weight: 53.8 g (1.9 oz)
- OS: Tizen by Samsung
- Display: 1.4″ AMOLED / 360 x 360 / 328ppi
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Storage & Memory: 8GB , 1 GB
- Battery Life: 20-50 hours
- GPS: Yes with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- NFC: Yes
- Voice Assistant: Yes, Bixby
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM IP68 + Military Grade 8100
- Sensors: Heart rate, Electrocardiogram, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer, Ambient light, altimeter, SpO2
Two Minute Review:
The always-on screen of the Galaxy Watch 3 is only one of the many ways in which the new model improves upon its predecessor, the Active 2. The 8 GB storage capacity against 4 GB in Active 2 and the return of the conventional rotating bezel in Galaxy’s newest Galaxy Watch 3 are the only two major distinctions.
There’s also the fact that the Galaxy 3 is both hefty and ungainly in appearance. Better battery life than Active 2 by a hair. The Galaxy Watch 3 offers the same convenient features as the Active 2. If you own an Android phone, this is your best option for the Apple Watch.
However, there is an important condition to consider. Operating System for the Tizen Platform. Although the proprietary OS is quick, it lacks a robust developer base and falls behind rivals like Google Wear OS and Apple Watch OS. The likelihood of finding a wearable version of your favorite smartphone apps is higher on the former two than on TizenOS.
Ticwatch Pro 4G
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: Yes
- Size: 45 mm
- OS: Wear OS
- RAM & Storage: 1Gb & 8 GB
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear™ 4100 Platform.
- Display: 1.4″ Retina AMOLED (454 x 454)
- Always on Display: Yes
- Sensors: GPS, Blood Oxygen, heart rate, Glonass+Galileo,
- Speaker and Mic: Yes
- Battery: 3 days
- Weight: 42.3 Oz
- Water and dust Resistance: 10 ATM (up to 100m)
- Voice Assistant: Yes, (Google Assistant)
- NFC: Yes (Google Pay)
- Color: Shadow Black
- Strap Material: silicone (Other bands are also available)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and GPS, 4G LTE
Two Minute Review:
The watch is powered by Wear OS (formerly Android OS) and has Google Pay, Google Fit, Google Assistant, and an app store with access to thousands of third-party apps. It has an always-on screen and, of course, a second screen that may be used simultaneously. The top LCD has a low power consumption while the bottom Retina AMOLED display offers a high resolution of 454 x 454. Additionally, the battery life of the watch is three days under normal conditions.
Those with larger wrists will appreciate the roominess of this watch. This watch, thanks to its 4G LTE connectivity, allows you to communicate via phone calls, texts, and emails even when your phone isn’t within reach. The built-in GPS and Near Field Communication (NFC) allow for a truly autonomous adventure.
The watch also functions as a music streaming device. With a premium Spotify account, you can even save music on your watch. It can store a lot of music, podcasts, and audiobooks because to its enormous 8 GB storage space.
Fossil Gen 5
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: Yes (By Verizon Wireless)
- Size: 45 mm Version
- Weight: 100 g (3.52 oz)
- OS: Wear OS by Google
- Display: 1.28″ AMOLED / 416 x 416 / 328ppi /
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Storage & Memory: 1GB , 8GB
- Processor: Snapdragon Wear 3100
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
- GPS: Yes
- NFC: Yes (Google Pay)
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Voice Assistant: Yes (Google Assistant)
- Connectivity: Wifi, Bluetooth, LTE
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Altimeter, Ambient Light, Compass, Gyroscope, Off-body IR, PPG heart rate, GPS
Two Minute Review:
With its release at the beginning of the year, the Fossil Gen 5 LTE brings minor upgrades to the Flagship Gen 5 series. The 1.28-inch AMOLED display on the wristwatch boasts a resolution of 416 x 416 and a brightness of 1000 nits, making for exceptionally clear visuals. The watch’s always-on display is a nice feature, however it drains the battery far faster than traditional watches.
