5 Best Smart Watch With SIM Card Slot in 2025

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At A Glance: Best Smart Watch With SIM Card

• Apple Watch Series 10
  Our Top Pick
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
• Garmin Forerunner 945

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Smartwatches have come a long way. In 2025, the best models don’t just track your steps or show notifications, they can replace your phone entirely thanks to built-in LTE via eSIM. That means you can leave your phone behind, stream music, make calls, send texts, and even get emergency help right from your wrist.

But with so many options, Apple Watch Series 10, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Google Pixel Watch 4, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE, it’s tough to know which is best for you. We’ve gone through real-world user reviews and feedback to see what people actually love and dislike about each.

Here’s the quick winners by category table to get you started:

Category	Winner	Why Users Picked It
Design & Build	Apple Watch Series 10	Universally praised comfort and premium look
Display & Interface	Samsung Galaxy Watch 8	Brightest screen, polished UI, smoothest outdoor readability
Battery Life	Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE	Lasts weeks, not days, with unbeatable endurance
Health & Fitness	Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE	Most accurate metrics, trusted by athletes
Smart Features	Apple Watch Series 10	Seamless connectivity and massive app ecosystem
Price & Value	Samsung Galaxy Watch 8	Premium features at reasonable price for Android users

Now let’s dive into each category in detail, with what real users are saying.

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Design & Build Quality – Winner: Apple Watch Series 10

• Apple Watch Series 10: Slimmer, lighter, and sleeker than ever, with premium aluminum/titanium options. Universally praised for comfort and elegance.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: New “squircle” design divides opinion, some love the slimmer fit, others call it ugly. Solid durability with sapphire glass.
• Google Pixel Watch 4: Minimalist circular design, larger 45 mm size option. Stylish and modern, but not as rugged as Samsung or Apple Ultra.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Chunky 47 mm titanium case. Rugged and tough with 10ATM water resistance, but too bulky for smaller wrists.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE: Lightweight plastic build. Comfortable for athletes, but looks plain and less premium.

User feedback: Apple Watch Series 10 wins hearts almost universally, users rave about its comfort, premium finishes, and stylish presence. Samsung’s Watch 8 splits the crowd: some love how slim it feels on thin wrists, while others say the squircle design looks awkward. The Pixel Watch 4 is called “beautiful and sleek,” though some note it’s not rugged enough for rough use. The Ultra is beloved by outdoorsy types for its toughness but dismissed by others as “ridiculous on smaller wrists.” Garmin users don’t care about flash, they just want a lightweight, no-fuss design for workouts, though some call it “dated.”

Winner: Apple Watch Series 10. It’s the rare watch nearly everyone finds both premium and comfortable.

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Display & Interface – Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

• Apple Watch Series 10: Bright 2000-nit Retina OLED, crisp and smooth with watchOS polish. Easy to read, intuitive interface.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Class-leading AMOLED, up to 3000 nits. Gorgeous colors, smooth animations, and robust One UI Watch 6 features.
• Google Pixel Watch 4: OLED with thinner bezels than before. Elegant Material You UI, but not quite as bright outdoors.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Large AMOLED canvas with vibrant colors. Great visibility and rugged sapphire glass, interface identical to Watch 8.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE: Basic memory-in-pixel screen, highly visible outdoors, but dull compared to AMOLEDs.

User feedback: Apple Watch users call the Series 10’s display “crisp and vibrant,” and easy to read on the go. Samsung’s Watch 8 impresses almost everyone: “insanely bright,” “readable even in harsh sunlight,” and the Now Bar multitasking UI is called “a winner.” Pixel Watch 4 gets love for its sleek visuals and clean UI, though some wish it were brighter outdoors. Ultra fans enjoy the oversized screen, but critics say the square-cushion look is odd. Garmin athletes, however, love the transflective display outdoors, “never have to squint in bright sunlight”, though they admit it looks primitive compared to AMOLED rivals.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. Its dazzling brightness and feature-rich UI make it the display champ.

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Battery Life – Winner: Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE

• Apple Watch Series 10: ~18–36 hours depending on use. Fast charging helps, but it’s still a daily charger.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: ~24–30 hours. Often needs daily charging, sometimes twice for heavy users.
• Google Pixel Watch 4: ~30–40 hours, depending on size. An improvement, but still daily or near-daily charging.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: 2–3 days of battery life, a big step forward for full-featured watches.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE: Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, even with GPS workouts lasting 12+ hours.

User feedback: Apple owners accept daily charging as the norm, “lasts all day but no more.” Samsung Watch 8 users complain that “battery is the biggest problem,” often needing mid-day top-ups. Pixel Watch 4 improves things slightly, but most still charge nightly. Ultra fans love the freedom, “finally a Samsung watch that lasts more than a day.” Garmin users laugh at the rest: “easily a week of training,” “still had battery after an Ironman.”

