Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic Review – Dialled in with new AI and health tracking improvements

The successor to last year’s Galaxy Watch7 series, the new Galaxy Watch8 Classic caters to traditionalists who prefer a physical rotating bezel over the touch bezel found on the standard Galaxy Watch8 models, It also brings a number of welcome improvements.

Samsung Malaysia graciously loaned us a review unit for field testing. After taking it for a whirl, here’s our Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic review where we share our thoughts on whether their latest smartwatch is worth your money.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic Review – Build and Design

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the successor to the earlier Galaxy Watch6 Classic that was released in 2023 complete with a rotating bezel along with a few contemporary tweaks; a Classic variant does not exist for the Galaxy Watch7 series.

The Galaxy Watch8 Classic is only available in a single 46mm size with a 1.34-inch display, while the standard-issue Galaxy Watch8 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes with a 1.3-inch display on the former and a larger 1.5-inch display on the latter due to the lack of a rotating bezel.

In terms of build and design, our Galaxy Watch8 Classic review sample pays homage to last year’s Galaxy Watch Ultra on account of its ‘cushion design’ that features a squarish looking case framing the round dial, hence the name. 

Unlike the base Galaxy Watch8 models, the Classic variant that we have in for review has a physical rotating bezel that lets you navigate the menus in a more intuitive fashion as well as an additional physical Quick Button that accesses Samsung Health or launch functions like the torchlight, stopwatch or voice recorder on demand. Flanking the Quick button are the Home and Back buttons that also appear on the standard Watch8.

Beyond the additional Quick button and rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic has several design improvements over the prior Galaxy Watch7 series. The case is now 11% slimmer while offering more pressure uniformity across the wrist. The redesigned dynamic lug system also ensures that the BioActive sensors on the underside of the watch and the entirety of the case have better contact with the skin while also offering 8% more overall stability for the case.

This comes at a tradeoff though as the new dynamic lug system for the straps is incompatible with bands from older Galaxy Watch series designs and many 20mm third party bands. On purchase, you can choose from either a black colourway or in the case of our Galaxy Watch8 Classic review sample, a posh looking white finish. You can also purchase alternative bands from Samsung in different colours and materials, including fabric options and sportier looking straps too.

The included strap consists of synthetic leather outer skin with faux stitching while the inner lining is made of textured rubber for added comfort as well as ridges to wick away sweat in humid conditions which is a necessity in Malaysia’s humid conditions.

Up close, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic features a rounded 1.34-inch Super AMOLED touch display that is now markedly brighter than its predecessors, offering up to 3,000 nits peak brightness for excellent clarity outdoors under sunlight.

This is a significant improvement over the 2,000 nits seen in the prior Galaxy Watch7. The display is also protected by Sapphire Crystal Glass and the case uses stainless steel and has IP68 as well as 5ATM water resistance on top of a MIL-STD-810H rating for durability and shock resistance.

@hitechcentury We unbox and get a firsthand look at the new Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic in white with its posh strap and rotating bezel! #samsungmalaysia #asmr #galaxwatch8classic #galaxyai #samsung #learnontiktok #fyp #techtok #unboxing #malaysia #hitechcentury ♬ original sound – Hitech Century

Build quality is outstanding across the board, with every component – from the strap to the rotating bezel – feeling solid and premium. As expected, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic comes bundled with a matching strap and a USB-C charger.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic Review – Setup and Specifications

Powering the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the same Exynos W1000 penta-core chipset that powered the Galaxy Watch Ultra. This is paired with 2GB RAM and 64GB of storage. This is exceptional for a smartwatch – the first generation Galaxy Watch Ultra launched last year and the Watch7 series only had 32GB storage with only the revamped 2025 version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra matching this level of storage at 64GB. 

Running under the hood is the latest Wear OS 6 which offers a new tile-based interface that makes it easier to take in information at a glance. It also features enhanced AI support via Samsung’s Galaxy AI, which includes integration with Google’s Gemini AI assistant. Navigating the menus is intuitive via a combination of the back, Quick and home buttons as well as the rotating bezel and swipes on the touchscreen.

While not immediately apparent, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic also benefits from more accurate dual-band GPS (L1 and L5) for better positional accuracy which helps in dense urban environments especially for runners and cyclists. Connectivity for the Galaxy Watch8 Classic comes in two flavours with a WiFi only and a slightly pricier LTE-enabled variant. Our Galaxy Watch8 Classic review sample is the WiFi only model. 

