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Google has opened up access to Bard, the company’s new and experimental AI chatbot. You can currently join the waitlist and try out the ChatGPT competitor before it’s released to the general public.

Bard uses natural language processing and machine learning to generate responses in real time. You can ask it to write an email to customer service for getting a refund or plan your six-person vacation to Spain. However, like ChatGPT, Google’s AI technology isn’t fully there yet — responses may be inaccurate or even offensive, according to Google.

And that’s why access to Bard is currently limited, so early testers can use the chatbot, provide feedback to developers and help Google improve the AI technology. If you’re interested in getting your hands on this early version of Bard, we’ll show you how to join the waitlist right now and give you a glimpse into using the AI chatbot.

If you’re interested in AI, check out what ChatGPT is capable of and how to try Microsoft’s Bing AI.

Before we start…

To join the waitlist and use Bard for yourself, you must:

• Have your own personal Google account (meaning it’s run by you and not a parent, guardian or admin)
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have a supported web browser (Chrome, Chromium-based Edge, Firefox, Opera or Safari)

Also, Bard is only available in the US and UK for now.

How to join the Bard waitlist

To join the Bard waitlist, make sure you’re signed into your Google account and go to bard.google.com on your phone, tablet or computer. Next, tap or click the blue Join waitlist button, and then hit Yes, I’m in to confirm you’d like to join. You don’t need to opt in to the email updates to join the waitlist. You’ll receive an email from Google once you’ve been granted access to Bard.

Using Bard

If you’ve received an email granting you access to Bard, you can either hit the blue Take it for a spin button in the email or go directly to bard.google.com. The first time you use Bard, you’ll be asked to agree to the terms and privacy policy set forth by Google.

Once you’ve followed the prompts, ask Bard anything you want. If you’re unsure what to enter into the AI chatbot, there are a number of preselected questions you can choose, such as, “Draft a packing list for my weekend fishing and camping trip.”

After typing a question, wait a few seconds for Bard to give you an answer. Depending on your question, your response may be very brief or rather long and descriptive. At the top of your response, you should see three different drafts, which are alternative answers to your question.

If you don’t like the answer to your question, scroll down to the bottom of the page and use the thumbs down button, indicating a bad response. Thumbs up means you like the response. And there’s also a Google it button to check out related questions. You can use the three-dot menu button on the bottom-right to copy the response to your clipboard, to paste elsewhere. And finally, you can modify your question with the edit button in the top-right.

On the left side of the website, you’ll see a few options:

• Reset chat: Clears your chat so you can ask a new question.
• Bard activity: Shows you every question you’ve asked Bard. You can choose to disable this feature.
• FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Bard. You’ll find information about sources, data collection, advertising and more.
• Help & support: Get answers to any issues you might have. You can report an incorrect or offensive Bard response here.

Want more from Google? Check out Google Map’s time-traveling feature and why you may want to blur your home on Google Maps.

If you ever tried asking ChatGPT about current events, you know the chatbot could only manage to spit out a limited set of answers, if at all. That’s changing.

On Thursday, the artificial intelligence company OpenAI announced that it’s gradually rolling out plugins for ChatGPT, in a move that significantly expands the chatbot’s functionality.

The first wave of plugins, which are now available in alpha to select ChatGPT users and developers, allow ChatGPT to tap new sources of live data from the web, including third-party sources such as Expedia, Kayak and Instacart. Prior to this upgrade, ChatGPT was restricted to drawing information from its training data, which ran until 2021.

“Though not a perfect analogy, plugins can be ‘eyes and ears’ for language models, giving them access to information that is too recent, too personal, or too specific to be included in the training data,” OpenAI said on its website.

For instance, ChatGPT can now pull up answers to questions such as how the box office sales of this year’s Oscar winners compare to those of other movies released recently. This new functionality is served up thanks to the browser plugin, which shows the sources the generative AI service is drawing information from before it spits out an answer.

“Plugins are very experimental still but we think there’s something great in this direction,” OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman wrote in a tweet Thursday. “It’s been a heavily requested feature.”

