Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Super AMOLED with Sapphire Crystal, ~2,000 nits peak brightness. Larger usable display thanks to the thinner bezels. Always-on display supported.

• Larger usable display — the thinner bezels grew the screen while keeping the case compact.
• Super AMOLED with ~2,000 nits peak brightness — bright and readable outdoors.
• Sapphire Crystal protection — premium scratch-resistant glass.
• Always-on display supported — though Wired noted an earlier Galaxy Watch's display 'stubbornly resisting' wake gestures; the Watch 6's raise-to-wake is improved.
• Vibrant, sharp panel — Digital Trends calls Samsung's Galaxy Watch displays 'gorgeous.'

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Super AMOLED with Sapphire Crystal, 3,000 nits peak brightness. Bright, sharp, readable outdoors. Always-on display supported.

• 3,000 nits peak brightness — a 50% jump over the Watch 6's 2,000 nits; excellent outdoor visibility.
• Super AMOLED with Sapphire Crystal — vibrant, sharp, scratch-resistant.
• Always-on display supported — informative without raising the wrist.
• Readable in direct sunlight — the 3,000-nit brightness handles outdoor workouts well.
• Display sits behind the raised glass profile — bright and clear, but the raised glass is the durability weak point.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

BioActive sensor — optical HR, ECG, BIA body composition, skin temperature. Sleep tracking with coaching. Comprehensive wellness suite, though HRV accuracy drew a caveat.

• BioActive sensor — optical HR, ECG, BIA body composition, and skin temperature in one sensor array.
• Expanded wellness features — Engadget: 'Samsung focused its efforts on expanding its wellness-centric features.'
• Sleep tracking with sleep coaching — detailed sleep stages plus a multi-week coaching program.
• DC Rainmaker found Samsung's HRV metrics 'far out of alignment' with other wearables on most nights — a sensor-accuracy caveat.
• BIA body composition — on-wrist body-fat and muscle-mass estimates, a Samsung-distinctive feature.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

BioActive sensor — optical HR, ECG, BIA body composition, skin temperature, plus the new AGEs Index biological-age metric. Sleep tracking with coaching.

• New AGEs Index — the Galaxy Watch 7 introduced advanced glycation end products tracking, estimating biological age via a skin scan.
• BioActive sensor — optical HR, ECG, BIA body composition, and skin temperature in one array.
• Sleep tracking with sleep coaching — detailed sleep stages plus a multi-week coaching program.
• ECG + BIA tied to a Samsung phone — the headline health features need Samsung Health on a Galaxy phone.
• Improved sensor accuracy — the new chip and updated BioActive sensor improve HR tracking over the Watch 6.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

100+ workout modes, personalized HR zones, custom workouts, auto-detection. Samsung Health analytics. Solid for everyday fitness; serious athletes still lean Garmin.

• 100+ workout modes — broad activity coverage through Samsung Health.
• Personalized heart-rate zones + custom workouts — tailored training guidance.
• Automatic workout detection — catches walks, runs, and cycling without manual start.
• GPS with GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou — multi-constellation tracking for outdoor activities.
• 5 ATM water resistance — pool + open-water swim tracking supported.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

100+ workout modes, dual-frequency GPS (new), personalized HR zones, Energy Score. Samsung Health analytics. Solid everyday fitness; serious athletes still lean Garmin.

• Dual-frequency GPS — new for the standard Galaxy Watch; more accurate tracking in urban canyons and tree cover.
• 100+ workout modes — broad activity coverage through Samsung Health.
• Energy Score + Galaxy AI Wellness Tips — Samsung Health's AI-powered daily readiness and guidance.
• Personalized heart-rate zones + automatic workout detection — tailored training guidance.
• 5 ATM water resistance — pool + open-water swim tracking supported.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

300mAh (40mm) / 425mAh (44mm). ~30 hours typical use, slightly improved over the Watch 5. Wireless fast charging. Daily-ish charging required.

• ~30 hours typical use — Engadget notes Samsung 'extended battery life' over the Watch 5, though daily-ish charging remains.
• 425mAh battery (44mm) / 300mAh (40mm) — the larger model lasts noticeably longer.
• Wireless fast charging — Notebookcheck confirms 'wireless charging, fast charging / Quickcharge.'
• Battery still trails Garmin by a wide margin — ~30 hours vs Garmin's multi-week endurance.
• AOD on cuts battery noticeably — AOD off is the way to comfortably reach the full-day rating.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

~30 hours typical use, 425mAh (44mm) / 300mAh (40mm). Battery drew criticism — many owners found it underwhelming. Wireless fast charging.

• Battery drew criticism — Engadget: 'many people were disappointed in its battery life.'
• ~30 hours typical use — similar to the Watch 6; the 44mm (425mAh) outlasts the 40mm (300mAh).
• The new 3nm Exynos W1000 chip improves efficiency — but not enough to fully address the battery complaints.
• Wireless fast charging — a quick top-up before bed enables overnight sleep tracking.
• The Galaxy Watch 8 later addressed the battery complaints with a larger cell — confirming the Watch 7's was a known weak point.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Wear OS 4 + One UI 5 Watch. Samsung Health, Samsung Pay + Google Wallet, Google Play Store. Best inside the Samsung phone ecosystem. Android-only.

