Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Review

Verdict

There's been a lot of disappointment with Article of clothing Os over the years, but with the Galaxy Watch four, Samsung and Google seem to finally be turning the tide. The colourful new UI is a joy to use, and dusty Habiliment OS facets like Tiles and Google Maps accept been given a major facelift with super-fast speed to kicking. Only time will tell if Vesture OS 3 attracts the level of third-party attending that Google is hoping for, only the software couldn't have asked for a better starting bespeak than in the Galaxy Watch 4.

Pros

• Wear Bone at its finest
• The digital bezel works like a charm
• Apartment, minimalist design is stunning
• Gorgeous collection of original watch faces

Cons

• Still a lot of features yet to come up
• Doesn't piece of work with iPhone
• Bixby is a mess

Availability

• Great britain RRP: £249
• USA RRP: $249
• Europe RRP: €279
• Commonwealth of australia RRP: AU$399

Key Features

• Software: Wearable OS finally gets a big update
• Size: Multiple size and style options, including a 4G variation
• Specs: Samsung's latest 5nm Exynos wearable fleck

Introduction

The Galaxy Watch 4 is finally here, acting less every bit an update to last year's Samsung wearable and more as the first in a long line of next-generation smartwatches.

Very few tech products this twelvemonth take garnered quite the same level of anticipation every bit the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

Despite being another numbered iteration in Samsung'south mainline wearable line, the Galaxy Watch 4 is entirely unique for being the first smartwatch anywhere to characteristic Wear OS past Samsung – an entirely revamped operating arrangement co-developed between Samsung and Google.

Given that, at the time of writing, in that location's still no official word on when we might come across more watches sporting the same UI (also known as Wear Bone 3), the Galaxy Lookout 4 stands alone as the proof of concept for what this update can practise – and it has the task of being a good smartwatch in its ain correct. That's more than than any typical article of clothing has to face when it hits the market place.

Afterwards spending a skillful deal of time with the Galaxy Lookout man 4, information technology'south clear that the gamble has paid off.

Blueprint and screen

• A revival of the 'Active' range in all but name
• Revised watch strap sits closer to the chassis
• The screen at present lies completely apartment

In years gone past, Samsung has seen fit to release its smartwatches in two forms – the first being a more traditionally themed timepiece and the other being designed around fettle, with the 'Active' moniker attached. The just exception to this rule was last twelvemonth'south Samsung Milky way Watch three, and while Samsung has returned to its previous system, at that place are a few key changes to annotation.

The standard Milky way Sentry 4 is the 'Active' model in all simply name, while the traditional stylings are more closely felt in the pricier Samsung Galaxy Scout 4 Archetype. The Lookout iv'southward adherence to a fitness-first arroyo can be felt immediately in its minimalist design. Not only is the sentry lightweight at but 26g without the strap, but the strap itself is made with a silicone mode fabric that's easy on the wrist when yous're working out.

It's worth pointing out that Samsung has tweaked the implementation of the watch strap and then that it now curves to sit more than snugly against the body of the picket. While it's definitely an aesthetic change for the amend, it does mean that standard lookout man straps are no longer compatible like how they were with the Milky way Watch iii – something worth bearing in listen if y'all were planning to bring over a favourite strap.

Returning to the chassis, it'south clear that Samsung has taken a leaf out of Apple's volume for the Galaxy Watch four. Gone are the softer edges and slightly curved screen of previous iterations, replaced past sharper angles and a display that lies completely flat. I was sceptical virtually this change at first only I've actually come to appreciate merely how stylish the Milky way Picket iv is. This feels like a truly modern smartwatch.

Helping to cement that concept is the Super AMOLED screen and I haven't seen a smartwatch however that can compete with the vibrancy institute here. On occasion, I've constitute myself merely admiring diverse watch faces because of how colourful they appear on the Galaxy Sentry iv.

Merely as with previous Galaxy Watches, the Watch iv has two push buttons flanking the right-hand side which protrude always so slightly from the chief chassis. For a bit of added flare however, the push button on the upper-right has a crimson coating on its sides, alluding to greater functionality that I'll touch upon later on.

Features and functioning

• Wear OS 3 feels like a huge improvement
• The new Exynos chipset has greatly improved app loading
• Digital bezel feels like the hereafter of smartwatch design

Hither it is, the large question – later on all the hype and expectation, what is the new Habiliment Bone actually like? I am more happy to report that the revamp is a huge success, but there is a caveat.

Courtesy of the new 5nm Exynos W920 chipset, almost everything on the Galaxy Watch 4, from bill of fare navigation to interacting with apps, is fast and fluid. It all feels very similar to using Vesture OS on Snapdragon Vesture 4100 powered smartwatches, except this time the Os feels far more confident in its execution and style.