A video posted by OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman on Twitter demonstrates to how to use ChatGPT’s Instacart plugin to assist with meal planning. The video shows ChatGPT recommending a chickpea salad recipe and then ultimately adds the required ingredients to Instacart for purchase with just a few prompts.

A video posted on Expedia’s Twitter account shows how to leverage the Expedia plugin to essentially turn ChatGPT into your AI travel agent, empowering it letting it help travelers shop and book flights and hotels, something it previously couldn’t do, although it could identify places and create an itinerary.

“You can install plugins to help with a wide variety of tasks. We are excited to see what developers create!” Altman wrote on Twitter.

Despite all the buzz around ChatGPT since its debut in November, OpenAI’s own research has shown that a chatbot with access to the internet is a risky prospect. For instance, it can have a tendency to quote unreliable sources or, as OpenAI points out, “increase safety challenges by taking harmful or unintended actions, increasing the capabilities of bad actors who would defraud, mislead, or abuse others.”

To address those risks, OpenAI said it has implemented safeguards and has limited access to a small group of users and developers to start with. Interested parties can sign up on a waitlist here.

Switching wireless providers isn’t easy. Although there are three major networks in the US, the actual number of wireless carriers and plans is significantly higher. Sifting through this big, confusing mess can be overwhelming, but we want to help make this process a little easier. Here’s how to choose a cell phone plan in 2023.

Which network works best for you?

In the US there are three major networks: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. All three offer services directly and have robust nationwide networks that offer 4G LTE (fast) and 5G (really fast) data.

The most important aspect of choosing a network is finding one that works in your area. This makes it hard for us to give a blanket recommendation of any one carrier. For example, T-Mobile’s service in New York may be excellent, but if you’re in rural Iowa, Verizon is more reliable.

While your mileage may vary, the good news is that these networks are growing and improving all the time, particularly as the three major players continue to try and blanket the US with 5G. It’s quite possible that a decade ago you left a network complaining about its sparse service, but now it has beefed itself up because of that arms race to acquire customers.

If you know any friends or family in your area that already use the carrier you’re considering, ask about their experience. You could also go to a carrier’s store and see if they offer any free ways to try out the service before switching over, such as T-Mobile’s Network Pass which lets you sample T-Mobile’s service for free for three months. Verizon now offers a similar 30-day “trial” program while the Cricket prepaid service has rolled out its own trial offering that lets you try out parent AT&T’s network.

Then, of course, there are the plans themselves. Below is a comparison of some of the latest plans from AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. For this chart, we focused on each carrier’s cheapest plan, as well as their respective “middle” options that we think could make sense for most people.

It is worth noting that some plans, like T-Mobile’s Magenta and Verizon’s Play More, include streaming perks like Netflix or the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu).

Verizon Play More and AT&T Unlimited Extra also don’t require you to have every line on the same plan, so if only one of your family plan’s lines needs extra hotspot data, you can drop the others down to cheaper options and save a little there (Verizon only needs one line on an account to be on Play More for you to be able to get its Disney perks).

If you’re looking for multiple lines on T-Mobile and its cheapest rate, you’re better off going with its regular Essentials plan. A promotion the carrier is doing has it available for $100 per month for four lines which is $20 per month cheaper than the Base Essentials option.

Wireless plans compared

	Total data	Cost for one line (with AutoPay)	5G	High-speed hotspot	Cost for four lines (with AutoPay)
T-Mobile Base Essentials	Unlimited	$45	Yes	Yes (but at “3G speeds”)	$120
AT&T Value Plus	Unlimited	$45	Yes	No	N/A
Verizon Welcome Unlimited	Unlimited	$65	Yes (5G Nationwide only)	No	$120
T-Mobile Magenta	Unlimited	$70	Yes	5GB per line	$140
AT&T Unlimited Extra	Unlimited	$75	Yes	15GB per line	$160
Verizon Play More	Unlimited	$80	Yes	25GB per line	$180

Know the smaller and prepaid players

While AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizonoperate the major networks, there are a number of smaller wireless providers that offer service on their airwaves. First, there are the prepaid brands each carrier owns. Verizon has Visible, AT&T has Cricket and T-Mobile has Metro (and soon Mint Mobile). All use their parent’s respective networks for service.

