The Galaxy Watch 8 series is finally official. Amongst some serious design changes, Samsung has added a slew of features with Wear OS 6, including the addition of the Now Bar.
The biggest adjustment in the Galaxy Watch 8 series is the design language. Rather than a circular Watch 8, as was mostly expected, Samsung has opted for a “cushion” design that blends the lines between square and circle. The Watch 8 Classic takes on this design as well, which might be a divisive design choice among fans, as the Classic series has always taken on a conventional circular shape.
The Watch 8 is supposed to offer more comfort for every lifestyle with improved performance. The base model Watch 8 is 11% slimmer than previous versions. Samsung attributes this change to a new component mounting process and a completely restructured internal design. The main series also takes on the Dynamic Lug system that we saw in the Watch Ultra launched last year.
Both the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic bring the same sapphire crystal display with what Samsung says is a much brighter output. With that, both devices use the Exynos W1000 processor and are equipped with 2GB of RAM. The Classic, on one hand, offers up to 64GB of internal storage.
Unlike the Galaxy Watch Ultra, the Galaxy Watch Classic has not been designed to take on days on end. The internal battery has a capacity of 445mAh, while the Watch 8 models have a max rating of 435mAh. That isn’t awful, but it’s a far cry from what last year’s larger, more capable sport-driven model can offer.
Samsung notes that the health suite has taken on a few improvements. First, the GPS sensors in each watch have been improved for better accuracy. With that, Running Coach will be more capable of determining the path and location.
The new watches also bring Bedtime Guidance and Vascular Load measurements to the sleep suite. The first will offer guidance on when to wind down and go to bed, while the vascular load feature monitors stress levels during sleep. The Watch 8 series also adds an Antioxidant Index that measures carotenoid levels in short periods.
The Galaxy Watch 8 series will also be the first lineup to offer Gemini by default. The AI assistant will run on Wear OS 6 through Samsung’s One UI Watch 8. With that, the devices will be the first will Samsung’s new public build of One UI Watch 8. That also means the Now Bar we’re used to seeing on the Galaxy S25 series has a place on the watch itself.
The Galaxy Watch 8 will come in Graphite and Silver colorways in the normal 40mm and 44mm sizes, while the new Watch 8 Classic will be available in Black and White variants in one size – 46mm. The Watch 8 will start at $349, while the Watch 8 Classic will be available for $499.
Samsung is also offering a brand-new Galaxy Watch Ultra variant in a Titanium Blue colorway for the same hefty tag of $649.
All three devices are available for pre-order on Samsung’s website, which generally offers some significant launch discounts. That includes an exclusive $50 credit when you use 9to5Google’s links, which is good for 30 minutes after clicking the link. Samsung is also offering boosted trade-ins for the Fold 7 and Flip 7 with up to $1,000 off and a free storage upgrade.
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