The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Traditional arrive on July 25, and Samsung has its trademark trade-in offers with enhanced credit score to tempt long-time followers into upgrading. However ought to you improve to the Galaxy Watch 8, or must you maintain off for the Galaxy Watch 9?
As the one who reviewed the Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Traditional, owns the Galaxy Watch 7, reviewed the first-gen Galaxy Watch Extremely, and is at present testing the Galaxy Watch 8 Traditional, I really feel greater than certified to reply the query!
I will discuss in regards to the polarizing Extremely-fication of the Watch 8 lineup, one thing my colleague Andrew mentioned in his Galaxy Watch 8 hands-on. However no matter your tastes, upgraded specs and new Samsung Well being options ought to matter simply as a lot as design.
Here is the gist, should you’re in a rush: Galaxy Watch 7 homeowners have just one tentative cause to improve, however with a Galaxy Watch 6 (Traditional) or older, you have to be critically tempted.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is not as totally different because it seems to be
In case you examine the Galaxy Watch 8 vs. 7, it is instantly obvious how related they’re. They share the 3nm Exynos W1000 chip, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, dual-band GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity requirements, and the most recent BioActive Sensor suite with further HR LEDs.
In case you’re switching from the Watch 6 to the Watch 8, nonetheless, you do get a quicker, extra battery-efficient processor, dual-band GPS, extra correct well being sensors with extra knowledge, quicker charging, and doubled storage. Barely extra tempting, proper?
Samsung barely switched up its show sizes with the Watch 8: It measures 1.34 and 1.47 inches as a substitute of 1.3 and 1.5, with a 326 pixels-per-inch ratio that is proper within the typical ballpark. I doubt most individuals will discover that the show is totally different from earlier years, other than the additional brightness.
The Galaxy Watch 8 is 1.1mm skinnier than the Watch 7, or 2mm thinner than the Watch 8 Traditional. So even when it seems to be thick in pictures, it is the other as a result of Samsung redesigned its internals to shrink issues down.
The pictures above and under present what the Galaxy Watch 8 seems to be like in individual. Lively-style Galaxy Watches have circumstances that hug the show edge so it seems like one seamless bundle; now, the bezelless show seems to be extra remoted and elevated, and the squircle aluminum case stands out extra.
Personally, I’ve all the time discovered Galaxy Watches to be comfy and purposeful, however pretty boring and much from a “regular” watch look. So I do not thoughts the Galaxy Watch 8 design experiment, as a result of it switches issues up after years of monotonous repetition.
Each the Watch 8 and seven look synthetic; the newer mannequin simply leans into this a bit extra. Samsung superfans may dislike it, however since this squircle redesign might be right here to remain, it’s possible you’ll wish to attempt it out and see should you prefer it in individual.
My colleague Andrew prefers the Watch 8 Traditional look extra and would not thoughts heavier watches, however he admitted that the Watch 8 is mild sufficient to “neglect” you are sporting it. With the default band connected, the Watch 8 40mm and 44mm will solely weigh about 52–56g, very cheap and comfy for a smartwatch.
No different smartwatch seems to be just like the Galaxy Watch 8 Traditional (besides the Extremely)
Galaxy Watch 6 Traditional homeowners might really feel conflicted in regards to the Watch 8 Traditional look, as a result of the Extremely stylish runs immediately counter to the concept of a “traditional” smartwatch design. However should you’re strictly shopping for for the rotating bezel paired with two generations of upgrades, the Watch 8 Traditional suits the invoice properly.
The place the Watch 8 show seems to be bare above the square-ish case, the Watch 8 Traditional fills that hole with the zero-to-sixty scale border and the rotating bezel. Out of your top-down perspective sporting it, the Watch 8 Traditional seems to be fashionable and would not appear “unnatural.”
To others, nonetheless, its flat sides might look cumbersome, calling consideration to the truth that it is a smartwatch.
