Black Smartwatches 2024 [Our Reviews and Comparisons]

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Written By:

The OD Team

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Sure, a smartwatch is your gate to the world, but some would like their gate to be elegant black with sleek lines and attractive finishes. From a fashion point of view, the best smartwatch for men in black is equal to an elegant tuxedo and the best smartwatch for women in black is equal to designer’s black dress but with the versatility to be worn outside formal parties.

If that’s what’s in your mind, you’ve landed just in the right place. We went on a long journey and gathered the best black smartwatches that serve as both stylish and functional wearables in one place. Ready to bring a new smart addition to your collection? Buckle up, and let’s go!

7 Best Black Smartwatches in 2024

Samsung has made it difficult for its competitors to keep up this year with Galaxy Watch 3. Everything has been paid attention to, from the great style and class-leading processor to the extended battery life and bright AMOLED display.

This powerhouse boasts a sturdy and innovative black design that looks nice for casual wear as well as formal attire. Beneath the good looks, they did a good job beefing up all features.

They didn’t get rid of the bezel, which is a nice touch for users who like to interact with their watch without smudging the screen.

Like the previous edition, the model tracks more than 40 different workouts, monitors your blood oxygen level, and provides you with insights on your heart rate with the FDA-approved ECG sensor.

However, they did upgrade the sleep tracker in this edition and improved the running coach that works with the built-in GPS to give your real-time feedback about your distance and pace.

To top all that, the model is waterproof and can stay up for more than one day. It allows you to text, make calls, and receive app notifications. What’s more, you can use the integrated Bixby voice command service to change your music or pay for your shopping items via Samsung Pay.

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You own an iPhone and looking for a watch that’s as awesome as Galaxy Watch 3 but works better with iOS devices?

This year, Apple has gifted us with an astonishing space gray model that comes with a black sport band that’s super comfortable to wear.

Aside from the looks, the watch is almost a twin to its predecessor (Watch Series 5) but with a new blood oxygen sensor, faster chip, and brighter screen.

Featuring Siri voice assistant, the watch allows you to take calls, reply to messages, and set reminders from your wrist.

For sports enthusiasts, Watch Series 6 boasts a super-accurate FDA-approved ECG app, fall detector, and sleep monitor. It also tracks numerous workouts, including swimming, thanks to its 5ATM waterproof rating.

As for navigating your running or biking routes, the watch has its own high-functioning GPS. Want to pay for your morning coffee or after workout protein shake? The watch has got you back with Apple Pay services.

If we’re picky, we hope that the battery life would last more than the advertised 18 hours. However, despite this issue and relatively high price, we can’t really complain.

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As expected from Fossil as a fashion leading brand, Carlyle Gen 5 is a classy watch. For black color lovers, this edition is offered in two black versions: a classic black one with a leather strap and a smokey black model with a metal band.

In terms of features, Fossil managed to incorporate the always-on feature along with thousands of watch faces to change your looks. There’s also a sunlight booster to ensure that the screen is readable on sunny days.

Its communication services are top-notch, and the deployed Google voice assistant outshines Bixby and Siri in its functionality and ease of use.

Moreover, it comes with 8GB of internal storage to store music and photos. It also resists water for up to 30 meters.

Sure, it’ll monitor your activity all day in the background with the help of GoogleFit. However, it acts better as a means of communication from your wrist rather than a high-tech fitness tracker.

As for the battery, you get a reliable 24-hour backup that can be increased when you turn on the Extended Multi-Day mode. And for our liking, this mode doesn’t turn off all smart features but rather reduces their number, so you’ll still be able to use it as more than an analog watch.

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Looking for a fitness tracker that’s on par with Watch Series 6 but with longer battery life and a price that won’t put a burden on your bank account? Versa 3 offers you a battery that lasts more than six days. On top of that, it charges really fast, and if you’re in a hurry, a quarter-hour of charging can cover you for extra 24 hours.

The design is attractive, and the always-on display allows for easy navigation and fun viewing. With a built-in GPS, accurate ECG app, Active Zone Minutes Feature, and blood oxygen saturation monitor, the watch boasts a full-featured fitness tracker.

It tracks your real-time pace and distance while running, biking, or hiking. Moreover, you can use it to set sleep goals and count your swimming laps since it resists water for up to 50 meters.

The heart rate tracker is comparable to the FDA-approved ones of Apple and Samsung, and the stress tracker will give you a buzz when you’re overdoing the exercises to rest and take a breath.

Apart from the fitness features, the watch allows you to pay for your shopping list by Fitbit Pay, view your notifications, and make calls or send SMSs using Google Assistant or Alexa. You can also play music on Deezer or Spotify but only online or pay for the subscription to stream offline.

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Vivomove HR is a stunning and capable smartwatch hidden under the looks of a standard but elegant analog watch. It’s the top hybrid smartwatch on the market with solid activity tracking abilities and decent battery life that lasts for up to 5 days in smart mode and two weeks in watch mode.

The model boasts a round flat face and regular hour hands. However, when you double-tap on the display, a touch screen appears on the lower half from which you can view and control the watch’s smart features.

These features include notification viewing functions, music controls, timer, and calendar. It also allows you to view your caller ID and read text messages.

The model may not be a high-tech fitness tracker like the rest of Garmin’s models, but will do the job if you consider fitness tracking features secondary functions. It performs essential functions such as displaying the steps, calories, and distance.