• Wear OS 4 + One UI 5 Watch — a complete, polished Wear OS experience with the full Google Play Store.
• Samsung Health — the analytics backbone; some features (BIA, ECG) are tied to a Samsung phone.
• Samsung Pay + Google Wallet — both contactless payment options supported.
• Best inside the Samsung ecosystem — works with any Android phone, but BIA + ECG need a Samsung phone.
• Android-only — no iOS compatibility.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Wear OS 5 + One UI 6 Watch + Galaxy AI. Samsung Health, Samsung Pay + Google Wallet, Google Play Store. Best inside the Samsung phone ecosystem. Android-only.

• Wear OS 5 + One UI 6 Watch — a complete, polished Wear OS experience with the full Google Play Store.
• Galaxy AI features — Energy Score and AI Wellness Tips arrived on the Galaxy Watch 7.
• Samsung Health — the analytics backbone; AGEs Index and ECG are tied to a Samsung phone.
• Samsung Pay + Google Wallet — both contactless payment options supported.
• Android-only — no iOS compatibility; best on a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

5 ATM (50m) water resistance + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H. Sapphire Crystal display + aluminum case. Ruggedized for everyday wear.

• 5 ATM + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H — Notebookcheck confirms the full Galaxy Watch durability ratings.
• Sapphire Crystal display protection — premium scratch resistance.
• Aluminum case — durable and lightweight for everyday wear (the Classic uses stainless steel).
• Ruggedized + waterproof — built to take everyday and workout abuse.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

5 ATM (50m) water resistance + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H. Sapphire Crystal display + aluminum case. The raised glass profile is the durability weak point.

• 5 ATM + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H — the full Galaxy Watch durability ratings.
• Sapphire Crystal display protection — premium scratch resistance.
• Raised glass profile — Engadget flags this as the durability weak point: 'the raised glass screen can be easily damaged.'
• Aluminum case — durable and lightweight for everyday wear.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Multi-constellation GPS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou), optional LTE, NFC for Samsung Pay + Google Wallet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi.

• Multi-constellation GPS — GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou for accurate outdoor tracking.
• Optional LTE — standalone calls, texts, and music streaming without the phone.
• NFC for Samsung Pay + Google Wallet — both contactless options.
• Bluetooth + Wi-Fi — full Wear OS connectivity stack.
• Single-band GPS — accurate for everyday use, but not the multi-band precision of higher-tier sports watches.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Dual-frequency GPS (new), optional LTE, NFC for Samsung Pay + Google Wallet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi. No satellite messaging.

• Dual-frequency GPS — new for the standard Galaxy Watch 7; more accurate than the Watch 6's single-band GPS.
• Optional LTE — standalone calls, texts, and music streaming without the phone.
• NFC for Samsung Pay + Google Wallet — both contactless options.
• Bluetooth + Wi-Fi — full Wear OS connectivity stack.
• No satellite messaging — a feature reserved for higher tiers.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

$299 (40mm) / $329 (44mm) launch. Now superseded by the Galaxy Watch 7 + 8 — a strong value if discounted. Competes with the Pixel Watch and (for iOS) the Apple Watch.

• $299 (40mm) / $329 (44mm) launch — Engadget calls it 'a fair price point' for a flagship Wear OS watch.
• Now superseded by the Galaxy Watch 7 + 8 — Digital Trends notes the Watch 7's 'display and specs are similar.' The Watch 6 is a strong value if discounted.
• vs Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: the Classic adds the physical rotating bezel + stainless steel for more money.
• vs Pixel Watch 2: both run Wear OS; Samsung offers more sizes + BIA body composition, Pixel offers tighter Fitbit integration.
• Best for: Samsung phone owners who want a complete Wear OS smartwatch with a great display and full health suite — and find the Watch 6 discounted now that newer models exist.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

$299 (40mm) / $329 (44mm) launch. Now superseded by the Galaxy Watch 8 — a strong value if discounted. Competes with the Pixel Watch and (for iOS) the Apple Watch.

• $299 (40mm) / $329 (44mm) launch — fairly priced for a flagship Wear OS watch.
• Android Authority's standing recommendation: 'Samsung forgot about the Galaxy Watch 7, but I still think you should buy it' — a strong value pick.
• vs Galaxy Watch Ultra (same generation): the Ultra adds a rugged build, a larger battery, and a Quick Button for considerably more money.
• Now superseded by the Galaxy Watch 8 — which added a larger battery and the squircle redesign.
• Best for: Samsung phone owners who want the faster 3nm chip, dual-band GPS, and the AGEs Index — and find the overlooked Watch 7 discounted.