I’m looking for a new watch, with a budget of £400 max. I currently have the Samsung Gear S3, and I really love the bezel. I was considering the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic but have heard some negative reviews about its battery life.
I’m also interested in Garmin watches, but there are so many options! Not sure which one to go for.
I’d like to use the watch for exercise tracking, like walking, running, gym sessions, and receiving phone notifications. Maybe a few calls too. I have a Google Pixel 9 that I’d be connecting to.
What would you all recommend: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic or a Garmin watch?
When you mention the bezel, are you referring to the design or the function of the bezel (using it to select things)? If it’s the functionality you’re after, Garmin doesn’t have that. Some Garmin watches offer a physical functional bezel, but most only have touch functionality on the screen to mimic a bezel.
As for battery life, the Galaxy Watches last around 1-2 days, depending on the size, since they run Wear OS. The exceptions are the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the Ultra, which can last up to 3 days. Garmin watches, on the other hand, can last up to 5 days with Always-On Display (AOD) on and some models even last longer, potentially up to 14-16 days. Samsung might have decent battery life, but Garmin is known for being much more efficient, especially in the lower-end models.
Regarding health features, a lot of Samsung’s health features require their app, which works best with a Samsung phone. You can find ways around it, like side-loading the app, but most of those features are more gimmicks and not super important. Garmin, however, offers excellent health and fitness features along with solid training metrics and analysis. Garmin might not be as stylish as Samsung but does much better with fitness and tracking features. The Venu 3 and Fenix 8 are the only Garmins with a mic and speaker for voice assistants. However, Garmin still does a better job with GPS and heart rate accuracy, while Samsung only gets close with its Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Samsung excels in smarts and connectivity, but Garmin is far better for fitness and tracking.
I’m in the same boat. I still have my original 1st Gen Galaxy Watch Classic, and I get 3-4 days on a charge after owning it for 4 years. I like the older Samsung watch designs and how they sync effortlessly with my S22.
I’ve been researching Garmin watches for a few months now, and I’ve narrowed it down to the Venu 3 or Epix Gen 2 Pro. I just ordered the Venu 3 today for $349 on sale at Amazon. I liked the look of the Epix more, but I couldn’t justify spending an extra $250 for features like a flashlight and workout tracking that I’d probably never use.
@Addison
I’ve seen the Epix Gen 2 (non-Pro) on sale for around £350, which is tempting. Let me know how the Venu 3 performs because it seems like the most solid option!