Upcoming smartwatch and wearables we're excited about 2023

With plenty of new smartwatches launching and more big announcements expected, 2023 is shaping up to be quite the year.

The end of the year always sees the big smartwatch releases, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 has now been announced to kick us off in style. We're also expecting a new Apple Watch Series 9, Google Pixel Watch 2 and Garmin Venu 3 before the end of the year.

Read on for our pick of the upcoming smartwatches that have caught our eye, and the ones that are strongly reported to be on the way. 

As ever, we'll be testing and reviewing each as they officially launch, so read our best smartwatch guide for our top picks.

Our top new smartwatch reviews of 2023:

• Garmin Forerunner 265
• Garmin Forerunner 965
• Garmin Fenix 7 Pro
• Garmin Epix Pro
• Huawei Watch Ultimate
• TicWatch Pro 5 
• Casio G-SHOCK GBD-H2000
• Huawei Watch Buds
• Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro
• Amazfit GTR 4

Smartwatches we're still expecting in 2023

Wareable

Apple Watch Series 9

ETA: September 2023

It's a statistical certainty that Apple will unveil a new smartwatch this September, as it's done every year since 2014. But hopes have never been lower for significant changes to the Apple Watch Series 9.

Well-connected sources have alleged that there are no big hardware changes planned to any of Apple's three smartwatch models, so all eyes will be on watchOS 10, which should be unveiled this June.

Google Pixel Watch 2

ETA: October 2023

The follow-up to the original Google Pixel Watch is almost certainly set to land this October, despite the company making no mention of the next-gen smartwatch at Google I/O in May.

Pixel Watch 2 rumors are heating up, and it's likely the smartwatch will arrive with improved battery life and, of course, run Wear OS 4.

According to new leaks the upcoming Google Pixel Watch 2 is set to address the battery life issue of the original. 

The smartwatch will reportedly switch from Samsung's Exynos 9110 to the new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+. This contradicts previous rumors suggesting Google would stick with Samsung. 

Details are still scarce, but watch out for this one around October 2023.

Garmin Venu 3

ETA: 2023

The Garmin Venu 3 looks odds on for a release this year – and finally could be an excellent Apple Watch rival. Two sizes have been spotted at Malaysian regulators, and the filing revealed that Garmin will launch a Venu 3 and Venu 3S. And now it's been spotted at a retailer – so it looks like a launch is imminent.

Garmin has launched an ECG feature on the Venu 2 Plus, so it will be a better health watch.

We'd like to see the Venu 3 given an extra shot of fitness and wellness metrics, and this could be a big release for 2023.

Confirmed smartwatch releases

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

ETA: 26 July 2023

Wareable

The Galaxy Watch 6 is now official – after months of leaks and teases.

It comes in two flavors: The standard Galaxy Watch 6 (in 40mm and 44mm) and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (in 43mm and 47mm).

The standard Watch 6 isn't a big departure from last year's Watch 5, with a slightly bigger screen and a small improvement in processor speed.

The Watch 6 Classic reprises the brand after Samsung skipped a generation last time out. The Classic retains the rotating bezel to control menus with a tactile feel and boasts a more premium design. But neither are dramatic upgrades over their predecessors.

On the software side, both add Wear OS 4, and upgraded sleep tracking and heart rate zones training. Again, these are small updates, which will also be rolling out to the Watch 5 and Watch 4.

Read our first look Galaxy Watch 6 review and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs Galaxy Watch 6 Classic guides for our first thoughts.

Huawei Watch 4 / Watch 4 Pro

Wareable/Huawei

The Huawei Watch 4 is the company's latest flagship smartwatch and boasts an excellent design, screen and top-notch health features.

It packs in all the health features of the Huawei Watch Ultimate, including ECG, arterial health, respiratory health – as well as multi-band GPS.

And it comes in two sizes. The Watch 4 Pro comes in at 48mm, while the standard model is a smaller 46mm.

