This summer is looking like the summer of wearable fitness tech. So how should you go about navigating the crowded market of fitness watches? It’s confusing enough accepting that gadget watches are no longer just for the movies, picking one is a whole different story. Here at Protein Essentials we did some digging to lay out the features of five popular watches so you can decide which watch best fits your needs.

VivoWatch by ASUS:

$150

• Heart rate monitoring
• Sleep tracking
• good battery life
• step and calorie counter
• UV level detector
• goal setting
• simple companion app
  • no distance tracking
  • no app notifications

Check out Engadget.com’s review for more details on the VivoWatch!

Basis Peak by Intel:

$199

• Heart rate monitoring
• sleep tracking
• step and calorie counter
• texts, emails, calls, calendar
• perspiration levels
• Skin temperature
• goal setting
• sync data with Apple Health and Google Fit
• differentiates running, walking, biking
  • no GPS tracking
  • limited manual options
  • confuses inactivity with sleep

Check out CNET’s review for more information on the Basis Peak.

Alpha 2 by Mio:

$199

• curved screen built for sports
• heart rate monitor
• timer, calories, pace, distance
• water resistant up to 30 meters
• very comparable with apps which can add the lacking features
  •  confusing manual controls
  •  too large for smaller wrists
  • no GPS
  • annoying charger
  • no daily movement tracking

Check out Wareable for their review of the Alpha 2.

Vivoactive by Garmin:

$249

• GPS and sports tracking!
• Golf tracking with 38,000 courses
• Daily steps
• sleep tracker
• notifies you when you are inactive for too long
• pairs with smartphone to deliver notifications
• texts, calls, tweets, etc.
• touch screen
• waterproof to 50 meters
  • outdated square design
  • low-res screen that is hard to read in low light

Find out more in Wareable’s review of the Vivoactive.

SmartWatch 3 by Sony:

$195

• GPS tracking
• NFC and Wifi capabilities built in (not used by features)
• powerful processor and 4GB of storage
• good battery life
• waterproof up to 60 minutes at 2 meters
• pairs with smartphone for apps and notifications
  • more sporty than sleek design
  • low-res screen feels faded
  • no optical heart rate sensor
  • wristband attracts lint

Check out Wareable’s review for more on the SmartWatch 3.

We hope our Protein Essentials‘ quick guide to this summer’s hottest fitness watches helps you find the right watch for you. As you pick a watch that will keep you motivated in your fitness goals, remember Protein Essentials Perform 100: Energy & Recovery Supplement can take you to the next level in both health and wellbeing.