Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Ultimate Buyer's Guide

Samsung has revealed the Galaxy Watch 8 series, officially announcing both the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic on July 9. The Galaxy Watch 8 brings in a bold new design shift for the series by following in the footsteps of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. That is to say that Samsung has gotten rid of the once-round Galaxy Watch across the lineup, opting for the squircle shape. Of course, the display itself is still round. The watch case is what’s now a squircle.

Aside from the new design, the Galaxy Watch 8 also introduces a handful of other changes. Such as new software versions, new features, and new price points. For example, the Galaxy Watch 8 starts at $349.99. This is a $50 increase over the price of the previous model. Even at that slight premium, though, Samsung feels the watch is still worth it, and we might be inclined to agree.

With that said, there’s a lot going on with the new Galaxy Watch 8 from Samsung, and if you’re thinking about picking one up, this guide will serve as a means of learning all the important details about this device. From promotions, to features, to specs, this is the ultimate buyer’s guide for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8.

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Specifications
• How much does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 cost?
• Where can you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?
• What carriers does the watch work on?
• What colors does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 come in?
• What new upgrades does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 have?
• What bands are available for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?
• Images and Video
• Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Specifications

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is both new and familiar when it comes to specs and features. Not everything has changed, but more than a few things have. So let’s break that all down. For starters, the Galaxy Watch 8 comes with a new squircle design that changes the shape of the watch case. The display maintains its circular shape, though. As for the display size, it’s either 1.34 inches or 1.47 inches. The size will depend on which case size of the watch you choose. The 40mm variant has the smaller display. Interestingly, the Galaxy Watch 8 in the 44mm size has a larger display than the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, which is 46mm. There are two colors available, Graphite and Silver, and both are available for each size.

The Galaxy Watch 8 is powered by the Exynos W1000 chipset, which is the same as what’s in the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and last year’s Galaxy Watch 7 series. It has 32GB of storage, which is half of what’s available in the Classic model, but it has the same amount of RAM at 2GB. As for the battery, the 40mm comes with a 325mAh battery, while the 44mm comes with a 435mAh battery.

The Galaxy Watch 8 supports fast charging, and it comes with Wear OS 6 and One UI 8 Watch right out of the box. It’s also 5ATM-rated and IP68-rated against dust and water. You can check out the full specifications in the table below.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Specifications

How much does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 cost?

For the first time in a while, Samsung has raised the price of its standard model of the new Galaxy Watch. This year’s Galaxy Watch 8 starts at $349.99, which is $50 above the $299 Samsung charged last year. There are a few more price variants based on the size of the watch and the connectivity option you choose. So it’s not just $349.99 across the board.

Here’s what you’re looking at if you decide to buy this watch. The initial model in the 40mm size, which connects through Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, is $349.99. If you want this connectivity option in the 44mm size, then you’re looking at $379.99. For those who want the capability to connect to the watch through LTE, the 40mm size is $399.99, and the 44mm size is $429.99. Keep in mind, these are the normal retail prices. If you pre-order right now before the launch later this month, there are promotions available.

Where can you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?

There are plenty of places to buy Samsung’s new smartwatch. However, not all locations will have the same promotions. Samsung, by far, has the best promotions available for the Galaxy Watch 8 . If you pre-order through our link, you get a special $50 instant credit. This can apply to any of the Galaxy Watch 8 variations. So if you go for the 44mm LTE model, that’s $50 off of $429.99, which brings it down to $379.99.

On top of this, Samsung is also offering $200 off the price with an eligible trade-in of an older watch. That means you could potentially save up to $250 on a Galaxy Watch 8. Now that’s a good deal. One thing to be aware of is that pre-orders are first-come, first-served. The $50 credit also expires 30 minutes after clicking our link, so you’ll want to act fast for the best savings. Outside of Samsung, there are other places you can buy the Galaxy Watch 8 .

Samsung

Verizon

AT&T

T-Mobile

What carriers does the watch work on?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 will work on all the major US carriers. You can use it on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile if you’re planning on getting the LTE variant. If you’re not getting the LTE variant, then it doesn’t matter what carrier you’re with. The Galaxy Watch 8 will also work with US Cellular and Xfinity Mobile. Beyond these carriers, it might be possible to get the watch activated on your network with a data line using LTE. It will depend on whether your carrier offers watch lines. So be sure to check with your carrier specifically if it isn’t listed here.

What colors does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 come in?

