In an industry where slimmer slabs and bare-bones wearables dominate more and more, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic confidently revisits a popular classic feature—the bezel that spins—adding the most recent AI intelligence, health monitoring sensors, and a renewed rugged look. It was introduced in July 2025 along with the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch Ultra. It is the best combination of classic functionality and fresh innovation.
If you’re considering whether this smartwatch is worth putting on your wrist in 2025, this in-depth guide has got you covered from hardware and aesthetics to everyday performance, AI features, and wellness features.
Timeless Design, Futuristic Accents
Samsung has made a big design stride by mixing the familiar rotating bezel of previous Classic models with a slightly more “Ultra-style” rugged casing. It ends up in a smartwatch that’s premium, substantial, and unapologetically functional.
What’s New in the Design
- Rotating Mechanical Bezel: Now thicker, with deeper grooves for better grip and tactile feedback. It even has minute markers now.
- Stainless Steel Casing: Provides the watch with a premium, solid feel.
- Dynamic Lug System: One-click strap changes with improved grip and lock-in.
- New Quick Button: Programmable shortcut button—launch workouts, activate assistant, or open a favorite app.
Although the 46 mm may not fit tiny wrists, the overall look and feel convey solidity and luxury, with a feel that is like analog watches.
Display: Bright, Sharp, and Always-On
Samsung features the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic with a 1.34-inch Super AMOLED display, which offers a resolution of 438 × 438 pixels and a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits. Indoors or in the blistering sun, the images stay crisp and bright.
- Always-On Display (AOD): Choose from a variety of the watch faces that stay visible throughout the day.
- Sapphire Crystal Protection: Scratch-proof and extremely resistant.
- Ultra Smooth Touch Response: App navigation and swiping tiles is silky smooth.
For outdoor enthusiasts or for those who simply enjoy crisp images, this display is among the best on any wearable device available today.
Hardware & Performance: Designed for Speed and Storage
Under the hood of the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic lies the new Exynos W1000 processor, Samsung’s first 3 nm wearables processor. It is significantly faster than its predecessor, offering quicker performance, improved multitasking capabilities, and greater power efficiency.
Specs Breakdown
| Component | Spec |
| Processor | Exynos W1000 (5-core, 3 nm) |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Battery | 445 mAh |
| Charging | Wireless Fast Charging (WPC) |
| OS | Wear OS 6 + One UI Watch 8 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3, LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS |
This is also among the rare smartwatches that provide 64 GB of storage on board, so you have a lot of space for apps, music, and health data.
Battery Life: Good, but Charging Needs Improvement
With reverses such as with notifications, casual exercise, and Always-On Display, the battery lasts for approximately 40 hours. That can be extended to almost 2 days with or without AOD or with light use. Charging speed, however, still continues to be a sore area, taking ages to charge completely.
- Wireless-only Charging: No USB-C port, and fast charging is restricted to Sareverse wireless charging.
- No Reverse Wireless Charging from Samsung phones (still absent in 2025!).
Verdict: The battery life is good, but the options and speed of charging can be improved.
Gemini AI Integration: Your On-Wrist Smart Assistant
In a huge advancement, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the first-ever Android smartwatch to feature native Google Gemini AI integration. This allows for a plethora of smart features even without your phone in proximity (if connected via Wi-Fi or LTE).
Gemini AI Can:
- Summarize your day (meetings, steps, sleep)
- Initiate workouts/classes or alarms through voice
- Compose message replies based on intelligence
- Create reminders, alarms, or shopping lists
- Offer navigation assistance, weather, and more
The cherry on top? Gemini adapts to your routine and becomes smarter over time, delivering a more personalized wearable experience than ever.
Health Features: Wellness Meets Technology
Samsung keeps its health emphasis going with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. In it, the user gets pre-installed with the latest wellness monitoring features, which are perfect for fitness enthusiasts and healthy living users alike.
Key Health Features
- Samsung BioActive Sensor: A single device with heart rate, SpO₂, BIA, ECG, and skin temperature sensors.
- New: Antioxidant Index: Monitors carotenoid in skin to approximate oxidative stress and nutrition status.
