Is the upgrade worth it?
The Galaxy Watch 3 was one of the greatest smartwatches on the market when it was originally debuted last year. However, a newcomer has appeared. Earlier this month, Samsung revealed the Galaxy Watch 4 series, including new features and improved technology. A newer product, on the other hand, does not always imply that it is superior. For a variety of reasons, the Galaxy Watch 3 could still be the ideal purchase for you.
The following are the differences between Samsung’s latest wearable gadget and its prior flagship smartwatch. Here, we will compare the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.
Design and build
The Galaxy Watch 3, Samsung’s standalone flagship smartwatch, was released in 2020. The Galaxy Watch 4 comes in two editions this year. Compared to the Galaxy Watch Active, it sports an aluminum body, a touch-sensitive bezel, and a cleaner display. This bezel, on the other hand, is a little tricky to utilize.
The Classic variant has a little chunkier build in addition to its tactile rotating bezel and carved minute markings. There are two dial sizes available on the Galaxy Watch 4.
| Product | Supplier | |
| Galaxy Watch 5 | Amazon | Check Price |
| Galaxy Watch 5 | eBay | Check Price |
| Watch 4 Classic | eBay | Check Price |
| Galaxy Watch 4 | Target | Check Price |
There are two screen sizes available for the Galaxy Watch 4 series: 1.2-inches and 1.4-inches. The redesigned Classic model has a larger face than its predecessor, with 46mm and 42mm options. The base edition of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes with a 40mm and 44mm face. This Galaxy Watch series is more compact than the Galaxy Watch 3 series, making it more comfortable to wear.
Aside from the rotating bezel, its design is what sets it apart. The buttons of the Galaxy Watch 3 were nubs that protrude from the right edge. Its core design is sleeker. It is a matter of personal preference whether or not this is an attractive option for you.
The Galaxy Watch 4 is our favorite of the two new smartwatches. It’s perfect for exercise because of its smaller size and reduced weight. It also wouldn’t look out of place in a boardroom.
Features and operating system
Are there any inconsistencies on the inside? Actually, yes, quite a few of them. First, let’s look at the operating system.
Samsung makes the long-awaited transfer from Tizen to Wear OS and One UI Watch with its fourth iteration, signaling a big shift in the wearable market. The Galaxy Watch 3 is Samsung’s first wearable to use Google’s co-developed Android operating system, and it’s a significant upgrade over the previous generation.
The Tizen app store is substantially smaller than Wear OS’s. The Galaxy Watch 4 series now includes Google Maps as well as better Android device syncing. With the move to Wear OS, the Watch 4’s compatibility with non-Samsung phones hasn’t improved, sadly.
Sensors
The Galaxy Watch 3 and Watch 4 are both compatible with iOS smartphones. However, the Watch 3 is not. In addition, for many new capabilities, such as health tracking, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 still significantly relies on Samsung’s smartphones. This was not an issue with the previous smartwatch.
Furthermore, Samsung neatly incorporates its own applications into the Watch 4. For example, Samsung Pay has supplanted Google Pay (though it is still available in the Play Store), while Samsung Health has supplanted Google Fit as the default monitoring software. Bixby takes the position of Google Assistant as a voice assistant.
The Galaxy Watch 3, on the other hand, will not receive any of the promised Wear OS updates. Samsung has stated that none of its Tizen devices would be updated to Wear OS or One UI Watch.
You’ll need to upgrade your watch if you want new OS features. At the same time, we haven’t heard anything from Google or Samsung on Wear OS improvements, though we expect both firms to be working on it.
Health tracking
One major criticism of the Galaxy Watch 3 was its health-tracking features. Its heart-rate monitoring was hit-or-miss, and its sleep-tracking abilities are hit-or-miss.
Both of these metrics have been enhanced in the Galaxy Watch 4 series, including new sensors. The BIA sensor gives useful information on bone density, body fat percentages, and water retention in addition to evaluating body composition.
Aside from blood pressure monitoring (available only in Australia), the sensor also includes an ECG and more frequent SpO2 measurements. Some functions from the Galaxy Watch 3 will be carried over to the Galaxy Watch 4 series, such as VO2 max monitoring and enhancements to automated workout recognition.