Smaller players also rely on the larger networks for service. Mint Mobile and Google Fi, for example, use T-Mobile’s network, while cable companies Comcast and Spectrum rely on Verizon for their respective Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile brands.

Boost Mobile, which is owned by Dish, uses a combination of T-Mobile and AT&T while Dish builds out its own 5G network. Dish recently started offering its own service that rivals the big carriers, which it calls Boost Infinite. It’s still in beta before a full launch later this year.

The benefit of these smaller carriers — many of which are known as mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs — is that you can get access to the larger provider’s service at a more affordable rate. If you found that Verizon works best where you live but its service is too pricey, switching to Visible, Spectrum Mobile or Xfinity Mobile could potentially allow you to keep similar coverage but pay a bit less (though you may lose out on some other perks like free streaming services).

We’ve broken down a few of these providers, including which provider uses which network and explained some of the trade-offs you’ll want to keep in mind.

Know how much you owe on your installment plan

Two-year contracts have largely disappeared from the US wireless market. Unfortunately, they now seem set to be replaced by increasingly longer installment plans.

AT&T and Verizon now consistently only offer 36-month installment plans for the latest devices from Apple, Google and Samsung. T-Mobile still has options for 24 months but pricier devices, such as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 4, require a 36-month plan should you want to finance them monthly.

With these longer timelines you can get a flagship phone for significantly less, but you need to stay on that carrier (and potentially with a pricier unlimited plan) for two or three years. If you leave before that time has passed, you risk needing to pay out the balance owed on the phone, which some providers require before they “unlock” the device to be used on other networks.

Major carriers often offer several hundred dollars when you switch, which can help subsidize the price of the change. But you’ll want to check your account online or go into your carrier’s store to find out how much you might still owe on your phone before you leave.

Decide if you should keep your current phone

The modernization of phones and networks means your existing phone will probably work just fine on a new carrier. All the major wireless carriers offer a similar assortment of the latest devices, particularly when it comes to the iPhone and the Galaxy lines.

To make the most of any switch you’ll probably want to take this opportunity to upgrade your device, particularly if it’s a few years old and lacks modern features like 5G. There are often extra deals when adding or opening a new line to help pay off any installment plan or get you to a better device.

If you’d rather keep what you have, your existing device will probably work just fine so long as it’s unlocked from your prior provider.

Know your discounts

Keep in mind that all of the carriers offer additional savings, which you could be eligible for depending on your employer, military status, student status or even age. If you’re on a family plan, a family member could qualify even if you don’t.

First responders, military members, veterans, nurses and teachers, in particular, can get discounts from every major carrier. Verizon offers discounts for students, while T-Mobile’s Work perk could knock $10 a month off a Magenta Max plan and AT&T offers a similar program for its Unlimited Premium and Elite plans that it calls Signature.

If you’re 55 or older, you may also be eligible for a discounted plan: T-Mobile offers discounted plans nationwide for as low as $55 a month for two lines, while Verizon and AT&T offer similar options but only for Florida residents.

We break down the discounts in greater detail here, for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

This could save you money if you switch, or potentially lower your current rate a bit and save you the hassle of changing providers.

Understand the perks

Many of the major carriers bundle in perks for using their higher-end unlimited plans, particularly streaming services. Verizon offers the Disney Bundle (Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus) to those with its Play More and Get More unlimited plans and T-Mobile offers versions of Netflix with its Magenta and Magenta Max offerings and also includes a subscription to Apple TV Plus with Magenta Max.

Even prepaid and smaller carriers like Cricket (HBO Max with Ads) and US Mobile (a variety of options) offer perks with their unlimited plans.

In addition, some Verizon plans (like the top Get More option) include Apple Music, while T-Mobile’s Magenta and Magenta Max also offer in-flight Wi-Fi and unlimited data abroad. T-Mobile’s Metro offers 100GB of Google One storage and AT&T gives six months of free gaming with an extended trial of Nvidia’s GeForce Ultimate.

If you’re already paying for one or more of these subscriptions, switching to the right provider could be a way to help you save even more.

