Galaxy Watch 8: My first days with Samsung's smartwatch have been promising
Samsung introduced its latest gadgets throughout its Galaxy Unpacked occasion on July 9. That occurred to fall on the second day of Amazon’s Prime Day occasion. Do massive tech firms not know what the others are doing? Do they care? Do they like making the lives of tech reporters troublesome? I didn’t have time to contemplate. Solely once I was finished protecting Amazon did I’ve time to start correctly testing Samsung’s newest wearable. Meaning I’ve been residing with the Galaxy Watch 8 for 4 days now.
Whereas that’s not sufficient time to finish a complete overview and tally a good rating, I used to be capable of collect a superb quantity of first impressions — and let me inform you, they’re almost all constructive. I’ll proceed to guage the watch over the subsequent few weeks or so and return for a last evaluation. Within the meantime, there’s rather a lot to say concerning the expertise thus far.
Samsung packed loads of updates into its newest smartwatch, by way of each {hardware} and software program. However I put further effort into testing one characteristic particularly — and it’s one of many extra attention-grabbing.
Antioxidant checks and my persimmon consumption
The Galaxy Watch 8 has the identical processor and sensors because the earlier era, nevertheless it’s utilizing these to detect a brand new metric: antioxidant ranges. You need to take the watch off and maintain your thumb on the sensor node for 5 seconds to get a studying and also you’ll must confer with the Well being app in your telephone for detailed outcomes. The primary time I examined, I acquired a rating of 60, which falls proper in the midst of the “low” section of the dimensions. The one different outcomes are “very low” and “ample,” which is able to absolutely be a disappointment to the over-achievers on the market.
The Well being app advised I “strive consuming one (100g) persimmon in the present day.” When my grandmother was alive, she made persimmon cookies each Christmas and the final time she did so was additionally the final time I considered that fruit. Contemplating South Korea is likely one of the world’s largest persimmon producers, it’d make sense {that a} Samsung system advised them. The produce man at my native grocery retailer mentioned they solely carry them across the holidays (little doubt as a result of grandmas insist, plus that’s once they’re in season).
Seems persimmons are excessive in antioxidants comparable to Vitamin C and beta-carotine (Vitamin A). Cantaloupe additionally has these vitamins — plus it’s orange like persimmons — so I purchased one. In actual fact, I went arduous on the antioxidants and did all the things I might to see if I might get a greater rating. I ate a bunch of cherries and slightly darkish chocolate. For breakfast, I had half a cantaloupe as a substitute of the very tasty-smelling breakfast hash my husband made, and I drank plain inexperienced tea as a substitute of my typical oat matcha latte. I did yoga and went to my month-to-month medical therapeutic massage appointment (stress is claimed to extend oxidant ranges). I acquired eight hours of sleep and drank my weight in water. I felt prepared.
So I took the check once more and my antioxidant ranges have been… two factors decrease. Sigh. I wasn’t anticipating in a single day transformation, however I’d hoped for slightly enchancment. Subsequent time, I’m consuming the hash.
Lastly, a brand new design!
Since its fourth era, the Galaxy Watch has seemed just about the identical: a spherical glass display screen set in a spherical steel case with massive prongs coming out of the highest and backside to carry the band. Whereas there was nothing fallacious with sticking with a superb design, giving a tool a refreshed look lends the yearly replace cycle some that means — as a substitute of feeling like an compulsory transfer to appease stockholders.
This time round, the Galaxy Watch 8 seems markedly totally different due to a form borrowed from final yr’s Extremely mannequin. Samsung calls it a “cushion design” — a round glass show set atop an aluminum case that appears like a roundish sq. (or squircle as our personal Cherlynn Low calls it). The Sport band on my overview mannequin curves to satisfy the width of the case, making a easy arch that I believe is extra refined than the clunkier pronged configuration. In actual fact, your entire look is elegant — far more so than the Apple Watch, which seems like a miniaturized iPhone 11 glued to a silicone strap.
The cushion design is nice in a technique, but additionally worrisome. As a result of the glass show stands happy with the case by a minimum of two millimeters, my first thought was: “I’m going to trash this display screen.” Instantly after taking the be careful of the field, I ordered display screen shields and, in the course of the brief course of this overview, managed to crack one. That’s presumably as a result of I used to be low cost and ordered off-brand display screen protectors, or maybe the protruding glass cushion is solely begging for misfortune.
Nevertheless, the raised glass solves one criticism I had with the Galaxy Watch 7. One technique to scroll is by operating your finger alongside the outer fringe of the display screen. In actual fact, on-screen cues recommend that gesture when there’s extra content material to view. On the Watch 7, my finger was at all times getting in the way in which of the textual content I needed to learn. Now that the show is elevated, there’s room for my finger to journey additional out alongside the periphery and keep out of the way in which.
Look apart, my favourite {hardware} replace is how far more snug the watch is. The Watch 7’s underside had a large sensor node, and it took me per week to get used to the texture. Even then, I hated sleeping with it. The Watch 8, nonetheless, felt good the primary time I put it on.
