Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Specs, differences from Ultra & Watch 6, and more
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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 isn't the flashiest smartwatch. It's near-identical to the Watch 6 and not as striking as the new Galaxy Watch Ultra. But you certainly shouldn't overlook what will likely be the best Android watch of 2024 for most people.
Samsung gave the Galaxy Watch 7 a new 3-nanometer Exynos CPU, double the Watch 6's storage, a revamped health sensor with triple the LEDs for much better accuracy, and an overdue dual-band GPS upgrade. It also gets new software like an Energy Score and better gesture controls via Wear OS 5.
On the other hand, the display, memory, battery life, and charging are largely unchanged, and you won't find any Watch 7 "Classic" with a rotating bezel. By and large, Galaxy Watch 6 owners happy with their current watch don't have a reason to upgrade.
Our highly positive Galaxy Watch 7 review runs through our experience with the smartwatch, mostly living up to our expectations but with a few minor drawbacks. Or you can check out our Galaxy Watch Ultra review in case the premium model appeals to you.
Below, we'll focus more on pricing, models, specs, new features, and how the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 specifically compares to the Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch Ultra!
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Price, availability, and models
After the Galaxy Watch 5 and 6 both got minor price bumps, the Galaxy Watch 7 remains at the same price point as last year: $299 / ￡289 / €319 / CA$409 / A$599 / ?29,999 for the 40mm Watch 7 and $329 / ￡319 / €349 / CA$449 / A$599 / ?32,999 for the 44mm Watch 7. Samsung lets you upgrade to an LTE version for $50 extra.
Both Galaxy Watch 7 sizes ship in Green. The 40mm Watch 7 also has a Cream option, while the 44mm Watch 7 has a Silver option. You can choose a Sport, Fabric, or Athleisure watch band as your default option. Samsung had a trade-in option at launch that included a second band for free, but that deal will expire soon.
The Galaxy Watch 7 was announced on July 10 and shipped to customers on July 24; you can order it from Samsung.com, Amazon, Best Buy, and select U.S. carriers. The Galaxy Ring ($399) and Galaxy Watch Ultra ($649) shipped out on the same date.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Specs
The Exynos W1000 is Samsung's first 3-nanometer CPU used in a smartwatch, built with five cores instead of the usual dual-core design: one Arm Cortex-A78 and four Cortex-A55 clocked at 1.6GHz. Samsung promises it loads apps 2.7x faster than the Exynos W930 in the Galaxy Watch 6, while outperforming it in single-core and multicore benchmarks by "3.4x and 3.7x, respectively."
Samsung told us that much of that extra processing power goes into the revamped health sensor array. Although the Galaxy Watch 7 tracks the exact same data as the Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 6, the bottom sensor has 13 LEDs for heart rate and blood oxygen readings instead of four LEDs. Samsung says this new "multi-optical path" gives the Watch 7 94% accuracy during high-intensity workouts, compared to 88% on the last generation.
Our Galaxy Watch Ultra fitness test showed real-world improvements in heart rate accuracy during workouts, and the Galaxy Watch 7 has the same sensor array, so it should carry over to the cheaper watch.
Another exciting upgrade is dual-band GPS, which triangulates your position from multiple satellite angles to avoid obstacles like buildings, foliage, or mountains. It's vital for accurate outdoor workout results, and it's rare to find in affordable smartwatches. Thankfully, this new GPS system did excellently in our fitness test, living up to Samsung's promises.
Samsung also gave the Galaxy Watch 7 32GB of storage. That might sound like overkill, but we noticed that the Galaxy Watch 6's 16GB of storage was closer to 6GB thanks to the default OS. With extra storage, you'll have plenty of space for large music playlists or podcasts, if you like to leave your phone at home during walks or workouts. It also leaves room for all the best Wear OS apps you could want.
Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Watch 6
Before we highlight the Galaxy Watch 7 vs. 6 differences, let's look briefly at what's the same:
Both ship with 1.3- and 1.5-inch displays and the same resolutions
Memory (2GB)
Battery capacity (300/425mAh)
Health sensors (HR, SpO2, ECG, skin temp, BIA)
Connectivity (Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, WiFi, optional LTE)
Protection (Sapphire Glass, IP68, MIL-STD-810H)
As for the biggest changes, we've already noted how the new Exynos W1000 beats the Exynos W930. However, our Galaxy Watch 7 reviewer noted that, while "this is the zippiest smartwatch I've ever used," she's "not seeing" the 2.7x boost over the Galaxy Watch 6 that Samsung promises. "In the day-to-day, it's faster, but not noticeably." That may impact your decision on whether to upgrade.
