First Impressions: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Review

Introduction

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic as it decides it was time to reinstate its smartwatch with a rotating bezel.

Announced alongside the Galaxy Watch 8 and a blue edition of the Galaxy Watch Ultra, the new Classic is getting a reworked design, new software, and features that should make it a substantial upgrade over the previous Classic.

I got to spend some time twisting that bezel, checking out the new look, and seeing what software surprises are in store for those who have been calling for Samsung to bring back their beloved bezel.

Design and screen

• One case size like the Watch 6 Classic
• Improved watch connector design
• Ultra squircle look now added

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic’s look is very much in keeping with previous Classics, which is available in your pick of black or white shades. Samsung is also bringing it more in line with the look of its Ultra smartwatch. So while the rotating bezel is there, it’s not instantly the first thing that draws your attention.

It’s more that Samsung has decided to incorporate the squircle case from the Ultra, giving it a refreshed, yet still distinct, look.

Look around the sides of the case and you’ll now also spy that an extra button has been added.  This is the same quick button that Samsung introduced to the Ultra. This button will function in exactly the same way, making it quicker to perform functions like turning on the water lock when you go swimming or speeding up the exercise tracking process.

The size of the Watch 8 Classic remains the same as the Watch 6 Classic, so that’s a 46mm one that might make it a bit too much watch for those with slimmer wrists. It measures 10.6mm thick, so that’s just a touch thinner in comparison to the 6 Classic (10.9mm). It’s not the type of difference you’re going to notice.

The case is partnered up with a leather strap, though you do have plenty of additional strap options if you want to change things. Samsung now adds the lug system it uses on the Ultra to improve the way you clip on and clip away other straps. As a package, it remains waterproof up to 50 metres, matching the waterproofing rating on the Galaxy Watch 8.

Samsung still uses one of its Super AMOLED displays, a 1.34-inch, 438 x 438-pixel resolution one that’s also protected by sapphire crystal to provide some of the best screen protection against scratches in the watchmaking industry. That’s actually a smaller display than the one featured on the Watch 6 Classic, and it perhaps has something to do with that more notable bezel that sits around it.

That bezel seems to operate in a similar fashion as before, letting you twist to scroll through menu screens, and now with that added quick button, it gives you more physical ways to interact with the Classic.

Features 

• New dual-chip processor 
• Added dual-band GPS
• Larger battery

Bezel aside, there are a fair few more ways the new Classic has been upgraded from the old Classic.

Let’s start with the software, where Samsung is offering the latest Wear OS 6 matched with One UI 8. There’s now a new Exynos W1000 chipset to make sure that the combination of Google and Samsung’s software runs quickly and smoothly.

My quick swiping and tapping through screens seem to suggest that’ll be the case, but I’ll reserve judgment until it’s paired with a smartphone and running some apps and modes.

New Wear OS software brings new user interface features like compiling Tiles into single screens, while Samsung brings over its Now bar from its phones to help you keep an eye on apps running in the background. These look like they’re going to be good additions.

We’re also getting Gemini. Google Assistant is out, and Gemini is in to be a more useful smartwatch assistant. It’s worth noting that you do have an LTE model option if you want to ask Gemini to do things like find nearby gyms or restaurants and to also tell your friends to meet you there, without your smartphone nearby.

There has been a lot added on the health, fitness, and general well-being tracking fronts as well.

The feature that stands out the most is a new one for Samsung’s smartwatches, and that’s a new antioxidant index feature. You can definitely tag this one as a health feature that isn’t regulatory-approved, but could be useful for some, if it’s accurate.

This allows you to measure carotenoid levels by placing your thumb on the optical sensor on the back of the watch. This will then send data to the Samsung Health app to let you know whether your index is high or low. If it’s low, you’ll be prompted to kick those numbers up by consuming the fruit and vegetables in which carotenoids are found.

Samsung is looking to bolster the sleep tracking abilities on its smartwatches, and it’s doing that here in a few different ways. There are new coaching programs that sound a bit like Withings’ sleep programs. You can capture a new vascular load metric during sleep to monitor stress levels on your vascular system. That’s the system of blood vessels that run throughout the body. 

If you struggle to get to bed at the right time, you’ll now be given suggestions on when to hit the pillow based on keeping tabs on your circadian rhythm. That’s your body’s natural clock. Those with Samsung SmartThings smart home devices that can tell you data about the environment in your home can be factored in to better understand the conditions you tend to sleep in.

For runners of all abilities, Samsung aims to transform its smartwatch into a personalised running coach. It does that by assessing your fitness level from a short test, before letting you build a training program based on your data.

In terms of battery life, Samsung doesn’t say what you should expect. What we do know is that it now has a larger 445mAh capacity, up from 425mAh on the 6 Classic. That should lead to some battery improvements, though perhaps not as huge as we’d hoped.