The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series, launched in July 2025, represents a significant evolution in Samsung’s wearable technology, building on the success of its predecessors with major advancements in health tracking, AI integration, and design refinements. The series includes the standard Galaxy Watch 8, the premium Galaxy Watch 8 Classic with the return of the rotating bezel, and a refreshed Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025).
Design and Display
The standard Galaxy Watch 8 and the Watch 8 Classic adopt a new “cushion” shape, a subtle squircle design that blends traditional appeal with modern ergonomics. Samsung has focused on comfort, making the Watch 8 notably thinner (8.6mm) and slightly lighter than previous generations. It also features a new “Dynamic Lug” system, which allows the watch to sit more snugly on the wrist, enhancing both comfort and the accuracy of sensor readings.
Both the 40mm and 44mm models of the Watch 8 boast an upgraded Super AMOLED display with a blazing-bright peak brightness of 3,000 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. The 40mm model features a 1.34-inch display, while the 44mm version sports a larger 1.47-inch screen. All models in the series, including the Classic, are protected by durable Sapphire Crystal glass. The Watch 8 Classic, coming in a single 46mm size, retains the popular physical rotating bezel and a stainless steel construction.
Performance and Software
Under the hood, the entire Watch 8 series is powered by the Exynos W1000 chipset, built on an efficient 3nm process. This processor is carried over from the previous generation, offering improved efficiency and fluid performance, essential for the new suite of AI features. The standard Watch 8 comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, while the Watch 8 Classic doubles the storage to 64GB.
The watches run on Wear OS 6 with Samsung’s custom One UI 8 Watch interface. A standout new feature is the integration of Google’s Gemini multimodal AI, which enables hands-free control of key functions through voice commands. For example, users can start personalized workouts on Samsung Health simply by speaking their request. One UI 8 Watch also introduces redesigned, more glanceable tiles for easier access to essential information.
Advanced Health and Fitness Features
The Galaxy Watch 8 truly shines with its array of advanced health monitoring capabilities, leveraging an upgraded BioActive sensor. New groundbreaking features include:
Antioxidant Index: This feature measures the level of carotenoids in the skin using the BioActive Sensor, offering a quick, intuitive numerical and color-coded score to track aging-related health and dietary habits.
Vascular Load: A sophisticated sleep-tracking metric that monitors stress on the user’s vascular system overnight, incorporating daily activity and stress levels for a holistic view of cardiovascular wellness.
Bedtime Guidance: An AI-powered tool that analyzes the user’s recent sleep patterns (especially over the weekend) and provides personalized recommendations for an ideal time to wind down, helping to maintain a consistent sleep cycle.
Running Coach: This AI-based feature analyzes a user’s running ability via a 12-minute test and generates a customized, multi-week training program with real-time feedback guidance to help prevent injury and improve performance.
The Watch 8 also retains core health features like ECG, BIA (Body Composition), continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen tracking, improved menstrual cycle tracking (with skin temperature data), and enhanced fall detection.
Battery and Pricing
Battery capacities have seen slight increases across the board: the 40mm Watch 8 now has a 325mAh battery, and the 44mm model has a 435mAh cell, with the Classic model packing 445mAh. Despite the increased capacity and the high-brightness 3,000-nit display, real-world battery life is generally projected to maintain the typical one to two-day usage. A new “Battery Protection” mode can cap charging at 85% to help extend the battery’s lifespan.
The entire lineup saw a price increase compared to the previous generation. The base Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, Bluetooth-only) starts at a higher price of approximately $349.99, a $50 jump from its predecessor. The Watch 8 Classic (46mm, Bluetooth-only) starts at around $499.99. The introduction of the Watch 8 series positions it as a strong competitor in the premium smartwatch market, particularly for Android users seeking a device rich in AI-driven health and fitness tools. (Approx. 600 words).
