Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: Specs, price and release date
In the realm of smart wearables, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 has finally made its grand entrance at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event in Korea, putting to rest months of anticipatory whispers and leaked hints. This release carries the heavy mantle of its forebear, the reputable and somewhat predictable Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series. Striding forward with the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, Samsung has taken on a considerable challenge. Now, let's get you up to speed on the enticing details surrounding Samsung's most recent wearable marvels.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic specs
Let’s delve into the features of this new smartwatch.
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Unveiled as part of Samsung's 2023 wearable lineup, it echoes the aesthetic charm of the Galaxy Watch 5, while boasting enhancements in display quality, chipset performance, and battery longevity. |
The newest iteration of the Galaxy Watch 6 arrives in a more expansive Classic variant, complete with a larger casing, a tangible rotating bezel, and a 3D Hall sensor that caters to positioning, along with an array of other advancements intrinsic to the Watch 6. |
| Battery Life | 30 hours with Always On Display, 40 hours without | 30 hours with Always On Display, 40 hours without |
| Onboard GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Sizes | 40mm and 44mm | 43mm and 47mm |
| Colors | 40mm: Graphite, Gold; 44mm: Graphite, Silver | Black and Silver |
| Display | 40mm: 1.3-inch 432 x 432 Super AMOLED, Always On Display; 44mm: 1.5-inch 480 x 480 Super AMOLED, Always On Display | 43mm: 1.3-inch 432 x 432 Super AMOLED, Always On Display; 47mm: 1.5-inch 480 x 480 Super AMOLED, Always On Display |
| CPU | Exynos W930 Dual-Core 1.4GHz | Exynos W930 Dual-Core 1.4GHz |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 16GB | 16GB |
| Battery | 40mm: 300mAh; 44mm: 425mAh | 43mm: 300mAh; 47mm: 425mAh |
| Connectivity | LTE6, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+5GHz, NFC | LTE6, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4+5GHz, NFC |
| Durability | 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810H | 5ATM + IP687 / MIL-STD-810H |
| Software | Wear OS 4 / OneUI 5 Watch | Wear OS 4 / OneUi 5 Watch |
| Health sensors | Samsung BioActive Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor | Samsung BioActive Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor, 3D Hall Sensor |
| Price | 40mm: $300; 44m: $330 | 43mm: $400; 47mm: $430 |
| Strap | Sport Band | Hybrid Eco-Leather Band |
| Weight | 40mm: 28.7g; 44mm: 33.3g | 43mm: 52g; 47mm: 59g |
Design and display
Visually, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic are cut from the same cloth as previous Samsung wearable devices. The similarity between the Watch 5 and entry-level Watch 6 might even lead to a double-take. The Watch 6 Classic, while new to the family, takes a leaf from the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic's book with its distinct design - much to the delight of fans, it even brings back the cherished rotating bezel that was missed in last year's models. While there's no Galaxy Watch 6 Pro this time around, outdoor activity lovers can rest easy as Samsung continues to offer the Watch 5 Pro.
The key visual change you'll notice in this year's Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series is the enhanced screen size coupled with slimmer bezels. According to Samsung, the Watch 6 boasts a 20 percent larger display area than the Watch 5; this holds true for the Watch 6 Classic compared to the Watch 4 Classic too. This expansion hasn't come at the expense of the case size, thanks to proportionally shrunken bezels.
Staying true to Samsung's high standards, the Watch 6 continues to feature a vibrant 60Hz AMOLED display, albeit with an improved resolution compared to its predecessors. The smaller Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic models possess 432x432 panels, while the larger versions have a 480x480 resolution. All Galaxy Watch 6 devices carry the sapphire crystal over their displays, making them more resistant to wear and tear compared to their counterparts with traditional glass screens.
With the introduction of the Galaxy Watch 6 series, Samsung unveils its latest wearable chipset, the Exynos W930. While the performance boost might not be dramatic - given the Watch 5 was already a speedy gadget - any enhancement is a welcome change, especially after two generations of similar specifications. The Galaxy Watch 6 models all come equipped with an upgraded 2GB of RAM, a slight jump from the last two generations' 1.5GB.
Despite carrying slightly larger batteries than their predecessors, Samsung claims the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offer comparable battery life. This translates to about 30 hours of mixed use with the always-on display, or 40 hours with it turned off.
Software
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 devices hit the market running One UI 5 Watch, a freshly minted version of Samsung's wearable software. Built upon the sturdy foundation of Google's Wear OS 4, One UI 5 Watch unveils some exciting health and fitness additions. For tech enthusiasts who regularly switch phones, the new software allows the pairing of your One UI 5 Watch-powered Galaxy Watch with a new phone without needing to reset the wearable – a massive convenience boost.
One UI
One UI 5 Watch showcases an array of new features, including a sleep coaching mechanism to enhance your sleep quality. It also introduces an exercise tool that allots Fitbit-like Heart Rate Zones (Warm up in Zone 1, Fat burn in Zone 2, Cardio in Zone 3, and so on) to your activities based on your heart rate. In an important safety update, the software enhances the One UI Watch emergency SOS system to let Galaxy Watches automatically alert emergency services if a fall is detected.
While these enhancements add a touch of novelty, One UI 5 Watch does not veer dramatically from the Wear OS 3.5-powered One UI Watch that currently operates on the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 4 devices. It's more of a refinement than a revolution.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic pricing and release date
Eager to make the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 or the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic your next arm candy? The good news is that preorders are open, and general sales will kick off on August 11. Whether you're a loyal patron of Samsung's own store, an Amazon enthusiast, a Best Buy regular, or just someone who knows where to find the best wearables, securing your new tech gem will be a breeze.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 comes in two friendly sizes, allowing you to choose what fits your style and comfort best. The neat 40mm model has a starting price of $300, while its bigger sibling, the 44mm variant, begins at $330. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offers its own sizing options in 43mm or 47mm, starting at a competitive $400 and $430, respectively.
It appears that Samsung is comfortably sailing in a sea of predictability with its recent launches, leaning into an 'evolution over revolution' approach. However, considering the Galaxy Watch 5 series, which the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic build upon, stood tall as some of the finest Wear OS devices in the market, a refreshed and improved iteration is hardly something to frown upon, even if the annual differences appear subtle.
The Galaxy Unpacked event had more than just watches to dazzle its audience. If you're keen to explore the wider Samsung universe, look no further: we've got all the information on the new Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.
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