Samsung smartwatches are among the best on the market, particularly for those who own an Android phone.
After joining forces with Google and helping to improve the standard of Wear OS, Samsung smartwatches now closely rival the experience provided on the Apple Watch.
We've tried and tested them all as part of our in-depth reviews. In this guide, we'll provide a snapshot of the very top Samsung wearables available to buy, and key differences that could save you money.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: specs and features
- OS: Wear OS
- Phone compatibility: Android
- Case size: 40mm / 44mm
- Battery life: Up to 40 hours/30 hours with always-on display
- Water rating: 5ATM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
- Display: 1.3/1.5-inch Super AMOLED
- Weight: 33g (44mm)
The standard Galaxy Watch 6 smartwatch comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes – so there's something for most wrist sizes.
You get a 1.5-inch or 1.3-inch AMOLED display (depending on case size) and you're unlikely to find a better display on any rival devices.
The Galaxy Watch 6 ships with Wear OS 4, the latest version of Google's OS, and gets new sleep-tracking smarts and heart rate zone training modes. It adds to an excellent health and fitness suite of features, and also boasts ECG and blood pressure monitoring, but you'll need a Samsung phone to make use of those.
> Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
In our review, we were impressed with the performance of sleep, heart rate, and workout features.
So what stops this being a world-beating smartwatch? Well, battery life isn't great, and will last just over a day with the always-on display enabled. An hour run will deplete the battery by around 20%, so you can experience significant battery anxiety.
The other thing to consider is that Samsung has already rolled Wear OS 4 out onto the Galaxy Watch 5. With minimal differences in hardware – it could be prudent to pick the last-generation Samsung smartwatch.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: specs and features
- OS: Wear OS
- Phone compatibility: Android
- Case size: 43mm/47mm
- Battery life: Up to 40 hours/30 hours with always-on display
- Water rating: 5ATM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
- Display: 1.3/1.5-inch Super AMOLED
- Weight: 56g (47mm)
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is the more premium-looking device, and it's all about the look and feel.
There are two sizes 43mm with a 1.3-inch AMOLED and 47mm with a 1.5-inch display, so it's better suited to larger wrists than the standard Watch 6.
It's everything that the Galaxy Watch should be – with a top screen, great health features and, of course, the rotating bezel.
The tactile control of the bezel really got under our skin, and it works perfectly with Wear OS 4. Scrolling through Tiles or notifications is a breeze, and it's nice to not have to swipe the AMOLED display to move through menus.
The bezel makes for a more refined look in our minds and emulates a proper watch. There's a faux leather strap that is good for getting sweaty and does a good job of looking like the real deal.
> Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs Watch 5
Fitness and heart rate data were pretty flawless for steady workouts, as was sleep tracking data, which has been revamped for Wear OS 4.
ECG and blood pressure make for a good health experience, but remember you need a Samsung smartphone for those featuress to work.
The only thing that doesn't make the Watch 6 Classic an automatic recommendation is battery life. We got around 30 hours with the always-on display turned on, and an hour workout will deplete around 20%. So you could experience significant battery anxiety if you plan to use the new sleep-tracking features.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic review.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Wareable
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: specs and features
- OS: Wear OS
- Phone compatibility: Android
- Case size: 45mm
- Battery life: 80 hours
- Water rating: 5ATM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
- Display: Super AMOLED
- Weight: 46.5g
Although the Galaxy Watch 6 has launched, the Galaxy. Watch 5 Pro remains a current member of the line-up – and controversially is still the best Samsung smartwatch available - at least in terms of pure features and performance.
We don't think it's the right pick for everybody, given the inflated asking price and the fact it's only available a 45mm case size, but the added benefits mean it's a very rounded smartwatch.
The battery life boost over the rest is probably the most noticeable improvement, and we found around 3-4 days of use is typical. That's very good going for a smartwatch this feature-packed – and overcomes the key problem with the Galaxy 6 range.
> Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs Watch 5 Pro
What's more, it's already getting Wear OS 4 update, so it packs the latest sleep tracking features.
For those who want to track their outdoor exercise, we also found the 20-hour GPS battery life estimate to hold up.
