Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review - A Game-Changer for Wear OS?

In August 2021, Samsung officially launched its next-generation smartwatches - the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. For the first time, Samsung moved away from its proprietary Tizen OS and embraced Google’s Wear OS, resulting in significantly improved app compatibility and user interaction. This deep collaboration between Samsung’s hardware and Google’s software marks a major milestone in the wearable tech space. While retaining the classic round watch face, the Galaxy Watch 4 introduces a full-color touchscreen and physical buttons, blending traditional style with modern digital functionality.

Beyond the software shift, the Galaxy Watch 4 brings substantial upgrades in hardware and health tracking. Equipped with advanced sensors, it supports body composition analysis, blood oxygen monitoring, and heart rate tracking - all integrated into a smoother and more intuitive interface. For first-time Wear OS users, the system is easy to learn, while those looking for a balance of style and performance will find the Galaxy Watch 4 a compelling wearable solution.

So how does the Galaxy Watch 4 perform in real-world use? In this Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review, we’ll break down everything from design and UI to fitness features, battery life, and overall user experience. Read on to discover whether this smartwatch is the right fit for your lifestyle.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 vs. Galaxy Watch 4 Classic - Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review - Release Date & Pricing

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series was officially announced on August 11, 2021, and went on sale globally starting August 27. This release included two models: the standard Galaxy Watch 4 and the more premium Galaxy Watch4 Classic with a rotating bezel.

Pricing for the Galaxy Watch 4 starts at $249.99 for the 40mm Bluetooth model, and $279.99 for the 44mm. LTE versions are priced at $299.99 and $329.99 respectively. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic begins at $349.99 (42mm Bluetooth) and goes up to $379.99 (46mm), with LTE models costing around $50 more. Compared to the Galaxy Watch3, this lineup is more affordable, positioning itself as a successor to the Galaxy Watch Active2.

The Pros and Cons of Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

• Slimmer and more stylish design
• New Wear OS + One UI Watch
• Wider third-party app support
• First smartwatch with body composition analysis (BIA)
• Sharp and bright Super AMOLED display
• Powerful 5nm Exynos W920 processor
• More affordable than its predecessor

Cons

• BIA sensor accuracy concerns
• Not compatible with iOS
• Battery life can be short under heavy use (daily charging may be required)

Modern Classic Design - Comfort Meets Functionality

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series combines modern minimalist aesthetics with a classic round watch face, blending traditional style with ergonomic comfort for a snug fit. Available in multiple sizes - 40mm, 44mm, 42mm, and 46mm - it caters to a wide range of wrist sizes and personal preferences for both men and women.

In terms of materials, the Watch 4 features a lightweight and durable aluminum case, ideal for everyday wear and active lifestyles. The Watch 4 Classic offers a premium stainless steel build, delivering a luxurious feel and enhanced durability suited for users seeking a blend of business and style. Color options include Meteor Black, Silver, and Blossom Gold - the latter designed especially for women with a fashionable touch.

Thoughtful design details highlight Samsung’s focus on user experience. The rotating bezel on the Watch 4 Classic improves navigation precision and provides satisfying tactile feedback. Buttons accented with red rings enhance visibility and incorporate a body composition sensor, allowing users to quickly measure key health metrics such as body fat, skeletal muscle, and BMI with a simple press. The curved case back fits snugly against the skin to reduce movement and supports wireless charging, further enhancing daily comfort and convenience.

Overall, the Galaxy Watch 4 series delivers a high-quality build, diverse sizing and color options, and innovative, user-centric features - making it a stylish yet practical smartwatch ideal for today’s users who value the fusion of technology and design. To further personalize the experience, users can choose from a variety of Samsung watch 4 bands to match different occasions and styles.

Powerful 5nm Chipset for Smooth and Lasting Performance

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series features industry-leading Super AMOLED screens, available in multiple sizes - 40mm, 42mm, 44mm, and 46mm - to suit different wrist preferences. The smaller models sport 1.19-inch displays with 396×396 resolution, while the larger variants boast 1.36-inch high-definition screens at 450×450 pixels, delivering crisp details and outstanding clarity.

These displays offer high contrast and vibrant color saturation, combined with low-frequency PWM dimming technology to reduce screen flicker and protect users’ eyesight, enhancing comfort during extended use. With a pixel density of 330ppi, text and images appear sharp and detailed. Intelligent auto-brightness adjustment adapts to various lighting conditions, ensuring clear and eye-friendly viewing indoors and outdoors.

Rich color reproduction makes photos, videos, and apps look vivid and lifelike, accurately rendering color nuances. Whether under bright sunlight or in low-light environments, the Galaxy Watch 4’s screen maintains excellent visibility, meeting users’ high expectations for premium visual quality.

In summary, the Galaxy Watch 4 series’ Super AMOLED display not only enhances visual performance but also prioritizes eye health and comfort, setting a benchmark for beautiful and practical smartwatch screens in the market.

Powerful 5nm Chipset for Smooth and Lasting Performance

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is powered by the advanced 5nm Exynos W920 dual-core processor, clocked at 1.18GHz, delivering a significant performance boost over its predecessor - approximately 20% faster CPU speed and a 10x improvement in GPU performance. This ensures smooth multitasking, complex workout tracking, and real-time health data analysis, enhancing overall user experience.

Additionally, the integrated low-power Cortex-M55 co-processor handles Always-On Display (AOD) and background tasks efficiently, optimizing power consumption and effectively extending battery life to meet the demands of prolonged daily use.

With 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, the Galaxy Watch 4 supports more apps and data storage, allowing users to download music, apps, and offline content to personalize their device.