We’ll continue to update this with more cell phone plan tips.

Sonic the Hedgehog is speeding back to game consoles this summer in a follow-up to 2022’s Sonic Origins anthology.

Sonic Origins Plus is scheduled to drop on June 23, 2023, Polygon reported, exactly 31 years after the character debuted on the Sega Genesis in North America.

It includes the four remastered Sega titles from last year’s release — Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles — plus a dozen Game Gear titles available in a special in-game “museum.”

All the games are playable in a new widescreen format, with additional player modes and missions.

In the Game Gear titles, fans can play as Amy Rose, Sonic’s self-proclaimed girlfriend. You can also take a spin as Knuckles, Sonic’s echidna BFF, in the Sonic CD.

Sonic Origins Plus will be available for $39.99 as a download or physical release for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Windows PC. (The physical game comes with a 20-page book that recounts the franchise’s history.)

If you already purchased Sonic Origins, you can upgrade to the new title with a $9.99 expansion pack.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew on Thursday faced skeptical lawmakers in the US Congress to try to fend off calls to ban the hugely popular video app.

“There are more than 150 million Americans who love our platform, and we know we have a responsibility to protect them,” Chew said in remarks prepared for his appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration demanded that ByteDance, the app’s Chinese parent company, sell its stake in the app or face a possible ban. Officials are concerned TikTok could be forced to share US user data with the Chinese government, posing a national security threat. In December, US lawmakers banned the app from government devices. Other countries, including Canada, EU member states and Taiwan, have taken similar steps.

Lawmakers on Thursday repeatedly questioned Chew about ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government, expressing doubt TikTok would be able to protect US users’ data. They also alleged that TikTok could be used by the Chinese government to influence public opinion in the US.

Though the main thrust of the hearing focused on alleged ties to China, lawmakers also touched on other concerns, including data collection and protecting teens and young people from harmful content on TikTok.

Following the hearing, TikTok spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said the hearing was “dominated by political grandstanding” and failed to address industry-wide issues.

“Also not mentioned today by members of the Committee: the livelihoods of the 5 million businesses on TikTok or the First Amendment implications of banning a platform loved by 150 million Americans,” said Oberwetter.

Here are some of the most interesting comments from the hearing:

Committee Chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, in her opening statement: “Mr. Chew, you are here because the American people need the truth about the threat TikTok poses to our national and personal security. TikTok collects nearly every data point imaginable, from people’s location to what they type and copy, biometric data and more. … TikTok surveils us all. And the Chinese Communist Party is able to use this as a tool to manipulate America as a whole. We do not trust TikTok will ever embrace American values.”

She continued: “TikTok has repeatedly chosen a path for more control, more surveillance and more manipulation. Your platform should be banned. I expect today you’ll say anything to avoid this outcome.”

Chew, in his opening statement: “We have heard important concerns about the potential for unwanted foreign access to US data and potential manipulation of the TikTok US ecosystem. We have addressed them with real action. … That’s what we’ve been doing for the last two years, building what amounts to a firewall that seals off protected US user data from unauthorized foreign access. The bottom line is this: American data, stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel. We call this initiative Project Texas.”

Chew, on legacy US data: “We have legacy US data sitting in our servers in Virginia and in Singapore. We’re deleting those and we expect that to be complete this year. When that is done, all protected US data will be under the protection of US law and under the control of the US led security team. This eliminates the concern that some of you have shared with me that TikTok user data can be subject to Chinese law.”

Rep. Buddy Carter, on harmful viral videos like the Milk Crate challenge: “Why is it that TikTok consistently fails to identify and moderate these kinds of harmful videos? Why is it that you allow this to go on? We’ve already heard … from parents who are here with us who have lost children.”

Chew responds: “This is a real industry challenge and we’re working on our…”

Carter: “No, no, it’s not industry. This is TikTok. We’re talking about TikTok. We’re talking about why is it that you can’t control this. … Tell me why this goes on.”

Rep. Darren Soto, on ByteDance ownership: “Mr. Chew, would TikTok be prepared to divest from ByteDance and Chinese Communist Party ties if the Department of Treasury instructed you all to do so?”

