Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Review: A Missed Opportunity

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Finest Costs Right this moment: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Even for those who have been following Samsung’s July 2023 Unpacked occasion, it was simple to miss the Galaxy Watch 6.  

The foldable Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 have been the headline bulletins, with 4 new Tab S9 tablets not far behind. Even amongst smartwatches, the returning Galaxy Watch 6 Basic and its bodily rotating bezel hoovered up a lot of the remainder of the eye. 

However regardless of this, the common Galaxy Watch 6 arguably has probably the most mainstream attraction of any of the brand new units. It’s a comparatively inexpensive watch that’s full of premium options, together with a number of notable upgrades in comparison with final 12 months. 

That plus the actual fact it runs Google’s WearOS sufficient for it to change into the brand new default smartwatch for Android customers, however it received’t persuade anybody who wasn’t certain about final 12 months’s Galaxy Watch 5. 

Design & construct

• Light-weight but premium design
• Impressively sturdy
• Two bodily buttons on proper aspect

If you happen to put the Galaxy Watch 6 subsequent to final 12 months’s Watch 5, you most likely couldn’t inform them aside.  

That’s a typical criticism of recent merchandise, however it’s an excellent factor right here. Samsung is onto a winner with this slick, minimalist design, so there’s was no want for a revamp. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Regardless of persevering with with a premium mix of chrome steel and glass, the Watch 6 stays impressively light-weight. The 40mm mannequin I examined is simply 28.7g, whereas the 44mm model isn’t far behind at 33.3g. 

At 9mm, it’s additionally barely slimmer than the Watch 5. The Watch 6 doesn’t really feel large or cumbersome in any respect, to the extent that I typically forgot I used to be carrying it. Consequently, sleeping with the watch on is rather more snug than most different smartwatches. 

After all, that additionally speaks to the consolation of the included silicone strap. Its color roughly matches the housing of the watch itself, which is obtainable in Graphite (black) and Gold on the 40mm mannequin or Graphite and Silver on the 44mm model. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

I used to be involved about it accumulating mud or shedding its color, however there was no signal of both throughout my testing. Loads of different bands can be found on the Samsung web site, whereas the usual 20mm measurement means it should assist many third-party choices.

The Watch 6 actually isn’t a rugged smartwatch, however it’s nonetheless sturdy. The metal casing feels robust and strong, whilst you additionally get military-grade MIL-STD-810G compliance (albeit with none ensures). 

An IP68 score means it might probably stand up to as much as 1.5m of contemporary water for as much as half-hour at a time and is totally protected towards mud. Alongside a 5ATM score (can stand up to pressures as much as 50m underwater), it’s an excellent alternative for swimming. 

Samsung has gone for a really minimalist aesthetic on the Watch 6, leaving the extra eye-catching design to the Watch 6 Basic. However it retains two bodily buttons on the best aspect – ‘Residence’ and ‘Again’ – each of which may be remapped in Settings.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Show & audio

• 1.3- or 1.5-inch OLED shows
• Vibrant colors and glorious element
• Spectacular built-in speaker and mic

Impressively, Samsung has managed to incorporate bigger OLED shows on the Watch 6 in comparison with the Watch 5 with none modifications to the general casing sizes.  

A slimming of bezels means you now get a 1.3-inch touchscreen on the 40mm mannequin and 1.5-inch on the 44mm. The decision of each can be now larger, at 432×432 and 480×480 respectively. 

Will both of those modifications make a noticeable distinction to your expertise? Most likely not. However they’re good refinements that make sure the Watch 6 has probably the greatest shows on any smartwatch.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Persevering with with OLED means you get wealthy, vibrant colors and deep blacks. The latter is especially spectacular on the Watch 6, with Samsung basing its One UI Watch software program round a black background. 

It additionally presents loads of element, with even small textual content clearly seen to me with no need to carry my wrist as much as eye degree. That was the case even in direct daylight, with the Watch in a position to get impressively vibrant – Samsung claims as much as 200 nits. 

The sting of the show is touch-sensitive, enabling a digital model of the Watch 6 Basic’s rotating bodily bezel. However I discovered it slower and fewer intuitive than merely swiping, besides when transferring to the top of the tiles abstract screens. 

