Always on your feet? You may find a useful companion in the best Smartwatch in Malaysia 2021!
If you’re going to wear a watch anyways, why not have one that monitor your fitness daily and deliver notifications to your immediate attention? You may not even have to bring your phone out!
Review Smartwatches from this list to find one that suits your lifestyle and budget!
Types Of Smartwatch
Smartwatches can do a lot more than your regular watch!
1. Smartwatch
At first glance, some of these might even look like ordinary watches. But they do have a display that shows notifications that are synced with your Smartphone!
It’s even possible to watch videos on them with a third-party app! Like a Smart TV but on your wrist!
2. Hybrid Smartwatch
Making do without the screen, hybrid Smartwatches keep the classic analog watch appearance.
And use alerts through sound or vibration instead.
3. Fitness Tracker
It’s like a watch but with features to help you track your fitness journey! Whether it’s at the gym, outside or at home with the best treadmill in Malaysia!
Use it together with wireless earbuds and you’re all set!
Smartwatch Vs Fitness Tracker
To be fair, most Smartwatches will count your daily steps (i.e. pedometer) with notifications whenever you reach a milestone or target!
But fitness trackers take it one step further:
With heart rate monitors and other features like calorie counters!
How To Choose A Smartwatch
The main purpose of Smartwatches (other than telling time) are those notifications! However, there are models with extra little gimmicks.
So remember what situations you’ll be using your Smartwatch in! Not everyone needs a compass!
1. Compatible With Your Phone
Most importantly, you should get a Smartwatch that is meant for your Smartphone’s operating system (i.e. Android, iOS, etc). For smoother operation!
2. Connectivity
The majority of Smartphones rely on Bluetooth connectivity if you want to receive notifications. Others, on WiFi (4G/LTE) – which is faster!
And top-of-the-line models have built-in cellular connectivity (i.e. eSIM or a slot for your SIM card)!
Meaning you can leave your phone at home when going out for a jog!
3. Battery Life
Just like your Smartphone, Smartwatches need to be charged. Some may need to charge overnight!
4. Style
Sporty, minimalist, modern, dainty, luxurious – get a Smartwatch that goes with your wardrobe and lifestyle!
The Smartwatch you choose might come with additional straps for you to change up the look too!
5. Price / Budget
Budget Smartwatches in Malaysia cost between RM150-500.
While prominent Smartwatches can cost RM1,000 and above!
You don’t need an expensive phone to use with a Smartwatch! Some of the cheapest Smartphones in Malaysia have a compatible Smartwatch!
11 Best Smartwatches Malaysia 2021
1. Apple Watch Series 6
Apple Watch Series 6 offers amazing apps like the Blood Oxygen app. It measures your blood oxygen levels (SpO2).
And alerts you if it detects an unusually high or low heart rate (ECG monitor)!
The display of the watch stays on too. So you’ll never miss important information!
When you move your wrist down, the screen brightness cleverly reduces on its own!
- OS: watchOS 7.0
- Compatibility: iOS
- Display: 1.57″ 394 x 324 Pixels Always-On Retina LTPO OLED
- Size: 40 x 34 x 10.4 mm | 30.5 – 38.7 g
- Processor: Apple S6 Sip With 64-Bit Dual-Core Processor
- Storage: 32GB, 1GB RAM
- Battery Life: Up To 18 Hours
- Charging Method: Wireless
- Water Resistance: Up To 50m With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, LTE (Optional)
- NFC Payments: Apple Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM1,749 (WiFi) | RM2,199 (LTE)
- OS: watchOS 7.0
- Compatibility: iOS
- Display: 1.78″ 448 x 368 Pixels Always-On Retina LTPO OLED
- Size: 44 x 38 x 10.4 mm | 36.5 – 47.1 g
- Processor: Apple S6 Sip With 64-Bit Dual-Core Processor
- Storage: 32GB, 1GB RAM
- Battery Life: Up To 18 Hours
- Charging Method: Wireless
- Water Resistance: Up To 50m With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, LTE (Optional)
- NFC Payments: Apple Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM1,899 (WiFi) | RM2,349 (LTE)
Pros:
- Many options for color, material and finishing to customize its appearance, including a titanium model!
