Samsung Galaxy Watch (42 and 46 mm) - advantages and disadvantages

While other mobile phone manufacturers generally neglect the smart watch and sports watch market, the top manufacturer Samsung continues to improve rapidly in this industry. Last year, he presented the popular Gear Sport model, and in 2018 the time has come for a novelty in this series - the Samsung Galaxy Watch (42 and 46 mm), the advantages and disadvantages of which are discussed in this article.

It is worth noting that some time earlier, the company had a convenient watch under the Tizen shell called Gear, and the Galaxy trademark was used only for devices running Android OS. But now Samsung has decided to get rid of these formalities.

Review of Samsung Galaxy Watch (42 and 46 mm)

Samsung Galaxy Watch has become another innovation presented together with the new Galaxy Note 9. The gadget replaced the well-known Gear 3 and, as fans have already noted, the Korean manufacturer slightly changed their name.

How are they different from previous models?

Externally, the watch is very reminiscent of the Gear S3 Frontier gadget with a round look and teeth on the rotating bezel. Gear Sport were slightly thicker and more angular in appearance, but from the latter, the novelty inherited 5 ATM water resistance. In simple terms, in theory, the device is able to withstand a depth of 50 m. It is worth noting that safety is according to MIL-STD-810G standards, as well as IP68.

Of the major updates - the use of a completely new dual-core Exynos 9110 processor with a clock speed of 1.15 GHz, made using 10-nanometer technology, which (according to the developers) is significantly more productive. The amount of built-in memory is 4 GB, RAM is 768 MB.

Updated the heart rate monitor, added the functions of tracking human well-being. For example, it is possible to explore the degree of stress. And in the “native” sports program, there are many new workouts, including strength, which, according to fans, were sorely lacking.

The role of the operating system is played by OS Wearable 4 versions based on Tizen. Galaxy Watch now has Bixby voice assistant. Otherwise, the differences are insignificant: they used Super AMOLED, the diagonal of which is 1.2 inches (in the modification of 46 mm - 1.3), the resolution is old - 360x360, there is automatic backlight control, as well as Always On Display.

The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass DX+, designed specifically for wearable devices. There are wireless units GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.From scanners: a new heart rate sensor, a gyroscope, a barometer and even an altimeter. The battery power has been slightly reduced, now it is 270 mAh (for example, the Gear Sport model had a battery capacity of 300 mAh), but the developers claim that due to the innovative processor, the battery holds a charge for a long time (4 days). In the 46 mm modification, the battery is much more powerful - 472 mAh, which in theory is enough for a whole week.

How they look or design and ergonomics

The design of the new model is very similar to the Gear S3 Frontier, as discussed above. This is due to a rotating ring with teeth and grooves like mechanical devices. If you take a closer look, there is still a difference with the Frontier, but in general it is cosmetic: the teeth are now slightly smaller, and the rifling has slightly changed in appearance. The case, as before, is made of metal materials and assembled integrally, from the security side, the display is slightly sunk into the case.

The 42 mm modification is very similar in size and weight to an ordinary mechanical watch, which cannot be said about the 46 mm version. The swivel ring is comfortable, rotates easily even with wet hands, does not slip. On the side you can see 2 keys of a mechanical type: "Back" and "Home" (it is also responsible for the menu). Their dimensions and appearance are similar to the Frontier model - a large, slightly domed cover. Users note that it is comfortable to work with them in gloves.

Galaxy Watch is water resistant, 5 ATM approved. In theory, this allows you to dive the device to a depth of 50 m, but in reality everything is a little more difficult. Do not forget that the gadget can withstand water pressure of 5 atmospheres, and in some actual cases it can exceed the nominal figure.

For example, if you jump from a height into the water or suddenly hit the water with the hand on which the watch is worn, then the pressure is capable of exceeding these very 5 ATM for a moment. If we talk about typical use, then shower, rain, as well as washing dishes, the device withstands with ease. Users note that in the process of swimming at a depth of 3 m, everything is also fine.

The back cover is made of plastic, you can see a heart rate monitor on it, as well as a small hole in the ATM sensor. The heart rate scanner is again updated with 4 photo transmitters and 1 LED. The entire block peeks out slightly from behind the panel, which allows the watch to sit more tightly on the hand. In addition, according to the theory, this contributes to the accuracy of monitoring.