Gemini in your wrist and Put on OS 6
The Galaxy Watch 8 is the primary smartwatch to ship with Google’s Put on OS 6, although Samsung overlays it with its personal One UI interface. The headline characteristic for the brand new software program is Gemini integration. Now, most issues you are able to do with the Gemini app in your telephone could be finished by means of your watch. Simply word that you just’ll must have your Gemini-compatible telephone close by to make use of it.
Google’s AI was fairly snappy at primary duties like setting reminders and timers. Requests that required extra “thought” took solely marginally longer (and accomplished extra shortly once I was utilizing my dwelling Wi-Fi versus counting on cell alerts out on this planet). I requested for one of the best document shops in my metropolis and a superb place to eat lunch. I used to be pleasantly stunned to listen to of a new-to-me reply for every class. The document retailer turned out to be two bins of LPs inside a e book store, however nonetheless, I hadn’t heard of it earlier than. I requested why my eight-year-old talked about lava rooster on a regular basis and was accurately knowledgeable about Jack Black and A Minecraft Film.
The assistant shows solutions in textual content type on the watch display screen and in addition reads out each phrase. That may flip into loads of speaking, however tapping the display screen stops the chatter in the event you desire to learn. Gemini can deal with follow-up questions and duties, however because it doesn’t often hold listening after it speaks, you need to faucet the mic icon to make your subsequent request.
I reached out to Samsung to ask if I might change a setting to make Gemini hold listening, however there is not one at the moment. For now, you will must faucet or say “OK Google” once more for followups like, “Add that to my Google Preserve” or “Remind me about that.” If Gemini asks you a query, nonetheless, comparable to verifying a textual content it’s about to ship, it does hold listening for the reply. You may also mix instructions on the outset, comparable to asking to lookup an handle and textual content it to somebody.
I requested some pretty particular duties and didn’t hit any snags. I requested it to textual content the handle of an area restaurant to my husband and it verified which location I needed then despatched the message. I requested when the Albuquerque Isotopes have been enjoying the Sacramento River Cats and it gave me the upcoming dates. I tapped the mic and mentioned, “add that to my calendar,” which it did.
It solely let me down twice. After I requested whether or not it was going to rain, it simply learn me the final climate forecast as a substitute of answering the query. All the opposite assistants in my life (Alexa and Siri) can reply these questions — although technically that’s a Gemini drawback, not the watch’s fault.
The opposite disappointment is a matter of correct integration. I used to be out on a stroll and I requested for instructions to a close-by grocery retailer. Gemini instructed me the handle and the space, however pointed me to take a look at my telephone for the precise instructions. After I requested Siri the identical factor on the identical stroll, instructions merely confirmed up on my Apple Watch. (Sure, I’ve been sporting two watches and carrying round two activated telephones like a double agent, simply a lot much less cool.)
Along with Gemini, Put on OS 6 introduces up to date and bigger tiles which arrange and show info in your watch. By default, the tiles are separated into classes: Well being, Health and Primary (climate, media playback, calendar) with every field displaying a little bit of pertinent information — exercise metrics, present temp, your subsequent occasion and so forth. If the restricted information isn’t sufficient, tapping a tile opens the respective app. You may categorize, rearrange, swap out and add as many pages of those playing cards as you need within the Put on app in your telephone. I didn’t have time to get the defaults tweaked precisely how I needed, nevertheless it already appears like a a lot smarter manner of interacting with a watch. Now you’ll be able to glean key info from the apps which are necessary to you simply by looking your tiles.
The operating coach believes in you
The Galaxy Watch 8 now comes with built-in, AI-fueled operating steering. This sounds a bit just like the upcoming Exercise Buddy that Apple introduced for watchOS 26, so it will likely be attention-grabbing to check the 2. Google Pixel watches and Fitbits at the moment have the choice of an AI-powered operating coach, nevertheless it’s restricted to Premium subscribers. Garmin affords an adaptive coaching program known as Run Coach as properly, so this isn’t a completely novel thought.
Samsung’s operating coach begins with an evaluation: Run as quick as you’ll be able to preserve for twelve minutes. You’ll then be awarded a efficiency degree starting from one to 10. Every degree comes with a tailor-made, four-week plan with 4 exercises per week meant to get you prepared to finish a 5K, 10K, half or full marathon. My 12-minute, 22-second per-mile tempo put me at a degree three. My plan was geared in the direction of getting me to run a 5K on the finish of 4 weeks.
The primary exercise was low-intensity interval operating with 4 segments of operating arduous, interspersed with cool-down walks. As I ran, the AI coach instructed me when and what to anticipate on the subsequent section and what my objectives have been for every. It spouted occasional phrases of encouragement and let me know when my tempo began to lag. The steering wasn’t intrusive and I appreciated the preview of and expectations for the subsequent section. I attempted it relying simply on the watch’s audio system, and I might hear OK so long as the streets have been quiet, however I undoubtedly advocate utilizing earbuds.
I discovered myself operating sooner than I might have with no “coach” and now I’m truthfully questioning whether or not I, an individual my athlete sister describes as “not an athlete,” might truly full a 5K. Possibly there’s some worth on this idea in any case. In any case, I discover myself wanting ahead to taking it additional. My subsequent exercise is a straight up, 30-minute jog. I’ve by no means repeatedly run for a half an hour in my life, so we’ll see how that goes.