It, like the Ticwatch Pro 4G, is powered by the wear OS and so has all the features of a Google-based platform, such as the ability to make payments with Google Pay, use Google Assistant, and have access to thousands of additional apps. Battery life of fewer than three days is a major shortcoming compared to similarly priced Ticwatches and Samsung watches. But Wear OS is to fault for this situation.
Given the battery’s poor performance, the Watch provides a number of power-saving options. The good news is that it actually does the job. If you’re more interested in fashion than fitness tracking, the Fossil Gen 5 is the watch for you. The following option is the polar opposite.
Fitbit Sense
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 40.5 mm Version
- Weight: 50 g (1.7 oz)
- OS: Fitbit OS
- Display: 1.58-inch display AMOLED / 336 x 336 /1000nit
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Storage: 4GB
- Processor: N/A
- Battery Life: Up to 6 days (Smartwatch Mode)
- GPS: Yes, Plus GLONASS
- NFC: Yes (Fitbit Pay)
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM
- Voice Assistant: (Google Assistant and Alexa)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wifi
- Sensors: Electrical sensors compatible with ECG & EDA app, Skin temperature sensor, optical heart rate sensor, Gyroscope, Altimeter, 3-axis accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Vibration motor
Two Minute Review:
For those who are serious about their health and fitness, Fitbit has created the sense. It’s one of the rare wristwatches to feature an ECG sensor that’s also FDA-approved. Its huge 1.58-inch AMOLED display that does enable AOD is impressive even without the health sensors. The larger viewing area means you can see more content at once and check up on breaking news even if your hands are full.
The smartwatch is slim, light, and unobtrusive despite its sizable screen. It’s really similar to the Fitbit Versa 3 that’s also on this list. Fitbit Sense stands out due to its excellent battery life and the fact that it works with both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. And with Fitbit Pay, you can use your device to make contactless purchases (but it has limited coverage).
You can ignore your phone and yet respond to notifications from your wrist.
Garmin Venu
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 43.2
- Weight: 46.3g
- OS: Garmin OS
- Music: 500 songs
- Display: 1.2-inch AMOLED | 390 x 390 resolution
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Battery Life: 5 days battery life
- GPS: Yes, Plus GLONASS and Galileo
- NFC: Yes (Garmin Pay)
- Water and dust resistance: 5 ATM rated
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wifi, ANT+
- Sensors: Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Pulse ox
Two Minute Review:
In contrast to Garmin’s usual focus on function over form, the Venu is an exception to the rule. Garmin has demonstrated, with the Venu and Venu Sq, that it is capable of delivering mainstream features to its users in a smartwatch without sacrificing the device’s fundamental fitness functionality.
This timepiece is not only a top-notch GPS device, but also a handy companion for GLONASS and Galileo. Connectivity options include both NFC and WiFi. While not quite as reliable as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, Garmin Pay is an option.
The AMOLED display’s sharpness is fantastic (offers 390 x 390 resolution) The contrast between dark and light areas is excellent, and the display is aesthetically pleasing as a whole. Because of the built-in ambient light sensor, the screen brightness can be modified automatically based on the surrounding environment.
The Venu’s main selling point is its 1.2-inch touchscreen AMOLED with AOD capability. For those unaware, Garmin’s fitness watches have typically utilized transflective MIP panels, which value outside visibility and battery life over more vibrant colors and higher resolutions.
Unlike competing brands, Garmin’s watches actually perform as promised when it comes to battery life. The battery life is 6 days when in smartwatch mode. However, that time drops to just 6 hours if you use GPS nonstop.
