We’re now on our fourth-generation Wear OS-powered Galaxy smartwatch, and by now, everyone knows what to anticipate: a shiny display screen, one other smattering of Samsung Health expansions and watch faces, and a few ineffably incremental {hardware} upgrades. I’ve now worn all 4 generations of these watches, and that is my third yr reviewing the “common” model of the Galaxy Watch du jour, which suggests it’s one other yr of taking part in Spot the Difference on skilled mode.
On a spec sheet or a itemizing web page, it is onerous to see what justifies the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7’s existence exterior Samsung needing its improve. Even whereas taking the be careful and setting it up, it seems like a re-run, however put on it for a week, and you may discover one thing great. Or moderately, you will not discover one thing great.
What you will discover as a substitute is a mixture of gimmicky AI-powered well being metrics and new gesture controls that are not really new however are nonetheless enjoyable. Effortlessly stealing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6’s title as the perfect Android smartwatch you should purchase at present, let’s dig into why you can purchase — however in all probability not improve to — the Galaxy Watch 7.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Specs, value and availability
Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 7 on July 24, 2024 in two sizes: a $300 40mm mannequin that is available in Cream (white gold) and Green (someplace between Hunter Green and Moss Green) and a $330 44mm mannequin out there in Green and Silver. LTE fashions of the Galaxy Watch 7 can be found for $350 (40mm) and $380 (44mm).
All sizes include the Sport band that matches the colour of the watch’s housing, with a small blue accent on the left aspect and orange on the correct. The 40mm comes with a S/M by default and the 44mm comes with a M/L by default, however in case you purchase the watch via Samsung, you might have the choice to customise it to a totally different band measurement/colour.
| Category | Galaxy Watch 7 40mm | Galaxy Watch 7 44mm |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.3-inch Super AMOLED, 432 x 432 decision, sapphire crystal | 1.5-inch Super AMOLED, 480 x 480 decision, sapphire crystal |
| Processor | Exynos W1000 | Exynos W1000 |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
| Size | 40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7 mm* | 44.4 x 44.4 x 9.7 mm* |
| Weight | 28.8g | 33.8g |
| Colors | Green, Cream | Green, Silver |
| Battery | 300mAh | 425mAh |
| Charging | Fast charging (WPC-based wi-fi) | Fast charging (WPC-based wi-fi) |
| Software | One UI Watch 6 (Wear OS 5) | One UI Watch 6 (Wear OS 5) |
| Communications | NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz | NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and 5GHz |
| Sensors | Samsung BioLively Sensor (Optical Bio-signal sensor+ Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor | Samsung BioLively Sensor (Optical Bio-signal sensor+ Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor |
| Water and mud resistance | 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810H | 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810H |
| Price | $299 Wi-Fi/BT, $349 4G LTE | $329 Wi-Fi/BT, $379 4G LTE |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Design and show
The Galaxy Watch 7 makes use of the very same 1.3 and 1.5-inch 2,000-nit touchscreens because the Galaxy Watch 6, and it is simply as shiny, crisp, and completely simple to learn in direct daylight. After three years of sporting 40mm Galaxy Watches, the 44mm’s display screen has been a welcome little improve. It will not show extra parts, however they turn into a lot simpler to look at, even the skinny issues on a watch face, and the $30 improve to 44mm appears far more justifiable if it suits your wrist.
Sadly, my wrist is smaller than the lug-to-lug span of the 44mm Watch 7, so I wanted watch bands that might instantly bend again to maintain the watch securely in place on my arm. This made me unable to check the sculpted-at-the-lugs Sport band of the watch absolutely, nevertheless it’s grippy with out being sticky, and the notches assist the band keep away from slipping round your sweaty wrist on this depressing summer season warmth.
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The blue-orange accents pop with out being cheesy, although I want they had been totally different colours for every colorway — and that the Watch 7’s house button had a totally different rim colour. The orange stands out higher in opposition to the Watch 7’s colorways in comparison with the crimson seen on earlier watches, however orange does not go together with all the pieces in addition to Samsung thinks.
