We can all recall at least one situation where you’ve heard the phone ring, but it never rings long enough to allow you to get to the phone in time. It’s even worse when you’re expecting an important call, and you miss it by just a second.
But, there’s a very easy solution. There are several smartwatches on the market that feature both a built-in speaker and a built-in microphone. This way you can answer calls directly from your smartwatch without any unnecessary panicking about where your phone might be.
A word of caution however, not all smartwatches have this feature, so if this is important to you, you need to know exactly which smartwatches match these criteria. Lucky for you, though, you have come to the right place…
We’ve been checking out some of the best smartwatches out there with this very feature. And after much deliberation, we were able to handpick our top few favorites to review for you here today. Our reviews are unbiased and contain both pros and cons.
And without further ado…
In a hurry? Check out our top pick!
OUR TOP PICK
Samsung is hands down one of the best brands around for smart devices, and their Gear S3 classic smartwatch is no exception.
Better yet, if you buy this watch via clicking on “Check price” you will be able to buy a refurbished watch at a fraction of the price it would be brand new.
It’s an excellent smartwatch, it enables you to make and take calls completely hands-free. You will also get all your texts and your smart notifications, and be able to respond to texts.
But that’s not all, you can also use the watch to pay for goods anywhere where you’d normally swipe or tap for card payments.
The watch also features built-in GPS tracking, so you never need to worry about getting lost.
It also doubles as a fitness tracker, and because it features heart rate monitoring, it can give you more accurate estimates of calories burned.
It’s an incredibly durable watch too, built to military standards to ensure that it has high dust and water resistance, and can endure the occasional drop, or even extreme temperatures.
It’s compatible with all smartphones with the Android 4.4 operating system or higher.
You can either buy it with a black silicone band or with a black leather band.
Pros
- GPS tracking
- Music streaming
- Contactless payments
- Military-grade performance
- Heart rate monitoring
- Fitness tracking
Cons
- The watch is preowned (but still of excellent quality)
- You will need the watch to be paired to your smartphone via Bluetooth to make and take calls and texts.
EDITORS CHOICE
Apple still remains the tech to beat when it comes to smartwatches. And people have been known to switch over to iPhones in order to use the smartwatches.
But even though Apple smartwatches will only work with iPhones, we felt this model was well worth an entry on our shortlist because you don’t even need to be in proximity to your phone to make and take calls with it, because it’s a cellular model.
It comes with all the bells and whistles, including the likes of GPS tracking and fitness tracking. And you can use it to play all your favorite music, podcasts and audiobooks.
This model has really been flying off the shelves at Amazon, and its customer ratings have been phenomenal at a full 5 stars, even after so many ratings.
You can buy it with different size screens, 40 or 44 mm.
Pros
- Flying off the shelves
- Phenomenal ratings
- GPS tracking
- Fitness tracking
- Play music etc.
Cons
- Not compatible with Android smartphones
- You will have to pay a cellular plan to take full advantage of the watch
BEST VALUE
If you like your watch to have a more feminine look, check out this little beauty!
If rose gold is not your style, however, there are other color options to choose from.
Other than that, it’s the watch that has everything. You can make and take calls and texts, get all your smartphone notifications, stream music, and pay for goods contactlessly.
And it’s an excellent fitness tracker, with accurate heart rate monitoring for more precise measuring of calories burned.
It even features Bixby and Google Assistant for voice commands. And it has GPS tracking to boot.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular watch, simply click on “check price” to see if there’s a deal now.
Pros
- Nice color options
- Has fitness tracking
- You can pay for goods
- Voice assistants
- Has GPS tracking
Cons
- The battery life could be better
- You will need the watch to be paired to your smartphone via Bluetooth to make and take calls and texts.
RUNNER UP
This is an incredibly popular watch, selling in its thousands. And we can see why!
