Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 review

Our Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 ($399) brings a rotating bezel, ECG monitoring and autumn detection right to your wrist. It's the best Android lifestyle smartwatch you tin can get at present.

For

Slimmer design than the original
Physical rotating bezel is back
FDA-approved ECG readings

Against

Blood pressure level readings don't work in U.Due south.
Shorter battery life than original

Tom's Guide Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Sentinel 3 ($399) brings a rotating bezel, ECG monitoring and autumn detection right to your wrist. It'south the best Android lifestyle smartwatch you lot tin get now.

Pros

+
Slimmer blueprint than the original
+
Physical rotating bezel is back
+
FDA-approved ECG readings

Cons

-
Blood pressure level readings don't work in U.S.
-
Shorter battery life than original

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3's fan-favorite bezel — the rotating bow on a beautifully-packaged, $399 smartwatch — is every bit as satisfying equally it seems.

Though fidget-swiveling is peachy, life-saving health features similar an FDA-canonical ECG sensor and trip detection are meliorate. Tack on SpO2 and VO2 Max readings, a vast library of spotter faces and slimmed down blueprint, and Samsung has found a winner in its next-generation wearable.

There's no question this is the best Android smartwatch you lot can get at present, but this Samsung Galaxy Sentry 3 review explains how this new contender stacks up against the all-time smartwatches, equally well as the category-leading Apple Watch Series 6. Be certain to check out why it won a 2021 Tom'southward Guide Award for Health and Fettle, too.

Apple Watch 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Spotter 3
Samsung Galaxy Lookout man 4 vs. Milky way Scout 4 Classic: Which should you purchase?

The Samsung Galaxy Spotter three isn't the newest Samsung smartwatch, though. The company recently announced the Samsung Galaxy Watch four and Samsung Milky way Watch 4 Classic, which has a refreshed design, a iii-in-i health sensor for measuring heart charge per unit, taking ECGs and reading body composition, and a new WearOS operating system. Cheque out our guide to the Samsung Galaxy Sentinel iv vs. Galaxy Sentinel 3 for more than on the next-gen upgrades.

This Milky way Spotter three will not get the merged software, but Samsung volition proceed to support it for at least three years. And for what information technology's worth, you should exist able to find the Milky way Watch three at a great discount these days.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 toll and availability

Samsung Galaxy Spotter 3 specs

Starting cost:$399
Display: 1.two inches/1.4 inches
Colors: Mystic Bronze, Mystic Blackness, Mystic White
Size: 41 x 42.5 x 11.three mm/45 x 46.2 ten 11.1 mm
RAM: 1GB
Storage:8GB
Battery: 247 mAh / 340 mAh
Durability: 5ATM + IP68
OS:Tizen 5.5
Features:HRM, SpO2, VO2 Max, ECG, blood pressure monitoring

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 went on sale on August 6, 2020. Those interested in picking the new smartwatch take a few sizes and variations to choose from.

The starting Galaxy Spotter 3 cost of $399 will get you lot the 41mm model in either Mystic Silver or Mystic Bronze. (The latter choice is Samsung's signature color, matching the Samsung Galaxy Annotation 20 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, which launched at the aforementioned time).

The larger, 45mm model starts at $429 and comes in Mystic Black or Mystic Silver. It's offered in a titanium variant as well, though that volition come at a premium. And if you lot want your Samsung Galaxy Spotter iii with LTE so it tin can make phone calls and respond to messages when your smartphone is out of Bluetooth range, expect to add $50 to the base of operations price.

Samsung Milky way Spotter 3 review: Blueprint

The bezel is back, infant. When we tested the machinery during our original Samsung Galaxy Watch review, we establish the physical bezel useful and fun. Spinning the punch worked well with both side buttons and offered a great alternative to swiping or trying to poke at the circular display with our finger.

