Brand | Samsung |
---|---|
Warranty | 12 months |
Release date | 24-August-2018 |
Size | 4.6 x 4.6 x 1.3 cm (1.8 x 1.8 x 0.5 in) |
Weight |
63 grams (2.22 ounces) |
It's been more than 2 years since Samsung released an update to its popular smartwatch series. Their latest update is more of an incremental improvement to their already-proven formula. But is it worth buying? Reviewers are weighing in, let's see what they're saying.
While some smartwatches look like tiny phones you wear on your wrist, the Samsung Galaxy Watch looks like a real watch. It features a round display, a stainless steel case, and 20mm rubber wrist straps to hold it snugly on your wrist.
Reviewers found little to complain about regarding design and comfort. They loved the weight and size of the watch.
If you're planning to use it as a fitness tracker, the watch is IP68 and 5ATM water-resistance rating. This means you can take it just about anywhere without worry.
The watch continues to use the rotating bezel for controls alongside a touchscreen and side buttons. Reviewers found the controls intuitive and responsive. Overall, they loved using the watch.
The watch comes in two sizes -- 1.2-inch (42mm) or 1.3-inch (46mm) 360-by-360 pixel Super AMOLED screens with a Gorilla Glass DX+ "uncrackable" treatment.
Reviewers loved the contrast offered by the display. While you won't use the watch to view movies or the like, the bright screen and crisp text made reading the various features and apps easy -- even with a quick glance.
Touch response was also good though you'll do most of your navigating of the various menus using the rotating bezel ring.
Samsung upgraded the processor from previous generations, using a 1.15Ghz dual-core Exynos processor.
Depending on the exact features you want in your watch, you'll also find 768MB or 1.5GB of RAM.
All Samsung Galaxy Watches include 4GB of internal storage to store songs or install apps for use on the go.
Instead of Google's WearOS, the watch runs Samsung's Tizen. Reviewers loved the interface and found the software snappy and easy to use.
While the watch offers compatibility for both iOS and Android phones, you'll get access to the most features and integrations if you own a high-end Samsung phone. However, whether pairing through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, reviewers had few problems maintaining a connection between their phone and their watch.
App support is the biggest problem with Tizen. There's simply not much to choose from on their store as the phone can't run Apple or Android apps.
Pickr summed up opinions well, saying, "... the app store for the Galaxy Watch just feels like it needs more."
Samsung includes virtually any sensor or connectivity option you might want.
There's Bluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi for connecting to your phone, making payments, or transferring information.
Optional 4G LTE connectivity allows you to stay connected without the need for a phone.
The heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, ambient light sensor, and GPS/GLONASS offer everything you might need for fitness tracking, mobile navigation, and other uses.
While reviewers found the automatic fitness tracking hit or miss on activity detection, they noted that sleep tracking, manual fitness tracking, and heart rate measurements appeared accurate.
If you're looking for the best battery life, the model you choose will have a huge impact on your experience.
The smaller 42mm model includes a 270mAh battery good for one to two days of use with a single charge.
Upgrading to the 46mm model brings a 472mAh battery. Most reviewers saw 4 days or more of use from a single charge when using 4G access sparingly.
Pickr says, "... if you're using a wearable just as a daily thing, to send you notifications, to pick up calls on it, and to track the odd quick walk or so, you'll find an impressive work week watch of battery life here."
Both use wireless charging which is convenient but slow. Expect a full charge to take a few hours.
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The sheer amount of features crammed into the watch impressed reviewers. However, they worried the watch offered more features -- and more cost -- than the average person might want to deal with.
GadgetByte summed up opinions well, saying, "The design is great, the display is great, some functions are very useful. But, like I said, it does things, most of us won't even use. The comprehensive health and fitness features are great, but there are fitness bands for cheaper that can get the job done. As for other things, we use our phones anyway."
Frankly, if you don’t mind a great wearable with excellent battery life that has a lot of unrealised potential, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch is a great choice. There’s a lot this thing can do, and it has the battery life to get it there. Now we just need more developers to get behind it. Get cracking, Samsung.
