Samsung Galaxy Watch review
Our Verdict
With four days of battery life, an attractive design, great fitness features — and did we mention the battery life? — the Samsung Galaxy Lookout is a step forrad for smartwatches.
For
- Stylish pattern
- Long battery life
- Proficient fitness features
- Built-in music storage
Against
- Few apps for Tizen
- Bixby far less capable than Google Assistant
Tom'southward Guide Verdict
With four days of bombardment life, an attractive blueprint, great fitness features — and did we mention the bombardment life? — the Samsung Galaxy Sentry is a step forward for smartwatches.
Pros
- +
Stylish design
- +
Long bombardment life
- +
Good fitness features
- +
Built-in music storage
Cons
- -
Few apps for Tizen
- -
Bixby far less capable than Google Assistant
When the Samsung Galaxy Watch offset came out, it proved there's a real identify in the earth for smartwatches. As phones get bigger, it's increasingly handy to be able to but glance at your wrist and find the time, who's calling or texting, the weather, and more.
Only one thing that kept me from buying a smartwatch: battery life, or, more precisely, the lack thereof. Even at present, a few years after I conducted this Samsung Galaxy Watch review, the best smartwatches will last two days at the about.
The Samsung Galaxy Sentry doubled that meager endurance, which is one of the reasons information technology became the best watch for Android smartphone owners.
Editor's note: The Samsung Galaxy Watch and its successors, the Active two and the Samsung Galaxy Lookout 3, are existence replaced with the Samsung Galaxy Scout four and Samsung Milky way Lookout four Classic, which has a refreshed design, a iii-in-one health sensor for measuring heart rate, taking ECGs and reading body limerick, and a new WearOS operating organisation.
None of the older models will not become the merged software, only if you lot're interested in a refurbished model, or have some questions nearly the features of your existing smartwatch, read the Samsung Milky way Watch review below.
Samsung Galaxy Watch: Cost and availability
Samsung offers the Galaxy Lookout in 2 sizes and three colors. The smaller, 42mm model comes in either all black or rose gold, while the 46mm model comes only with a argent example and blackness bezel and strap.
If yous opt for the Bluetooth version of the 42mm model, information technology'll cost you $329; an LTE version through T-Mobile is $379. Similarly, the 46mm Bluetooth model is $349, while the LTE version (too through T-Mobile) is $399.
Samsung Galaxy Watch: Design
There's a congenital-in tension with smartwatch blueprint: They need a display large plenty to show information from apps and the similar, withal tin can't be so large that they look outrageous on smaller wrists.
We tried out both the 42mm and 46mm Milky way Watch. My colleague Caitlin found the smaller of the two watches a lilliputian large and heavy (1.73 ounces) for her tastes. I tried the larger model, which fit my wrist nicely. However, it'southward an even heftier two.22 ounces. By comparison, the Garmin Forerunner 235 weighs ane.6 ounces, merely that sentry has an all-plastic design
But we both loved the mode the Galaxy Watches looked, despite their majority. The rose-aureate model is a true rose gold, as opposed to the pink that other manufacturers have tried to pass off as rose gold. (Caitlin'south rose-gold Apple Watch Serial two is pink; there'due south no getting effectually it.) And the circular instance is rounder than those of past Samsung watches, including last year's Gear Sport, which sported a squared-off instance despite its round face.
The 46mm model of the Galaxy Sentinel has a silver case and a black bezel; the buttons on the right side are also topped with blackness prophylactic with a raised pattern, giving them a nice tactile experience.
While Samsung offers only the silvery option for the 46mm model, the 42mm spotter is available in rose gold or black.
Samsung advertises the new Milky way Watch every bit being tougher than previous models; its screen is protected by Gorilla Glass DX+, and it's grit- and water-resistant to 165 feet. There'south even an Squirt H2o function that forces liquid out of the watch by blasting its speaker..
Samsung Galaxy Lookout man: Interface and Tizen OS
For meliorate and worse, Samsung is sticking with its Tizen operating system. Organizationally, this Os is far better than Google'southward Wearable Os and, to some extent, Apple tree's Sentinel OS. Screens are logically laid out and can be easily reordered and customized with a few presses and taps on the Galaxy Lookout man'southward screen.
