Forget the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — the ‘Classic' model is the real star of the lineup

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

Samsung's new lineup of Galaxy smartwatches has officially been unveiled for 2025 as part of the Unpacked July 2025 event. While there's no Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — we did get a new 'Titanium Blue' color option — Samsung did announce not one, not two, but six Galaxy Watch 8 configurations.
The most petite Galaxy Watch 8 model is 40mm and comes with or without LTE connectivity. A larger 44mm also offers optional LTE for a little extra cash.
Then there's the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, the largest of the series at 46mm (with or without LTE). Despite also being the priciest of the bunch, it's easily the star of the new Galaxy Watch 8 lineup (which my colleague Kate Kozuch just went hands-on with).
Here are the five biggest reasons why the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the standout smartwatch from Unpacked.
First and foremost, the most obvious reason the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is superior to the non-classic options is the bi-directional 'clicky' bezel around the screen. This physical feature, a blend of classic horology design and modern convenience, allows you to easily browse/navigate the device without using the touchscreen or buttons. It's also a lot of fun to play around with.
Speaking of buttons, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic sports three along the side of the case — just like the flagship Galaxy Watch Ultra — compared to two on the standard Watch 8 models.
The third button, located near the three o'clock position, can be customized to launch a small but useful selection of features in an instant, like workout tracking or the flashlight.
Depending on your connectivity configuration, the starting price for the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic model is $150 more than the 40mm Galaxy Watch 8 and $120 more than the 44mm model. What does that extra cash spent get you outside of a fidget-friendly bezel and added button?
Extra storage, baby. The Classic boasts 64GB of storage, the same as all new Galaxy Watch Ultra models that you can buy going forward. (The Ultra initially launched with 32GB of storage, but that's changed as of today.) By comparison, the standard Watch 8 series offers 32GB.
Greater onboard capacity means more room for your favorite apps, music, conversations, memes — you name it.
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as the largest model in the series, also boasts slightly greater battery capacity than its siblings. While the smaller Galaxy Watch 8 sports a 325mAh battery and the larger 44mm model has a 433mAh capacity battery, the Classic bests both with 445mAh of battery capacity.
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean a longer-lasting smartwatch, but given the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic features the same 1.34-inch screen size as the smaller, 40mm Galaxy Watch 8 — the 44mm features a 1.47-inch display — there's a good chance it will offer an advantage in the longevity department.
For what it's worth, Samsung says that all versions of the Galaxy Watch 8 should last between 30 hours (with the always-on display) and 40 hours (in low power mode).
Then again, Google made similar claims about the Pixel Watch 3 last year. However, in my testing, the new larger 45mm Pixel Watch 3 model ended up lasting twice as long as its smaller 41mm sibling.
Finally, greater heft aside, I'd argue that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic offers a superior design to the standard Galaxy Watch 8 models in two key areas. First, the Classic sports a comparably more durable stainless steel case design. The standard Watch 8 models, in contrast, are aluminum.
Second, the Galaxy Watch 8 makes far better use of the series's updated cushion case — borrowed from the Ultra line — thanks to the inclusion of the aftformentioend bezel. Without it, the standard Watch 8 looks oddly chunky at the corners where the screen meets the case, giving the impression of wated space.
What are your thoughts on the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series? Is the Classic the model to get? Is the standard cushion case, sans-bezel, actually gorgeous? Let me know in the comments below.