Each features a new one-touch, multi-point health tracking system, too, which checks seven metrics at once, while battery life is also slated (at least by Huawei) to last up to three weeks.

For the Watch 4 Pro, prices begin at £499.99 / €549 for the leather band option and extend to £599.99 /€699 for the titanium model. If you want the standard edition, you'll have to shell out £399.99 / €449.

Read our full Huawei Watch 4 Pro review.

Amazfit Cheetah

ETA: July 2023

Amazfit

There are two models, the Cheetah and Cheetah Pro, with a titanium case, which offers a more premium feel and lightweight design.

Both models feature a full AMOLED display.

The Zepp AI Coaching feature will offer smartly adjusted training plans for specific goals, such as race types and dates. There’s also a ChatGPT-style large language model (LLM) that can answer questions, like a virtual personal trainer. 

The Cheetah gets multi-system GPS which taps into all six of the major satellite systems (GPS/GLONASS etc) and the L1/L5 dual-band channels. So it’s about as complete as GPS tracking gets these days.

Movano Evie

ETA: September 2023

Wareable

Not a smartwatch at all, but the Movano Evie has certainly piqued our interest.

First, it’s aimed at women, so it’s way more stylish than anything we’ve seen before. The Oura 3 isn’t a bad-looking device, but it’s noticeable and chunky on the finger – and it’s harder for women to wear.

We'd need to see Movano Evie Ring being worn to get a real sense of what the company has achieved in terms of design, but the incomplete loop looks way more interesting than some other rivals.

The Movano Ring will measure heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, respiration rate, temperature, and blood oxygen.

It's now also been confirmed that the Evie Ring will arrive in September for $269 - and it won't require a subscription, which means it considerably undercuts Oura.

Redmi Watch 3 Active

ETA: Out in China

Redmi

The screen is larger, up to a whopping 1.83-inch, but it’s downgraded from AMOLED to LCD screen with a resolution of just 240 x 280 pixels. It pumps out at 450 nits, but visually, it’s going to be noticeably lacking compared to the standard Watch 3. 

The 289 mAh battery will last between 8 to 12 days depending on usage.

The Redmi Watch 3 Active is equipped with heart rate and SpO2 sensors but lacks GPS or NFC. 

It offers 5 ATM water resistance and enables Bluetooth voice calls via a connected smartphone thanks to its built-in microphone and speaker. And it comes pre-loaded with over 200 watch faces and supports 100 sports modes. 

Hublot Big Bang e Gen 3

ETA: out now

Hublot

The Hublot Big Bang e Gen3 uses the previous generation Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ processor, which has now been usurped by the powerful new Snapdragon W5+.

However, it does get Wear OS 3.0, which means that it’s privy to the latest apps and updates.

The Big Bang e Gen3 packs in a heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC payment connectivity.

The screen really stands out with a 1.39-inch 454 x 454 AMOLED display at 327 PPI.

It’s water-resistant with a 3ATM rating, which means it’s good for the shower, but we wouldn’t risk taking it swimming.

There’s also 400mAh battery, which isn’t particularly large – so you won’t be getting any more than single-day battery life.

Xiaomi Mi Band 8

ETA: Awaiting global launch

Xiaomi

The Mi Band 8 was launched way back in April 2023, but we still have no information on when (or if) it will get a global launch. Every generation of Mi Band previously has been available worldwide, so it would be a shock it not to be the case here.

But we know everything about what the Mi Band 8 will pack.

It boasts a 1.62-inch, 192 x 490-pixel AMOLED always-on display, which was introduced on the previous generation.

While the screen resolution or size hasn’t changed, it is brighter and has been treated to a larger 60Hz refresh rate.

Battery life has also been beefed up, and the Mi Band 8 is quoted as lasting 16 days between charges, and 6 days if you use the always-on display. That’s up from 14 days on the Mi Band 7.

