**The Best Smartwatch: A Comparison of the 2nd Gen Moto 360, Samsung Gear S2, and Apple Watch**

Hey guys, this is Austin, and I'm here to help you find out which smartwatch is the best. To do that, I've gathered three popular options: the 2nd gen Moto 360, Samsung Gear S2, and Apple Watch. Even though they look similar, each takes a different approach.

**The Samsung Gear S2**

Samsung was one of the first to tackle smartwatches with the original Galaxy Gear, but the Gear S2 is a completely new device. It features a bright, fully round OLED display that looks more like a traditional watch than most. The normal S2 comes with a pair of rubber bands, which are fine but feel a bit on the cheaper side. One of my favorite features is the bezel – it's fast to use and works well for navigating the interface.

The Gear S2 also has home and back buttons along the side, making it one of the easiest-to-use smartwatches out there. On the other end of the spectrum is the Apple Watch, which I'll discuss later.

**The Apple Watch**

This is the stainless steel version of the Apple Watch, but it's essentially the same as the Sport model. You're looking at a much more traditional rectangular display with an OLED screen that's just as good as the Gear S2. The touchscreen works well, but with such a small display, it can be a bit awkward to use.

That's where Force Touch comes in – unlike other smartwatches, which often rely on long pressing, the Apple Watch can pull up extra options by pressing harder on the screen. It also features the Digital Crown, which is how I interact with the watch 90 percent of the time. While I slightly prefer the rotating bezel on the Gear S2, the Apple Watch is one solidly designed smartwatch.

**The Moto 360**

Come over to the Moto 360, and you'll see no plastic or rubber – just a solid metal chassis and a real leather band that gives a nice premium feel. The only thing that slightly holds it back is that it feels oddly light for such a beefy watch. Like the first Moto 360, we've got a round display which looks good but has a small window on the bottom where the sensors live.

I don't really mind this in normal use – I quickly forget about it, and the slimmer bezel is nice. Where the 360 loses out is in usability – you're limited to the touchscreen and a single button, which is fine but not as quick or efficient as some of the other options.

**Compatibility**

One of the biggest deciding factors when choosing a smartwatch is compatibility with your phone. It shouldn't be a huge surprise that the Apple Watch only works on iPhone, while the Gear S2 works on Samsung phones and some other Android devices. I did have some issues getting it to work with my Note 5, but it worked out in the end.

The real winner for compatibility is the Moto 360 – not only does it work on Android, but it also supports iOS as well.

**Performance**

Android Wear has made big improvements in the last year, but it still feels a bit unpolished and like it's too heavy to run smoothly on a watch. While the 2nd gen 360 is faster than before, you'll still get some slowness from time to time. In comparison, the Gear S2 feels lighting fast – the animations are quick, and it's easy to fly through the interface with next to no slowdowns.

The Apple Watch is also fast but can take a while to open some things, especially when it comes to more hardcore apps.

**Notifications and Utility**

Smartwatches are most useful for notifications in my opinion. All three watches support third-party apps, although I'm not sure how many people want to read CNN on their wrist – the option is there nonetheless. Being able to navigate, especially with walking directions, is nice but most of the utility is very similar on all three watches.

Things like voice search work well, and this is where Android Wear on the 360 does best. Asking Siri a quick question also works just fine.

**Charging**

Unlike a normal watch, you're pretty much going to have to get used to charging a smartwatch every night – it's not the end of the world but one more device you'll have to remember to plug in every night.

**Conclusion**

The biggest deciding factor is which features and performance are most important to you. If compatibility with your phone isn't a concern, then any of these three options would be a good choice.

