Samsung launches an all-squircle Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic with Wear OS 6!
The smartwatches adopt the squircle shape of the Ultra lineup and feature a redesigned One UI 8 Watch software experience.
Priced starting at $349 and $499, respectively, the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic are available now for preorder.
Samsung has officially announced its latest smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 8 series, and it's all about refinement. The new lineup borrows heavily from the design language of the Ultra and introduces a handful of key software upgrades along the way. Think thinner cases, brighter screens, and more storage across the board, plus the usual laundry list of health upgrades, some welcome design tweaks, and yes, Gemini AI. The series includes the standard Galaxy Watch 8 and the returning Watch 8 Classic, complete with its fan-favorite rotating bezel.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic: Design
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Love it or hate it, the squircle-shaped cushion case from the Galaxy Watch Ultra is now standard across the entire Watch 8 lineup, giving all three Samsung smartwatches a more cohesive design. The 8 series watches are sleeker than ever, as the standard Watch 8 is 11% thinner than its predecessor. Each also boasts a brighter display, with peak brightness jumping from 2,000 to 3,000 nits. Shoppers can still grab a base model in 40mm or 44mm sizes, with Silver and Graphite colorways.
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic returns in White and Black, but this time it's limited to a single case size. Most importantly, though, the rotating bezel makes its welcome return on the Classic, along with the Quick Button previously reserved for the Ultra.
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Both models also feature a new Dynamic Lug System for swapping bands, which, according to Samsung, should afford the watches 11% more accurate heart rate tracking. Unfortunately, it also means older Galaxy Watch straps won't work on the new devices. Instead, you'll need to pick from Samsung's new range of athleisure, fabric, hybrid, and sport bands.
Software and features
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
Samsung's software experience centers on One UI 8 Watch based on Wear OS 6, which brings a refreshed interface and a few genuinely useful tweaks. The standout addition is the new 'Now Bar,' which makes multitasking faster and turns the watch face into a more functional control center. The redesign also introduces a Featured apps folder for quicker access to your most-used tools, and new multi-info tiles that let you stack widgets, finally cutting down on excessive side swiping.
Watch One UI 8 introduces a refined software experience featuring a Now Bar and Featured apps folder.
There's also plenty happening on the tracking front this year. Sleep coaching gets an update, including tailored recommendations for bedtime, and sleep-based heart monitoring, which kicks in after you log three nights of baseline data, is now available. Samsung has also introduced a new 'antioxidant index,' which is designed to help users make healthier food choices.
For athletes, new running coach features are smarter and still free inside the Samsung Health app, highlighting that Samsung has punted the subscription trend yet again (for now, at least). Running coach details include personalized guidance for training, improvement tracking, and real-time feedback. Then there's Gemini, Google's AI assistant, which Samsung says is 'built-in' to the Watch 8. Whether that means true on-watch intelligence or just tighter phone integration isn't clear yet.
The device's also boast Gemini, Google's AI Assistant.
Under the hood, Samsung has bumped up battery capacity across the board by about 8%. The Galaxy Watch 8 comes with 325mAh (40mm) and 435mAh (44mm) batteries, while the Watch 8 Classic gets a 445mAh cell. The pricier model also received an upgrade in storage, and now boasts 64GB, allowing more room for apps and data. The base model remains with the same 32GB offered in last year's models.
Specs
At a glance, the two devices offer nearly identical experiences. Dig into the full specs of each model below.
