With back-to-school just around the corner, you might be looking to stock up on all the tech goodies your student will need to enhance their learning. One gadget in particular that’s useful for not just keeping track of schedules and deadlines but also health, wellness, and fitness, are smartwatches. These handy devices help kids stay connected without constantly pulling out their phones. Some are ideal for kids who aren’t old enough yet to even have a phone. They can be used for de-stressing with games or meditative breathwork as well, for keeping on top of sleep quality, and for tracking sports, walks, and other physical activities.
If you want something simple for a student that won’t cost upwards of $400 or more, some even under $100, we have you covered. These budget smartwatches don’t cost an arm and a leg, and you’ll find models on this list that are suitable for all ages.
Best on a Budget: Rogbid Infinity
The Rogbid Infinity is amazingly just $60 (on sale at the time of this writing for half price), yet the budget smartwatch boasts a full-metal body, durable chassis, 30-day battery life, and 3D curved dial. It has a 1.96-inch AMOLED screen and boasts an IP68 rating. The watch screen isn’t as bright as others, tapping out at 1,000 nits. But for the price, you might be willing to sacrifice viewability in bright sunlight. It tracks the usual health metrics, including heart rate and blood oxygen and supports over 100 sports modes, but you’ll have to use connected GPS as it doesn’t come with it built in. You can pair it with Google Fit or Apple Health as well. It has NFC, a built-in mic and speaker for making Bluetooth calls, and comes in Classic Black, Glacier Gray, or Rose Gold.
Best for Fitness-Focused Students: Amazfit Bip 6
Amazfit is known for its affordably priced yet highly reviewed smartwatches, and one of the latest is the Amazfit Bip 6, which sells for just $120. Equipped with a 1.97-inch AMOLED display, it offers advanced health and heart rate monitoring along with AI-powered fitness programs, sleep tracking, and more. With more than 140 workout modes and personalized AI coaching, kids who are training for sports teams or other activities will especially love this fitness-focused watch. It also has offline navigation, ideal for those who love to hike. They can receive notifications on the watch and even reply using voice-to-text and the touch keyboard. Control an iPhone camera for selfie group shots with friends. It is 5ATM water resistant and can run for an impressive up to two weeks per charge.
Best for Young Kids: Rogbid K1
Designed especially for younger kids, the Rogbid K1 has a 1.78-inch AMOLED screen and affords 4G global connectivity with a service plan from a compatible carrier. Thanks to triple positioning technology, parents can pinpoint their kids’ location, ideal for older children who might walk home from school on their own or go to the park with neighbourhood friends. The watch even has an SOS button kids can press if there’s an emergency. It supports video calls and comes with smart mini apps for encouraging learning on the go. The watch lasts up to seven days per charge and is IP67 water and dust resistant, so kids can wear it all day and night. At just $120 (on sale right now for $70) and available in pink, blue, or black, you can’t go wrong in getting this smartwatch for kids up to age eight or nine.
Best for Kids With No Phone: Garmin Bounce
If you have a grade schooler to whom you have given a bit more independence, like the freedom to walk to and from school on their own, play at the park with friends, even go to the mall or the movies, a connected smartwatch can offer tremendous peace of mind. Garmin Bounce is one of the best reviewed options in this space, offering LTE connectivity with a subscription that connects through Garmin’s own network. This allows the child to send and receive texts and voice messages, and for parents to track their location. It’s a great way to test the waters first if you feel like your child aged 8-13 isn’t yet ready for a smartphone. They’ll get up to two days of battery life per charge. Kids will love the autonomy while parents will appreciate the real-time tracking and ability to stay in communication. It sells for $220, and the monthly plan is $15, far less than a smartphone plan.
Best for Older Students: OnePlus Watch 2R
Sure, $300 isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s not a bad price for an advanced smartwatch that rivals some of the big guys. The OnePlus Watch 2R is virtually identical to its more expensive sister, the OnePlus Watch 2, it just uses lighter aluminum material and has a slightly different looking face. The dual-engine architecture set-up means you get two chipsets to help prolong battery life: one handles background tasks while the other handles more intensive ones, like workout tracking and GPS. It supports fast charging, too, so students can be back up and running in no time. With IP68 and 5ATM ratings, WearOS 4, and a sleek design, this is a great option for college or university students who need something more advanced.
Best WearOS Watch: Mobvoi Ticwatch E3
Lauded for its affordable smartwatches that boast premium features and efficient battery, the Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 is a WearOS smartwatch with a powerful Snapdragon 4100 processor, curved display, and access to useful Google apps like Wallet, Maps, and more. Track 20 different workouts, enjoy built-in GPS, and personalize the look with a variety of different watch faces. It tracks continuous heart rate, all-day blood oxygen saturation, and makes it easy to share health data with parents and caregivers. It’s usually $250 but on sale right now for just $75.
Best for iPhone Users: Apple Watch SE
If the student has an Apple iPhone, the most logical option is the Apple Watch. But this is an expensive proposition. You can go with an older model like the Apple Watch Series 8, though that’s still pretty expensive unless you find some good discounts. Consider the Apple Watch SE instead, which starts at $329, pretty decent for an Apple Watch. Alongside seamlessly working with an iPhone, the Apple Watch SE tracks all the basics, including heart rate, cardio fitness, sleep, vitals, and more. It has emergency features like SOS and crash detection, it’s water resistant, and you can get it with a cellular connection if desired. While battery life isn’t great – it will need to be recharged nightly like with any other Apple Watch – it’s the perfect iPhone companion.
Best for a Distraction-Free Experience: Amazfit Helio Strap
The Amazfit Helio Strap is not necessarily a smartwatch but more like a distraction-free smart band you wear around your wrist to passively keep on top of health, wellness, and fitness metrics. It captures fitness, sleep, and recovery data which kids can explore in the app when they have time, like at the end of every day. It can pair with other Amazfit products, like the company’s smartwatches and smart rings, or you can use it on its own. It has 27 workout modes, offers continuous heart rate tracking, and can run for up to 10 days per charge. At just $140, it’s a great way to ease into the smartwatch space, or even scale back if you find that a big-screened watch is more distracting than useful.
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