A standalone smartwatch is equipped with the cellular capabilities that allow you to make and receive calls directly from a smartwatch just as you would with your phone. There are hundreds of smartwatches with these capabilities, but in this list, we review the best 10 standalone smartwatches with clear voice calls and impressively long battery life you can buy right now. Please note that standalone smartwatches can come with embedded e-Sim or nano-SIM/micro/standard as the case may be. The difference between these two is that while the nano-SIM can be removed, the e-SIM can’t be removed. Most of the smartwatches on this list come with e-SIM, while others come with preloaded nano-SIM, micro or standard SIM.
Top 10 Best Standalone Smartwatches With SIM Cards Compared
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Top 10 Best Standalone Smartwatches 2020
1. Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm/40MM)
The Watch 5 is the best smartwatch on the market and that’s for so many reasons, a sophisticated design, advance technology that leaves it with improved performance, reliable activity tracking and loads of features. It’s available in two models; cellular and GPS only. Thus, the cellular model which is more expensive than the GPS model is the best standalone smartwatch. Unfortunately, it works only with iPhones. Even though it’s a standalone smartwatch, you want a smartwatch that’s compatible with your phone.
Watch 5 is very slim at 10.7mm and compact too at 44mm/40mm which represents the two available sizes. The 1.78/1.65 inch LTPO OLED display is the largest of all watches on this list, and this allows you to see more at a glance.
The Watch 5 comes with e-SIM and the voice quality is awesome as confirmed by happy owners. Moreover, you get 32GB onboard storage, Wi-Fi support, and Apple Pay.
As per activity tracking, Watch 5 is one of the best fitness smartwatches. It features lots of activity tracking features which include sleep, heart rate, calories, floors climbed, stress management, ECG and menstrual cycle tracking. It also features incidental fall tracking and international emergency calling that allows you to call emergency contacts almost anywhere in the world.
The downside to the Watch 5 is it’s disappointing short battery life that last just about 18 hours. You’ll have to charge this device everyday to keep it on.
Pros
- Premium and classy design.
- A comprehensive fitness tracker.
- A standalone smartwatch.
- Loudspeaker and microphone inbuilt.
- Massive storage capacity.
- Digital crown with hepatic feedback for easier navigation.
- Always on display
Cons
- Battery life isn’t impressive.
- Compatible with only iOS devices.
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2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
The Active 2 from Samsung is your best bet if you’re looking for a standalone smartwatch that’s sturdily built and can make clear and quality call. Just like the Watch 5 mentioned above, the Active 2 is available in two sizes; 40 and 44mm, and these two are available in two models; LTE and Bluetooth only. The LTE model is a standalone smartwatch as it comes with e-SIM that allows you make and recieve clear quality calls directly from this watch.
The 10.9mm Active 2 is one of the slimmest designs on the market. It’s compact two and also very lightweight which makes it very comfortable to wear all day long. The 1.4/1.2 inch AMOLED display is very colorful and bright, while it supports touchscreen and features the innovative rotating digital bezel that makes navigation effortlessly easy.
Beyond the fascinating appearance, is 4GB onboard storage out of which about 2.5GB can be used (far less than the Watch 5). Samsung Pay is also onboard as well as Wi-Fi support.
The Active 2 is also a comprehensive fitness tracker as it’s well equipped to track your active life with lots of preloaded sport modes and activity tracking features built-in which you can be managed via the Samsung Health App.
The battery life is quiet impressive, you should get about 2 days or longer from a single charge.
Pros
- Premium, elegant and classy design.
- A comprehensive fitness tracker.
- A standalone smartwatch.
- Loudspeaker and microphone inbuilt.
- Digital rotating bezel for easier navigation.
- NFC payment supported via Samsung Pay.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
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3. Ticwatch Pro 4G
The Ticwatch Pro 4G is another outstanding standalone smartwatch you can buy right now. It’s a high-end smartwatch with a case built with durable polyamide/reinforced glass fiber and an aluminum back that leaves it with a lightweight design. Its certified MLT-STD-810G which ensures it can withstand extreme weather conditions.
