Updated on 23 December 2024
Samsung quickly became one of the few companies to launch a smartwatch successfully. What is more is that it ran its product with Android before the Android Wear even existed. Proving successful, the tech giant’s mounted on a journey towards Android-powered wearables.
The company recently decided to drop the “Gear” branding in The Galaxy Watch, but decided to keep Tizen, Android Police reports. Like all of the Samsung’s recent models, the new itinerary looks exactly like a watch. But unlike before, it made sure that it fully embraces an aesthetic concept. For instance, when the wearer looks at the watch face, it ticks.
It is worth noting that the Galaxy Watch, regardless of how akin it is to a real watch, is not really a real watch. Users will have to charge it for a few days in order for it to be used, making it a bulky device compared to a mechanical one. It does, however, compare favorably to its contemporaries on the market. For starters, it offers a great display along with a cutting-edge performance that is a bit snappy. Add to this the fact that it is packed with notifications and navigation best Wear OS. At the end of the day, it boils down to its price: $300. This seems quite costly for a Samsung watch.
The Galaxy Watch offers two sizes, give consumers the freedom to choose the one they really like the most. There is the 46mm version, designed specifically for people with large wrists. Meanwhile, the smaller 42mm watch is ideal for those with thinner wrists. But as far as specs are concerned, they are nearly identical.
They are both equipped with a dual-core Exynos SoC, 768MB of RAM, including a rotating bezel meant for navigation. Where the two versions really differ is the screen sizes, which are 1.3 inches and 1.2 inches, as well as their respective battery capacity of 472mAh and 270mAh, respectively. The resolution of the OLED display is the same for both watches: 360 x 360. There is even an internal NFC antenna for Samsung Pay, though users should not expect support for MST payments on non-NFC terminals.
Samsung has installed two buttons and a rotating bezel for navigation on the two watches. The top button serves as “Back” while the lower one is “Home.” As for the rotating bezel, it lets users quickly scroll through long messages and gain easy movement through the devices’ UI. Rotate right to see your widgets and left to access notifications.
Although its underside is plastic, the Galaxy Watch’s upper body is made of aluminum. The sensors live right in the center under a transparent window. It is also worth noting that it is completely water-resistant to at least 5 atmospheres, giving users the peace of mind whenever they go on a swim. Its speakers, however, is not quite appealing. The lugs angle downward slightly; hence, the band would feel closely tight to the wrist. As for the stock band, it’s a rather plain silicone one-size-fits-all deal with a quick-release pin. It is a standard 20mm band on the smaller watch and a 22mm on the larger one.
So, is the Galaxy Watch worth buying? The answer here is pretty much subjective. If consumers care about a reliable smartwatch that simply looks like a real watch – and do not necessarily worry about any upcoming Wear OS changes – then it is a great buy. But for those who do not really see it as an urgent stuff to buy, then it is not. This is most especially that newer Wear OS could offer more compelling and interesting features in the future.