Which connected watch for swimming? The direct answer

You have three profiles:

• You occasionally swim in a pool → Apple Watch 11. Correct swimming tracking, notifications, contactless payment. You have an iPhone. It's good.
• You're doing serious swimming, open water or pool → Garmin Swim 2. Ultra-precise GPS, SWOLF (swimming efficiency) tracking, crazy battery life. This is the watch for swimmers who take it seriously.
• You want to swim in cold or deep water → Apple Watch Ultra 3. 100m water resistance, screen that can be seen even in the sun, 36h battery life. This is professional equipment.

So. Now if you want to understand why, let's continue.

The criteria that make the difference

Waterproofing: not marketing talk

5 ATM minimum. It is 50 meters theoretical depth. That means swimming pool, open water, no problem. Beyond that, it's luxury. 10 ATM (100m)? Useful if you are diving or freediving. Otherwise it's marketing.

Please note: a “waterproof” watch does not really exist. It's water-resistant. The difference? A water-resistant watch can get wet. A waterproof watch... it's the same in real life. The term “waterproof” is just commercial bluff.

GPS: the real difference in open water

In the pool, you don't care. The watch counts the lengths by itself. In open water (lake, sea, river), GPS is your friend. It traces your route, gives you the real distance, not a bogus estimate.

Garmin Swim 2 has GPS that doesn't mess around. Apple Watch too, but less precise. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8? OK but not extraordinary.

Tracking lengths in the pool

All smartwatches do this now. They detect when you change direction and count. But the precision varies. Garmin and Apple are the best. Samsung follows.

You swim 50 meters, the watch says 50 meters. You swim 47 meters, she says 48. That's normal, it's not an exact science.

Autonomy: the real trap

Apple Watch 11: 6 p.m. You charge every day. It's annoying but that's how it is.

Garmin Swim 2: 11 days in classic watch mode, 5 hours in continuous GPS mode. You charge once a week.

Apple Watch Ultra 3: 36 hours. Better than the Apple Watch 11 but still less than Garmin.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: 40 hours. Not bad at all.

Compatibility: iOS or Android

Apple Watch = iPhone required. No debate.

Garmin = iPhone or Android, you choose.

Samsung = Android preferred, but it works with iPhone too (limited).