It used to be that getting your daily dose of exercise required more self-discipline… and a good memory or notebook. Today, you have accessories such as smartwatches and smart bands that record your activity themselves and even set daily goals for you. Thanks to them, you won’t lose the motivation to care for your health. Learn more about this topic.

What are the differences between smartwatches, smart bands, sports watches, and activity monitors?

In theory, you may associate all these devices with something similar: measuring activity. However, this does not change the fact that while they have this issue in common, they share several others. Let’s discuss the differences.

Smartwatches and wristbands belong to the same category of devices: wearables, or so-called wearables. Their name comes from the fact that they are in direct contact with your body at all times – usually your wrist. This allows them to monitor your body parameters in real-time.

The difference between the two is in the level of sophistication.

Smartwatch

A smartwatch is not just a watch, but a standalone device with smartphone-like functionality. It has a display, either color or made with e-paper technology, an operating system (usually Android Wear, now known as Wear OS or watchOS in the case of Apple models), and quite a few functions.

Simpler models allow you to view notifications without having to take your smartphone out of your pocket. The more advanced ones are in essence “mini-smartwatches,” with a SIM card slot, built-in microphone, and the ability to make calls and interact with received notifications.

You can manage the smartwatch’s settings directly or via a dedicated app installed on your smartphone. By force, the smartwatch requires a more capacious battery and frequent charging. Usually once every few days.

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Smartband

A smart band, on the other hand, is a simple-to-use wristband that is designed to monitor your activity. So it counts the steps you take during the day, measures your heart rate, and allows you to record your sleep parameters – in a word: it takes care of the basic measurements. For full functionality, however, it needs a smartphone or tablet and a dedicated app.

To show how your activity was on a given day or the quality of your sleep at night, the wristband first synchronizes the data with your smartphone. It can do this on its own during the day if it is connected to it at all times via Bluetooth. If you prefer to save battery life, you only need to sync data between the devices once a day, for example, in the evening.

However, the Bluetooth connection allows you to use other convenient options: call notification, for example. When someone calls or texts you a message, the wristband vibrates. If it is equipped with a display, it will also show the relevant icon and even the name of the contact. It works similarly if you want to receive messages from other apps as well, such as Messenger.

Models equipped with LEDs only vibrate and light up. Due to its more truncated functions, the smart band has a battery with a slightly smaller capacity, which, in addition, lasts longer – at least several days without charging.

Sports watch

A sports watch is something closer to a smartwatch, but much more “focused” on fitness functions. By design, they are better suited for people who play multiple sports or train professionally.

If it has an operating system, it’s usually a dedicated solution from the manufacturer (e.g., Garmin Connect), which, together with its other devices (e.g., navigation, bicycle counters, smart scales, or sports cameras), forms its own internal ecosystem for easy data exchange. You can simultaneously track multiple parameters, not only how much you move, but also how you sleep, how much you weigh, and what your heart rate is.

Advanced devices of this type also allow you to display notifications from your phone directly on the watch screen but keep in mind that this is a nice addition, not the main function of the device.

Activity monitor

This is the simplest and most minimalist gadget that serves only to track your activity. It does this completely automatically. It easily recognizes whether you have run, swam, walked, biked, or slept. It can also be equipped with a disposable battery that lasts up to about a year. You also connect the activity monitor to a dedicated smartphone app. It is to it that the data is sent.

What to choose? For whom is a smartwatch, smart band, sports watch, and for whom is an activity monitor?

In summary: a smartwatch is best suited for people who expect the most extensive functionality. So if you need a device that will simultaneously measure your activity, motivate you to move, show you what’s going on in apps and allow you to react without taking your smartphone out of your pocket, choose a smartwatch. Its big advantage is also a wide selection of models, both those with a sportier design and classic ones, so you can easily find the right one to fit your daily style. You can also interchange straps and bracelets depending on your needs.

Instead, a sports watch is a kind of equivalent to a smartwatch in the fitness world. If you care primarily about measuring activity but also want access to advanced features, opt for a sports watch. Keep in mind, however, that this is a device that has a very sporty design by design, which means that it will not necessarily go well with elegant styling. Interchangeable straps are available with selected models.

The smart band skillfully combines activity measurement with features that make life easier, so it’s a good choice if you’re looking for a simple accessory to avoid constantly taking your phone out of your pocket. It will also work well if you happen not to hear the ringtone or feel the vibration in your pocket, and it will motivate you to move. It’s also very minimalistic. With interchangeable bands and bracelets, you can easily match it to your style, so you can successfully wear it all the time.

An activity monitor is for you if you only care about fitness functions. Especially if you do a lot of different sports. The device recognizes by itself what you are doing, so you don’t need, for example, to select the type of activity yourself in the smartphone app – as is often needed with a smart band. It is quite minimalist, as is the smart band.

What to look for when choosing a sports accessory?

When you choose such an accessory, it’s also important what devices you already use. This is especially true for activity monitors and sports watches, which function best within their own environment, developed by the manufacturer. In this case, it’s a good idea to stick with one brand, so you can easily exchange data between devices and get the most out of them. In part, this also applies to smartwatches and smart bands.