Best smartwatches with integrated cellular functions

Updated on 22-Apr-2021

Smartwatches with cellular support feature an inbuilt LTE radio that can communicate with a carrier’s tower to access the internet and make calls without the need to be connected to a phone. This is especially advantageous when you’d rather not carry a phone with you, such as when out running, but still want to be accessible. While bundling an LTE radio with the smartwatch puts a premium on their pricing, the convenience cannot be ignored. Here are some great cellular smartwatch picks available on Amazon that let you experience the magic for yourself. These smartwatches are curated based on their features and specifications.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

Featuring a stainless steel body with a large, striking Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is very easy on the eyes. With certain watch faces, it even passes off as a regular watch which makes it suitable for those who dislike the more common square smartwatch aesthetic. There is a heavy focus on fitness tracking, as the name suggests, with accurate heart rate and distance measurements as well as seven distinct exercise tracking modes, including rowing and swimming. The watch is very customisable with a variety of watch faces. You can even take a picture of your outfit and let the AI on the watch decide on a matching watch face for you. To use the Galaxy Watch Active 2 as a stand-alone 4G device, you require a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. If you do own one and your carrier supports eSIM technology, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a premium smartwatch that helps you stay connected while staying in shape. 

Apple Watch Series 6

The Apple Watch Series 6 is the Cupertino giant’s flagship smartwatch. Featuring the Apple S6 chipset, it is an incredibly powerful wearable device and is chock full of features, especially for those who have health conditions. From detecting a fall (which sends out alerts to preset contacts who can then rush to help you) to measuring an electrocardiogram (ECG) at any time, the Apple Watch Series 6 is hyper-focused on the wearer’s health and well being. The Always-On display means that all of your information is constantly available without having to tap on the screen or raise your wrist to activate it. Cellular support lets you leave your phone at home when you go for a run, and there are 32 gigabytes of onboard storage for apps and music as well. Apple Watches are only able to be set up when paired with an iOS device, so owning an iPhone is a prerequisite. If you are already in the Apple ecosystem and are looking for a premium smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 6 should definitely be considered. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch

With a round bezel and beautifully detailed watch faces, the Samsung Galaxy Watch can easily pass off as a regular watch. The bright Super AMOLED display helps pull off the illusion wonderfully. It offers both Bluetooth and LTE connectivity so that you can stream music when you are on the go without the need for your phone, as your wireless earbuds can connect to the watch directly. With 4 GB of internal storage, you can store music or podcasts on it for offline playback as well. An 80-hour battery life ensures you won’t have to reach for the charging cable as often. The Tizen OS has quite a lot of apps custom-made for the watch. You will need a Samsung Galaxy phone to use the watch as a stand-alone 4G device. If you are looking for a cellular smartwatch that doesn’t burn too big a hole in your pocket, the Samsung Galaxy Watch is a great pickup.

Apple Watch SE

Apple markets the Watch SE as “Heavy on features. Light on Price”, and the statement holds true for the most part. While you do lose out on some of the features that the more expensive Apple Watch Series 6 offers, like the latest and greatest processor, blood oxygen level monitor and the ECG hardware, you still get many of the other features such as Fall Detection, LTE support and 24/7 health monitoring. The Apple Watch SE uses the Apple S5 chipset and runs WearOS 7, which lets it integrate beautifully into the ecosystem and syncs up seamlessly with all of your other Apple devices. There are also features such as noise level monitoring which alerts you if your ambient noise is too loud, and women’s menstrual cycle tracking. If you own an iPhone and want a cellular smartwatch but don’t want to shell out tons of money, the Apple Watch SE is a great bet.

Siddharth Parwatay

Siddharth a.k.a. staticsid is a bigger geek than he'd like to admit. Sometimes even to himself.

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