Fitness trackers with integrated GPS monitors are significantly more expensive than the more common ones. First, they have to have a color screen to support super-sophisticated maps. Second, they should have a screen big enough for you to read the information. Maps don't help if you need to look at them under a microscope to distinguish information.
As for trackers, most of our favorite fitness trackers rely on connected GPS, which means you need to have your phone nearby to record your workouts. Most phones have fairly accurate location data on par with what you'd get with a GPS-only smartwatch, so a fitness tracker or a watch with built-in GPS allows you to run without a phone, but they don't necessarily increase accuracy tremendously. Only with All-Systems or twice as often will you get the best possible performance, which means choosing a bulky activity clock instead of an activity monitor. Your fitness watch uses a GPS or a global positioning system to determine your exact location through a process called triangulation.
We've tested dozens of portable devices to help you find the one that best fits your lifestyle, whether it's a smartwatch for everyday use, a fitness tracker or a running watch. Most GPS watches even offer a change in settings to prefer cycling to running, and more expensive triathlon-oriented watches also have swimming modes. We bring together the most accurate watches with GNSS for all dual-frequency GPS and systems, as well as physical activity trackers with integrated GPS. This watch can last 8 days per charge, has a stylish 1.75-inch AMOLED screen, allows you to answer calls and talk to Alexa, and provides you with useful information about the Zepp's fitness.
To obtain more accurate elevation readings, many fitness watches use barometric altimeters to measure pressure changes at different levels of elevation during training, providing real-time data on the change in elevation. The best fitness trackers also use software, social media connections and progressive goals to continue to advance people in their fitness level. Companies such as Suunto, TomTom and Garmin prioritize distance and pace measurements in their fitness watches to offer a higher level of accuracy than could be available with an application on a smartphone. Depending on the monitor you buy, you can use your device from one or two days (Apple Watch and most WearOS devices) to an average of about a week (most Fitbit and Garmin fitness bracelets).
However, they understand that this is not an option for many, so some fitness watches come equipped with an additional feature called GLONASS, a Russian global positioning system similar to the American GPS.
