Apple and Samsung have long been fierce competitors in the smartphone industry. However, their rivalry extends beyond just phones. The Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch have also become a subject of intense discussion among tech enthusiasts and users for quite some time now.
While competition between brands is always appreciated, it makes finding a smartwatch that suits your needs a complicated task. But fret not! To help you decide, I have come up with an in-depth comparison between the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and the Apple Watch Series 8.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs. Apple Watch Series 8 – Specifications
There are several differences as well as a handful of similarities between both smartwatches. Here’s a comprehensive table that compares the specs of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 against the Apple Watch Series 8 before we delve into the juicy details of the comparison.
| Feature | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | Apple Watch Series 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.3-inch (40mm) 1.5-inch (44mm) Super AMOLED display | 1.7-inch (41mm) 1.9-inch (45mm) LTPO OLED display |
| Processor | Exynos W920 | S8 SiP |
| RAM & Storage | 2GB RAM + 16GB Storage | 1GB RAM + 32GB Storage |
| Battery | 300mAh for (40mm) 425mAh for (44mm) | 308mAh (41mm + 45mm) |
| Sensors | Heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, barometer, BIA sensor, temperature sensor, electrocardiogram | Heart rate sensor, SpO2 sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, barometer, altimeter, temperature sensor, electrical heart sensor |
| Water resistance | 50 meters IP68; 5ATM | 50 meters |
| Weight | 28.7g for (40mm) 33.3g for (44mm) | 31.9g for (41mm) 32.2g for (45mm) |
| Dimensions | 38.8 x 40.4 x 9.0 (40mm) 42.8 x 44.4 x 9.0 (44mrn) | 41 x 35 x 10.7 (41mm) 45 x 38 x 10.7 (45mm) |
| Price | Starting at $349 | Starting at $399 |
Design, display, and bands
One of the biggest differences between the two flagship smartwatches is their design. The Apple Watch Series 8 features a rectangular display with rounded edges. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, on the other end of the spectrum, features a more traditional circular enclosure with sharp edges.
The aluminum or the optional stainless steel enclosure on the Apple Watch Series 8 also has a Digital Crown and a button allowing users to navigate through menus or perform other actions. In contrast, you can find a couple of buttons and a digital bezel on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. If you want the rotating bezel, you must upgrade to the costlier Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
On the Apple Watch, you get either a 1.7-inch or 1.9-inch LTPO OLED display, depending on whether you’ve opted for the 41mm or the 45mm model. The display itself can deliver up to 1,000 nits of brightness and is protected by curved glass on the front. Moreover, the display boasts very minimal bezels.
Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 has a slightly smaller 1.3-inch or 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display, depending on whether you’ve opted for the 40mm or the 44mm variant. The display panel itself is protected by flat and very rugged Sapphire crystal glass on the front with slightly thicker bezels.
As far as the watch bands are concerned, both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Apple Watch Series 8 offer a multitude of first-party and third-party options to choose from. The only difference between the two is the clipping mechanism they use, and the Apple Watch definitely takes the crown here.
Hardware and sensors
In terms of hardware, the Apple Watch Series 8 rocks a 64-bit dual-core S8 SiP paired with 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Additionally, it also features Apple’s W3 wireless chip for connectivity, Apple’s U1 Ultra Wideband chip for precise GPS location tracking, and a Taptic Engine that offers great haptics.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, on the other hand, offers an uncomplicated configuration. This includes Samsung’s proprietary 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos W930 processor paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. While this can help improve the battery life, you end up losing out on many great features.
If we overlook the differences, both smartwatches mostly offer the same set of sensors, with only a few exceptions. They both include heart rate sensors for ECG/EKG, SpO2 sensor, temperature sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and barometer. The only sensors that differ include the altimeter and BIA sensor, which are limited to Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch, respectively.
Software and features
On the software side of things, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 comes with One UI 5 Watch based on Wear OS 4. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 8 currently features a much more mature operating system in the form of watchOS 10.