We think there are better sports watch experiences to be had elsewhere, but the fact Samsung has also hit the health tracking features hard does help bolster the 5 Pro further. You'll get support for blood pressure tracking, ECG readings (with a Samsung smartphone) and temperature tracking.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Wareable
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: specs and features
- OS: Wear OS
- Phone compatibility: Android
- Case size: 40mm / 44mm
- Battery life: Up to 40 hours
- Water rating: 5ATM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
- Display: Super AMOLED
- Weight: From 30g
Unlike the Watch 5 Pro, the Galaxy Watch 5 is now obsolete. But it is still a superb pickup.
Samsung is rolling out the Wear OS 4 update to the Watch 5 and Watch 4, so last year's model is still getting the new sleep and heart rate training features. So you're not missing much by swerving the latest Watch 6.
It comes in the same case sizes (40mm and 44mm) and the only real difference is that it has a marginally smaller display than its Watch 6 counterparts. You get 1.2-inch and 1.4-inch AMOLED here, compared to 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch on the Watch 6.
Battery life is still a single day, with 40 hours without the always-on display.
It has the exact same fitness, wellness, and health features as the Watch, with body composition, ECG, and blood pressure on board.
It suffers many of the same problems as the Watch 6, but also carries all of its best features too. So why pay more?
Read our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
Wareable
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: specs and features
- OS: Wear OS 3.5
- Phone compatibility: Android
- Case size: Standard (40mm / 44mm) and 'Classic' (42mm / 46mm)
- Battery life: Up to 40 hours
- Water rating: 5ATM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE
- Display: Super AMOLED
- Weight: From 30.5g
The Galaxy Watch 4 represented a huge change for the Samsung brand, hitting the reset button on four generations of devices by moving from Tizen to Wear OS.
It's two years old now, but has been promised an upgrade to Wear OS 4. So there's plenty still to like about the Watch 4 if you spot it on sale. And a quick check reveals some stunning prices, as retailers sell off the last of the stock.
The enticing thing is you get largely the same experience as with the latest generation - both in design and software. There's the same bezel control, a range of Wear OS apps and health features such as blood pressure monitoring, ECG and GPS tracking.
There's a wide range of case sizes and two versions to pick between means there's one for every wrist. With a gorgeous screen, superb features and now available at a decent price, it's tough to look past this one.
However, the battery life is still a single day, and marginally worse then the Watch 5 and Watch 6. And that is a big downside.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review.
Samsung Galaxy Fit 2
Wareable
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Samsung Galaxy Fit 2: specs and features
- OS: Free RTOS
- Phone compatibility: Android and iOS
- Size: 46.6 x 18.6 x 11.1 mm
- Battery life: 15 days
- Water rating: 5ATM
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Display: AMOLED
- Weight: 21g
The only current Samsung fitness tracker really available is the budget-friendly Galaxy Fit 2 from 2020 - and, therefore, it's the best one you can buy.
With its low asking price, the Galaxy Fit 2 is essentially going up against the likes of the Fitbit Inspire and Luxe models, featuring a similarly slim design and a punchy AMOLED touchscreen display.
It has sensors on board to count steps, monitor sleep, and keep tabs on your stress using the optical heart rate monitor. There's also automated workout support for activities like running, elliptical, and indoor rowing.
While it's fit to be worn in the pool, it won't track your activity in the water, however.
On that AMOLED display, you can take control of your music, view notifications, and send quick replies if you're an Android phone owner, and you're also getting a big collection of watch faces to pick from, too.
Battery life is up there with Xiaomi and Amazfit's trackers, as well, from our testing. So, if you're a fan of Samsung's hardware and companion app, it's another solid option to consider.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 review.
How we test
By Michael Sawh
Michael Sawh has been covering the wearable tech industry since the very first Fitbit landed back in 2011. Previously the resident wearable tech expert at Trusted Reviews, he also marshaled the features section of T3.com.
He also regularly contributed to T3 magazine when they needed someone to talk about fitness trackers, running watches, headphones, tablets, and phones.
Michael writes for GQ, Wired, Coach Mag, Metro, MSN, BBC Focus, Stuff, TechRadar and has made several appearances on the BBC Travel Show to talk all things tech.
Michael is a lover of all things sports and fitness-tech related, clocking up over 15 marathons and has put in serious hours in the pool all in the name of testing every fitness wearable going. Expect to see him with a minimum of two wearables at any given time.