Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Nice, bright display
- Useful addition of Google Gemini
- User-friendly interface
- Lots of storage
Cons
- Divisive design
- Tracking issues
- Some half-finished features
- No battery life improvement
- Needs three apps
Our Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic offers plenty of software upgrades on the Watch 6 Classic, making it a solid Wear OS performer. However, it falls short in terms of design and functionality, leaving it awkwardly positioned within the smartwatch market.
Price When Reviewed
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Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
From $499
Best Prices Today: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
$499.99
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic sees Samsung reprise a smartwatch design it chose to put to one side when it launched the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 7 in 2024.
Whether it was the reaction from Classic fans or it was always the plan to bring it back in 2025, the Samsung smartwatch with the popular physical rotating bezel returns and it’s not just all about the bezel.
Along with that signature trait, Samsung also takes some design inspiration from its 2024 wearables while embracing Google’s latest Wear OS software and its own One UI additions to make this a formidable package.
Design & Build
- New ‘cushion’ design
- Physical rotating bezel
- New strap lug connectors
Before getting onto the bezel, there’s a bit more to address with the look of the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.
It looks like a combination of two ideas – one that’s there to appease and the other to add some uniformity
Mike Sawh
I liked the move to this ‘squircle’ look for the Ultra and having recently tested the regular Watch 8, I think it works well there too.
As for the Classic, which comes in just black or white versions, the overall aesthetic feels a bit more jarring. It looks like a combination of two ideas – one that’s there to appease and the other to add some uniformity, and the result is something that’s pretty awkward.
The bezel has been the feature that’s largely carried the Classic look in the past and while it’s satisfying as ever, twisting between two fingers to adjust volume or scroll through screens, I’m not sure the combination of the two looks really works – you may disagree, of course.
Mike Sawh
It’s a watch that you definitely know is there at all times, that’s for sure.
At 63.5g, it’s a touch heavier than the Watch 6 Classic, with that stainless steel carrying a bit of heft. If you prefer something that sits lighter on your wrist, the Galaxy Watch 8 might be the one for you instead.
Mike Sawh
Samsung retains the two large pusher buttons running down the right side of the case and takes another design feature from the Galaxy Watch Ultra in the form of its Quick Button.
The take on Apple’s Action button gives you one-button access to features like the onboard stopwatch, camera controller, torch or you can simply disable it. If you disable it, then it’s basically a button that can’t be used for anything else.
Flip the watch over and you’ll find Samsung’s BioActive sensor array and the buttons used to release each end of the watch strap. The strap uses a new lug system designed to improve comfort and make it easy to swap out the watch strap.
I’d actually say the strap can actually be quite tricky to release, set inside this new case design. I can’t say I really noticed that it added anything on the comfort front either.
Screen & Audio
- 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display
- Up to 3,000 nits brightness
- Wi-Fi and 4G models
The Watch 8 Classic packs a 1.3-inch, 438 x 438 resolution display, making it a downgrade in size and resolution compared to the Watch 6 Classic’s high-resolution, 1.5-inch display.
It does seem that introducing that cushion design, despite being a 46mm body, has impacted the amount of screen you now get to tap and prod at. This isn’t ideal if you’re looking for a combination of rotating bezel and big screen.
Mike Sawh
It’s a good display nonetheless. Samsung rarely puts a bad one in its smartwatches. It’s nice and bright with a maximum brightness of 3000 nits. There is the option to use an adaptive brightness mode and which ensures the screen is at its brightest when it’s most needed.
You also have the option to set to always-on display mode, while you additionally get the option to wake up the display using the rotating bezel, making sure it’s well integrated into your daily interactions.
