What To Consider Before Buying a Smart Watch (or Fitness tracker) Online

You might have not been interested in smartwatches until you started working out. Most people see the need to track their fitness activity and hence go for any smartwatch they get from online stores. Some end up regretting because they mostly are not able to tell a good smart-watch from a poor-quality one, or they bought one that doesn’t meet their needs. It’s noteworthy that not even the best smart watch is one size fits all. But you want to go for one that meets most of your needs, right?

You must have had enough issues with buying these gadgets physically from your shopping store. Sometimes you realize that it’s not what you thought it was. So you ask yourself, “How many more issues will I encounter with buying something I’ve not even developed a connection with?” Well, we understand that some people take risks in buying commodities from online stores, smartwatches in particular, then regret later. But what can you do if you must buy a smartwatch online?

We’ve rounded up a few factors to consider before buying a smartwatch from any online store in Ghana. At the end of the article, we’ll also tell you the range of smart-watch prices in Ghana to help you make informed decisions before making a purchase.

Hold up! Before we dive into these factors, we seek to challenge you with one question:

Do I Really Need a Smartwatch and Why Do I Need It For?

What exactly makes you feel that you need a smartwatch? Is it something you can do without? For instance, if you only need to track the number of steps you make, the length of time you sleep, and other basic fitness activities, then you may go for a fitness band. There are now many online stores in Ghana that sell them at affordable prices. However, if you do regular activities such as gym workouts that need tracking, and, additionally, have smart features in your phone that you want to operate from your wrist, need GPS and a heart rate sensor, a good smartwatch could be all you need.

Well, if you’re at a point where you can’t do without a smartwatch, then let’s proceed.

1. Check its Compatibility

One of the first things you want to check in a smartwatch is whether it’s compatible with your smartphone. Most people in Ghana use either iOS or Android smartphones. However, if you want an Apple smartwatch, then make sure it will work well with your iPhone. 

You also want to check the watch’s BlueTooth connectivity requirements so you don’t miss out on its great features.

2. Fitness Tracking Capabilities

A good smartwatch will have good fitness-oriented features such as a heart rate sensor, and a GPS to track your steps or runs. For fitness buffs, other features like calorie counter, clock, alarm, pedometer, among others would be of great importance.

A good smartwatch will have the above as basic features. You don’t want to make further payments as you try to get their corresponding fitness apps.

3. How Long is Its Battery Life?

After how long should you charge a good smartwatch? You don’t want to have a watch you’ll keep charging after every few hours. For smartwatches, good battery life lasts 2 days. It might last longer if you don't use it much. On the other hand, hybrid smartwatches have a longer battery life but don’t have touch screens.

4. Is it Durable?

“Cheap is expensive” has been our old cliche. True to this saying, we might want to buy an expensive smartwatch with the impression that it will serve us for some good time. Some smart-watch prices in Ghana will differ because of added specs and features. 

First off, is the smartwatch itself durable or will it spoil if the slightest pressure is applied to it?

Secondly, is it waterproof or will you have to remove it every time you wash your hands?

5. Your Taste and Preference

A smartwatch will spend most of the time around your wrist. Therefore, you want to smile every time you have a look at it. Besides, if you’re always busy and find yourself lifting a chair or dragging a table, you want a smartwatch with a thin screen as opposed to the big one whose screen you might find crashing all the time.

5. Price

Lastly, the price says it all. Smart-watch prices in Ghana vary according to your preference. You can get a good smartwatch in Ghanaian online stores for as low as 130 GHC and beyond. 

Be sure to make the above considerations before making a purchase.