Furthermore, it boasts a reliable heart rate monitor and a stress tracker to follow up on your health. And if you’re having sleep problems, it’ll help you keep track of your interrupted sleep and look for ways to improve it.

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Forerunner 945 takes Garmin’s tracking features that were already awesome to a whole new level. It’s an undoubtedly excellent choice for avid runners who want to step up their game and let the watch do all the mathematics for their high-level training.

Design-wise, it boasts practical looks with a big display that shows all the info in vivid colors and exceptional clarity. It’s as visible as Watch Series 6 in the sunlight, which is an excellent feature for athletes who like to run outdoors. It’s not a touch screen, though, so you’ll have to navigate the menus using the five buttons scattered at the sides.

Apart from the looks, the fitness features are a dream come true. The GPS is the most accurate out of all our chosen models and shows full-color maps to help your route in a fun way. The watch tracks your training status showing you your altitude acclimation status, recovery time, training load, as well as aerobic and anaerobic training effects.

Just when we thought the perks has ended, the model surprised us with exclusive safety features for hardcore runners and a battery that lasts for two weeks, which is the longest on our list.

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Fossil Sport presents a powerful chipset along with first-class fitness tracking features in a lightweight and minimalist design that’ll make you feel like you don’t have anything on your wrist. Although some would consider it a bit plain, the model feels like a good fit for a dinner party as well as a day in the gym.

This comfortable gym buddy doesn’t necessarily speak of advanced technology and high-end features, but it excels in everything it can do. The responsive processor takes the performance of all apps past your expectations, and the intuitive interface guarantees that nothing slows you down.

It connects seamlessly to iOS and Android devices. The touch screen is beautiful, and the colors are vivid, making it something you’d like to look at.

Moreover, with this watch on your wrist, you’ll never have to reach for your smartphone because it shows notifications as well as app alerts, sets reminders, and controls the music playlist. It also supports GoogleFit and has an integrated GPS for your training sessions.

Overall, it’s a stylish and comfortable smartwatch that you can rely on. We just wish its battery lasted a whole day as advertised. However, you can extend the battery life to a considerable amount of time by turning off some unnecessary features.

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Black Smartwatches - Buying Guide

If you’re reading this article, you’ve mostly made up your mind about your smartwatch’s appearance and looking for the model that would suit your taste. However, a smartwatch is more than a good-looking gadget.

To be sure you’ve got the best value for your money, you need to know what to look for in the first place, and that’s what we’re going to tell you a few scrolls down. If our picks are out of your budget then make sure to check our list for the best smartwatch under 100 dollars.

Features to Look for in Smartwatches

Design and Display

The display of your smartwatch is where all the magic happens, and that’s why you should give it some extra attention. There’s plenty to consider, including the technology of the display, and in this area, you should opt for OLED or AMOLED screens.

You should also opt for a display of resolution of at least 360 x 360 DPI. Of course, this should be in proportion to the size of the display itself, and 360 x 360 DPI would look excellent on a 1.2-inch display. Also, it’s always better if your screen comes with colors instead of just grey or black and white as this helps in making the watch more engaging and thus more functional.

Compatibility

It all depends on the type of smartphone you own and the software that runs it. If you have an iPhone, you’re mostly limited to Apple smartwatches. 

However, Android phone users have more choices. While both Tizen and Wear OS work with nearly all watches, we recommend that you stick to your phone’s brand. For example, Samsung smartwatches work with iPhones and other Wear OS devices but with some functions disabled. However, they’ll work best and show more functions when they’re paired with Samsung phones. 

Battery Life

Like us, you surely don’t like the moment when the screen turns black, and you’re shut off from the world again, right? That’s why you should aim for the longest battery life you can get. Sadly, most of the time, the more functions the watch offers, the less battery life it has. However, there are some models on the market that provide a good balance.  

Generally, smartwatches’ battery lives range from a few hours to weeks. Opt for models that can last you at least a day and take no more than a couple of hours to charge. Charging overnight may seem like a good idea at first, but when you get your gadget, you won’t want to turn off your watch even in your sleep to make use of its health functions. 

GPS and Tracking

If you’re a gym-goer, sports enthusiast, or even a casual runner, look for smartwatches that feature GPS and health monitoring features. Sure, if this is the main reason you’re getting the smartwatch, you’re better off with a dedicated fitness tracker and you can find some of the best on the list mentioned above. 

Note that some models don’t have their built-in GPS but rather depend on your phone’s navigation system. Unfortunately, this will make the GPS slower to operate. Besides, it’ll drain both your watch’s and smartphone’s battery faster. If you’re going to track your routes most of the time, opt for units with integrated GPS.

Notifications

Finally, if one of your main reasons for purchasing a smartwatch is communicating with the world from your wrist, don’t skimp on this feature. 

While most watches notify you by vibrations when you receive an SMS or a call, some allow you to view your caller ID and read the message. Higher-end models give you a chance to respond without reaching for your phone. 

Final Verdict

If you’ve reached this section, you’re now up to date with the best black smartwatches on the market and have a good idea on how to pick yourself a good model.

As for our opinion, we think that the Galaxy Watch 3 is the perfect match for users looking for a do it all coach and a smart communication device in one package. It boasts endless high-end features and comes at a very reasonable price, considering the number of functions. 

Carlyle Gen 5 is a great option to consider if you don’t want to pay much but want to get the best value for your money, along with good looks to match all the items in your closet. Finally, if you have an iPhone and want to get the best of a smartwatch, Watch Series 6 has got everything you need and more.

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