The Galaxy Watch 8 only comes in two colors. It’s not as many as some might have hoped for, but you can still customize in other ways, like through different types of bands. For the watch colors, your options are Graphite and Silver. Remember, this just pertains to the color of the watch case. Bands will have their own sets of colors available. Samsung released last year’s Galaxy Watch 7 in three colors. It’s not clear why Samsung chose to stick with two colors this time around, or if it plans to launch a new color of the Galaxy Watch 8 sometime in the future. For now, these are your options.

What new upgrades does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 have?

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 is packed with upgrades that will no doubt delight users both new and old. There are sure to be some features that won’t be immediately noticeable until we get our hands on one, but Samsung has confirmed several upgrades that users can expect.

Google Gemini

Let’s start with Google Gemini, because this is probably going to be one of the bigger upgrades available. Google Gemini will be available and usable on the Galaxy Watch 8 right out of the box. Which means, users will be able to interact with it as soon as they receive their devices. This is quite different from when Google and Samsung launched Google Assistant on Wear OS a few years ago. Users assumed it would be available right away. However, it took some time getting out to devices. Samsung confirmed during Unpacked on July 9 that Gemini is an out-of-the-box feature. So you can expect to be able to use it as soon as you get the watch set up.

As for what Gemini on Wear OS can do, you’ll be able to do things like send messages, ask it questions, or even set reminders. However, it’s not just those things as individual actions. With Gemini on the Galaxy Watch 8, you’ll be able to ask it to find you a place to eat, send a message to a friend asking if they want to join you, then have it set a reminder for the time of the meeting all at once. And it’ll do it.

Slimmer design and more lightweight

Of course, the most noticeable design change with the Galaxy Watch 8 is the fact that it’s now a squircle shape instead of being round. This isn’t the only way that Samsung changed the design, though. It also made the Galaxy Watch 8 slimmer than the Galaxy Watch 7, and it’s more lightweight as well. The end result of this will be a more comfortable experience with wearing the watch for longer periods of time. It should also make it more comfortable to wear during sleep. If you’re like us and you refuse to wear your watches to sleep for sleep tracking because they’re just too uncomfortable, these changes to the design might help with that.

A much brighter display

Samsung has increased the brightness of the display on the Galaxy Watch 8 so you can see it more easily in brighter environments. The display is 50% brighter than last year’s watch, with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. While it’s not likely the display will reach that brightness level often, you also probably won’t have to ever worry about not seeing what’s on the screen. This is a really nice, subtle upgrade that most people probably wouldn’t know was implemented without being told.

Wear OS 6

Wear OS 6 is the latest version of Wear OS, and it’s available first on the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. With Wear OS 6, you’re also getting One UI 8 Watch, Samsung’s latest UI layer. This brings in several new features and software improvements, such as the Now Bar, Daily Wellness Snapshots, Vascular Load, and more. You also now get access to multi-info tiles, so you can see more of the information you want on the display at one time.

What bands are available for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?

In time, there will likely be tons of watch bands available for the Galaxy Watch 8. For starters, Samsung has a nice selection. What’s really nice about the bands this year, when it comes to Samsung’s official options, at least, is that there are more colors available from the get-go. There are three band styles to choose from with the purchase of the watch: Sport, Hybrid, and Fabric. There’s also the Athleisure band that you can buy separately. As for the colors, the Sport band comes in Blue, Graphite, Mint, Pink, and White. The Hybrid band comes in Black, Blue, Camel, Taupe, and White. The Fabric band comes in Blue, Graphite, Mint, Red, and White. And lastly, the Athleisure band comes in Blue, Graphite, Green, Sage, and White.

Samsung also offers different sizes, though not every size is available for every band. For example, the Fabric and Sport bands come in Small/Medium and Medium/Large sizes. The Hybrid band only comes in the Medium/Large size. The actual sizes for these bands are as follows: The Small/Medium will fit wrists from 130mm to 190mm. The Medium/Large band will fit wrists from 145mm to 205mm.

• Sport Band
• Hybrid Band
• Fabric Band
• Athleisure Band

Images and Video

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?

While the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is more expensive than previous Galaxy Watch smartwatches, it’s Samsung’s most advanced option with plenty of nifty upgrades and neat, useful features. Things like Gemini will make it possible to use the watch to be more hands-free than ever. The brighter screen and more lightweight build are also nice quality-of-life upgrades. Plus, with all of the pre-order savings you can get, it really doesn’t end up that expensive