Samsung has launched its latest wearables as part of the Galaxy Watch 4 series and these include the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. These are the first two smartwatches that come with the latest version of WearOS, albeit with a custom UI on top called OneUI Watch. It’s not just about the software though. The Galaxy Watch 4 brings a host of improvements compared to the previous generation of the Galaxy Watch even in terms of hardware.
While the standard Galaxy Watch replaces the Galaxy Watch Active 2, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is a successor to the Galaxy Watch 3 from last year. If you’re wondering whether you should upgrade to the new smartwatch from Samsung or if you’re planning to get a new one and wondering to get the latest watch or to get the older one on a sweet discount, we’re here to help you out with that decision.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 Specs
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: Specifications
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic | Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Size(s) |
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| Dimensions and Weight |
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| Display |
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| Processor | Exynos W920 (5nm) | Exynos 9110 (10nm) |
| Memory |
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| Battery |
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| Sensors | Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, Geomagnetic, Light, Samsung BioActive Sensor | Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, ECG, Light, PPG |
| Connectivity | LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4+5GHz, NFC, GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Gallileo | LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4+5GHz, NFC, GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Gallileo |
| Durability |
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| OS | OneUI Watch | Tizen OS |
Hardware: Improvements all over
The new Galaxy Watch 4 Classic gets newer and better hardware both on the inside and the outside compared to the Galaxy Watch 3 from last year. The design is slightly updated and looks more formal and classy on the Watch 4 Classic. On the inside, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is powered by the latest Exynos W920 chipset which is based on a 5nm manufacturing process. This chip is much faster and more power-efficient compared to the Exynos 9110 on the Galaxy Watch 3.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic also gets more RAM and storage, 1.5GB and 16GB instead of 1GB and 8GB on the Galaxy Watch 3. More RAM helps with smoother performance and more storage means you can now install more apps and store more songs and podcasts offline on your watch. The power-efficient chip means that with almost the same capacity battery on both watches, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will give you better battery life.
The overall size of the dial is slightly larger on the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic but the chassis is thinner compared to the Galaxy Watch 3. This is mainly because Samsung’s new BioActive Sensor combines all vital sensors required for health tracking into one unit instead of having multiple different sensors contributing to the thickness of the watch.
Health Features
Thanks to the new BioActive Sensor we just talked about, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic brings new health features to the table. While the Galaxy Watch 3 could measure heart rate, SpO2, and even ECG, the new Galaxy Watch 4 Classic takes it up a notch and has the ability to perform a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis or BIA. This is used to measure body composition or in simple terms, track your BMI, muscle fat, water content, visceral fat, etc. The Galaxy Watch 4 is one of the first smartwatches to do so and is definitely a bonus for anyone who is serious about their health tracking.
Software: The latest version of Wear OS is finally here, kind of
When Google announced it was partnering with Samsung to give Wear OS a much-needed overhaul, all of us were excited to see what was coming. The Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic are the first smartwatches to come with the latest version of Wear OS, but with a host of add-ons from Samsung. Samsung has been using Tizen on their smartwatches and while it helped with a smoother UI and better battery performance when compared to earlier versions of Wear OS, it was lacking in the features department.
You could only use Samsung’s apps and a few third-party apps on Tizen whereas you can now download countless apps from the Google Play Store, thanks to the integration with Wear OS. Samsung, however, has heavily modified the UI and is calling it OneUI Watch. Of course, you can use the Galaxy Watch 4 with any Android device that comes with GMS core (sorry, Huawei users) but it works best with Samsung’s phones since a lot of the stock apps are Samsung’s own apps instead of Google’s and some functions are also exclusive to Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Oh, and the new Galaxy Watch 4 Classic also doesn’t work with iOS devices.
Verdict: Which one should you buy?
The answer is pretty obvious at this point. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is overall a better smartwatch in probably every single aspect. The Galaxy Watch 3 is also a good smartwatch, but the older CPU and limitations of Tizen OS are where it loses out in comparison to the new Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. If you’re on a strict budget though, you can still get a Galaxy Watch 3 if you don’t really use a lot of third-party apps on your watch and you mainly want a wearable for fitness tracking. Prior to the Watch 4 coming out, the Galaxy Watch 3 was widely regarded as one of the better smartwatch options around for Android users.
As of writing, both the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and the Galaxy Watch 3 are retailing for the same price of $349 on Samsung’s website which seems weird and in such a scenario, there’s no doubt you should pick up the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. If you can find a good deal on the Galaxy Watch 3 a few months down the line, you can still consider getting one with a sweet discount.
- The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has a new BioActive sensor, and a new unified software platform called One UI Watch.
- The Galaxy Watch 3 runs on Tizen OS and an older chip but if you find a good deal, it can still be a decent option.
If you’re an Android user, you’ve surely been longing for a good smartwatch that can compete against the Apple Watch, and looks like Samsung finally has a winner. If you want to know how the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic compares to the Apple Watch Series 6, we have a dedicated comparison highlighting the differences between both watches. In case you decide to pick up the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, we also have a list of the best bands for the Galaxy Watch 4, so you can choose something that better matches your style.
The post Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 3: Which smartwatch should you buy? appeared first on xda-developers.
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