Tiles, for example, have long been a ways of quick access to certain watch apps simply the organization has largely been ignored by Google and 3rd-party developers alike. This time around it's populated past Google and Samsung's own apps, with third-political party integration from apps such as Calm and Adidas Running. Even the app library has been tweaked to characteristic large, colourful icons. It'south a far more inviting experience that had me eager to search through its menus for the first time in many years.

Some of the near popular Wear Bone apps have also been updated, such as Google Maps. It'southward now a lot easier to see where y'all're going as the in-app map design is thankfully less cluttered to give yous a better understanding of your environs. For the get-go time ever, you can now use Google Pay on a Galaxy Watch, merely Samsung Pay is yet bachelor if you lot adopt.

What helps full general navigation is the render of the digital rotating bezel. Last seen on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2, this characteristic replicates the sensation of the physical rotating bezel of the Milky way Sentinel iv Classic past using haptic feedback every bit you glide your finger across the outer rim of the brandish. Having grown and so accustomed to using rotating crowns, I wasn't certain how effective a digital replica could be, but the rotating bezel is so intuitive that any scepticism melted away in seconds. In fact, it works and then well that I'm now wondering why more manufacturers haven't jumped on the feature already.

There is a caveat to all of these improvements that is peculiarly important if you're weighing up buying the Galaxy Scout 4 against future Wear OS iii powered smartwatches, and information technology's that we don't yet know how much of this is down to Samsung'due south exclusive One UI overlay. Of course, this is inappreciably an event from Samsung's point of view, but for consumers, it's worth existence aware of.

Despite all this praise, the Galaxy Scout 4 hasn't nailed every aspect of its user feel. I don't think anyone will be too surprised when I say that Bixby is still terrible. The ability to swap to Google Assistant is coming downwards the pipeline merely for now it's Bixby or nil (and in virtually situations I'd settle for the latter). The YouTube Music Vesture OS app has besides notwithstanding to appear, meaning that throughout the testing process, I was unable to bask listening to music offline direct from the watch. Spotify offline support is coming too, merely again information technology's not here quite yet.

Sleep tracking returns from previous Galaxy Watches, and while Samsung'due south washed a dandy job at laying out the details behind your sleep score and the meaning behind each sleep stage, the accompanying Samsung Health app falls brusk of giving you tangible communication on how to better your slumber quality – something that's easily available on cheaper wearables.

While it'south likely to affect simply a small grouping of people, it is worth pointing out that Samsung has removed iOS back up for the Galaxy Scout 4. Even Android users aren't completely off the hook from some of Samsung'southward more questionable decisions, as various features such equally the ECG examination, blood pressure monitoring, alarm sync and the camera controller, are unable to piece of work with not-Samsung phones – this is worth bearing in listen when deciding if the spotter is correct for you.

Fitness tracking

• The BioActive sensor is surprisingly accurate
• Reminders to move come with helpful suggestions for stretching
• Google Fit now bachelor via Wear Os

Fitness has rarely been a side-thought for Samsung and the Galaxy Spotter 4 continues this trend, but for the first time, the company has moved more assertedly into the realm of health tracking with the addition of the new BioActive sensor.

In laymen's terms, this BioActive sensor compiles multiple sensors into one unit, with the ability to collect your eye rate, blood pressure, claret oxygen levels and even perform an ECG test. What makes it stand out notwithstanding is the new Body Limerick feature, which conducts a more complete analysis of your wellness past looking at your body fat, skeletal muscle, body water, BMI and BMR (basal metabolic charge per unit).

To conduct this scan, the Milky way Watch four as well makes employ of hidden sensors in its two push button buttons, as you concord your contrary middle and band fingers to them whilst keeping your artillery away from your body. I was curious to see just how accurate a smartwatch could exist in determining all of those metrics, merely as it turns out, the Milky way Watch 4 exceeded my expectations.

For case, when compared with the results from the Withings Body Cardio, the Galaxy Watch iv was spot on with my BMI count and surprisingly shut with my body water levels. The only issue is that at the start of each Body Composition reading, the Galaxy Watch 4 asks y'all to manually input your nigh recent weight count, then it'southward not a consummate replacement for a set of scales. Still, this engineering science shows a great bargain of promise and I'm interested to run across how it'll be expanded upon in the future.

