Key takeaways: All five watches tracked steps and distance accurately, but heart-rate accuracy varied.The Apple Watch Series 11 was the most accurate heart rate monitor during workouts.The Garmin Venu 4‘s heart rate tracking has more data, ideal for serious training analysis. If steps and distance accuracy are your priorities, you don’t need an expensive smartwatch.
I wasn’t aiming to run a marathon when I started this project. Testing smartwatches for accuracy looked to me more like a few leisurely jogs, with a few watches stacked on my wrists. I’ve tested dozens of smartwatches over the years, but never five at once, and never under the level of scrutiny this test demanded. Mile after mile, I pushed my heart rate (and my body) well beyond my comfort zone with the finish line in focus.
Fitness trackers have come a long way since the early Fitbit days of step counting, and in
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