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE. If endurance is your priority, nothing else comes close.

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Health & Fitness Tracking – Winner: Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE

• Apple Watch Series 10: Excellent for everyday health. ECG, sleep apnea alerts, cycle tracking, and motivational rings make it a lifestyle health companion.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Strong everyday fitness tracking. Body composition, sleep coaching, and new Energy Score are appreciated, though not always perfect for hardcore training.
• Google Pixel Watch 4: Fitbit integration makes it a wellness powerhouse. Accurate heart rate, Active Zone Minutes, and readiness scores win fans.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Adds advanced training metrics like VO₂ max, running dynamics, and multisport tracking, nearly Garmin-level.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE: Elite-level performance tracking with VO₂ max, training load, recovery time, and rock-solid GPS. Designed for serious athletes.

User feedback: Apple Watch Series 10 users say it “improved my life” by motivating more activity, but admit it’s not for pro athletes. Samsung Watch 8 buyers like the coaching features, but runners complain the GPS isn’t as precise as Garmin. Pixel Watch 4 users love Fitbit’s detailed sleep and wellness insights, especially long-time Fitbit fans. Ultra users rave about Garmin-like stats in a smartwatch package, though some note Samsung Health feels overwhelming. Garmin users trust their data absolutely, “accurate pacing even in races,” “recovery metrics spot-on.”

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE. It’s the gold standard for athletes, though Apple wins for all-around lifestyle health.

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Smart Features & Connectivity – Winner: Apple Watch Series 10

• Apple Watch Series 10: Seamless iPhone integration. LTE with eSIM supports calls, texts, music streaming, Siri, Apple Pay, and a huge app library.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Full LTE features via eSIM. Excellent Google/Samsung app mix, Gemini AI assistant, and Play Store access.
• Google Pixel Watch 4: Tight Google integration. Assistant, Maps, Gmail, Wallet, and more make it the go-to for Android purists.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Everything the Watch 8 does, plus rugged extras like a siren, compass, and stronger antennas.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE: Limited LTE, safety tracking and emergency messages only. Not a full smartwatch replacement.

User feedback: Apple Watch users call it “indispensable,” praising flawless call and text performance away from the phone. Samsung Watch 8 users like leaving their phone at home for runs, with WhatsApp and Spotify streaming on the wrist. Pixel Watch 4 users appreciate the pure Google experience, calling it “easy and quick to use.” Ultra buyers say its siren and rugged extras could literally save lives. Garmin fans, however, know what they’re buying, it’s for SOS and live tracking only, not apps.

Winner: Apple Watch Series 10. Nothing beats its polish and app ecosystem, though Android users will find Watch 8 and Pixel Watch 4 equally strong in their ecosystems.

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Price & Value – Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

• Apple Watch Series 10: $399–$499. Premium but pricey, only for iPhone users.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: $349–$399. Great features at a lower cost than Apple, often discounted.
• Google Pixel Watch 4: $349–$429. Stylish, well-integrated with Google services, decent value especially with bundles.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: $600–$700. Worth it for adventurers, but overkill for casual users.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE: $649. Expensive, but invaluable for serious athletes who rely on its safety features.

User feedback: Apple users say it’s worth it if you use all the features, but overpriced otherwise. Samsung Watch 8 buyers love trade-in deals and discounts that make it very affordable. Pixel Watch fans think it’s a fair price for the design and Fitbit integration, though spec-sheet buyers may prefer Samsung. Ultra buyers justify the cost for extreme use, but admit it’s too much for casual wear. Garmin buyers acknowledge it’s pricey, but those training for marathons or triathlons call it “worth every penny.”

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. The most well-rounded value: flagship-level features at a fair price.

Our Take

So, which one should you actually buy?

• Apple Watch Series 10 (eSIM) – Best for iPhone users who want the ultimate all-rounder. A premium smartwatch that does everything well.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (eSIM) – Best for Android users who want balance, features, and value without bulk.
• Google Pixel Watch 4 (eSIM) – Best for Google ecosystem fans who want sleek design and Fitbit wellness integration.
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (eSIM) – Best for adventurers and outdoor athletes who need ruggedness, multi-day battery, and advanced metrics.
• Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE (embedded SIM) – Best for serious athletes who want elite training features and life-saving safety tracking, not apps.

At the end of the day, “best” depends on your ecosystem and priorities. iPhone owners should stick with Apple’s Series 10. Android users have excellent choices: Samsung’s Watch 8 for everyday use, Pixel Watch 4 for style and Google integration, or Samsung’s Ultra for extreme adventures. And for athletes, Garmin still rules.

Whichever you pick, you’ll get a capable smartwatch that reflects just how far wearables have come in 2025.