Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review: Stylish Smartwatch That Gets Most Things Right

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review: Smartwatches may no longer be in their explosive growth phase, but brands like Samsung continue to refine them into serious health companions. The new Galaxy Watch 8 aims to prove that wearables still have a place in our digital lives, not by reinventing design, but by sharpening performance and integrating AI more deeply. We tested the 44mm version for over a week to see if Samsung’s most accessible smartwatch justifies its ₹32,999 tag.

Our time with the Galaxy Watch 8 involved both Samsung and non-Samsung phones. We tested the Watch 8’s fitness and AI capabilities, its navigation accuracy with Google Maps, and how well it plays with non-Samsung Android phones.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is designed for fitness enthusiasts, has a decent battery life and a companion app (Galaxy Wear) that helps customise the Watch face and change multiple settings according to your preferences. However, there are some areas where we felt the Galaxy Watch 8 could have been better.

What’s Good

Sleek Design and Sharp Display

The design of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 has a cushion-shaped case, which is inspired by the Watch Ultra 2. It is lightweight to use, and the circular shape of the dial now gets a minimalistic square touch, and it is finished in brushed aluminium. Since Samsung says it is 11 per cent thinner than the previous model, the curvy design makes it relaxing to wear all day, and the strap is soft and comfortable on the skin.

The Galaxy Watch 8 is available in two sizes, 40mm and 44mm. We tested the 44mm size, and it looks decent with its bigger dimensions. The Galaxy Watch 8 is equipped with a Super AMOLED screen, and the display quality in peak sunlight was great. The 3000-nit of peak brightness helped us in using Google Maps during our bike commutes and helped in changing different music tracks and going through the notifications. The touch is responsive, and it continues to come with the touch-based bezel-mounted navigation for the UI.

Performance

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is equipped with an Exynos W1000 processor, which has 5 cores, and is paired with 2 GB RAM and 32 GB of storage. The applications launched smoothly, and with multiple apps running behind, there was no lag observed during our experience. With full brightness on a sunny day, using Google Maps for traffic, and juggling between multiple apps, the W1000 processor performed well, and the performance experience with the Galaxy Watch 8 was smooth.

Fitness Measurements

We have been testing the Galaxy Watch 8 extensively during gym sessions, and it is one of the important factors of the Samsung Galaxy Watch series. During our gym sessions, we tested out its multiple modes like the treadmill, indoor bike, weight machines, and others. The Galaxy Watch 8 tracked accurately and helped us a lot in counting the calories burned during the workout.

Additionally, the Galaxy Watch 8 also has an ECG, a heart rate monitor, and a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) sensor for measuring body composition. Further, it also comes with sleep monitoring, and the data helped us in giving an overall view of our sleep cycle and sleep health. The heart rate monitor gave us a similar reading to the blood pressure monitoring machine’s reading.

Also, if you use a Samsung device, then we will still suggest that you do not rely on the readings as clinical proof. Always back it up with lab tests if accuracy matters.

What’s Bad

Features - Map View in Google Maps

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 has multiple convenience features of your smartphone on your wrist. One of those is Google Maps, which shows you directions in two formats, either in the form of turn-by-turn navigation or complete street view, which is there on our regular phones.

During our long bike rides, we used Google Maps for navigation, and the Galaxy Watch 8 was handy to use. While we were using the street view, after a short period of time, it returned to the main screen, even with the always-on display. To go back to the navigation view, it was a bit cumbersome task while riding since it required attention off the road, and we expected the watch to stay on the same page.

Battery

The next thing that could have been improved is the battery pack of the Galaxy Watch 8. Though there are improvements from the previous model, with an always-on display and turning on Google Maps with on-device LTE, the charging dropped at a faster pace. However, during our testing period, it lasted almost 1 and a half days if you turn off the on-device LTE.

Regarding the charging, it comes with a wireless charger. To charge it completely from a dead state, it requires almost 1.5 hours to 2 hours for a complete juice up, and support for fast charging could have been offered.

What is the price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8?

The price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is as follows:

• For the Bluetooth variant, the price of the Watch 8 40mm is ₹32,999. The Watch 8 44mm is priced at ₹35,999.
• For the 4G variant, the price of the Watch 8 40mm is ₹36,999. The Watch 8 44mm is priced at ₹39,999.

Verdict

Rating: 3.5/5

The Galaxy Watch 8 is Samsung’s most practical smartwatch yet, one that focuses on refinement over reinvention. It brings a thinner, more comfortable design, a bright and responsive display, and improved health-tracking features that work reliably most of the time. The performance is smooth, and the seamless integration with Samsung’s ecosystem makes the overall experience more cohesive.

However, the battery life still leaves room for improvement, and the quirks in Google Maps navigation show that software fine-tuning is still needed. For ₹32,999, the Galaxy Watch 8 makes sense for fitness enthusiasts and Samsung loyalists who want the core experience of the Classic and Ultra models without spending extra. For everyone else, it’s a solid, no-frills smartwatch that gets most things right—just not all.

Also Read: OnePlus Nord 5 Review: Practical Daily Driver with Good Battery Life