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 that reviewed the Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Traditional, owns the Galaxy Watch 7, reviewed the first-gen Galaxy Watch Extremely, and is presently testing the Galaxy Watch 8 Traditional, I really feel greater than certified to reply the query!
I am going to 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.
This is the gist, when you’re in a rush: Galaxy Watch 7 homeowners have just one tentative purpose to improve, however with a Galaxy Watch 6 (Traditional) or older, you have to be severely tempted.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is not as totally different because it appears
In case you examine the Galaxy Watch 8 vs. 7, it is instantly obvious how comparable 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 newest BioActive Sensor suite with additional 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 information, 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, apart from 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 appears thick in pictures, it is the alternative as a result of Samsung redesigned its internals to shrink issues down.
The pictures above and beneath present what the Galaxy Watch 8 appears like in individual. Lively-style Galaxy Watches have circumstances that hug the show edge so it appears like one seamless bundle; now, the bezelless show appears extra remoted and elevated, and the squircle aluminum case stands out extra.
Personally, I’ve at all times discovered Galaxy Watches to be snug and practical, 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, chances are you’ll wish to strive it out and see when 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 “overlook” you are sporting it. With the default band hooked up, the Watch 8 40mm and 44mm will solely weigh about 52–56g, very affordable and comfy for a smartwatch.
No different smartwatch appears just like the Galaxy Watch 8 Traditional (besides the Extremely)
Galaxy Watch 6 Traditional homeowners could 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 when you’re strictly shopping for for the rotating bezel paired with two generations of upgrades, the Watch 8 Traditional matches the invoice properly.
The place the Watch 8 show appears 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 appears trendy and would not appear “unnatural.”
To others, nonetheless, its flat sides could look cumbersome, calling consideration to the truth that it is a smartwatch.
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Chances are you’ll be rightly involved that the additional metal casing makes the Watch 8 Traditional overly heavy. In observe, 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’ll be able to 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 possibility this time as a result of (presumably) it will be approach 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 reasonably priced spin-off of the Extremely, with out the good thing about 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 possibility just like the OnePlus Watch 3.
In the end, long-time Traditional followers must 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 determination 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 to 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 observe all of this information as soon as it received the replace in a number of months. I should not have assumed!
Samsung’s weblog put up footnotes warn that Vascular Load and Antioxidant Index will probably be “solely accessible with the Galaxy Watch Extremely or later launched Galaxy Watch sequence,” regardless that the Extremely (2024) and Watch 7 got here out the identical 12 months 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 12 months outdated to push folks to improve.
As for older Galaxy Watch homeowners, these options (and the AGEs Index launched final 12 months) require the newest BioSensor to work, so that you’d should improve regardless.
So, are these instruments helpful sufficient to justify an improve? To me, it will depend on whether or not these options are correct sufficient to reside as much as Samsung’s hype, and that is one thing I will be testing and posting about on Android Central over the subsequent couple of weeks. Hopefully, I could make your determination simpler earlier than the twenty fifth.
Do you have to improve to the Galaxy Watch 8 or Watch 8 Traditional?
In case you have a Galaxy Watch 4 or 4 Traditional, I applaud you to your endurance, however since they’re about to expire of software program help, you actually ought to improve whereas Samsung is giving additional 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 is not 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.
In case you have a Galaxy Watch 6 or (particularly) 7, you’ll be able to maintain out on upgrading to the Watch 8 when you’re hoping this design is a one-and-done. I am skeptical, but it surely’ll rely upon 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 more likely to be the greatest 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 steerage added into the Samsung Well being app. And with a Samsung trade-in deal, you need to use your outdated Galaxy Watch to make the improve extra reasonably priced.
