Samsung Galaxy Watch8 / Watch8 Classic

The Galaxy Watch8 and the Galaxy Watch8 Classic are Samsung's 2025 smartwatches. Samsung introduced them on 9 July 2025 at Galaxy Unpacked and began selling them from 25 July, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold7, the Galaxy Z Flip7 and a new Galaxy Watch Ultra. The main themes are a thinner, more comfortable case, a brighter display, a new 3 nm processor and a set of new wellness features, plus Google's Gemini assistant on the wrist from day one. This page is based on Samsung's press releases and specification table. We keep performance claims labelled as claims, and Samsung's own footnotes state that the health features are for general wellness and fitness and not for diagnosing or treating any medical condition.

Sizes, colours and availability

Samsung says the Galaxy Watch8 comes in 44 mm and 40 mm sizes, in Graphite or Silver, while the Galaxy Watch8 Classic has a single 46 mm size in Black or White. Both were available for purchase from 25 July 2025 in Samsung's online store and in stores across 49 markets, before reaching more than 110 markets worldwide. The launch release does not give a price in the material we used, so we do not list one. Samsung describes the standard Watch8 as the everyday wellness model with a sleek, minimalist design, and the Classic as the model with timeless styling, a rotating bezel and a quick button for added convenience. Both can be paired with a range of bands sold separately, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra remains the durable outdoor model with the longest battery life of the lineup, according to Samsung.

Cushion design, thinner case

The distinctive shape, a cushion design, debuted on the Galaxy Watch Ultra and now defines the whole Galaxy Watch lineup. To reach what Samsung calls the thinnest, most comfortable Galaxy Watch yet, the internal structure was reengineered: component mounting capability improved by 30 percent, resulting in an 11 percent thinner design compared with the previous generation. The Watch8 is 8.6 mm thick and weighs 30 grams in 40 mm and 34 grams in 44 mm, while the Classic is 10.6 mm thick and 63.5 grams. A Dynamic Lug system lets the case move naturally with the wrist, which Samsung says improves stability and health-tracking accuracy because the sensor stays in better contact. The display cover is sapphire crystal according to the specification table, and the watches carry 5ATM water resistance, IP68 dust and water protection and a MIL-STD-810H certification.

Display, chip and GPS

The 44 mm model has a 1.47-inch Super AMOLED display with 480 by 480 pixels, and both the 40 mm Watch8 and the 46 mm Classic have 1.34-inch screens with 438 by 438 pixels, all with a full-colour always-on display. Samsung says the screen is 50 percent brighter than before, with a peak of 3,000 nits for outdoor visibility. The processor is the Exynos W1000, a five-core 3 nm chip that Samsung calls its most powerful 3 nm processor, with 2 GB of memory and either 32 GB or 64 GB of storage. Dual-frequency L1 plus L5 GPS is said to give more detailed and precise location results, and batteries are 435 mAh for the 44 mm Watch8, 325 mAh for the 40 mm and 445 mAh for the Classic. Samsung's footnote says battery figures are typical values from laboratory conditions and actual life varies.

Health and sleep features

The BioActive Sensor combines an optical sensor, an electrical heart signal sensor and bioelectrical impedance analysis, alongside a temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic and light sensors. On top of it, Samsung Health gets new features. Bedtime Guidance measures your circadian rhythm to suggest the best time to go to bed, using at least three days of sleep analysis. Vascular Load monitors the stress on your vascular system during sleep and needs you to wear a compatible watch to sleep on at least three of the last 14 days. Antioxidant Index, described as a first in a smartwatch, measures carotenoid levels in five seconds when you press a finger, preferably the thumb, on the back sensor. Energy Score combines physical and mental energy metrics into a daily snapshot. High Stress Alert signals when stress stays high, and a Mindfulness Tracker records mood with breathing exercises. Samsung continues to offer sleep coaching and detection of signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea. All of this is wellness information, not a diagnosis.

Running Coach and fitness

Running Coach calculates a fitness level from 1 to 10 after a running level test and builds a tailored training plan with real-time guidance and motivational insights. The Together feature now supports running so that you can challenge friends and family. Samsung's footnote adds that you must complete a running level test before the coach program can start, and that some health features vary by market, model and the smartphone the watch is paired with, so check the details for your own devices.

Wear OS 6 and Gemini

Developed with Google, the Watch8 series is described as the first smartwatch to arrive out of the box with Gemini and to be powered by Wear OS 6. You can give natural voice commands for apps such as Samsung Health, Calendar, Reminder and Clock, for example asking for a nearby cafe and messaging a friend in one go, or saying start a 30-minute run to launch the workout. One UI 8 Watch adds Multi-Info Tiles for health metrics, weather and events in one glance, and a new Now Bar and depthless notifications keep key activities up front. The watches work with Android 12 or later phones with more than 1.5 GB of memory, and activation needs a phone that supports Google Mobile Services.

Who should look at it

These watches suit Android users, and particularly Galaxy phone owners, who value comfort, sleep and stress insights and an assistant on the wrist. The rotating bezel and larger case of the Classic appeal to those who prefer a traditional look. Rivals include Google's Pixel Watch 3 and Apple's Watch Series 11, and the Galaxy Watch8 vs Watch Series 11 table lists the differences we can source. To see what the previous generation offered, read the Galaxy Watch6 page. The phones that launched at the same event include the Galaxy Z Fold7, and all our wearable coverage is in the smartwatches section.