9 Best Smartwatches For Texting in 2021 [Expert Recommendations]

There are plenty of smartwatches that can text, but finding the best one for your texting needs can be a daunting task. If you’re actively involved in text messaging and need a texting smartwatch, then you’ve come to the right place.

Before making this list, I spent around 300 hours researching different texting watches and I even tested 17 different highly rated devices. During my testing, I noted my experience with each watch and finally made this list of 9 best ones.

Since you’re here, the primary reason for purchasing a smartwatch is probably “sending and receiving messages.” However, it is not the only thing you’ll do on it, there’ll be multiple use cases such as health tracking, listening to music, activity tracking, swimming sessions, notifications, etc.

Now there are multiple ways of how texting on a smartwatch might work. The most common method is using a Bluetooth/WiFi connection to get the message from your phone to your watch and then if you send a reply back, that goes from your watch, through your phone, to the recipient. However, if you have a cellular smartwatch you can actually cut off the middleman (your phone) and receive and send text messages directly from your watch.

In both cases, texting works with various messaging apps and even the texts over cellular networks. If the manufacturer supports it, you can even install these apps on the watch.

If you get a smartwatch that has cellular connectivity, that’s even better as you can directly send and receive messages on the device. The Bluetooth & Wi-Fi options will also work without issues (in most cases) but, you’ll need to keep your phone around. So having cellular connectivity isn’t necessary, it can be really useful.

So, the biggest question that remains now is, how to choose the best watch for texting purposes? Well, you don’t have to stress yourself too hard as I’ve already compiled a list of the best options that you can buy right now.

Best Smartwatches For Texting

Now, I understand that not everyone will have similar needs, so I’ve also tried to keep the other important aspects that might be required alongside having great texting capabilities. This a fairly versatile list, and hopefully everyone will find some that suit their needs well.

I’ve taken my time and spent hours, evaluating every aspect of a large number of smartwatches, and I finally came up with the best of the best which, I’ve listed below. These devices, alongside being great at texting, are also great overall smartwatches at different price points. Anyway, without wasting any more time, here are my best of the best.

1. Best Overall: Apple Watch Series 5

When it comes to making the almost perfect smartwatches, no one does it better than Apple. WatchOS has a lot of ways to make texting easy, and there are also a lot of popular third-party apps available on their app store.

I need to point out the elephant in the room, though and that is compatibility. Apple Watches are only compatible with iPhones. That means if you have an Android smartphone be it OnePlus, Motorola, Google Pixel, or even a flagship Samsung Galaxy device, you cannot use an Apple Watch.

Now with that out of the way, there are 2 sets of connectivity options available you can either get the regular variant with GPS or the cellular variant that supports 4G LTE. In both cases, there is support for Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi.

Performance is also great on the Watch Series 5. The Apple S5 SOC coupled with 1GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, the Series 5 is one of the fastest smartwatches out there. It also has an excellent array of sensors to track health and fitness stats. You can start with your basic heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and also activity tracking like running, hiking, walking, biking, swimming, etc.

There is also inbuilt hardware to take an ECG, which can be really helpful. You’d be glad to know that it is also compatible with Dexcom G6 that helps you monitor the glucose levels in your body.

WatchOS 7 is great as well. There are a ton of apps available on the app store, and the in-built apps are also great for health & productivity purposes.

Talking about productivity, the texting features include Apple’s own messaging services, which can also be used independently on the cellular model. It supports voice and typing inputs as your regular input methods, and you can also use scribble where you draw the word with your finger and it translates that to text. These texting features also apply to the third-party apps available on the store.

Now, you need a good display to take advantage of all of this, and the Apple Watch Series 5 doesn’t disappoint. The LTPO OLED display has a brightness of 1000 nits, so outdoor visibility is great and it is also battery efficient. Depending on what size frame you choose, you either get a 1.78-inch (448 x 368) display or a 1.57-inch (394 x 324) display, which is big enough for a smartwatch. In both cases, the display is vibrant, and the texts, as well as the visuals, will appear sharp.

