This time around, during our Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series Hands-on, we checked out two models for users to choose from: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Both of which, has received a major revamp in the looks and finish department – which is a good thing but in terms of hardware, Samsung is still using the same ones as its predecessor, however, have added software improvements which make these wearables better and features like these to be made available on the last generation via an update too.
If you want to read about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, click here and about the Z Fold 7, click here.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series Hands-On
Let’s start with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
What was once known as the “Active” smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 brings decent improvements to the table. For starters, this design is going to be: “You either love it or hate it.” The rather industrial-looking finish is going to be a bit of a question for users who want to get this – the case appears to be in a square-ish dimension, but the watch face and the outer rim of the wearable is circular. To be frank, it looks like the Ultra case and the Watch 7 mashed together.
However, in terms of thickness – the Watch 8 is now 8.6mm thick, compared to the 9.7mm we saw with the Watch 7. The straps however has been improved, and now we get the Dynamic Lug System, which is the same as the Ultra – which also means, no support for third party straps.
It still retains the same BioActive Sensor and does not get the BioActive2 we saw with the Ultra, unfortunately. The battery has been increased to 8% more and the display touts a 3000 nits brightness with dual-GPS support. The Watch 8 will come in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm and two colours to choose from: Graphite and Silver.
Talking about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
It’s back this year once again and this happens to be my favourite smartwatch of all time. Because the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic does a better job in mimicking the looks of what a prim-and-proper horologie is all about. That said, the Galaxy Watch 8 Class will only be available in a 46mm variant and two colours to choose from: Black and White.
For the hardware, you are looking precisely the same as the Watch 8 – the same sensor, battery capacity, dual gps support, slightly bigger battery and a 3nm Processor powering the watches. But due to the Classic finish, it does not use the Dynamic Lug system and retains the same pin based strap – and you can use a different 3rd party strap to spice up the looks of this watch.
It share the same case look – a more square-ish finish with a circular display but on the Classic, the rotatable bezel is back with nice grooves to hold on to – and better yet, the clicky satisfying rotatable mechanism always gets me happy. Apart from the 2-button setup we saw with the Watch 8, the Watch 8 Classic shares the same number of buttons and the layout as the Ultra – which is three.
Apart from the hardware, Samsung amped the software part of it better.
The software side of things
With all the AI features, and that includes both Samsung’s own and Google’s Gemini, there are more health centric features to keep users active and aware of their health situation. For starters, the Watch 8 has a 12-minute run feature, which helps with finding out all the necessary information required to find out about your body status – which is a first and then provides a better guidance on how you can improve your ability to do things.
Then you have features like Bedtime Guidance, which does a 3-day Sleep Analysis and gives you the optimal bedtimes and wakeup times, Vascular Load, Running Coach, which does all the running level analysis, personalized coaching and feedback which plays hand in hand with the 12-minute test run feature and finally, with Samsung Labs, they have a new experimental feature called Antioxidant Index which finds the level of Carotenoids in your body.
These are great features, which is what the tech-inclined side of me says and then there’s the medical professional side of me that says, these need to be tested. So, until then, we got to stay tuned and see how this really turns out.
There’s the Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)…
But there’s nothing much to rave about but the improved storage, from 32GB to 64GB, a new colour and pretty much the same as the previous generation.
As for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series Pricing
Here’s what you can expect about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series Pricing:
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