Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: How different are they?

The perfect complement to a Samsung Galaxy smartphone is a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch. If you’re looking to get something on the upper end of the scale, the decision comes down to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 2025 is a slightly upgraded version of Samsung’s first rugged smartwatch model launched in summer 2024, while the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the larger, highest-end version in the new standard line. The question becomes: is the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 worth the extra coin? Let’s find out.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Design and durability

Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

First, let’s look at, well, looks. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 is the largest Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, thicker than the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. But it also happens to be a smidge lighter. Both have three buttons, including a Quick Button for accessing frequently used options.

The biggest difference is that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a digital-only bezel, whereas the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic adds a rotating bezel. Considering Andrew Myrick notes in his initial Galaxy Watch 8 hands-on that the rotating bezel is his favorite way of interacting with a smartwatch, this will be a big deal for a lot of people like him.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 comes in four titanium finishes: Silver, Gray, White, and a new one: Blue. It has a large 1.5-inch AMOLED screen housed in a squircle design that affords up to 3,000 nits peak brightness. The screen is made from sapphire crystal, and the watch itself is as rugged as they come, meeting an IP68 and an impressive 10ATM rating as well as MIL-STD-810H standards for durability.

In terms of battery life, it has a 590mAh battery, the same as the previous generation model, which means it should last about four days in power savings mode, about two with frequent workout tracking, and more.

By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic comes in basic Black or White, though you can spruce it up with various band types (sport, fabric, or hybrid as well as third-party options). It employs a thin and cushioned design that has been brought over from the original Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

This squircle design change is immediately noticeable, and Myrick notes that it’s one that grew on him after he became accustomed to it with last year's Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra after wearing that model for a while. As noted, along with the Dynamic Lug System, the big differentiator is the inclusion of a handy rotating bezel on this watch.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has a smaller 1.34-inch Super AMOLED sapphire crystal display with the same 3,000 nits peak brightness. It boasts both IP68 and MIL-STD-810H certification, but it isn’t quite as water-resistant for deep diving with “only” a 5ATM rating.

The battery is also smaller at 445mAh, and while Samsung doesn’t note its rated battery life, you can expect to charge it at least every day or two if it falls in line with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Classic, which has a slightly smaller battery.

There’s an LTE option with both watches as well as Bluetooth 5.3 and NFC for tap payments. While the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 is more expensive, there are trade-in deals with older model Samsung Galaxy Watches (not the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2024 at the time of this writing) that can save you a few bucks.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Specs

Let’s look at how these two smartwatches compare when it comes to basic specs.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Health, wellness, and smarts

When it comes to the internals of these two smartwatches, what they can track and what you can do with them are pretty much identical. Both run on an Exynos W1000 processor and come loaded with Wear OS 6. Both have 64GB storage (that’s double that of the 2024 edition of the Galaxy Watch Ultra) and 2GB RAM.

Both track all the usual suspects when it comes to health, wellness, and vitals, thanks to the inclusion of a Samsung BioActive sensor. This includes workouts, calorie burn, activity levels, sleep, stress, temperature, heart rate, blood oxygen, and more. They offer tailored sleep coaching, an area where Samsung has been upping the ante. This includes the ability to detect moderate to severe signs of sleep apnea.

There’s also Vascular Load tracking, which monitors your stress levels during sleep, and Antioxidant Index to measure your carotenoid levels. These relate to dietary intake and metabolism, and the data can help you make more informed lifestyle choices.

To use the latter, you need to remove the watch and place your finger on the underside sensor, which isn’t ideal, but it’s worth doing if cartenoid level measurements are important to you. High Stress Alerts will ping you if either watch notices your stress levels are too high, prompting you to take a breath. There’s also a mindfulness tracker and energy score.

Runners will love the Running Coach, which calculates your fitness level on a scale from one to 10 and delivers a customized and personalized training plan with real-time guidance and motivational insights to help you along on your journey. Using Together, you can also challenge friends and family for further motivation. Both also incorporate dual-frequency GPS for tracking your runs, hikes, walks, cycles, and other outdoor activities.

One big update with both the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the inclusion of Google Gemini out of the box, replacing the outdated Google Assistant smart voice assistant. With this, you can summon Gemini with natural voice commands, whether that’s to initiate a workout, check on your calendar, or simply ask questions about what’s going on around you. Samsung worked closely with Google to ensure that there’s seamless integration with its first-party Wear OS apps.

Speaking of which, you can also keep on top of things by leveraging the multi-info tiles and Now Bar, which keeps your most crucial notifications front and center.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Which should you choose?

The decision between the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 vs. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic really comes down to your personal needs and budget. But even if you have the bucks to spare, is the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 worth it?

Let’s consider your biggest upgrades with that model compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. It’s lighter but also thicker, has a larger display, longer battery life, and is more durable. It’s really designed to be the adventurer’s watch. So, if you’re the type of person who participates in a lot of outdoor sports, especially underwater activities, you’ll find value in it.

The extra battery life is appreciated as well, but if you are already used to charging your smartwatch every day or two, you might be used to that routine anyway. With that said, longer battery life is always appreciated, especially on those days when you’re at 2% right before you’re about to go for a run.

Design and feature-wise, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as well as its smaller Galaxy Watch 8 sister, is starting to look more like an Ultra model anyway, with the same cushioned and squircle design. However, there’s a key advantage with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic to keep in mind if you would use it: the rotating bezel.

We haven’t yet tested the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 but based on Michael Hicks’ review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024 model), if the iterative update offers even slight improvements, it won’t disappoint. He calls that model “a great smartwatch that’s enjoyable to use,” applauding how powerful and reliable it is. We also named the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra among the best waterproof smartwatches you can buy, and chances are the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 will take its spot on the list.

Interestingly, Hicks said last year that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra falls between casual and serious users. Given this, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is even more skewed to the casual side, but with all the same features serious users will appreciate, minus the extra battery life and durability, and with a cool rotating bezel. It’s the more elegant-looking of the two watches without sacrificing too much. So, it will likely be the preference for most users.

Bottom line: if you have an older model to trade in and it brings the price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 in line with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, it’s worth considering. But it’s not necessary for most people unless you’re heavy into water and other outdoor sports, or you’re a power user where every last minute of battery life counts. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a lovely medium that affords all the same features at a more affordable price and with a similar yet more stylish design.

If you want something smaller, consider the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. If you already have the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024), don’t bother upgrading just yet. It’s not a big enough jump in features to warrant it.