Overall, the Galaxy Watch 4’s hardware configuration not only boosts processing power but also optimizes battery life and storage capacity, providing users with a smoother, smarter, and longer-lasting smartwatch experience that supports everyday health management and connected living.

Innovative BioActive Sensor - Redefining Smart Health Monitoring

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 features a groundbreaking BioActive sensor that integrates optical heart rate (PPG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technologies into a single chip. This integration maintains a slim design while delivering highly accurate health tracking. With this sensor suite, users can effortlessly monitor heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and body composition metrics such as body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, and body water content. Body composition measurements only require a two-finger touch on the watch and complete in about 15 seconds, making it quick and convenient.

It’s important to note that blood pressure and ECG features are restricted to certain markets due to regulatory approvals, requiring a compatible Samsung smartphone and the official Samsung Health Monitor app, along with periodic calibration to ensure accuracy.

The Galaxy Watch 4 also enhances sleep tracking by detecting snoring and combining it with blood oxygen data to provide scientifically backed sleep scores. Additionally, it supports seamless integration with Samsung smart TVs, allowing users to view real-time heart rate and calorie burn during workouts, creating a new cross-device health management experience.

Thanks to this comprehensive and precise health monitoring system, the Galaxy Watch 4 is more than just a smartwatch - it’s a personal health assistant that empowers users to take proactive control of their well-being and improve their quality of life.

Accurate and Intelligent Fitness Tracking to Unlock Your Potential

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 supports over 90 exercise modes, covering a wide range of activities including running, swimming, cycling, and yoga, meeting the needs of casual fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes alike. The watch features automatic workout detection, starting to record your activity after just 1-2 minutes of movement, allowing users to track workouts effortlessly - especially useful for walking, running, and swimming.

Equipped with a high-precision optical heart rate sensor, it monitors exercise intensity in real-time, helping users adjust their pace scientifically to avoid overtraining or undertraining. During workouts, the Watch 4 tracks detailed metrics such as duration, distance, speed, and calories burned. Users can access comprehensive analysis through the Samsung Health app to optimize their training results.

Additionally, the Watch 4 seamlessly connects with smartphones and integrates with the Bixby voice assistant, enabling quick workout initiation, goal setting, and personalized exercise advice via voice commands for a smart and convenient fitness experience.

In summary, the Galaxy Watch 4 combines precise data tracking, automatic detection, and intelligent assistance to deliver a seamless fitness tracking experience, empowering users to unlock their full potential and achieve efficient, science-backed workouts.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review - Long-lasting Battery Life with Fast Charging

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 series is equipped with batteries of 247mAh (Watch 4) and 361mAh (Watch 4 Classic), supporting Qi wireless charging and fast charging. According to official data, the watches can last up to around 40 hours under typical usage. In real-world scenarios, with health features like exercise tracking, heart rate, and blood oxygen monitoring enabled, battery life generally ranges from 24 to 30 hours. Heavy use, such as continuous GPS tracking and intense workouts, can reduce battery life to 14 to 20 hours. Some users report over 40 hours of battery life under light usage.

The Watch 4 supports fast charging, providing approximately 10 hours of usage after a 30-minute charge. However, coil detection issues may occur with generic wireless chargers, so using the official wireless charger is recommended for optimal charging performance. Battery life is also affected by factors such as screen brightness, background apps, and connectivity (Bluetooth or LTE). To extend battery life, users are advised to lower screen brightness, close unnecessary background apps, and enable power-saving modes.

Overall, the Galaxy Watch 4’s battery life meets industry standards for smartwatches, sufficient for most daily health and fitness needs. However, for prolonged heavy use, users should plan their charging accordingly to maintain uninterrupted performance.

New Wear OS and One UI - Seamless and Intuitive Smart Experience

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 features the all-new One UI Watch 3 operating system based on Wear OS 3.0, delivering a fast, smooth, and user-friendly experience. Deeply integrated with the Galaxy ecosystem, it supports automatic syncing and installation of phone apps to the watch, along with seamless synchronization of smart settings across devices. The new Auto Switch feature intelligently transfers audio between the watch and phone for enhanced convenience.

Beyond traditional touch gestures, Samsung has enhanced the Bixby voice assistant and introduced innovative wrist gestures like double wrist shakes to answer or reject calls, making interactions more natural and intuitive. The system supports a rich app ecosystem, including Samsung Pay, SmartThings, and popular Google apps like Strava and Spotify, meeting diverse user needs.

In summary, the Galaxy Watch 4’s new operating system and refined interface create a highly efficient, personalized, and cross-device smart experience, making it an ideal choice for smartwatch users.

Summary & Recommendation - A Perfect Blend of Style and Smart Technology

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 stands out with its sleek and modern design that fits seamlessly into both daily wear and workout settings. With the powerful 5nm Exynos W920 processor and a vivid Super AMOLED display, the watch delivers top-tier performance in visuals, responsiveness, and user interaction. Combined with the new Wear OS and One UI Watch interface, users enjoy a faster, smarter, and more unified smartwatch experience.

On the health and fitness front, the Galaxy Watch 4 supports over 90 workout modes and features the advanced BioActive sensor for detailed body composition analysis, heart rate tracking, and sleep scoring. Paired with the Samsung Health app, it offers guided programs and insights to help users build sustainable wellness routines. While the device supports convenient wireless charging, the charging speed still has room for improvement.

If you’re a tech enthusiast who loves exploring cutting-edge gadgets, a style-conscious user who enjoys switching up looks daily, or someone focused on science-backed fitness and wellness, the Galaxy Watch 4 is a strong contender. More than just a smartwatch, it’s your all-in-one fitness coach, health tracker, and fashion statement - ready to enhance every part of your lifestyle.