While the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series may not feel very old, the powerful lineup has already been replaced. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Series offers two of the best smartwatches available. Here’s everything you need to know about Samsung’s latest lineup.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Bigger, brighter AMOLED display
Snappy Wear OS 4 software experience
Sporty yet tasteful aesthetic
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The rotating bezel is back
Elegant design and build materials
Ships with Wear OS 4
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: Release date, price, and availability
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
Considering the sturdy foundation laid by the Galaxy Watch 4 and the improved Galaxy Watch 5, it’s no surprise the Galaxy Watch 6 series offers two powerful devices.The base model Galaxy Watch 6 starts at $299 for the most affordable 40mm model. The 44mm variant sells for $329. Forthe Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, the 43mm model comes in at $399. The 47mm model is available for $429. That means even the premium model isslightly cheaper than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro models.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Bigger, brighter AMOLED display • Snappy Wear OS 4 software experience • Sporty yet tasteful aesthetic
MSRP: $299.99
Bigger and better.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 brings the best of Wear OS 4 and Samsung's smartwatch features to the table. A large display and full Samsung Wallet app make the Watch 6 a powerful standalone device, while integration with Samsung phones makes the Watch 6 a valuable part of your Galaxy ecosystem.
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Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The rotating bezel is back • Elegant design and build materials • Ships with Wear OS 4
MSRP: $399.99
The rotating crown is back
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic rocks a rotating bezel! Better equipped than the base Galaxy Watch 6, the Classic model is a powerful watch with updated activity tracking, improved health features, and the full Samsung Wallet app for your mobile payments.
In the UK, the Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic start from £289 and £369 for the smaller models and £319 and £399 for the larger variants, respectively. Throw in 4G LTE connectivity, and those prices increase to £339/£369 for the Watch 6 sizes and £429/£459 for the Watch 6 Classic.Galaxy Watch 6 prices in Europe begin at €319 for the 40mm model and €349 for 44mm. 4G connectivity again raises the price tag to €369 and €399, respectively. The Watch 6 Classic is a bit more expensive, costing €419/€449 depending on the size, and €469/€499 for the 4G-enabled models.
The devices officially launched at the Galaxy Unpacked event on July 26, 2023; however, they didn’t reach store shelves until August 11. They are available now from Samsung.com and from third-party retailers such as Amazon.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: Features
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
The Galaxy Watch 5 didn’t bring a remarkable design change to the Galaxy Watch line. In fact, we felt a bit of déjà vu when unboxing the device when reviewing the Galaxy Watch 5. At first glance, the Galaxy Watch 6 looks nearly identical to its predecessor. However, there is one notable design change: thinner bezels. According to Samsung, the active display area is 20% larger than that of the Watch 5, and the bezel is 30% thinner. The same is true for the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
In addition to the larger display, the Classic brings back a fan favorite — the rotating bezel. Our Galaxy Watch 6 Classic review notes that it makes for incredibly satisfying and smudge-free navigation. It’s well worth the fanfare, especially since thefeature was noticeably missing from the entire 5-series. The bezel also gives the Classic model a leg up over the Galaxy Watch 6 alternatives available.
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
Regarding colorways, the 40mm Galaxy Watch 6 comes in Gold and Graphite, and the 44mm model comes in Silver and Graphite. The Classic model is available in Silver and Black.The series also boasts a new fabric band meant to be more comfortable for sleeping. This and other bands also now feature a one-click removal button to make swapping between bands much easier. We were very impressed by this small but effective upgrade during our review. Buyers can also access a host of third-party Galaxy Watch 6 cases to protect the device from nicks and bruises and plenty of standard Galaxy Watch 6 bands and Classic bands to satisfy particular requirements and styles.
Software features
Out of the box, the Galaxy Watch 6 series devices feature the latest Wear OS 4 with Samsung’sOne UI 5 Watch skin. The new software is speedy and efficient, with all the best of Google and tons of updated experiences.One of the biggest highlights of the update is Fitbit-like sleep tracking. With a word-based numeric score, “Sleep Messages,” sleep consistency measurements, and a cute animal representing your sleep type, the sleep-tracking platform offers a detailed, personalized look at your sleep history. It even provides suggestions — or “Sleep Coaching” — for improving sleep habits. Unlike on a Fitbit, however, the feature is not locked behind a paywall.
On the fitness tracking side, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic nowauto-recognize when you are running, rowing, or swimming. The devices also offer a Personalized Heart Rate Zone feature that provides even more advanced real-time training feedback. These zones are described as “warm up,” “fat burn,” “cardio,” etc.and help users manage their output during workouts. Samsung also addedirregular heart rhythm notifications to the 6 series. This is an important addition for those with heart problems, as abnormal rhythm fluctuations could indicate atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Damien Wilde / Android Authority
All of these features and more are powered by the various sensors included in the smartwatch. As with the previous iterations, you’ll still find an accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, light sensor, and Samsung’s BioActive sensor (optical heart rate (PPG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) sensor package). In addition to these sensors, Samsung added a temperature sensor. A 3D Hall sensor can also be found on the Classic model for the use of the device’s rotating crown.
