Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 8 lineup isn’t a radical reinvention, but it does feel like the company finally nailed the formula it’s been chasing for years. The hardware is lighter, the displays are brighter, and the software feels smarter thanks to new health tools and Google’s Gemini AI baked right in.

But here’s the catch: you’ve got to choose between the Galaxy Watch 8 and the pricier Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. And the real deciding factor is whether you want the timeless rotating bezel or not. I’ve been testing both for a couple of weeks, and while they share a lot of DNA, the experience ends up being surprisingly different.

Price and Variants: Galaxy Watch 8 / Watch 8 Classic

Samsung hasn’t exactly made things easier on your wallet. The Galaxy Watch 8 comes in two sizes, with the 40mm model priced at ₹32,999 for Bluetooth and ₹36,999 if you want LTE. The larger 44mm variant costs ₹35,999 for Bluetooth and ₹39,999 with LTE.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, on the other hand, keeps things simple with just a single 46mm size, priced at ₹46,999 for the Bluetooth model and ₹50,999 for LTE. That makes the Classic roughly ₹11,000 more expensive than the regular Watch 8 — a premium that essentially buys you the rotating bezel and a slightly bigger battery.

Design and Comfort: Galaxy Watch 8 / Watch 8 Classic

At first glance, the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic look like siblings. They share the same squircle-shaped “cushion” frame wrapped around a circular display, but how they feel on your wrist is worlds apart.

The Watch 8 Classic is the star of the show. At 63.5 grams, it’s chunky but satisfying, especially thanks to that rotating bezel. Samsung has given it deeper grooves this year, which makes every click feel precise. It’s an equal parts navigation tool and fidget spinner, and honestly, I found myself spinning it even when I didn’t need to. Add the engraved minute markers and stainless steel case, and the Classic has the presence of a traditional timepiece.

The regular Watch 8, meanwhile, is all about subtlety. The bezel is fixed, the case is thinner, and at 34 grams (for the 44mm model I tested), it’s shockingly light. It slips under a cuff, disappears on your wrist, and doesn’t demand attention. It’s a smartwatch you wear and forget, which some people will love.

Both models introduce Samsung’s new Dynamic Lug system, which makes swapping straps easier than ever. Press a button, slide the band out, snap a new one in — it takes seconds. The downside? Your old 20mm Galaxy Watch bands won’t fit. Consider your strap collection obsolete.

Color options are pretty restrained: graphite or silver for the Watch 8, black or white for the Classic. My graphite Watch 8 looked understated to the point of blandness, while the white Classic popped beautifully — though the white strap on my review unit was already picking up stains within a week.

Both watches are rated 5ATM water-resistant (safe for swims and showers, but not diving) and use the same materials as last year: Armor Aluminum 2 with sapphire crystal on the Watch 8, stainless steel with sapphire crystal on the Classic.

Display: Galaxy Watch 8 / Watch 8 Classic

Samsung clearly didn’t want anyone to complain about visibility this year. Both the Watch 8 and Classic now peak at 3,000 nits, up from 2,000 on the Watch 7. Outdoors, under punishing sunlight, the screen is still sharp and legible.

Both use Super AMOLED panels with the usual punchy colors and inky blacks Samsung does best. But there’s a twist: the 44mm Watch 8 actually gets the largest display at 1.47 inches (480×480), while the beefier Classic makes do with a 1.34-inch panel (438×438). That’s the same size as the smaller 40mm Watch 8. A baffling trade-off, but not a deal-breaker.

Performance & Software: Galaxy Watch 8 / Watch 8 Classic

Under the hood, both watches run Samsung’s new Exynos W1000 3nm chip, paired with Wear OS 6 and One UI Watch 8. The difference in day-to-day use is night and day compared to older Galaxy Watches.

Apps open instantly, swipes are fluid, and the animations are so polished they’re almost fun to watch. Storage is doubled to 64GB on the Classic, which means more room for apps and offline playlists without constantly pruning.

Samsung has also overhauled navigation Tiles (2.0) now lets multiple apps share a single tile, so you don’t need to endlessly swipe to find what you need. Now Bar, activated with a two-finger tap, surfaces your last app, timer, or music controls without digging into menus.

Then there’s Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, now fully integrated. This isn’t the half-baked Bixby or Google Assistant of the past. Gemini feels useful — it remembers context, pulls data from multiple apps, and gives coherent responses. Ask it for a recipe with what’s in your fridge, or to block off time in your calendar, and it just works. It’s not perfect (sometimes it over-explains, sometimes it cuts off), but it finally feels like AI belongs on your wrist.

Health & Fitness Features: Galaxy Watch 8 / Watch 8 Classic

This year’s headliner is the Antioxidant Index, which uses colored light to measure carotenoid levels in your skin. The score (0–100) is meant to reflect your diet’s antioxidant quality. It’s not medical-grade science, but it’s surprisingly motivating. The first time I tested, my score was a depressing 32. After a week of carrot overload, I hit the high 40s. Not exactly heroic but proof the feature responds to real changes.

Another addition is Vascular Load, which tells you how stressed your circulatory system is during sleep. It’s a subtle way to nudge you toward balancing workouts and recovery.

Samsung also adds an AI Running Coach, tailoring training plans to your pace and recovery data. Combined with staples like Energy Score, ECG, blood pressure checks, and sleep apnea detection (still Samsung-phone-only), the Watch 8 series covers the health-tracking basics and pushes a little further.

Battery Life: Galaxy Watch 8 / Watch 8 Classic

On paper, both watches promise around 30 hours with always-on display enabled. Reality tilts in the Classic’s favor.

With its larger 445mAh cell and smaller display, the Watch 8 Classic lasted me 36 hours with AOD on, nearly 10 hours longer than the Watch 8. With AOD off, it stretched close to two days. The standard Watch 8, with its 435mAh battery, topped out at about 32 hours.

Charging isn’t lightning fast — you’ll get 65–70% in an hour, but you’ll need your own fast adapter since Samsung only provides the cable.

Verdict: Galaxy Watch 8 vs Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

The Galaxy Watch 8 series is Samsung at its most refined. Both models deliver brighter screens, smoother performance, and health features that are more than gimmicks — they actually nudge you toward healthier habits.

For most people, the regular Galaxy Watch 8 makes the most sense. It’s slim, lightweight, and blends into everyday life while still offering all the smarts you need.

But the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic earns its premium. The rotating bezel isn’t just nostalgia. It’s still the most satisfying way to navigate a smartwatch. Combined with the stainless steel build, it feels more like a statement piece than a gadget.

Either way, Samsung has made two of the best smartwatches you can buy right now. The only real question is whether you want your smartwatch to disappear into your day or stand out every time you glance at your wrist.