The good news is that Samsung has nailed the experience for the most part. The Galaxy Watch 4 is hard to criticise in terms of hardware, and the updated software makes it the greatest android smartwatch you can purchase that doesn’t have an Apple logo on it – for the time being, at least. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is a follow-up to one of our favorite smartwatches of all time, and it’s the first time we’ve seen the firm adopt Wear OS software in a long time. However, it is not your standard Wear OS watch; it runs Wear OS 3 layered with One UI Watch 3, and Google cooperated with Samsung to develop this operating system. It’s worth noting that this is no longer the most recent model; that honour now belongs to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, both of which were revealed. On paper, they don’t appear to be significant upgrades – perhaps save for battery life.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review: Design
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 in both models includes a revised frame that enables for a seamless transition from the smartwatch chassis to the straps. The uniform set of crown buttons is similarly oblong in shape, rather than a protruding circular crown with a flush side button. Despite these minor adjustments, the Galaxy Watch 4 pays respect to previous Galaxy Watch models. The revolving bezel on the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic serves as both a navigation tool and an amazing fidget spinner. As a result, Samsung’s decision to remove the rotating bezel from the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is divisive. As someone who has more recently used the Galaxy Watch 3 than the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, transitioning to a capacitive version of the bezel on the base Galaxy Watch 4 took some time. However, without the mechanism, the smartwatch is much thinner, resulting in a modern device that cannot be mistaken for a classic clock.
Interface and controls
Your compatible Galaxy Buds earphones may now switch between the phone and the watch thanks to Auto Switch. You can also handle touch controls, enable ANC, and check battery condition right from the wrist with the new Buds Controller. The ability to customise the installed watch faces is one feature that significantly improves the experience. There is much more detailed control over the design aspects. You can modify the index style, the complications, as well as the accent colours and hand styles. In this way, Samsung’s effort is nearly identical to that of the Apple Watch. To access alerts, you must now swipe from left to right, as swiping up has been modified. It’s comparable to how Samsung has done it for a long time, and it appears to be a consistent way among other manufacturers who have their own interfaces as well. That means there is no longer a Google Discover screen. Not on Samsung’s version of Wear OS, at any rate.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review: Display
Samsung has chosen an AMOLED panel for this device, and it’s bright and vibrant even in direct sunlight, with really punchy colours that make the most of the array of watch faces included – with over 20 installed out of the box, most of which are fairly customisable, and plenty more available for download. The smaller 40mm variant has a 1.2in, 396396 display, while the bigger 44mm model has a 1.4in, 450450 panel. For what it’s worth, these are the same screens seen in the two sizes of the Watch 4 Classic. There is still a rather thick black bezel around the display’s borders – one advantage of the Classic, where this is mostly concealed by the physical bezel – and I’d like to see Samsung minimise this space next time around, though it isn’t particularly unpleasant. One advantage of using OLED technology is that it enables an always-on display option, which keeps the time and certain other information on-screen 24 hours a day, seven days a week – but at a significant cost to battery life, so I’d only recommend it if you’re consistent about charging regularly.
Tracking
The Watch 4 is quite capable of tracking your everyday movements, sleep, workouts, and overall wellness. It includes all of the sensors you need, plus others you don’t, but are good to have. It features the standard tracking capabilities for overall health and movement. It can detect how much you move throughout the day and, like any good fitness tracker, incentivizes you by presenting you with ‘visual rings’ to close, almost like a mini-game that requires you to utilise your body to finish. This includes steps, calories burnt, and active time. When you close one, a colourful and lively animation appears to let you know. If you sit for too long, you’ll be tempted to get up and do some stretches or squats. Samsung’s all-encompassing strategy extends to sleep and stress tracking. Wear it at night to monitor the quality of your sleep. Unfortunately, we found it to be about as accurate as most other wrist-worn sleep trackers. Though you’re still awake – whether in bed watching a movie or reading – it may record it as sleep even if you’re not sleeping. As a result, the results are very skewed.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review: Other features
The ‘virtual’ rotating bezel feature of the Galaxy Watch 4 distinguishes it from other smartwatches. If you want a physical rotating bezel, go for the Watch 4 Classic, however you can flip through menus and access other features by running your finger across the black bezel of the screen. The Watch 4 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos W920 CPU and has 1.5GB of RAM. During our testing, we discovered that this is enough power to operate a range of programmes smoothly and without lag. This is one of the most responsive smartwatches we’ve used. This speed isn’t as evident as it would be on a smartphone or laptop, but it is noticeable when compared to other smartwatches, and it enables you to utilise a range of apps while the GPS features are active, for example. Both variants of the Galaxy Watch 4 have 16GB of storage. We discovered that around 8GB of this was eaten up by the operating system and preloaded software, leaving you with the same amount for your own apps and music.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 review: Battery life
One of the few places where we believe the Galaxy Watch 4 should have been improved is the battery. The Galaxy Watch 4 lasted only one full day over my ten days of use. Every day, we had to put it on charge. We expected the Galaxy Watch 4 to last at least 2-3 days on a single charge because we live an active lifestyle and use my watch frequently at the gym and during the day to accept calls, check notifications, measure body composition, sleep, and more. The battery life was nearly 24 hours with the always-on display turned on. The charging speed is adequate. The charging cord is included in the retail package, but you will need your phone’s adaptor to charge the watch. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 takes approximately 2.5 hours to charge from 0% to 100%.
Price and Configurations options
As of August 27, 2021, both the ordinary Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will be available for purchase. The 40mm Bluetooth model of the Galaxy Watch 4 costs $249.99, while the 40mm LTE model costs $299.99. The 42mm Bluetooth model of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic costs $349.99, while the 42mm LTE model costs $399.99. If you want to save money, use our Samsung promo codes to obtain discounts directly from the merchant. The 40mm Bluetooth variant costs, while the LTE variant costs. It is available in Pink, Gold, Black, and Silver. The Galaxy Watch 4 44mm Bluetooth model costs, while the LTE model costs.
Conclusion
Overall, the Galaxy Watch 4 checks every box. You get a stunning AMOLED screen, a strong processor, 16GB of storage, and many sensors that provide a wealth of information. Even if the battery life is better than the Galaxy Watch 3, it still only lasts a day or a day and a half, and charging is extremely slow. That is, as long as Google and Samsung maintain the momentum. Maybe exaggerating Google’s poor update track record, and maybe the Google-Samsung relationship for Wear OS 3 will blossom over time like the gorgeous flower we all hope it will be.