Outside the brand new band types, the one exterior distinction to the Galaxy Watch 7 is the brand new BIA well being sensor array. The dome of the array curves larger, making the watch sit larger on lanky wrists like mine, however for thicker wrists, you should not discover a lot of a distinction. We’ll get into the enhancements of the brand new sensors in a bit, however I do very very similar to the look of the dome and the brand new HR sensors. Not that you will be trying on the backside of your watch all that usually, however the eight dots white really feel cleaner than the gray, partially-clipped ring on earlier generations.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Software and efficiency
One UI 6 Watch, the model of Wear OS operating right here on the Galaxy Watch 7, shall be coming to the Galaxy Watch 6, 5, and 4 sequence, nevertheless it will get to indicate off on the 7 first earlier than rolling out in every single place else within the coming months. Most of the adjustments Wear OS 5 is bringing are under-the-hood, require updates from app builders, or each, however an important characteristic on the Watch 7 is not unique to the brand new OS; it is the growth and surfacing of the Accessibility-based gesture controls with double-pinch and knock-knock shortcuts.
Double-pinch gestures are constructed into many apps and system instruments, permitting you to shortly silence timers, flip off alarms, play/pause music, pause/restart exercises, and dismiss notifications. When two watch capabilities that may use double-pinch are open on the identical time, it pops up a window to decide on which one you wished, however that takes away the purpose of doing it one-handed.
The knock-on shortcut hasn’t gotten the play that the “zOMG, they copied the Apple Watch” pinch gestures, and it might admittedly do fewer issues. It’s simply a shortcut, be it to your favourite app, exercise type, or the flashlight. Yeah, I neglect these watches have a flashlight, too, half the time, however boy, howdy does it turn out to be useful. Granted, you must twist your wrist up like some Power Ranger or Ben 10 wannabe to have it shine in entrance of you moderately than to the aspect or straight up, nevertheless it’s a hands-free flashlight with none verbal instructions. The display screen has to already be on, however that is what tilt-to-wake is for.
It’s been nice when it really works, however admittedly it misses my pinches and knocks about 30% of the time. Whether that is a failure within the detection software program, a problem stemming from how bony and skinny my wrist is, or person error stays to be seen, however at most, I can endure 3-5 seconds of pinching at midair like a shadow puppeteer to close my watch up whereas I’m carrying one thing or typing away like a madwoman.
Samsung proclaimed the Exynos W1000 as nearly 3x quicker than the Galaxy Watch 6, however I’m not seeing it. Don’t get me flawed, that is the zippiest smartwatch I’ve ever used, nevertheless it’s not magnitudes quicker, at the least throughout on a regular basis actions. That further pace probably turns out to be useful extra throughout offline GPS-tracked exercises and different intensive exercise types, however within the day-to-day, it is quicker, however not noticeably.
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A brand new technology of Galaxy Watch means new watch faces, and Samsung’s new Ultra Info Board watch face permits us a peek into the longer term of Wear OS 5’s Flavors. Flavors enable builders to make presets inside their watch faces with totally different types and even totally different preset issues. Among the varied flavors of the Ultra Info Board, now we have swimming, climbing, and operating alongside the general well being model. I’m hoping Samsung will enable us to save lots of personally edited Flavors among the many presets at some point, nevertheless it’s a helpful little growth with enormous implications for watch face builders.
The different two new watch faces are… okay? Simple Digital is a little too easy, in my view, and whereas Spatial Number is certainly distinctive, it feels awkward to have a balloon-ish numeral for the hour, analog arms for hours and minutes, after which a background gradient sweeper for seconds. Pick a lane, Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Health monitoring and health
The spotlight of the Watch 7’s {hardware} upgrades its new well being sensor array, multiplying the LEDs that monitor coronary heart charge and blood oxygen to assist enhance monitoring accuracy throughout high-intensity exercises. The readings really feel extra responsive than earlier generations, however I’ve had fewer exercises thus far than earlier watches as a result of the identical day my Watch 7 arrived, COVID signs started to flood my sinuses and suck out my vitality like a cartoon vampire.