The 12.7mm Pro 4G is quite thick, but lightweight at 47g. It’s also quite compact, so it will fit nicely for men and those with moderate wrist sizes. The innovative dual FSTN/AMOLED display of the Pro 4G will see it last about 2 days on mixed usage and up to 30 days with the FSTN display activated which will see Wear OS features deactivated.
The Pro 4G supports e-SIM which is powered by Verizon. This limits cellular coverage to areas covered by the company. And for now, USA, Germany and the UK.
The call quality from the Pro 4G is great just as confirmed by owners. And being a Wear OS smartwatch, you get access to more of your favorite apps from the Play Store. It ships with 4GB onboard storage out of which about 2GB is available for use. You also can get more from Google Assistant which can help you carry out a slew of tasks simply with your voice.
The Pro 4G is also fitness-focused equipped with heart rate, accelerometer, gyroscope, e-compass, and inbuilt GPS to track your active life. While Ticpulse auto tracks your heart rate continuously, Ticmotion auto-detects and track select activities such as swimming, walking and running.
There’s also NFC chip which supports Google Pay, so you can make payments on the go from this device.
Pros
- Durable and rugged design (MLT-STD-810G).
- Quite lightweight.
- Standalone smartwatch.
- Dual display.
- Microphone and loudspeaker.
Cons
- Verizon limits standalone features to areas it covers.
- Slight lagging performance.
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4. Samsung Galaxy Watch
Since it was released in 2018 the Galaxy Watch has become one of the most sort after wearable on the market. Just like the newer Active 2, the Galaxy Watch is available in two sizes; 42 and 46mm and both are available in two models; GPS only and LTE model.
The 63g Galaxy Watch is a durable smartwatch made of stainless steel case and bezel accompanied by 20/22mm silicone straps that can be changed just incase you want a more personalized strap. It’s certified MLT-STD-810G which makes it even more rugged and ready to withstand tough weather conditions. The AMOLED display is awesome and intriguing to watch. It supports touchscreen and the innovative physical rotating bezel makes it very easy to navigate.
The LTE model of the Galaxy Watch comes with preloaded e-SIM that makes it a standalone smartwatch supporting cellular connectivity up to 4G. Call quality is great, you can send messages directly from the watch as well use the Bixby voice assistant to carry out some tasks. Out of the 4GB specified, about 2.3GB is available for use.
The Galaxy Watch is also a comprehensive fitness tracker, perhaps one of the very best fitness smartwatches on the market. It features more than 39 preloaded sport modes and can auto-track 6 of those. Equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, altimeter, barometer, and inbuilt GPS, the Galaxy Watch leverages on the Samsung intuitive technology to track your steps, sleep, heart rate, outdoor activities, stress, Vo2 max and more which can be viewed from the Samsung Health app – a nice fitness manager.
There are also other fitness apps available to download such as Strava and Map My Run.
You can pay from the Galaxy Watch via Samsung pay. And from actual usage, the Galaxy Watch will last about 2 days or more.
Pros
- Premium classic design; classy and stylish.
- A perfect fitness tracker for the workout freaks.
- It’s a standalone smartwatch.
- Accessibility is easy with rotating bezel, touchscreen and two buttons.
- Microphone/Loudspeaker: Bluetooth calling.
Cons
- Its quiet heavy, weighs 63 grams without straps.
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5. Apple Watch Series 4
Although has been discontinued with the release of the Watch 5, the Watch 4 which is still in stock in some of the retail stores is a nice alternative to the Watch 5. It’s a fine smartwatch that comes equipped with an e-SIM that allows you make and receive calls directly from this device without your phone.
It’s a classy smartwatch with an outstanding design, it has the same dimensions as the Watch 5, same 10.9mm thickness that makes it one of the slimmest designs and it’s very lightweight too. It’s available in stainless steel, aluminum and ceramics materials, while the straps are available in elastomer, leather and other premium materials such as titanium. Its 1.78 inch LTPO OLED display is one of the largest designs on the market that allows you to see more at a glance, and the digital crown and touch support makes it very easy to navigate. There’s a smaller model of the Watch 4 (40mm) just like the Watch 5.
