Best Smartwatches for Texting
Smartwatches became more and more similar to smartphones; therefore, it is not unexpected to be able to rely more and more on your smartwatch. Sometimes, you may not be able to use your phone, or you may not have it near you. As for example when you are at the gym and left your phone in the locker, also at these times it is not uncommon to receive a call or a text message that may require your answer as soon as possible. In these cases, a smartwatch that will allow you to reply to the texts is a great help. However, not all smartwatches are able to respond to text messages, so you need to check if the smartwatch you are intending to buy supports this feature. But, to make it easier for you, I made a top of smartwatches that are suitable for replying and texting.
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Best Smartwatches for Texting
Apple Series 5
If you are looking for a reliable watch that will never let you down, then Apple Watch Series 5 may be the right choice for you. Apple offers an elegant design with great resistance against shocks, dust, water and sweat making it a perfect choice for an intensive training session but as well it can be a great companion for leisure activities. Also, Apple Watch Series 5 can be a great substitute for your smartphone as it can do almost everything a smartphone can.
You can use it for listening to music, get notifications, receive calls and many more. As well, this smartwatch can receive and send text messages as it has various functions that facilitate writing, from scribbling and sending preset messages to talk to text. However, Apple Watch Series 5, like any other Apple products have a downside which is its connectivity, it can only be paired with Apple devices.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
With top-notch overall quality, Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 can be considered one of the best smartwatches available on the market these days. It has increased durability as it is dustproof, sweat and water-resistant making it a good choice even for harsh training sessions. Also, it can withstand shocks due to its damage-resistant glass. The smartwatch is also a great activity and sleep tracker as it can provide several reports that help you improve your health. Moreover, it can be used to answer calls and it also allows you to receive notifications and to control the calls. You can use Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 to answer texts with pre-set messages which can be customized, or you can create custom messages every time using the touch screen for texting or using the talk to text feature.
Fossil Gen 5
If you are looking for a true bargain, then you should definitely get a Fossil Gen 5 as this smartwatch offers you more than you actually need for a fair price. It has a high grade of resistance as Fossil Gen 5 has branded damage-resistant glass which can withstand high levels of force while keeping the watch lightweight and thin, also the watch is dustproof, water and sweat resistant which makes it a good choice for an activity tracker (as it has various sensors that track your activity and provide useful reports). Moreover, Fossil Gen 5 can be used for both calling and texting and due to the nicely layered keyboard (which some smartwatches does not benefit of) you can type everything you need really fast without any errors that may occur due to the typing system. Also, Fossil Gen 5 can be connected with Android and iOS devices, but unfortunately, it does not support Windows devices.
Fitbit Versa 2
Despite not being so popular in the USA (more popular in Europe and Asia), Fitbit successfully seizes a place in most of the technology-related top and this time it is no different. Fitbit Versa 2 offers great quality on par with first places of the tops which are preferred by masses. With an above the average quality, Fitbit Versa 2 can be considered an all in one smartwatch as it is able to track your activity and your sleep and provide constructive reports to improve your health. Moreover, it is closer to a smartphone rather than a watch as it is able to connect to Wi-Fi, play music, get notifications but even if it presents a microphone, unfortunately, Fitbit Versa 2 is not able to receive and make calls. But you can receive and send text messages using pre-set and customized replies.
TicWatch Pro
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro surely surprise whoever decides to go ahead with the purchase. Compared with other versions like TicWatch E2, TicWatch S2 and TicWatch GTX, this time TicWatch Pro exceeds the expectations as it is able to unleash its fullest potential. You can consider this smartwatch a jack of all trades as it can be used at most of the activities you are doing from sleeping to training also providing useful reports and it can also be used for music control to boost your mood while training. Also, on the endurance part, it surely passes as it has branded damage-resistant glass and it is dustproof, water-resistant and sweat resistant. Moreover, regarding its connectivity, it is compatible with Android and iOS devices but not with Windows ones. However, the cherry on the top is that TicWatch Pro is able to receive text messages which you can reply with the keyboard or with the voice to text feature. However, TicWatch Pro has a downside which can be a deal-breaker for some and that is its battery lifetime, the battery can last for up to two days then it will require a charge.
