Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth) / Apple Watch Series 7 (45 mm, GPS)

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth): SM-L500 · 46 mm Bluetooth; the LTE version SM-L505 is a separate model; black or white

Apple Watch Series 7 (45 mm, GPS): Apple Watch Series 7, 45 mm aluminium case, GPS model. The 41 mm case, GPS + Cellular, stainless steel and titanium versions are separate configurations with different display area and weight.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth)Apple Watch Series 7 (45 mm, GPS)
Release year20252021
Case size46 mm; 46.4 × 46 × 10.6 mm (excluding health sensors)

It is sold in one size only.

Samsung		—
Weight63.5 g (without band) Samsung—
Display1.34-inch Super AMOLED, 438 × 438, full-colour Always-On; sapphire crystal

Sapphire crystal is a cover material that resists scratches better than ordinary glass.

Samsung		Always-On Retina LTPO OLED; 396 × 484 pixels; 1,143 mm² display area; 1,000 nits brightness

The 41 mm case has 352 × 430 pixels and 904 mm² of display area. The LTPO panel lowers its refresh rate when the wrist is down so the screen can stay on.

Apple
ControlsRotating bezel, Quick Button

The rotating bezel lets you scroll lists and apps without touching the screen; its position is read by a 3D Hall sensor found only on the Classic. Quick Button can be assigned to an app or function.

Samsung		—
ProcessorExynos W1000; 5 cores, 3 nm Samsung—
Memory and storage2 GB RAM, 64 GB storage Samsung—
Battery445 mAh (typical); fast charging, WPC-based wireless charging

Samsung says its charge times were measured with a separately sold 25 W adapter.

Samsung		—
Operating systemWear OS Powered by Samsung (Wear OS 6), One UI 8 Watch

Setup and use need an Android 12 or later phone with more than 1.5 GB of memory and Google Mobile Services.

Samsung		—
SensorsBioActive sensor (optical heart rate, electrical heart signal, bioelectrical impedance), temperature, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, light sensor, 3D Hall sensor

Health features are for general wellness and fitness, not medical diagnosis.

Samsung		—
LocationL1 + L5 dual-frequency GPS; GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo

The second frequency (L5) helps accuracy where signals bounce, such as among tall buildings or under trees.

Samsung		GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; compass; always-on altimeter Apple
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz, NFC; no LTE on this model SamsungWi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.0

LTE/UMTS is only on GPS + Cellular models.

Apple
Durability5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H

5ATM suits surface water use such as swimming, not diving or high-speed water sports. Samsung says its MIL-STD-810H testing cycled the watch between –20 °C and 50 °C for 6 hours in total.

Samsung		Water resistant to 50 metres under ISO 22810:2010; IP6X dust resistant; ceramic and sapphire crystal back

Suitable for shallow-water activities such as swimming in a pool or the sea; not for scuba diving, waterskiing or high-velocity water.

Apple
ColoursBlack, white SamsungAluminium: Midnight, Starlight, Green, Blue, (PRODUCT)RED Apple
Chip—S7 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip; U1 (Ultra Wideband)

Ultra Wideband availability varies by region.

Apple
Health sensors—Blood oxygen sensor (Blood Oxygen app); electrical heart sensor (ECG app); third-generation optical heart sensor

Blood oxygen readings are not for medical use. The ECG app and irregular rhythm notification need the latest watchOS/iOS and are not intended for people under 22.

Apple
Motion and safety—Accelerometer up to 32 g-forces with fall detection; gyroscope; ambient light sensor; Emergency SOS

On the GPS model, Emergency SOS needs the iPhone nearby or a known Wi-Fi network with Wi-Fi Calling; international emergency calling is only on the GPS + Cellular model.

Apple
Storage—32 GB Apple
Battery and charging—Up to 18 hours; built-in lithium-ion battery; USB-C magnetic fast charging cable

Apple’s battery test was done in August 2021 with preproduction watches paired to an iPhone; actual life varies with use and settings. The fast-charge test used the A2515 cable and a 20 W USB-C adapter; the adapter is not in the box.

Apple
Size and weight—45 × 38 × 10.7 mm; aluminium: 38.8 g

The 45 mm stainless steel case weighs 51.5 g and titanium 45.1 g.

Apple
Compatibility—Requires iPhone 6s or later with the latest iOS

Per Apple’s launch documentation; some features are unavailable when the watch is set up through Family Setup.

Apple