Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch Review: Full Specification, Review & Price, Pros/Cons

Samsung Galaxy Smart Watch

Summary

Due to its useful fitness tracking and four-day battery life, the Galaxy Watch is Samsung's most refined smartwatch–if you opt for the larger 46 mm size we liked and recommend. All this is packed inside a sophisticated-looking silver-and-black circular smartwatch with a rotating bezel to navigate the menu effortlessly. Be warned that third-party apps are missing, and if you're using an iPhone, your iOS support is limited. It's best for fans of Samsung.

Pros	Cons
Impressive battery life of 4 days	Wireless charger proprietary
Excellent smartwatch core software	Bixby again proved terrible
Rotating lunar cycles by UI	Google Maps, WhatsApp and FB Messenger not available
Looks like a genuine wrist watch

Updates

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is now official, and we hope to have a full review of Samsung's latest smartwatch in the weeks ahead. It's smaller and comes with features less than the Galaxy Watch, but it's a bit cheaper as well.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch, thanks to its aesthetically pleasing design, cohesive user interface and, most importantly, four-day battery life, is one of the most refined smartwatches you can buy now.

The Apple Watch 4 isn't everything–for better and worse. Let's begin with the better. With a circular stainless steel case and decorative bezel, the Galaxy Watch looks and feels like a high-end wristwatch. It's both stylish and functional because the bezel rotates through its various on-screen menus like the previous Gear S3.

This is the most satisfying way a smartwatch can be navigated. Your fingers will not hide the small, hard-to-precisely-target touchscreen of the watch (an issue with any smartwatch), and the rotating bezel is an idea exclusive to the newer watches of Samsung.

                         

You will not find rotating bezels supported by Google's Wear OS, while Apple's watchOS uses a side-by-side, less intuitive, rotating digital crown. This is one of two reasons why Samsung's Tizen software is run by the Galaxy Watch, not by Wear OS.

The Tizen operating system's other reason is the battery life. We found that over our two months of testing, the larger 46 mm Galaxy Watch lasted a solid four days with normal use. We checked messages, collected constant notifications, tracked workouts, played Spotify, and spoke to Bixby, the mostly terrible AI of Samsung. Samsung says it takes three days to watch the smaller 42 mm Galaxy.

The big difference between the Galaxy Watch and the Gear S3, apart from an extra battery day, is that thanks to additional sensors and a revamped Samsung Health app, it's more fitness-focused. It auto-detects six out of (an expanded) 39 exercises–and still helpfully nudges you when you're too sedentary, with a precise sleep tracker. It's also waterproof down to 50 meters now, in a more adult design, matching the Gear S3 Sport 5ATM rating.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch is the never-before Samsung Gear S4. It's an iterative update, adding fitness software, new sensors, and extra waterproofing to all we liked in last year's Gear Sport and the Gear S3 before that.

Before we get started properly, it's worth noting that if you're looking for a fitness-led device you might want to wait a couple of weeks as there are rumors of a Samsung Galaxy Sport watch that might be more suitable for you.

Release Date and Price

• Now in the United States, UK and Australia
• Rose Gold or Midnight Black watch from 42 mm costs $ 329/ £ 279
• 46 mm Silver watch costs $ 349/ £ 299, lower than Gear S3 when it starts
• LTE version exists in the United Kingdom but with more options in the United States

In fact, it's cheaper than the launch of the Gear S3 if you choose the smaller size. It starts at $329/GBP279/AU$499 for the 42 mm version, and $349/GBP299/AU$549 for the 46 mm size we recommend.  The Gear S3 cost $349/ £ 349 (around AU$475) when it first came out and only came in one size.

It's only available in Australia with Telstra. You can now purchase the watch's LTE version in the UK, but it is exclusive to the EE. It costs £ 20 per month for your smartphone data allowance over the course of 24 months with unlimited data as well as 1 GB extra internet.

Sizes and design

• Looks like a real wrist watch in comparison with Apple Watch
• The larger size of our 46 mm wrists looks great
• Circular screen and rotating lunette make it elegant, functional and durable
• The screen takes half a second to refresh the time and statistics every time you wake up

The Galaxy Watch comes in two sizes: the larger 46 mm in a two-tone silver-and-black color scheme, and the smaller 42 mm size in either Midnight Black or Rose Gold straight-up. We tried both sizes and recommend the 46 mm version for its bigger battery and bigger touchscreen–if you don't mind a slightly bigger watch, it looks just fine on medium-sized wrists.

It's more of a fashion statement than the understated Apple Watch–even with Apple Watch 4 being more screen-focused. Samsung's watch is big, circular, and intended to look like a wrist watch. When wearing it out we received compliments for its design; there was a lot of surprise that it was a smartwatch in a sea of people wearing the Apple Watch. It stands out.

                                                  

When it comes to the case colors, there is less variety and included straps. The 46 mm silver-and-black watch has three options for the strap: Onyx Black, Deep Ocean Blue, and Basalt Grey. The smaller 42 mm black or rose gold watch has more variety of 20 mm strap: Onyx Black, Lunar Grey, Terracotta Red, Lime Yellow, Cosmo Purple, Pink Beige, Cloud Grey, and Natural Brown. Samsung sells extra straps, and if you want to change your style from day to day, any interchangeable 22 mm or 20 mm will work.

Another characteristic is the ornate and functional rotating bezel: it makes the Samsung Galaxy Watch durable. Take it from us–more than once we broke the exposed glass screen for Apple Watch. According to Samsung, there is protection for the screen here, with durability of military grade and Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ preventing the display from getting scratched.

For its helpful sleep tracking capabilities, you'll want to wear this watch to bed, but be warned: leaving your wrist strapped all night is big and cumbersome. The version of 46 mm is an ever-present 63 g and can feel like a rock tied to your wrist. This is the one (and only) area where the 42 mm version, which weighs 49 g, will give you a better shape.