Samsung Galaxy Watch8 44 mm Bluetooth (SM-L330) / Apple Watch Series 9 (45 mm, GPS, aluminium)

Always On Display keeps the watch face visible but shortens battery life; when off, the screen wakes on wrist raise.

LTPO is a panel technology that can lower the refresh rate dramatically, letting the display stay dimly on when the wrist is down. The 1-nit minimum avoids glare in a dark room.

Sapphire crystal resists scratches better than ordinary glass. The 8.6 mm thickness excludes the sensor bump on the back.

32 GB of storage is enough to keep music and apps on the watch for phone-free runs.

The watch charges only wirelessly; it must align with Samsung’s charging puck, and some wireless chargers may not sit flat because of the band.

Fast charging requires Apple’s fast-charging cable and a suitable adapter.

The electrical heart signal enables ECG and bioelectrical impedance enables body composition readings. ECG and blood pressure need a Samsung phone and country approval.

Antioxidant Index is measured by holding a fingertip on the sensor for about five seconds; Vascular Load needs the watch to be worn to sleep on at least 3 of the last 14 days. These are wellness indicators, not medical diagnoses.

The L5 band helps reduce route drift caused by reflections among tall buildings and trees.

It is a single-frequency (L1) receiver; drift in cities can be more likely than with dual-frequency watches.

On the Bluetooth model calls and notifications work while connected to the phone; NFC contactless payments depend on country and bank.

5ATM means water resistance suitable for swimming, not diving or high-speed water sports. MIL-STD-810H refers to selected environmental tests from the military standard and is no guarantee against impacts.

Suitable for swimming. Ion-X is the strengthened glass used on aluminium cases; steel cases use sapphire crystal.

Gemini can act in Samsung Health, Calendar and Clock via voice; availability varies by device, language and country.

It cannot be used with an iPhone.

It cannot be used with Android phones.

Double tap lets you answer notifications or calls by tapping the thumb and index finger of the watch hand together twice, without touching the screen.

The electrical sensor is for ECG recordings; the optical sensor measures pulse with light. Temperature sensing tracks overnight changes in wrist temperature.

The watch collects sensor data, the paired iPhone calculates the value and shows it in the Health app. Watches bought outside the US are not affected.

Ultra Wideband lets you locate an iPhone 15-family phone with Precision Finding showing direction and distance; availability varies by region.