I Used Every Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Series Model - And My Favorite Isn't The Ultra

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Embargo - Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series
Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra is 1 of my favourite smartwatches acknowledgment to its agelong artillery life, unsocial design, and WearOS functionality. And pinch Samsung's caller Galaxy Watch 8 series, nan institution has incorporated that aforesaid halfway creation pinch a curved quadrate backmost and information watch face, which Samsung calls a cushion design, crossed each of its products.

Also: Everything announced astatine Samsung Unpacked: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, Watch 8 Series, more

The Galaxy Watch 8 is disposable successful 2 sizes, 40 and 44mm, while nan Watch 8 Classic is disposable successful 1 46mm size pinch nan iconic beingness rotating bezel past seen connected nan Watch 6 Classic. In summation to these 2 watches, Samsung revealed an updated Galaxy Watch Ultra pinch doubly nan retention and successful a silver, blue, and orangish colour scheme.

The Galaxy Watch 8 is bladed and powerful
Matthew Miller/ZDNET

The Galaxy Watch 8 is 11% thinner than nan Watch 7 and that was achieved done intensive engineering effort that besides results successful nan aforesaid artillery life. The show is 50% brighter truthful you will not person immoderate issues viewing it successful afloat nonstop sunlight. It is disposable successful Graphite aliases Silver pinch nan Bluetooth exemplary priced astatine $349.99 and nan LTE exemplary astatine $399.99.

The rotating beingness bezel is backmost and it is beautiful
Matthew Miller/ZDNET

The Watch 8 Classic comes successful Black aliases White for $499.99 for nan Bluetooth exemplary and $549.99 for nan LTE model. I haven't owned a Galaxy Watch pinch that rotating bezel since nan Watch 3 and nan smoothness of nan rotation has been greatly improved. 

I couldn't judge really seamlessly nan bezel rotated and recovered myself rotating it correct and near arsenic a fidget spinner. The cushion creation and notches successful nan bezel besides make nan rotating bezel guidelines retired a spot from nan framework truthful it felt easier to entree than pinch past watches, wherever nan rotation wasn't ever consistent.

Also: Best Android smartwatches: I tested each celebrated watch truthful you tin find nan cleanable fit

These caller Watch 8 models motorboat pinch WearOS 6 and OneUI 8 Watch that includes speedy motorboat capacity for Google Gemini. In addition, these caller watches support precocious health-tracking features that see vascular load, bedtime guidance, antioxidant index, and Running Coach. Interestingly, you return disconnected nan watch and put your thumb connected nan bosom complaint show to trial your antioxidant scale successful 5 seconds. 

The rotating bezel helps you quickly navigate your Tiles
Matthew Miller/ZDNET

I tested my levels astatine Samsung Unpacked and was informed I request to eat much fruits and vegetables, which is ever nan lawsuit erstwhile I travel. The Samsung typical said that erstwhile you group up your ain watch pinch your assemblage particulars, Samsung Health will supply circumstantial ways to amended your antioxidant level if needed. 

For example, Samsung Health whitethorn instruct you to eat 10 blueberries to amended your level and I look guardant to testing this successful nan adjacent future.

The Running Coach looks for illustration a powerful and free feature
Matthew Miller/ZDNET

One caller package characteristic that I americium very excited astir is Running Coach. Unlike immoderate different wearables, this is simply a wholly free capability. You simply locomotion done a fewer steps to customize nan inferior for your circumstantial floor plan and moving experience, tally arsenic acold arsenic you tin successful 12 minutes, and past Samsung Health fills retired a moving scheme for nan adjacent respective weeks. 

Then arsenic you tally aliases return days off, Samsung uses this information and nan information from your slumber and different activities to set nan scheme and thief you scope your goals. 

Also: I tested nan champion smartwatches: Here are nan latest from Apple, Samsung, Google, and more

I viewed nan 4 weeks shown for nan representative, and nan scheme included elevation training, intervals, and more. Running Coach tin besides beryllium group to guideline you arsenic you run, truthful if you request to velocity up aliases slow down to lucifer nan plan, that accusation will beryllium provided to you successful existent time. 

When you complete your run, a people retired of 100 will bespeak really good you matched nan coaching scheme provided. Stay tuned for much arsenic I deed nan roadworthy complete nan adjacent week and put this Running Coach to nan test.

The caller Galaxy Watch Ultra has doubly nan retention and a compelling colour scheme
Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Larger wrists for illustration excavation admit nan Galaxy Watch Ultra and I've been very pleased pinch it complete nan past year. I wasn't moreover reasoning of an upgrade to nan 2025 Watch Ultra since nan only specification quality is nan summation successful retention from 32GB to 64GB. However, nan caller exemplary is disposable successful Titanium Blue pinch orangish highlights. 

Orange and bluish are colors from nan USCG Academy, and I precocious bought a utilized Ford Tremor that is bluish pinch orangish highlights. So it is beautiful clear that this caller exemplary was made for me. I'll beryllium checking successful connected Samsung trade-in values later today.

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