The rotating bezel was, for thus lengthy, a easy but well-executed function that set Samsung’s smartwatches aside from the smartwatch crowd.
When Samsung ditched its personal Tizen OS for one more stab at Google WearOS, that much-loved bezel began to really feel much less of a fixture when it got here to interacting with Samsung’s smartwatches. Samsung even moved to supply a digital bezel various that merely didn’t supply that very same satisfying feeling of twisting a bodily one.
After selecting to skip the Galaxy Watch 7 Traditional final yr, Samsung modified its tune in 2025 and, at its newest Unpacked occasion, introduced the Galaxy Watch 8 collection and introduced the Traditional again.
The proper mix?
The Samsung Watch 8 Traditional was formally unveiled alongside the Galaxy Watch 8 (and a refreshed Watch Extremely) and it’s honest to say there’s been some large adjustments because the Galaxy Watch 6 Traditional, all whereas maintaining that design function crowd-pleaser nonetheless in place.
For starters, there’s now only one dimension. On the Watch 6 Traditional, you had the decide of 43mm or 47mm sizes.
Mike Sawh
Now you’ll must accept a 46mm one which sits someplace within the center. There’s nonetheless the choice of Bluetooth or LTE connectivity fashions and also you now have the selection of black or white colors, which implies this isn’t the Samsung smartwatch you go for should you like one thing with a playful look.
The totally spherical design is gone too, changed with one which mirrors the Galaxy Watch Extremely. It’s additionally grabbing the fast button from Samsung’s out of doors smartwatch to make it really feel a bit like a smaller Extremely.
A Tremendous AMOLED show nonetheless shines brightly and it’s even brighter now, hitting a peak brightness of three,000 nits. Round that’s the bezel that’s again to being extra showy in comparison with the extra elegant one connected to the earlier Traditional.
Whenever you twist it, it’ll scroll by way of the app stream or the stream of widgets that, because of the software program change,s can now be performed from a single display screen. With the UI adjustments introduced by the introduction of WearOS 6, the bezel feels prefer it’s again to being extra helpful to have hanging round that display screen.
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New well being monitoring smarts
The Traditional isn’t caught up to now when it comes to its capabilities to trace your health, well being and be extra helpful whenever you’re not doing a lung-busting exercise within the health club.
It comes geared up with Google Gemini AI, to make it the primary Put on OS smartwatch to pack it in addition to Put on OS 6. That is right down to Google’s transfer to section out its Assistant for an AI-powered one that ought to deal with extra complicated questions in a faster style.
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There’s Samsung’s newest BioActive sensor, which now has the distinctive means of letting you measure carotenoids (picture above), which is all to do with delving into the realms of antioxidants. That is the Antioxidant Index accessible throughout the brand new vary.
By putting your thumb on that sensor for a five-second measurement, you can make higher way of life choices that might assist forestall persistent diseases and usually dwell a more healthy life. That’s so as to add to the ECG and blood strain capabilities that Samsung already provides by way of its newest sensor know-how.
In case you’re planning to take the Galaxy Watch 8 Traditional to mattress, it’s getting the most effective of Samsung’s sleep monitoring as effectively and that now consists of the power to watch the energy of your vascular system. A brand new bedtime steerage function can even analyse sleep strain and your circadian rhythms to supply suggestions on when to go to mattress that’s extra in tune with what your physique wants.
Mike Sawh
Samsung is now turning on sleep apnea monitoring in additional international locations and can let the Traditional faucet into Samsung SmartThings units to higher perceive your sleep setting and grow to be extra of a sleep monitoring powerhouse.
Whereas the Traditional doesn’t scream sports activities or well being watch, it’s not wanting options on that entrance. Out of doors sports activities monitoring receives a giant increase with the addition of dual-band GPS, to enhance sign efficiency when working or using close to tall buildings or going for a hike in deeply wooded areas.
Mike Sawh
Greater than a bezel
There are way more causes to be glad for the Traditional’s return past a rotating bezel.
Those that have known as for it, must also be glad that it’s getting the most effective that Samsung has to supply in software program options to offer Samsung smartwatch followers an choice if the Galaxy Watch 8 feels too minimalist otherwise you’re simply not the adventurous sort to wish to strap on the Watch Extremely.
Samsung might need made top-of-the-line smartwatches of 2025 right here. We’ll have a full evaluation quickly after some correct testing time.