- You can see your elevation in real time (always-on altimeter)
- Able to track your sleep patterns. There’s even a countdown timer for you to wash your hands!
- 2 watch face sizes available (44mm or 40mm)
Cons:
- No Memory Card Slot
- Battery life is only slightly better than the previous model
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R830
And what if you have an Android phone?
Well, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 R830 is one of the best Smartwatches you can get in Malaysia too! With 2 size options as well (40mm and 44mm).
There are not too many apps for this watch but what it can do, it does well! Including fitness tracking!
- OS: Tizen-based Wearable OS 4.0
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.2″ 360 x 360 Pixels Super AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen
- Size: 40 x 40 x 10.9 mm
- Weight: 37 g
- Processor: Exynos 9110 (10 nm) | Dual-core 1.15 GHz Cortex-A53
- Storage: 4GB, 768MB RAM
Battery Life: Up To 43 Hours (40mm) - Charging Method: Wireless Charging
- Water Resistance: 50 m Waterproof 5ATM (IP68) With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Samsung Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM1,299
- OS: Tizen-based Wearable OS 4.0
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.4″ 360 x 360 Pixels Super AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen
- Size: 44.0 x 44.0 x 10.9 mm
- Weight: 42 g
- Processor: Exynos 9110 (10 nm) | Dual-core 1.15 GHz Cortex-A53
- Storage: 4GB, 768MB RAM
- Battery Life: Up To 60 Hours
- Charging Method: Wireless Charging
- Water Resistance: 50 m Waterproof 5ATM (IP68) With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Samsung Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM1,399
Pros:
- 2-day battery life
- Always-on display (Super AMOLED)
- Quality build
- Wide circular touch bezel display that is great to use
- Fast performance
- Water-resistant (50m)
- Works with iPhone too (iPhone 5, iOS 9.0 and up)
- Supports offline mode for Spotify
Cons:
- No cellular capability (i.e. SIM slot)
- Few color options available in Malaysia
- Requires Android 5.0 & RAM 1.5GB minimum and at least iOS 9.0
- Not scratchproof
- No menstrual tracking
- ECG tracking not available yet
3. Garmin Vivoactive 4/4S
Another Smartwatch that will make a faithful workout buddy is the Garmin Vivoactive 4/4S!
Either size (40mm or 45mm) cost the same. There’s music (offline Spotify), a heart monitor and a reliable GPS! All accessible via the touchscreen display!
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.1″ 218 x 218 Pixels Touchscreen
- Size: 40.0 x 40.0 x 12.7 mm
- Weight: 40.0 g
- Music Storage: Up To 500 songs
- Battery Life (GPS Mode): Up To 16 Hours
- Charging Method: Charging Cable
- Water Resistance: Swim, 5 ATM
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Garmin Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 2 years
- Price: RM1,499
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.3″ 260 x 260 Pixels Touchscreen
- Size: 45.1 x 45.1 x 12.8 mm
- Weight: 50.5 g
- Music Storage: Up To 500 songs
- Battery Life (GPS Mode): Up To 18 Hours
- Charging Method: Charging Cable
- Water Resistance: Swim, 5 ATM
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Garmin Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 2 years
- Price: RM1,499
Pros:
- Menstrual cycle tracking
- Exceptional performance as a fitness tracker
- Battery lasts up to a week!
- Sleep tracking
- Different styles available
- Long warranty
Cons:
- No LTE version
- Not an AMOLED display
- Occasional syncing issues with your phone
4. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 2020
If your budget was RM1,000:
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 2020 is the upgraded version of Wear OS (by Google).
The changes?
Bigger memory (1Gb), improved performance, durability and water resistance!
- OS: Wear OS by Google™
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.39” AMOLED 400 x 400 Pixels + FSTN display
- Size: 45mm x 12.6mm
- Weight: 58.5 g
- Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 2100
- Storage: 4GB, 1GB RAM
- Battery Life: 2-5 Days (Smart Mode) | 415 mAh
- Charging Method: Dock With USB Cable
- Water Resistance: IP68
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Google Pay™
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM1,130
Pros:
- Has a compass
- Premium build
- Only in 45mm
- Dual-layer display
- Up to 4 days’ of battery life
- Magnetic charging dock
- Can toggle between Essential/Smart mode
Cons:
- No SIM
- No backlight for the LED display (i.e. hard to read in direct sunlight and in the dark)
- Quite heavy
- Old processing chip (Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear)
5. Samsung Galaxy Watch R800
Undeniably, the 4-hour battery life is the strongest selling point of the stylish Samsung Galaxy Watch R800!