In add-on to the home screen, which shows the engagement, fourth dimension and battery level (depending on which watchface y'all use), at that place are screens for the weather, recent apps, health stats, calendar, contacts and more. Printing and hold on whatsoever of these screens, and you can move them further up or back in the rotation.
The rotating bezel on the Galaxy Watch continues to be a defining feature. Spinning the dial is a great alternative to swiping or trying to poke at something with your finger. For instance, yous can swipe left or correct to admission different screens, or you can rotate the punch, which has a satisfying clicking mechanism.
Press and hold on the watch-face screen, and you lot can change its colors, design, complications and more.
I too like that you have granular control over notifications, apps and more. You lot can respond to notifications, such every bit text letters, in a diverseness of means: dictating your reply, choosing i of multiple emojis, using a quick reply (such as Yes, OK or Talk to you later on), typing out a response using an on-screen keyboard or using your finger to draw letters.
The Tizen OS is also speedy. With few exceptions, the watch responded instantly to my swipes, presses and taps. Information technology doesn't hurt that the Milky way Lookout man has a much newer processor than all Wear OS watches, which utilise a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU that's 2 years old.
To be off-white, Google has made some major improvements to Vesture OS that should bring its functionality on a par with that of Tizen. And a new chip is too expected this fall that should speed newer watches upward, including Google's own rumored Pixel Lookout man.
Samsung Galaxy Watch: Fettle features
The Galaxy Watch introduced automated practise-tracking for six workouts, including running and cycling. If y'all enable location detection (GPS and wireless networks) in the watch's settings menu, the picket is supposed to record your route. Still, this didn't piece of work for either of us over the course of several walks, runs and bike rides. Rather, the map view showed a general location of where we were, but the mileage recorded was pretty close.
When we manually started a workout, the spotter's GPS locked on within 30 seconds, whether nosotros were in the city or in the suburbs, and it accurately tracked our movements. Nosotros also institute that the watch was accurate when recording our middle rates, though it would occasionally fail to appear on the brandish.
While at that place are a dearth of Tizen apps from bona fide companies, Under Armour has been 1 of the few that has made its apps — MapMyRun, UA Record, Calorie Counter and Endomondo — compatible with Tizen.
I've used the MapMyRun app on my phone and other devices for several years, and I like its implementation on the Galaxy Watch. The app lets y'all choose from amidst numerous activities and can be set to give vocal condition updates at given distances or times.
You lot can also customize, to a express extent, what appears on each status screen (stride, time, middle rate), and yous tin swipe between various screens so that the information that'due south most of import is what's most prominently displayed. That's a skilful thing, considering the smaller data points are difficult to read while you're running.
More than: The Dr. on Your Wrist: How Smartwatches Are Saving Lives
I but wish you could change these screens before starting an exercise. One other prissy touch: As your heart charge per unit ramps up, the background color of the app changes, from blue to green to ruby.
Samsung Galaxy Watch: Battery and charging
Samsung claims that the LTE versions of its watches will become the distance; the 270-mAh bombardment in the 42mm model will concluding upward to 3 days, while the 472-mAh battery in the 46mm model will concluding up to iv.
While we have just the Bluetooth models to test, their endurance seems to be roughly the same equally the LTE versions. I used the 46mm model, and later charging it fully ane nighttime, I wore it for the next 4 days, receiving email notifications, checking my heart rate and using motorcar activeness tracking, before the watch drained downward to less than xx pct.
Go along in listen, though, that using GPS for tracking your exercises will crusade the battery to drain much faster. Xxx-infinitesimal runs using both GPS and the centre charge per unit monitor dropped the battery charge by betwixt 6 to vii percentage. We expect forwards to putting Samsung's LTE claims to the test.
More than: Apple tree Spotter vs. Samsung Galaxy Lookout man: Which Smartwatch Is Best?
Similar Samsung's previous watches, the Milky way Lookout sits on its side in the included wireless charging dock. I like that the display automatically rotates 90 degrees, so you can apply it as a mini-desk clock.
Samsung Milky way Watch: iPhone compatibility
For the bulk of this review, I tested the Milky way Lookout man paired with a Samsung Galaxy S8, but 1 of the "benefits" of Tizen is that information technology works with iOS devices, as well. Yous can't say that most the Apple Watch.