Getting it up and running is a straightforward task if you’re using any Android phone running version 12.0 and higher. However, you’ll get the best results when paired with a Samsung Galaxy series phone. When paired with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 that we tested previously, the watch installed the necessary drivers on its own and appeared on Samsung’s Health app and the Galaxy Wearable app too without a hitch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic Review – Improved Health and Fitness Tracking

The key upgrade with the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is its expanded suite of fitness and health tracking features. Beyond the usual staples like blood pressure, ECG, heart rate, Sp02 and skin temperature measurements, the watch is able to offer an Energy Score and more comprehensive sleep quality tracking. 

Features seen in prior models including the ability to measure your body composition – which breaks down your body fat, bone and muscle percentages – as well as your overnight advanced glycation end product (AGEs) index are all available here too.

You also get the usual array of activity and exercise tracking options for everything from walks to runs with outdoors activities benefitting from improved GPS accuracy. One thing to note though is that ECG and blood pressure tracking remains locked to Samsung Galaxy phones.

New to this generation is the ability to monitor vascular load when asleep which reflects overall health of your arteries. Measuring vascular load isn’t immediate though and the watch needs to be worn to sleep three nights in a row for it to get a baseline measurement of your overall heart health. There’s also a new antioxidant index test which measures levels of oxidative stress in your body. 

This test is performed by manually placing your thumb on the underside BioActive sensor. By doing so, the watch is able to measure your antioxidant levels and suggests positive lifestyle changes like taking more fruit and vegetables and improving other factors like getting more sleep and exercise. 

After testing over a period of a week, our Galaxy Watch8 Classic review sample offered consistent antioxidant level readings on a day to day basis though I didn’t detect major differences during my review period and it remained consistently low; significant changes may likely require longer, more comprehensive lifestyle alterations.

One of the key upgrades with the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the inclusion of Galaxy AI that assists with sleep coaching to improve your sleep patterns. The watch also integrates Gemini assistant so that users can issue voice commands straight off the watch itself to make calls, take down notes, make simple inquiries and the like rather than having to laboriously reach for the phone every time.

During testing, the watch delivered consistent readings for steps, heart rate, and sleep — matching closely with our control device, the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

The enhanced running coach was also a standout feature. After a test run, it assessed physical condition and created a personalised training plan geared toward user goals.

That said, while the new vascular load and antioxidant tests are useful indicators, they only offer generic advice without actionable, step-by-step plans. You’ll still need guidance from a healthcare professional for more meaningful interpretation. 

In terms of battery life, my Galaxy Watch8 Classic review unit managed to get a full day’s worth of battery life on a single charge with the Always On Display on. If you leave the display off and tweak power saving mode, you can comfortably get two days of battery life depending on usage. This falls short of many competing smartwatches from other brands but it’s not a dealbreaker unless you’re a serious globetrotter or an ardent fitness devotee. Charging it takes about an hour and 40 minutes or so off the bundled charger.

Should you buy the Galaxy Watch8 Classic?

While it doesn’t come cheap, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is a beautifully designed and robust premium smartwatch powered by Wear OS and packed to the brim with lifestyle, health, and activity tracking features.

The revamped design is comfortable to wear, features a vibrant display paired with a satisfying rotating bezel, and hosts an impressive array of health tracking tools alongside the inclusion of Gemini AI for added utility. However, its most powerful health features such as ECG and blood pressure tracking remain exclusive to Samsung Galaxy phones, which may deter users invested in other Android ecosystems.

While it may not be a must-have upgrade for owners of the Watch6 Classic or Galaxy Watch Ultra, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic remains a compelling choice for those in the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem seeking a stylish, feature-packed smartwatch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic review sample courtesy of Samsung Malaysia. For more details and to purchase, please visit https://www.samsung.com/my/watches/galaxy-watch/galaxy-watch8-classic-46mm-black-lte-sm-l505fzkaxme/

Specifications

Price RM1,799 (WiFi) RM2,099 (WiFi+ LTE)
Display 1.34-inch Super AMOLED, 438 x 438 pixels, 3,000 nits peak brightness
Processor Exynos W1000 penta-core
OS Wear OS 6 powered by Samsung
Memory 2GB RAM/ 64GB storage
Battery 445mAh (up to 30 hours with Always On Display on)
Size/Weight 46 x 46 x 10.6mm / 63.5g