Nevertheless, in contrast to on the Galaxy Watch 5, it doesn’t really feel like a ineffective function. The Watch 6’s bigger display screen and slimmer bezel means it takes up even much less area, whereas utilizing it hardly ever obscures essential on-screen content material. With quick response time and superb haptic suggestions, you may be fairly exact together with your actions. 

Audio isn’t a precedence on smartwatches in any respect, however it’s surprisingly good on the Watch 6. A built-in speaker delivers clear sound for notifications and voice-based content material (together with optionally available spoken stats throughout a exercise), even when bass is sort of non-existent.  

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

In the meantime, the mic was in a position to clearly perceive the whole lot I used to be saying, with no need to carry the watch to my mouth. Whereas I wouldn’t suggest it for the built-in Bixby voice assistant, it’s good for calls and dictating messages. 

Software program & options

• One UI Watch 5 over WearOS 4
• Slick, optimised software program
• ECG and blood strain solely work with Samsung telephones

The Galaxy Watch 6 runs WearOS 4, the most recent model of Google’s wearable software program on the time of launch in August 2023. Samsung has added numerous tweaks of its personal, recognized collectively right here as One UI Watch 5, however will proceed supporting the watch with updates till 2027. 

Whereas clearly designed to work finest with different Samsung units, the Watch 6 works easily with any Android telephone operating Android 10 or later. Intuitive software program is essential on a small watch show, and Samsung and Google have mixed to emphatically ship it. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Every little thing feels prefer it has a transparent place, so there’s no rummaging via menus to seek out apps or settings you frequently use. A easy proper swipe reveals notifications, whereas left reveals a spread of customisable dwell tiles. Swipe down on your fast settings (together with don’t disturb, bedtime and theatre modes) or up for a scrollable checklist of apps – it truly is that straightforward. 

Speaking of apps, there are a number of third-party choices accessible through the WearOS model of the Google Play Retailer. WhatsApp is the large current addition, becoming a member of the likes of Spotify, Calm, Todoist and SoundCloud in being natively supported. The choice is sort of restricted, however you possibly can nonetheless obtain all telephone notifications to your wrist.

Whereas it’s irritating that Samsung’s personal inventory apps can’t be uninstalled, all Google variations are additionally accessible to obtain. That features Google Pockets for cellular funds and the Google Assistant – no must endure with Bixby! 

Google Maps is one which’s pre-installed, making it simple to get turn-by-turn instructions whereas strolling, biking or driving. Constructed-in GPS makes it simple to trace the place you’re going, however you’ll want your telephone paired and linked to the web to start out navigation. 

For health, Samsung Well being presents the whole lot most individuals will want. You’ll be able to entry these utilizing the watch app itself, however it’s simpler to go through the dwell tiles. Every day exercise, exercise shortcuts and a abstract of different metrics are the primary belongings you see right here, alongside the likes of sleep and physique composition information. 

A few of this may be proven straight on the watch face by swapping out the default choice for one thing extra advanced. This may be performed through the Galaxy Wearable companion app, which is pre-installed on Samsung telephones however requires a separate obtain and further plugins to get it engaged on different Android handsets.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

All of your watch settings can be found right here, however nearly all well being and health information is proven within the separate Samsung Well being app. It presents much more element than you’ll discover on the watch itself, and is beneficial for monitoring traits over time. 

Nevertheless, a 3rd app is required for 2 key options which are unique to Samsung telephones: taking blood strain and an electrocardiogram (ECG). You’ll want Samsung Well being Monitor for them, however it’s solely accessible through the corporate’s personal Galaxy Retailer, which isn’t accessible on different Android telephones. 

It’s disappointing to see Samsung limiting options on this method, however they aren’t precisely seamless anyway. For the ECG, you should be carrying the look ahead to at the least 10 minutes, then transfer it larger in your wrist and relaxation your index finger on the house button for 30 seconds.

For blood strain (which nonetheless hasn’t been authorized to be used within the US), that you must calibrate the watch thrice utilizing any cuff-based monitor (that that you must purchase individually), then recalibrate each 28 days to make sure accuracy. Out the field performance this isn’t.