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You could be rightly involved that the additional metal casing makes the Watch 8 Traditional overly heavy. In follow, each my Watch 8 Traditional 46mm and Watch 6 Traditional 47mm weigh 86g or 3oz. And the newer mannequin is 0.3mm thinner, although you may barely inform the distinction in individual.
The majority does have an effect, as a result of Samsung gave its Watch 8 Traditional a smaller 1.34-inch show; there is no 1.5-inch choice this time as a result of (presumably) it will be manner too heavy. You will have to simply accept that visible downgrade, although you get an additional 1,000 nits of brightness, the Fast Button, 64GB of storage, and the opposite Watch 8 upgrades as comfort.
It is clear that Samsung made the Traditional a extra inexpensive spin-off of the Extremely, with out the advantage of an additional day of battery life. It is too heavy for informal smartwatch followers, however these prepared to put on a heavier watch may need the Extremely, or a less expensive, long-lasting choice just like the OnePlus Watch 3.
In the end, long-time Traditional followers should settle for these adjustments for the rotating bezel, which feels simply as seamless and pure to make use of because it did with the Watch 6 Traditional.
Your Watch 8 improve resolution will come all the way down to Samsung Well being
The Galaxy Watch 8 launches with Put on OS 6 working One UI 8 Watch, with main new well being metrics: carotene ranges on your Antioxidant Index, coronary heart well being with Vascular Load, personalised coaching plans with Working Coach, and circadian rhythm for Bedtime Steering.
I assumed that as a result of the Watch 8 and seven share the identical well being sensor suite, the Watch 7 would monitor all of this knowledge as soon as it obtained the replace in a number of months. I should not have assumed!
Samsung’s weblog submit footnotes warn that Vascular Load and Antioxidant Index can be “solely obtainable with the Galaxy Watch Extremely or later launched Galaxy Watch sequence,” though the Extremely (2024) and Watch 7 got here out the identical yr with the identical sensors. Oddly, the Working Coach is locked to the Watch 7 and up.
Samsung knew Extremely clients would count on to get each function, however will need to have determined that tantalizing Galaxy Watch 7 clients with function FOMO was truthful recreation. It feels a bit cynical to lock options on a tool that is only a yr previous to push folks to improve.
As for older Galaxy Watch homeowners, these options (and the AGEs Index launched final yr) require the most recent BioSensor to work, so that you’d need to improve regardless.
So, are these instruments helpful sufficient to justify an improve? To me, it depends upon whether or not these options are correct sufficient to dwell as much as Samsung’s hype, and that is one thing I will be testing and posting about on Android Central over the following couple of weeks. Hopefully, I could make your resolution simpler earlier than the twenty fifth.
Must you improve to the Galaxy Watch 8 or Watch 8 Traditional?
You probably have a Galaxy Watch 4 or 4 Traditional, I applaud you on your persistence, however since they’re about to expire of software program assist, you actually ought to improve whereas Samsung is giving further trade-in worth for them.
Galaxy Watch 5 fashions have thick-bordered, dim shows and are two generations behind on Exynos chips with much less RAM. It isn’t completely outdated but, however I would take the $150 in trade-in credit score from Samsung to swap.
Watch 5 Professional or Watch 6 Traditional homeowners can get $250 in trade-in credit score for a Watch 8 Traditional or Watch Extremely (2025), which makes the acquisition barely much less painful.
You probably have a Galaxy Watch 6 or (particularly) 7, you may maintain out on upgrading to the Watch 8 should you’re hoping this design is a one-and-done. I am skeptical, but it surely’ll rely on whether or not this era fails to show round Samsung’s declining smartwatch gross sales.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is prone to be the finest Android smartwatch for Galaxy telephone homeowners, with all of the perks you liked within the Watch 7, now with Gemini instructions and further well being, sleep, and dietary steering added into the Samsung Well being app. And with a Samsung trade-in deal, you need to use your previous Galaxy Watch to make the improve extra inexpensive.
