Looking For a Smartwatch That’s Robust? A Tactical Smartwatch Is Just What You Need

by John Wren

The current watch market is full of great buys and watches with a million features. Choosing the best tactical smartwatch might be difficult. Analog watches are the majority, and for good reason; they’ve been around for hundreds of years, and have a classic style.

However, an analog watch simply can’t compete with the functionality of a smartwatch, and functionality is key in this technological world that we live in. Only a few smartwatches can reach the coveted title of “tactical smartwatch”.

Not only are these watches incredibly functional, but they can stand up to just about anything. To help you find the tactical smartwatch that fits your needs, we’ve assembled our picks for the best tactical smartwatches, and organized them in price ranges for your convenience.

In addition, we’ve listed all the important specs for each watch, so you can compare them with ease. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, but you can use it as a jumping off point to find the perfect tactical smartwatch for you.

Best Tactical Smartwatch Comparison Chart 2020

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Spec Breakdown

Material: This is what makes any tactical smartwatch a tactical smartwatch. This stat is usually dependent on price; the more expensive the watch, the more expensive the material. The best tactical smartwatches are made of steel, which makes them heavier, but also indestructible.

Dimensions: This is an important stat, since you don’t want a watch that’s bigger than your wrist! This stat comes down to personal preference, since it all depends on the size of your wrist. If you’ve worn watches before, try to remember the size of the face; it’ll give you a good idea of the right size smartwatch for you.

Weight: Some people love watches that are light as a feather, while others go for the hearty, heavy bad boys that feel strong. You can go down the middle as well, of course. Depending on what you want, you should pay attention to this stat.

Budget (Under $100)

These aren’t the best tactical smartwatch, and they don’t have the greatest software either. However, they have tons of great features, and for the price of a normal watch, it’s kind of a no-brainer to get one of these great deals. If you’ve never owned a smartwatch, this is a great range to find a watch in.

1.Pebble Smartwatch Black

Pebble Smartwatch Black
  • View notifications from email, SMS, Caller ID, calendar and your favorite apps on your wrist.
  • Includes Pebble timeline, a chronological display of calendar and notifications
  • Download watch faces and apps to suit your style and interests.
  • Control music playing on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and more.
  • Rechargeable battery lasts 5-7 days on a single charge
The Pebble is an amazing piece of the technology for the price. You can connect it to an Apple or Android device with Bluetooth, making it a possibility no matter what side of the phone market you’re on (sorry Windows phone users).

Material: High-strength polyurethane  

Dimensions: 3.8 x 3 x 2.6 inches

Weight: 1.3 ounces

The battery lasts a week on one charge, allowing you to go long stretches with your Spotify music without needing to worry about it dying. One very cool thing about the Pebble is how little it weighs. At only 1.3 ounces, it doesn’t even feel like you’re wearing a watch. Of course, you might want a heavier watch, in which case the Pebble might not be the best choice for you.

The interface of the watch is completely customizable; you can download and install any number of cool, sleek interfaces that’ll make it look like you’ve got a really expensive and classy piece of tech on your wrist. It also shows email, SMS, caller ID, and any other notifications.

One of the coolest features of the Pebble is the timeline app, which shows all your daily events in an easy to read format that could be a welcome addition to your work day. It also works great with any fitness apps, allowing you to check your heart rate, pace, and steps per day on your wrist at any point. If you’re looking for a smartwatch that’s a steal, look no further.

Mid-range ($100-200)

In this range, you’ll begin to see some watches with steel bodies, as well as some famous brand names (Sony, Samsung). These are middle-of-the-road watches, which means they have an even mix of style and functionality, combined with a reasonable price.

2.Sony Mobile SW2 SmartWatch 2

SmartWatch 2 - Smart watch - 4.1 cm (1.6")
  • one touch (NFC) pairing connection
  • phone remote notifications discreet convenient
  • optimized for android
  • customize with any 24mm wrist band
  • stylish design with advanced technology capabilities
This is a very affordable smartwatch, and a smart looking one at that! With its sleek black band and face, which are surrounded by a strong steel case, this watch stands out in a crowd. The steel surrounding the case makes this watch incredibly tough to damage; even a hammer would have some trouble. The watch is totally readable in sunlight, thanks to the engineers at Sony making the face glare proof. Unfortunately for Apple fans, this watch only works with Android phones.

Stats: Material: Stainless Steel

Dimensions: 6.7 x 3.3 x 2.1 inches

Weight: 0.3 ounces

Also, this might not be the best watch for fitness freaks, since it doesn’t have a GPS, activity monitor, or heart rate monitor. One cool feature of this watch is the vibrating function it has. When you get notification, the watch will vibrate on your wrist, which makes it really easy to check your notifications; you don’t even have to take anything out of your pocket!

You can use your phone to arrange the apps on the watch, allowing the customization that Android is known for. Another amazing thing about this watch is how light it is. It weighs less than half an ounce, which is incredible, especially since the case is made of steel. If you’re wanting a quality watch, you might want to try this one on for size.

High-end (above $200)

These tactical smart watches are stylish. That’s no overstatement; these watches actually look like analog watches, but have the same functionalities as a smart watch. If you want a watch that looks classic, but works new, this could be the range for you.

3.Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch – Classic

Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch - Dark Gray
  • Send and receive texts, calendar notifications, news updates and more right on your wrist and Battery performance may vary depending on network conditions and configuration, and device usage
  • With rotating bezel and unique circular interface, easily access your apps and notifications.OS Tizen based wearable platform.Processor speed Dual core 1GHz exynos 3250
  • With a circular design and stainless steel construction, the Gear S2 matches your style
  • Thousands of third party apps available
  • Interchangeable bands and hundreds of available watch faces; Please refer the User Manual before use; It doesn't have speakers, hence use Level U bluetooth headphones to hear music
This watch is one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen. From a few feet away, it looks like a stylish, classic analog watch, the perfect fit in any business environment. However, when you get up close, you can see this watch for the engineering marvel that it is.

Specs: Material: Stainless Steel

Dimensions: 1.7 x 1.6 x 0.5 inches

Weight: 7.4 ounces

The software is sleek and functional, with the apps organized in a circular design that mimics the curves of the bezel. You switch between apps by touching the bezel. The interface is also completely customizable; if you want a digital face instead of an analog one, you only need to install it from your phone. Easy as that!

The watch has 4 gigs of memory, a dual-core processor, and wifi capabilities. The leather band is tough and provides great aesthetics when combined with the round, steel face. If you’ve got an Android phone and you want to be at the forefront of technology and style, this is the watch for you!

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