Brady Snyder / Android Authority
Ever since buying the Fitbit Charge 2 in 2016, I’ve been a huge fan of smartwatches and fitness trackers. While smartwatches are great for their “smart” features and workout tracking capabilities, that’s not why I love them. I can pull out my phone to check a notification or pace myself during a long run without a wearable. The underlying health metrics that modern smartwatches measure are irreplaceable, though.
To get a complete picture of my health, I need to wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker to bed for sleep tracking — something that proved to be trickier than expected. After trying almost every category of tracker from brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Whoop, and Garmin, I came up empty on my search for something I could comfortably wear to bed. That is, until the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 came out.
The Galaxy Watch 8’s odd redesign solved my comfort issues, and with Samsung’s growing health software in tow, the watch quickly became my favorite for sleep tracking. Here’s why.
What's your favorite smartwatch brand for sleep tracking? 32 votes Samsung Galaxy Watch 53 % Google Pixel Watch 19 % Apple Watch 9 % OnePlus Watch 3 % Garmin 13 % Other (comments) 3 %
The slim design maximizes comfort
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
By now, you probably know that Samsung switched to a squircle chassis for the Galaxy Watch 8 series, following in the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s footsteps. The screen itself is still circular, creating a controversial look. The squircle case takes up more space on your wrist, spreading out the internal components while making the overall profile thinner.
The result is a Galaxy Watch 8 case that’s 11% thinner than its predecessor, measuring only 8.6mm thick for both the 40mm and 44mm sizes. More importantly, Samsung moved to a new lug design with this generation. The so-called dynamic lug system eliminates backwards compatibility with older Galaxy Watch models, but the benefits are worth it. With lugs that stick straight out of the Galaxy Watch 8 horizontally, rather than at a downward angle like most watches, this one sits flatter on your wrist.
The thin, flat design and dynamic lugs are claimed to improve health sensor data by helping the sensor remain flush with your wrist, and I believe it. Paired with the official Samsung fabric band, the Galaxy Watch 8 is the most comfortable and lowest-profile watch I’ve ever used.
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