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Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review: The No Nonsense Smartwatch

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review: The No-Nonsense Smartwatch

Name: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review: The No-Nonsense Smartwatch
Item: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm)

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 brings a premium design, vibrant display, and flagship performance. Check out the review to learn more.

Written by Rohan Pal, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 1 October 2025 08:00 IST

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Review: The No-Nonsense Smartwatch

Photo Credit: Gadgets360/ Mohit Dawar

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 price in India starts at Rs. 32,999.

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Highlights

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 brings a premium design language
The smartwatch offers a bright display
It also has a plethora of AI and health features

Samsung is one of the few smartphone manufacturers in India that regularly introduces its new generation of smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch series has been synonymous with blending a premium design with a plethora of features. This year, the company outdid itself with its latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series. Although the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is more premium, the Galaxy Watch 8 is the no-nonsense sibling built for everyday wear and tear. The latest wearable from the brand brings a bolder design, thoughtful health features, and a smooth user interface.

Moreover, the smartwatch is among the first to offer native support for Google Gemini. So, at a starting price of Rs. 32,999, does it really make sense to buy this smartwatch in 2025? I got to spend a lot of time with the device, and this is what I think of it.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Design: Premium and Comfortable

Case size - 44mm
Colours - Graphite, Silver
Dimensions and weight - 43.7x 46 x 8.6mm; 34 grams

The first thing you will notice about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 when you take it out of the box is the new design language. Gone are those days when the Galaxy Watch looked more like a pebble on your wrist. This time, the company has decided to adopt the new cushion case, which was first seen in the Ultra model. I was surprised by the new look and thought it was meh! But frankly, once I got used to the latest design, it really felt like, 'Whoa, where were you?'

The Galaxy Watch 8 is available in two variants: 40mm and 44mm.

The new design can be polarising. For some hardcore Galaxy Watch users, it may be a departure from their beloved form factor, but for others, it offers a stylish and modern look. However, the most important thing here is that the company has adopted a similar design language across its entire lineup, which is a good move.

More importantly, the new Galaxy Watch 8 is now slimmer and lighter than the previous generation. The 40mm variant weighs only 30 grams, while the 44mm model tips the scales at just 34 grams. This surely makes it more comfortable to wear for a prolonged period.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 comes with comfortable silicon straps with Samsung's new lug system.

I must admit, it is one of the most comfortable smartwatches I have worn in a long time. The soft rubber sport band deserves some praise, as it is comfortable enough that you will almost forget you are wearing the smartwatch. Speaking of the band, the company has also introduced the new Lug System, which is snappy and changing the bands is now much less of a hassle. This also means that your previous collections of bands will now only gather dust.

The only concern I have with the new squircle design is its durability. The display protrudes approximately 2mm above the case, making it more vulnerable to scratches and cracks. Although the brand has added sapphire crystal protection, I would still recommend using a screen protector for added peace of mind.

The smartwatch comes with a premium design that is lightweight and comfortable to wear for prolonged period.

The smartwatch also comes with an IP68 rating, meaning that it can be submerged in water up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes. Moreover, the smartwatch also features 5ATM and MIL-STD-810H certification, which adds confidence in its durability.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Display: Brighter and Sharper

Display Size - 1.47-inch
Display Type - Super AMOLED
Peak Brightness - 3,000nits

Coming to the display, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 packs a 1.47-inch Super AMOLED screen, which now reaches up to 3,000nits of peak brightness, up from the 2,000nits on the Galaxy Watch 7. The display is bright enough for harsh sunlight, and I could read notifications, messages, and more easily.

The smartwatch features a large 1.43-inch AMOLED display that offers up to 3,000nits of peak brightness.

The screen offers vivid colours and crisp text, which further enhances the whole user experience of the smartwatch. I loved the display throughout the period as it delivered smooth and fluid animations. More importantly, the smartwatch also comes with an Always-On display, which works well with the watch faces in the store.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Software and Companion App: Easy to Use

Companion app platforms - Android
App Name - Samsung Wear and Samsung Health

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is the first smartwatch that comes loaded with Wear OS 6 and Samsung's OnUI for Watch. The new user interface is undoubtedly one of the most sorted smartwatch interfaces you will find in the market. What sets it apart from the rest of the competition is the integration of Google Gemini. With a long-press on the top button, you can access Gemini to set timers, send messages, get restaurant recommendations, and more.

The whole experience was accurate, and the Gemini provided almost accurate results. The watch displays the responses in text while simultaneously reading them aloud, which, in my opinion, works well. However, there were instances where I felt the integration could be better. For example, while asking for restaurant recommendations, the Gemini only displayed the location, but you need to open your phone to get directions. The company should bring a new update that will allow users to use the smartwatch directly for navigation.