On the other hand, Samsung’s new watch isn’t without problems. Because GPS accuracy is uneven, outside activity tracking is unpredictable, and heart rate tracking isn’t as detailed as some users would want. To keep track of blood pressure and ECG, you’ll need a Samsung smartphone.
In addition to the sensors, Samsung has enhanced the Galaxy Watch 4’s core hardware…
Hardware
The Galaxy Watch 3 features 1GB of RAM, which appears to be sufficient for a smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch 4 series, on the other hand, outperforms this by a significant margin. It already comes with 16GB of storage in addition to 1.5GB of RAM. This should cover Wear OS as well as a variety of offline files. It should also lead to better performance.
It should also lead to better performance. Because of its improved user interface, the Galaxy Watch 4 series requires little effort to operate.
Battery life
Galaxy Watch 4 models with a larger battery pack outperform the smaller models. The battery capacity is 361mAh, which is somewhat higher than the bigger Galaxy Watch 3’s 340mAh battery.
The smaller Galaxy Watch 3 and 4 versions, for example, share a 247mAh battery. Nonetheless, the more energy-efficient chipset should lead to longer battery life. According to Samsung, a single charge will provide 40 hours of use.
However, this statement isn’t totally correct. According to user tests, the Galaxy Watch 4 might last up to 1.5 days on a single charge. This is identical to a Galaxy Watch 3. The smaller devices’ batteries last about 24 hours, which is significantly less than the larger versions. We propose the Galaxy Watch 3 or Galaxy Watch 4 if you need a long-lasting watch.
Value for money and price
How do these smartwatches fare in terms of monetary value? It’s difficult to dismiss the Galaxy Watch 4 series based on its impressive specification. When you factor in the cost, it becomes a lot more difficult.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 retails for slightly under $400. Despite this, it lacked a distinguishing trait. This device, which is frequently on sale currently, is still an expensive investment.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is one of the most adaptable smartwatches on the market. It’s fashionable, athletic, and equipped with sufficient health sensors.
With the Galaxy Watch 4 and Classic, Samsung looks to have taken criticisms seriously. The Galaxy Watch 3 will cost $50 more than the Galaxy Watch 2. When you consider its advantages over the previous model, it’s a no-brainer if you’re searching for a $300 smartwatch.
If you’re looking for a respectable successor to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 3, you don’t have to go much farther. This new Wear OS version of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is ideal for a night out or a day at the office.
The Galaxy Watch 4 Standard comes into play, even though it’s still a lot to pay for a smartwatch. A Bluetooth version starts at about $250, the same price as the Galaxy Watch Active 2’s launch pricing. The latter is currently available for less than $200.
Samsung and Google partnered up to fix the software situation for Android wearables. As a result, Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, both of which include the new Wear OS, which was co-developed by Samsung and Apple. The Watch 4 Classic, which is the ordinary Galaxy Watch 4 for active men and women, is for those who like a more traditional watch.
If you want LTE connectivity, both Galaxy Watch 4 models will set you back $50 extra.
Which Samsung Galaxy Watch should you buy: the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Galaxy Watch 3?
Samsung has made considerable progress with the Galaxy Watch 4 series. It now comes with a new operating system, as well as Google’s support and the promise of future development. It’s also less priced and has a better display, fitness functions, and sensors. Choosing the Galaxy Watch 4 series is a no-brainer.
This isn’t to imply the Galaxy Watch 3 isn’t worth considering. It’s frequently on sale, and with the new model joining the fray, we wouldn’t be surprised if a permanent price decrease follows soon. If you don’t need the extra capabilities of the Galaxy Watch 4 series, the Watch 3 is still a good option for a low price. It’s still a decent smartwatch that excels at a variety of tasks. It’s also your sole option if you’re an iOS user.
Samsung’s other smartwatch possibilities should also not be overlooked. It’s also worth mentioning the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. It is far less expensive than its competitors and serves as a suitable entry-level fitness tracker with a smartwatch look.
Apart from Samsung, there is a bevy of other contenders. Garmin, Fitbit, and Apple are some of the more intuitive fitness trackers available. Even though few smartwatches on the market can match the Galaxy Watch 3’s feature set, the Galaxy Watch 4 appears to build on and continue this trend.
If you enjoy reading about the latest smartwatches, check out everything you need to know about the Fitbit Charge 5.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2022
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