One of its more popular features is how you can customize both the bands and the face. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg…
In addition to its various smartwatch functions and being able to make and take calls and texts, it also features advanced health and fitness monitoring, and has GPS tracking.
And it even features the Bixby voice assistant.
It’s available with different size screens, 40 mm, 42 mm, and 44 mm. (We believe bigger is better.)
It’s compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular watch, simply click on “check price” to see if there’s a deal now.
Pros
- Completely customizable
- Advanced health monitoring
- Features fitness tracking
- Also has GPS tracking
- Bixby voice assistant
- Different sizes available
Cons
- Using the GPS can really drain the battery
RUNNER UP
Here’s another great watch from top brand Samsung - and it has everything you need.
You can answer calls with just a turn of the bezel, as well as make calls, and send and receive texts.
It’s also a great fitness tracking with heart rate monitoring and the like, and can even be taken swimming.
It also features GPS tracking, and a range of smart apps. You can even use it to stream music, and pay for goods.
It’s compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular watch, simply click on “check price” to see if there’s a deal now.
Pros
- Fitness tracking
- It’s waterproof
- GPS tracking
- Stream music
- Pay for goods
Cons
- It’s a little pricier than we would like
RUNNER UP
Now, this is a watch with phenomenal customer ratings - 5 stars on Amazon, even after well over 2,000 ratings!
And it’s well deserved, too. This watch has everything. It’s got advanced health monitoring, fitness tracking, GPS tracking, the lot.
You can even use it to pay for goods through Samsung Pay. And it’s got a long-lasting battery life to boot.
Moreover, the integrated Bixby voice app can read your texts for you, which is particularly handy if your hands are busy.
The other great thing about this particular watch is that it’s available with a 45 mm screen, which is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen.
Pros
- Health monitoring
- Fitness tracking
- GPS tracking
- Bixby voice app
- Samsung Pay
- 45 mm screen
Cons
- The 45 mm option can look really out of place on a dainty wrist
RUNNER UP
Now, this brand may not be as well known as some others on our shortlist, but we can assure you it’s of excellent quality.
It uses Wear OS, which is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones.
You can customize the appearance, since the bands are interchangeable.
You can make and take calls on it, use a wide variety of apps to play music, make payments, and keep organized.
It also doubles as a fitness tracker, complete with GPS tracking for mileage and with heart rate monitoring for calories burned etc.
And it’s sufficiently waterproof to take swimming.
Amazon occasionally has deals on this particular watch, simply click on “check price” to see if there’s a deal now. (When this article was written, you could save over $100).
Pros
- Health monitoring
- Fitness tracking
- GPS tracking
- Google Assistant
- Make payments
- Interchangeable bands
Cons
- Battery life could be better
- It’s a little expensive if you don’t manage to catch a deal
RUNNER UP
If you love a good bargain, and you like your watches tough and rugged, this could be the one for you.
It’s available at well under $50, and it has a whopping 10 military grade certifications, for things like being able to withstand extreme temperatures and conditions.
It’s also 100% waterproof, which means you can wear it while playing water sports or fishing.
You can make and take calls with it and play music. It also doubles as a fitness tracker, complete with heart rate and blood pressure and oxygen measuring.
It’s available in a range of colors, and you can buy it with a spare leather band, as well as the accompanying silicone band.
Pros
- Fitness tracking
- Can play music
- 100% waterproof
- Great battery life
Cons
- No built-in GPS
Wrap Up
So, as you can see, there are some great smartwatches that allow you to make calls. If we had to pick a favorite, it would be the Samsung Gear S3 Classic Smartwatch.
However, most of these watches will require your phone to be in Bluetooth distance to make calls but the Apple Watch Series 6.
From a young age, I have always had a big interest in technology, and this blog is an extension of that interest. Through this blog, I hope to provide others with all of the information they need regarding tech options to consider, and things such as compatibility. Some of the different items I will be discussing include headphones, smartwatches, and how to fix common issues.
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