Coming to the design and build quality, the frame is rectangular with rounded corners with the Digital Crown on the side and the sensors at the bottom. You can get the device in either 44mm or 40mm case sizes, and there are three choices for build materials, including Aluminum, Titanium & Stainless Steel.

The cases are customizable with a wide variety of bands, including the new ones that were announced for the Watch Series 6. The device is certified for 5 ATM water resistance, which means that it can survive under 50 meters of water, so you’ll be able to take it swimming with you.

The Watch Series 5 can go up to 18 hours on a single charge with a mixed-use case scenario, and yes, that does include texting. Now, if you’re doing outdoor workouts, it can last around 5 hours with GPS and LTE active. If you’re taking calls on the LTE network, though, you’ll only get up to 1.5 hours of talktime.

Apple provides a 1-year limited International warranty, which does come in handy if you travel a lot. In case you need accidental damage protection, you’ll have to spend some extra money on AppleCare+ which also, extends the warranty to 2 years. So, if you’re an iPhone user, the Apple Watch Series 5 is a great choice for all your regular and texting needs.

You can also look at the newly launched Apple Watch Series 6 or SE.

2. Best Wear OS Watch: Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle

If you do not live in the Apple ecosystem and you still want an excellent smartwatch that also complements your style statement, the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle is a good option for that. It is coming from Fossil, so, you know it’s going to feel premium, and Google’s ecosystem is still one of the best in the business.

Google does compatibility better than Apple and the Gen 5 Carlyle supports both Android smartphones and iPhones. So, even if you have an iPhone, you can use the Carlyle. For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi alongside GPS for Google maps and navigation.

When it comes to hardware Fossil has used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 3100 as the guts with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of Internal Storage. That’s quite a bit of juice for a Wear OS powered smartwatch, but the internal storage could have been slightly more as storing a larger number of apps and app data would have been possible.

Anyway, there are a good number of sensors included to track your sleep or measure your heart rate, but, there aren’t any for ECG or Blood Oxygen Monitoring. It can still track your day to activities like walking, running, workouts, etc. So, although I won’t call the Carlyle much of a health-focused smartwatch, it does handle your day to day fitness requirements just fine.

The texting features on Wear OS hold up pretty well against the competition. It works seamlessly with Android, and it actually does pretty well with iOS as well. You can either directly type and send texts from the inbuilt or third-party messaging apps or you can use your voice. You can also directly reply to messages from the watch notifications.

The 1.28-inch AMOLED touchscreen is plenty bright and sharp. That means texting is going to be great and there are all those advantages of OLED like the better energy efficiency, infinite contrast & punchy colors. There is also an always-on display feature which is really helpful.

The design is an integral part of the Gen 5 Carlyle and the sleek, circular, stainless steel case with the dial and two customizable buttons on the right, looks damn good. You can also customize the watch with different bands so, in case you do not like the default look, you can change it around. There is also a 3 ATM water resistance rating, making it swimming ready.

Now for Battery life, you do get three modes to choose from. Daily Mode lets you make the most out of the device with up to 24 hours of mixed usage. The Extended and Time Only modes will give you a better battery life but, then you lose some of the functionality.

There is a 1-year limited warranty for the Carlyle and that’s what you’ll get with most of the smartwatches anyway. Overall, if you want to get into Google’s ecosystem or in case you’re already invested in it, and you also want a sleek & premium style statement, The Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle is an excellent choice for you.

3. Best Rugged Smartwatch: TicWatch Pro 2020

If you liked the Google Wear OS approach but wanted something ever so slightly different than the Carlyle, you can go with the TicWatch Pro 2020. It has a comparatively better battery life with a small difference in its overall approach.

Because the Ticwatch Pro is running Wear OS, it supports both iOS and Android-powered smartphones. In the connectivity segment, there is GPS/AGPS, Bluetooth 4.2, and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi. That is exactly what you’d expect from a recent smartwatch.

