The Samsung Galaxy Watches are some of the most popular smartwatches on the market, offering a blend of sleek design, advanced features, and strong integration with Samsung's ecosystem. Below is a review of key aspects of these watches, with a focus on the latest models, including the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic are feature-packed and polished smartwatches, ideal for those who want a premium experience with a blend of fitness and smart features. The seamless integration with Samsung’s ecosystem, high-quality design, and powerful health and fitness tracking make them solid choices for users who prioritize both style and function. However, the relatively shorter battery life and price tag may be considerations for some.
The 5 Best Samsung Watch for 2025
If you are a Samsung user, or someone looking for a versatile and well-rounded smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch series is certainly worth considering.
1. Design
- Premium Build Quality: Galaxy Watches often feature high-quality materials like stainless steel, aluminum, and durable glass. The Galaxy Watch 6 has a more traditional circular design, while the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offers a retro look with a rotating bezel, which adds a tactile, physical way to interact with the watch.
- Display: The AMOLED displays are vibrant and sharp, offering excellent brightness even under direct sunlight. The always-on display feature ensures you can glance at the time or notifications without having to tap the screen.
- Comfort and Customization: The watches come with a variety of bands and a slim profile, making them comfortable for all-day wear. Customization options for watch faces and straps are abundant, giving users the flexibility to make the watch suit their personal style.
2. Performance and Features
- Operating System: Galaxy Watches run Wear OS 4 (in collaboration with Google), which is fast, intuitive, and compatible with a wide range of apps. It's a step up from previous Tizen-based models, offering better third-party app support.
- Battery Life: Battery life on the Galaxy Watch 6 can vary based on usage, but typically lasts around 1.5 to 2 days on a full charge. While this isn't as long as some of the ultra-efficient fitness trackers, it’s still decent for a smartwatch with such a large, bright display.
- Processor: The Exynos W930 chip in the Galaxy Watch 6 ensures smooth performance and responsiveness when switching between apps or using the watch for fitness tracking.
- Health and Fitness Features:Heart Rate and ECG Monitoring: Accurate heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen (SpO2) levels, and an ECG feature are available, making the watch suitable for health-conscious users.Sleep Tracking: Sleep analysis is robust, offering detailed insights into sleep cycles, stress levels, and even your sleep score. Fitness Tracking: With auto-workout detection, GPS support, and tracking for a variety of activities (running, cycling, swimming, etc.), the Galaxy Watch is an excellent companion for fitness enthusiasts.
- GPS: Built-in GPS offers accurate tracking for outdoor activities without the need to bring your phone along.
3. Smart Features
- Notifications and Connectivity: As expected, you get notifications for calls, texts, and app alerts, and they are clear and easy to interact with. The Galaxy Watch 6 also integrates with Samsung's ecosystem, offering seamless pairing with Galaxy smartphones, tablets, and even certain Samsung TVs.
- Voice Assistants: Bixby is Samsung’s voice assistant, though many users prefer to use Google Assistant on the Wear OS platform. Both are integrated, but Bixby has a stronger presence in Samsung devices.
- Samsung Pay: Built-in NFC allows for quick payments using Samsung Pay, which works at a wide range of retailers.
- Music and Podcasts: You can store music or podcasts directly on the watch, with the ability to listen via Bluetooth headphones.
4. Cons and Areas for Improvement
- Battery Life: While decent, the battery life could be improved. With heavy usage, like continuous GPS tracking or sleep tracking overnight, the watch may require charging every day.
- Compatibility: Though Galaxy Watches work well with Android phones, some features (like Samsung Pay and certain health tools) are optimized for Samsung smartphones. iPhone users can still enjoy basic smartwatch functionality, but the integration isn’t as seamless as it is with Galaxy phones.
- App Availability: While Wear OS has improved, the number of specialized Galaxy Watch apps still lags behind the Apple Watch in certain categories, particularly in niche health and fitness tools.
- Price: Galaxy Watches are on the pricier side, especially when compared to fitness-focused smartwatches. The high-end features justify the price, but it may not suit those on a budget.
