Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic: Slimmer, brighter and now with antioxidant index sensor and Google Gemini built-in
Besides unveiling its latest foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 — Samsung has also refreshed its smartwatch lineup for 2025 with the launch of the Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and the updated Galaxy Watch Ultra for 2025.
Not only the new devices are slimmer and sleeker, the new Galaxy Watch 8 series also introduces Antioxidant Index for the first time on a smartwatch.
Galaxy Watch 8 is slimmer, brighter, and more comfortable
The Galaxy Watch 8 sports a more minimal, modern aesthetic, and it’s 11% slimmer than last year’s Galaxy Watch 7. Samsung says the size reduction was achieved by reengineering the internal layout with a new single-sided PCB.
They have also redesigned the dynamic lug system to improve comfort and stability compared to its previous smartwatch.
Across the board, the new Galaxy Watches come with an upgraded BioActive Sensor for deeper health tracking and accurate health insights. The circular display is now 50% brighter, with up to 3000 nits peak brightness. It still features a vivid Super AMOLED screen with a full colour always-on display and it runs on a 3nm 5-core Exynos W1000 chip with 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage.
Samsung has also included a battery that’s 8% larger, which should deliver more than a full day’s use. The larger 44mm variant gets a 435mAh battery, while the 40mm version gets a smaller 325mAh capacity.
All models in the new lineup, including the Watch Ultra, now share a unified design language that Samsung calls the Distinctive Cushion Design. Essentially Samsung is owning the squircle shape as its new wearable design identity.
The Classic is back with rotating bezel
After skipping the design in previous releases, Samsung is officially bringing back the rotating bezel with the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic which comes in a sole 46mm size. It also includes a new Quick Button for easier interaction and it is better suited for those who prefer a contemporary design. It also gets a Super AMOLED screen with full colour always-on display and it is powered by the same 3nm 5-core Exynos W1000 chip with 2GB of RAM, but storage is doubled at 64GB.
The battery for the Classic is slightly bigger too at 445mAh.
First smartwatch to measure carotenoids in skin
In a world-first feature, Samsung is introducing a new Anti-Oxidant Index that measures your carotenoid levels. By simply placing a finger on the sensor at the back of the watch, you’ll get your reading in about 5 seconds. Samsung says this Anti-Oxidant Index metric can indicate how well you’re aging, with factors like smoking, stress, and poor diet potentially lowering your levels.
There’s also a Vascular Load metric to measure stress on your cardiovascular system with High Stress Alert, and improved sleep tracking with 3-day sleep analysis and enhanced sleep coaching.
Across the board, the Galaxy Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic come with 5ATM and IP68 dust and water resistance rating, and they are also MIL-STD-810H certified. Besides Samsung Galaxy smartphones, it is also compatible with Android devices running 12.0 and above.
Gemini AI built-in, WearOS 6, and more
Developed in collaboration with Google, the Watch 8 series are the first smartwatches to feature Google Gemini out of the box, allowing for smarter contextual assistance directly from your wrist. They run on the latest Wear OS 6, layered with Samsung’s One UI 8 Watch interface.
The updated UI brings a new “Now Bar”, along with depthless notifications and multi-info tiles and smarter contextual app suggestions to streamline the user experience.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has received a refresh for 2025. Besides the new Blue colour option, the storage has been upgraded from 32GB to 64GB.
Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic and Watch Ultra 2025 Malaysia pricing and availability
Samsung Malaysia has also revealed the official pricing for the latest Galaxy Watch lineup. Here’s the pricing in Malaysia:
- Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm) WiFi – RM1,299
- Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm) WiFi + LTE – RM1,599
- Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm) WiFi – RM1,399
- Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm) WiFi + LTE – RM1,699
- Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (46mm) WiFi – RM1,799
- Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (46mm) WiFi + LTE – RM2,099
- Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 (47mm) WiFi + LTE – RM1,599
In terms of colours, the Galaxy Watch 8 is offered in Graphite and Silver, while the Watch 8 Classic is available in Black and White. The range topping Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025 is available in 4 colours – Titanium Blue, Titanium Grey, Titanium Silver and Titanium White.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch lineup are available for pre-order in select markets starting today, 9th July 2025 with general availability to start from 25th July 2025.
