With an outdated 2100 chip powering the vast majority of Wear OS smartwatches, the Wear OS platform suffered lot of setbacks, but with the introduction of the Snapdragon 3100 chip in 2018, there have been significant improvements. Although not there yet, the Wear OS platform has seen lots of gains with the introduction of the 3100 chip that sees some of the new Wear OS smartwatches being powered by this chip perform faster and smooth with significant improvement in the battery life. There’s a rumor going around about a 3300 chip set to be released this year. However, I’ve reviewed the 5 best Snapdragon 3100 smartwatches you can buy right now, these lots represent the very best Wear OS has to offer.
5 Best Snapdragon 3100 Smartwatches Compared
[table id=5best3100 /]
5 Best Snapdragon 3100 Smartwatches
1. Fossil Gen 5 – The Best Wear OS Smartwatch
The Fossil Gen 5 is the best Wear OS smartwatch on the market, no doubt about that, and perhaps the most popular too. The Gen 5 is a comprehensive smartwatch outstanding in the design, loaded with lots of features and it has a much longer battery life than its predecessor and even the Gen 4 Sport which also is powered by the 3100 chip, thanks to the increased 1GB RAM.
The Gen 5 comes in three models; the Juliana for women, Calyle and off recent, the Garrett for men. All three watches are oversized (a norm with Fossil watches) and very beautiful too. They’re not so thick at 12mm and quite compact at 42mm. AMOLED powers the 1.28inch display which is very interactive and lively to watch. You also get three physical buttons by the sides to make navigation a lot easier.
The Gen 5 is equipped with a lots features that makes this watch a comprehensive smartwatch that can improve your productive and active life.
It comes with 8GB ROM that allow you take more of your favorite tracks with you, you can also stream from popular stream streaming services. It also has microphone and loudspeaker that allows you to make and receive calls directly from this device. It has 1GB RAM which in collaboration with the 3100 makes performance faster and flawless.
Also available, is an NFC chip that enables Google Pay on this watch allowing you to make payment on the go. The Gen 5 will also track your activities such as steps, heart rate, distance, pace and locations with Google Fit serving as your fitness companion on this watch. You also get access to more apps from the Playstore.
The Gen 5 just like other watches on this list feature a battery manager that allows you to manage battery life which will see you go longer from a single charge. You should expect the Gen 5 to last up to a day with smartwatch mode active and about 2 days with battery saver modes activated.
Pros
- Premium design.
- Powered by Snapdragon 3100 chip.
- Manageable battery life.
- Higher 1GB RAM and 8GB storage.
- Loudspeaker and microphone inbuilt.
Cons
- Quite heavy.
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
[affegg id=17]
2. Suunto 7 – Best Wear OS Fitness Smartwatch
Second on this list is this fine watch from Suunto. The release of the Suunto 7 could as well mean a switch to the Wear OS platform from Suunto’s proprietary platform. The Suunto 7 is no doubt the best Wear OS fitness smartwatch. It’s the first Wear OS smartwatch to implement the 3100 sport mode announced upon release. This feature will allow the Suunto 7 to track your activities and last longer as the load is transferred to the nano-size co-processor allowing you to stay tracked for longer which makes a great choice for tracking extreme workout activities.
It’s quite bulky at 50mm and thick too at 15mm which makes it a man kind of watch and for those with fatter wrist. Beyond that, it has a sophisticated design that features some of the most durable materials. Reinforced glass fiber with polyamide is used for the case, while the stainless steel bezel leaves it with a very attractive appearance and the silicone straps makes it a very comfortable wear.
The Suunto 7 comes loaded with lots of activity tracking features which include Suunto’s in-depth fitness tracking technology such as altimeter plus barometer, preloaded maps (offline and online), multi-satellite system that enables outdoor activity tracking and a whole load of other activities. Over 70 preloaded sport modes are available for you to choose your preferred workout mode. Moreover, you also get access to other sports apps and online sports communities such as Strava, Endomondo, and TrainingPeaks. Also available are preloaded maps that can be accessed both online and offline.
Although the Suunto 7 lacks a loudspeaker, it’s equipped with a microphone that allows you to access Google Assistant. It has 8GB storage capacity and 1GB RAM which in combination with the 3100 chip enables this device to perform smooth and very fast.
As per the battery life, you should expect about a day or more battery life from a single charge with mixed usage.
Pros
- Sturdy and stylish design.
- A comprehensive activity tracker.
- Offline maps.
- Microphone.
Cons
- Quite bulky.
- Lacks loudspeaker.
- Battery life is not so impressive.
[affegg id=45]
3. Skagen Falster 3 – The Most Beautiful Wear OS Smartwatch
Already adjudged the most beautiful Wear OS smartwatch by some publishers, the Skagen Falster 3 is one of the best Snapdragon 3100 smartwatches you can buy right now. This watch brings lots of significant improvements from its predecessor which includes the more advanced 3100 chip, 1GB RAM, 8GB, microphone, loudspeaker and a slight longer battery life. This makes the Falster 3 a lot better than the Falster 2.
