Galaxy Watch 8: The Thinnest Smartwatch That Fails the Battery Test
Hello everyone – today we’re diving into Samsung’s shiny new Galaxy Watch 8, a wearable so thin it could probably slip under my clinic door unnoticed. But don’t be fooled – underneath its sleek, “cushion” design lies the same old smartwatch drama: the kind that eats battery faster than a free-to-play MMO devouring your in-game currency.
The Looks: Style Over Substance? Almost.
I’ll give Samsung credit – they’ve nailed the “stand out while not being a tacky Rolex wannabe” aesthetic. The new squircle cushion design is genuinely distinctive, lighter than an empty inventory slot, and so thin at 8.6mm that it makes last year’s models look bloated. Seriously, putting this next to a Pixel Watch 4 (rumored 14mm thick) is like comparing an elf rogue to a dwarven warrior – both functional, but one won’t get stuck in doorframes.
It’s comfortable, perfect for workouts and even sleep tracking, which is crucial if you want Samsung’s Energy Score to tell you “Congrats, you’re at 87, but please still lie down and do nothing.” That’s like a healer telling you your HP is full but insisting on casting regeneration anyway – I mean, thanks, I guess?
The Software: Wear OS 6 + One UI 8 Watch
On paper, this combo is a dream – Google’s Wear OS 6 with Samsung’s slick UI wrapped around it. In reality? Sometimes you can feel the two systems squabbling like rival guild leaders, both insisting their quest tracker is the right one. Duplicate features, different ways to do the same thing… it’s functional, but it’s messy. Visually, it’s bright, colorful, and the health tracking interface is fun to use – like a well-modded Skyrim menu. But let’s be honest – we’re here for performance and efficiency, not simply a glowing menu screen.
The Battery: An Ultra-Fast Trip to Zero
Oh boy. Here’s where we respawn back to harsh reality. Official specs promise 30 hours with always-on display. In the real-world, with some activity tracking? You’ll be lucky to hit 24. If you’re using GPS or push health features hard, you’ll be recharging twice a day like some sort of smartwatch vampire. Yes, fast charging exists, but that’s like saying “This patient’s heart stops twice a day, but don’t worry! We have a defibrillator!” It’s not the reassurance you think it is.
Compared to the Galaxy Watch Ultra or a Garmin Enduro, this thing’s stamina is pitiful – like bringing a Level 1 dagger to a boss raid. Multi-day battery? Not even in the same dungeon.
The Controls: Digital Bezel Blues
No rotating bezel. No extra Quick Button. Just two side buttons that feel like underused skill slots you keep forgetting to assign macros to. Navigation is functional but unintuitive, and the “digital bezel” is still a gimmick in my book – a feature no one asked for, like motion controls in a Zelda port.
Specs Recap
- Sizes: 40mm / 44mm, thickness 8.6mm
- Weight: 30g (40mm), 34g (44mm)
- Display: AMOLED 3,000 nits brightness
- Processor: Exynos W1000, 2GB RAM, 32GB storage
- Battery: 325mAh / 435mAh with “fast” charging
- Software: Wear OS 6 + One UI 8 Watch, four years of updates
Competition Check
Pixel Watch fans – stick with Google if you want a smaller, minimalist vibe. Want battery for days? Garmin’s Enduro laughs in Samsung’s face while bench pressing weeks of use. The Watch Ultra 2025, meanwhile, trades style for endurance – a thick, rugged beast that won’t double as a sleep apnea device when strapped to your wrist overnight.
Should You Buy It?
- Yes if: You’re in Samsung’s ecosystem, love thin-and-light wearables, and can live near a charger like it’s your lifeline in a survival game.
- No if: You want multi-day battery, tactile controls, or hate juggling multiple software quirks.
Final Verdict
The Galaxy Watch 8 is a wearable paradox – visually striking, impressively thin, comfortable beyond belief, and running some of the best Wear OS software available… all shackled to a battery life that makes you question your life choices. It’s like buying a sports car with a fuel tank the size of a shot glass. Fantastic for short sprints, but don’t even think about a road trip. For some, that’s fine. For others, it’s a deal-breaker as fatal as a raid wipe at 1% boss health.
Verdict: Good hardware and software combo strangled by a power problem. If you can handle its thirst for electricity, it’s arguably the best base-model Wear OS smartwatch yet. If not, look elsewhere.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.
Article source: Is the Galaxy Watch 8 the most comfortable smartwatch? Here’s what we found, https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/samsung-galaxy-watch/samsung-galaxy-watch-8-review
