November 24, 2023, 11:41 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Smartwatches are among the most popular smartphone gadgets. The market is flooded with many models, but they all tend to be quite price-stable. This was discovered by Stiftung Warentest, which examined the current smartwatches. These are the test winners of 2023.
Many believe they need to opt for the latest model of a smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch to get the best product. However, this is not the case. Even models from the previous year are often still competitive. Stiftung Warentest confirms this in its current examination of the 2023 smartwatch models. It doesn’t always have to be the most expensive and newest model. The winner from the previous test remains unbeaten, albeit narrowly. Stiftung Warentest compared a total of 17 new smartwatches and the 7 best models from earlier tests (“test,” issue 12/23).
In 2023, the tested smartwatches range in price from 100 to 900 euros. According to Stiftung Warentest, one should not expect a price reduction for older watches. Prices for the models are often surprisingly stable. However, there are reasonably priced yet good watches available for under 300 euros.
Old and New Test Winner Comes from Apple
One would actually expect a current model to lead the test of the best smartwatch of 2023. After all, these often have the latest features and the most up-to-date hardware. However, this is not the case.
According to Stiftung Warentest, this year’s test winner is once again the Apple Watch Series 8 Aluminum (GPS) 45 mm, currently available for around 419 euros. In the 2023 test, the smartwatch received an overall score of 1.6–the same result as last year. Features like the dustproof case, a large screen, and accident detection impressed the experts.
Crowded Second Place in the 2023 Smartwatch Test
Several smartwatches share the second place. Three of them are also from Apple. The Apple Watch Series 9 Aluminum (GPS) 45 mm received a test score of 1.7, narrowly missing the win. This model costs about 450 euros, making it even more expensive than the current winner in the 2023 smartwatch test.
Also in second place with a test score of 1.7 is the Apple Watch SE (2022, GPS) 44 mm, which is significantly cheaper at around 280 euros. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the most expensive model in the test at about 830 euros and also ranks second with an overall score of 1.7.
The same applies to the Garmin Venue 2 Plus (405 euros), which is the only non-Apple model to narrowly miss the test win.
Three smartwatches stand out, according to Stiftung Warentest
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Many Android Models in Third Place
With an overall score of 1.8, third place in the 2023 smartwatch test closely follows the second-place winners. Such a high test score shows how well these watches performed in the examination. This placement goes to the Google Pixel Watch 2 (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi), which is new to the market and currently costs about 315 euros.
The Garmin Fenix 7 Standard Edition (530 euros), the Garmin Forerunner 955 (360 euros), and the Apple Watch Ultra from the previous year (700 euros) also land in third place.
The Cheapest Watches in the Test
The two cheapest good watches in the test are from Samsung with the Galaxy Watch 6 (Bluetooth) 44 mm, costing about 230 euros (overall score 1.9), and Xiaomi with the Watch S1 Pro, priced at 190 euros (overall score 2.3).
Often, the same smartwatch model is available in two different case sizes. This should be considered when purchasing, and a size should be chosen that does not extend beyond one’s wrist, as a watch that is too large can appear visually unflattering. The variants with smaller cases and displays are usually somewhat cheaper.
With material from dpa