The Apple Watch Series 9 is a solid all-round wearable with a great screen and fitness tracking, but it’s exclusive to the iPhone. So, what are Android users to do? While there are plenty of Android-focused smartwatches around, not all offer the same level of polish as Apple’s wearable.
In fact, it’s Samsung’s Galaxy Watch line that has come closer to Apple’s lofty wearable heights than any other manufacturer in recent times, boasting a high level of polish not only in terms of hardware but software too. That’s great to know, but you’ve still got quite a few models of Galaxy Watch to choose from, so the real question is, which is best for your needs?
Considering Samsung has been producing smartwatches since 2013, it’s safe to say it has a lot of experience in the wearable arena. The most recent Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic represent the latest and greatest of Samsung’s wearable line, both of which feature as part of our hand-picked selection of the best Samsung Galaxy Watches below.
There is a catch, however; while other WearOS-powered smartwatches from the likes of TicWatch and Fossil work seamlessly across all Android devices, Samsung’s are designed to work best with its Galaxy phones. While that’s fine for Samsung users, it means other Android users won’t get access to the complete Galaxy Watch experience – a key point worth considering.
Our reviewers have tested each of these wearables for at least a week with an accompanying Samsung smartphone, testing key performance indicators such as app support, features, battery life and general usability. We take them on runs, walks, and use them for day-to-day use, too, gaining a proper understanding of how well the device works in real-world conditions.
As a side note, you can also check out our round-ups of the best smartwatch, best running watch and best fitness tracker if you’re after a wearable that doesn’t have the Samsung brand attached to it.
Best Samsung Watch at a glance
How we test
Learn more about how we test smartwatches Every smartwatch we test is used by the reviewer for at least a week, or longer if the battery life lasts beyond that point or we need more time to trial its features.During testing, we will check it for key metrics including app support, usability and battery life. If the device offers fitness, location or health tracking features we will also test these for accuracy and reliability. For distance tracking we record how accurately the device recorded runs on tracks we know the length of. We also record how much battery is lost using things like in-built or connected GPS per hour. To check heart rate accuracy we compare the results recorded on the wearable to a dedicated HRM strap.After recording the data we then pair it with our general experience using the wearable day-to-day, letting you know if it’s comfortable to wear or if we encountered unexpected bugs during use over the review period.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Best Galaxy Watch
Pros
Still one of the most stylish smartwatches out thereWear OS continues to get betterLots of fitness and health data on offer
Cons
Underwhelming battery lifeSleep tracking isn’t quite there yet
Unlike its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 feels far less iterative this time around by bringing some genuinely welcome changes to the table.
For starters, the fact that Samsung’s done away with the 30% of yesteryear’s chunky bezels whilst also making the display 20% larger is fantastic, and it makes the Galaxy Watch 6 look and feel like a far more confident device overall. It’s very reminiscent of when Apple made significant upgrades to the display in the Apple Watch 7.
Just like how the Galaxy Watch 4 brought Wear OS 3 to market, the Watch 6 is the first of its kind to come with Wear OS 4 out of the box, which makes it a pretty good investment right now in terms of longevity. The newer OS brings about several impressive features including the ability to track your different stages of sleep, which is always handy for figuring out how to improve your circadian rhythm.
Samsung’s bevy of health tracking features make a return here, including the Body Measure function for a holistic look at your current bill of health, as well as the ability to run an ECG and blood pressure test, although these two are only available if you pair the watch with a Samsung Galaxy handset.
What holds the Galaxy Watch 6 back is its battery life. If you want to make it safely to the end of the day without cause for concern then we recommend switching off the always-on display. It is the type of wearable that you’ll need to charge daily, so if you want a longer battery life above all else then you may want to check out the TicWatch Pro 5.
Reviewer: Thomas DeehanFull review: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
Most stylish Galaxy Watch
Pros
Great designLove the rotating bezelAccurate fitness data
Cons
Battery life still too shortLots of fiddly settingsSo many terms and conditions
After a short hiatus from the Watch 5 series, Samsung decided to revisit its ‘Classic’ timepieces with the new Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. With a few years’ difference between the wearable and its predecessor (the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic), Samsung’s created a worthy upgrade here that’s well worth checking out if your old Galaxy Watch is starting to show its age.
As its name implies, the 6 Classic has a more distinguished style that separates it from the more sport oriented look of the standard Galaxy Watch 6. This includes the use of a tougher stainless steel chassis as well as a new hybrid eco-leather band that’s best paired with a suit.
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic also boasts the physical rotating bezel that helped to put the Galaxy Watch line on the map many years ago, letting you scroll through menus and apps just twisting the bezel like a dial. It works brilliantly and is definitely a step up from the digital rotating bezel on the Watch 6.
Beyond all of that however, there isn’t much else to lure users to the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, which is a shame given that it also brings a significant price bump over the entry level Watch 6 so if you’re not too fussed with the professional aesthetic here, then you might be better off saving your money.
The other specs are exactly the same as the Watch 6, boasting Wear OS 4 and the new Exynos W930 chipset, although this isn’t a bad thing per se. The watch works well in everyday use and while the battery life could definitely be improved, there’s a lot to like here.
Reviewer: James StablesFull review: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic review
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Best Samsung Watch for battery life
Pros
Solid fitness tracking servicesRugged, sports-ready designWonderfully bright display
Cons
Route planning process feels clunkyBattery life doesn’t match rival fitness trackers
If it’s loads of battery life you want in a Galaxy Watch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offers it in spades.
