Pricing and Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 comes in four variants, catering to a range of preferences. The price points for the 40mm and 44mm models vary depending on whether you opt for Bluetooth-only or LTE connectivity. In the US, the 40mm models start at $299 for Bluetooth and $349 for LTE, while the 44mm versions are priced at $329.99 and $379.99, respectively.
For those in the UK, prices commence at £289 for the 40mm Bluetooth model and £339 for the 40mm LTE version. The 44mm Bluetooth model starts at £319, and the LTE model costs £369.
In Australia, the 40mm models are priced at AU$549 for Bluetooth and AU$649 for LTE. The 44mm models come in at AU$599 for Bluetooth and AU$699 for LTE.
While the Galaxy Watch 6’s prices are competitive, they indicate a slight increase over its predecessor, the Watch 5. This is expected, given the iterative price hike for the enhanced features and improvements. For current Samsung Galaxy Watch owners, upgrading may not be necessary.
Design and Display
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 boasts a stylish design, with a slightly thinner bezel compared to the Watch 5. This subtle modification required a slight adjustment to the case, but the screen sizes and button functionalities remain consistent. The super AMOLED screen provides a delightful experience with smooth transitions and a high refresh rate.
This smartwatch’s screen shines when it comes to practicality as well. It offers features like viewing your smartphone’s camera feed on your watch, making it an ideal tool for selfies and group shots. Moreover, the redesigned strap-swapping functionality simplifies changing watch bands for various occasions.
The watch retains a stainless steel case and introduces an easy-to-use quick-swap strap feature. With a range of sizes, colors, and strap options, you have the flexibility to personalize your Galaxy Watch to match your style. The watch’s button layout, however, lacks dedicated “up” and “down” functions, necessitating touchscreen navigation for certain tasks.
Features
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is a feature-packed wearable. It offers a wealth of health and fitness features, including sleep coaching. This feature, similar to what’s available on the Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro, provides insightful analysis of your sleep patterns and assigns a “sleep animal” or chronotype. Your chronotype offers recommendations for optimal energy levels throughout the day.
The watch’s fitness capabilities include Custom Workouts, which enables the creation of multi-stage workouts for activities like triathlons. New additions like high-heart-rate alerts and mid-workout heart rate zone notifications enhance your training sessions.
Moreover, the body composition feature uses bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure skeletal muscle and fat percentages. It provides reasonably accurate readings, although it may require fine-tuning for users with smaller wrist sizes.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 integrates well with third-party apps, offering an extensive range of options via Google Play. Popular apps like WhatsApp can be used independently, and when paired with a Samsung phone and the Samsung Health app, the watch excels in seamlessly transferring data. However, interoperability with other health and fitness apps, like Fitbit and Google Fit, is limited.
Performance
One of the standout features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is its running experience. The watch offers advanced running metrics that cater to both beginners and seasoned runners. The watch’s user-friendly interface and detailed GPS mapping provide comprehensive insights into your runs.
Incorporating third-party apps is seamless, and the option to set up personalized digital bezel tiles for quick access to preferred functionalities enhances usability. However, the watch’s battery life remains a concern. Although it charges quickly, it typically offers around 25 hours of usage on a full charge. This may necessitate daily charging for users who want to utilize the watch’s sleep tracking features over multiple nights.
Despite the battery limitations, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 delivers a commendable running experience, a range of health and fitness features, and a sleek design. For existing Samsung users or those in search of a feature-rich Wear OS smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 6 is a compelling choice.
Final Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 stands as a notable improvement over its predecessor. With upgraded processing power and RAM, it showcases enhanced performance and overall efficiency. The addition of new health features like high-heart-rate alerts and fall detection bolsters its appeal. Furthermore, its sleek design truly shines when paired with a Samsung phone.
While daily battery life isn’t as dire as initially perceived, it still falls short of the ideal duration we’d hope for. Nonetheless, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 emerges as a commendable smartwatch in a competitive landscape.
Buy It If:
- Samsung User: If you’re already a proud owner of a Samsung smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 offers a seamlessly integrated experience, making it an ideal companion.
- Running Enthusiast: With its advanced running metrics, user-friendly interface, and precise GPS tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 caters to runners of all levels.
- Wear OS Lover: If you value a wide range of third-party apps and desire an Android-specific smartwatch that goes beyond basic fitness tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is a strong contender.
Don’t Buy It If:
- Non-Samsung Phone Owner: While the watch is versatile, it truly shines when paired with Samsung Health and a Samsung smartphone. If you’re committed to a different brand, you might not fully utilize its potential.
- Focused on Fitness: If fitness features take precedence and you require longer battery life, other dedicated sports watches may be more suitable. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 has a relatively limited battery life, especially if you intend to use it for multiple nights of sleep tracking.
