Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

Home » Specs » Samsung » Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is Samsung’s 46mm rotating-bezel Wear OS watch from 2025, and the most recent Classic model.

Manufacturer	Samsung
Type	GPS smartwatch, Wear OS
Series	Galaxy Watch Classic
Released	25 July 2025 (announced 9 July 2025, Galaxy Unpacked)
Price at launch	£449 UK, $499.99 US, €529.99 Europe (Bluetooth)
Predecessor	Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (2023)
Successor	None announced. See Release Radar
Sizes	46mm (large)
Variants	Bluetooth, or Bluetooth and LTE
Colours	Black, White

Specifications and features as at launch.

Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Comparisons | Quick answers | Further reading

Expert opinion

Who it suits: Best for users who prefer a premium, traditional watch appearance with tactile physical controls, extensive smartphone integration and comprehensive health and fitness features.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic runs Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch, offering Google Gemini, third-party apps, notifications, navigation, Samsung Health, sleep coaching, ECG, body-composition analysis, vascular-load monitoring and compatible running-coaching features. Its defining software-and-hardware interaction is the physical rotating bezel, which allows users to navigate menus and widgets without relying exclusively on the touchscreen; a customisable quick-access button provides another shortcut. The 46mm stainless-steel case weighs 63.5g and houses a 1.34-inch Super AMOLED display with sapphire crystal, a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, 2GB RAM and 64GB storage. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 5.3, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC, dual-frequency GPS and optional LTE, while the BioActive sensor combines optical heart-rate monitoring, electrical heart signals and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Its 445mAh battery supports wireless charging, although real-world endurance depends on GPS, always-on display and LTE usage. The 5ATM, IP68 and MIL-STD-810H ratings provide water, dust and environmental protection. Compared with the standard Watch 8, the Classic offers more storage and tactile controls, but its heavier construction can affect comfort and sensor contact during exercise; independent testing has also reported inconsistent heart-rate readings during some workouts.

What’s new versus the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic

Hardware

• Cushion design, the rounded-square case shape first used on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, with the rotating bezel retained
• Quick Button, carried over from the Galaxy Watch Ultra and remappable
• One 46mm size, replacing the 43mm and 47mm sizes
• Samsung Exynos W1000, 3nm with five cores
• 64GB of storage
• Dual-frequency GPS, L1 and L5
• 445mAh battery
• Display brightness up to 3,000 nits, on a 1.34in screen
• Dynamic Lug System, for a closer fit and quicker strap changes

Software

• One UI 8 Watch on Wear OS 6
• Google Gemini as the default assistant
• Running Coach, which sets a running level from 1 to 10 and builds a three to five week plan, available on the Galaxy Watch 8 series and later
• Vascular Load, measured overnight, a Labs feature
• Antioxidant index, measured through the BioActive sensor
• Bedtime guidance, based on three days of sleep data

Specifications

Display
Type	Super AMOLED, always-on
Size	1.34in
Resolution	438 x 438
Brightness	Up to 3,000 nits
Cover	Sapphire crystal
Bezel	Rotating
Physical
Case size	46mm (large)
Dimensions	46.4 x 46.0 x 10.6mm
Weight	63.5g
Case material	Stainless steel
Water resistance	5 ATM
Dust	IP68
Durability	MIL-STD-810H
Buttons	Home and back buttons, plus the Quick Button
Sensors and positioning
Heart rate	Optical heart rate sensor, electrical heart sensor for ECG
Body composition	Bioelectrical impedance analysis
Other sensors	Accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic, light, infrared temperature
GNSS	Dual-frequency GPS, L1 and L5
© the5krunner. Link required.
Connectivity and storage
Processor	Samsung Exynos W1000, 3nm, five cores at 1.6GHz and 1.5GHz
Memory and storage	2GB and 64GB
Bluetooth	5.3
Wi-Fi	2.4GHz and 5GHz
Cellular	LTE on the LTE variant, eSIM, availability varies by country and carrier
NFC	Yes
Operating system	Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch
Phone compatibility	Android 12 or above. The Galaxy Wearable app does not support iPhone

Battery life

Samsung quotes up to 30 hours with the always-on display enabled, the same figure as the smaller Galaxy Watch 8, from a larger 445mAh cell. It publishes no GPS recording figure. The watch charges wirelessly and supports fast charging with the supplied charger.

Capacity	445mAh typical
Normal use, always-on display enabled	Up to 30 hours
Charging	WPC wireless, fast charging supported
© the5krunner. Link required.

