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Gift This, Not That: Apple Watch Vs. Pebble Time

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If you have a gadget hound on your holiday gift list, chances are they're eyeing one of latest bits of premium hardware to hit the market, the Apple Watch. If you want to give them a better overall experience at a fraction of the cost, give the Pebble Time instead.

There are things that the Apple Watch does well. Its app integration with iOS is top-notch. The color display is gorgeous. The heart rate monitor, while gimmicky, is still better than the theoretical HRM band for the Pebble. And there isn't a company out there (with products in the grasp of most mortals) that does material design better. Apple excels at making desirable products and the Apple Watch is no exception.

But what if you want a watch that will survive a trip in the shower? What if you want it to last more than a single day on a charge? What if you want to use any 22mm watch band you find to change out the look? What if you have an Android device instead of iOS? What if you want it to be round instead of square?

You guessed it, Pebble Time is the answer to all of these questions. Plus, the highest-end Pebble is $100 less than the lowest-end Apple Watch.

See more: Gift This, Not That: The Tech And Science Gifts You Should (And Shouldn't) Give This Holiday Season

The always-on color eInk screen of the Pebble Time provides a more consistent user experience (not to mention run time that measures in days rather than hours). I appreciate that I can just glance down at my wrist to check the time, rather than having to make a production to wake up my watch. The Pebble app store is robust, giving me tons of options for everything from sleep tracking to video games. And really, the only big advantage that the Apple Watch had over Pebble on iOS, that Apple Watch alone could take voice commands, is being chipped away with Pebble's latest beta release.

I purchased a Pebble Classic last year when the Apple Watch was announced. I wanted to see if a smart watch made sense in my daily life. It was the device I bought to quell my "just announced, but not released" Apple tech twitchiness. Turns out, I liked the Pebble so much, I never even bothered pre-ordering the Watch. Its low-end chic has gotten the attention of everyone from non-technophiles to Apple Watch-wearing Genius Bar employees. Now instead of saving pennies for an Apple Watch purchase, I'm eyeing an upgrade to a Time or a Round (and I'll still have plenty of cash left over).

Ready to give a smart watch that's also smart for your wallet? Hop over to Pebble and take a look.

Gift This, Not That: Forbes Tech and Science contributors share their expertise and opinions on the very best (or not so great) gifts for your holiday bucks in this ongoing series.

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