If Samsung brings support for iPhone, the Gear S2 is going to be hard to beat – it's seriously fast, has a great screen, and works well.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enHey guys this is Austin. So what’s the bestsmartwatch? To find out I gathered the 2ndgen Moto 360, Samsung Gear S2 and Apple Watch.Even though they look similar each takes adifferent approach. Samsung was one of thefirst to tackle smartwatches with the originalGalaxy Gear but with the Gear S2 they’vebasically started from scratch. With a bright,fully round OLED display it looks more likea traditional watch than most, in black it’spretty stealth looking although there is alsoa Classic option which comes with a classierleather band and different housing. The normalS2 comes with a pair of rubber bands whichare fine but it feels a bit on the cheaperside. One of my favorite features is the bezel,the touchscreen works but most things aremuch faster to do just by rotating the bezel.There are also home and back buttons alongthe side which all adds up to make one ofthe easiest to use smartwatches out there.On the other end of the spectrum is the AppleWatch. This is the stainless steel versionbut it’s essentially the same as the Sport,you’re looking at a much more traditionalrectangular display. The OLED screen is justas good as the Gear S2 with deep blacks andsolid colors but while options and menus workbetter without a round screen it just doesn’tlook as cool. Like all smartwatches the touchscreenworks but with such a small display it canbe a bit awkward which is where Force Touchcomes in. Unlike the others which often relyon long pressing the Apple Watch can pullup extra options by pressing harder on thescreen and it works well. There’s also theDigital Crown which is how I interact withthe watch 90 percent of the time, I slightlyprefer the rotating bezel on the Gear S2 butthe Apple Watch is one solidly designed smartwatch.Come over to the Moto 360 and there’s noplastic or rubber to be found. Instead there’sa solid metal chassis and a real leather bandwhich gives a nice premium feel, the onlything that slightly holds it back is thatit feels oddly light for such a beefy watch.Like the first Moto 360 we’ve got a rounddisplay which looks good but there is a smallwindow on the bottom where the sensors live.I don’t really mind, in normal use I quicklyforget about it and the slimmer bezel is nice.Where the 360 really loses out is in usability,you’re limited to the touchscreen and asingle button. It’s fine but having a quickeroption to navigate the software like on theApple Watch and Gear S2 would be a welcomeaddition. When it comes to picking a smartwatchone of the biggest deciding factors is whatphones they work with. It shouldn’t be ahuge surprise that the Apple Watch only workson the iPhone and the Gear S2 works on Samsungphones but it also supports some other Androiddevices with a few exceptions. I did havesome issues getting it to work with my Note5 as it needed a firmware update that wasn’tout yet but it worked out in the end. Thereal winner for compatibility is the Moto360, not only does it work on Android butit also supports iOS as well. Android Wearhas made big improvements in the last yearbut it does feel a bit unpolished as if it’stoo heavy to run smoothly on a watch. Whilethe 2nd gen 360 is faster than before you’llstill get some slowness from time to time.In comparison the Gear S2 feels lighting fast,the animations are quick and it’s easy tofly through the interface with next to noslowdowns. The Apple Watch is fast as wellbut it can take a while to open some things,especially when it comes to more hardcoreapps. Smartwatches are most useful for notificationsin my opinion but all support third partyapps, I’m not sure how many people wantto read CNN on their wrist but the optionis there. Being able to navigate especiallywith walking directions is nice but most ofthe utility is very similar on all three watches.Things like voice search work well althoughthis is where Android Wear on the 360 doesbest but asking Siri a quick question alsoworks just fine. Unlike a normal watch you’repretty much going to have to get used to charginga smartwatch every night. It’s not the endof the world but it’s one more device you’llhave to remember to plug in every night. Mostof the decision really comes down to whatphone you use. The Moto 360 is the safestchoice and with the ability to customize thedesign in Motomaker you can really make ityour own. If you use an iPhone the Apple Watchhas the best integration and the design isthe most premium here, it’s a bit more priceybut you do get what you pay for. The biggestsurprise is actually the Gear S2, while thehardware is a bit on the cheaper side thescreen is great, the bezel works well andit’s seriously fast. If Samsung brings supportfor the iPhone the Gear S2 is going to be hard to beat.