Features

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic shares its software with the Galaxy Watch 8. Feature availability depends on the Samsung Health app version, on the country and on the phone. Blood pressure, ECG and sleep apnoea detection need a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Training

• Running Coach with a running level test and a three to five week guided plan
• Quick Button, assignable to a workout or another shortcut
• Personalised heart rate zones
• VO2 max estimate
• Advanced running metrics
• Fall detection and Emergency SOS

Health and recovery

• Energy Score, a daily readiness rating from sleep, heart signals and activity
• Sleep tracking with stages, sleep score and Sleep Coaching
• Bedtime guidance from three days of sleep data
• Vascular Load, measured overnight after three nights’ wear within 14 days, a Labs feature
• Sleep apnoea risk detection, limited to selected countries and to users aged 22 and over
• Blood pressure, requiring calibration against a cuff every four weeks, with availability limited by country
• ECG and irregular heart rhythm notification through the Samsung Health Monitor app
• Antioxidant index, measured through the BioActive sensor
• AGEs index, measured overnight
• Body composition through bioelectrical impedance analysis
• Guided breathing, meditation and stress tracking

Smartwatch and platform

• Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch and the Google Play Store
• Google Gemini voice assistant
• Now bar and multi-info tiles
• NFC payments with Samsung Pay

Activity profiles

The following are the exercise types predefined in Samsung Health, the platform the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic runs on. The selectable set on any given watch depends on the model, the region and the software version.

Walking and running

• Walking
• Running

Ball and team sports

• Baseball
• Softball
• Cricket
• Hockey
• Rugby
• Basketball
• Football (soccer)
• Handball
• American football
• Volleyball
• Beach volleyball

Golf and bowling

• Golf
• Bowling

Racket sports

• Squash
• Tennis
• Badminton
• Table tennis
• Racquetball

Combat sports

• Boxing
• Martial arts

Dance

• Ballet
• Dancing
• Ballroom dancing

Mind and body

• Pilates
• Yoga
• Stretching

Strength and conditioning

• Jump rope
• Hula-hooping
• Push-ups
• Pull-ups
• Sit-ups
• Circuit training
• Mountain climbers
• Jumping jacks
• Burpee
• Bench press
• Squats
• Lunges
• Leg presses
• Leg extensions
• Leg curls
• Back extensions
• Lat pull-downs
• Deadlifts
• Shoulder presses
• Front raises
• Lateral raises
• Crunches
• Leg raises
• Plank
• Arm curls
• Arm extensions

Outdoor and adventure

• Cycling
• Mountain biking
• Hiking
• Backpacking
• Rock climbing
• Orienteering
• Horseback riding
• Archery
• Hang gliding
• Flying disc
• Inline skating
• Roller skating
• Aerobics

Water sports

• Swimming
• Aquarobics
• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Rafting
• Sailing
• Yachting
• Windsurfing
• Kitesurfing
• Water skiing
• Scuba diving
• Snorkeling

Gym machines

• Treadmill
• Exercise bike
• Elliptical trainer
• Rowing machine
• Step machine
• Weight machine

Winter sports

• Alpine skiing
• Skiing (downhill)
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowboarding
• Snowshoeing
• Ice skating
• Ice dancing
• Ice hockey

Comparisons and upgrade guides

• Galaxy Watch 9 vs Galaxy Watch 8, including why there is no Watch 9 Classic
• Galaxy Watch upgrade guide, Watch 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: leaked renders and specs, and what they meant for the Classic

Quick answers

When was the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic released?
Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic on 9 July 2025 at Galaxy Unpacked, and it was released on 25 July 2025. The launch price was GBP 449 or USD 499.99 for the Bluetooth model.

Is the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic waterproof?
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has a 5 ATM water rating, an IP68 dust rating and MIL-STD-810H durability.

What size and weight is the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic?
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic comes in a single 46mm stainless steel case, measures 46.4 x 46.0 x 10.6mm and weighs 63.5g. It has a 1.34 inch Super AMOLED display and a rotating bezel.

What is the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic battery life?
Samsung quotes up to 30 hours with the always-on display enabled, from a 445mAh battery. The watch charges wirelessly and supports fast charging with the supplied charger.

Does the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic have ECG?
Yes, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has an electrical heart sensor for ECG, which works through the Samsung Health Monitor app. ECG needs a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Does the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic work with iPhone?
No, the Galaxy Wearable app does not support iPhone. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic needs a phone running Android 12 or above.

Further reading

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: everything you need to know
• Samsung watch specifications
• Release Radar

Related watches

The Galaxy Watch 9 is Samsung’s current everyday watch, in 40mm and 44mm aluminium without a rotating bezel.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is Samsung’s titanium watch, with longer battery life, a 5,000-nit display, diving to 40m and direct power meter pairing.