The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, in conjunction with the standard Galaxy Watch 8, is designed as a comprehensive fitness-tracking device, catering to various workouts and introducing innovative tracking metrics. Even the essential functions have undergone improvements.
This smartwatch keeps tabs on heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, stress levels, and a myriad of other health measurements. Samsung asserts that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic enhances heart rate monitoring thanks to a new lug system that positions the sensors closer to your skin while in motion. This guarantees superior contact with your wrist during diverse activities, potentially resulting in more accurate readings. Furthermore, the watch comes with dual-frequency GPS for enhanced location tracking, whether you’re exploring urban areas or trekking through nature.
The watch excels in automatically recognizing workouts, which is convenient if you forget to initiate a session manually. In evaluations, the stats were similar to those from the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though this doesn’t necessarily mean that either device is extremely accurate. You can log a broad spectrum of activities, such as running, cycling, swimming, and strength training. The watch also offers custom heart rate zones to optimize training intensity.
A particularly attractive feature is the Energy Score, which takes into account factors like workouts, sleep quality, and stress levels to provide an overall assessment of your readiness for the day. It’s a useful tool to help decide whether to exert maximum effort in a workout or ease off.
Sleep tracking is comprehensive and in-depth. The watch observes sleep cycles, respiration, skin temperature, and blood oxygen levels throughout the night. It can even utilize your phone’s microphone to recognize snoring. The watch can also detect signs of sleep apnea, although without having sleep apnea, evaluating its accuracy can be difficult. The sleep data is displayed in a user-friendly manner, complete with tips on how to enhance rest.
The notable new feature this year is the Antioxidant Index, which the watch can gauge when you place your thumb on the optical sensor for a few seconds. You must take off the watch to perform this, which is a bit inconvenient, but the process is rapid. It assesses carotenoid levels, which represent only one category of antioxidants, so it’s not necessarily medical-grade or exhaustive. My score was “Very Low,” and while it’s challenging to determine its accuracy, following a stretch of poor dietary habits, the result was not unexpected. It’s an intriguing addition that could encourage better eating habits, though you’ll need to remember to use it consistently.
In conclusion, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a well-rounded device for health and fitness tracking. It addresses all the essentials and features some functionalities that rival brands like Apple do not provide.
