This is our initial hands-on review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Series, and after a short time with these new wearables, it’s clear that Samsung has focused on refining comfort, design, and health insights to make its watches more useful than ever – from sleep to workouts and everything in between.

Design – Thinner, Lighter, and Iconic

The first thing you notice slipping on the Watch8 or Watch8 Classic is how shockingly thin and comfortable they feel. Thanks to a completely reengineered internal structure, the Watch8 is 11% thinner than its predecessor, and the new Dynamic Lug system moves naturally with your wrist, improving fit and making health tracking more accurate.

Whether you choose the minimalist Watch8 or the timeless Classic with its rotating bezel, both feel premium and exceptionally wearable – even overnight.

Display – Bright Enough for Any Situation

The displays are bright and crisp, with up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, making them easy to read under harsh sunlight during outdoor runs or midday walks. Combined with the sapphire crystal glass, they look and feel like flagship timepieces.

Performance – Fast and Efficient

Powered by a new 3nm processor, both watches feel faster, smoother, and more responsive, with improved power efficiency for longer battery life. Dual-frequency GPS ensures accurate location tracking during runs, hikes, or urban commutes.

Health & Wellness – Deeper, Smarter Insights

Sleep remains a major focus. New Bedtime Guidance uses your circadian rhythm to suggest optimal sleep times for waking refreshed, while Vascular Load monitors stress on your vascular system during sleep, providing actionable insights the next morning.

For the first time on any smartwatch, the Antioxidant Index measures carotenoid levels in just five seconds, helping you understand your body’s antioxidant status for healthier aging.

Fitness tracking feels smarter too. Running Coach now assesses your fitness level on a scale from 1-10 and builds tailored plans with real-time guidance. Meanwhile, the updated Together feature lets you challenge friends to runs, gamifying your health journey.

The Energy Score combines mental and physical data to give you a daily snapshot of your overall energy – ideal for planning workouts, meetings, or rest.

Stress & Mindfulness – More Than Just Metrics

High Stress Alerts notify you instantly when stress levels spike, while Mindfulness Tracker records your mood and guides you through breathing exercises to help you reset in real-time.

AI & Software – Gemini on Your Wrist

The Galaxy Watch8 Series launches with Wear OS 6 and One UI 8 Watch, featuring Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, built right in. You can now use natural voice commands for almost anything: starting a workout, finding a café, or texting a friend, without touching your phone.

New Multi-Info Tiles make it easy to check health data, weather, or events at a glance, while the Now Bar ensures your most important apps and notifications are always visible.

Comfort & Style – Tailored for Everyone

Available in 44mm or 40mm sizes for the Watch8 and 46mm for the Classic, with sleek colours like Graphite, Silver, Black, and White, these watches look and feel as premium as they perform. The new band designs add to comfort, letting you wear them day and night without irritation.

Verdict: A Smarter, Healthier Companion

The Galaxy Watch8 Series isn’t just about tracking steps and sleep anymore. It’s about delivering deeper, smarter insights with ultimate comfort – all wrapped in iconic designs that fit any lifestyle.

If you’ve been waiting for a smartwatch that combines refined style with truly advanced health tracking, the Watch8 and Watch8 Classic feel like the wearable upgrade worth making.

This is just our initial hands-on review – stay tuned for our full in-depth review soon, where we’ll test battery life, workout accuracy, sleep tracking, and AI features over extended daily use.