The best smartwatches and fitness trackers for new graduates

Apple still leads the pack for high-end fitness smartwatches. The Apple Watch Series 3 improves heart-rate tracking and is faster, but similar in function to the swim-ready GPS-equipped Series 2.

Spend a bit more for cellular, and the Apple Watch Series 3 can get phone calls and messages and eventually Apple Music streaming, if you pay per month.

But if you don't need GPS, cellular or water resistance, the Apple Watch Series 1 can save you a good amount of money.

The Nike version of the Apple Watch adds some custom watch faces, but is the same otherwise. Nike fans will appreciate it.

Fitbit's top-end smartwatch from 2017 has tons of features, is swim-waterproof, has GPS, stores music and can make mobile payments. You also easily download new watch faces. 

The best Fitbit for the price is still the Alta HR: It's tiny and lasts a week on a charge. Just don't get it wet.

The Fitbit Flex 2 can be worn as a necklace or on the wrist. There's no heart-rate tracking, but it's swim-waterproof.

The Fitbit Versa is a compact lightweight smartwatch that's at least $100 cheaper than the Apple Watch. And it has longer battery life too. 

The best Garmin tracker is the waterproof and feature-studded Vivosmart 3. It's a great all-day band, but lacks GPS.

The Garmin Vivosport, adds GPS and can be worn swimming, but costs a bit more.

The best regular-looking watch with fitness added might be Garmin's new Vivomove HR. It tracks heart rate and has a display, and sports analog design with real physical watch hands.

Samsung's top smartwatch from 2016 is still around, if you're interested in an Android-ready watch that can also take phone calls. It also has a streaming Spotify app.

The Gear Sport adds swim-ready water resistance to the mix, but lacks a speakerphone.

The Gear Fit 2 Pro is like a curved-screen mini-Samsung sports watch. It can store music, has GPS, works while swimming and also has Spotify.

There are a ton of Android Wear watches available, with a lot of variations. Huawei Watch 2 is one of the most dedicated fitness Android Wear watches of the current bunch. The US version is Wi-Fi only, but you can compare it to our review of the LTE-enabled version.

If you're listening to music and taking calls on Apple Watch, you'll need some wireless earphones. AirPods pair the best and swap easily from calls to music, one-ear or two-ear. They're made to go with the Watch quite nicely.

Samsung's newest fitness earphones are fully wireless and have built-in heart rate and music storage. They're a watch companion or a standalone fitness tracker on their own.