The Watch 4 is fitness-focused, equipped to track your active life comprehensively. It features ECG tracking, incidental fall detection, complete sleep tracking, inbuilt GPS, continuous heart rate tracking, calories, stress management and more. Moreover, there’s the iconic activity ring that monitors your daily activities and is able to tell when to walk, sit or run.
Other features in the Watch 4 are 16GB onboard storage capacity and NFC that supports Apple Pay. One disappointing aspect of the Watch 4 is the very short battery life that last just about a day with mixed usage and it lacks always-on display.
Pros
- Classy and elegant design.
- There is an ECG feature that lets you take heart pulse readings.
- A comprehensive fitness tracker.
- Voice calls are now clearer with the new design.
- Massive 16GB onboard storage.
Cons
- It is not compatible with android smartphones.
- Lacks always-on display.
- Battery life is abysmal.
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6. Samsung Gear S3
Samsung Gear S3
The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is another fine smartwatch that allows you to make and receive calls directly from your watch without needing your phone. Although released over two years ago, the S3 Frontier is still one of the best standalone smartwatches you can buy right now on the market. It’s equipped with e-SIM which enables cellular connectivity that keeps you connected to all that matters to you.
The S3 Frontier is a fine-looking smartwatch with a sophisticated design, it has a stainless steel case and silicone straps, while the bezel is made of stainless steel making it a sturdy device. The 1.3 inch AMOLED display is very rich and fascinating to watch with touchscreen supported, two physical buttons and the physical rotating bezel that makes navigation a bliss.
The S3 Frontier is also equipped to track your active life as it comes with sensors that enable it to track your steps, sleep, heart rate and calories. There’s inbuilt GPS that enables outdoor activity tracking for routes, distance covered and location.
You also get about 2GB to store some of your favorite tracks on this watch, and the battery life is quite impressive. The S3 Frontier can go 2 days or more from a single charge with mixed usage.
Pros
- Stylish and classy appearance.
- Durable with MIL-STD-810G US Military standard rating.
- A great choice for fitness tracking.
- A standalone smartwatch.
Cons
- Quite heavy.
- Slight hitches encountered after update.
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7. Huawei Watch 2 Sport
The Watch 2 Sport is another fine standalone smartwatch that allows you to make and receive calls directly independent of your phone. It supports nano-SIM which enables cellular connectivity on this watch allowing you to make and receive calls without your phone. Although a Wear OS smartwatch powered by the Snapdragon 2100 chip which is considered outdated, the Watch 2 still has a quite smooth performance. It’s also loaded with lots of features.
The Watch 2 has a thermoplastic case and silicone straps, while the 1.2 inch AMOLED display looks very pleasing to watch with touchscreen supported and physical buttons to aid navigation. Moreover, it’s lightweight and not so thick at 12.6mm.
This watch will track your steps, heart rate, calories, VO2 Max. and sleep. It has inbuilt GPS that enables outdoor activity tracking which enables you to see real-time pace, the distance you’ve covered and your route. It also shows your stats and your overall progress for the day.
Other features include onboard music storage that allows you to take your favorite tracks with you and Google Pay that allows you to make a payment on the go without having to carry your wallet.
Battery life of the Watch 2 is not so great as it can go a day or more from a single charge with normal usage.
Pros
- Stylish sporty design.
- A standalone device, supports up to 4G.
- There is NFC that enables Google pay.
- The Straps and watch faces are customizable.
- There is a loudspeaker and microphone.
Cons
- Lags often (slow performance).
- Battery life is abysmal.