Apart from letting you take calls, view notifications, and control music, both smartwatches offer several health tracking health-tracking features, along with the ability to make payments via NFC and download third-party apps.
Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, as well as the Apple Watch Series 8 can help users detect irregular heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation and afib with built-in ECG/EKG sensors. The watches can automatically detect when you start a workout and offer sleep-tracking and cycle-tracking functionality. Moreover, you even get safety features like fall detection and SOS calls.
If we overlook the similarities, both smartwatches have some extra features that remain exclusive. With the Apple Watch, you get crash detection, which isn’t available in Samsung’s offering. With the latest Galaxy Watch, you get Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, which isn’t available in Apple’s offering.
Battery and charging
As far as the battery and charging are concerned, the Apple Watch Series 8 offers a 308mAh battery in both the 41mm and 45mm variants. Apple says that its smartwatch is capable of delivering a battery life of up to 18 hours on a single charge, which can go up to 30 hours if you activate Low Power Mode.
Whereas the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 offers a 300mAh or 425mAh battery for the 40mm and 44mm variants, respectively. Nevertheless, both models of the Galaxy Watch 6 are rated to deliver up to 30 hours of battery life with the always-on display enabled or up to 40 hours with the feature turned off.
If you wonder how one would charge these smartwatches, both the Apple Watch Series 8 as well as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 come with small magnetic charging pucks, which have USB-C connectors at the other end. Moreover, both smartwatches offer fast charging speeds for convenience.
Galaxy Watch 6 vs. Apple Watch Series 8: Pricing and availability
Both the Apple Watch Series 8 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 are excellent smartwatches that offer many useful features. However, there are multiple differences between them when it comes to their pricing and availability.
The Apple Watch Series 8 is available in more colors and also offers a more premium stainless steel option. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, on the other hand, is affordable, but it’s only available in an aluminum enclosure. To get a better idea of their pricing and availability, refer to the table shown below:
| Smartwatch Model | Size | Material | Colors Available | Price Range (Starting) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | 40mm | Aluminum | Graphite, Gold | $299.99 (Bluetooth/WiFi) $349.99 (LTE) |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | 44mm | Aluminum | Graphite, Silver | $329.99 (Bluetooth/WiFi) $379.99 (LTE) |
| Apple Watch Series 8 | 41mm | Aluminum | Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED | $399 (GPS) $429 (GPS + Cellular) |
| Apple Watch Series 8 | 45mm | Aluminum | Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED | $429 (GPS) $529 (GPS + Cellular) |
| Apple Watch Series 8 | 41mm | Stainless Steel | Gold, Silver, Graphite | $699 (GPS + Cellular) |
| Apple Watch Series 8 | 45mm | Stainless Steel | Gold, Silver, Graphite | $749 (GPS + Cellular) |
Whether you’re planning to buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 or the Apple Watch Series 8, both of them are available in their respective online stores as well as major third-party retailers, such as Amazon, Bestbuy or Walmart.
Galaxy Watch 6 vs. Apple Watch Series 8: What should you buy?
Both the Apple Watch Series 8 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 are excellent smartwatches that have each and every features that you would expect from a premium wearable device. While that’s great to hear, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is only compatible with an Android smartphone, and the Apple Watch Series 8 is only compatible with an iPhone. Annoying, right?
If I had to buy a smartwatch, I would definitely pick the Apple Watch Series 8 over the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. Although both watches are similar in many ways, the Apple Watch has a proven track record when it comes to accurately measuring health-related data. Besides that, you also get extra features allowing you to track your mental wellbeing or medication intake.
Ultimately, the best smartwatch for you will depend on your specific needs. If you’re an Android user looking for an affordable smartwatch with long battery life, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is an excellent option. If you’re an iPhone user looking for a smartwatch with accurate sensors, more features, and a great software experience, you should get the Apple Watch Series 8.
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