The bezel holds up a 2d time effectually, only feels even better because Samsung slimmed down the Milky way Watch three. It's eight% smaller, xiv% thinner and xv% lighter than the start Galaxy Scout. We're talking millimeters hither, but when it comes to something you wear on your wrist, the divergence is noticeable.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 review — (Image credit: Futurity)

Still, the 1.7-ounce, 41mm Mystic Bronze model I tested looks mesomorphic compared to my Apple Watch 5. The merchandise-off is that it looks more similar a traditional spotter than a loftier-tech one. Whereas I might ditch my Apple Watch for a dainty dinner or date dark, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 holds its own every bit a stylish accompaniment.

Better however, the Samsung Galaxy Watch iii comes with genuine leather straps that match the casing's colour and contribute a more elevated aesthetic compared to the fitness-focused Samsung Galaxy Lookout 2. But the leather doesn't fare well confronting sweat or water, then I'd swap them for sportier ones if I were to go on using the Milky way Watch iii as my daily driver.

Samsung Milky way Watch 3 review: Display and watch faces

The Samsung Galaxy Watch three's 360 ten 360-pixel screen is abrupt, bright plenty to see in direct sunlight and always-on, but that's not what caught my interest.

I'll admit, Apple Watch complications stress me out. I experience forced to use a combination of 5 unlike faces at once to run into everything I could need throughout the day, and even and so I wish at that place were more options. Enter the Galaxy Lookout man three with 80,000 different lookout-faces and xl complications from which to choose.

It took me some time to effigy out which combination of pattern and information brought me comfort on the Galaxy Lookout man 3, only I'g a sucker for the conditions-axial backgrounds. I can't explain why I never check the forecast before leaving the house, so if seeing rain animations on my wrist doesn't help, cipher volition.

Samsung Milky way Spotter 3 review: Performance

Samsung's Tizen software however trails backside Apple's watchOS, simply is a significant improvement from Google's fickle Clothing OS. Not only are the Galaxy Watch iii's diverse menus highly customizable and packed with useful apps, merely launching and switching betwixt them feels sharp, besides.

Thanks to the bezel, navigation is intuitive, and I relied on information technology along with the dual buttons to become where I wanted to become. The motion gestures, on the other mitt, didn't actually practice information technology for me. When I could get them to work, I felt a niggling foolish in the process.

What didn't experience airheaded is the Galaxy Watch 3's T9 keyboard, which I relied for texting more often than I thought I would. I know, typing on such a modest screen sounds ridiculous, but I appreciated the ability to send messages in cases when I couldn't use talk to text. I wish the Apple Lookout man would replace Scribble with a modified, miniature keyboard.

Samsung Galaxy Watch iii review: Fitness and wellness features

The Samsung Galaxy Scout 3 tin can rail twoscore total activities, and seven tin be tracked automatically, meaning you won't always accept to select what kind of exercise you're doing beforehand. I needed this when my sprightly 85-pound black lab didn't want to stop for me to launch a walk tracking on our routine treks effectually our boondocks.

The Milky way Sentinel 3's on-board GPS measured my daily course accurately plenty (information technology's roughly one.2 miles, depending how many times the dog wants to go in circles). I had the same feel when I took the scout biking and running, the latter of which was informed past on-need VO2 Max readings. I'm far from an endurance runner so I didn't trigger any warnings, but I imagine more than defended athletes would appreciate this feature during training.

But they might not capeesh the leather straps. I certainly know I didn't. Information technology felt odd getting them wet with sweat, and I didn't even consider taking the Samsung Galaxy Lookout man 3 near a puddle despite its 5ATM rating for water resistance. I'd recommend getting silicone bands if y'all plan to employ the Galaxy Watch 3 for anything more calorie-free exercise, or taking a look at i of the best fettle trackers instead.

Yet, no matter where y'all are, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3's trip detection sensors volition telephone call emergency services on your behalf when it senses you took a hard and sudden autumn. Apple Watch has had this feature for a few years, and so it's good to run across Samsung communicable up.

Samsung Galaxy Lookout 3 review: ECG readings and blood force per unit area monitoring

The Galaxy Watch iii has a FDA-approved ECG monitor, meaning the new smartwatch will be able to observe signs of atrial fibrillation but like the Apple Watch.

