A swarm of smartwatches descend on CES 2015

LAS VEGAS -- This smartwatch by Alcatel runs on the company's own proprietary, closed operating system but can easily connect to any phone running Android 4.3 or iOS 7 and above. It has the usual spread of features including pedometer and calorie-tracking, but it can also function as a sleep tracker, an audio player, and as the shutter button for an accompanying smartphone camera.

Though no official pricing has been announced yet for the March release, we hear it'll be in the very affordable vicinity of $150 and €99.

Aimed directly at the active set, the Garmin Vivoactive has all the features for athletes to get the best data for their workout, including built-in apps for running, cycling, golfing and swimming.

And when it comes time to do some work, you'll also receive text message and email notifications on it, in addition to music controls and a bevy of downloadable watch faces awaiting your customization.

The Garmin Vivoactive will be available in the US in black or white for $250 in the first quarter of the year. It can also be bundled with a heart-rate monitor for $300. Pricing and availability for the UK and Australia weren't available at the time of writing. The US price converts to about £160 and AU$310, while the heart-rate bundle increases those figures to £195 and AU$375.

We weren't too impressed when we saw the debut of the Sony Smartwatch 3 last fall, but the new edition sheds the plastic body and upgrades to a square look that really appeals to the inner "Star Trek" fan in everyone.

Looks aside, this smartwatch has a built-in GPS for sports apps as well as Sony's Lifelog fitness software and will come with a host of pre-installed apps including iFit and Golfshot.

This watch features a vertical watch face that runs on e-ink for always-on notifications for time, stats and smartphone popups. CNET editor Scott Stein isn't thrilled with the simplicity of the clunky metal body, but its affordability at $89 (£58, or AU$110) more than makes up for a lack of sartorial flair.

The Fenix 3 is one of the tougher-looking smartwatches announced at the show this year. This one features GLONASS satellite navigation to track your distance and pace while running, and it comes in a variety of colors and styles to choose from, including gray, silver and a premium sapphire model that will retail for $600 (£395 and AU$740) when it goes on sale in the first quarter of 2015.

When it comes to smartwatches, fashion and function are only as good as the cost for the watch itself, and the new Withings Activite Pop earns points on all levels.

This $150 watch is available right now and its waterproof silicone band reminds us a lot of Swatch's simplistic, Swiss-made design.

It connects by Bluetooth to the Withings HealthMate app (iOS-only) and diagnoses your sleep performance with a replaceable battery that can last up to 8 months.