If you've got a Samsung phone and you're looking for a smartwatch, a Samsung Galaxy Watch is an ideal purchase — and Amazon Prime Day is a great time to buy.
While Samsung doesn't lock you into its own ecosystem in the same way Apple does — Samsung phones interface well with any of the best Android watches — having a Samsung watch enables you to access certain features like ECG scans, blood pressure estimations and camera viewfinder functionality, which only work when Samsung phones and watches are paired.
If you're in the market for a Samsung Galaxy Watch you might be tempted to get the biggest and baddest entry, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which earned four stars in our Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review; but it isn't the Galaxy watch I'd recommend for everyone.
For one thing, it's big. Sitting on a chunky titanium 'cushion', protruding 12.1mm and weighing 60.5g, it's an obtrusive and unique-looking watch, and it certainly stands out. Without other size options (unlike the rival Garmin Fenix 8, which comes in three sizes), it's clear that it's not built with smaller wrists in mind, which means it locks out a big potential user base.
It's also a premium-priced adventure-focused watch, and the majority of Galaxy Watch Ultra owners don't use or need all of its rugged survivability extras or impressive navigation features. Yes, it can withstand knocks much better than other watches in the range, and its programmable Quick Button is useful, but most casual exercisers looking for a useful fitness tracker that also lets them screen calls and read messages will cope just fine with a less-powerful watch.
That's not to say the Ultra doesn't have its fans: if you're having an in-tents weekend (sorry) in the wilderness once a month, and you want a Samsung watch to guide you through muddy hikes and rocky scrambles, the Ultra is certainly the Galaxy Watch to get.
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Which watch to buy instead?
Rather than the top-tier Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, for those looking for a Samsung smartwatch to monitor general wellness, track regular exercise and use some communications features (email, WhatsApp, call screening, music control and so forth), I recommend the Samsung Galaxy Watch8.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 got 4.5 stars in our review, and I labelled it "a triumph" and "unequivocally the best mainline Galaxy Watch in ages" in part thanks to its cool redesign. It retains that squircle cushion, but it's a lot thinner and more comfortable than the Ultra or the Classic, and sits nice and flush on the wrist, making it easier to wear all the time, even during sleep, to ensure you get those nice recovery metrics.
You do lose some battery life, the Dive mode, and toughness as the Ultra's titanium case is downgraded to armor aluminum, but it's almost 4mm slimmer than the Ultra, and you get the same dual-band GPS, running coach and advanced wellness features as the Ultra: body composition scanning that's accurate compared to a smart scale, blood pressure estimations, and ECG feature to check for arrhythmia.
It's available in LTE and Bluetooth-only versions, which means you can choose to pay extra to add it to a phone's data plan, or save some money and buy Bluetooth-only. The Ultra is LTE-enabled by default, so you're paying for that connectivity whether you want it or not.
Best of all, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 is also already discounted as the Amazon Prime Day sales get closer. You can check out the best deals on it below:
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