Galaxy Watch 8 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Dimensions and weight
Galaxy Watch 8
40mm: 40.4 x 42.7 x 8.6mm
30 g
44mm: 43.7 x 46 x 8.6mm
34 g
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
46mm: 46.4mm x 46mm x 10.6t
63.5g
Materials
Galaxy Watch 8
Case: Aluminum Armor
Front: Sapphire Crystal
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Case: Aluminum Armor
Front: Sapphire Crystal
Display
Galaxy Watch 8
40mm: 1.34-inch
Super AMOLED, Full color, Always On Display
438 x 438 resolution
44mm: 1.47-inch
Super AMOLED, Full color, Always On Display
480×480 resolution
3,000 nits peak
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
1.34-inch
Super AMOLED, Full color, Always On Display
438×438 resolution
3,000 nits peak
Processor
Galaxy Watch 8
Exynos W1000
5 cores
3nm process
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Exynos W1000
5 cores
3nm process
RAM
Galaxy Watch 8
2GB
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
2GB
Storage
Galaxy Watch 8
32GB
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
64GB
Battery
Galaxy Watch 8
40mm: 325mAh
44mm: 435mAh
WPC-based wireless charging
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
445mAh
WPC-based wireless charging
Connectivity
Galaxy Watch 8
Bluetooth 5.3
LTE
Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5GHz)
NFC
GPS dual frequency (L1+L5)
Glonass
Beidou
Galileo
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Bluetooth 5.3
LTE
Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5GHz)
NFC
GPS dual frequency (L1+L5)
Glonass
Beidou
Galileo
OS
Galaxy Watch 8
Wear OS 6
One UI 8 Watch
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Wear OS 6
One UI 8 Watch
Sensors
Galaxy Watch 8
Samsung BioActive sensor (Optical Bio-signal sensor, Electrical Heart Signal, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis)
Temperature sensor
Accelerometer
Barometer
Gyro sensor
Geomagnetic sensor
Light sensor
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Samsung BioActive sensor (Optical Bio-signal sensor, Electrical Heart Signal, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis)
Temperature sensor
Accelerometer
Barometer
Gyro sensor
Geomagnetic sensor
Light sensor
Durability
Galaxy Watch 8
5ATM
IP68
MID-STD-810H
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
5ATM
IP68
MID-STD-810H
Compatibility
Galaxy Watch 8
Compatible with Android 12.0 or later with more than 1.5GB of memory
No iOS support
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Compatible with Android 12.0 or later with more than 1.5GB of memory
No iOS support
Colors
Galaxy Watch 8
Graphite, Silver
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Black, White
Galaxy Watch 8 vs Galaxy Watch 7
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
The Galaxy Watch 8 series doesn't rewrite the playbook, but it delivers some solid, incremental upgrades over the Watch 7 series. The devices pack double the storage, a noticeably thinner chassis, and brighter displays across the board. They also shift to a unified squircle design with a new band system that adds a sleek hardware touch (albeit at the cost of backward compatibility). Internally, the 8 series features ambitious health tracking additions, including sleep-based heart monitoring and an eyebrow-raising 'antioxidant index.'
The addition of Gemini AI also marks a philosophical shift toward smarter, more proactive wearables, though we'll need more clarity on how deeply it's integrated. Altogether, the Watch 8 is less about reinvention and more about refining the formula that made the Watch 7 a solid all-rounder. If you're not sold on the squircle design, sticking with the Watch 7 Classic might be the smarter move.
Pricing and availability
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Galaxy Watch 8 40mm (Wi-Fi): $349.99
$349.99 Galaxy Watch 8 44mm (Wi-Fi): $379.99
$379.99 Galaxy Watch 8 40mm (LTE): $399.99
$399.99 Galaxy Watch 8 44mm (LTE): $429.99
$429.99 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (Wi-Fi): $499.99
$499.99 Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (LTE): $549.99
The Galaxy Watch 8 starts at $349.99 for a Wi-Fi-only 40mm model, while the Watch 8 Classic begins at $499.99. LTE versions are available for each model at an additional $50 cost. Preorders for the entire Galaxy Watch 8 lineup are available now. The devices launched alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is also available now for preorder, priced at $649.99. Notably, the Ultra did not get a spec bump besides added storage or a redesign beyond a new Titanium Blue color.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 40mm Wi-Fi)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 40mm Wi-Fi)
Bright display • Powerful health features • Gemini built-in
MSRP: $349.99
Brighter display, better battery life
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 offers a new 'squircle' look, with new band attachments, backed by new software, a 50% brighter display over last year's model, and a slightly larger battery. The watch is available in four configurations: a 40mm display in Wi-Fi or LTE and a 44mm display in Wi-Fi or LTE.
See price at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 40mm Wi-Fi
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wi-Fi)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wi-Fi)
Rotating bezel • Bright display • Best software features
MSRP: $499.99
Going squircle, still Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic continues the Classic lineage but with a squircle redesign. Available in Wi-Fi and LTE, with a 3,000 nit display and big 445mAh battery, enjoy all of the best Samsung smartwatch software experiences in style.
See price at Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wi-Fi
See price at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Wi-Fi
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