In terms of battery life differences, we found that the Galaxy Watch 7 lasted two days per charge without AOD or GPS use, or about 33–36 hours with one GPS workout. Compared to the 40-hour Galaxy Watch 6, the Watch 7 may be slightly more efficient.
As we said above, the Galaxy Watch 7 will deliver more accurate heart rate and GPS results. Our Galaxy Watch 6 fitness test disappointed us, so we welcomed these upgrades, but if you're not much of an athlete or just don't need exact results, then you don't necessarily need the Galaxy Watch 7.
The Galaxy Watch 7 launches with Wear OS 5 and the One UI 6 skin, while the Galaxy Watch 6 should update to this new OS within a few weeks of the launch (based on past history). The main software difference is that the Watch 7 will get software updates through summer 2028, while the Watch 6 loses them in 2027.
The Watch 6 and 7 have nearly identical weights—the Watch 7 40mm and 44mm weigh 0.1g and 0.5g less, respectively—but Samsung notes that the newer watch is 0.7mm thicker, and its measurement doesn't include the sensor array. The extra LEDs make the Watch 7 sensor bump more dome-like, so it "sits slightly higher on your wrist" than the Watch 6, according to our reviewer.
Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Watch Ultra
Despite the $350 price gap between the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, the two watches aren't all that different, aside from the obvious design differences. You can read our dedicated Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Ultra guide, but we'll break down the main differences below.
The Watch 7 Ultra uses titanium grade 4 instead of aluminum, with a 47mm case that weighs 60.5g without the strap (26.7g more than the larger Watch 7). It feels significantly heavier and measures 2.4mm thicker; while you can wear the Galaxy Watch 7 for sleep tracking relatively comfortably, that won't apply to the Watch Ultra.
Both the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch 7 44mm have 1.5-inch, 480x480 AMOLED displays, so there's no visual upgrade except for a brightness boost from 2,000 to 3,000 nits on the flagship watch.
Like the Watch 7, the Watch Ultra has a digital bezel along the display edge. Unfortunately, while the Ultra's side button is a crown, it's inactive so you can't scroll through menus. On the other hand, the Quick Button lets you pause and restart workouts quickly instead of having to swipe through menus with sweaty fingertips.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra has the same 590mAh battery as the Watch 5 Pro, or 165mAh extra capacity compared to the Watch 7 44mm. On paper, Samsung says the Ultra lasts 60 hours with AOD, but our reviewer found it lasts closer to 48 hours with it. Still, that matches what the Watch 7 hits without AOD; for the most battery life possible, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the clear choice.
Like the Watch 7, it has 2GB/32GB memory and an Exynos W1000 CPU, plus the same sensors. The upgraded LEDs and dual-band GPS are the same, too. The Galaxy Watch Ultra has LTE capabilities built in, while you must pay extra for it on the Watch 7.
Mainly, you're paying for some serious ruggedness. The Galaxy Watch Ultra passes the ISO22810 diving standard for 10 minutes in water at 100-meter depth. It has an 85-decibel siren and Samsung's promise that it can survive elevations up to 29,527 feet or temperatures between -4°F and 131°F (-20oC to 55oC).
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7?
The main reasons to buy the Galaxy Watch 7 if you have a Watch 6 are the faster processor, more accurate health data, pinpointed GPS, and extra storage. They're significant upgrades, but maybe not enough unless you find a good trade-in deal. If you're switching from the Watch 5, you can check our Watch 6 vs. Watch 5 guide to check the other upgrades you'll receive.
If you don't like certain aspects of the Watch 6 like the design or digital bezel, that hasn't changed with the Watch 7. Unless you want to hold out for the Galaxy Watch 8 (which is rumored to switch to a squircle) or pay double the price for the Watch Ultra, your only other option is to look into the other best Android smartwatches on the market.
