My first days with Samsung’s smartwatch have...

Samsung introduced its latest gadgets throughout its Galaxy Unpacked event on July 9. That occurred to fall on the second day of Amazon’s Prime Day occasion. Do huge tech corporations not know what the others are doing? Do they care? Do they like making the lives of tech reporters tough? I didn’t have time to contemplate. Solely after I was achieved masking 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 in a position to collect a very good 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 ultimate evaluation. Within the meantime, there’s loads to say in regards to the expertise to this point.

Samsung packed quite a lot of updates into its newest smartwatch, when it comes to each {hardware} and software program. However I put additional effort into testing one function specifically — and it’s one of many extra attention-grabbing.

Antioxidant assessments and my persimmon consumption

The Galaxy Watch 8 has the identical processor and sensors because the earlier era, however it’s utilizing these to detect a brand new metric: antioxidant ranges. It’s important to take the watch off and maintain your thumb on the sensor node for 5 seconds to get a studying and also you’ll have to confer with the Well being app in your cellphone 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 certainly be a disappointment to the over-achievers on the market.

The Well being app steered I “strive consuming one (100g) persimmon immediately.” 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 among the world’s largest persimmon producers, it’d make sense {that a} Samsung machine steered them. The produce man at my native grocery retailer stated they solely carry them across the holidays (little doubt as a result of grandmas insist, plus that’s after 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. Actually, I went exhausting on the antioxidants and did every part 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 an alternative of the very tasty-smelling breakfast hash my husband made, and I drank plain inexperienced tea as an alternative of my normal 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 had 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 generation, the Galaxy Watch has regarded just about the identical: a spherical glass display screen set in a spherical steel case with giant prongs coming out of the highest and backside to carry the band. Whereas there was nothing unsuitable with sticking with a very good design, giving a tool a refreshed look lends the yearly replace cycle some that means — as an alternative of feeling like an compulsory transfer to appease stockholders.

This time round, the Galaxy Watch 8 seems to be markedly completely different because of a form borrowed from final 12 months’s Ultra model. 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. Actually, the whole look is elegant — way more so than the Apple Watch, which seems to be like a miniaturized iPhone 11 glued to a silicone strap.

The cushion design is nice in a method, but in addition worrisome. As a result of the glass show stands happy with the case by at the very least 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, throughout 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.

Nonetheless, the raised glass solves one criticism I had with the Galaxy Watch 7. One strategy to scroll is by working your finger alongside the outer fringe of the display screen. Actually, on-screen cues recommend that gesture when there’s extra content material to view. On the Watch 7, my finger was all the time 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 way more comfy 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, nevertheless, 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 function for the brand new software program is Gemini integration. Now, most issues you are able to do with the Gemini app in your cellphone might be achieved by means of your watch. Simply word that you simply’ll have to have your Gemini-compatible cellphone close by to make use of it.

Google’s AI was fairly snappy at fundamental duties like setting reminders and timers. Requests that required extra “thought” took solely marginally longer (and accomplished extra rapidly after I was utilizing my dwelling Wi-Fi versus counting on cell alerts out on the earth). I requested for the most effective file shops in my metropolis and a very good place to eat lunch. I used to be pleasantly stunned to listen to of a new-to-me reply for every class. The file retailer turned out to be two bins of LPs inside a guide 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 appropriately knowledgeable about Jack Black and A Minecraft Film.

The assistant shows solutions in textual content kind on the watch display screen and in addition reads out each phrase. That may flip into quite a lot of speaking, however tapping the display screen stops the chatter for those who favor to learn. Gemini can deal with follow-up questions and duties, however because it doesn’t normally hold listening after it speaks, it’s important 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 right now. For now, you may have to faucet or say “OK Google” once more for followups like, “Add that to my Google Maintain” or “Remind me about that.” If Gemini asks you a query, nevertheless, 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 tackle 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 tackle of a neighborhood restaurant to my husband and it verified which location I needed then despatched the message. I requested when the Albuquerque Isotopes had been taking part in the Sacramento River Cats and it gave me the upcoming dates. I tapped the mic and stated, “add that to my calendar,” which it did.

It solely let me down twice. Once I requested whether or not it was going to rain, it simply learn me the overall climate forecast as an alternative 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 advised me the tackle and the gap, however pointed me to have a look at my cellphone for the precise instructions. Once I requested Siri the identical factor on the identical stroll, instructions merely confirmed up on my Apple Watch. (Sure, I’ve been carrying 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 set up and show info in your watch. By default, the tiles are separated into classes: Well being, Health and Fundamental (climate, media playback, calendar) with every field displaying a little bit of pertinent data — exercise metrics, present temp, your subsequent occasion and so forth. If the restricted data isn’t sufficient, tapping a tile opens the respective app. You possibly can categorize, rearrange, swap out and add as many pages of those playing cards as you need within the Put on app in your cellphone. I didn’t have time to get the defaults tweaked precisely how I needed, however it already looks like a a lot smarter means of interacting with a watch. Now you possibly can glean key info from the apps which might be vital to you simply by shopping your tiles.

