The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is a continuation of one of our favorite smartwatches ever, and it’s the first time in a while that we’ve seen the company using Wear OS software. However, this isn’t a typical Wear OS watch, it’s a Wear OS 3 watch overlaid with One UI Watch 3, and Google worked with Samsung to develop that OS.
It’s worth noting that this is no longer the latest model. That honor goes to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. On paper, they don’t sound like huge upgrades – except maybe in terms of battery life. Back to the Watch 4. On paper, the overall upgrade over its predecessor is limited, even in software and hardware, but it’s a good fit for those looking for a top-of-the-line smartwatch that can record workouts and offer a host of other smart features that many alternative wrist companions don’t have.
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo hide=price]However, the Galaxy Watch 4’s compatibility is inexplicably worse than previous Samsung watches. If you own an iPhone, it won’t work with it, and while it’s compatible with all modern Android phones, you’ll need to own a Samsung smartphone to access some features, such as blood pressure or ECG readings.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is a slim smartwatch with a design that sits comfortably on your wrist. If you’re looking for a chunkier watch or want a rotating bezel, you should opt for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. For those looking for a sleeker design, the Galaxy Watch 4 fits the bill, with two buttons on the right edge and little to distract from its slim appearance. There are two models, one with a 40mm dial and one with a 44mm case.
Both models are made of aluminum. The dimensions of the 40-mm model are 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8 mm with a weight of 25.9 g, while the 44-mm model measures 44.4 x 43.3 x 9.8 mm and weighs 30.3 g. It is comfortable to wear throughout the day, although it may not be the best choice for nighttime sleep monitoring.
The Watch 4 features Samsung’s own Exynos W920 chipset and 1.5 GB of RAM. During our testing, we found that this performance was enough to run a variety of apps smoothly and without any slowdowns. This is one of the fastest smartwatches we have ever used. This speed isn’t as noticeable as a smartphone or laptop, but it is noticeable compared to other smartwatches and allows you to use a variety of apps while running the GPS functions, for example.
Both models of the Galaxy Watch 4 have 16 GB of storage. We found that about 8 GB of that is taken up by the operating system and preinstalled apps, leaving that much more space for custom apps and music. The Galaxy Watch 4 can shine in terms of software. Samsung does not use its own Tizen Wearables software here, but falls back on Google’s Wear OS, albeit with its own touch.