Ultrahuman Ring Air

ETA: Available now (4 week shipping)

Ultrahuman

Ultrahuman has unveiled the Ultrahuman Ring Air, the follow-up to its first-gen smart ring

The Air is all about the weight and is made from fighter jet-grade titanium coated in tungsten carbide. It weighs just 2.4g and is water-resistant to 100m, making it suitable to wear in the shower or pool.

It’s also got some pretty nifty sleep smarts on board. 

The Ultrahuman Ring Air boasts a Sleep Index feature that tracks the usual array of factors such as sleep duration, resting heart rate, and sleep quality. And the new Circadian Phase Alignment feature will also suggest adjustments in your habits for sunlight exposure and activity levels to maximize sleep efficiency. 

It will also measure health indicators such as sleep patterns, movement, heart rate, and skin temperature – and it will be interesting to see how these are presented.

It costs $349 / £280 / €325 without ongoing subscriptions.

Casio G-SHOCK DW-D5600

ETA: Available now (review in progress)

Casio

After partnering with Polar for the launch of the GBD-H2000, Casio G-SHOCK has quickly followed it up with the announcement of the DW-D5600. 

The G-SHOCK DW-H5600 inherits the octagonal design of the original G-SHOCK and comes with two interchangeable bezel designs - the first being all-black, with the second adding colorful layouts displaying the wiring diagram of the device's circuit board.

Thanks to the Powered by Polar partnership and the addition of a heart rate monitor, there's plenty more to this than its standard-looking equivalent, as well. 

All the data from your workouts is fed into the G-SHOCK app, with Polar metrics like Running Index, Cardio Load, Energy Sources, and Nightly Recharge all included.

Prices range from £269 to £389 depending on which version you pick. However, unfortunately, there's no word yet on US availability. 

Citizen Gen-2 CZ Smart 

ETA: Available now (review in progress)

Citizen

Announced at CES 2023, the Citizen Gen-2 CZ Smart is a follow-up to the original that launched in back 2020 - and it's now officially gone on sale for $350-$435 (depending on style).

Citizen will be hoping for more cut-through with this Wear OS 3 smartwatch, which comes with some very leftfield features.

It features a “self-care advisor” that uses IBM Watson-powered AI learning to establish patterns of fatigue and alertness. It does this via a consumer version of NASA’s Psychomotor Vigilance Task Test, which it developed to test the awareness levels of astronauts.

There are a bunch of colorways and designs, including 41mm Casual and 44mm Sport touchscreen versions, as well as a Hybrid model, so everyone is well catered for.

Xiaomi Watch S2

ETA: On sale in China

Xiaomi

The Xiaomi Watch S2 has already landed in China, and given the previous generation made it to Western shores, there’s a good chance this one will too.

It comes in 42mm and 46mm case sizes, so it should be fairly unisex. There’s no digital crown, but there are two buttons on the right-hand side of the case.

While the feature sheet is pretty standard for a mid-range smartwatch, there is a new health sensor onboard. The Xiaomi Watch S2 will feature a body composition sensor, which will assess your fat, water and muscle percentages.

The 42mm starts at CNY 999 (around $143) and the 46mm is CNY 1,099 ($157).

Oppo Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro

ETA: Available in China (awaiting global launch)

Wareable

This pair was confirmed in China back in August, and are the first smartwatches to feature the new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip.

This enables devices to take advantage of Qualcomm’s co-processor for improved performance and battery life.

Pre-announcement rumors of a big screen-to-body ratio were spot on for the Pro model, with the standard Watch 3 featuring a 1.75-inch, 372 x 430 AMOLED touchscreen, as well as waterproofing up to 50 meters.

• Read our full Oppo Watch Free review

As ever, we're guessing there will be a wait for a global launch, but you can read all the details of both devices in our full Oppo Watch 3 and Watch 3 Pro breakdown. We'll update this section on the wider rollout when we know more.