Garmin Vivoactive 3
Garmin Vivoactive 3 can be considered a budget-friendly smartwatch. While it may still be a bit pricier compared to the cheapest smartwatches, considering what it is offering, its features and quality you can be sure that it is not expensive at all. Garmin Vivoactive 3 has a resistance above the average as it has branded damage-resistant glass which keeps a high level of protection while maintaining the watch’s thickness under the average. It also ensures a good level of protection against dust, water and sweat. Moreover, due to its several sensors and trackers, it is also a good choice for improving your health as it provides useful reports based on your activities and sleep. And the most important feature of Garmin Vivoactive 3 which is quite rare on low priced smartwatches is the ability to replay to text messages, yes, with Garmin Vivoactive 3 you can reply to messages even if it is a budget-friendly watch.
TicWatch E
If the budget is not helping you and you are looking for a good quality yet cheap smartwatch then TicWatch E may be the best fit for you. It has everything you need from a smartwatch, from different training and activity modes to sensors that give you live reports that helps you take care of your mind and body. While TicWatch E may be lacking a bit in terms of damage resistance (which can be expected due to its price), it still provides a good level of resistance against dust, water and sweet. TicWatch E is compatible with Android and iOS, however at this time you are able to use phone calls on this smartwatch only using Android smartphones. But the text reply functions work fine with both Android and iOS. Also, TicWatch E supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which can be a great help for your every-day activities. However, as it would be too good to have all of these as a price so low without sacrificing on certain areas, this time is no excuse as unfortunately the area where TicWatch E is lacking the most is the battery. It has a battery life of 2 days of normal usage and it can last for up to half a day with the GPS always turned on.
How to properly choose the best smartwatch for texting that fits you
Before buying a smartwatch doing a little bit of research is a must if you don’t want to end up with a product that may not meet your expectations. However, with this many options on the market, it became harder and harder to even start your research. But, if you check the following characteristics of a smartwatch and it suits your tastes, then rest assured you will get a smartwatch perfect for you.
Battery
A smartwatch’s battery lifetime can more important than you actually think, especially if you are used to wearing your smartwatch 24/7. It is easy to forget charging your devices and going out and not being able to rely on your smartwatch is not a pleasant situation. Therefore, if you don’t mind charging your smartwatch every two days or every day you shouldn’t take into account its battery life as every smartwatch can last for at least a whole day without any problems, but otherwise, you should consider smartwatches whose battery can last for at least 10 days with moderate use as excessive use may decrease the time even more.
Text function
It is easy to be fooled by some functions of smartwatches. When you are looking for a smartwatch for texting, you should make sure that it can send texts as well not just receive them. Some providers claim that their smartwatches are able to support notifications and text messages, but they only refer to receiving them and not sending back a reply. Therefore, even if it states that the smartwatch supports text functions it is not uncommon to get yourself a smartwatch unable to reply if you don’t pay enough attention.
Connectivity
If you are going to pair your future smartwatch with an Android or iOS device you don’t need to bother that much with the connectivity almost every smartwatch (at least well-known brands) are able to pair with both of them, however, you should be careful about Apple smartwatches as these can pair only with Apple products. If you own a Windows operated smartphone, then you will have quite a hard time finding a smartwatch that is compatible with your phone, therefore, proper research is needed as very few smartwatches are compatible with Windows.
Do I need to pair my smartwatch on my phone to receive and send messages?
Yes, most of the smartwatches need to be paired to receive any kind of notifications and to control any kind of phone-related activity. However, some smartwatches have sim slots and can operate separately from the smartphone. Using such a smartwatch you can make phone calls and send texts without any kind of connection between your phone and watch as it can be used as a standalone communication device.
Do I need an internet connection to reply to texts?
It depends on the type of text you are trying to reply to. Simple SMS texts won’t need a connection to the internet while emails and WhatsApp text require an internet source. It works the same as on the smartphone but this time instead of reading and replying directly on the smartphone, it acts as a third-party member that receive and send the information from an end to the other.
Does all texting smartwatches have Talk-to-Text function?
No, smartwatches that do not have at least a microphone can’t have such functions, but it is still possible for them to have keyboards and other typing systems like doodling to enhance texting. However, even if a smartwatch has a microphone it does not necessarily mean that it supports Talk-to-Text functions as sometimes it may not be able to support text reply at all and the microphone sole purpose maybe just for the calls, sometimes it can be the other way around. However, if you are looking for such functions you should properly research the smartwatch you are intending to buy prior acquisition.