Now for the hardware, there is a Snapdragon Wear 2100 at the core with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of Internal Storage. The lower 4GB storage means you’ll be able to store even fewer apps and the SOC is also a generation older compared to the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle. So, when it comes to performance and just raw hardware specs, the Ticwatch Pro won’t do as good as the Carlyle.

The available sensors are actually similar so you still get things like Heart Rate & Sleep monitoring alongside activity tracking including walking, running, biking, etc. You do miss out on the more premium features like Blood Oxygen Monitoring, ECG and in this case, swim tracking as well.

The Ticwatch Pro also gets all those Wear OS texting features like manual typing and voice replies. That means you can either type in the message or dictate it using your voice. You can use the default messaging app or get third party ones directly from the Google Play Store. You can also reply directly from the watch notifications, just like you could on any other device using that ecosystem.

The display size is slightly smaller at 1.39-inches but it has a resolution of 400 x 400 which provides an excellent pixel density. That means the texts look sharp, even if you have a slightly smaller area to work on.

The panel is indeed OLED so, you still get the pitch blacks & better energy efficiency compared to an LED-backlit display. Overall, this display should be enough for all your texting and even your other day to day smartwatch needs.

The design is pleasing with a circular Aluminum build with two buttons on the right and the monitoring sensors at the bottom. Mobvoi claims that they have achieved military grade 810G toughness for the Ticwatch Pro. However, it only comes with IP68 water & dust resistance rating.

Also Read: Best Rugged Smartwatches in 2021

Having a smaller display & slightly less powerful hardware results in slightly better battery life. The Ticwatch Pro can last up to 2 days with mixed usage which is twice of what the Carlyle can do. If you are only using the basic features in the Essential Mode, the device can go up to 30 days but, that’s not going to be a regular use-case scenario for almost anyone.

The Ticwatch Pro comes with a 1-year limited warranty and of course, there is no accidental damage coverage. So overall, if you do not like the Carlyle for some reason, you can get the TicWatch Pro 2020 and get away with it. But, make sure you’re okay with its downfalls before you make the purchase.

4. Best Budget Apple Watch: Apple Watch Series 3

If the Apple Watch Series 5 or 6 is a bit out of budget for you, Apple is still selling the Watch Series 3 at a discounted price. It has a comparatively smaller display and fewer health features but it still reserves all the important texting features that are available on the latest Apple Watches.

The compatibility situation is the same as none of the Apple Watches actually support Android. So, if you want to use an Apple Watch, you need to be an iOS user. If that box is checked, there are enough connectivity options including GPS/GNSS for navigation and Bluetooth 4.2 with 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi for other wireless connectivity.

There is a cellular model with 4G LTE support as well but, Apple has officially discontinued that model so, it might be a little hard to find considering that the device is a few generations older.

The performance won’t hold up against the more recent gen Apple Watches though. The Apple S3 SOC isn’t as powerful or as power-efficient as the S6 or even the S5. When you put that alongside 768MB RAM and just 8GB of Internal Storage, you get a mediocre performance at best. This isn’t uncommon in the general smartwatch segment but, in case you had higher hopes from an Apple Watch, this one isn’t the best performer out there.

Coming to the sensors, the Watch Series 3 does have a good number of inbuilt sensors that perform most of your basic health monitoring stuff including Heart Rate Monitoring and Sleep Tracking. However, there is no hardware to take an ECG or check your Blood Oxygen Level.

The activity tracking features are actually there, so you can track your running, walking, and swimming stats but the Watch Series 3 doesn’t come with an altimeter so it won’t be able to track the attitude which means it won’t come in handy while hiking.

Thankfully, Apple has updated the Watch Series 3 with their latest WatchOS 7. That means, all the texting features that I’ve talked about for the Series 5, are also available on the Series 3.

There are Apple’s own messaging and third-party apps that you can use for texting using Bluetooth to connect to your phone. If you can get your hands on an LTE model though, you can also use these texting services directly using the cellular network on your watch, without using your phone.