Along with specific functions (e.g heart rate monitor) and the fact that it can store music makes it adept as a fitness tracker!
- OS: Tizen-based Wearable OS 4.0
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.3″ 360 x 360 Pixels Super AMOLED Capacitive Touchscreen
- Size: 49 x 46 x 13 mm | 63 g
- Processor: Exynos 9110 (10 nm) | Dual-core 1.15 GHz Cortex-A53
- Storage: 4GB, 768MB RAM
- Battery Life: Up To 72 Hours
- Charging Method: Qi Wireless Charging
- Water Resistance: 50 m
- Waterproof (IP68) With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Samsung Pay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: From RM899
Pros:
- eSIM
- User-friendly interface (Tizen)
- Great for Samsumg phone users
- Sleep-tracking
- Durable and water-resistant
- Wireless charging
- Has Samsung Pay
- Diverse strap choices
Cons:
- Few apps available for Tizen
- Voice assistant, Bixby is not match for Google Assistant
- Poor integration with iPhone
- No FB Messenger, Google Maps or WhatsApp
6. Fitbit Versa 2 Smart Watch
Fitbit Versa 2 Smart Watch is light and comfortable enough to sleep with. So you can take advantage of the sleep and heart rate monitor! The clear AMOLED display is always on too.
What you have to live without (e.g. Google Fit, offline Spotify, Apple Health, etc) though might change your mind about getting this Smartwatch!
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 0.987″ 300 x 300 Pixels Always-on AMOLED Touchscreen Display
- Size: 40 x 40 x 12.7 mm
- Weight: 40 g
- Storage: ~3GB / 300+ songs
- Battery Life: ~6 Days
- Charging Method: Charging Cable
- Water Resistance: Water Resistant Up To 50M With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa Built-In
- NFC Payments: Fitbit Pay™
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 Year
- Price: RM898
Pros:
- Pleasant design (looks like the Apple Smartwatch)
- Adaptive brightness for the screen
- Long-lasting battery
- Insights and work out routines to encourage you
Cons:
- No GPS
- No screen-lock feature
- Limited apps
- Not always smooth when using Alexa
7. Huawei Watch GT 2 (46mm)
You can bet that Huawei has found a way into the scene of Smartwatches too!
Their GT 2 performs well as a fitness tracker with battery that lasts up to 2 weeks! That incredible battery life may be because it doesn’t have many third-party apps to drain the battery!
- OS: Huawei Wearable Platform
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.39″ AMOLED 454 x 454 Pixels HD Touchscreen
- Size: 45.9 x 45.9 x 10.7 mm | 41 g
- Wrist Coverage Range: 14 ~ 21 cm
- Storage: 4GB, 32MB RAM
- Battery Life: Up To 14 Days, 455 mAh Battery
- Charging Method: Magnetic Charging Thimble
- Water Resistance: 5ATM (IP Rating: 50m) With Swimming Heart Rate Monitoring
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: From RM655
Pros:
- Simple to use
- High quality
- Affordable
Cons:
- No WiFi or LTE support
- No Cellular Connectivity/ No SIM
- No NFC
- No wireless Qi charging
Best Budget Smartwatch Malaysia
Now, for the best budget Smartwatches in Malaysia!
8. Honor Magic Watch 2
Huawei’s Honor Magic Watch 2 can’t do much else other than being a helpful device for fitness enthusiasts!
So if that’s what you’re looking for, you may find its price more appealing that the other watches previously mentioned!
- OS: Huawei Wearable Platform
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.2″ 390 x 390 Pixels OLED Capacitive Touchscreen
- Size: 41.8 x 41.8 x 9.4 mm
- Weight: 29 g
- Storage: 4GB
- Battery Life: 7 Days
- Charging Method: Wireless Charging
- Water Resistance: 50 m Waterproof With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM539
- OS: Huawei Wearable Platform
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.39″ 454 x 454 Pixels OLED Capacitive Touchscreen
- Size: 45.9 x 45.9 x 10.7 mm
- Weight: 41 g
- Storage: 4GB
- Battery Life: 14 Days
- Charging Method: Wireless Charging
- Water Resistance: 50 m Waterproof With Swim Tracking
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: RM539
Pros:
- Classic design in 2 colors (gold or black)
- 7-day or 14-day battery
- You can customize the watch face with photos!
