Published on December 7th, 2018 | by Bibhuranjan

Samsung Galaxy Watch In-Depth Review

The Samsung Galaxy Watch can be considered a Swiss army knife when it comes to the smartwatch market.

It gives you a little bit of everything, from sleep tracking, fitness tracking, online payments, and controlling devices paired to it. Not only that, but it also looks great while it functions.

All of this qualifies it to be one of the best smartwatches for 2019.

Design and Display

It comes in both a 46mm model and a 42mm model. The former has a nice silver look while the latter is available in black and rose gold.

The 46mm can be a little too bulky and feel a bit heavy for some people, so the 42mm could be a better option for them.

The 46mm’s display is a 1.3-inch screen while the 42mm’s is a 1.2-inch screen. Both of them have a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels which makes all the info and graphics look sharp.

The vibrant colors and good contrast make it a nice sight and easy to read even in direct sunlight.

Generally, the watches look nice and match any attire be it casual or formal.

The rotating bezel is coated in a matte-black finish that gives it an air of classiness while being easy to use.

It is quite intuitive and creates an easier navigation through the notifications and apps.

The two buttons on the right side have a textured rubber finish and are easy to find and use.

The top one serves as a back button and the bottom one serves as a home button.

Durability and build

The Samsung Galaxy Watch’s strap is made of silicone which makes it durable and comfortable. It’s also water-resistant up to 5 ATM (165 feet).

his means you can hop in the pool or take a shower without having to take it off.

It is also MIL-STD-810G-certified. This means it is tested for durability against drops, extreme changes in temperature, dust-resistance, and high altitude.

It will definitely withstand all the circumstances you put it through.

You can switch the strap with any standard 22mm band if you want to customize your watch a little bit to your own taste. You can also change to any of the many available watch faces.

Fitness and Health Features

When it comes to fitness tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Watch is superbly extensive. You can track a total of 39 different workouts that include weight training, cardio, and circuit training.

Walking, running, or cycling are all automatically detected and logged simply by starting the activity.

Although the watch isn’t capable of tracking all kinds of weightlifting exercises, it does a good job of tracking the more common ones like bench presses, shoulder presses, deadlift, and arm curls. It records the number of sets as well as the reps per set you want to do.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch has a built-in altimeter and barometer to be able to tell the changes in pressure and altitude so it tells you how many floors you’ve climbed during the day.

The heart rate sensor is pretty solid and accurate. Tracking the heart beats per minute enables the watch to tell if your heart rate is above or below the normal levels and thereby give you guided breathing exercises to help regulate your heart beats.

Smart Features

You can send or receive phone calls, send text messages, or do voice dictation thanks to the built-in microphone and speakers.

You’ll get 4GB of internal storage. However, it seems that only half that space is actually usable. It’s not very big, but it’s enough to store a couple of your favorite songs, some photos, and download some apps from the Galaxy App store.

Unlike the MST technology that was available for the Gear S3, the Samsung Galaxy Watch only works with NFC terminals. That’s good enough because this means you’re going to enjoy the Samsung Pay feature.

One of the most exciting features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch is the freedom to turn it into a home automation hub. Using IoT (Internet of Things) technology, you can pair it with compatible smart devices like vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, and TVs. After that, you can use these appliances in sync with your sleep and activity patterns.

The “My Day” feature helps you sort your schedule out by displaying everything you have planned for the next 10 hours.

A new feature that you’ll enjoy on the Samsung Galaxy Watch is the integration of the AI assistant: Bixby. It replaces the old S Voice.

Software and Performance

Running on Samsung’s Exynos 9110 dual-core processor clocked at 1.15 GHz, you’ll get the fastest operation and best responsiveness.

The battery of the Samsung Galaxy Watch lasts about 3 to 4 days which isn’t too shabby but it means you’ll have to charge it twice per week.

If you’ve had any of the previous Samsung watches, you’re going to be familiar with the Tizen OS.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch runs on the Tizen 4.0 which is easy to use and well-optimized for the rotating bezel that the Galaxy Watch has.

Price and Compatibility with Other Devices

The Samsung Galaxy Watch is available in a Bluetooth-only version and an LTE one. The latter is obviously a bit pricier, but it also depends on the carrier you’ll use.

Generally, both versions’ prices are not bad when you put them in perspective with all the things you’ll get out of the watch.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch is compatible with both Android and iOS. However, you might miss out on some of the Bixby health integration if you use a non-Samsung device.

Pros

Great construction
Vivid display
Has a lot of features
Smooth wireless charging

Cons

Internal storage is very limited

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch is like a jack of all trades that masters the combination. It balances between being a fitness tracker and has a lot of smart features and technology integrated into it as well. It’s simply one of the best choices you can find on the market. Looking for other gadgets for your travel plan? You can find them here.

Tags: galaxy watch, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Watch review, smartwatch

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.