Apple Watch 12 Tops 2026 Smartwatch Picks Despite $399 Price as Rivals Win Battery and Health
Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Nov 11
Apple Watch 12 Tops 2026 Smartwatch Picks Despite $399 Price as Rivals Win Battery and Health
3 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Nov 11
Summary
Tom’s Guide’s Dan Bracaglia picked the Apple Watch Series 12 as the smartwatch he would buy in 2026 after head-to-head testing against Google’s Pixel Watch 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 9.
Apple won on design and ease of daily fitness tracking, with Bracaglia favoring its case shape, crown controls and simple “close your rings” approach over more feature-heavy rivals.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 9 started cheaper at $379 and won the fitness and recovery category, while Google’s Pixel Watch 5 and Samsung both beat Apple’s 2,000-nit display with 3,000-nit screens.
Google’s Pixel Watch 5 also led on health and safety plus battery life, offering features such as Loss of Pulse Detection and averaging about 48 hours in testing versus Apple’s 24-hour rating.
The verdict leaves Apple ahead overall even as Bracaglia said it is still catching up in advanced wellness metrics and battery performance.