Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 features a familiar sleek, minimalist design with thinner bezels and bigger displays. But that’s about all that has been upgraded from the previous generation.
Pros- Large and beautiful display
- Fast and smooth performance
- Wear OS 4 and One UI 5 is a great combo
- Top notch health and fitness features
- Great battery life
Cons- Not a huge upgrade over last year’s Galaxy Watch 5
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is a return to the styling and functionality of the Watch 4 Classic. The rotating bezel is back, along with thinner bezels and bigger displays.
Pros- Large and beautiful display
- Fast and smooth performance
- Wear OS 4 and One UI 5 is a great combo
- Top notch health and fitness features
- Great battery life
Cons- Very similar to the two-year old Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
- Not many reasons to pay $100 extra over the Watch 6
Samsung’s smartwatches for 2023, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, have more in common than ever before. What are the differences that matter, and do they matter to you? Let’s take a closer look.
Watch 6 vs Watch 6 Classic: Price and Availability
The Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (our review) went on sale on August 11, 2023. The Galaxy Watch 6 starts at $300 for the 40mm model and $330 for the 44mm model. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic starts at $400 for the 43mm model and $430 for the 47mm model. If you’d like the 4G LTE version, add an extra $50 to those prices.
On paper, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic are exceedingly similar. The differences that are usually found between the standard and “Pro” or “Classic” models aren’t here this time around. You’re essentially getting the same watch in various body sizes and slightly different designs. As you can see in the table below, even the screen sizes and batteries are the same across the models.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Brand Samsung Samsung Heart Rate Monitor Yes Yes Operating System Wear OS 4, One UI 5 Wear OS 4, One UI 5 Onboard GPS Yes Yes Case Material Aluminium Stainless Steel Sizes 40mm, 44mm 47mm, 43mm Display Sapphire crystal, Super AMOLED Sapphire crystal, Super AMOLED CPU Exynos W930 Exynos W930 RAM 2GB 2GB Storage 16GB 16GB Battery 425, 300mAh 425, 300mAh Durability MIL-STD-810H compliant MIL-STD-810H compliant Price $299-329 $399-429 Dimensions 44.4 x 42.8 x 9.0 mm, 40.4 x 38.8 x 9.0 mm 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm, 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm Weight 33.3 g. 28.7 g 59 g, 52 g
Watch 6 vs Watch 6 Classic: Design and Display
Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (left), Galaxy Watch 6 (right)
The design of the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is similar, but there are some notable differences. The Galaxy Watch 6 has a modern and minimalist design with an aluminum case and a sport band. It comes in two sizes—40mm and 44mm—and three colors—Graphite, Silver, and Gold (depending on size).
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic has a more traditional watch-like design with a stainless steel case and textured rotating bezel (more on that later). It also has a physical rotating bezel that can be used to navigate the interface. It comes in larger sizes—43mm and 47mm—and two colors—Black and Silver.
Both smartwatches have Super AMOLED displays with Sapphire Crystal protection. The display sizes are the same for both models: 1.3-inch for the smaller variants and 1.5-inch for the larger ones. The real story about the displays comes into play when you compare to older models, as Samsung retained the body sizes and slimmed down the bezels to fit larger displays.
Performance and Battery
Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47mm)
The Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic are both powered by the new Exynos W930 chipset, which is a dual-core processor clocked at 1.4GHz. Along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, performance is great across the board for the Watch 6 series.
Typically, Samsung’s “Pro” or “Classic” models feature larger batteries to go along with the bigger sizes, which usually makes this a differentiator. That’s not the case this year. The battery capacities are the same for both models— 300mAh for the smaller variants and 425mAh for the larger ones. Samsung claims that both smartwatches can last up to two days on a single charge. In my personal experience with the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47mm), you can pretty easily get that.
Software and Special Features
Galaxy Watch 6 (44mm / 40mm)
Both the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic run on Wear OS 4 with Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch interface, which includes some niceties you won’t find on non-Samsung Wear OS watches. It’s an excellent combination of Google apps and Samsung apps.
Unlike previous generations, there aren’t any differences in terms of software or health features. You’re getting the same experiences on both models. The one notable feature that is not available on both models is the physical rotating bezel.
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic brings back the famous rotating bezel that was not present on the Galaxy Watch 5 series. The bezel feels very smooth and has satisfying tactile feedback as it rotates. It’s not just for looks though—the bezel does make it easier to navigate through menus and widgets, but don’t expect a life-changing experience. The rotating bezel is nice, but not a must-have.
Which Is Right for You?
Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (left), Galaxy Watch 6 (right)
The Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic have a ton in common, which makes them both excellent smartwatches. The main differences are sizes and the rotating bezel. Let’s make some decisions.
If you prefer a more modern and minimalist design, the Galaxy Watch 6 is the way to go. It also happens to be $100 cheaper than the Watch 6 Classic, and you’re really only getting a rotating bezel for that extra chunk of change. The regular Watch 6 is the clear choice for most people.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Overall Winner
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 features a familiar sleek, minimalist design with thinner bezels and bigger displays. But that’s about all that has been upgraded from the previous generation.
Now, if you prefer a more traditional and slightly larger watch, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (our review) is the move. Go for the 47mm model if you want to lean in on the chunky watch look. The rotating bezel also adds some convenience and fun, especially if you find the small touchscreens of smartwatches to be hard to use.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
Runner Up
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is a return to the styling and functionality of the Watch 4 Classic. The rotating bezel is back, along with thinner bezels and bigger displays.
You might also want to compare the Watch 6 series to the Watch 5 series. Figure out if you prefer the Watch 6 or Watch 6 Classic, then look at its previous generation. Unless you’re adamant about having the rotating bezel, there really aren’t a ton of upgrades over Samsung’s 2022 watches. The only other thing you’d miss out on if you opt for the Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro is the slimmer bezels and bigger displays, and you can save even more money.