Chew responds: “I don’t think ownership is the issue here. With a lot of respect, American social companies don’t have a good track record with data privacy and user security. I mean look at Facebook and Cambridge analytica, just for one example.”

Rep. Neal Dunn asks Chew directly: “Has ByteDance spied on Americans at the direction of the Chinese Communist Party?”

Chew responds: “No.”

Dunn follows up, citing a Forbes article that ByteDance planned to use TikTok to monitor the location of US citizens: “I ask you again Mr. Chew, has ByteDance spied on American citizens?”

Chew responds: “I don’t think that spying is the right way to describe it. This is ultimately…(Dunn cuts off his response.)”

Rep. August Pfluger, on Project Texas: “Please rename your project. Texas is not the appropriate name. We stand for freedom and transparency and we don’t want your project.”

Gaming headsets aren’t just for gaming — they can also be your everyday walkaround headsets, though it’ll cost you more if you want something that’s up for both. Turtle Beach’s new Stealth Pro joins pricey models like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, Razer Barracuda Pro and others that merge the top-of-the-line gaming features with internal active-noise-canceling mics for Bluetooth connections to make them a little less conspicuous when you’re wandering the streets.

The headset is slated to ship at the end of April for $330 ( 280), although preorders start now. There are Designed for Xbox and PS4/PS5 models, but they’ll work with pretty much any platform, including the Nintendo Switch, PC and iOS. Only the platforms with apps allow you to customize settings like equalization and noise cancellation — in other words, not consoles. And it’s not exactly clear the types of connectivity you can expect with each.

Instead of a dongle, the Stealth Pro includes a 2.4GHz puck that doubles as a charging station for the two swappable batteries (rated at 12-plus hours each). Turtle Beach rates the range up to 50 feet (15 meters).

The Stealth Pro has a lot of the same features as its competitors, such as 50mm drivers, mic arrays for optimizing noise cancellation and transparency mode (which lets external sounds bleed through), detachable boom mic, leatherette and memory foam ear cushions, simultaneous 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections, and more.

The madness resumes tonight. The field has been reduced from a sweeping 64 to a sweet 16. Two No. 1 seeds have already been knocked out (bye bye, Purdue, so long, Kansas), and one double-digit seed in No. 15 Princeton has made it to the tournament’s second weekend. After four games tonight and four games tomorrow, we will arrive at the Elite Eight.

Here’s everything you need to know to get in on the March Madness, from the Sweet 16 to the Final Four and the national championship game.

What are my other streaming options?

You can use a live TV streaming service to watch March Madness. Three of the five live TV streaming services offer the two channels needed to watch every tournament game, but keep in mind that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries CBS in your area.

You can also use Paramount Plus to watch some, but not all, of March Madness. Only the games shown on CBS are available on Paramount Plus.

All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

When it comes to comfort and sound quality, over-ear headphones tend to lead the pack. And while some high-end models can be pretty pricey, right now we’ve found a pretty amazing deal that scores you a great pair for nearly $300 off. Harman Audio, as well as Walmart and eBay, currently have these advanced AKG Y600NC headphones on sale for just $60, which saves you 83% compared with the usual price. Without a set expiration, we can’t guarantee how long this deal will last. But it you don’t want to miss out on these incredible savings, we’d recommend getting your order in soon.

These AKG headphones are packed full of high-end features, making them just about the best pair you’ll find in the under-$100 price range at the moment. They boast noise-canceling capabilities, plus an aware mode for when you need to be able to hear your surroundings. And with an ergonomic design and memory-foam ear cushions, they’re designed for premium comfort.

They also promise impressive audio quality, especially for Samsung users (AKG and Harman are Samsung brands), thanks to UHQ codec support. Plus, you can fine-tune your audio using the AKG companion app. Other features include an auto play/pause function that stops your music when you remove the headphones, multipoint Bluetooth connectivity and an impressive 25-hour battery life on a single charge.

This is definitely a great value, but if you’re in the market for a different pair, you can check out our roundup of all the best earbuds and headphones deals for even more bargains.