Even then, the outcomes you get aren’t going to be as dependable as utilizing authorized medical gear. However with irregular coronary heart rhythm notifications, telephone separation alerts and the digital camera controller app additionally unique to Samsung telephones, you’re actually not getting the total expertise with a unique handset. 

Health & monitoring

• Intensive exercise assist
• Tons of information accessible
• Good sleep monitoring

The Galaxy Watch 6 actually excels in the case of health monitoring. Greater than 90 totally different exercises are supported, and you’ll even create your personal for something that’s lacking.  

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Just a few key metrics are recorded whatever the train you select: whole length, full coronary heart fee information (together with how lengthy you spent in every zone), and an estimate of energy burned. Distance coated can even be proven the place related, plus location information if the built-in GPS is enabled. 

However by way of sheer information, operating is undoubtedly probably the most spectacular exercise on the Watch 6. Alongside all the knowledge above, you get an outline of tempo, cadence (the variety of steps per minute), elevation change, VO2 max (most fee of oxygen consumption), estimated sweat loss and numerous different superior metric. It actually seems like this might make a distinction to the way in which I run over time.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

I additionally actually loved utilizing it for swimming, the place there’s particular information on sort and whole variety of strokes and an total SWOLF rating (a score that measures swimming effectivity). Moderately than the standard proper swipe to finish a exercise, you maintain down the bodily Residence button as an alternative, at which level it’ll mechanically expel water.

No distinctive information was offered for my two-hour tennis session, however it nonetheless recorded flawlessly and confirmed in-depth coronary heart fee data.  

Strolling stats are additionally pretty primary, however it’s one among seven exercises that may be tracked mechanically (alongside operating, biking, elliptical coach, rowing machine, swimming and dynamic exercise). It took round 10 minutes to set off in my expertise, however offered all the standard information and ended promptly after I sat down. 

Monitoring for all of the exercises depends on steady coronary heart fee monitoring, which was liable to some erratic moments however usually appeared dependable. It’s set to measure each 10 minutes whereas nonetheless, although you possibly can set it set off repeatedly or solely while you select. Your steps are counted mechanically. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Stress, physique composition and blood oxygen may also all be measured, with the latter and pores and skin temperature optionally available metrics whereas sleeping. If you happen to don’t thoughts carrying the watch at evening, loads of data is obtainable. 

Within the Samsung Well being app, whole sleep time, sleep cycles (and phases), wakefulness and estimates of bodily and psychological restoration are mixed to supply an total ‘Sleep rating’. If you happen to hold your telephone beside you, you possibly can even file loud night breathing throughout the evening. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

It’s not clear how correct all this information is, however it appears to roughly match how I felt. Monitoring sleep over time will help you establish traits and change into extra constant – you’ll even be assigned a ‘Sleep animal’ and provided teaching after seven days.

Specs & efficiency

• Exynos W930 and 2GB RAM
• Stable all-round efficiency
• 16GB of storage is a lot

Each the 40mm and 44mm Galaxy Watch 6 can be found in two totally different variations. I examined one with simply Bluetooth, which depends in your telephone for an web connection. However including 4G LTE (through eSIM) means it might probably function fully independently, and you’ll typically go away your telephone at house. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

All variations of the Watch 6 are powered by Samsung’s personal Exynos W930 chipset, a slight improve on the W920 discovered within the earlier two generations. Alongside 2GB of RAM (up from 1.5GB), it delivers strong all-round efficiency. 

It received’t blow you away, however swiping between screens and tapping buttons usually feels easy and responsive. There’s typically slight hesitation when opening an app, although ready for a second or two is hardly a problem.

Samsung has additionally doubled the inner storage on the Watch 6 – it’s now 16GB. Given the apps listed here are a lot smaller than on telephones, you’ll must obtain a ton of music to get even near capability. 

Battery life & charging

• 300mAh battery on 40mm, 425mAh on 44mm
• Disappointing battery life
• Helps Qi wi-fi charging as much as 10W

Battery life is undoubtedly probably the most disappointing side of the Galaxy Watch 6.  

The identical was true of its predecessor, however I hoped the bigger battery (300mAh on 40mm, 425mAh on 44mm) would make a distinction. Sadly, these bigger shows seem to have cancelled out any potential enhancements, and it’d now be even worse. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Throughout my testing, the Watch 6 barely made it via a full day on a single cost. That was even with the helpful always-on show turned off – it’s even worse with it on.