Three speaker holes are visible on one side, and next to the Home key is a conversational microphone that works through the watch using S Voice and the Bixby assistant.

The belt is removed. As before, typical spring-loaded locking elements were used. In the 42 mm modification, the width of the belts is 20 mm. There are many variations from the company. It is also allowed to put any other strap, as long as the width is suitable. It is worth noting that the yellow belt looks very cool and not stereotyped, however, in combination with a business style, it will look ridiculous. As for the material, it is comfortable and does not cause discomfort.

The clasp is ordinary, as on classic devices. It is worth noting that, as is typical for the company, various hand sizes will be available for sale.

In general, the novelty is fully similar to high-quality, expensive mechanical watches.In addition, the developers have included the ability to activate the sound of the arrows to get the maximum similarity with conventional wrist devices. As a result, you can’t undermine the reliability of the assembly and design: everything is done by 10 points.

Screen and controls

The model is equipped with a roundish multi-touch screen, the dimensions of which are 1.3 inches (in the modification of 42 mm - 1.2). The developers used Super AMOLED, the resolution is 360x360px, all this is protected by Corning Gorilla DX + glass. The color palette is traditionally saturated for this type of matrix, and sharpness is controlled within 10 parameters, but in the sun it automatically increases due to the light sensor, which allows the display to be readable. In general, this screen is a joy to work with: it is quite large, has an excellent view and is perfectly readable.

To work with the interface of the device, both a multi-touch display and a navigation ring that is located around it are used. The latter makes it possible not to block the data and comfortably rotates. In addition, there are two mechanical keys on the right side of the gadget's shell: the top one is responsible for stepping back, and if you hold it down for a few seconds, it opens Samsung Pay. The lower one, in turn, launches the software menu and returns to the main screen with the dial. It is worth noting that it is allowed to set an instant double-click action on it, for example, open exercises or assign an alert.

Filling, connection, configuration

That's what's really new in the gadget, so it's stuffing. The device is based on the Exynos 9110 dual-core processor with a clock frequency of 1.15 GHz, made using 10 nanometer technology.However, the RAM capacity remained the same (768 MB) with 4 GB of internal memory. For the model, this is enough to guarantee a fast interface and instant opening of applications.

Of the wireless blocks in the Galaxy Watch, there is Bluetooth version 4.2, Wi-Fi, and an NFC module. The gadget connects to phones running Android 5 version and higher. In addition, they work with the iPhone, where the operating system is not lower than the ninth version. In the situation with Android devices, a person will receive one hundred percent functionality, but on the iPhone, performance will be slightly limited due to the limitations of the “apple” system. For example, a person will not be able to receive notifications on the device every time; on Android, of course, there are no such difficulties.

To work with the device, you need to install the Galaxy Wearable program on your phone, thanks to which the connection and further configuration are carried out. In this application, a person will see the state of the gadget: the degree of charge, the capacity of RAM and ROM.

There is also an opportunity to put “non-native” programs and dials from Samsung Apps on the clock and, in addition, select and adjust one of the available dials. There are 13 of the latter in the system, some of them are very similar to each other, so fans of diversity will have to look for different solutions in the Samsung store.

Another program became responsible for the configuration of notifications shown on the display of the Galaxy Watch. This system supports all the programs that are installed on the phone, so the owner has the opportunity to choose which alerts to show and which not.

In addition, for some of the notifications on the device itself there is a list of actions, for example, it is possible to read and reply in the Telegram chat, open Gmail, instantly respond to a letter, delete it or send it to the archive. All in all, a fairly intelligent system that allows you to control alerts on your Galaxy Watch without touching your phone.

In addition to wireless units, the model is used thanks to A-GPS / Glonass for the purpose of designation. This is necessary for monitoring some of the sports, and also for navigation, if you install a “non-native” program on the gadget for this purpose.

NFC in the functionality of the watch is necessary for the operation of the Samsung Pay payment service, which still does not work on the territory of Ukraine, but users expect that the company will correct this shortcoming very soon.

In the tested version of the watch, there was no LTE block, but the Galaxy Watch receives incoming calls using Bluetooth. Therefore, they also work as a wireless headset, which is convenient while driving or when you cannot answer a call using your phone. In addition, in the reviews, users note that the earpiece in the device is now much louder.

