Samsung unveiled two new smartwatches—Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic—this month. They succeed the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Galaxy Watch 3, respectively, and they bring various improvements in terms of hardware and software.
The new smartwatches are available for pre-order in various markets around the world. In our review, we found them to be excellent new products that reinvent the Android smartwatch, and to further help you decide if you should buy the Galaxy Watch 4 or Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, we've rounded up what we think are their best features.
Galaxy Watch 4 series runs Wear OS 3
The biggest upgrade that Samsung is bringing with its new smartwatches is on the software front. The Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are the company's first smartwatches to run Wear OS 3, which is co-developed by Google and Samsung. The new platform is said to be fast, cohesive, and power-efficient.
On top of Wear OS 3, the new wearables run Samsung's own One UI Watch 3 interface that includes additional features, including the ability to automatically install watch versions of apps that are installed on your connected smartphone. One UI Watch will also sync settings between phone and watch versions of the apps.
Wear OS also brings access to thousands of popular apps and watch faces via the Play Store. It has already been revealed that Spotify and YouTube Music will support offline music playback directly via the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Other apps such as Google Assistant, Google Maps, Google Pay, and Nike Run+ will be available as well.
Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic feature brand-new Exynos processor, higher memory
Samsung has made a brand-new Exynos processor for the Galaxy Watch 4 series. The two new smartwatches come equipped with the Exynos W920 chipset that is made using the extremely power-efficient 5nm process. It features two Cortex-A55 CPU cores and the Mali-G68 GPU. The Exynos W920 makes the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic much faster and power-efficient than any other Wear OS smartwatch.
The company's new smartwatches also feature 1.5GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage. That's 3x more RAM and 2x more storage compared to the Galaxy Watch 3. Higher RAM means smoother multitasking, while higher storage offers you a way to store thousands of music tracks offline so that you can listen to them while running or cycling and space for installing more apps.
The Galaxy Watch 4 series also features 4G LTE (in some variants), dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. You can also take calls, check notifications, and make mobile payments using the new smartwatches.
Samsung's new smartwatches can accurately track your activity and fitness
Both new smartwatches come equipped with the latest sensors, including an accelerometer, barometer, compass, ECG, gyro, and a heart-rate monitor, to track your physical activity and fitness. Thanks to the inclusion of GPS, they can also track your outdoor activities like cycling, running, and swimming. The Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 can also track your body fat composition, sleep quality, SpO2 levels, and stress levels.
They are built tough, thanks to IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810G design
Despite packing such powerful hardware and an elegant design, the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are built extremely tough. They are IP68 certified for dust and water resistance (up to 5 ATM). The watches are also MIL-STD-810G-compliant for shock resistance. You can take them swimming as well.
Yes, the rotating bezel is still here
Samsung knows that people love the rotating bezel on their Galaxy smartwatches, and the company has included the feature on the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. It not only makes the watch look good but also makes navigating through the UI a breeze. The Galaxy Watch 4 lacks the rotating bezel, though, and suits those who like more compact smartwatches.
Galaxy Watch 4 series is extremely customizable
Both smartwatches offer high levels of customizations so that you can make them your own. You can replace the bundled 20mm watch straps with any third-party ones to match your style. You can also choose from thousands of watch faces that are available on the Play Store. As usual, Samsung has made multiple new watch faces for the Galaxy Watch 4 series, and you can customize them by changing the color scheme and adding complications.
Galaxy Watch 4 last long and offer wireless charging
Samsung claims that its new smartwatches can last up to 40 hours on a single charge. The 40mm version of the Galaxy Watch 4 and the 42mm version of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic are powered by 247mAh batteries, while the 44mm version of the Galaxy Watch 4 and the 46mm version of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic come packed with 361mAh batteries. They also support Qi wireless charging, which means that you can also charge them via your high-end Galaxy smartphone with Wireless PowerShare.
They let you play music, take calls, and make payments on the go
The LTE variants of the new smartwatches feature an eSIM, which means that you can take calls, stream music on Spotify, and even make payments (via Google Pay or Samsung Pay) even when you've left your phone at home. The Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic feature Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC.
SamsungGalaxy Watch 4 (40mm)
SamsungGalaxy Watch 4 Classic (42mm)
