Tech News

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Watch 8 & Watch 8 Classic with Bold New Design, Wear OS 6, and Gemini AI from $349

Highlights

  • The Galaxy Watch 8 series introduces a new “cushion” design blending circular and square elements, a slimmer profile and sapphire crystal displays.
  • Both watches are powered by the Exynos W1000 chip and Wear OS 6.
  • They offer enhanced GPS, sleep tracking with Bedtime Guidance and Vascular Load and debut Samsung’s Gemini AI.
  • The Watch 8 starts at $349 (40mm/44mm), Watch 8 Classic at $499 (46mm) with pre-orders open now.

Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic, introducing a fresh new design, smarter health tracking, and built-in Gemini AI, all running on Wear OS 6. Here’s everything you need to know about the newly launched Galaxy Watches.

Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic

One of the biggest changes is the new “cushion” design that blends circular and square elements. This marks a shift from the traditional round shape, even for the Watch 8 Classic, which has always stuck to a classic circular style. It’s a bold move that might split opinions, but it’s aimed at delivering more comfort and a sleeker feel.

Samsung says the Watch 8 is now 11% slimmer than before, thanks to a new internal layout and component mounting process. It also uses the Dynamic Lug system first seen in last year’s Watch Ultra, allowing for a more adaptable fit.

Both the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic come with a sapphire crystal display that offers a brighter viewing experience. Inside, they’re powered by the new Exynos W1000 chip, paired with 2GB RAM. The Watch 8 Classic gets up to 64GB of internal storage, while both watches come with batteries around 435–445mAh, decent for a daily smartwatch, though not meant for multi-day endurance like the Watch Ultra.

Health features see solid upgrades too. GPS accuracy has improved, making the Running Coach more precise. The sleep suite now includes Bedtime Guidance, helping you know when to wind down, and a Vascular Load feature that tracks stress during sleep. A new Antioxidant Index also lets users monitor carotenoid levels to get quick insights into their health.

Perhaps most exciting, the Galaxy Watch 8 series is the first to ship with Gemini AI, Samsung’s version of Google’s Gemini assistant. It’s baked right into Wear OS 6 and One UI Watch 8, bringing features like the Now Bar, which was previously seen only on the Galaxy S25 series.

Price and Availability

In terms of colours and sizes:

  • Galaxy Watch 8: Graphite and Silver, available in 40mm and 44mm
  • Watch 8 Classic: Black and White, available in a single 46mm size
  • Pricing: Watch 8 starts at $349, Classic starts at $499

Samsung also introduced a new Galaxy Watch Ultra in Titanium Blue for $649.

All three watches are now available for pre-order on Samsung’s official website. Samsung is also offering early bird deals like a $50 credit (valid for 30 minutes through special links), boosted trade-in offers up to $1,000 for the new Fold 7 and Flip 7, and free storage upgrades with select purchases.

  Galaxy Watch8 Galaxy Watch8 Classic
Color – 44mm: Graphite, Silver

– 40mm: Graphite, Silver

46mm: Black, White
Dimension12
& Weight13
– 44mm: 43.7mm x 46mm x 8.6t (34.0g)

– 40mm: 40.4mm x 42.7mm x 8.6t (30.0g)

46mm: 46.4mm x 46mm x 10.6t (63.5g)
Display Sapphire Crystal

– 44mm: 1.47-inch (480×480)

Super AMOLED, Full Color Always On Display

– 40mm: 1.34-inch (438×438)

Super AMOLED, Full Color Always On Display

Sapphire Crystal

– 46mm: 1.34-inch (438×438)

Super AMOLED, Full Color Always On Display

Processor Exynos W1000 (5 Core, 3nm)
Memory
& Storage
2GB memory + 32GB storage 2GB memory + 64GB storage
Battery14 (typical) – 44mm: 435mAh

– 40mm: 325mAh

445mAh
Charging15 Fast Charging (WPC-based wireless charging)
OS16 Wear OS Powered by Samsung (Wear OS 6)
UI One UI 8 Watch
Sensor Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Bio-signal Sensor + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Bio-signal Sensor + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor, 3D Hall sensor
Connectivity LTE,17 Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+5GHz, NFC, L1+L5 Dual-Frequency GPS (GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo)
Durability18 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810H
Compatibility Android 12.0 or higher and with more than 1.5GB of memory19

FAQs

Q1. What is the most noticeable design change in the Galaxy Watch 8 series?

Answer. One of the biggest changes is the new ‘cushion’ design that blends circular and square elements.

Q2. What health tracking improvements are included in the Galaxy Watch 8?

Answer. The sleep suite now includes Bedtime Guidance and a Vascular Load feature that tracks stress during sleep. A new Antioxidant Index also lets users monitor carotenoid levels.

Q3. What powers the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic?

Answer. They’re powered by the new Exynos W1000 chip, paired with 2GB RAM.

Q4. What AI features are included in the Galaxy Watch 8 series?

Answer. The Galaxy Watch 8 series is the first to ship with Gemini AI bringing features like the Now Bar, which was previously seen only on the Galaxy S25 series.

Q5. What are the pricing and size options for the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic?

Answer. Galaxy Watch 8: Graphite and Silver, available in 40mm and 44mm. Watch 8 Classic: Black and White, available in a single 46mm size. Pricing: Watch 8 starts at $349, Classic starts at $499.

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