Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 release date and price
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is now available for pre-order in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The watch will be available in the United States and the United Kingdom on August 26, while Australia will receive it on September 10.
Nonetheless, some users in the United Kingdom have reported receiving their devices earlier than this. If you've already placed a pre-order, your item may arrive sooner than expected.
The Galaxy Watch 4 is available in two sizes. The Bluetooth-enabled 40mm version costs $249.99 / £249 / AU$399, while the LTE-enabled version costs $299.99 / £289 / AU$499.
If you prefer a larger watch, the 44mm model is $279.99 / £269 (approximately AU$500) with Bluetooth and $329.99 / £309 (approximately AU$580) with 4G. This is significantly less expensive than the Galaxy Watch 3, but that is largely due to the fact that this device is a replacement for the Galaxy Watch Active 2.
If you're looking for a larger smartwatch with a physical rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is the way to go. This is a distinct product line this year, despite the fact that many of the specifications are identical between the two devices.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 42mm is available for $349 / £349 / AU$549 in the Bluetooth version and $399 / £389 / AU$649 in the LTE version. The 46mm model is available with Bluetooth for $379 / £369 / AU$599 or with LTE for $429 / £409 / AU$699.
Performance and software
The Watch 4 is powered by Samsung's Exynos W920 chipset and comes with 1.5GB of RAM. Throughout our testing, we discovered that this is sufficient power to run a variety of applications without experiencing any slowdown. This is one of the most responsive smartwatches we've encountered.
While this speed is not as noticeable as it is on a smartphone or a laptop, it is noticeable when compared to other smartwatches and enables you to use a variety of apps while the GPS features are running.
Both Galaxy Watch 4 models come with 16GB of storage. Around 8GB of this was taken up by the operating system and preloaded apps, leaving you with the same amount for your own apps and music.
The Galaxy Watch 4's software is its crowning achievement. Samsung is not using its own Tizen wearables software in this instance, but is instead reviving Google's Wear OS, albeit with a twist.
You could be forgiven for being perplexed in this instance. Samsung's software efforts have centered on Tizen in recent years, and the software running on the Galaxy Watch 4 appears to be similar.
Rather than that, this is Wear OS 3 with Samsung's own skin atop, called One UI Watch 3. It includes a selection of Samsung apps that you're familiar with if you've previously owned a Galaxy Watch, but this is primarily Wear OS.
This means you'll have access to the Google Play Store, and while Wear OS isn't the best-supported platform in terms of apps, you'll have more/much more/whatever options than on Tizen. Meanwhile, the design retains a distinct Samsung feel.
The Galaxy Watch 4's software is attractive and responsive, and all of the apps available on the Google Play Store are pre-installed. This is a superior solution to Tizen, but retains all of the advantages that made Tizen software so great.
Fitness
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is packed with health and fitness features, including GPS for running tracking, an optical heart rate sensor, and ECG support.
The watch's significant fitness improvements come in the form of a new 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor that allows it to monitor heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and body composition. Although the final item on that list is the only new feature, it is the first time the sensors have been combined.
Samsung claims that its body composition measurement tools make it possible to view critical fitness metrics such as skeletal muscle mass and body fat percentage. These scans are simple to perform, but you must remain still for them to work.
You'll receive information on your body fat percentage, skeletal muscle, fat mass, body water, and BMI. Additionally, it will provide you with a rough estimate of the healthy range for your sex, weight, and height.
Although it's difficult to determine the accuracy of these various metrics, we found it beneficial to have at least a rough idea of them, as you'll be able to track them over time to see if you can improve the results.
The heart rate monitor was found to be accurate, as our results matched those obtained using other devices. While the heart rate monitor performed best when used with Samsung's own apps, these features can also be used with third-party Wear OS tools such as Strava and Nike Running Club.
Additionally, we discovered that the GPS features worked well when we ran with the watch, providing accurate positioning in comparison to other devices.
One critical point to keep in mind is the limited compatibility of certain fitness features. Only when the Galaxy Watch 4 is connected to a Samsung smartphone are the ECG and blood pressure monitoring tools available.
This is a frustrating feature, and it means that if you do not own a Samsung phone, this watch may not be the best option for you. Alternative devices from brands such as Garmin provide comparable functionality but work with any phone.
Durability of the battery
The 44mm Galaxy Watch 4 model we reviewed is powered by a 361mAh battery, which performed admirably during our testing period. Even with intensive use, the smartwatch should last at least two days on a single charge, and if you're not regularly using the fitness features, you can expect the watch to last a full three days.
The 40mm version features a 247mAh cell. Based on prior Samsung smartwatch experience, there is a slight difference in battery life between the smaller and larger models, but don't expect the 40mm variant to be significantly different.
There is a charging pad included in the box, which is surprising given Samsung's recent abandonment of charging pads on its smartphones. That being said, you'll only receive the cable here, which means you'll need to locate a charging block or connect it directly to a USB compatible device.