That day often concerned monitoring a stroll and longer exercise, plus receiving and responding to notifications and measuring coronary heart fee as soon as each 10 minutes all through the day. None of those actions ought to deplete the battery life so rapidly.

You may nearly make it to the top of the day earlier than charging, albeit with some extent of battery nervousness. However if you wish to use it for sleep monitoring, it’ll have to be linked to the ability – I discovered the battery dropped by round 30-40% in a single day. 

The magnetic charger included within the field solely connects through USB-C, however the Watch 6 helps Qi wi-fi charging as much as 10W. It went from 0-59% in half an hour, with a full cost taking round 70 minutes – that’s not dangerous in any respect, however might be fast as a result of the battery is so small.

Worth & availability 

The Galaxy Watch 6 begins at $20/£20 greater than the Watch 5, however it’s nonetheless competitively priced: 

• 40mm, Bluetooth solely – $299.99/£289 
• 40mm, Bluetooth and LTE – $349.99/£339 
• 44mm, Bluetooth solely – $329.99/£319 
• 44mm, Bluetooth and LTE – $379.99/£369

Within the US, you should purchase it from Samsung and Amazon outright, or on contract from AT&T and Verizon. Within the UK, there are a great deal of retailers to select from, together with Samsung and Amazon outright and O2, EE and Vodafone on contract.

See the total vary of choices in our Galaxy Watch 6 information.

That beginning value considerably cheaper than the Watch 6 Basic, which begins at $399.99/£369. Its most evident opponents are the Google Pixel Watch (from $349.99/£339) and Mobvoi TicWatch Professional 5 ($349.99/£329.99), each of which run WearOS. Neither provide fairly the identical vary of options, although, so the Watch 6 is nice worth for cash.

In case you have an iPhone, go for the Apple Watch SE (from $249/£259) or Apple Watch Collection 8 as an alternative. However there are many different smartwatches to think about.  

Verdict 

With the Galaxy Watch 6, Samsung has taken what was good in regards to the Watch 5 and made it even higher. 

You now get a bigger, higher-quality show with slimmer bezels, improved efficiency and extra inside storage. An array of sensors allows in-depth health and sleep monitoring, all of which is accessible through WearOS 4 software program and companion apps which are simple to make use of. 

However regardless of a bigger battery capability, precise battery life is simply as dangerous on the 40mm mannequin. Options comparable to blood strain and ECG additionally stay unique to Samsung telephones, so it’s not fairly the total expertise on different Android handsets. 

The Galaxy Watch 6 nonetheless presents so much on your cash, however you may wish to suppose twice earlier than shopping for one. 

Specs 

• 1.3in 432×432 (40mm) or 1.5in 480×480 (44mm) round AMOLED always-on show 
• Gorilla Glass DX+ 
• Exynos W930 5nm processor 
• 2GB RAM 
• 16GB storage 
• One UI Watch 5 over Put on OS 4 
• Bluetooth 5.3 
• NFC 
• GPS 
• Wi-Fi 
• 4G LTE (optionally available) 
• Microphone 
• Speaker 
• Optical coronary heart fee sensor (PPG) 
• Electrical coronary heart sensor (ECG) 
• Bioelectrical impedance evaluation sensor (BIA) 
• Blood oxygen monitoring 
• AFib irregular heartbeat detection 
• Sleep monitoring 
• Snore detection 
• Physique composition evaluation 
• Guided exercises 
• Bixby Voice 
• Gesture controls 
• Stainless-steel casing 
• 5ATM swim-proof 
• IP68-certified mud/water resistance 
• MIL-STD-810G examined 
• Wi-fi charging 
• 300mAh (40mm) or 425mAh battery (44mm) 
• 10W Qi wi-fi charging 
• 38.8 x 40.4 x 9mm (40mm) or 42.8 x 44.4 x 9mm (44mm) 
• 28.7g (40mm) or 33.3g (44mm) 
• Colors: Graphite, Gold (40mm solely), Silver (44mm solely) 
• Suitable with Android 10 or larger (units require greater than 1.5GB RAM)