If you're considering which Samsung smartwatch to purchase, you've come to the right place. We've been reviewing Samsung wearables since the original Galaxy Gear back in 2013. The Galaxy Watch 8, the stylish Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, the rugged Galaxy Watch Ultra, the budget-friendly Galaxy Watch FE, and the fitness-focused Galaxy Fit3 represent Samsung's current lineup. Unlike earlier Tizen-based Samsung smartwatches, all of these models run Wear OS and feature preinstalled Google apps like Maps and the Play Store. There are several design and feature differences between these models you need to consider, so read on to find the best Samsung watch for you. It's also worth considering the Samsung Galaxy Ring as a comfortable and stylish alternative for health tracking.
Overview
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Best Samsung Watch for Most PeopleSamsung Galaxy Watch 8
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Best Bang for Your BuckSamsung Galaxy Watch FE
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Best for Fitness TrackingSamsung Galaxy Fit3
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Best Battery LifeSamsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
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Best for DurabilitySamsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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Best Samsung Watch for Most PeopleSamsung Galaxy Watch 8
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Galaxy Watch 8 offers all the connectivity and health features that you'd expect of a flagship Samsung smartwatch, and it adds a few useful extras to the mix. New features to this generation include a Galaxy AI coach to help you train for a marathon and get a restful night’s sleep. The Galaxy Watch 8 also features Google's Gemini built in for responding to voice commands. Additionally, it can measure your antioxidant levels to provide insight into your dietary health and your vascular load, offering an understanding of your arterial health. Samsung's latest smartwatch features a refined design, with a thinner case and a brighter screen than its predecessor, along with a larger battery.
It otherwise rolls forward the impressive feature set of previous Galaxy Watches. When you exercise, it goes beyond the basics of heart rate and pace tracking with the ability to measure advanced outdoor running metrics like asymmetry and vertical oscillation. While you sleep, it tracks your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) level, skin temperature, and even snoring if you have a nearby Samsung phone, in addition to more common overnight metrics. It can even calculate your body fat percentage, similar to a smart scale.
Aside from its robust health-tracking tools, this Wear OS-powered smartwatch offers a range of useful lifestyle features, including calling, texting, and mobile payment support, as well as a wide selection of downloadable third-party apps via the Google Play Store.
Who It's For
Most Samsung fans: The Galaxy Watch 8 offers the best smartwatch features that Samsung has to offer at a relatively affordable price, making it the top pick in the Galaxy Watch lineup for most people. Like the other watches on this list, the Galaxy Watch 8 works best when paired with Samsung phones, as doing so enables its AI-based Running Coach, irregular heart rhythm notifications, phone separation alerts, gesture controls, and snoring detection.
Health enthusiasts seeking detailed metrics: If you're in the market for a new Wear OS-based smartwatch, you won't find one with more health features than the Galaxy Watch 8. Antioxidant detection and vascular load sensing are exclusive to the Galaxy Watch 8 series, building on existing features like body fat calculations and snore detection.
Wellness seekers who could use a little coaching: Both the running and sleeping AI coaches introduced with this model are genuinely helpful. You can utilize their unique insights to develop an effective exercise plan and routine that helps you sleep better.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 26 hours (tested) Compatibility Android Display Size 1.34 inches/1.47 inches Display Type Super AMOLED Fitness Features Accelerometer Fitness Features Barometer Fitness Features Blood Oxygen Monitor Fitness Features ECG Fitness Features GPS Fitness Features Gyroscope Fitness Features Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Features Light Sensor Fitness Features Pedometer Fitness Features Temperature Sensor Heart Rate Monitor Phone Call Capacity Phone OS Compatibility Android Processor Samsung Exynos W1000 Separate App Store Sleep Tracker Watch OS Wear OS Learn More Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review -
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Credit: Andrew Gebhart
Best Bang for Your BuckSamsung Galaxy Watch FE
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Running Wear OS, the Galaxy Watch FE is an excellent lifestyle and health companion at a reasonable price. It offers nearly all the health-tracking features of its more expensive siblings, including heart rate, pace, and VO2 Max measurements, as well as advanced outdoor running metrics like asymmetry and vertical oscillation. It even offers Samsung's more unique wearable features, including snore detection and body fat measurements. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) index tracking, dual-frequency GPS, Galaxy AI, skin temperature sensors, and sleep apnea detection are the major omissions here compared with its more expensive siblings.