- New: Vascular Health: Monitors arterial stiffness when sleeping to identify early cardiovascular stress.
- Body Composition Analysis (BIA): Gives body fat %, skeletal muscle, water %.
- Sleep Tracking with Apnea Alerts: Monitors sleep stages, snomuscle, andd sleep apnea risk.
- Energy Score: Combines activity, stress, and sleep data to snoring, andergy level.
- Stress Tracking: Tracks stress in real time and provides with snoring and energyercises.
- Cycle Tracking for Women: Adds temperature sensor input.
- Fall Detection + Emergency SOS: With auto-alerts to contacts and emergency services.
Fitness Modes & Sports Tools
Whatever your fitness style, the Watch 8 Classic’s got it covered.
- More than 100 workout modes
- Auto-detection of walking, running, rowing, elliptical, etc.
- Advanced Running Coach: Provides in-run scores, real-time cadence, and aerobic advice.
- Route Tracking with GPX file import (ideal for trail runners)
- New Group Challenges: Challenge friends through the Samsung Health “Together” feature
The Watch is easily synced with third-party apps such as Strava, Google Fit, and MyFitnessPal too.
Software & Ecosystem: One UI Watch 8 with Wear OS 6
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic features Wear OS 6 layered with Samsung’s One UI Watch 8 for a comfortable and clean interface with pertinent enhancements.
Key Software Enhancements
- Now Bar: Residual smart dock displaying active tasks (such as timers or workouts)
- Multi-Info Tiles: Personalized tiles displaying calendar, weather, and battery in a single scroll
- Enhanced Notifications: Inline replies and grouped views
- Gesture Navigation: Fast flicks and wrist gestures now more sensitive
- SmartThings Integration: Manage smart home lights, locks, and thermostats from the wrist
- Samsung Wallet: Now accepts transit cards, boarding passes, and UPI payments in supported countries
Samsung also includes offline music support via YouTube Music, Spotify, and other apps.
Colors, Bands & Customization
| Feature | Options |
| Case Colors | Black, Silver |
| Watch Faces | Hundreds, with customization |
| Bands | Fluoroelastomer, Leather, Milanese, Metal Link |
| Band Swap | One-click lug system |
The new lug system works great and feels secure—even if you’re switching from gym to boardroom in minutes.
Pricing & Availability
| Variant | Price (INR) | Price (USD) |
| Galaxy Watch 8 Classic BT | ₹46,999 | $499 |
| Galaxy Watch 8 Classic LTE | ₹50,999 | $549 |
Available in India, the US, the UK, and other major markets from July 25, 2025.
Pros and Cons
Pros of Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
- Top-of-the-line rotating bezel experience
- Breathtaking 3,000-nit AMOLED screen
- In-depth health & fitness monitoring
- Google Gemini AI actually makes sense
- Sapphire glass premium build quality
- Best-in-class 64 GB storage
- LTE model is even standalone-capable
Cons of Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
- Limited to one size: 46 mm might be big for some
- Chunky construction isn’t for minimalist tastes
- Charges slowly even on fast wireless chargers
- No iOS compatibility (Android-only)
Who Should Buy the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic?
Buy Galaxy Watch 8 Classic if:
- You desire the finest Android smartwatch
- You are extremely concerned about health metrics
- You prefer a bold, traditional wristwatch style
- You prefer a bezel that rotates and are willing to accept some heft
Skip Galaxy Watch 8 Classic if:
- Do you prefer ultra-light or slim watches
- You have an iPhone
- You do not like wearing large wristpieces
Final Verdict: The Most Complete Android Watch Yet?
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic isn’t a return to its roots—it’s a leap forward. Merging Samsung’s mature hardware system and Google’s growing AI capabilities, it’s potentially the most feature-complete smartwatch on the market for Android users.
Though it won’t satisfy everyone—particularly those who desire slimmer or more delicate aesthetics—the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic shines in functionality, fitness, aesthetics, and smarts.
If you were a fan of the revolving bezel and waited for a smartwatch that would feel like a normal watch doing things a phone can’t—this is it.
