Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables
  3. Products

Best wearables of CES 2021: Fossil, Amazfit, Vuzix, and more

By

The annual CES show has traditionally been a treasure trove of new wearables, and despite the shift to an online format this year, CES 2021 has lived up to expectations. Interestingly, in addition to several smartwatches, there have been further advancements in the world of smart glasses — an emerging, and very exciting wearable trend — and even a smart face mask too.

We’ve collected the best wearable products seen so far at the show for you here, including the new LTE connected Fossil smartwatch, Vuzix’s smart glasses which are coming later this year, and Amazfit’s low-cost smartwatches too. If you want to see some other cool mobile tech from the show, we’ve got the best foldable (and rollable) smartphones from CES 2021 here.

Recommended Videos

Fossil Gen 5 LTE

Fossil’s first LTE smartwatch is based on the existing Gen 5 platform. The design stays the same, but two new colors have been added to differentiate the Gen 5 LTE from the non-cellular models — a stealthy black and an eye-catching gold and pink blush. The Fossil Gen 5 LTE is exclusive to Verizon at the moment, and operates on the network’s Number Share plan.

Related

With everything connected up, you’ll be able to make and receive phone calls, receive and reply to SMS, and use your smartwatch in mostly the same way as you would your phone, just without the need to have your phone with you. On the tech side, the Gen 5 LTE has a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 1.3-inch touchscreen, a heart rate sensor, and Google’s Wear OS software. It will be released in the spring, and is set to cost $349.

Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR

Skagen brings its minimalist style to Fossil’s latest hybrid smartwatch platform with the Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR smartwatch. There was a time a hybrid watch meant not having a screen, but the Jorn Hybrid HR uses a clever E Ink screen under the mechanical hands to show complications and notifications, while not drastically impacting the battery life. While the battery won’t last for six months like hybrid watches without a screen, it’ll still go for two weeks without a recharge.

Available in either 42mm or 38mm sizes, and with a choice of five different case and strap combinations, it should be easy to find a Skagen Jorn Hybrid HR which fits in with your style. As the name suggests, the watch also has a heart rate sensor on the back for more in-depth, data-rich workout and health monitoring. It’ll be available soon, and will cost $195.

Michael Kors Access Gen 5E Darci and Gen 5E MKGO

Designer brand Michael Kors announced two new smartwatch models at CES 2021, but the Access Gen 5E Darci is the model that will gather the most attention due to all the sparkles. The Darci is adapted from Fossil’s Gen 5E smartwatch platform, with the design given the complete Micheal Kors treatment. This means a dazzling bezel, a choice of different gold hues, a stainless steel case, and some very dainty bracelets.

The 43mm case has a 1.19-inch touchscreen, there’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 processor inside, a heart rate sensor on the back, NFC for Google Pay, and all the usual fitness tracking and notification support expected from Google’s Wear OS software. Michael Kors’ second smartwatch is the Gen 5E MKGO, which is less flashy, made from aluminum, and comes with simpler rubber straps.

There’s no release date for either watch yet, but when they do arrive the Gen 5E Darci will cost $349, and the Gen 5E MKGO will be $249.

Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e

The Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e come soon after the release of the more expensive Amazfit GTR 2 and GTS 2 smartwatches. This time, the company has stripped out some features and slightly changed the design to lower the price, with each model costing just $140. The main features you’ll do without are Wi-Fi, no internal storage space, and a lack of a speaker.

Available with a round 1.65-inch AMOLED screen, or a square 1.39-inch screen, the watches are made from aluminum and have a quick release strap, plus a heart rate sensor on the back, 90 different workout-tracking modes, and a battery that should last for 14 days. Both are available to buy from January 12.

Vuzix Next Generation Smart Glasses

Don’t try to find these on sale just yet, because Vuzix says they won’t be released until later this year, and hasn’t said how much they will cost either. However, they’re very interesting. Vuzix promises the clumsily named Next Generation Smart Glasses will combine smartphone and smartwatch features into the one, and will use a see-through 3D, microLED display. They will work using voice and gesture controls, and allow you to keep your phone in your pocket while remaining connected at all times.

Vuzix has worked on smart glasses for some time, and these are shaping up to be the most exciting, consumer-friendly pair we’ve seen from the manufacturer yet.

TCL Wearable Display

The latest iteration of TCL’s long-running project to put its screen technology into a pair of glasses has arrived at CES 2021 with a name — TCL Wearable Display. While it’s not the most imaginative name, the product is one of the most exciting TCL highlights.

The glasses don’t have a battery inside, so they are lightweight, and the built-in 1080p OLED screen with a 140-degree field of view promises impressive visuals. The Wearable Display links to your phone or computer from which it pulls power and acts as a personal movie screen, or gateway to a virtual world.

