Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Specs Comparison
The Galaxy Watch 9 is the better buy if prices are close, thanks to newer hardware and a few useful refinements. But Watch 8 owners have little reason to upgrade, as the overall experience remains very similar.
Key differences
Feature
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Release date
2026-07
2025-07
Weight
44 mm: 34.0 g; 40 mm: 31.5 g
44 mm: 34.0 g; 40 mm: 30.0 g
Operating system at launch
Wear OS 7 Powered by Samsung; One UI 9 Watch
Wear OS 6 Powered by Samsung; One UI 8 Watch
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite / SDW6100 (3 nm, penta-core)
Exynos W1000 (3 nm, penta-core)
Bluetooth
Yes (6.0)
Yes (5.3)
Full specs comparison
Use the full table below for the complete side-by-side specification breakdown.
| Specification | | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Release date | 2026-07 | 2025-07 |
| Physical size | 44 mm: 46.0 x 43.7 x 8.6 mm; 40 mm: 42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6 mm | 44 mm: 46.0 x 43.7 x 8.6 mm; 40 mm: 42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6 mm |
| Weight | 44 mm: 34.0 g; 40 mm: 31.5 g | 44 mm: 34.0 g; 40 mm: 30.0 g |
| Material | Armor Aluminum case; sapphire crystal | Armor Aluminum case; sapphire crystal |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM; IP68; MIL-STD-810H | 5 ATM; IP68; MIL-STD-810H |
| Color options | Graphite, Silver, Cream | Graphite, Silver |
| Display type | Super AMOLED, full-colour Always On Display | Super AMOLED, full-colour Always On Display |
| Display size | 44 mm: 1.47 inches (37.3 mm); 40 mm: 1.34 inches (34 mm) | 44 mm: 1.47 inches (37.3 mm); 40 mm: 1.34 inches (34 mm) |
| Display resolution | 44 mm: 480 x 480 pixels; 40 mm: 438 x 438 pixels | 44 mm: 480 x 480 pixels; 40 mm: 438 x 438 pixels |
| Display brightness | Up to 3,000 nits | Up to 3,000 nits |
| Display protection | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal |
| Battery | Built-in rechargeable battery; 44 mm: 445 mAh; 40 mm: 390 mAh | Built-in rechargeable battery; 44 mm: 435 mAh; 40 mm: 325 mAh |
| Battery life | Up to 40 hours with AOD off; up to 30 hours with AOD on | Up to 40 hours with AOD off; up to 30 hours with AOD on |
| Charging | Fast wireless charging | Fast wireless charging |
| Sensors | ||
| GNSS type | Built-in dual-band GNSS | Built-in dual-band GNSS |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| GALILEO | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS | Yes | Yes |
| QZSS | Yes | No |
| Beidou | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Geomagnetic | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Optical heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Electrical heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| SpO2 | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature | Yes | Yes |
| Galvanic skin response | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Vibration motor | Yes | Yes |
| Health & activity tracking | ||
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes |
| Floors | Yes | Yes |
| Sports tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| HRV | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | Yes |
| Skin temperature | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | Yes | Yes |
| Blood pressure | Yes (Samsung Health Monitor; availability varies by market, calibration required) | Yes (Samsung Health Monitor; availability varies by market, calibration required) |
| Body composition | Yes | Yes |
| Glucose | No | No |
| Hydration level | No | No |
| UV exposure | No | No |
| Calorie intake | No | No |
| Hyperglycemia risk assessment | No | No |
| Arterial stiffness detection | No | No |
| Pulse wave arrhythmia analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Daily smart features | ||
| Smartphone compatibility | Android with Google Mobile Services | Android with Google Mobile Services |
| Operating system at launch | Wear OS 7 Powered by Samsung; One UI 9 Watch | Wear OS 6 Powered by Samsung; One UI 8 Watch |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite / SDW6100 (3 nm, penta-core) | Exynos W1000 (3 nm, penta-core) |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Bluetooth | Yes (6.0) | Yes (5.3) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) |
| NFC / connected pay | Yes | Yes |
| UWB | No | No |
| Cellular | Optional LTE/eSIM | Optional LTE/eSIM |
| Smartphone notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
| Smartphone music control | Yes | Yes |
| On-board music storage | Yes | Yes |
| Voice assistant | Google Gemini / Bixby | Google Gemini / Bixby |
| Navigation, safety & special features | ||
| Maps | Yes (Google Maps) | Yes (Google Maps) |
| Offline maps | Yes (Google Maps) | Yes (Google Maps) |
| Navigation | Yes (turn-by-turn navigation) | Yes (turn-by-turn navigation) |
| Emergency SOS | Yes | Yes |
| Satellite SOS | No | No |
| Fall detection | Yes | Yes |
| LED flashlight | No | No |
| Links | ||
| Affiliate link | Amazon, Samsung | Amazon, Samsung |
| Read more | Article | Article |