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Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 early review: A triumph so far
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: One minute review
Every time I try a big-name smartwatch these days, I’m slightly disappointed. Not because they’re bad devices (they’re certainly not) but because all too often, they tend to be very similar to their predecessors with very incremental, minor changes, such as a new software feature or slightly brighter screen, which isn’t the most exciting thing to write about.
However, not so this year. Samsung has decided to buck the trend with a comprehensive redesign, extending from its hardware to its software. The watch itself is thinner with a brighter screen and bigger battery (although battery life is still allegedly the same), keeping the round display but adopting a Watch Ultra-style metal cushion in an attempt to give Samsung watches a distinctive brand identity
In the software stakes, there are several useful updates that change how you use the watch day-to-day. A Now Bar widget allows you to quickly access the task you’re currently running in the background (such as a timer or workout) from the watch face screen, while at-a-glance views are more useful thanks to a nifty redesign. On-device Gemini has also been added out of the box, allowing you to complete complex multi-step tasks with a simple audio request, such as “find the best gym nearby and ask Julie if she wants to join it”.
There’s also a running coach, which analyses your form and performance during a 12-minute test run and assigns you one of 160 running performance plans, switching you from plan to plan if you repeatedly exceed its expectations (or don’t perform as expected). A new antioxidant index measures the level of carotenoids, a beneficial antioxidant, using your thumb as another metric to indicate general health. Sleep apnea detection has also landed, just like this year’s crop of the best Apple Watches.
This is all in addition to the other features present on other watches: heart rate, advanced sleep algorithms, body composition, third-party apps, social features, music control, 32GB storage and more. Samsung’s eighth iteration of its Galaxy Watch series is, based on my early hands-on time, the most comprehensive change I’ve seen from the company in years, sporting plenty of genuinely useful improvements. Stay tuned for a full review after a few weeks, and scroll down for more detailed first impressions of its design and features.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Price and availability
- 40mm Bluetooth model starts at $349.99 / £319 / AU$649
- 44mm model starts at $399.99 / £349 / AU$699
- Available to pre-order July 9
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series is available to pre-order now. Prices start at $349.99 in the US, £319 in the UK for the 40mm Bluetooth model, rising to £369 for the LTE-enabled version, and AU$649 in Australia, rising to AU$749 for the LTE model. The 44mm Bluetooth-only version starts at $399 in the US, £349 in the UK and AU$699 in Australia.
This is a slight price rise from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, which started from $299.99 / £289 / AU$549 when it was released last year.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Design
- Slimmer new cushion shape
- 3000-nit brightness
- Software revamp
Let’s talk about some of the new changes. First and foremost, the display is still perfectly round, but the casing no longer hugs that shape to create a cylinder. Instead, it’s a squarish cushion designed to emulate the shape of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. Samsung representatives have mentioned that it’s an instantly recognizable brand identity, in the same way you see a ‘squircle’ watch with a digital crown and immediately understand it as an Apple Watch.
The most surprising thing about the redesign is that where the Ultra looks awkward and boxy at times, the Galaxy Watch 8 looks good. This is partially down to the watch being 11% thinner than its predecessor, and a whole lot thinner than the Ultra or the other new kid on the block, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as you can see above. It’s a lovely minimalist design, and I like it a lot. The display is brighter now, capable of up to 3,000 nits, and the battery is 8% larger to accommodate.
There’s also less case movement on-wrist now, thanks to the Dynamic Lug system ported over from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Getting the straps on and off using this system was a bit more fiddly than anticipated, especially if you have short nails like mine, but it’s hard to deny the watch was an incredibly snug and comfortable fit.
The UI has also received an upgrade. A Now Bar, similar to those on the best Samsung phones, pops up on the watch face when a task is running in the background such as Timer or Workout. It’s a satisfyingly slender widget showcasing a piece of information, like the time remaining, which you can tap to balloon it to full-screen. At-a-glance app views and collections have also received a revamp, emphasizing usability. I loved all of these changes, especially the Now Bar; it’s such a simple concept, I wonder why it hasn’t been done before. It’ll soon be everywhere though.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Features
- Gemini on wrist
- Advanced new health features
- Running Coach with 160 plans
First and foremost, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is the first watch with Google Gemini on-wrist out of the box. It’s finally here, and as you might expect, it’s very handy when it comes to performing simple tasks. My demonstration involved simple requests, such as starting a 20-minute running workout, but also more complex examples – such as the aforementioned “find the best gym near me and text Julie” prompt. It has the potential to be transformative in the way we interact with smartwatches going forward, but I’m interested in testing its limitations. How does it interact with requests that require a Bluetooth connection to your phone in order to work, such as opening and playing Spotify on your phone from a Bluetooth-only watch? Does it only process these requests on LTE-enabled devices? This has yet to be determined.
Another new feature I can’t wait to get stuck into is the new Running Coach. After inputting your goals and completing a 12-minute test run, you’ll be assigned one of 160 different running plans, ranging from a first 5K to a complete marathon. If your performance looks like you’ll outperform your goal at any point, Samsung Health will switch you to another running plan that more closely matches your capabilities.
Other new health features include the Antioxidant Index, which detects the level of a single antioxidant, carotenoids, in your blood to give you an indication of whether you’ve eaten enough fruit and vegetables to support a healthy diet using your thumb. I got to try this: sadly, my carotenoid levels were not up to scratch, though I don’t have any way of verifying the reading either way at this stage.
Otherwise, the watch is still packing all its existing health and fitness credentials and plenty of robust hardware and software features. Hardware features such as the camera viewfinder and body composition sensor are all present and correct, as are Samsung’s app drawer and the litany of third-party apps the watch, which uses Samsung’s One UI Watch 6 skin of Wear OS, is capable of accommodating. Full-color maps and turn-by-turn directions are also here courtesy of Google Maps.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Early Verdict
Honestly? This is the best showing from Samsung’s mainline watch series I’ve seen in a long time. It’s a fairly dramatic departure in terms of design while slimming, streamlining and improving everything else. It’s the first watch with Google Gemini on-wrist out of the box, and comes with with a bevvy of other exciting-looking features. During my brief test, the watch was comfortable to wear and use, although the straps are a bit more fiddly to change than Samsung is letting on.
Overall, it’s a very, very promising start to what should be a great generation for Samsung wearables.