The smartwatch offers a plethora of smart features to accurate health tracking.

The One UI 8 for Watch brings several improvements to the interface. There is a Now Bar that provides quick access to ongoing activities. The notifications now come with stackable titles, which help improve visibility. The new tile system categorises information into Health, Fitness, and Basic sections, making it easier to find relevant data quickly.

The watch user interface is simple to use and easy to navigate. A simple swipe left will provide an X-screen that offers summaries, reminders, insights into your daily activity, a shortcut to applications, suggestions, and more. You also have My Fitness, which provides steps, calories, and a sleep schedule. Apart from this, you can also access multiple information with a simple swipe, including various sports modes, music, weather, camera, sleep data, and more.

You need Samsung Wear and Samsung Health to unlock the full potential of the smartwatch. The Wear app helps you to customise the smartwatch, check for updates, and more. On the other hand, Samsung Health offers a comprehensive health tracking with new AI-powered insights. The data is represented neatly, which makes health data feel more meaningful.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Performance and Battery Life: Great Performance, Average Battery Life

Chipset - Exynos W1000
Memory and Storage - 2GB RAM + 32GB
Sensors - Samsung BioActive Sensor, accelerometer, compass, light sensor, gyro, barometer, temperature sensor, and more
GPS - Yes
Battery - 435mAh
OS - WearOS 6

The Galaxy Watch 8 is powered by Samsung's Exynos W1000 processor, which promises improved performance and energy efficiency compared to previous generations. This shows in daily usage as the smartwatch feels responsive and fluid, whether using workout modes, playing music, replying to messages, or more.

The wearable comes with a Exynos chipset that offers flagship-grade performance.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 also features a range of AI-powered capabilities and workout modes. You receive the Running Coach, which provides a workout schedule to help you prepare for a marathon. Then there are Vascular Load and Sleep Tracking that require you to wear the smartwatch overnight to gather the data. The Vascular Load provides information about your circulatory system while you sleep.

It requires three nights of data to set a baseline. Then, there is the Antioxidant Index, which helps motivate you to eat more vegetables and fruits. We have discussed all these features in more depth, which are also present in the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Make sure to check out the review to learn more about these features.

Coming to battery life, this is where the smartwatch disappoints. During the testing phase, the smartwatch barely lasted 24 hours with all functions, including AoD, heart rate tracking, and more, turned on. There were times when the smartwatch delivered even less than a day of battery backup, which is kind of disappointing. Moreover, the charging speeds are not that great either. The wearable takes almost two hours to charge fully. This simply means that you need to adjust your schedule to accommodate the charging time.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 brings a lot of improvements over its predecessors. The new cushion design can be polarising, but it delivers a premium experience. The new Lug System also makes it comfortable to wear the smartwatch and place the sensors in one place. More importantly, it excels in the comfort department, and you will face no problem while wearing it for a prolonged period.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is one of the best smartwatches that you can get in 2025.

The display is surely the star of the show, with vibrant colours and crisp text. The performance is snappy, and the health tracking features are comprehensive and mostly accurate. The Google Gemini integration will surely make it stand out from the rest of the competition. However, battery life remains its weakness and charging daily can be a hassle for some. That said, for Rs 32,999 for the 40mm variant and Rs 35,999 for the 44mm variant, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 makes a perfect choice, especially for those who want to be part of the Galaxy ecosystem. For others, it still stands as one of the most feature-rich Android smartwatches available in the market.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design and comfort
Tracking accuracy
Companion app
Software and ecosystem
Battery life

Good
Vibrant and bright display
Premium Design
Comfortable silicon straps
Accurate heart rate tracking
Built-in Google Gemini
AI features

Bad
Battery life could have been better
Slow charging speed

Read detailed Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm) review

Strap Colour Graphite, Silver

Compatible OS Android and iOS

Display Type Super AMOLED

More Samsung Smartwatches

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Further reading: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Features, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 India Launch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Price, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Price in India, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Specifications, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Watch Faces

Rohan Pal

Email Rohan Pal

Rohan Pal is the Assistant Editor at Gadgets360. With over 8 years of experience in technology, he has worked with multiple organizations, specializing in smartphones, laptops, wearables, appliances, and more. His passion for technology prompts him to curate and share tech news, guides, reviews, and how-tos. Off the clock, you'll spot him delving into the world of anime or lightening the team's mood with a steady flow of quirky memes. You can reach out to him at rohanp@ndtv.com. More