Razer has a lot of gaming hardware and accessories: It’s now in the Meta Quest 2 VR accessory business, too. The first Meta Quest 2-compatible strap and face plate have just arrived after being announced at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year. Trying them both at home, I’m cautiously a fan (of the strap, at least).

The company has partnered with ResMed for the strap design and manufacturing process, which interests me because Resmed happens to make the CPAP machine I use every night. CPAP machines require head straps to get those awkward air masks on and fit snugly but comfortably. A similar goal’s at play here, but for the VR headset on your face.

Razer’s strap fits snugly, for sure (at least on my face), but rests differently than the standard elastic Quest 2 straps. After adjusting the Velcro on the sides and the top strap, the design lets you kind of just lower the headset over your face like a large VR baseball cap. At first, it feels like the back support won’t hold, but it does. It feels a little less fussy, once set up, yet offers enough snugness that it should be good for intense sessions of Beat Saber.

I do wish the straps had a little more give, but maybe that’s just me. Or maybe, much like CPAP straps, the elastic, padded strap system will eventually break in and be more fitted to my head.

I also let my 14-year-old son use it to play Beat Saber. (He’s become a VR expert pretty fast.) He told me it fits nicely but a little weirdly: He too felt that the headset was almost strangely balanced on his head. But once you get over feeling like the headset may topple over and then realize it won’t, it actually becomes very comfy. But in intense Beat Saber Expert Plus songs, he felt like it was a bit less secure than the standard Quest 2 strap.

Razer also has a silicone face mask insert that’s designed to replace the foam padded one on the Quest 2. (Meta has its own silicone foam cover included with new Quest 2 hardware.) I’m less enthused about this one. First of all, the regular Quest 2 silicone-covered padding works fine for me. In addition, Razer’s insert seemed to make my glasses fog up more. Maybe it has a tiny bit less ventilation? I don’t know. I prefer less intense padding in my VR headset to help accommodate my thick glasses anyway. It does seem to block out more light, and Razer promises it’s more antibacterial and sweat-resistant.

There’s also the price to consider. The strap costs $70, and the face plate costs $70 too. Considering the entire Quest 2 costs $400, that’s a lot to invest in extras. There’s nothing really wrong with the included Quest 2 strap that comes in the box, which is free. But Razer’s extra level of comfort could be worth it if you’re ready for something else.

What interests me even more than these current Razer Quest 2 products, though, is what comes next. Razer plans to be an ongoing accessory maker for Meta now and will continue its partnership with ResMed. Will that mean Quest 3 accessories in the fall? Could it eventually mean controllers? Or other gaming accessories or VR-compatible peripherals? I’d love to see what’s on deck. This isn’t a bad start.

Buying a new smartwatch isn’t always a simple decision. There are a lot of questions you should ask yourself before spending hundreds of dollars on a new device. For example, are you looking for a watch that can help you train for your next race? Or do you only care about meeting your step goal and seeing notifications on your wrist? Most people likely fall somewhere in between.

The good news is that you can narrow down your options with just three questions. Do you use an iPhone or Android device? How much are you willing to spend? And how do you plan to use it?

You’ll also want to consider comfort, size and style. After all, a smartwatch isn’t very useful if you don’t enjoy wearing it. Comfort is especially important if you’re looking for a smartwatch to use as a sleep tracker.

Early smartwatches were clunky, expensive and limited in functionality, but there are plenty of worthwhile options on the market today. The best modern smartwatches expertly balance quality design and health and fitness tracking alongside smart features that take some of the burden off your phone. They typically cost anywhere between $229 and $1,000 depending on your needs, but prices will always vary depending on the brand.

Do you have an iPhone or Android device?

Answering this question will dictate which choices are available. Brands like Fitbit, Garmin, Withings, Fossil and Michael Kors make smartwatches that are compatible with both iPhones and Android phones. But some of our top picks are only compatible with one platform or the other.

The Apple Watch only works with the iPhone, while Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 and Google’s Pixel Watch are only compatible with Android devices. If you’re considering the Galaxy Watch 5, know that the ECG feature is only supported on Samsung’s Galaxy devices, unless you side load Samsung’s Health Monitor app onto a non-Galaxy phone.