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8. Kospet Optimus Pro
The Optimus Pro from Kospet is one of the best standalone smartwatches you can buy right now. Its one watch i find very attractive and interesting for so many reasons. First, it runs on the Android OS and has MTK6739 under the hood with a maximum speed of 1.2GHz. It’s equipped with 3GB RAM that makes performance smooth on this watch. Secondly, the Optimus Pro just like the Ticwatch Pro has dual display mode; a smarter display handled by the MTK6739 and a time-only mode handled by a Bluetooth chip NRF52840 that sees this watch last up to a week from a single charge.
The Optimus Pro supports nano-SIM that enables cellular connection up to 4G LTE and call quality is very great.
The design of the Optimus Pro is top quality too; a glass fiber polycarbonate case, ceramics bezel, and 24mm silicone straps. A hybrid silicone/leather strap is also available. The 1.39-inch display is very interesting to watch and there’s an 8MP camera by the side of the watch that makes this a very interesting bargain.
The Optimus Pro is also fitness-focused, it features preloaded sport modes and has a heart rate, accelerometer, and inbuilt GPS that enables it to track your steps, calories, heart rate and outdoor activities.
With a dual chip powering this watch, you have a smarter and time-only mode. On mixed usage with the smart mode, the Optimus Pro will go about a day or more and the time-only mode will see it go up to a week which is impressive.
Pros
- Superior design; stylish and classy.
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM.
- Has 8MP camera.
- Runs on the Android OS platform.
- Dual display mode.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
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9. Zeblaze Thor 5 Pro
The Thor 5 Pro from Zeblaze is a decent smartwatch running on the Android OS platform and supports nano-SIM which makes it a standalone smartwatch. Perhaps one of the best bargain on this list, the Thor 5 Pro also has dual 5MP cameras that enable you capture those memorable moments.
The Thor 5 Pro, just like its predecessor, Thor 5, is a sturdy smartwatch designed with some of the most durable materials. It has a glass fiber reinforced polycarbonate case, a ceramic bezel and a hybrid 22mm straps that are made of silicone inside and Italian leather outside.
Although quite thick at 16.8mm, the Thor 5 Pro has a 1.6 inch LTPS IPS large display that’s very bright and colorful which allows you to see more at a glance.
Under the hood, is an MTK6739 chip with a maximum speed of 1.25GHz which is supported by a massive 3GB RAM (one of the highest ever seen on a smartwatch) improves performance on the Thor 5 Pro. It’s also equipped with 32GB that allows you to store more of your media files on this watch.
The Thor 5 Pro is also equipped to track your active life as it comes with a heart rate, accelerometer and inbuilt GPS/GLONASS sensors that enables this watch to track your steps, speed, heart rate, calories and outdoor activities such as location routes and more.
Inside the Thor 5 Pro is a big battery capacity of 800maH that sees it go over a day with mixed usage.
Pros
- Outstanding design; stylish and classy.
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM.
- Has 5MP/5MP dual camera.
- Runs on the Android OS platform.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
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10. KINGWEAR KC10
Last on this list is the KC10 from Kingwear, a 4G smartwatch with an outstanding design, dual cameras and a massive 32GB onboard storage capacity.
The KC10 is one of the best standalone smartwatches you can buy right now, it has a very decent design that consists of a polycarbonate case, ceramics bezel, and silicone straps. It’s 1.6 inch display is very attractive with touch support in addition to physical buttons to aid effortless navigation.
The KC10 is fitness-focused too, it comes with a heart rate, accelerometer and inbuilt satellite system with 3 satellite supported (GPS/GLONASS/BEIDO. This enables it to track your heart rate, calories, steps, distance and outdoor activities. It also features preloaded sport modes for you to choose your preferred workout mode 7. The KC10 has about a day long battery life from a single charge.
Pros
- Stylish and classy design.
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM.
- Has camera.
- Runs on the Android OS platform.
Cons
- Battery life isn’t so impressive.
Conclusion
Although not everyone will fancy lots of features on their smartwatch, however a standalone smartwatch can be very beneficial as it enables you do just more than you would with an average smartwatch lacking standalone capabilities. So, if you’re looking for a nice standalone smartwatch that gets the job done, then any of these 10 will make a perfect choice.