Samsung Galaxy 8 Smartwatch ZDNET's key takeaways Samsung's Galaxy 8 is available for preorder now, with shipping beginning on July 25.
It's a capable smartwatch with all the usual health metrics, along with Samsung's Running Coach, bedtime guidance, and recovery insights.
Some features feel more experimental than scientific, like Antioxidant Index and BMI, which failed to work several times. View now at Samsung
Samsung's latest smartwatches have arrived. The Galaxy Watch 8 lineup, which includes both the Watch 8 and the Watch 8 Classic with a rotating bezel, are available to pre-order now, and they're packed with all the standard health tracking metrics, and some unique ones of its own.
I've been testing Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 for a few days. I've run, slept, and socialized with it, and I'm confident it's one of the top Android smartwatches you can buy right now, whether you're training for a marathon or just looking for a capable AI-powered smartwatch.
Also: The biggest health upgrade Samsung announced at Unpacked was also the most subtle
Before I get into the software that makes this watch so unique, let's talk hardware. First off, the Galaxy Watch 8 is notably thinner than both its predecessor and the competition. Samsung made this watch 11% thinner than the Watch 7, and when compared to the other major smartwatches, the Watch 8 is not as thin as the Apple Watch Series 10, but far thinner than the Pixel Watch 3.
At 3,000 nits, the Watch 8 is one of the brightest displays in the game right now, trumping the 2,000 nits offered by the Pixel Watch 3 and Apple Watch Series 10. This is a display that will be visible outdoors in virtually all conditions -- I had no trouble navigating it during my sunny runs.
Regarding battery life, it's important to note that its longevity varies based on smartwatch size. I tested the 40mm size smartwatch, and in my experience, when using it continuously for activity and sleep tracking, it lasted around a day and a half with Always-On enabled. Disabling that feature will squeeze a few more hours out of the battery, however, and the larger-sized watch may also last you a little longer.
Comparing the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Google Pixel Watch 3. Nina Raemont/ZDNET
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