Frankly, if you don’t mind a great wearable with excellent battery life that has a lot of unrealised potential, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch is a great choice. There’s a lot this thing can do, and it has the battery life to get it there. Now we just need more developers to get behind it. Get cracking, Samsung.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch feels more like a luxury, not a necessity. So, this is a watch that’s really smart, but right now…it’s ahead of its time.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch feels more like a luxury, not a necessity. So, this is a watch that’s really smart, but right now…it’s ahead of its time.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Watch improves on the Gear S3 in every conceivable way. Battery life, in particular, is stellar and the watch also fills adds the only significant hole in the Gear S3’s feature set – swim tracking. Bar a few annoying bugs, there’s very little reason not to buy the Galaxy Watch. It’s excellent.
Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Watch improves on the Gear S3 in every conceivable way. Battery life, in particular, is stellar and the watch also fills adds the only significant hole in the Gear S3’s feature set – swim tracking. Bar a few annoying bugs, there’s very little reason not to buy the Galaxy Watch. It’s excellent.
It manages to do a little bit of everything, and does it all well. Battery life is the strongest weapon in its arsenal, and other smartwatch companies need to work on this to make life better for the consumer. That said, there are a few things that don't work in favour of the Galaxy Watch. The...More
It manages to do a little bit of everything, and does it all well. Battery life is the strongest weapon in its arsenal, and other smartwatch companies need to work on this to make life better for the consumer. That said, there are a few things that don't work in favour of the Galaxy Watch. The Tizen Wearable OS that it is running on has limited app support and users will most likely not find the apps they are looking for, compared to a Wear OS device or an Apple Watch. The second stumbling block is the price.
Read full reviewIt is intuitive and easy to use, with a thoroughly impressive suite of health and fitness tracking skills and a fantastic display. While it might look a little out of place on the most petite wrists and is a little pricey, it is still undeniably one of the best products we have seen to date in this category.
It is intuitive and easy to use, with a thoroughly impressive suite of health and fitness tracking skills and a fantastic display. While it might look a little out of place on the most petite wrists and is a little pricey, it is still undeniably one of the best products we have seen to date in this category.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch is a smartwatch that lasts 4 days on regular use, tracks all your activities with great accuracy and delivers smooth operation. It is a worthy upgrade for anyone who wants an Android-compatible smartwatch with great battery life and the looks of an actual wristwatch.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch is a smartwatch that lasts 4 days on regular use, tracks all your activities with great accuracy and delivers smooth operation. It is a worthy upgrade for anyone who wants an Android-compatible smartwatch with great battery life and the looks of an actual wristwatch.
In short, it can get you through a decent business trip, not make you look like a complete geek, and work with just about any phone you throw it at. Mostly. On the downside, though, Samsung has packaged up a lot of what was already on the market and put it into a more expensive smartwatch. Some t...More
In short, it can get you through a decent business trip, not make you look like a complete geek, and work with just about any phone you throw it at. Mostly. On the downside, though, Samsung has packaged up a lot of what was already on the market and put it into a more expensive smartwatch. Some things are genuinely new – including Bixby in the watch, and a dual-core processor – but other things are old news. Fitness tracking is everyone’s game at the moment, and Samsung’s version of it is unremarkable.
Read full reviewSamsung's Galaxy Watch has an arguably superior design to Apple's Watch Series 4. Battery life is good, it's fully waterproof and you can get hundreds of watch faces for it. Samsung has improved its software and enhanced its fitness tracking. Spotify premium users can load Spotify playlists on...More
Samsung's Galaxy Watch has an arguably superior design to Apple's Watch Series 4. Battery life is good, it's fully waterproof and you can get hundreds of watch faces for it. Samsung has improved its software and enhanced its fitness tracking. Spotify premium users can load Spotify playlists on the watch. And it works with iPhones and Android phones.
But it isn't quite the smartwatch for everyone. iPhone users, for instance, would still be better off with a last-gen Apple Watch, while serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts will be probably served better by other brands. For the rest of us – who may be looking for a high-tech lifestyle acc...More
But it isn't quite the smartwatch for everyone. iPhone users, for instance, would still be better off with a last-gen Apple Watch, while serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts will be probably served better by other brands. For the rest of us – who may be looking for a high-tech lifestyle accessory blending style, function, and self-expression – the Galaxy Watch would be a great choice.
The style is premium but versatile, and you get all the essential features of a smartwatch in high-end form.
The style is premium but versatile, and you get all the essential features of a smartwatch in high-end form.
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