Samsung unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 and Watch8 Classic at its Unpacked event today – the thinnest smartwatches ever, with a cushioned design, a display that shines with 3,000 nits of brightness, and a bunch of new AI features, including antioxidant measurement and built-in Google Gemini. Sales start in Europe on July 25, with prices starting at €379, while the base US model costs €349.
If you've given up on smartwatches being able to actually get you to bed at a decent hour or motivate you for that last mile of your run, Samsung's eighth generation - the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - promises to do just that. TM Roh, the head of the mobile division, says that "through innovative technology, we are enabling healthier lives for billions of people."
It sounds ambitious – but when a watch measures your carotenoids in five seconds and politely reminds you it's time for bed, it might not just be marketing.
Iconic 'pillow' design in the thinnest version
The cushion-like design we saw on the Watch Ultra is now standard across the range. A completely redesigned internal design makes the Watch8 11 % thinner, yet retains sapphire crystal and 5 ATM / IP68 protection. The Super AMOLED display reaches 3,000 nits, so it's readable even in the middle of July noon, while dual GPS ensures you won't get lost in the urban jungle.
3nm Exynos W1000: small chip, big difference
Inside, the new five-core Exynos W1000, Samsung's first 3nm watch processor, ticks away. The result is faster animations, smoother scrolling through One UI 8 Watch tiles, and most importantly, less jitter when the watch is counting miles instead of seconds to wake up.
Antioxidant Index and other health news
Samsung's motto "from sleep to exercise" is made concrete here:
- Antioxidant Index It measures carotenoid levels in five seconds and suggests it might be time for a salad.
- Bedtime Guidance analyzes your circadian rhythm and tells you when it's a good idea to turn off Netflix.
- Vascular Load measures vascular stress during sleep, Running Coach then rates your readiness from 1 to 10 and creates a training plan.
- When you exaggerate, High Stress Alert triggers a digital “breathe” reminder, Energy Score and combines the physical and mental energy of the day in one number.
Wear OS 6 + Google Gemini: a watch that understands free speech
The Galaxy Watch8 is the first watch to run Wear OS 6 out of the box, and One UI 8 brings Multi-Info tiles and a new Now Bar. Even more exciting, it has Google Gemini built in: you can start a workout, find a coffee shop, and text a friend with your voice—without having to pick up your phone.
Prices, models and competition
The standard Watch8 comes in 40 and 44 mm sizes in graphite and silver, while the Watch8 Classic comes in 46 mm in black or white. In Europe, prices start at €379 (40 mm) and go up to €529 for the Classic, while in the US, prices start at €349 for the $ and €499 for the $. Pre-orders are now open, with the first watches set to hit wrists on July 25.
Conclusion: a small step for the clock, a big step for sleep
The Galaxy Watch8 is anything but an evolutionary sliver – it brings design unification, a brand new sensor, and built-in artificial intelligence that can tell you when to slow down and when to speed up. Apple Watch has a serious competitor that will first make you laugh with a digital avocado reminder, then get you off the couch. If you've been waiting for a smartwatch to evolve into a personal (albeit slightly sarcastic) trainer, the Galaxy Watch8 might be the answer.