The magnificence of being exhausted from the second you get up is you get to actually work out the sleep monitoring and the brand new Galaxy AI-powered Energy rating. The sleep teaching has been very hands-off this time round, however the monitoring itself has been fairly good. Blood oxygen readings have approach fewer holes in them than on my Watch 6, and each the temperature and coronary heart charge charts are much less liable to sudden dropouts or spikes.
Sleep monitoring on the Watch 7 consists of your common respiratory charge, even when you do not have the flowery sleep apnea testing operating from Samsung Health Monitor. Yes, the sleep apnea monitoring is unique to Samsung Galaxy telephones, similar to the electrocardiogram ECG readings have been because the Galaxy Watch 4 days. Yes, I’m nonetheless mad about it; in case you pay $300 for a watch that advertises sleep apnea monitoring or irregular heartbeat detection, you should not must spend one other $300-$1300 on a Galaxy cellphone to truly use it.
Although it isn’t particular to the watch, I’m grateful for Samsung’s Medications minder. You can scan the bottles to place every sort within the checklist moderately than having to sort out the title — although most of my prescription meds had been simple sufficient to search out by way of autocomplete — set reminders for meds at sure instances of day, and even take a look at doable drug interactions you may not have identified about.
Look ahead to extra on this house as I end my COVID restoration and absolutely put the exercise monitoring — and the brand new dual-band GPS — of the Watch 7 via its paces. So far, although, it and Samsung Health work fairly nicely with out all the time throwing themselves in my face like another watches do. And Samsung stays one of the one sensible watches that does not finally want a health subscription.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Battery and charging
Battery life varies broadly on a smartwatch — particularly as soon as you’re taking it exterior or undertake any prolonged exercises — so right here had been my testing elements. This is my first 44mm Galaxy Watch — my 4, 5, and 6 had been all 40mm to raised match my small wrist — and I switched off between two watch faces: the brand new Ultra Info Board watch face with a static background) and Photos with animated gif backgrounds. Google Assistant was turned on however hotword detection was not enabled.
While the efficiency improve of the Exynos W1000 appeared negligible, its improved effectivity helps the batter shine regardless of being the identical measurement as its predecessor. With AOD (always-on show) disabled, steady HR monitoring, and in a single day sleep monitoring, the Galaxy Watch 7 lasted two days on my wrist earlier than needing a charger on days I didn’t work out. On outdoor-heavy days and after I may handle a mild exercise, the battery life dropped to 33-36 hours.
Overall, battery life is a bit higher, however the charging expertise suffers from the Galaxy Watch 7’s solely design change. The new coronary heart charge sensor and curvature of the well being sensor array push the charging coils simply a few millimeters additional away when it sits on a flat charging pad — particularly, a Galaxy S smartphone with reverse wi-fi charging just like the Galaxy S24 Ultra — breaking the perfect backup charger a smartwatch may ask for.
Samsung calls it Wireless PowerShare; you’d flip it on, set your cellphone down face-down, and set your Galaxy Watch on prime of it face-up. Provided your watch band wasn’t too inflexibly curved, the watch may then recharge itself off your cellphone’s battery, providing you with sufficient juice to final a few extra hours till you get house. This is not an choice, that means that in case you lose or break your charger, you will must go purchase one other charging puck. This is not the tip of the world by any means, nevertheless it’s a small bummer value mentioning for the forgetful people on the market who would possibly’ve relied on this characteristic.
Also, in case you have a cutesy little stand that your present Galaxy Watch charger is settled into, it may not fairly sit correctly with the Galaxy Watch 7’s charger and its deeper profile. (Farewell, candy TPU digital camera stand; I’ll miss you.) I’ve confirmed that the Watch 7 will cost on the Watch 6 charger, although, so at the least you’ll be able to hold your outdated one in case you improve.
Although, in case you personal a Galaxy Watch 6, there is no actual purpose to try this.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Competition
The greatest impediment for Samsung’s latest watch is not the {hardware} or the software program: it is the utter lack of purpose to improve to it. If you are still rocking a Galaxy Watch 4, then sure, your time has come — assuming your battery even held out this lengthy — however even the bounce from Galaxy Watch 5 to 7 appears superfluous until you’ve got had poor outcomes with the ECG or coronary heart charge sensor on it. Even then, the ECG readings are solely marginally improved, at the least for my fingers and coronary heart or simply must have a 2,000 nit display screen as a substitute of a 2,000 mAh one.
