Hands On with the Samsung Galaxy Watch
Aug 9, 2018, 12:49 PM by Eric M. Zeman
Samsung debuted a new smartwatch in Brooklyn called the Galaxy Watch. This Tizen-based wearable has a classier air about it when compared to last year's Gear S3. Here are our first thoughts about Samsung's latest smart device.
Samsung surprised attendees of its Unpacked 2018 event in Brooklyn when it unveiled the Galaxy Watch, a new wearable. This addition to its smartwatch lineup focuses on a classier style, rather than a sporty style.
The Galaxy Watch comes in two size, 42mm with a 1.2-inch screen and 46mm with a 1.3-inch screen. The difference in size is palpable when you put the two watches next to one another. Both screens feature 360 by 360 resolution and rely on Samsung's AMOLED technology. They are dazzlingly bright. I was impresses by home much content fits on the screen of the 46mm size.
The chassis is made from metal and comes in black, silver, or rose gold. I like the thickness and sturdiness of the materials. The Watch features Samsung's signature rotating bezel, which is used to control the user interface. Samsung did a great job in designing this concept and the new Watch has a refined action when rotating the bezel. I like the individual clicks and how they correspond to the UI moving one step at a time. The bezel feels well made.
The bottom of the Watch is made from a combination of plastic and metal. There's an obvious sensor in the middle to detect your heart rate. The Watch charges wirelessly, so the necessary components are located on the bottom.
Two buttons adorn the right edge of the Watch. These are large and easy to located by feel. The action felt pretty good. No buttons are on the left side.
The 42mm Watch accepts 20mm bands, and the 46mm watch accepts standard 22mm bands. Samsung says it offers dozens and dozens of its own bands, though the 46mm size is compatible with any standard band. The sample bands on hand were all cheap-feeling vinyl that I didn't care too much for.
The Tizen operating system has been given a coat of fresh paint. There's a new shortcut screen that you can load with your favorite apps. Other than that, the rotating UI works as it has on older Samsung Tizen watches. The UI was smooth and fast.
Samsung says the battery will last for about 80 hours, or two to three days. The 46mm watch has a larger 424mAh battery, while the smaller 42mm watch has a 270mAh battery. Samsung took care to tune the Exynos processor to provide the best mix of performance and battery life. All models include 4 GB of storage. The Bluetooth-only model offers 768 MB of RAM, while the LTE variant offers 1.5 GB of RAM. Speaking of LTE, Samsung says the Watch is compatible with a wide number of LTE networks around the world. AT&T in the U.S. has already said it will support the Galaxy Watch.
The Watch goes on sale August 24, the same day as the Galaxy Note9. The Bluetooth model costs $330 and the LTE model costs $350. If you're a Samsung fan, the Galaxy Watch is a fine companion to its phones.
About the author, Eric M. Zeman:Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.
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