Samsung announced a new Galaxy Watch 8 at their Galaxy Unpacked event this week. (We have more here on that, including two new phones that were also announced.) The Galaxy Watch 8 brings back the rotating bezel in a Classic version, and has some intriguing new health metrics that I haven’t seen in any other smartwatches: Vascular Load and Antioxidant Index. There will also be run coaching and sleep coaching.
Watch 8, 40 mm: $349 for Bluetooth/wifi, $399 for LTE
Watch 8 Classic, 46 mm: $499 for Bluetooth/wifi, $549 for LTE
What’s new in the Galaxy Watch 8
Physically, the shape and the rotating bezel (on the Classic) are the most obvious new features. The 8 is also a bit thinner than the Galaxy Watch 7, and there’s a redesigned lug (strap attachment) to help the watch sit more closely to your wrist. Samsung says this improves accuracy, which sounds plausible to me—I’ve noticed with other watches that a better fit means better heart rate tracking.
A running coach that rates your fitness on a scale of one to 10, and gives you a training plan to improve. To get your initial rating, you’ll need to answer some questions about your previous running experience, and then do a 12-minute run—also known as a Cooper test, this is a time-tested (if not perfectly accurate) method of estimating your VO2max. Samsung has a video with a demonstration of the test and examples of the workouts here.
Vascular load, which Samsung doesn’t really explain except to say that you’ll score better if you stay active, experience lower stress, and eat a healthy diet. Samsung previously told CNET that it has to do with arterial stiffness. There is research linking arterial stiffness to vascular load in a medical sense, and several wearables are now estimating arterial stiffness based on sensor readings. I’m looking forward to seeing more information from Samsung on how it’s calculating and validating this metric.
The run and sleep coaching are great new features to have in a smartwatch, but I’m a bit skeptical about how useful the vascular load and antioxidant index will be in real-life use. The Galaxy Watch 8 is available for pre-order now, and the Galaxy Watch 7 is currently on sale for almost 50% off.
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