The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the upgraded model in Samsung’s smartwatch line, built with a stainless steel case and a physical rotating bezel around the face for scrolling through apps and notifications without smudging up the screen. Samsung releases the Classic every other year rather than every year, so the Watch 8 Classic is the current model and will be for a while. At 46mm, it’s a big watch, but is comfortable enough for pretty much any wrist.
A feature-rich smartwatch with health tracking and comms options
The rotating bezel is the definitive Classic feature. It lets you navigate menus, messages, and watch faces by rotating it rather than physically touching the screen. This means the bezel is useful if your hands are dirty from food preparation or wet from swimming. Additionally, it works as a button that can be assigned to initiate workouts, make payments, or access shortcuts with a single press.
The display on the Watch 8 Classic features a 1.34-inch Super AMOLED with a sapphire crystal lens. Sapphire crystal is more scratch-resistant compared to the glass typically used in many smartwatches. The Watch 8 Classic meets MIL-STD-810H standards for ruggedness and has a 5 ATM rating, allowing for normal use while swimming in pools. However, it doesn’t provide protection for scuba diving, so you’ll need to look elsewhere for a dive watch. The battery is 445 mAh and provides approximately 30 hours of moderate use with the Always-On Display enabled, or up to 40 hours with less use and with the Always-On Display disabled. Fast charging charges the watch from completely dead to 45% within 30 minutes.
The new BioActive sensor monitors your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, body composition, sleep patterns, and stress levels, and measures Carotenoids in the skin to determine the user’s overall diet based on their antioxidant index. Running Coach creates custom running training programs for both 5k and marathon runners and provides live pacing information during their runs. The watch also has Sleep Coaching, which analyzes each night’s sleep data and recommends optimal bedtimes. Lastly, an Energy Score considers heart rate variability, sleep quality, and physical activity to generate a daily Readiness score.
Wear OS 6 and Samsung’s One UI 8 Watch run the software side with 64 GB of storage on board, enough for offline music libraries and a full set of installed apps. Google Wallet and Samsung Pay both work for tap-to-pay at a register, and GPS tracks outdoor runs and rides without needing the phone along.
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic normally runs $500, so getting it for $370 knocks $130 off the current flagship Classic model. At that price, you’re paying closer to what Samsung’s aluminum base models cost but getting the full stainless steel Classic build, the rotating bezel, and the full health tracking suite.
