The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 LTE Smartwatch has made a significant impact with its sleek design and advanced features. Released alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, this smartwatch is designed to seamlessly integrate with Android smartphones, offering a comprehensive suite of functionalities that cater to health enthusiasts and tech-savvy users alike.
Upon activation, the Galaxy Watch8 is immediately recognized by nearby Android devices. Our test involved pairing it with a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, requiring the installation of the Samsung Wear app and a specific extension for the smartwatch. The setup process involves saving a Google account on the WearOS smartwatch and granting several permissions. Users can specify whether the watch is worn on the left or right hand, the preferred position of the keys, and various health measurement settings.
Enhanced User Experience and Connectivity
The Galaxy Watch8 offers a user-friendly experience with its 1.5-inch display, two keys, and responsive finger gestures. The Samsung Wear app allows customization of tiles and designs, along with access to SIM management, media files, and app configurations. Notably, the smartwatch includes fall detection and emergency contact storage, with training data analyzed in the Samsung Health app.
Samsung has equipped the Galaxy Watch8 with a microphone and speaker, enabling phone calls directly from the watch. The integrated eSIM allows for calls without a connected smartphone, providing full access to contacts and call lists. Notifications are clear and reliable, supporting Emojis and images in high quality. Users can respond using a full QWERTY keyboard, preset responses, Emojis, voice input, or by drawing letters, with inputs on the small display proving surprisingly accurate.
Voice Assistants and Health Innovations
The Galaxy Watch8 introduces Google’s Gemini assistant during setup, which can be activated via key press or voice command. Gemini performs complex tasks and accesses apps efficiently, such as starting navigation on Google Maps. Samsung’s Bixby assistant is also available, though its functionalities are less extensive than Gemini’s.
Samsung has introduced new health features with the Galaxy Watch8, including the “energy score,” which assesses overall health and performance based on sleep and activity data. The AGEs Index, a new metric for metabolic health, is displayed on a color scale with qualitative ratings. The smartwatch also measures the Antioxidant Index, vascular load, and body composition.
Comprehensive Health Monitoring
The Galaxy Watch8 tracks daily activity levels, showing progress through completed hearts as goals are achieved. It provides detailed information on steps, activity times, calories, and more. The smartwatch measures heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and ECG, though the latter two require a Samsung smartphone for full functionality. Calibration with a blood pressure monitor is necessary for accurate readings.
In our tests, heart rate measurements showed a deviation of 5.2% compared to a Polar H10 chest belt, while blood oxygen saturation differed by 1.36% against a Braun Pulsoximeter.
Samsung’s extensive sleep tracking capabilities include a sleep score based on various sleep phases, with trends and recommendations for improvement. The Galaxy Watch8 also tracks blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, skin temperature, and breathing frequency during sleep. If connected to a smartphone, it can detect snoring and sleep apnea, offering a comprehensive sleep analysis and optional coaching.
Fitness and Navigation Features
The Galaxy Watch8 supports a wide range of sports tracking, with customizable configurations and goals. It includes a new running coach feature and automatic training recognition, which performed reliably in our tests. The smartwatch supports all major satellite systems, allowing route recording and export without a smartphone. Google Maps is preinstalled, offering stable and quick satellite connections for navigation.
Display and Performance Enhancements
The Galaxy Watch8 boasts an impressive 1.5-inch AMOLED display with a maximum brightness of 3052 cd/m², making it easily readable in any lighting condition. Without the brightness sensor, the display reaches 532 Nits, with flickering detected at 60 Hz. The always-on display can be customized with different modes, and wrist movements activate the display quickly and reliably.
The display’s sensitivity to touch is noteworthy, though the digital crown occasionally leads to inadvertent scrolling. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 offers a well-rounded package of features, combining advanced health tracking with robust connectivity and user-friendly design.
As Samsung continues to innovate in the smartwatch market, the Galaxy Watch8 stands out as a leading choice for those seeking a high-performance device that integrates seamlessly with their digital lifestyle.