Falster 3 is a very beautiful smartwatch, thanks to its elegant and sleek design that leaves it with a fascinating appearance. The case is just 42mm wide and it’s very slim at 11mm. This makes it a favorite for women, although it will still look for men. Straps are available in three materials; leather, metal and silicone, while the latter two come in mesh style. The 1.28 AMOLED display looks very interactive and with touchscreen support plus three physical buttons for easier navigation.
Beyond the beautiful design, the Falster 3 is loaded with features. Microphone and loudspeaker have been added which enables this device to make and receive calls directly via Bluetooth connection with your phone. Moreover, you can access voice commands via Google Assistant and also hear replies aloud. The 8GB storage capacity allows you to take more of your favorite tracks along with you. It also comes with an NFC chip that enables Google Pay.
The Falster 3 is also well equipped with heart rate sensor, accelerometer, altimeter, and inbuilt GPS to track your daily activities such as steps, floors climbed, distance, heart rate, location, pace and more. Google Fit is your fitness companion on this watch as well as the availability of other sports apps on the Playstore.
With 3100 chip under the hood, the Falster 3 features battery saver modes just like other watches on this list which will allow it go up to 2 days or more from a single charge, and with mixed usage its over a day of battery life.
Pros
- Stylish, sleek and classy design.
- Increased 8GB storage.
- Has microphone and loudspeaker.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
[affegg id=15]
4. Michael Kors Lexington 2/Bradshaw 2 – The Most Stylish Wear OS Smartwatch
The Lexington 2 and Bradshaw 2 from Michael Kors are too other alternatives, these two hace same features. These very stylish outstanding Wear OS smartwatch powered by the 3100 chip are loaded with features. Just like the Fossil Gen 5, it has AMOLED powering its 1.2 inch display and also supports touchscreen in addition to three physical buttons that makes navigation a lot easier.
The size is quite compact at 44mm and sleek thanks to its 9mm thickness size. The build is sturdy with stainless steel used for the case, bezel and straps. But this makes it a little heavy. You can get Lexington 2 in three colors; silver, gold, and bronze, while the Bradshaw 2 built for women is available in rose-gold, blue, pink and blush colors.
Both watches are equipped with 8GB ROM that allows you to take your favorite tracks along with you, while 1GB is dedicated to the 3100 chip which makes the performance a lot faster compared to previous models.
And beyond the beautiful design and lots of features, the Lexington 2 is also equipped with a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and altimeter which enables this device to track your daily activities such as steps, calories, heart rate, sleep, and outdoor activities thanks to the inbuilt GPS. Google Fit is available to help you manage your fitness goals as well as other third-party apps on the Playstore.
The battery life of the Lexington 2 is quiet impressive. Just like other watches on this list will last about a day or more with mixed usage, and with battery saver modes activated, you can expect about 2 days or more battery life.
Pros
- Classy and stylish design.
- Custom battery saver modes.
- 1GB RAM and 8GB ROM.
- Microphone and loudspeaker.
- NFC supports Google Pay.
- Bluetooth calling.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
- Quite heavy.
[affegg id=46]
5. Michael MKGO – Best Low Budget Wear OS Smartwatch
The MKGO smartwatch is a lower end version of the Lexington 2 or Bradshaw 2, yet great quality and a nice bargain at below $200. It’s a lightweight smartwatch thanks to its aluminum case and silicone straps that makes this watch a very comfortable wear all day long.
AMOLED powers the 1.2inch display which is touch sensitive in addition to 3 physical buttons for easy navigation. This watch is also very slim at 12mm and quite compact too at 43mm case size. Under the hood, the MKGO is equipped with 4GB and 0.5GB RAM and microphone which allows you to store or stream your favorite tracks as well as perform some tasks simply with your voice.
It’s also equipped with an accelerometer, heart rate sensor, gyroscope, altimeter, and inbuilt GPS which enables it to track your steps, calories, heart rate, floors climbed and outdoor activities such as location, distance, and routes. Google Fit is your fitness companion on this watch, as well as access to other fitness apps on the PlayStore.
Battery life of the MKGO is estimated at about a day from a single charge, and with battery saver modes activated, you should expect about 2 days long battery life.
Pros
- Lightweight and stylish design.
- Custom battery saver modes.
- Onboard music storage.
- Microphone.
- NFC supports Google Pay.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
- Lacks loudspeaker.
[affegg id=47]
Conclusion
The Wear OS platform isn’t just there yet, but there have been significant improvements over the years, and with the 3100 chip running the show, I can tell the platform is really better especially in the area of keeping in the know with notifications, at least it does it better than the Tizen or WatchOS from Samsung and Apple respectively. There are quite a handful of Snapdragon 3100 watches, but the 5 in this are some of the best.
