Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 series hands-on: There's more than meets the eye

Over the past year or so, my relationship with smartwatches has changed rather dramatically. While it's become more of an accessory than ever before, that doesn't mean I'm not intrigued when new alternatives arrive. However, the Galaxy Watch 8 series managed to pique my interest at just the right time.

A new, but familiar, design

The most obvious change here is that the squircle-like design introduced with the original Galaxy Watch Ultra is now found across all smartwatch models. So those hoping that Samsung would keep at least one traditional design around aren't going to be too happy.

That being said, I also wasn't a fan of the Watch Ultra's design at first, but after buying one and using it for a while, it grew on me. I'm not saying that will be the same experience for you, but I recommend giving it a shot before immediately dismissing it.

This new design also brings about a couple of other major changes to the Watch 8 and 8 Classic, such as a slimmer and lighter design. Samsung says the Watch 8 is 11% thinner than the Watch 7, making it the "thinnest Galaxy Watch." And when I held the Watch 8 for the first time, even with the band attached, I couldn't believe how light it was.

Even the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, with its larger frame and extra hardware, felt a lot lighter than I expected. Seeing as I'm someone who prefers larger wearables like the TicWatch Atlas or Galaxy Watch Ultra, I'm used to hefty chunks of aluminum and glass. The Watch 8 Classic didn't give me the same feeling, but it did feel like a watch that I could wear every day and occasionally forget it was there.

The rotating crown returns

Speaking of the extra hardware, the rotating crown has returned to the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, and I couldn't be more excited. This is my favorite way of interacting with a smartwatch, and Samsung has essentially perfected the entire experience. As a side note, it turns out that the "tick-tock" nature of the crown is intentional, meaning that if the Watch 9 Classic rolls out next year, it likely won't have one.

There is one more design change, and it's not one that's specific to the Watch 8 Classic. Samsung has redesigned its band mechanism with the Watch 8 series, which came as a surprise to me. I actually liked the previous mechanism with the push button to retract the springs when swapping out bands.

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However, there's now a "tongue" in the middle that inserts into the watch casing. I can only assume this was done in order to ensure the band stays connected to the watch. But it has the added benefit of providing a more snug fit while reducing the gap between the band and your wrist.

New health features

Switching gears to features that are actually new, the Watch 8 is the first smartwatch to include the ability to measure your antioxidant levels. The process for doing so isn't as simple as tapping the screen and keeping your wrist in place. Instead, you actually have to take the watch off and push your thumb against the BioActive sensor.

I'm not sure if there's any other way Samsung could have done this, but I hope there's eventually a way to do so without needing to take off the watch. Nevertheless, once the reading is complete, you'll see the results on both your watch and in the Samsung Health app on your connected phone.

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Lastly, there is one feature that could "force" me to get the Watch 8 Classic or Watch Ultra 2025 over anything else, and it's the software. These are the first smartwatches to be released with Wear OS 6 at the helm and are also the first to feature Google Gemini out of the box.

Google Assistant is obviously on its deathbed, so I'm excited to see Gemini finally take its place. Oh, and while I wasn't able to try these features out myself, Samsung and Google worked together to ensure that Gemini will work with Samsung's first-party Wear OS apps for seamless integration.

Final Takeaways

Seeing as how much I absolutely adore the rotating crown, there's a non-0% chance that the Watch 8 Classic ends up in my virtual shopping when pre-orders open. Throw in the fact that Gemini and Wear OS 6 are onboard, and it's really just a matter of "when," not "if," I buy one.

That being said, I still have a feeling that the design change across the board is going to be divisive. Considering recent reports that Samsung is down 18% in smartwatch sales, this might not have been the best move. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, so Samsung just has to hope that the new features, along with the lighter and slimmer design, are enough to sway people back.