Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth) / Apple Watch Series 8 (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 8 (45 mm, GPS): Apple Watch Series 8, 45 mm aluminium case, GPS model. The 41 mm case, GPS + Cellular and stainless steel versions are separate models; weight and screen size differ.

SpecificationSamsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth)Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS)
Release year20252022
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; 1143 sq mm display area; up to 1000 nits

The LTPO panel can lower its refresh rate a lot, so the screen stays on dimmed when the wrist is down.

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		L1 GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; compass; always-on altimeter

This is single-frequency (L1) GPS; drift between tall buildings can be higher than on dual-frequency models.

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 5.3 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; ceramic and sapphire crystal back

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

Apple
ColoursBlack, white SamsungAluminium: Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED Apple
Chip—S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip; U1 (Ultra Wideband)

Ultra Wideband is used for close-range location with an iPhone; availability varies by region.

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

The Blood Oxygen app is not for medical use. The ECG app is not intended for people under 22 and may not be available in every country.

Apple
Motion and safety—High-g accelerometer up to 256 g (Fall Detection and Crash Detection); high dynamic range gyroscope; Emergency SOS; international emergency calling

On the GPS model, Emergency SOS needs a nearby iPhone or Wi-Fi Calling; international emergency calling works only on cellular models.

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 18-hour figure is based on 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use and a 60-minute workout with music; sleep tracking is not part of that scenario.

Apple
Size and weight—45 × 38 × 10.7 mm; aluminium GPS: 38.8 g Apple
Compatibility—Requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later

It cannot be used with Android phones.

Apple