Vascular load, bedtime reminders and battery life
The fast turnaround on this text means I didn’t get to correctly check a number of the new options. Vascular load takes readings whilst you sleep to guage the well being of your circulatory system, then tells you when your load is increased or decrease than regular and affords suggestions. It requires three nights of information to set a baseline, however after the third night time of sporting the watch to mattress, it mentioned I nonetheless wanted another.
Three nights of sleep also needs to set off a Bedtime Steerage characteristic, however I did not see an notification letting me know the steering had begun. After asking Samsung why, I used to be instructed I wanted to show it on within the Well being app (Well being > Sleep > faucet three dots icon > Bedtime steering). So I will report again on the expertise after utilizing it for a number of days.
One of many prior mannequin’s shortcomings was battery life. The always-on show (AOD) tanked the cost, so I saved it off. The Galaxy Watch 8 has an even bigger 325mAh battery, in comparison with the 300mAh one on the Watch 7. Twenty-five milliamp hours isn’t an enormous leap, however larger is at all times higher. As a result of I used to be testing each potential characteristic (sleeping, operating, exercises, antioxidants, Gemini and extra), I used to be continuously dropping the watch on the charger for partial refills in between checks. That meant I didn’t have the chance to methodically check the battery’s runtime simply but.
I did word what I might. The primary day of testing, the battery was at 100% at 4PM. The following day at 4PM it nonetheless had 17 % remaining. That 24-hour interval included driving instructions, three exercises, numerous Gemini requests, watch face adjustments and a full night time of sleep. I’d toggled the AOD on and off all through that point, however the outcomes have been nonetheless higher than what I tracked on the Watch 7.
The Galaxy Watch 8 Traditional is tremendous swank
I didn’t have a ton of time to spend with the Traditional model of the Watch 8, nevertheless it’s clearly aimed on the luxurious watch-hound crowd. The knurled spinning bezel, inset diving bezel duplicate and the default chronograph watch face offers off severe Rolex Daytona/Omega Speedmaster wannabe vibes. It ships with a stitched leather-look band and the metal case has the heft and stature of an computerized mechanical timepiece. The always-on show and chunky buttons solely add to the impact.
For me, the principle benefit it has over the usual Galaxy Watch 8 is the safety the spinning bezel affords the raised show. The glass is shielded on the edges and it’s even inset barely which is able to beat back scratches. It’s a bit chonky for my style, nevertheless it’s surprisingly snug for its measurement and is extraordinarily engaging. I might see this interesting to type fanatics who need a smartwatch however don’t need to appear to be they’re sporting a wrist gadget.
Pricing and the competitors
Samsung added $50 to the worth tag on the 40mm Galaxy Watch 8, bringing it to $350. The bigger 44mm mannequin is now $380 (versus $330 final yr) and the Traditional variant is $500 for the only 46mm measurement. For reference, there was no Galaxy Watch 7 Traditional and the Galaxy Watch 6 Traditional offered for $400 for the 43mm measurement and $430 for the 47mm.
At $350, the bottom mannequin Galaxy Watch 8 prices the identical as Google’s Pixel Watch 3 (although the Pixel Watch 4 is nearly definitely on the way in which and might be dearer.) The Apple Watch Sequence 10 begins at $399, nevertheless it went as little as $279 throughout Prime Day. And, after all, a brand new Apple wearable is probably going coming this September with a possible worth bump as properly. So Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 might find yourself being probably the most inexpensive of the main smartwatch releases as soon as the mud settles from 2025’s launches. And in the event you’re a Samsung smartphone person, it’s simply your greatest guess.
All the things else and an eventual rating
The core features of the Galaxy Watch 8 haven’t modified all that a lot. We went in-depth on the health and well being options for our overview of the Galaxy Watch 6 and coated the notable perks of Samsung’s wearable in our Galaxy Watch 7 overview and our Galaxy Watch 5 overview. So I’ll simply level out that the exercise monitoring remains to be correct — and it’s sooner to suss out once I’m on a stroll than my Apple Watch. The companion Well being app, the place you view all the information your watch gathers, is useful and a delight to make use of with its common sense options and pleasant animations. And the every day Power Rating is a helpful indicator of how I’m doing with my sleep and motion objectives.
The Watch 8 covers the fundamentals properly, appearing as an industrious accent for a Galaxy telephone. Though, as with the Watch 7, I want the notifications have been extra intrusive as they’re straightforward to overlook. The double faucet characteristic is nice — a pinch gesture that dismisses or triggers actions with out you having to the touch the display screen. I exploit it usually and the watch nearly at all times registers the movement. And eventually, I really like how customizable the watch faces are. Once you mix all that with a considerably refreshed look, some succesful Gemini integration, a number of new well being options and a extra navigable interface, Samsung’s newest wearable turns into a really succesful wrist companion. I nonetheless must stay with it some time longer (with a brand new display screen protector firmly in place) to assign a overview rating, however thus far, I’m impressed.