Interface and software

The watch runs on OS Tizen 4.0. The entire interface of the Galaxy Watch is based around the screen, the application icons in the menu are placed in a circle, and the widgets are drawn in such a way as to display the maximum necessary information, based on the dimensions of the display. It is worth noting that navigating through the interface is very comfortable to do using the ring around the screen.

The operating system interface itself is practically the same as the previous version. The main display in it is invariably a dial showing the time and other useful information.If you swipe to the right, the notification display will open, and to the left - widgets that you can delete and change to others.

The application menu is launched by the bottom key, which is located on the right side of the device. In addition, straight from the dial, moving from the bottom up, the quick settings menu is launched, in which the energy-saving and “Flight” modes are activated, as well as unlocking and locking the display for the period of swimming. Here it is also possible to configure sharpness, play music and launch a complete menu of options.

“From the factory” on the Galaxy Watch are installed programs for calls and SMS, editing contacts, calendar, email and weather. In addition, the watch is preloaded with the S Health app, which collects information about the number of steps taken and training. Installing other applications on the device is allowed using Samsung Apps, where, among other things, there are a lot of interesting clients for users.

Sports options

The built-in accelerograph, gyroscope, weather sensor, and heart rate monitor allow the watch to accumulate information about the wearer's bodily activity and heart rate. All this data is located in the S Health app, where it undergoes a detailed analysis.

Galaxy Watch is able to monitor not just the distance traveled, but also running, swimming, cycling, as well as many sports exercises.

During training, the watch collects heart rate data using a heart rate monitor. It is quite accurate when compared with similar scanners, but inferior to the chest sensor.At the same time, due attention should be paid to the fact that during the run, the optical scanner measures the heart rate more accurately than during sports exercises in the fitness center or during swimming in the pool, since its barrier is humidity.

Interesting fact! If you fall asleep in the Galaxy Watch, they will automatically monitor the period and efficiency of sleep, while the owner is allowed to set an alarm that wakes him up with a sound notification or vibration.

The built-in A-GPS / Glonass unit allows the device to monitor the distance traveled while running or cycling. And for this purpose, you don’t even need to use your phone, because the watch indicates geolocation without it. The launch of the A-GPS / Glonass block in this situation will take about half a minute, but in a densely built-up environment of a metropolis, this period of time can increase to a couple of minutes.

To indicate the height, the gadget has a sensor that works on the basis of a weather scanner that determines the ATM drop at different heights.

In general, when compared with previous models, the list of sports options in the new product, albeit slightly, has increased. The Galaxy Watch now comes with swim support, as well as many options for monitoring workouts in the gym.

autonomy

Wireless charging remains the same. It connects to a power source using a MicroUSB-USB cable. When connected, an LED is activated at the bottom of the stand. During the connection process, the display shows the actual state of the battery and a green strip around the perimeter.

What is fascinating is that the battery has dropped to 270 mAh (on the contrary, it has increased in the 46 mm version), which is why most users expected autonomy, like on older models. But, as it turned out, statements about the improvement of the Exynos 9110, as well as the innovative 10 nanometer technology, have their own. It is possible to put the battery to zero in a day only in the first couples of using the gadget, since you will have to install all the programs, configure the little things, and so on.

Following this, the watch works stably for several days at maximum screen brightness, activated Always On Display, auto-monitoring of heart rate, stress level, and so on. With a similar load, the predecessors held out to the full for a day or two.

Characteristics

What is the price?

Average price of Samsung Galaxy Watch 46mm:

• In Russia - 25,000 rubles;
• In Ukraine - 10,000 hryvnia.

Average price of Samsung Galaxy Watch 42mm:

• In Russia - 26,500 rubles;
• In Ukraine - 10,500 hryvnia.

• Moisture protection;
• Pollution protection;
• Immersion in water up to 50 m;
• Appearance;
• Screen;
• Performance;
• Lots of useful sensors and options.

• MicroUSB socket on a regular stand.

Results

Galaxy Watch is an intelligent novelty from Samsung, which generally repeats its predecessor. But when compared with earlier versions, this gadget guarantees better autonomy, as well as complete security while swimming. Therefore, this device will boldly enter the upcoming rating of high-quality gadgets of the innovative generation. An attractive appearance is also important, as well as an excellent list of parameters.

It is appropriate to say that this novelty, like other models of smart gadgets from Samsung, will be the most suitable for Android smartphone owners who need such devices not only for training, but also as an addition to the phone.