The working coach believes in you

The Galaxy Watch 8 now comes with built-in, AI-fueled working steering. This sounds a bit just like the upcoming Exercise Buddy that Apple introduced for watchOS 26, so it is going to be attention-grabbing to check the 2. Google Pixel watches and Fitbits at the moment have the choice of an AI-powered working coach, however it’s restricted to Premium subscribers. Garmin provides an adaptive coaching program known as Run Coach as effectively, so this isn’t a wholly novel thought.

Samsung’s working coach begins with an evaluation: Run as quick as you possibly can keep for twelve minutes. You’ll then be awarded a efficiency stage starting from one to 10. Every stage comes with a tailor-made, four-week plan with 4 exercises per week supposed 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 stage three. My plan was geared in direction of getting me to run a 5K on the finish of 4 weeks.

The primary exercise was low-intensity interval working with 4 segments of working exhausting, interspersed with cool-down walks. As I ran, the AI coach advised me when and what to anticipate on the subsequent section and what my targets had 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 had been quiet, however I positively suggest utilizing earbuds.

I discovered myself working quicker than I might have with no “coach” and now I’m actually questioning whether or not I, an individual my athlete sister describes as “not an athlete,” might truly full a 5K. Perhaps there’s some worth on this idea in spite of everything. 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 among the new options. Vascular load takes readings when you sleep to guage the well being of your circulatory system, then tells you when your load is larger or decrease than regular and provides suggestions. It requires three nights of information to set a baseline, however after the third night time of carrying the watch to mattress, it stated I nonetheless wanted another.

Three nights of sleep must also set off a Bedtime Steering function, however I did not see an notification letting me know the steering had begun. After asking Samsung why, I used to be advised 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 just a few 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 a much bigger 325mAh battery, in comparison with the 300mAh one on the Watch 7. Twenty-five milliamp hours isn’t an enormous bounce, however greater is all the time higher. As a result of I used to be testing each potential function (sleeping, working, exercises, antioxidants, Gemini and extra), I used to be always dropping the watch on the charger for partial refills in between assessments. 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 p.c remaining. That 24-hour interval included driving instructions, three exercises, a number of Gemini requests, watch face modifications and a full night time of sleep. I’d toggled the AOD on and off all through that point, however the outcomes had been nonetheless higher than what I tracked on the Watch 7.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Basic is tremendous swank

I didn’t have a ton of time to spend with the Basic model of the Watch 8, however it’s clearly aimed on the luxurious watch-hound crowd. The knurled spinning bezel, inset diving bezel duplicate and the default chronograph watch face provides 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 provides the raised show. The glass is shielded on the edges and it’s even inset barely which is able to thrust back scratches. It’s a bit chonky for my style, however it’s surprisingly comfy for its dimension and is extraordinarily engaging. I might see this interesting to type fanatics who need a smartwatch however don’t need to seem like they’re carrying a wrist gadget.

Pricing and the competitors

Samsung added $50 to the value tag on the 40mm Galaxy Watch 8, bringing it to $350. The bigger 44mm mannequin is now $380 (versus $330 final 12 months) and the Basic variant is $500 for the only 46mm dimension. For reference, there was no Galaxy Watch 7 Basic and the Galaxy Watch 6 Basic bought for $400 for the 43mm dimension 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 almost certainly on the way and might be costlier.) The Apple Watch Collection 10 begins at $399, however it went as low as $279 throughout Prime Day. And, after all, a brand new Apple wearable is probably going coming this September with a possible value bump as effectively. So Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 might find yourself being essentially the most reasonably priced of the main smartwatch releases as soon as the mud settles from 2025’s launches. And for those who’re a Samsung smartphone person, it’s simply your finest wager.

Every little thing 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 review of the Galaxy Watch 6 and lined the notable perks of Samsung’s wearable in our Galaxy Watch 7 review and our Galaxy Watch 5 review. So I’ll simply level out that the exercise monitoring continues to be correct — and it’s quicker to suss out after I’m on a stroll than my Apple Watch. The companion Well being app, the place you view all the info your watch gathers, is useful and a delight to make use of with its common sense strategies and pleasant animations. And the day by day Vitality Rating is a helpful indicator of how I’m doing with my sleep and motion targets.

The Watch 8 covers the fundamentals effectively, appearing as an industrious accent for a Galaxy cellphone. Though, as with the Watch 7, I want the notifications had been extra intrusive as they’re simple to overlook. The double faucet function is nice — a pinch gesture that dismisses or triggers actions with out you having to the touch the display screen. I exploit it typically and the watch virtually all the time registers the movement. And eventually, I really like how customizable the watch faces are. Whenever you mix all that with a considerably refreshed look, some succesful Gemini integration, just a few new well being options and a extra navigable interface, Samsung’s newest wearable turns into a really succesful wrist companion. I nonetheless have to reside with it some time longer (with a brand new display screen protector firmly in place) to assign a overview rating, however to this point, I’m impressed.