Fossil Sports
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 43 mm Version
- Weight: 40 g
- OS: Wear OS by Google
- Display: 1.19-inch OLED / 390 x 390 resolution
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Storage & Memory: 512 MB , 4GB
- Processor: Snapdragon Wear 3100
- Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
- GPS: Yes
- NFC: Yes (Google Pay)
- Water Resistance: 3 ATM
- Voice Assistant: Yes (Google Assistant)
- Connectivity: Wifi, Bluetooth
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Altimeter, Ambient light, Gyroscope, Heart rate, NFC
Two Minute Review:
The Fossil Gen 5 and the Fossil Sports both include an always-on AMOLED screen. The latter, on the other hand, is sleek and easy to carry. Regular runners and gym-goers can use it. Fossil Sports’ biggest drawback is Wear OS, which, despite its impressive feature set, is slow and unreliable. If you’re a serious athlete, don’t bother with Google’s Fit app. The system desperately needs an upgrade.
However, it is trustworthy for the most fundamental smartphone features, such as alerts and voice assistants. Fossil has optimized the program so that it can last longer without charging. The 36-hour battery life is comparable to that of Apple Watches under average use.
Even though it lacks a speaker, the smartwatch is equipped with Google Assistant, a speech assistant. It has a built-in microphone for you to speak into, and it will respond to your requests via on-screen text. When comparing Google Assistant on the watch to Siri on the Apple watch, there is a clear performance gap due to Wear OS’s infamous slowness.
Fitbit Versa 3
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 40.5 mm Version
- Weight: N/A
- OS: Fitbit OS
- Display: 1.58-inch display AMOLED / 336 x 336 /1000nit
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Storage: 4GB
- Processor: N/A
- Battery Life: Up to 6 days (Smartwatch Mode) | 12 hours with continuous GPS
- GPS: Yes, Plus GLONASS
- NFC: Yes (Fitbit Pay)
- Water Resistance: 5 ATM
- Voice Assistant: (Google Assistant and Alexa)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wifi
- Sensors: SpO2, Optical heart rate sensor, Gyroscope, Altimeter, 3-axis accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Vibration motor
Two Minute Review:
The Fitbit Versa 3 also includes a constantly-on screen. If you’re trying to save money and don’t require fancy sensors like an ECG, then the Fitbit Versa is the way to go. It appears to be an exact replica of the Fitbit Sense in terms of features and, to some extent, aesthetics. Its screen quality is on par with, or even better than, that of the Apple Watch. The watch is not too big or heavy, and the 1.58-inch AMOLED display is stunning. In other words, those with smaller wrists can wear it comfortably.
In addition to an electrocardiogram, it also features numerous other sensors related to monitoring your health. The optical heart rate sensor provides precise heart rate monitoring, and the internal GPS means you can leave your smartphone at home when you go for a run.
A number of other smartwatch capabilities, like notification alerts, music storage, a voice assistant, and contactless payment, are included in the watch as well. It’s the only smartwatch that simultaneously supports Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa.
Suunto 7
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Case: 45 mm
- OS: Google Wear OS
- Storage and RAM: 4.5 GB and 1GB
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100
- Display: 1.39-inch AMOLED display, 454 x 454 pixels
- Always On Display: Yes
- Battery: 48 hours
- Water and dust Resistance: 5 ATM
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wifi
- GPS: Yes + GPS, GLONASS, QZSS, BEIDOU
- NFC: Yes (Google Pay)
- Voice Assistant: Yes (Google Assistant)
- Sensors: Optical Heart Rate, barometric altimeter, Accelerometer
Two Minute Review:
Only the Suunto 7 has Always on Display and is a capable multisport watch. It runs Google’s Wear OS, which means it shares many of the drawbacks of the latter, such as low battery life and scant storage space. Following some software adjustments, however, Suunto doubled that time to 2 days. On the other hand, constant GPS use reduces battery life to just 12 hours.
The Suunto features a massive screen that might be uncomfortable for dainty wrists. With its 1.39-inch AMOLED display and 454 x 454-pixel resolution, the screen gives off an air of high quality. Every detail can be made out with ease.
The Suunto 7 is the brand’s first attempt to produce a smartwatch for its outdoor-oriented clientele. The blend includes a potent layout, extras like contactless payment and smartphone notifications, and trustworthy fitness monitoring sensors.