While the Apple tree Watch's FDA-approved ECG sensor is former news (it debuted with the Apple tree Watch Series 4), Samsung has been slow to get its version approved, kickoff earning clearance for the technology on the Galaxy Scout Active 2 in S Korea.

Now, both those smartwatches can administer ECG readings.

Samsung has also earned clearance for its blood pressure level monitor in South Korea. For now, the sensor will sit dormant in The Galaxy Watch three until information technology'south approved by the FDA. If information technology receives the dark-green light before long, it would be the first smartwatch from a big-proper name tech brand with a working blood pressure monitoring organization.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 sleep tracking

In bed, the Milky way Watch three benefits from Samsung's partnership with the National Slumber Found to provide wearers with insight on their REM bike, plus a morning report on quality of sleep and tips on how to ameliorate sleep.

In the nights I wore it to bed, I simultaneously tested the Apple Watch sleep tracking. Apple'southward native slumber tracking app credited me with a bit more slumber and knew when I woke upwards in the middle of the night during monstrous thunderstorms, whereas Samsung responded with more actionable data.

Some of these insights are provided by the Galaxy Watch 3's SpO2 sensor, or pulse oximeter. An SpO2 sensor can inform breathing disturbances while sleeping, which is a prevalent symptom of slumber apnea. I, for one, don't have much trouble sleeping, but someone who does could learn how to take action on changing their sleep bicycle with the Scout 3.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 review: Apps and storage

Tizen Bone has a more limited library of third-party selections than the native Apple Lookout App Store, only there are enough major programs like Uber and Spotify at your disposal.

And, with the Galaxy Watch 3'south 8GB of music storage, you can save tunes for offline play black with a Spotify Premium subscription. I'm not using an LTE model, and then I look forward to having a few of my playlists bachelor when I leave my phone at home for bike rides. I capeesh this feature about my Apple Watch v, which has a larger 16GB storage capacity. I've already used upward about half my Galaxy Watch 3's storage with a few of my favorite playlists, though, so I'll need to exist mindful of offloading audio I don't need anymore.

Samsung Galaxy Watch three bombardment life

Where the new Milky way Watch seems to fall short of the previous model is battery life. Unlike the 4-day stamina of the original Milky way Watch, the Milky way Watch 3's 340 mAh battery is rated for 2 days. That's fair for smartwatch standards (the Apple Spotter 5 only gets 18 hours) and probable contributes to the slimmed-down design.

The Galaxy Sentry three lives up to Samsung's bombardment estimates. Even with hour-long workouts and slumber tracking in the outset two days I wore it, the watch lasted about two days. However, when I enabled the e'er-on display setting, the bombardment life dropped to 24 hours in its second cycle. Still, this is ameliorate than my Apple Watch 5.

When it needs more than juice, the Galaxy Sentinel iii can exist charged with its proprietary charge or via wireless power share with a uniform Samsung phone. I tried out this charging cradle dock from Amazon for the sake of keeping my bedside table organized, too.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 stands out in a crowded wear market. There are plenty of stylish smartwatches and excellent fitness trackers to choose from these days, and Samsung managed to strike a remainder between the two. It brought the best health features of the Galaxy Picket Active 2 to a bezeled blueprint that rivals offerings from timepiece savant Fossil.

But this convergence came at a cost — the Galaxy Watch three is more expensive than the Galaxy Watches and Wear OS Fossil options before information technology, and leans more than towards lifestyle than fitness. I can't say I'd replace my Apple Watch with an Android 1 at the aforementioned price. But if you've picked up an Android telephone—in particular, 1 made by Samsung—and want an extension of it on your wrist wherever you go, you won't find annihilation more polished and powerful than the Milky way Picket iii. Or annihilation with as satisfying of a spinning mechanism, at least.

More: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 killer upgrade could relieve y'all a ton of fourth dimension

Kate Kozuch is a senior author at Tom'southward Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-abode related. When she's not in cyborg fashion, you can observe her on an exercise bike or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot army will rule the earth i day, but until so, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.