It comes packed with a 590mAh cell, which is large for a smartwatch of this ilk and offered around two days of regular use before needing to be charged. In addition, its charge times are pretty decent, with it taking an hour and 22 minutes to go from dead to full, and from dead to 38% in 15 minutes – handy for when you need a quick boost and you’re about to head out.
The core feature set is the same as the standard Galaxy Watch 5, but the Pro model brings with it some noteworthy additions that serious fitness fanatics will appreciate. Particularly, the addition of GPX file support, as usually found on hardened fitness trackers from Polar and Garmin, will be useful for hikers and cyclists as it allows you to plot a root in an app like Strava and load it onto the watch. Once there, the Pro offers turn by turn navigation to ensure you follow the route exactly. Besides this, there’s the same handy BioActive sensor for health reporting, as well as its sleep-tracking animals and relatively accurate GPS. Even on this Pro model though, the new temperature sensor remains largely useless almost a year after its initial launch.
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s design is largely the same as the standard Watch 5, but it offers a more rugged and hard-wearing appearance involving a raised edge display with a titanium bezel for protection as well as the same durable Sapphire crystal as the standard Watch 5. Like its sibling, the Pro is both IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certified, which is a testament to the watch’s durability.
The controls on the Watch 5 Pro feature a pleasing level of tactility and proved to be a welcome addition to such a fitness-focused device for a quick pause of a workout, and while there isn’t a rotating bezel as with other Samsung watches of old, the digital scroll is a somewhat worthy successor. The Watch 5 Pro opts to use a Super AMOLED display which is vibrant and one of the brightest we’ve seen on a wearable. Furthermore, all icons were readable and easy to see, thanks to the high brightness and excellent contrast.
Reviewer: Alastair StevensonFull review: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Best affordable Galaxy Watch
Pros
Wear OS at its finestThe digital bezel works like a charmFlat, minimalist design is stunningGorgeous collection of original watch faces
Cons
Still a lot of features yet to comeDoesn’t work with iPhoneBixby is a mess
The slightly older Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 isn’t all too much of a downgrade admittedly from the fifth and sixth-gen options above, and can now be had for lower prices as a result of the new models. Here’s why it’s our favourite affordable Galaxy Watch.
It offers a minimalistic design, like the Galaxy Watch Actives of old, which looks great, and also feels rather comfortable too, with a lightweight housing that clocks in at just 26g, without the strap of course. That strap itself is comprised of smooth silicon that’s easy on the wrist when you’re working out.
Perhaps the headline difference between the Watch 4 and its predecessors is the fact it runs on an Google’s Wear OS 3 – this makes a change to older Galaxy Watches than ran Samsung’s own Tizen OS.
This new UI offers a tiled interface which brings with it easy access to the most frequently used functions, as well as integration with key services such as Google Maps, Google Pay and YouTube Music which is, bizarrely, a first for WearOS watches.
Alongside the new OS, there are a host of functions for fitness tracking and health monitoring, chief among which is the new BioActive sensor which compiles multiple sensors into one unit, offering a good all-round option.
Its fitness tracking features during testing proved to be rather accurate, as was the case with the likes of heart rate and distance measurements, while the Google Fit and Samsung Health apps provided a wealth of data for even the most hardened of fitness fanatics to get stuck into.
Compared to its predecessor, the Watch 4 also offers an improved battery life with two days’ worth of use before you’ll need to charge it. This compares well against trackers and smartwatches from other manufacturers we’ve tested too, with it beating off the Apple Watch 7 by 30 hours.
Reviewer: Thomas DeehanFull review: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review
We also considered…
Samsung Galaxy Watch 3
The Galaxy Watch 3 isn’t the Apple Watch-killer Android fans have been waiting for, but it’s still a top notch wearable that ticks nearly all the right boxes. The Galaxy Watch 3 is the latest flagship wearable from Samsung. Like its main rival, the Apple Watch 5, it aims to offer consumers an all-in-one wearable […]
FAQs
Is the Galaxy Watch 4 still worth buying? As you’ll see above, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 remains one of our top recommendations for the best Galaxy Watch despite its age. If you’re not too fussed with the new options or you want a more affordable choice, the Watch 4 is a great choice with its modern design, Wear OS 3 software and much-improved battery life.
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UK RRP
USA RRP
EU RRP
AUD RRP
Manufacturer
Screen Size
IP rating
Waterproof
Battery
Size (Dimensions)
Weight
ASIN
Operating System
Release Date
First Reviewed Date
Colours
GPS
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
£289
–
–
–
Samsung
1.5 inches
IP68
5ATM
425 mAh
–
33.3 G
B0C85W6YW8
Wear OS
2023
04/08/2023
Graphite, Silver, Gold
Yes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
£369
–
–
–
Samsung
1.5 inches
IP69
5ATM
425 mAh
–
59 G
B0C85W6YW8
Wear OS
2023
26/07/2023
Black, Silver
Yes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
£479
$449
–
–
Samsung
34.6 mm
IP57
5ATM
590 mAh
–
46.5 G
B0BD9FR1SF
WearOS
2022
10/08/2022
–
Yes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
£249
$249
€279
AU$399
Samsung
40 mm
IP68
5ATM
247 mAh
40.4 x 9.8 x 39.3 MM
–
B094R7CDDP
Wear OS
2021
11/08/2021
Black, Pink, Gold, Silver, Green
Yes
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