You may trust the heart rate monitor and location tracking to the extreme. Unfortunately, unlike its Garmin competitors, the watch cannot communicate with additional sensors.
Amazfit Bip S
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 42 mm Version
- Weight: 31 g
- OS: Amazfit OS
- Display: 1.28″ Transflective Color TFT | resolution 176 x 176
Always-on Display: Yes - Battery Life: 14 days battery life
- GPS: Yes, Plus GLONASS
- NFC: No
- Water and dust Resistance: 5 ATM rated
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0
- Sensors: BioTracker TMPPG Bio-Tracking Optical Sensor, 3-axis acceleration sensor, 3-axis geomagnetic sensor
When it comes down to it, the Amazfit Bip S is primarily a functional timepiece. This watch isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing option and it doesn’t have any fancy health or fitness capabilities, but it does have two that really set it apart.
For one, there’s the cost. Extremely low cost. The second issue is how long the battery lasts. The Bip light, the Bip, and the Bip S all have long-lasting batteries; a single charge can keep them going for two weeks. The watch is a plastic near-clone of the Apple Watch in every way except the weight and thickness of the bezel.
The watch display is always on, however the Transflective Color (TFT) cannot compete with the sharp AMOLED displays of modern watches like the Amazfit GTS. Thankfully, the watch has a GPS receiver built-in in. When you go for a run, you don’t need to bring your phone. Yet concerns remain about GPS reliability. The same cannot be said about its heart rate sensor’s accuracy.
Huawei Watch GT 2e:
Key Features & Specs:
- eSIM: No
- Size: 46 mm
- Weight: 46 g
- OS: Huawei OS
- Display: 1.39 inch AMOLED 454 x 454 HD
- Always-on Display: Yes
- Battery Life: 5 days battery life
- GPS: Yes
- NFC: No
- Water and dust resistance: 5 ATM rated
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Sensors: Accelerometer sensor, Gyroscope sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Optical heart rate sensor, Ambient light sensor, Air pressure sensor, Capacitive sensor
Huawei’s GT 2e is the smartwatch for you if you’re on a tight budget but still want multiple sports tracking and an always-on screen. However, there is an important condition to consider. Some people with larger wrists might find it too small. Large wrists can handle the weight and size of this watch.
The AMOLED screen of the watch is incredibly sharp, displaying both true whites and blacks. It has a high brightness level of 1000 nit to provide flawless performance both indoors and out, and a high resolution (454 x 454) to fit more items on a screen.
It has good fitness and sports monitoring apart from the screen. Using the same Firstbeat algorithms as industry leaders like Suunto and Garmin, it delivers results that are on par with theirs. The measurements, including heart rate readings, are provided in a clear and concise manner, and they seem to be fairly accurate.
If you have your watch set to always-on display, the battery will drain quickly. Well, not this Huaewi. Although the addition of the feature seems like it would have an adverse effect on battery life, the device will still be able to operate for well over a week on a single charge, all thanks to its enormous battery.
Smartwatches With Always On Display (AOD): FAQs
How to turn off the Always-On display on Apple Watch?
Best summarized by 9to5mac as follows.
- On your Apple Watch, open Settings
- Swipe down or use the Digital Crown to scroll to Display & Brightness
- Tap Always-On to toggle the feature off
- Apple also notes you can choose to “Hide Sensitive Complications if you want information such as calendar events, messages, and heart rate to remain hidden when your wrist is down.”
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2: Always On Display Doesn’t Work, What To Do?
Try these quick fixes:
- Turn off the don’t disturb feature
- Update Firmware
- Go to settings, select apps, clear all data from the Samsung Galaxy Wearable app and Galaxy watch plug-in, then uninstall both. Reinstall the app and after setting up, the feature might probably work.
Final Lines
Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below. You may get the latest news by subscribing to our feed. If you’d like to share your thoughts, please do so in the space provided. Also stay tuned with serveupdate.com for more updates on the latest in entertainment in which we usually cover TV Show, Web Series, and the same amazing about celebrating.