Who It's For
Budget-conscious buyers: If you’re looking for an Android-compatible smartwatch on a budget, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE offers unbeatable bang for your buck, with most of the features of the company's flagship models for much less money.
Anyone spooked by AI: The main features missing from the Galaxy Watch FE when compared with the Galaxy Watch 8 are related to AI health assessments and coaching. If you prefer not to have AI analyze your habits, consider this model instead.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 27 hours (tested) Compatibility Android Display Size 1.19 inches Display Type AMOLED Fitness Features Accelerometer Fitness Features Barometer Fitness Features Blood Oxygen Monitor Fitness Features GPS Fitness Features Gyroscope Fitness Features Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Features Light Sensor Fitness Features Pedometer Heart Rate Monitor Phone Call Capacity Phone OS Compatibility Android Processor Exynos W920 Dual-Core 1.18GHz Separate App Store Sleep Tracker Watch OS Wear OS Learn More Samsung Galaxy Watch FE Review -
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Credit: Andrew Gebhart
Best for Fitness TrackingSamsung Galaxy Fit3
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
While not a full-fledged smartwatch with the same app support and lifestyle features as the other options on this list, the Galaxy Fit3 is a strong, budget-friendly wearable for fitness tracking, capable of keeping tabs on more than 100 different types of workouts. It accurately records heart rate, and when you're not working out, it measures daily activity, sleep, and stress. Like the models on this list, it can even monitor snoring when paired with a Samsung phone.
Who It's For
Budget-minded fitness enthusiasts: The Fit3 is the best wearable in Samsung's lineup if you're focused on tracking workouts and health stats, and don't want to spend a lot of money.
Smartwatch naysayers: If you just want a wearable to track your workouts and sleep, and you'd rather wear an old-fashioned timepiece for its fashion during the rest of your day, go with this affordable option, as it fills that role perfectly.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 7.5 days Compatibility Android Display Size 1.57 inches Display Type AMOLED Fitness Features Accelerometer Fitness Features Barometer Fitness Features Gyroscope Fitness Features Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Features Light Sensor Heart Rate Monitor Phone OS Compatibility Android Processor ARM Cortex-M33 Sleep Tracker Watch OS FreeRTOS Learn More Samsung Galaxy Fit3 Review -
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Best Battery LifeSamsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic brings back the popular rotating bezel from the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, and puts it into an updated body with a cushion (aka squircle) design for a more comfortable fit. In terms of features, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic matches the flagship Galaxy Watch 8 with robust health tracking and lifestyle capabilities. Galaxy AI powers a Running Coach to help you prep for a 5K and a Sleeping Coach to guide you to a better night's rest. Google's Gemini is on board to answer your questions. In addition to the extra style boost, it boasts the best battery life of the line. With the always-on display enabled, it can last just over two full days on a charge.
Who It's For
Style-minded shoppers: Thanks to its timeless rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic boasts the most elegant look among Samsung's current smartwatches. If you're looking for a watch that strikes a balance between classic charm and modern conveniences, this is the one.
Anyone who wants to go days between charges: If you dislike the idea of having to charge your smartwatch every day, go with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. It lasted even longer than the more expensive Galaxy Watch Ultra in our battery tests and should survive over two full days of moderate use before needing a charge.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 49 hours (tested) Display Size 1.34 inches Display Type Super AMOLED Fitness Features Accelerometer Fitness Features Barometer Fitness Features Blood Oxygen Monitor Fitness Features ECG Fitness Features GPS Fitness Features Gyroscope Fitness Features Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Features Pedometer Fitness Features Temperature Sensor Phone Call Capacity Phone OS Compatibility Android Processor Samsung Exynos W1000 Separate App Store Watch OS Wear OS Learn More Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Review -
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Best for DurabilitySamsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Galaxy Watch Ultra combines Galaxy AI-powered insights with a large, durable body and a few extra features specifically designed for hard-core athletes. It features a multi-sports tile for triathlons, Functional Threshold Power (FTP) measurements for cycling, and an 85dB emergency siren that can be sounded if you get lost or into trouble. The Galaxy Watch Ultra boasts a 10ATM rating, meaning it can withstand water pressure at depths up to 328 feet. On land, it works at extreme altitudes ranging from -1,640 feet to 29,527 feet above sea level and temperatures between -4 and 131 degrees Fahrenheit. It powered through 46 hours of moderate use in a single charge during testing.