- Always-on AMOLED display
- Has running courses
- You can swim with it
Cons:
- No WiFi capability
- Not a dependable music player
- Black strap has a tendency to collect dust
- Bit large for small wrists
9. Amazfit GTR 2 Fitness Smartwatch
Monitor your blood oxygen levels with the built-in SpO2 sensor of the Amazfit GTR 2 Fitness Smartwatch!
This is more of a practical, rather than stylish alternative for health enthusiasts looking for a Smartwatch under RM1,000!
It’s comfortable to wear and it only takes 2.5 hours to fully charge!
- OS: Amazfit OS
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.39″ AMOLED, 454×454 Pixels, Always-On Display
- Size: 46.4 x 46.4 x 10.7 mm
- Weight: 36-39 g
- Processor: n/a
- Storage: 3GB (~300-500 songs)
- Battery Life: ~14 days / 48 hours with GPS | 471 mAh
- Charging Method: Magnetic Charging Base
- Water Resistance: 5ATM With Swim Tracking (Up to 50m)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: Yes, Alipay
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: ~RM699
Pros:
- 24/7 activity tracking
- Does not look cheap
- PAI Health scores
- 12 sports modes
- Awesome battery life (14 days on 1 charge)
- Has voice control
Cons:
- Only available in black
- Not compatible with Amazon Alexa
- Limited selection of third party apps
10. Amazfit BIP U Smartwatch
If you can’t cope without Alexa:
Consider the Amazfit’s BIP U Smartwatch! It acts as a real-time heart rate and stress monitor. Besides taking measurements of your blood oxygen levels!
The build is not all that impressive, but you get what you pay for!
- OS: Amazfit OS
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.43″ 320×302 Pixels Transflective Color TFT Touchscreen
- Size: 40.9 x 35.5 x 11.4 mm
- Weight: 31 g
- Processor: –
- Storage: n/a
- Battery Life: ~5 days (GPS) / 9 days (Basic Use) | 230 mAh
- Charging Method: Special Charger Doc
- Water Resistance: 5ATM With Swim Tracking (Up to 50m)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS
- NFC Payments: n/a
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: ~RM249
Pros:
- Screen is bigger than older generation
- 3 color options
- Vivid display
- Lightweight
- Improved battery life (lasts up to 9 days)
Cons:
- Limited third-party app support
11. Xiaomi Mi Band 5 Smart Watch
One does not simply ignore the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 Smart Watch! Especially at that irresistible price!
Major improvements on the older model include the longer magnetic charger. And the better display (20% bigger AMOLED screen)!
However, you have to manually adjust the brightness yourself!
- Compatibility: Android, iOS
- Display: 1.1″ AMOLED, 126 x 290 Pixels, On-cell Capacitive Touchscreen
- Size: 46.95 × 18.15 × 12.45 mm
- Weight: 11.9 g
- Processor: n/a
- Storage: 16MB, 512KB RAM
- Battery Life: 14-20 Days | 125 mAh
- Charging Method: Magnetic Charging
- Water Resistance: 5ATM With Swim Tracking (Up to 50m)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- NFC Payments: n/a
- Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
- Warranty: 1 year
- Price: ~RM169
Pros:
- A lot of color options
- Heart rate sensor is fairly accurate and monitors even when you sleep
- Tracks REM sleep and menstrual cycles too
- PAI score integration
- Light
- Long battery life (up to 14 days with a single charge)
- 11 sport modes
Cons:
- No NFC support
- No voice assistant
- Mi Fit app still needs improvement
- No built-in GPS
Conclusion
The Apple Watch Series 6 is undoubtedly the best Smartwatch in Malaysia 2021! Apple surpass the competition with their Series range.
On the other hand, if you want a Smartwatch that won’t break the bank, we would suggest the Amazfit BIP U Smartwatch!