Notwithstanding, every bit with Clothing Bone, using Tizen with an iOS device is not a dandy feel. Interactions are much more express. While you lot tin can view notifications from e-mail, Facebook and more, you can't respond to them. You tin respond to text messages, but not iMessages, and you lot can't initiate text letters, either. Nor tin you send email.
Information technology was more difficult to discover apps, too; only those that are free volition evidence upwardly. And if you're looking to use Samsung Health, be aware that GPS is not supported.
Samsung Galaxy Sentry: Apps
The one area where Tizen lags backside both Apple and Google is in apps. While Samsung says there are more 70,000 Tizen apps, skillful luck finding anything from Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Instagram or many, many others. That really limits what you lot tin can practice. For case, while you can receive and reply to notifications from these apps, such as Facebook Messenger or Twitter, you can't initiate a message to a contact in that app.
Good luck using Google Maps to detect directions. Instead, you have to utilise the Hither WeGo app; formerly a Nokia product, the maps look great and provide directions for driving, transit, walking and more. I liked that if I started directions on the WeGo app on the phone, they automatically appeared on the lookout man.
Still, for those Android users who are securely invested into Google's ecosystem, it's a scrap of a drawback to lack access to that visitor's apps.
At that place are scores upon scores of watch faces available, many of which cost anywhere from 99 cents to $ii. You should be able to find enough complimentary faces to satisfy your horological desires.
MORE: Smartwatch Ownership Guide
Samsung Galaxy Watch: Bixby
Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana, Siri, Bixby: Every company wants its own personal banana, only not all of them have put in the piece of work to make the programme worth using.
Bixby, Samsung's have on phonation assistants, is probably the least functional of all. On the Galaxy Watch, Bixby did piece of work well for some tasks, such as calling and texting contacts, looking up the weather condition, and starting workouts. However, information technology failed at other basic questions. "Do the Yankees play this night?", "Get directions dwelling house," and "Turn off my flooring lamp" all returned the same answer: "I could not find the reply to your question."
Bixby could get me directions to Yankee Stadium via the Hither WeGo app, providing options for auto, public transit, walking and biking; however, the watch's screen went bare as the scout was calculating everything, requiring me to reawaken it. Directions are suited for the watch'due south small screen: A big pointer dominates the display, telling you the direction of your side by side plow. Beneath that is the distance to the plow and the name of the street.
Samsung Galaxy Watch: Smart abode integration
Synergy! Somewhat. Samsung is slowly working its SmartThings smart-home capabilities into the company's other products, from refrigerators to vacuums to routers. A SmartThings app for the Milky way Sentry also lets you lot control smart dwelling house devices from your wrist. I found the app a bit wearisome to load the condition of all my smart dwelling devices (of which there are dozens), but after that, I was able to plow lights off and on very quickly by pressing a button on the watch's display.
You lot can use the watch status as an automation condition, just with some limitations. You lot can set continued devices to change if the status of the watch indicates you're awake, sleeping, working out or not working out — and then, if you lot're working out, you tin have the lights turn on and have a smart speaker play music.
However, I wish you could create an automation based on the watch's location. And then, for example, if you were going out for a run (and leaving your phone backside), SmartThings would automatically lock the door behind y'all and turn off the lights.
Samsung Galaxy Picket: Verdict
For its battery life solitary, the Samsung Milky way Watch is the best smartwatch for Android users. Being able to get 4 days without a recharge is reason enough to pick upwardly this device. Nosotros also really like the Tizen interface, which is intuitive and easy to navigate, whether y'all're swiping beyond the screen or using the watch'south handy rotating bezel.
Having onboard music storage — essential for those who want to travel light when working out — is too a primal differentiator from smartwatches running Google's operating system. That said, in that location are far fewer apps for Tizen than there are for Clothing OS, and Bixby is well behind Google Assistant.
iPhone owners should stick with the Apple Watch, as the integration is much more robust and seamless. But until Google (and others) come out with Wear OS watches that tin go the distance with the Galaxy Watch, Samsung's wearable is the one to become.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/samsung-galaxy-watch,review-5705.html
Posted by: hughesmishe1955.blogspot.com
0 Response to "Samsung Galaxy Watch review"
Post a Comment