Samsung has launched its latest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, which starts shipping today. As a reviewer with experience in wearables, I’ve put the Watch 8 Classic through its paces to share my initial thoughts.
One feature that stands out is the scrolling bezel, which rotates to navigate between screens and notifications. Although it’s convenient, I’m questioning its necessity, as swiping sideways remains an effective alternative. The rotating bezel also feels nice to turn, but its execution could be improved.
The watch’s running dynamics feature seems promising, displaying metrics like time spent on the ground and stride symmetry in real-time. This data is clear enough to provide valuable insights into your run. I’m curious to see how this feature performs during a faster run.
Heart rate zones are transparent and adapt to you, with notifications for updates based on max heart rate estimates. The watch faces are visually appealing, offering various styles and customization options.
One innovative feature is the antioxidant index test, which measures vitamin intake by analyzing skin tone. However, its accuracy remains uncertain, as it was fooled by a Cheez-It in testing.
As I continue to review the Watch 8 Classic, I’m excited to try out features like running coach and treadmill integration. However, some metrics, such as vascular load index, raise questions about their validity without further validation from Samsung.
Source: https://lifehacker.com/health/galaxy-watch-8-first-impressions