Wearable tech has come a long way from the days of counting steps and not much else. In 2026, your wrist (or finger) can tell you how well you slept, whether your heart rhythm looks off and how hard you should push in the gym today. The tricky part isn’t deciding between a smartwatch and a fitness tracker; it’s finding the right one, because seven of the big options out right now all stand out in different ways!
So, if you’re wondering which smartwatch is the best, or maybe you’re keen to find out about the newest fitness tracker. All you’ve got to do is just read along! We’ll be covering all the top tech accessories, including smart rings and even AI glasses, so you can discover which tech accessory is next on your shopping list!
Apple Watch Series 11
The Apple Watch Series 11 is still the benchmark for anyone in the Apple ecosystem. The Series 11 pairs a bright, always-on display with great fitness tracking, built-in GPS, and the full suite of Apple Health features, including hypertension alerts.
Battery life sits around a day of normal use, so it’s a nightly charge device, or personally, I find chucking it on the charger while I shower and get ready for bed is enough to get it back up to max battery. That way you can enjoy the benefits of tracking your sleep!
Best for: iPhone owners who want one device that does almost everything.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): Starts at $749 NZD
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is the best Android equivalent of the Apple Watch, and it’s every bit as capable a smartwatch. It brings the convenience of all-day notification alerts and payment options, plus AI-driven energy and recovery scoring through Samsung Health. If you’re using an Android phone, particularly a Samsung one, this smartwatch would be a great fit for you!
Best for: Android and Samsung phone users after a full-featured smartwatch.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): Starts at $379.99 NZD
Garmin (fitness tracker and GPS smartwatch)
Garmin has built its reputation on training data, and its current lineup is still one of the best fitness tracker and GPS watch options for anyone who takes their exercise seriously. Expect proper GPS route mapping, multi-day battery life, detailed recovery, VO2 max, and training load metrics that go well beyond “you did a workout, here’s your time and heart rate”. The trade-off is a less polished everyday smartwatch experience in comparison to what Apple and Samsung offer.
Best for: Runners, cyclists, hikers, and anyone training with a plan rather than just staying active.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): Ranges from $549 – $2,749.99 NZD
Whoop Band
Whoop has never bothered with a screen, and that’s the whole point. It’s a subscription-based recovery and strain fitness tracker worn as a simple band, designed to be forgotten about until you check the app. It’s popular with athletes who want deep sleep and recovery insight without a watch buzzing at them all day. The catch is the ongoing membership cost on top of the hardware. On average, people tend to keep their devices for around 3 years. If you kept your Whoop band for that or longer, you would end up paying more than what you would with the one-off price of another similar product. With that being said, Google saw this unpopular aspect rooted in Whoop’s strategy and saw an opportunity. Bringing us to the Fitbit Air…
Best for: People who want serious recovery data and don’t mind paying a subscription for it.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): Starts at $359 NZD/yr but can go as high as $739 NZD/yr
Google Fitbit Air
Google’s newest wearable is a small, screenless device that’s fast becoming one of the best fitness tracker options for anyone wanting Whoop-style insight without the subscription. Many tech reviewers online call this the Whoop killer, and it matches up pretty well in terms of specs and data accuracy too. It covers heart rate, sleep stages, Sp02 and AFib alerts, runs about a week between charges, and works through the new Google Health app on both Android and iPhone. It’s a great affordable health tracker for anyone wanting a plethora of data without the price tag.
Best for: Anyone wanting Whoop-style tracking without having to add another (very expensive) subscription to their long list. It’s a great value screenless fitness and health tracker.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): $239
Ray-Ban Meta Glasses (Wayfarer, Gen 2)
This one’s not a fitness tracker at all, but very much a wearable. Meta Glasses are very popular, especially amongst content creators due to their ability to record interactions from their built-in cameras and microphone. They look like a normal pair of Wayfarers but pack a camera, open-ear speakers, and Meta AI, so you can take photos, get hands-free directions, play music, or ask questions without touching your phone. As one of the most popular AI glasses on the market, battery life has improved to around 8 hours of use, with a charging case for topping up on the go. If you were interested in gaining an idea of how much you would use them before paying a larger price point, Kmart offers a lower quality but similar product for $100. Kmart sell them as “Camera Glasses”.
Best for: Anyone curious about AI glasses, or after a stylish, hands-free way to capture life on the move.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): Ranges from $580 – $910 NZD
Oura Ring 5
If a watch on your wrist all day (and night) doesn’t appeal, this smart ring quietly does its job from your finger instead. It’s screen-free, comfortable for sleep, and delivers some of the best recovery and readiness insights on the market, with battery life stretching to a week or more. The trade-off is that everything, all your data, all your measurables, live on the app. So the same as the Whoop Band and Fitbit Air. Oura also offer a monthly membership for full access to your data.
Best for: People who want top-tier sleep and recovery tracking without wearing anything that looks like tech. The Oura Ring 5 is a great alternative if you would like to wear an analogue watch over something smart but still track your health.
Price (RRP as of time of writing): $799 NZD
There’s no single “best” piece of wearable technology in 2026, only the best one for what you want to track. Want one smartwatch to run your whole day? Go Apple or Samsung. Training for something specific? Garmin’s best fitness tracker and GPS watch range has got you covered. After deep recovery data without a screen bothering you? Go for a Whoop band, Fitbit Air, or a smart ring like the Oura Ring. Want to look sharp while going hand-free with your phone? The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are worth a look!
Not sure which one will actually suit how you live, or need a hand getting a new wearable paired up and talking to your phone properly? That’s exactly the kind of thing our technicians sort out all the time! So don’t be a stranger, give our friendly team a ring or book an appointment here!