As for the Galaxy Watch 6, the one actual change is the guts charge sensor, and that sensor array is a double-edged sword: it improves coronary heart charge monitoring, particularly throughout exercises, nevertheless it additionally makes the watch thicker, sitting barely larger in your wrist. Wear OS 5 must be arriving on the Galaxy Watch 6 in weeks, so simply sit tight, save your cash, and perhaps purchase a new watch band as a substitute to make it really feel new.
There’s additionally the $200 Galaxy Watch FE in case you’re searching for nearly the identical options for two-thirds of the worth. However, you will nonetheless be caught with the older processor and chunkier bezels on the display screen.
The Galaxy Watch 7 at $300/$330 and this excessive construct high quality and software program consistency assist it simply maintain its personal in opposition to most present Wear OS watches in the marketplace. Granted, the Google Pixel Watch 2 nonetheless seems barely prettier with the recessed bands and the rounded design, however these bands are proprietary, it is dearer, and after six months, you will have to pay for Fitbit Premium for a quantity of the health metrics.
I’ll want time to totally take a look at the exercise and GPS monitoring with the Watch 7 earlier than claiming it a Garmin-killer, however Samsung’s extra centered on smarts whereas Garmin’s 100% centered on health, so that call goes to come back all the way down to how nicely you’ll be able to dwell with out Samsung or Google’s apps and providers in your watch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 assessment: Should you purchase one?
You can purchase the Galaxy Watch 7 if…
- You are new to smartwatches and need probably the most constant expertise with out being pressured into a subscription.
- You’ve had points with previous Galaxy Watches not monitoring you correctly and are prepared to offer it one other attempt.
- You’re already invested in Google and/or Samsung’s ecosystem and need a watch that integrates with them.
- You need a smartwatch that does not require a subscription.
You should not purchase the Galaxy Watch 7 if…
- You already personal a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or 6.
- You completely, positively must have all of the bells and whistles of the newest mannequin. (If you do, you will wish to go take a look at the Galaxy Watch Ultra.)
- You want a extra flashy or weighty watch in your wrist.
Samsung’s insistence on Galaxy AI’s greatness and stylish options hides the core monitoring and efficiency enhance given by Wear OS 5, a new processor, and the upgraded well being sensors. And I’m okay with Samsung specializing in the tangible right here, particularly when the proof of these upgrades shouldn’t be having lag or monitoring inaccuracies. After all, if Samsung’s completed its job proper, you will assume Samsung hasn’t completed something in any respect and that the Galaxy Watch has all the time been this easy and steady.
When this combine of flashy and understated provides as much as a snappy smartwatch with a shiny display screen, the decked-out characteristic toolbox of One UI 6 Watch, and nearly 2 days of battery life, it is simple to advocate the Galaxy Watch 7 to new smartwatch consumers and older ones trying to get again within the sport. We might not have the flowery new watch band system or overhauled design that the Galaxy Watch Ultra does, nevertheless it’s half the worth and half the load. (And it nonetheless makes use of commonplace 20mm bands, so you are not caught with costly, proprietary watch bands.)
I’d closely counsel buying and selling in an outdated smartwatch to knock the worth for nevertheless lengthy Samsung is providing “any smartwatch, any situation” $100 trade-in, which makes this a $200 watch and a no-brainer improve for anybody who can dig that outdated LG Watch or Pebble out of your junk drawer. But even when you must purchase at checklist value, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 earns its hold higher than another sub-$500 watch on the Android stage.
Don’t sleep on this improve
The Galaxy Watch 7 might not look any totally different, nevertheless it’s bought the upgrades the place they rely, fixing sensor wonk of years previous and tightening up an already easy system. The growth of gesture controls helps this watch really feel like one thing new after two years of minor updates and prefer it actually deserves its throne atop the Android smartwatch mountain.