It is available in 2 display sizes including the bigger 1.65-inch (390×312) panel and the slightly smaller 1.5-inch (340 x 272) panel. Now, these are still big enough for a smartwatch display but, the technology isn’t the same.

It is still an OLED display but the panel itself is not an LTPO panel which means the battery efficiency isn’t on par with the newer Apple Watches. However, you still get the great colors & contrast of OLED.

Coming to design & build quality, the case is still rectangular with rounded corners while being slightly less symmetrical compared to the newer models.

The digital crown is on the right side with no haptic feedback this time around and the sensors are at the bottom. You get to choose between, either a 42mm or a 38mm case size.

As of now, Apple is only selling the Aluminum variant, so the more premium builds like the Stainless Steel and Titanium will be hard to find and I don’t really recommend buying the more premium builds for a several years old device.

There is a 5 ATM water resistance rating though which means you won’t have an issue if you take it swimming. Now the battery is still rated for around 18 hours of mixed-use but, because the hardware is less efficient, expect the battery life to be slightly lower.

For workouts, it can do up to 10 hours indoors and up to 5 hours outdoors with GPS. If you get your hands on an LTE variant, the outdoor workout time will be around 4 hours.

Just like the other Apple Watches, the Series 3 also gets a 1-year International warranty. Of course, there is the option to extend the warranty to 2 years and include accidental damage protection by purchasing AppleCare+ for some extra money.

So overall, if you’re in the Apple Ecosystem and you just want an Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Series 3 is going to deliver the basics, extremely well. But, if you can add just a little more money, look into the new Apple Watch SE as that is a better value and it’ll also get longer software support.

5. Best Under $200 :Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

In case you’re looking for something different than Apple and Google’s default ecosystems, you may like Samsung’s Tizen OS based watches and currently, the best watch we can recommend for texting, in that ecosystem is the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2.

It keeps a lot of features from Samsung’s flagship smartwatch lineup while still having its own style statement and coming at a lower price.

Unlike Apple, Samsung hasn’t held back on compatibility as the Galaxy watch Active 2 supports both Android and iOS. For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and for navigation, there is GPS, GLONASS, Beidou & Galileo.

This is the only smartwatch in this category that can go toe to toe with Apple’s newest offerings as far as connectivity goes. There is also a cellular model with 4G LTE support.

Samsung also uses their own SOCs to power their smartwatches and for the Active 2, it is the Exynos 9110. It is quite a powerful brain for a smartwatch and coupled with 1.5GB RAM, this device can fly through day to day use.

Although keep in mind that the non-LTE model only has 768MB RAM. The storage in both cases is 4GB which isn’t really a reliable amount for a smartwatch that otherwise has performance-focused hardware.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 has been equipped with an excellent array of sensors including ones for ECG (only available in the US), Heart Rate, Sleep Tracking & even Stress Tracking. The activity tracking mechanisms are also in place and they can track various sports while also tracking your day to day stats for running, swimming, walking, and more.

Samsung’s Tizen also comes with a bunch of useful texting features. Of course, you can type messages or use your voice to dictate the text. The watch also comes with Samsung messaging App built in so, if you have a Samsung smartphone the messaging will get a seamless integration just like on the Apple Watch.

The cellular model supports direct messaging from the watch while the GPS variant will use the Bluetooth connection to connect the device with your phone. Most of the popular third-party apps are available on the Samsung App Store, so those work as well.

Samsung is known for its high-end AMOLED displays and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes with a beautiful 1.4-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 360×360. The panel is quite sharp, has vibrant colors, is fairly visible outdoors, and supports the Always-on Display mode.

For the design part, Samsung has gone with a circular frame made out of Aluminum or Stainless Steel depending on if you pick up the GPS or the Cellular variant. There are 2 buttons located at the right side of the watch with the monitoring sensors, living down at the bottom.

The design is way sleeker, muted, and elegant compared to the flagship Galaxy Watch series which clearly indicates that the Active 2 was also built with Style in mind. It is available in 44 or 40 millimeters case sizes and it has also bagged 5 ATM water resistance ratings alongside IP68 water & dust resistance rating.

