Best 2023 Smartwatches for smartphone notifications

#1 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro
4.6

Smartphone notifications were consistently praised as easy to view, manage, reply to, or otherwise handle from the wrist.

Pros: pairing reliability, outdoor visibility

Cons: ECG functionality, running power support

#2 TicWatch Pro 5
4.4

Notifications and messaging were generally smooth, with quick notification delivery and workable on-watch replies.

Pros: contactless payments, battery life

Cons: voice assistant quality, LTE connectivity

#3 Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
4.3

Notifications were praised for wrist-based convenience and readable, glanceable delivery.

Pros: voice assistant quality, music controls

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, cross-platform compatibility

#4 Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)
4.2

Smartphone notifications were viewed positively, mainly because they are readable and well supported on the AMOLED screen.

Pros: GPS accuracy, charging speed

Cons: ECG functionality, voice assistant quality

#5 Garmin Vivoactive 5
4.2

Smartphone notifications were a strength, especially near-seamless delivery and useful Android reply/image features.

Pros: fitness tracking accuracy, wellness insights

Cons: software smoothness, ECG functionality

#6 Garmin vivomove Trend
4.2

Smartphone notifications were a useful smartwatch strength across reviews, especially for reading messages, though platform limitations remained.

Pros: activity auto-detection, build quality

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, Bluetooth connectivity

#7 Garmin fēnix 7X Pro
3.4

Smartphone notifications were useful and readable, but iPhone reply limits and clunky app interaction kept the score moderate.

Pros: GPS accuracy, app ecosystem

Cons: ECG functionality, calorie tracking usefulness

#8 Garmin Forerunner 965
3.4

Notifications were useful and more readable, but iOS limitations and limited message handling held them back.

Pros: water resistance, workout tracking variety

Cons: LTE connectivity, ECG functionality

#9 Amazfit Bip 5
3.3

Notifications are mixed: granular control is praised, but text replies and notification setup can feel limited or more complex than necessary.

Pros: comfort, touchscreen responsiveness

Cons: calorie tracking usefulness, onboard music storage

#10 Casio G-Shock DW-H5600
3.3

Notifications are useful for basic alerts, but reviewers disliked limited replies, firehose-style delivery, and awkward reading controls.

Pros: durability, outdoor visibility

Cons: app ecosystem, third-party app support

#11 Garmin Forerunner 265
3.3

Smartphone notifications were useful but basic; Android quick replies helped, while iPhone limitations and lack of full interaction held the feature back.

Pros: step counting accuracy, third-party app support

Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity

#12 Garmin Venu 3
3.2

Notifications are useful but mixed: Android support and alert reliability are praised, while customization, organization, and typing/reply limitations drew criticism.

Pros: health tracking accuracy, software smoothness

Cons: LTE connectivity, mapping and navigation

#13 Suunto Vertical
3.2

Smartphone notifications worked, but the review evidence was qualified by limited emoji support.

Pros: battery life, durability

Cons: resume later function, ECG functionality

#14 Xiaomi Redmi Watch 4
3.1

Notifications are readable on the large screen, but limitations around emoji display, replies, and message response keep the experience basic.

Pros: battery life, software smoothness

Cons: contactless payments, recovery insights

#15 Amazfit GTR Mini
2.9

Notifications were useful but limited, with repeated concerns about preset-only replies, iOS reply limits, and restricted message handling.

Pros: pairing reliability, workout tracking variety

Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage

#16 Garmin Approach S70
2.9

Notifications are useful but divisive: reviewers liked getting alerts, yet several found them distracting, limited, or poorly ordered.

Pros: recovery insights, GPS accuracy

Cons: software smoothness, fitness tracking accuracy

#17 Withings ScanWatch Light
2.9

Phone notifications are mixed: they can work well, but the tiny screen often forces slow scrolling and makes them less optimal.

Pros: comfort, build quality

Cons: call handling, contactless payments

#18 Casio G-Shock GBD-H2000
2.9

Notification handling is mixed: some reviewers found it sufficient for glanceable alerts, while others complained about delays, buzzing, and no replies.

Pros: brightness, charging convenience

Cons: ECG functionality, stress tracking

#19 Withings ScanWatch Nova
2.9

Notifications were a major tradeoff: some reviewers had no issues or found them readable, but several disliked the limited, non-interactive alert experience.

Pros: battery life, heart rate accuracy

Cons: third-party app support, GPS accuracy

#20 Withings ScanWatch 2
2.6

Notifications were useful for quick alerts but widely limited by the tiny scrolling screen, inconsistency, and lack of reply or message history.

Pros: Bluetooth connectivity, pairing reliability

Cons: third-party app support, contactless payments