Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm Review – Brilliant Bezeled Beauty

We previously unboxed the Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm, the largest sized variant in the entire Galaxy Watch6 series to get a gander at its sleek design and also managed to test the smaller Galaxy Watch6 44mm.

After taking the larger version for an extended spin around our daily work commute for several weeks around Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, we’ve managed to suss out the subtler nuances to its capabilities. Here’s our Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm review where we share if big is really best.

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm Review – Samsung’s latest smartwatch comes in a non-classic version that lacks a rotating bezel with both the Classic and non-Classic versions hosting two different display sizes and a host of different colourways as well as Bluetooth and LTE-enabled variants.

Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm review – Setup and performance 

The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 series was launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold5 and Galaxy Z Flip5 at Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in South Korea. To recap, the Galaxy Watch6 series comes in a larger Classic variant which has a rotating bezel for easier menu navigation, a more premium stainless steel case and larger sized displays protected by watch-grade Sapphire glass as well as a smaller non-Classic variant which lacks a physical rotating bezel with smaller displays that are also protected by Sapphire glass along with a case that uses lighter Armor Aluminum and with a commensurately lower price. 

Both the Galaxy Watch6 Classic and non-classic Galaxy Watch6 variants each have two display sizes with the larger Classic versions hosting 47mm and 43mm watch sizes while the smaller one hosts 40mm and 44mm sizes. Samsung also offers these variants in Bluetooth-only and LTE-enabled versions which makes for multiple permutations including different colourways to choose from. 

Common to all of the Galaxy Watch6 series regardless of size or connectivity options is an Exynos W930 dual-core 1.4GHz processor that runs Android Wear OS 4 under the hood overlaid with their own One UI Watch 5 firmware.

This is paired with 2GB RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. All Galaxy Watch5 series watches are also rated for MIL-STD-810H levels of durability, a 5ATM rating as well as an IP68 certification that ensures the watch is able to be reliably taken to the pool to track your laps and back. It isn’t rated for diving though.

Our Galaxy Watch6 57mm review sample is a Bluetooth only variant with a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen that has 480 x 480 pixels resolution and comes with a black stainless steel case accompanied by a matching faux leather strap. 

If you’re using almost any Samsung phone, getting the Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm paired and running is as easy as it gets and it recognised a Galaxy Z Fold5 in a few minutes before installing the necessary plugins to interact with the watch.

Fortunately, it still has reasonable compatibility with other non-Samsung Android phones running Android 10 or later though you’ll have to download the Galaxy Wearable app to get the watch to work. iPhone owners are left out in the cold this time around though as it doesn’t work with iOS devices.

After using it for about a month, I found my Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm review sample to be exceptionally comfortable to wear with the default strap offering a high level of comfort without any prickly bits to get in the way. The strap is also easier to change this time around and can be swapped out but I never found the need to do so seeing the understated classy look that the stock faux leather version had to offer.

Where our Watch6 Classic trumps the standard Watch6 variant is its rotating bezel that offers a vastly more precise means of navigating the menus without leaving smudges all across the rim of the touchscreen. They’ve managed to tune the tactility just right such that there’s a satisfying clickiness and just the right amount of tension when spinning it about.

The display itself is fantastic to behold with sufficient brightness to see it in broad daylight without having to squint while the built-in speaker allows you to have a phone conversation or play music off the onboard storage or streamed from the watch. It’s not the best in lieu of a pair of wireless earbuds but it does the job.

Even after extended use travelling across my daily commute, the stainless steel case and Sapphire glass of my Galaxy Watch6 47mm review unit have remained scratch free and that’s also counting the regular bumps and scrapes it encounters in the MRT and LRT during rush hour. 

On top of the usual incoming notifications, our Galaxy Watch6 47mm review unit was also able to receive WhatsApp notifications too with the option to reply with canned responses though you still have the option of a virtual keyboard if you deign to type out something. You’re also able to get Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation via a paired smartphone.

In terms of fitness tracking, the Watch6 Classic 47mm covers the obligatory steps taken and calories burned to fitness tracking during 90 selectable workouts all the way to taking an electrocardiogram, heart rate tracking, blood oxygen and blood pressure monitoring, measuring stress levels, body composition to see how much body fat you have and, especially important for senior citizens, fall detection so that the watch would call an emergency number if it detects a fall. 

Of note is its enhanced sleep tracking mode when worn that breaks down your sleep cycle and then offers advice on how to improve your sleep quality. During the review, it managed to measurably improve my sleep by suggesting helpful hints.

Unfortunately, blood pressure monitoring and an electrocardiogram both require you to use the Samsung Health Monitor app which is specific to the Samsung Galaxy App store and by extension only to Samsung phones. Another feature that is specific to Samsung phones is its ability to act as a remote camera shutter release.

Overall battery life is a bit on the short side at about a day and a half and this also varies depending on how much of its GPS as well as activity and health tracking features you turn on.

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm Review – The stock straps are easy to remove and can be swapped out for third party straps at will

Assuming you dial everything down to the basics so it’s just taking notifications and telling the time, you can conceivably eke out two days but that somewhat defeats the purpose of the Watch6. You’re looking at a daily charging cycle at the end of the day alongside your phone with this which is still manageable.

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm Review – Should you buy Samsung’s latest smartwatch?

As the proverbial pinnacle of the Galaxy Watch6 series, the Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm also has the price to match. You get a luscious display framed by a fantastic rotating bezel, a silky smooth interface and fantastic health tracking features.

However, this is tempered by middling battery life and health tracking features that only play nicely with Samsung phones. That does not diminish the fact that this is still Samsung’s best smartwatch for 2023. For those who already own a Samsung phone, this proves to be highly recommended acquisition.

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm Specifications

Price 47mm LTE (RM1,799), 47mm BT (RM1,499), 43mm LTE (RM1,699), 43mm BT (RM1,399)
Display 1.5-inch Super AMOLED, 480 x 480 pixels (47mm) | 1.3-inch Super AMOLED, 432 x 432 (43mm)
Processor Exynos W930 1.4GHz dual core
OS   Android Wear OS 4 w/ One UI Watch 5
Memory 2GB RAM/ 16GB story
Battery 425mAh (47mm) | 300mAh (43mm)
Size/Weight 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm/59g [47mm] | 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm / 52g [43mm]

Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic 47mm review sample courtesy of Samsung Malaysia. For more details and to purchase please visit https://www.samsung.com/my/watches/galaxy-watch/galaxy-watch6-classic-47mm-black-bluetooth-sm-r960nzkaxme/buy/