Battery life on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is good. It can go up to slightly more than 60 hours with mixed usage or up to 131+ hours if you’re using essential features only. This is quite impressive considering how much the Active 2 can actually do.

Samsung is providing a 1-year limited warranty with the Active 2. So overall, if you want a great smartwatch with as many features as you can get while also being a great style statement and texting powerhouse, it can’t get much better than the Galaxy Watch Active 2.

Also Read: Galaxy Watch Active 2 vs Fitbit Versa 2

6. Best Stylish Watch: Emporio Armani 3

If you liked the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle but you need something less flashy yet classy, the Emporio Armani 3 is going to be a great sweet spot for you. It has almost the same great features as the Carlyle but, it is also different in some areas.

Now, the Armani 3 is also running Wear OS so it is compatible with Android phones as well as iPhones. The connectivity options are also somewhat similar with Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and GPS. However, there is no cellular connectivity which I wish these premium brands start adding as these devices don’t really come cheap.

The hardware is solid though with the Snapdragon Wear 3100 SOC, 768MB RAM, and 8GB of Internal Storage. This should be enough to handle all your day to day needs but, I would have loved to see them use 1GB RAM.

For some reason, they only provided 768MB which is okay but, having that extra breathing room would be even better. At least there are enough sensors to monitor all the basic health stats including Heart Rate and it can also track your day to day activities just as you’d expect.

As the Armani 3 is also powered by Wear OS, all the texting features I mentioned for the Carlyle, also stand true here. You can reply to your phone’s text messages using the Bluetooth connection and if you’re using a third-party app that can handle the messaging using Wi-Fi, that’ll work as well. Direct replies from watch notifications, is also an option. You can compose messages using typing and voice.

Talking about the display, the 1.28-inch AMOLED panel has a resolution of 390 x 390. So the pixel density is on point, resulting in sharp texts. The OLED benefits that I’ve been talking about, also stand here. The infinite contrast, the punchy colors, the lower battery consumption makes this a great display to have on your wrist.

Design & Build is a part that Emporio has done differently. The case is still circular but they are using Aluminum instead of Stainless Steel. There are a dial and two customizable buttons but they are more flushed with the body making them almost invisible from the front.

The monitoring sensors are still at the bottom, of course. The device also has a 3 ATM water resistance making it able to survive swimming sessions.

The battery life is also similar to the Carlyle with around a day of juice on a single charge. Of course, if you use the basic features only, it can last longer but, that’s not much of a real-life scenario.

There is a 1-year limited warranty without any international or accidental damage coverage. Overall, the Emporio Armani 3 is a great smartwatch in the Wear OS realm. It is a great alternative to the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle.

7. Best Sport Watch: Samsung Gear Sport

If you want a good Smartwatch under Samsung’s ecosystem but the Galaxy Watch Active 2 seems a little too out of budget for you, you can get the Samsung Gear Sport instead. It has been out there for a while, so it sells a lot cheaper right now and it has a lot of those essential health features that you require on a day to day basis.

As mentioned earlier, compatibility is a non-issue. Tizen does work more seamlessly with Samsung’s own smartphones but, it does work with any Android smartphone or even iPhones. For connectivity, there is Bluetooth 4.2, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and GPS (GPS+GLONASS).

This is a good enough selection considering how some newer offerings for the competitors offer the exact same. The selection of sensors is also great with capabilities like Heart Rate Monitoring, Swim Tracking, day to day Fitness Tracking, and more. However, you’ll miss the ECG feature which may or may not be important to you.

All those great texting features are also here. The Samsung messaging app is inbuilt and there are a lot of third-party apps on the app store. All of these support manual & voice typing so that’s also not an issue. There is no cellular model though which means that if you want to leave your phone at home and text, someone, directly from the watch, you can’t.

As far as hardware goes, Samsung has used their own Exynos 3250 which features a dual-core CPU with a max clock speed of 1GHz. To complement that, there is 768MB of RAM and 4GB of Internal Storage which isn’t really ideal. So, the performance is going to be a slight step down but, for day to day usage, it should be okay.