There’s no release date for the Wearable Display yet, but it’s definitely getting closer, and when it does finally launch expect it to do so as part of a streaming service package with a content provider.

Voy Glasses

An alternative to carrying around multiple pairs of spectacles, the Voy Glasses are tunable, allowing you to adjust the focus strength on the move. A simple focus wheel is mounted at the corner of the frame, which you turn to bring things close up or far away into focus, just like you would with a camera. The glasses started life on Kickstarter, and are now available more widely starting at $59.

AirPop Active+ Smart Mask

Face coverings have become part of everyday life for many, so it’s no surprise to see masks getting a tech twist at CES 2021. AirPop is an established player in the high-performance mask space, and the Active+ Smart Mask adds a sensor called the Halo to monitor air quality, track breathing rates, and ensure the filter doesn’t go out of date.

A coin-cell battery powers the sensor and the Bluetooth connection for up to six months, an app is available for iOS and Android phones, and the replaceable filters inside the mask will remove 99.3% of particles and 99.9% of bacteria. The AirPop Active+ Smart Mask will be available in January, and cost $150.

JLab Frames

Technically not a piece of wearable tech on its own, the JLab Frames turn your ordinary spectacles into wearable tech. An unusual entry into the growing world of audio-enabled spectacles — think Bose Frames — the Jlab Frames clip onto the arms of your own glasses, adding a pair of 16.2mm drivers to them, ready to deliver music and calls.

The JLab Frames are much cheaper than a pair of audio smart glasses, costing just $50, so if you’re interested in trying this emerging trend out, this is a cheap way of doing so. They’ll be available to buy in the spring.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Meet Evie, the smart ring for women set to shake up wearables at CES 2023
A close up of the Movano Evie smart ring.

There’s a pretty established “formula” for a great smartwatch, but there’s no such thing for smart rings. Movano’s first smart ring, called Evie, is certainly going in a different direction from its few competitors, and could potentially end up setting the standard for health-tracking smart jewelry when it comes out.

Digital Trends spoke to Movano’s CEO, Dr. John Mastrototaro, ahead of CES 2023, where the company will fully reveal the smart ring for the first time, about what makes it special.
The name, the FDA, and privacy
Dr. John Mastrototaro, Movano Health CEO

Read more
The most innovative smartwatches and wearables of 2022
Apple Watch Ultra, purple background

If there’s one piece of tech that can really change lives, that’s definitely the smartwatch. Though fitness and activity trackers have existed since the 1960s, the smartwatch took things a step further by adding extra features that make life easier — and they can literally save your life. There were many great smartwatch and wearable releases in 2022, and although most of them may have been incremental updates, a few of them truly stand out from the crowd.

Want to see the rest? Check out our full list of the most innovative tech products of 2022!
Winner: Apple Watch Ultra

Read more
Movano unveils an affordable, woman-friendly health-tracking ring at CES 2022
Oura Ring on finger. Credits: Oura official.

Several smartwatches and health devices were unveiled as a part of wearables push at the CES 2022 exhibition. However, one product stood out thanks to its superior health-tracking technology and convenient form factor: The Movano Ring. The Movano Ring, a wearable ring in the same vein as Oura ring, has been designed for people of all ages with a women-centered focus. Health tech for women has largely been ignored by the medical tech industry, and Movano strives to change that. The Movano Ring provides actionable insights to people with a deep focus on keeping a track of their daily fitness and those with chronic illnesses.
The Movano health ring is similar to the Oura ring, which was launched in 2015.
The Movano Ring measures a user's heart rate, temperature, SpO2, calories consumed, and steps taken, among other parameters generally tracked by smart wear. However, Movano's app is the killer feature, as it can give actionable insights to users into their health so that they can make short-term, as well as long-term, changes. For example, it can share insights on how a person sleeps, so they can have better sleep hygiene. If you've been working out a lot, the app will pair that with your heart health to show a correlation, and so on. From the screenshots shared on Movano's site, it's nothing too groundbreaking, but it is presented to be more immediately actionable than the decontextualized data other fitness-focused devices share. Movano describes itself as a "non-invasive radio frequency technology platform." It is currently conducting trials on testing noninvasive glucose levels and cuffless blood pressure using this technology. It completed its third trials on 110 participants in the final quarter of 2021, with another trial scheduled forthe first quarter of 2022. At the moment, Movano is currently pursuing Class II designation to add vital medical data to its products, according to CEO John Mastrototaro. However, he revealed that the initial Ring would probably not have Food and Drug Administration clearance at launch.Although the Ring is currently still in development, its first edition is expected to launch by the second half of 2022, and that would only be a beta version. As per the company's website, it would be available in four  colors - black, silver, gold, and copper. The pricing has not yet been revealed.

Read more