How much do you want to spend?

Smartwatches come in several different price brackets, and finding which one is right for you depends on your budget and what you want from a smartwatch.

General purpose smartwatches

Most mainstream smartwatches fall around the $300 to $400 range, although you may pay a higher price for extras like LTE connectivity or a fancier finish. These watches provide health monitoring tools, fitness tracking and can replicate some of your phone’s functionality. These are the right choice if you want a well-rounded experience, especially when it comes to health and wellness. The Apple Watch Series 8, Fitbit Sense 2, Google Pixel Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 fall into this category.

Below are some examples of features you’ll find on smartwatches in this price range.

Features will vary depending on the model, but that’s the general package you can expect from watches at that price. Some watches have their own specific extras, too.

The $399 Apple Watch Series 8, for example, has car crash detection and an ultra wideband chip that should make it function better as a digital key for your car and home. Fitbit’s $299 Sense 2 has sensors that can passively monitor for signs of stress, while Samsung’s $279 Galaxy Watch 5 can measure body composition. Garmin’s $349 Forerunner 255 has more of a fitness focus, with built-in programs for triathlon and duathlon training. Fitbit and Garmin’s watches also typically excel in battery life over watches from Apple, Google and Samsung. The latter, however, offer a larger selection of third-party apps.

Lower-priced smartwatches

You can also find smartwatches that cost around $250, give or take. These watches include many of the features mentioned above, but not all of them. If you mostly want to see notifications on your wrist, make mobile payments, track workouts and don’t care much about deeper health insights, this type of watch is the right choice. Watches like the Apple Watch SE and Fitbit Versa 4 are examples of value-priced smartwatches.

While watches in this price range are usually the right choice for many people, it’s important to remember what you’re missing. The $249 second-gen Apple Watch SE, for example, lacks an always-on display, ECG, blood oxygen measurements and temperature sensor. But it has the same software, high and low heart-rate notifications, car crash detection, fall detection and selection of exercise modes as the Series 8.

The $229 Fitbit Versa 4 has many of Fitbit’s most notable fitness features — like active zone minutes, sleep tracking, built-in GPS and the daily readiness score (which requires a Premium subscription). You can also get phone notifications and access Amazon’s Alexa on your wrist, and it’ll soon support Google Maps and the Google Wallet. But you’ll need the pricier $299 Fitbit Sense 2 to get Fitbit’s more sophisticated health capabilities, like sensors that scan for potential signs of stress, ECG and a skin temperature sensor.

Garmin’s $249 Venu Sq 2 offers a long battery life (an estimated 11 days) and many health and fitness features for the price (GPS, blood oxygen measurements and sleep tracking). But it doesn’t have a speaker or microphone for taking calls, onboard music storage (unless you buy the $299 Music Edition) or access to Google Play Store apps.

It’s hard to find new smartwatches that cost less than $200, although there are some options out there. If you want to pay less and don’t necessarily care about using apps, you might want to consider a fitness tracker instead. (Fitbit also works with certain insurance companies to provide devices for members, so it’s worth checking if your provider offers this benefit).

Hybrid watches

Hybrid smartwatches are a cross between a smartwatch and a regular wristwatch. These types of watches usually resemble classic analog watches, and therefore lack some smart features you may find on devices like the latest Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

For example, hybrid watches usually have standard, round analog watch faces with hands for the hour and minute rather than color touchscreens. Don’t expect to get a full-screen view of your incoming alerts; that’s what a regular smartwatch is for. Hybrid watches are designed to be more discrete, so they typically include a small screen located on the watch face for showing notifications and fitness stats. Hybrid watches also usually offer significantly longer battery like compared to standard smartwatches, which is one of their biggest benefits.

Examples of hybrid watches include the Withings ScanWatch and ScanWatch Horizon, Garmin Vivomove lineup and Fossil Gen 6 Hybrid. These watches typically cost around the same price as regular smartwatches, meaning you can expect to pay around $150 to $500 depending on the model. A hybrid watch is best for those who prefer the look of classic watches and prioritize having long battery life over smart features like color touchscreens and full app stores.

