The Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic are the latest smartwatches from Samsung, and they come with a highly anticipated feature: the return of the physical rotating bezel. In the past, Samsung had shifted towards touch bezels on its entry-level smartwatches, reserving the rotating bezel for its premium models. However, last year’s Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro broke that trend by removing the rotating bezel altogether. This decision was met with disappointment from many users, leading to the triumphant return of the rotating bezel in the Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic.
The rotating bezel is praised for its precision and ease of use compared to touch bezels. With a rotating bezel, users can navigate through screens and widgets with more accuracy and speed. It also allows for more comfortable scrolling without the need to swipe around the entire border. Additionally, the mechanical click of the rotating bezel provides a more satisfying experience compared to the haptic feedback of touch bezels. The popularity of the rotating bezel was evident when Samsung decided to bring it back due to popular demand. However, this doesn’t mean that the Watch 5 Pro is going away; it will still be a part of the lineup, but without any updates this year.
In addition to the rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic also feature slimmer bezels around their OLED displays. This reduction in bezel size results in a 20% increase in screen real estate for both watches. The difference is more noticeable on the Classic model, as the visible part of the screen goes all the way to the edge of the rotating bezel. Samsung has yet to showcase how it will utilize the extra screen space, apart from introducing a new Funny Face watchface that some might find creepy-cute.
While the design of the watches remains largely similar to their predecessors, there are some notable upgrades. Both the Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic come in different sizes and materials. The Watch 6 is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes with an aluminum case, while the Classic is slightly larger at 43mm and 47mm with a stainless steel case. Both models feature sapphire crystal displays for added durability. The Watch 6 is lightweight at 28.7g and 33.3g for the smaller and larger versions, respectively. The Classic, on the other hand, weighs 52g for the 43mm model and 59g for the 47mm model. Despite the added weight, the Classic still wears comfortably and suits various wrist sizes.
Battery capacity has also been improved in the Galaxy Watch 6 series. Both the smaller and larger versions of the watches now have slightly larger batteries compared to their predecessors. Samsung claims that the devices will have lower battery consumption and faster charging, with the ability to get eight hours of battery life in just eight minutes of charging. While the estimated battery life with the always-on display enabled is around 30 hours, Samsung seems to be realistic about battery life improvements and doesn’t overpromise like in previous years.
Under the hood, the watches are equipped with a new 1.4GHz Exynos W930 chip, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of storage. They also feature various sensors for health tracking, including a 3-in-1 biosensor for heart rate, EKG, and bioelectric impedance analysis, as well as a skin temperature sensor and GPS. It’s difficult to gauge the impact of the new processor without long-term usage, but initial impressions indicate fast and responsive performance.
Samsung has also introduced some minor updates to the watches, such as a one-click strap mechanism for easier strap changes. The one-click straps are backward-compatible with older Galaxy Watches, allowing users to switch between different straps effortlessly. Additionally, a new fabric strap similar to Apple’s nylon Sport Loop has been introduced, providing a breathable and fast-drying option.
One of the most significant updates for the Galaxy Watch 6 series will come from software updates. These watches will be the first to launch with Google’s Wear OS 4 platform and Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch skin. Wear OS 4 is expected to bring better battery life, cloud backups, and a new watchface format. One UI 5 Watch includes improvements to emergency SOS calling, personalized heart rate zones, and more detailed sleep tracking metrics. The series will also have Samsung’s new passive irregular heart rhythm alerts, which monitor for signs of atrial fibrillation.
Overall, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic bring back the beloved rotating bezel and offer some incremental upgrades over their predecessors. With the addition of Wear OS 4 and One UI 5 Watch, these smartwatches promise an enhanced user experience and improved health tracking capabilities. While they may not be groundbreaking in terms of design and features, they provide a reliable and functional option for those in the market for a new smartwatch.
