BEST OF THE REST

Best of the rest: nine other excellent smartwatches and reasons to consider them

Of course, even more so than smartphones, picking a wearable is so much about personal style and taste. With that in mind, here are nine other excellent smartwatches we'd recommend.

Best Apple Watch alternative - Samsung Gear S2

Got an Android phone? This is the smartwatch for you

If you're not willing to sell your soul to the Apple Cult, the Samsung Gear S2 is a very worthy competitor. This is the best smartwatch if you're an Android user, but it remains to be seen whether it can best the Apple Watch on iOS.

The circular screen is on par (in terms of PPI) with the Apple Watch, and the innovative rotating bezel and slick Tizen OS bests both WatchOS 2 and Android Wear. It'll work with any Android smartphone, and iOS compatibility is 'coming soon'.

There are a couple of things that let the Gear S2 down. Mainly its lack of an ecosystem, the app store is barren in comparison to Apple's. Secondly, it's hard to picture the Gear S2 in vogue, it's just not as fashionable as the Apple Watch.

• Samsung Gear S2 review

The pros far outweigh the cons however, and you won't be let down by the Samsung Gear S2. It's also slightly cheaper than the Apple Watch, so your wallet will thank you as well.

€319.00

 VIEW AT AMAZON GERMANY

BEST SMARTWATCH-APPLE WATCH

Best smartwatch - Apple Watch

Simply the best smartwatch out there right now

Fashionable design

Leading ecosystem

Fiddly UI

iOS only

What has the Apple Watch done to revolutionise the smartwatch? Let's take a look.

First off, it's generated a tonne of interest, and not just from tech addicts, but from the general public. Whether that interest lasts is another question. Next is the Digital Crown. It's an innovative input method which removes reliance on the small and often crowded touch screen making navigating the WatchOS much easier. Finally, it the only device which has straddled the line between tech and fashion, appearing in Vogue et al.

Put simply, Apple's first smartwatch impresses us. The design is well considered and sleek, the screen, in terms of PPI and colour depth, is perfect, and the number of third-party apps and accessories is unrivalled. That last point is important, because if you're buying a personal device such as a watch, you actually want it to be unique.

It does have a few negative points, the UI is fiddly, especially compared to more simple rivals such as Android Wear, and it's also iOS only, so if you have an Android Phone, you going to want to continue reading this guide.

• Apple Watch review

The Apple Watch sits at the top end when it comes to cost, with prices ranging from £300 to £10,000+. That makes it slightly more exclusive, again drawing comparisons with the luxury watch market.

BEST SMARTWATCH GUIDE 2016

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Best smartwatch guide 2016: T3's favourite intelligent timepieces

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The best smartwatch in the world right now is the Apple Watch.

Of all the wearables available in 2016, the Apple Watch has the most 'developed' platform. It's also the most attractive, and, arguably, more technologically advanced than its competitors.

So there you have it, we're recommending the Apple Watch as the best smartwatch to buy right now... that is, if you have an iPhone, because if you have an Android device, you're going to want an alternative...

Luckily for you, dear reader, we've also got nine brilliant alternatives for those unwilling to sell their souls to the Apple Cult.

No matter what smartwatch you're after, this page will help you find the best one.

IPHONE 7

iPhone 7

The world's most recognisable and well-known smartphone is a good a place to start as any, and Apple is almost definitely going to release another iPhone in September, as it does every year. After the 'S' updates of 2015 we should see the number tick up to 7, and it's likely that the company will stick with the pattern of releasing a smaller (4.7-inch) and larger (5.5-inch) model for consumers to choose from.

Apple isn't leaking much about the upcoming handsets but the rumours are the new phones could be more rugged and waterproof than the existing ones. The screen resolution is due for an upgrade this year, while insider sources suggestApple wants to ditch the headphone socket in favour of the Lightning port. We should get some more hints when iOS 10 is announced at WWDC in the summer.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S7

Samsung Galaxy S7

• Read our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge here

All eyes were on Apple's biggest challenger at MWC 2016 - Samsung had a respectable level of success with its 2015 line-up, including those innovative Edge models, and it capitalised on that momentum with the slightly improved S7 and S7 Edge. The phones take last year's winning design, and added waterproofing and expandable storage - two features sorely missed from the previous generation.

While the design changes from the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge are minimal, the internal specs received the usual bump. There's a large 3000 mAh battery and improved low light camera.

Impressed? You can pre-order the phone now, with deliveries expected around March 11.

HTC ONE M10

HTC One M10

HTC has made its future intentions pretty clear with the One A9 handset it recently launched: the company is prepared to ape the design and approach of other handset makers if it means getting a foot back in the door of the market. The HTC One M9 had a lot to commend it, but it failed to capture the imagination of the public, and the manufacturer is going to want to make sure that its 2016 flagship ticks all the right boxes.

Details of what we can expect to see from the HTC One M10 are pretty thin on the ground - unless you count the aforementioned One A9 as being a significant signpost - but as with the forthcoming handsets from Samsung and LG we think it's going to appear in the first third of the year. Wireless charging could be in the mix, and it's a safe bet that the phone will feature significantly improved internal specifications - we should also see a bump for the 1080 x 1920 screen resolution HTC has stuck with in recent years.

LG G5

LG G5

We were rather impressed with the LG G4 that launched in 2015, so LG had some high standards when it came to announcing its 2016 predecessor. Thankfully, they didn't disappoint, with one of the most innovative and exciting smartphone designs we've seen in ages. Why did the LG G5 get everyone talking at MWC this year? It's modular, letting users swap batteries, camera attachments and high-res audio gear.

The G5 features a premium, all-metal body, removable 2,800mAh battery, and Quad HD screen. It's great to see something truly different in the smartphone market, and we hope it pays off. The G5 also came with 'friends', including a rolling robot, 360-degree camera, and VR headset... but it's best we don't mention the VR headset.

SONY XPERIA Z6

Sony Xperia... Z6?

Sony had a patchy 2015 as far as smartphone launches go, but the Xperia Z6 might well be enough to help the company's smartphone division get back on track.... possibly. While it might not set the world on fire in terms of sales numbers, Sony's Xperia range represents some of the best-looking and most powerful handsets on the market. But MWC threw the possibility of seeing a Z6 into doubt, with company officials saying the new X range would replace the Z models (then others saying the Z range wasn't going anywhere). Who knows what's happening... clearly not Sony.

So what can we expect in 2016? The early hints are that there are going to be no fewer than five different variations of the Xperia Z6, and the handsets are set to offer Sony's version of the 3D Touch technology currently available in the newest iPhones. The traditional Xperia look should be in evidence again, while the usual dust and waterproofing are likely to be in place too. The indications are thatSony's taking its time with its next flagship, so expect something significant in the next year.

Of course, the X range MAY appeal to potential Z buyers. They're well specced with a 23MP rear camera and HD screen, but they're clearly not flagships though.