The Galaxy Watch 8 doesn’t try to grab your attention with flashy gimmicks or radical design changes. Instead, it refines what has been doing so far, and takes it to a whole new level — making the watch slimmer, adding smarter health tools, and introducing AI in a way that feels genuinely useful.
It’s a quieter kind of upgrade, the sort you notice more the longer you wear it.
Samsung keeps its packaging minimal, with the Watch 8 arriving in a slim white box. Inside, the watch head is presented up front — our unit came in Graphite — with the sensors neatly arranged on the back.
A small accessory box holds the paperwork, a USB-C cable, and Samsung’s magnetic charging puck. The straps are placed separately and snap into the watch in seconds with no tools required. It’s a straightforward, fuss-free setup.
The overall design still centres on a round display, but this year it sits inside a soft square frame, giving the watch a cushion-shaped profile. It’s a small change, but it modernises the look without moving away from Samsung’s established style.
The Watch 8 is also slimmer than any Galaxy Watch before it, with the body reduced by 11% thanks to a redesigned internal layout. On the wrist, it feels lighter and less bulky, making it easier to wear all day. The new Dynamic Lug system lets the strap move more naturally with your wrist, adding comfort and potentially improving tracking accuracy.
The 44mm LTE model we tested does have some presence on smaller wrists, but for medium or larger wrists, it’s a comfortable fit for both day and night wear — especially if you’re planning to make use of the expanded sleep tracking features.
Samsung has upgraded its BioActive Sensor for the Watch 8, aiming for greater accuracy across all health metrics. Sleep tracking now includes Bedtime Guidance, which monitors your circadian rhythm and suggests the ideal times to go to bed and wake up.
Two new health features debut this year. Vascular Load tracks cardiovascular strain while you’re at rest, while the Antioxidant Index measures carotenoid levels in just five seconds — a first for any smartwatch. Both are designed to provide deeper insights into long-term health trends.
For this first look, we paired the Watch 8 with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, and syncing data through Samsung Health was quick and reliable.
The Galaxy Watch 8 is the first to include Gemini AI. It allows you to start workouts, set reminders, or access Samsung’s native apps with simple voice commands. This is less about novelty and more about speed — cutting down the time you spend navigating menus on a small screen.
Samsung has increased battery capacity by around 8% compared to last year’s model. While that’s not a huge jump, it could help balance the demands of new sensors and AI tools. The Galaxy Watch 7 lasted roughly 21 hours with the always-on display enabled, so it will be interesting to see if the Watch 8 can extend that figure in day-to-day use.
Samsung’s latest smartwatch comes in two case sizes — 40mm and 44mm — each available in Bluetooth and LTE versions. The 40mm Bluetooth model starts at ₹32,999, with LTE priced at ₹36,999. For the larger 44mm size, Bluetooth is ₹35,999 and LTE is ₹39,999. Colour options are straightforward: Graphite and Silver.
After some initial time with the Galaxy Watch 8, it’s clear this is an evolution rather than a reinvention — and that works in its favour. The slimmer frame makes it more comfortable for extended wear, the health features feel more precise and relevant, and Gemini AI offers a quicker, hands-free way to interact with the watch.
Battery life will need more thorough testing, but the small capacity increase is promising. If you’re looking for a smartwatch that builds on familiar strengths while adding genuinely useful refinements, the Galaxy Watch 8 feels like a step in the right direction.