T3 Awards 2017 together with Three: Best smartwatch

The T3 Awards together with Three is all about being bigger and better in 2017, with extra categories galore, including Best Smartwatch which, along with Best Fitness Wearable, replaces the old Best Wearable category.

The only question is, who will win the prize? We don't know yet, but it'll be one of the following six, wrist-worn candidates.

• Best smartwatches
• Best watches under £1,000
• Best running watches

Samsung Gear S3

The Samsung Gear S2 won Best Wearable last year and the S3 offers some clear improvements over that excellent piece. Most notable of these is the amazing 3-4 day battery life, which really is class leading for an advanced smartwatch like this.

Pair that with Samsung's ingenious rotating bezel controller and efficient Tizen OS and you've got one of the best smartwatches you can buy.

TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45

We were highly impressed with the TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45, and not just because it was so luxuriantly priced.

As the name suggests, it adds something we haven't really seen a big brand attempt before: modularity. Even more so than Apple, with its ever-growing range of finishes and straps, the Modular 45 let you design your own smartwatch, to match your style and personality.

Huawei Watch 2

Huawei Watch 2 was unveiled in February at Mobile World Conference. It's a 1.2-inch-screened, rubber-strapped, 4G-toting smartwatch, with a big focus on fitness. 

If you were hoping it'd replace your Garmin, it probably won't, but it does have some handy running-watch-esque features and pleasingly sporty styling. Above all, the Watch 2 is just a very good Android Wear smartwatch, being comfortable and boasting plenty of connectivity options.

Fossil Q Marshal 

The Q Marshal is Fossil's second generation of smartwatch, and it's quite the looker. It's well-built with a handsome, traditional design, just as you'd expect from a watch brand like Fossil.

It runs Android Wear, and using it feels identical to every other AW device, but with decent battery life and pleasing style at an attractive price, it's a very solid device.

Apple Watch Series 2

Undisputedly the most commercially successful smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 2 was a brilliant follow-up to the first generation wearable.

Apple's second effort fixes two of the original flaws straight away, with 50m water resistance – it's a swim watch, not a dive watch – and onboard GPS, so you can run without your iPhone. The brighter screen, plus the new and much-improved watchOS 3 also improve the user experience.

Nixon Mission

The Nixon Mission is the most successful of a handful of outdoor-sports-oriented Android Wear watches. Rather than runners being the target (although it does make a decent running watch), it's one for snowboarders, surfers and skiers. 

Its shell is made of steel and the same sort of ultra-tough polycarbonate you’ll find in Garmin’s top-end run watches, and hardcore water proofing means it can handle 10ATM pressure too. Snow- and water-specific apps add to this bold attempt at offering something different in the crowded smartwatch space. 

How the winners are chosen

Most of the winners - including this category - are decided by the T3.com and T3 magazine teams, aided by a panel of expert judges from the tech biz.

Our Awards for the people who have shaped tech this year and throughout its history, are awarded by the T3.com and T3 magazine teams.

On the following key categories YOU get to vote:  Gadget Of The Year, Brand Of The Year, Retailer Of The Year and Phone of the Year. 

Vote for those categories in the T3 Awards 2017 together with Three