We figured out smartphones a long time ago. It's been nearly a decade since the iPhone hit the market, and now every one of the millions of smartphones sold each year is a variation of a rectangular slab of glass, plastic, or metal. Smartwatches, on the other hand, are new and still evolving.

Attractive design; Great display; Great interface

Proprietary strap mounts (on standard model; Limited third-party apps; Voice controls are slow and limited

Samsung's back catalogue of smartwatches has been, to put it mildly, poor. The vast array of Gear-branded wearables have been bulky, ugly and running an operating system devoid of killer features and decent apps. The Gear S2 hopes to change this.

Bright; sharp display; Rotating bezel is the best wearable feature yet; Not limited to Samsung handsets

Tizen is limiting; Expensive for what you get; Poor; slow voice search

Samsung is notable in this field simply because it's issued so many smartwatches over the relatively short period in which smartwatches have even existed. It seems as though every time we turn around, there's a new Samsung smartwatch promising to wow us with new and innovative features.

Spinning bezel is ridiculously fun; Fast notifications; Excellent AMOLED screen; Works with most Android devices

Can't take calls; Tizen rather than Android Wear; Regular S2 model can't take a standard watch band

You may know Samsung as the lead manufacturer for Android, with its smartphone sales decimating those of the official Nexus series. However, it also has a habit of going off on a tangent, in the occasional bid for world domination.

Well implemented bezel control; good build quality; always-on screen option

Expensive; poor third-party app support; Huawei Watch aces design

You could argue that the Samsung Gear S2 3G is the best smartwatch around right now, with its balance of attractive hardware, intelligent user interface, performance, and functionality, but smartwatches are still a niche product category and the 3G component adds the additional expense of a monthly...

Great hardware and user experience; World's first wearable with eSIM; Attractive design; Robust software

The Samsung Gear S2 ($149.00 at Amazon)  is only a few months old, but it's already been updated in the form of a new $349.99 Classic edition. The Gear S2 Classic has the same exact interface and hardware as the original, but it's built with classier materials (including a leather wristband) that could be worth the $50 premium if you like the look. It's an attractive smartwatch, with one of the most intuitive interfaces we've seen and a unique, rotating bezel you won't find anywhere else. But just like the original Gear S2, the lack of third-party apps and finicky voice recognition keep the Classic from earning a stronger recommendation.  DesignThe Gear S2 Classic ($269.99 at Amazon)  goes for a more subdued, traditional appearance than its sportier sibling. It has a black leather wristband, while the stainless steel case is now adorned with little ridges, giving it the appearance of an actual gear. The added bit of texture also helps when rotating the bezel to control the watch....

The Samsung Gear S2 Classic smartwatch upgrades the original with a sleek stainless steel case and a leather wristband, but the same drawbacks remain.

Sleek design; Sharp display; Unique rotating bezel; Intuitive UI

Mediocre app selection; Weak voice recognition

Android Wear currently rules the smartwatch roost, running on more devices than we could possibly list off the top of our heads. While that's a great thing for Google, it's not for consumers.

Plays nice with Android and iOS; Ingenious design enhanced by slick OS; Fitness tracking is a great positive

Aesthetically bland in some guises; Pricey for the average consumer; App support (on watch and phone) is dismal

While having the best smartwatch in the market right now may not mean much, Samsung's Gear S2 is definitely it. The fact that it's cheaper than an Apple Watch or LG Watch Urbane just adds points in its favour.

Rotating bezel is the most intuitive way to navigate around a smartwatch; Very good display; Premium build

Lack of apps; Battery life needs to be longer

( Also see: You Don't Need a Smartwatch, But Here's Why You Should Buy One Nonetheless ) Although there have been plenty of launches by smaller companies, such as the Intex iRist and Wickedleak Alpha, the market is still dominated by Pebble, Android Wear, the Apple Watch, and Samsung's Gear range of...

Beautiful; solid design; Superb screen; Rotating bezel is awesome; Tizen interface; Decent watch faces

Poor selection of apps; Minor connectivity issues; Expensive

The Samsung Gear S2 is without doubt one of the best smartwatches I've ever used. The innovations that Samsung introduced with the device are meaningful, and change the way I interact with smartwatches.

Excellent screen; Innovative rotating bezel; Slick Tizen UI

Limited number of apps; Lacking customisation options; Poor voice control