This is the tech product I’m most excited for this year

We have already seen Galaxy S26 series and Pixel 10a more to come this year. We’ll see the Pixel 11, OnePlus 16, and the usual cadence of tablets and high-end buds.

While these are all fantastic devices, they don’t excite me at all. Annual upgrades have been so minimal that if your current phone or watch is less than three years old—and in many cases even more—there’s almost no reason to switch. My current electronics lineup is brand new and I have no intention of dropping $1,000 on a new plate of glass just for a 10% faster processor and a slightly better telephoto lens. I also have no plans to buy a new tablet, headphones or laptop this year.

However, for 2026, there is one device ready to take out the wallet: Garmin Circle.

I’m currently wearing a Garmin Forerunner 745. It’s a workhorse that accurately tracks my steps, runs, sleep, heart rate, and stress. But my relationship with him has changed. I stopped using it as a smartwatch and started using it as a data provider.

I rely on features such as Case battery more than ever to optimize my health. But I have to wear this relatively large sports watch 24/7 to get accurate information. It’s not comfortable at night, it looks out of place with a suit or a nice dinner dress, and frankly, I’m tired of having another screen demanding my attention.

What I really want is the Whoop experience — a screen-free, distraction-free, and disappearing band on the wrist — but I have two major gripes with this particular product.

• Subscription: I absolutely hate the hardware-as-a-service model. Whoop actually rents you their data. Years of use add up to a big bill.
• Ecosystem: I’ve spent years in the Garmin Connect ecosystem. Moving to a new system means losing my historical biases and learning a whole new data language. I prefer to stick with what I know and what I’m used to.

The good news is that Garmin’s upcoming device will solve both of these problems for me.

Circa is Garmin’s direct answer to the Woop. According to recent leaks We know from Garmin’s own regional websites that it’s a smartwatch (not a watch), which hints at a near-screenless design. It will reportedly come in two sizes (S/M and L/XL) and two colors: black and modern French grey.

Here’s why I should buy it:

• One time purchase: Garmin has historically not paid for its metrics. If Jirga follows the Garmin tradition, I’ll buy the device once and have my data forever.
• Without distraction: No notifications, no glowing screen in bed, no “motion” alert on my wrist. I’ll check my phone stats once or twice a day and then go back to living my life.
• Fashion factor: It’s subtle enough to hide under a shirt and chic enough to wear with almost any outfit.

Granted, there are a few Whoop competitors that don’t require a subscription, though none of them stand out to Garmin loyalists like me. The Amazfit Helio strap eg is a popular choice. For $100, it’s a steal, but our reviews noted a few issues. Battery life, while a decent 10 days, is still far below what the Whoop offers. And anyway, I’ve had bad experiences with Amazfit smartwatches in the past, so I’d rather stay away from the brand. There are others, like the Polar Loop, that I don’t find as compelling as Garmin’s upcoming smart band.

The Garmin Circa hasn’t been officially announced yet, but since leaks appeared in late January, it’s likely to go on sale in May or June. This is the first time in years that I’ve been excited about a wearable — not because it does more, but because it does what I need it to do with less.