As for fitness tracking, the Galaxy Watch 4 is another winner for Samsung, merely this time there's a few new upgrades to annotation. The most obvious add-on, as part of the move to Habiliment OS, is that yous tin now run all of your fitness tracking through Google Fit if yous and then please. Given merely how much Samsung Health is broiled into the UI of the Galaxy Watch 4 notwithstanding, I found it much easier to but stick with Samsung equally the default.

Besides, there's isn't much to go out you wanting if you go down the Samsung Health road as there's still a solid corporeality of workouts to choose from. With an IP68 rating, the Galaxy Watch 4 is as well ready to become for a stint in the puddle. The only affair that struck me as odd was the inclusion of specific exercises amidst the list of tracked workouts – maybe there'south a niche out there for quick 2-minute arm curls that I'm unaware of.

What I really appreciated however were the motility reminders that occurred whenever I'd been sat down likewise long. Much like with the Laurels Sentry ES, these reminders come with a selection of brief stretches and movements to get the blood flowing, all of which helped me to feel a lot more limber than usual at the terminate of a working day.

When it came time to really break a sweat, the Galaxy Watch four more than held its own in the realm of GPS and centre rate tracking. For the one-time, I was sometimes able to establish a connection within but 5-10 seconds, while the latter came impressively close to the results produced by an accompanying Myzone Switch chest strap.

For case, a stint on the cycling car drew a tiptop HR of 166BPM and an boilerplate of 127BPM. At the same time, the Galaxy Watch iv detected an impressively close 166BPM high and a 126BPM average. Farther testing continued to prove that this accuracy wasn't a fluke.

Bombardment Life

• Easily outpaces the Apple Watch
• It's possible to hitting 2-days of apply in certain conditions

Having grown accustomed to the marathon bombardment life of wearables similar the Coros Vertix and Withings ScanWatch, Samsung's claim of a 40-hr battery life for the Milky way Picket iv doesn't seem like a lot, but in comparison to the Apple Sentry 6, information technology's a huge boon.

With a total of three workouts tracked, a steady catamenia of notifications and sleep tracking, I was able to get through 31 hours of use before the Lookout 4 got downwardly to 7%. For a fully diddled smartwatch, that's quite an achievement, and I have no doubt that some users could probably go through a total 2-days of use under certain conditions.

Toggling the always-on brandish (but this time with no tracked workouts), the battery barbarous to 48% afterwards 15-hours of employ. I tin can't imagine a scenario where anyone would be racing for the power outlet at the finish of just one twenty-four hour period with the Galaxy Sentinel 4, just in that location are even so power-saving options available if you're in a bind.

Luckily notwithstanding, charging on the Galaxy Watch 4 is a somewhat fast-paced affair, and then a quick pinnacle up can go a long fashion. With ten% battery in the tank, information technology took one hour and 33 minutes to become dorsum to 100%. This isn't too bad, and I was able to go to 75% from but an 60 minutes at the power outlet, which would be more than enough for most people to go through the day.

Latest deals

Should you purchase information technology?

If you want the best Apple tree Scout culling: Samsung and Google take knocked information technology out of the park with the Galaxy Scout 4, setting a new bar for Android users.

If you're set up with Apple tree: The Milky way Watch 4 has cypher functionality with Apple'south ecosystem, so if you lot're an iPhone user then information technology's better to steer clear.

Final Thoughts

Information technology's taken a long time to get hither, but nosotros finally have a Wear OS smartwatch that can become toe-to-toe with the Apple Picket. With its sleek blueprint, fast speeds, vibrant AMOLED brandish and robust collection of fettle and health tracking features, Samsung has created the ultimate smartwatch for Android users.

With several features notwithstanding to appear at the time of testing, including the upcoming YouTube Music Article of clothing Bone app and Google Banana functionality, there'southward even so room for improvement in the Galaxy Lookout man iv, but at least the Android crowd finally has a clothing that won't leave them pining for Apple'south tech.

How we test

We thoroughly test every smartwatch we review. We employ industry standard testing to compare features properly and we employ the lookout as our primary device over the review period. We'll always tell you what nosotros find and we never, always, accept money to review a production.

Worn as our main smartwatch during the testing period

Heart rate data compared against dedicated middle rate devices

Side-by-side GPS comparing with our all-time scoring smartwatches

You might like…

FAQs

Does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 run Tizen?

No, the Galaxy Scout iv now runs Google's Wear OS platform

Does the Samsung Galaxy Watch four piece of work with iPhone?

There is no iPhone back up for the Galaxy Watch iv

Does the Galaxy Watch iv take Google Pay?

Yes, the Galaxy Watch 4 now runs both Google Pay and Samsung Pay

Source: https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-watch-4

Posted by: martinrivinquister52.blogspot.com

Share this post