If you’re seeking to improve an older Android smartwatch, or need to give wearables a strive for the primary time, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8(*8*) is a compelling selection. It has a brand new design, lets you entry Google’s Gemini AI out of your wrist, and has a handful of recent well being and wellness options. It launched on July twenty fifth, however you can already get the 40mm mannequin on sale for $299.99 ($50 off) from Samsung. Amazon has the look ahead to full worth, however is providing a $50 promotional credit score towards a future buy if you use the code APSUE5MBXB6Y at checkout.
The Galaxy Watch 8 is squircle formed, which can be divisive, however permits it to put flatter and Verge reporter Victoria Music discovered it match extra extra comfortably on her wrist in her evaluation. The change additionally let Samsung make the watch thinner than the Galaxy Watch 7, and but we nonetheless discovered it can nonetheless final greater than a day on a cost. Whereas it’s not an enormous departure from its predecessor, it may very well be a very good improve for anybody with a Galaxy Watch 5 or under, and Samsung’s new low cost counteracts the $50 worth enhance means you’re not paying any greater than the Galaxy Watch 7 value at launch.
If you’ve gotten used to Google Gemini in your smartphone or pc, the Galaxy Watch 8 will let you entry it out of your wrist – we created playlists, checked the climate, and have beforehand requested Gemini whether or not it’s needed to clean a candy potato earlier than peeling it.
On the well being and wellness facet, the Galaxy Watch 8 can monitor steps, your coronary heart charge, blood oxygen stage, steps, and exercise. If you have a Samsung Galaxy cellphone, you use the smartwatch to take an EKG or detect sleep apnea. A brand new characteristic referred to as Working Coach will put you by a 12-minute run take a look at, give you a grade from one by 10, and create a exercise program based mostly in your efficiency. It additionally consists of sensors designed to detect whether or not you’re consuming sufficient fruits and greens, however we discovered it can be fooled by colourful objects, together with a Cheeze-It.
The Galaxy Watch 8 can also be obtainable in a 44mm dimension, and that mannequin can also be on sale for $379.99 ($50 off) from Samsung.