Who It's For
Adventurers: If you're planning your next mountain biking or hiking trip, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is an ideal wearable for you. The extra durability will help it survive bumps and bad weather, the extra brightness will keep it visible in direct sunlight, and the extra button will allow you to control the watch more easily while wearing gloves.
Hard-core athletes: The multisports exercise tile and the cycling power measurements will help you train for big events like triathlons. You can pick a preset trio if training for a triathlon (swimming, biking, running), a duathlon (running, biking, running), or an aquathlon (running, swimming, running). You can also create a custom trio with options including biking, indoor biking, mountain biking, open-water swimming, pool swimming, outdoor running, and treadmill running.
Specs & Configurations
Battery Life 46 hours (tested) Display Size 1.5 inches Display Type Super AMOLED Fitness Features Accelerometer Fitness Features Barometer Fitness Features Blood Oxygen Monitor Fitness Features GPS Fitness Features Gyroscope Fitness Features Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Features Pedometer Fitness Features Temperature Sensor Phone Call Capacity Phone OS Compatibility Android Processor Samsung Exynos W1000 Separate App Store Watch OS Wear OS Learn More Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Review -
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Best For | Best Samsung Watch for Most People | Best Bang for Your Buck | Best for Fitness Tracking | Best Battery Life | Best for Durability | Best Samsung Watch for Most People | Best Bang for Your Buck | Best for Fitness Tracking |
Phone OS Compatibility | Android | Android | Android | Android | Android | Android | Android | Android |
Watch OS | Wear OS | Wear OS | FreeRTOS | Wear OS | Wear OS | Wear OS | Wear OS | FreeRTOS |
Processor | Samsung Exynos W1000 | Exynos W920 Dual-Core 1.18GHz | ARM Cortex-M33 | Samsung Exynos W1000 | Samsung Exynos W1000 | Samsung Exynos W1000 | Exynos W920 Dual-Core 1.18GHz | ARM Cortex-M33 |
Display Size | 1.34 inches/1.47 inches | 1.19 inches | 1.57 inches | 1.34 inches | 1.5 inches | 1.34 inches/1.47 inches | 1.19 inches | 1.57 inches |
Display Type | Super AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED | Super AMOLED | AMOLED | AMOLED |
Fitness Features | Accelerometer, Heart Rate Monitor, GPS, Blood Oxygen Monitor, Pedometer, Barometer, Temperature Sensor, Gyroscope, ECG, Light Sensor | Accelerometer, GPS, Heart Rate Monitor, Gyroscope, Pedometer, Light Sensor, Barometer, Blood Oxygen Monitor | Accelerometer, Barometer, Heart Rate Monitor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope | Accelerometer, Heart Rate Monitor, GPS, Blood Oxygen Monitor, Pedometer, Gyroscope, Temperature Sensor, Barometer, ECG | Accelerometer, GPS, Heart Rate Monitor, Blood Oxygen Monitor, Temperature Sensor, Pedometer, Gyroscope, Barometer | Accelerometer, Heart Rate Monitor, GPS, Blood Oxygen Monitor, Pedometer, Barometer, Temperature Sensor, Gyroscope, ECG, Light Sensor | Accelerometer, GPS, Heart Rate Monitor, Gyroscope, Pedometer, Light Sensor, Barometer, Blood Oxygen Monitor | Accelerometer, Barometer, Heart Rate Monitor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope |
Battery Life | 26 hours (tested) | 27 hours (tested) | 7.5 days | 49 hours (tested) | 46 hours (tested) | 26 hours (tested) | 27 hours (tested) | 7.5 days |
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