Finally, one feature we’ve been waiting to see for some time is the ability to transfer your watch from one phone to another. Previously, this would require a full reset of the watch, but One UI 5 Watch negates the need for this annoying step. Thankfully, this means if you buy a Galaxy Watch 6 and then upgrade to the Galaxy S24 later, you won’t need to reset your watch during the transfer.
The Galaxy Watch 6 won't require a full reset when migrating to a new phone.
In addition to these additions, Samsung made a few new improvements to existing features. Gesture controls allow greater accessibility and ease, while the camera controller can remotely switch camera modes and zoom when paired with a Galaxy Z Flip 5. With map support, the Galaxy Watch 6 series can also now show its location through Find My Phone. On the safety front, the company updated fall detection for even safer workouts and outings. When the feature is triggered, users can communicate directly with emergency services.
Display
As mentioned earlier, Samsung increased the active display area by 20% on both models and shaved off 30% of the bezel. Going into specifics, the 40mm Watch 6 offers a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with 432 x 432 resolution. The 44mm variant delivers a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED with 480 x 480 resolution. The 43mm Classic has a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display with 432 x 432 resolution, and the 47mm boasts a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED with 480 x 480 resolution. All versions of the Watch 6 series feature a sapphire crystal screen and a full color Always On Display.
Samsung claims these displays are more vibrant than ever and should make an excellent platform for your favorite watch faces. The displays also boast a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, so you won’t have any difficulty seeing what’s on your screen when you’re outside. That’s double the peak brightness of the Watch 5 series.
Battery life
Battery life was a bit of an issue in the smaller models of the Watch 5 series. Size-wise, the tech giant managed to squeeze in some bigger batteries this time around. The smallest Galaxy Watch 6 model (40mm) now comes with a 300mAh battery, up from the 284mAh battery of the 40mm Galaxy Watch 5. Meanwhile, the 44m Galaxy Watch 6 has a 425mAh battery, a slight increase over the 410mAh battery of the 44mm Galaxy Watch 5. The Classic got the same minor but welcomed capacity bumps.
However, due to the drain of more powerful Wear OS features, we found battery life to be about the same this year despite the bigger cells. Implementing a few battery-savingtips and tricks to eke out the most from your device between charges.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: Specs
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
The Galaxy Watch 6 series lands with a better processor — but only slightly. The Galaxy Watch 6 series houses an Exynos W930 SoC, an upgrade over the W920 seen in the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 4 models. However, the newer chipset is based on the same model number as the older one (S5E5515). That means the chipset is physically the same but altered just enough to warrant a new name.Interestingly, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and Galaxy Watch 6 offer the same chip. This is quite different from what we saw in the 5 series. Both models feature 2GB of RAM with 16GB of storage, operate on Wear OS 4, and have the same durability stats.
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic | |
|---|---|---|
Display | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 44mm: 1.5-inch 40mm: 1.3-inch | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 47mm: 1.5-inch 43mm: 1.3-inch |
Dimensions and weight | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 44mm: 44.4 x 42.8 x 9.0mm 40mm: 40.4 x 38.8 x 9.0mm | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 47mm: 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9mm, 59.0g 43mm: 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9mm, 52.0g |
Colors and materials | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Armor Aluminum case with Sport Band 44mm: Graphite, Silver | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Stainless Steel case with Hybrid Eco-Leather Band 47mm: Black, Silver |
Battery | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 44mm: 425mAh WPC-based wireless charging | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 47mm: 425mAh WPC-based wireless charging |
Processor | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Samsung Exynos W930 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Samsung Exynos W930 |
RAM | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 2GB | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 2GB |
Storage | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 16GB | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 16GB |
Connectivity | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 LTE | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic LTE |
Sensors | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Accelerometer | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Accelerometer |
Durability | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 5ATM + IP68 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 5ATM + IP68 |
Software | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Wear OS powered by | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Wear OS powered by |
Compatibility | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Android 10 or higher with more than 1.5GB of RAM | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Android 10 or higher with more than 1.5GB of RAM |
FAQ
No. The Galaxy Watch 6 is not waterproof but water-resistant, with a rating of IP68. This means the watch should be fine in up to five feet of water for up to 30 minutes.
No. If you’re an iPhone owner, you won’t be able to use the Galaxy Watch 6 with your handset.
Yes. Through the Samsung Health Monitor app, there’s an option to measure blood pressure for Samsung phone users only.
The Galaxy Watch 6 is compatible with any Android phone running Android 10 or higher with 2GB of free memory.
The Galaxy Watch 6 uses a 20mm band, just like its predecessor.
No. The Galaxy Watch 6 comes with a charging cable but not a wall adapter.
Yes. You can set up Google Assistant on the Galaxy Watch 6.
While Samsung hasn’t announced that there will be a successor to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, we do believe there will be a Galaxy Watch 6 Pro at some point.
The Galaxy Watch 6 is the best pick for Samsung phone users. Meanwhile, the Pixel Watch 2 offers a unique Fitbit and Wear OS experience. However, read our dedicated guide to see how the Google Pixel Watch 2 stacks up.
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