Let’s talk about that display now. The 1.2-inch size is not something I’d consider to be a big display but, it’s not tiny either, so it does the job. The 360 x 360 resolution makes texts, menus, and other visuals appear sharp and the AMOLED panel brings in those pitch blacks and the improved energy efficiency. This still stacks up with some devices that just came out this year which is kinda impressive.

The build quality is actually pretty impressive. It is made out of Aluminum and it retains the physical rotating bezel which was replaced by a touch-sensitive strip on the Galaxy Active 2. Now, there are two buttons at the side with the heart rate sensor located at the bottom. Samsung claims MIL-STD-810G (Military Grade) toughness which is awesome and there is also a 5 ATM rating for up to 50 meters water resistance.

The battery can last up to 2 days (48 hours) which is by the way, in a mixed usage scenario. This isn’t as good as the Active 2 but, half a  day extra isn’t a big deal for me and it might not be a big deal for you.

Also, there is a 1-year limited warranty which is again, pretty standard with smartwatches. In the end, the Galaxy Gear Sport is damn close to the current generation Active 2 which is super impressive considering how huge of a price difference they currently have. So, if you do not need the ECG and you can live with slightly slower performance & Bluetooth 5.0, you can get away with the Gear Sport without sacrificing much.

8. Best Budget-Friendly: Moto 360 3rd Gen

The Moto 360 3rd Gen is a mid-range smartwatch focusing on a premium build quality while maintaining the essential feature set. This device is very similar to the offerings from Fossil & Emporio in a manner and yet it is more mainstream and might appeal to a different set of audiences.

We’ve been over this a few times now, Wear OS provides support for both Android and iOS but, it’ll integrate ever so slightly better with the Android ecosystem. Now for connectivity, there is Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11 b/g/n of Wi-Fi alongside GPS, GLONASS, Beidou & Galileo. That’s literally a great package but, I would have liked to see Bluetooth 5.0 on a 2020 device.

For texting, there is again the voice & manual typing reply options. There is no cellular connectivity, which means you’ll need your phone to be connected if you want to use texting. If you were planning to leave your phone at home when you go for a quick run, this isn’t the watch for you.

The hardware on the other hand is pretty good. The Snapdragon Wear 3100 with 1GB RAM & 8GB Internal Storage puts it in the same league as the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle. So, the performance is going to be well balanced. Also, all those essential health and fitness features are here including Heart Rate Monitoring, Swim Tracking, Step Counting, other activity monitoring features.

The 1.2-inch AMOLED panel has a resolution of 390 x 390 which means the pixel density is great. So, the texts & the other stuff still look sharp but, I still prefer a slightly bigger display. It does have an always-on mode which will sip some extra battery but, thanks to OLED, the power draw isn’t huge.

Motorola spent a lot of effort to make the Moto 360 3rd Gen look premium and they have done it. The circular frame is made out of Stainless Steel and it looks & feels premium. They even used Titanium screws to add some more rigidity. This type of emphasis on design and build quality is something we haven’t really seen in this price category. So, in my books, Motorola has achieved its goal.

Oh, and the device is indeed swimming proof as it also has a 3 ATM rating for water resistance.

The battery life is extremely similar to the other Wear OS powered devices that I’ve mentioned earlier. It can do up to 24 hours on a single charge with mixed usage. This has become a clear indication of the fact that either the Snapdragon Wear SOCs and/or Wear OS itself isn’t as efficient as what Samsung & Apple’s in-house SOCs and/or Operating Systems are able to achieve.

There is a 1-year limited warranty on the Moto 360 and that’s without any availability of any accidental damage protection plan that you can buy separately. I would like to see manufacturers keeping that option by default but, maybe they can include one repair for free as well.

Overall, if brands like Fossil and Emporio don’t really appeal to you and you want something fashionable yet, something from inside the mainstream tech world, the Motorola 360 3rd Gen is a great option for you.