High-end fitness smartwatches

There’s another major smartwatch category to consider: premium fitness-focused watches. These devices usually have everything you’d find in regular flagship smartwatches, but with more rugged designs and additional characteristics aimed at sports enthusiasts. If you’re training for a marathon or work in remote environments that may require a more precise GPS signal, one of these watches may be for you.

You can expect to pay between $500 and $1,000 for these types of watches. Garmin’s Epix Gen 2 and Fenix 7 Standard start at $899 and $699 respectively, and the new Apple Watch Ultra is available for $799. The $449 Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro falls in between the regular and high-end fitness watch categories.

You may wonder what makes these watches better for fitness buffs than their cheaper counterparts. While the specifics will vary, expensive fitness watches tend to have better durability, longer battery life, more accurate location positioning, customizable buttons and extra features that target specific sports, like running, scuba diving or golf.

The Apple Watch Ultra, for example, has a 36-hour battery life compared to the Series 8’s 18-hour battery life, water resistance of 100 meters compared to the Series 8’s 50 meters, a depth gauge with a water temperature sensor, dual-frequency GPS, a titanium build, a larger screen and a programmable Action button.

Compared to the Forerunner 255, Garmin’s Fenix and Epix watches also have increased water durability (100 meters versus 50 meters), lengthier battery life, dual grid mode for showing location coordinates in different formats, customizable hotkeys and an array of golf-oriented features. (The Forerunner 255 still has plenty of running-focused tools, like a race predictor to help with marathon training, since it’s largely aimed at runners.)

When is the best time to buy a smartwatch?

The best times to buy a smartwatch are generally around Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when the most discounts are available. For example, several Garmin devices were on sale during the July Prime Day, while Fitbit wearables just saw plenty of discounts during Amazon’s second event in October. Smartwatches from Apple and Garmin were also on sale during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period in 2022.

If you’re shopping at any other time during the year, the biggest factor you’ll want to consider is when the new version of the smartwatch you’re interested in might launch. Doing so ensures that you’ll avoid paying a potentially high price for a device that may be outdated shortly. Plus, older models may go on sale once the new version launches.

Here’s a look at when the major smartwatch makers tend to release new smartwatches based on previous launches.

Estimated smartwatch release dates

Company	Release timeframe
Apple	September/October
Samsung	Late August
Fitbit	Early Fall
Google	October
Garmin	January, February, April, June, September

Should you buy a smartwatch or fitness tracker?

If you want to spend less than $200 and don’t care about features like LTE connectivity, virtual assistants or third-party apps, a fitness tracker could be the right choice.

Fitness trackers typically provide health metrics like sleep and activity tracking, heart rate, multiple exercise modes and blood oxygen saturation in a smaller (and less expensive) package, but skimp on some smart features like those mentioned above. Since fitness trackers usually have smaller screens, you also won’t be able to see as much information at a glance as you would on a smartwatch.

But fitness bands do offer basic smartphone companion features, such as the ability to show call and text notifications and set timers and alarms. Another benefit is that you’ll likely get longer battery life from a fitness band than a traditional smartwatch. Check out some of our favorite fitness trackers.

The best smartwatches in 2023

Still not sure where to start when buying a smartwatch? Check out CNET’s guide to the best smartwatches for our top picks, which range from below $300 all the way up to $1,000. This year’s top picks so far include the Apple Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Series 8, Google Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Garmin Epix 2 among others.

We test smartwatches by tracking workouts with them, wearing them overnight while sleeping, testing how well they automatically detect exercises, relying on them for notifications when away from our phones and running the battery down to see how long they last. We also take readings from the various health sensors and ascertain what they add to the overall experience. Our goal when testing smartwatches is to assess their overall value by evaluating which features they offer, how well these watches execute those functions and how the whole package compares to the competition.

More smartwatch advice

• Apple Watch Series 8 vs. Apple Watch SE: How to Decide
• Pixel Watch vs. Galaxy Watch 5: Which Android Watch Is the Best Choice?
• Fitbit Tips: 12 Ways to Get More Out of Your Fitness Tracker or Watch
• Apple Watch Settings You Can Change to Make It Work Even Better