Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic Review
When Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch Ultra, it was positioned as the ultimate smartwatch: big battery, titanium build, packed with fitness tracking. But here’s the reality: most people aren’t scaling Mount Everest, trekking across deserts, or diving into the deep sea every weekend. For everyday life, comfort, style, and usability matter more than expedition-grade durability.
That’s where the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic comes in. After two weeks of wearing it, I’ve realised it could actually be the smarter choice for more users. It’s slimmer, lighter, stylish enough for work and weekends, and equipped with Samsung’s latest health and AI features. Let’s break down what makes it stand out.
Design and Comfort
The first difference you’ll notice between the Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is how this one feels on the wrist. At just 8.6mm thick, it’s 11% slimmer than the Ultra. That reduction sounds small, but it changes everything. Typing on a laptop, going for a jog, or simply trying to fall asleep, activities that usually make a bulky watch annoying, suddenly feel more natural.
The rotating bezel makes its return in the Galaxy Watch8 Classic, and honestly, it’s still one of the most satisfying control methods on any smartwatch. There’s something oddly addictive about the precise click-click rotation. Beyond the fun factor, it’s also practical for scrolling through menus without smudging the display with fingerprints.
Build quality is top-notch, too. The stainless-steel body feels premium without being flashy, and the black leather strap that comes with the black variant strikes a good balance between office-ready and casual weekend vibes. Walking around the city or heading out for dinner, the Classic never feels out of place.
That said, if you’re planning serious adventures, think week-long hikes or mountaineering trips, the Ultra’s titanium case and extra durability will serve you better. But for 95% of people who just want a dependable daily smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the clear winner on comfort and design.
Display and Interface
Samsung didn’t hold back on the screen. The Galaxy Watch8 Classic’s AMOLED display pushes up to 3,000 nits of brightness. Whether you’re under the harsh Malaysian sun or on a bright afternoon in Barcelona, visibility is never a problem. Indoors or at night, the auto-adjustment keeps things easy on the eyes.
The user interface has also taken a leap forward with One UI 8 for Watch. Menus feel more modern, animations are fluid, and navigation just makes sense. Swipes and taps don’t feel clunky, and everything you need is only a gesture away.
For anyone new to Galaxy Watches, here’s the basic layout:
- Swipe down for the Quick Panel.
- Swipe up for the app menu.
- Swipe left for widgets (tiles).
- Swipe right for notifications.
- The top button works as a Home button.
Pressing the crown in the middle acts as a Quick button, giving fast access to your most used features.
The Now Bar is another addition I really like. It’s a floating shortcut strip that keeps music, timers, or workouts just a tap away. No more endless menu diving to get to your favourite apps.
Notifications are smarter, too. If you’re already looking at your phone, the watch won’t buzz unnecessarily. The app drawer is customisable, either in a grid or list view, and the settings menu is finally easy to find instead of being buried away like in older models.
And then comes the biggest upgrade: Google Gemini on the wrist. Instead of just being a voice assistant, Gemini can now show responses directly on the Galaxy Watch8 Classic. Ask it about the weather, traffic conditions, or even a quick fact, and you get text or image results instantly. Long-press the home button or say “Hey Google,” and you’ve got an AI assistant without touching your phone. Pair this with gesture controls, like pinch or wrist flick navigation, and suddenly the watch feels futuristic without being gimmicky.
Health and AI Features
Samsung kept the full BioActive Sensor package from the Ultra, so you still get:
- Heart rate monitoring
- ECG
- SpO₂ readings
- Body composition analysis
- Dual-frequency GPS for more accurate outdoor tracking
But the Galaxy Watch8 Classic introduces new features designed to give you a more complete picture of your health.
- Bedtime Guidance: After three nights of tracking, the watch learns your sleeping rhythm and suggests the best bedtime for you. Instead of generic “sleep more” advice, it adjusts based on your actual daily strain.
- Vascular Load Score: This tracks stress on your blood vessels during sleep and recovery. In simpler terms, it tells you whether today is a “max effort” kind of day or a “Netflix and rest” day.
- Running Coach: Built for runners who want structured workouts, pace tracking, and coaching directly on the wrist. I’m not a heavy runner, so I couldn’t fully test it, but for serious joggers, this is a big deal.
- Antioxidant Index: A first for any smartwatch. In just five seconds, with your thumb on the sensor, it estimates your lifestyle stress from diet, smoking, or drinking. It’s not a medical measurement, but it’s a useful lifestyle nudge to eat more greens and cut down on habits that drag your health.
All of this data syncs seamlessly with Samsung Health, which remains one of the best wellness apps available. The visuals are easy to read, and more importantly, they actually encourage you to make better choices instead of overwhelming you with raw numbers.
Performance and Battery
Powering the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is Samsung’s new Exynos W1000 chip built on the 3nm process, paired with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. In day-to-day use, this translates to smooth performance across the board. Swiping through tiles, opening apps, starting workouts, or replying to messages feels instant.
Google Gemini integration is also fairly quick, though complex queries still take a moment to process. But for most tasks, setting reminders, asking about the weather, and controlling smart home devices, it feels snappy and reliable.
Battery life is where the Galaxy Watch8 Classic can’t quite match the Ultra. With Always-On Display enabled, I averaged about 1.5 days per charge. The Ultra pushes closer to 3 days, which is a significant advantage for adventurers or heavy users.
Charging happens at 10W wireless, which is fine for a quick top-up while you shower, but still behind what competitors like Apple and Garmin are offering. Faster charging is an area where Samsung needs to step up in future models.
Everyday Use
Where the Galaxy Watch8 Classic really shines is in daily life. It’s light enough to wear all day without irritation, stylish enough to blend in anywhere, and packed with health insights that go beyond step counting. The rotating bezel makes interaction genuinely enjoyable, and the combination of Samsung’s One UI and Google Gemini makes it feel like a proper 2025 smartwatch rather than just a fitness tracker with notifications.
I used it for work meetings, gym sessions, casual weekends, and even overnight for sleep tracking, and in every scenario, it felt more natural than the Ultra. Unless your lifestyle really requires extreme durability or a multi-day battery, the Classic is the more sensible purchase.
Final Thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic
The Galaxy Watch8 Classic doesn’t try to outmuscle the Ultra; it doesn’t need to. Instead, it focuses on what most people actually want from a smartwatch: comfort, style, smart features that feel genuinely useful, and health insights that help you make better decisions day to day.
It’s not perfect. The Ultra still wins on durability and battery life, and Samsung really needs to push faster charging in future models. But for the vast majority of users, the Classic simply makes more sense. It blends into your daily routine instead of demanding compromises.
If you’re the type who spends more time in meetings, gyms, and cafés than on mountain peaks, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic is the Galaxy Watch to get.
What We Love
- Slimmer, lighter design that’s comfortable all day and night
- The rotating bezel remains one of the best smartwatch navigation tools
- 3,000-nit AMOLED display with excellent outdoor visibility
- Smarter One UI 8 with the handy Now Bar and customisable app drawer
- Google Gemini integration for AI help directly on your wrist
- New health features like Bedtime Guidance, Vascular Load Score, and Antioxidant Index
- Premium stainless steel build that works in both casual and formal settings
What Could Be Better
- Battery life is capped at about 1.5 days with Always-On Display
- No improvement in charging speed (still 10W wireless)
- Ultra’s titanium durability is missing for adventurers
- Running Coach feels limited for non-runners
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic is available now in a 46mm size. The WiFi model is priced at RM1,799, and the LTE version is RM2,099. Both are available in classic Black and White and can be purchased through the Samsung website, official stores on Shopee and Lazada, as well as authorised retailers across the country.