9. Cheapest Option: TicWatch E2

Now, most of the Wear OS powered smartwatches I talked about are mid-range to premium smartwatches and you may want something similar but do not want to pay that much money. In that case, the TicWatch E2 is a great option for you. It does a lot of the stuff that it’s more expensive competitors are doing, yet it costs significantly less by making some subtle compromises.

Just like every other Wear OS powered smartwatch, the Ticwatch E2 supports both iPhones and Android smartphones. For connectivity, there are GPS, GLONASS & Beidou for navigation and tracking alongside Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi.

Texting features are essentially the same. You can use the inbuilt messaging app or download third-party ones from the Google Play Store. You can also reply to messages directly from the notifications of your watch. For the input method, you can either type in the message manually or use your voice to dictate the message so the software can then identify and enter the text.

Hardware and performance is one area of compromise as you get the Snapdragon Wear 2100 with just 512MB of RAM. This is not a great hardware combination and you’ll definitely feel that in the performance. There is also just 4GB of Internal Storage which is weirdly okay as some mid-rangers are doing the same apparently. But, smartwatch manufacturers should really start including higher storage capacities in all of their watches and not just in the flagship models.

The important sensors are all here and that’s why the Ticwatch E2 can still do Heart Rate Monitoring & Sleep Tracking. Activities like Walking, Running, Swimming, etc. can also be tracked, so you’re not giving up a lot by going with a cheaper smartwatch.

The 1.39-inch AMOLED display has a resolution of 400 x 400 which is great and weird at the same time ‘cause, we don’t generally see high-res displays in the budget category. The visuals look good, there aren’t any pixelated texts and the colors are also pretty good. The display is actually extremely well made in terms of a budget smartwatch.

The design & build is, however, another area where Mobvoi has cut a few corners. Yes, it’s still a circular design but, this time it is made out of hard plastic. Now, the company still claims a 5 ATM water resistance which is quite surprising actually but, that says, although the build material isn’t metal, the watch isn’t really built cheaply, which is something users will appreciate. It has a single button on the side and the heart rate monitor is actually located at the bottom.

The Ticwatch E2 can do 48 hours on a single charge in a mixed-use case scenario. This is better than some of the other Wear OS powered devices we came across but, the less powerful hardware might have to do with some of it.

Just like most other smartwatches, there is a 1-year limited warranty with the Ticwatch E2. Anyway, this device is a really surprising contender that can stand alongside the big boys while costing a lot less. If you can live with that plastic case and slightly slower performance, maybe the Mobvoi TicWatch E2 can be a great value for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

In case you have made it this far, I guess it’s pretty safe to assume that you already have a personal favorite by now. So, let’s make this even easier for you. The points below put a number of different types of users in the focus and assign different models according to their specific needs. This should clear up any remaining confusions that you may have and hopefully, you’ll be able to pick the smartwatch that is right for you.

• If you live inside the Apple Ecosystem bubble, pick the Watch Series 5 or Series 6 for a no-compromise feature set. If you just want something for texting and can live without the premium features, get the Watch Series 3.
• If you’d like something on Google’s Ecosystem, that looks premium and takes care of your essential health & fitness needs, get the Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle or the Moto 360 3rd Gen.
• If you want something less flashy, you can pick the Emporio Armani 3 in case you’d like to have the premium tag or you can save some money and get the TicWatch Pro 2020.
• If you want a Samsung smartwatch, I’ll recommend the Galaxy Watch Active 2. In case that is out of your budget, only then go for the Gear Sport. But, do keep in mind that the Gear Sport is an older model.
• If you are looking for something more budget-friendly, get the TicWatch E2 as it shares a lot of similarities to the TicWatch Pro in the health & fitness department. However, it does have less powerful hardware and that is noticeable in day to day use.

Now, with these out of the way, every user looking to get a great smartwatch for texting while also not sacrificing their day to day requirements, should not have any more difficulties choosing the perfect fit for themselves. That marks the end of this article and although these things can be tricky, I hope you found the right smartwatch for texting which fits your specific needs.