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Google Pixel Watch 4 review: Big design changes make for a great smart companion

7:00 pm | August 20, 2025

Google Pixel Watch 4: One-minute review

Google's latest crop of hardware, released at its Made by Google 2025 event, including phones, earbuds, and of course, the Google Pixel Watch 4. Similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Apple Watch Series 10, the latest generation of the Pixel Watch 4 is less about earth-shattering changes and more about refinements to a working formula.

Google is sticking with the now-iconic and really quite lovely polished pebble circular build that comes in two sizes – the addition of a 45mm option alongside the 41mm model was the big change last year. That means more choice for you if the Pixel Watch sparks your interest, and ultimately lets you get the one that’s the right size for your wrist.

Google is also mostly sticking with the same prices as last year (there's a small increase for the 45mm version in Australia). And despite the outward similarities there are some significant upgrades here, including a healthy dose of AI smarts powered by some new silicon, a forthcoming AI coach that’s part of a larger Fitbit rollout, replaceable parts, a refreshed user interface, and a new domed display that’s physically raised to the touch.

It's a slick piece of kit, and one we really like using for the most part. It looked great, although it was thick on the wrist it was comfortable, and the Material 3 Expressive software design is a joy to use. Fast charging works as described, and the battery on our 45mm unit stands up to its 40-hour claim with moderate use. The Fitbit app, which got a redesigned this year, is intuitive and works very well, although it's irritating that some features are locked behind the Premium paywall.

Testing the PW's heart rate against a chest strap during a workout showed a small amount of inaccuracy: not enough to bother those who just want an estimate of how well they're doing during the day, but enough to make serious athletes looking for pinpoint accuracy slightly wary of trusting the Pixel Watch 4 in the same way they do Apple or Garmin when looking at heart-based metrics.

Google Pixel Watch 4: Specifications

Component	Google Pixel Watch 4
Price	Starting at $399 / £349 / AU$579
Dimensions	41 x 41 x 12.3mm / 45 x 45 x 12.3mm
Weight	31g / 36.7g without straps
Caze/bezel	Recycled aluminum
Display	320ppi always-on display AMOLED with up to 3,000 nits brightness
Operating System	Wear OS 6.0
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with an ML coprocessor
Memory	2GB of RAM
Storage	32GB
GPS	GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS
Battery life	Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE
Water resistance	WR50, IP68

Google Pixel Watch 4: Price and Availability

From $349 / £349 / AU$579 for the 41mm
From $399 / £399 / AU$669 for the 45mm
Cellular connectivity costs extra as usual

If you’re looking to upgrade from, say, a Pixel Watch 2 or 3, maybe another Android smartwatch, or even getting your first one, there is a wait for when you’ll actually receive a new Pixel Watch.

Unlike other gadgets that have seen price hikes year over year, the Pixel Watch 4 sticks with the same price as the Pixel Watch 3. Meaning it’s priced at $349 / £349 / AU$579 for the 41mm Pixel Watch 4 with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, or $449 / £449 / AU$749 for cellular connectivity. The larger, 45mm Pixel Watch 4 is $399 / £399 / AU$669 for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, or $499 / £499 / AU$839 for connectivity.

Beyond accessing the internet with the cellular connectivity model, you’ll also need to spend more to get emergency satellite functionality on the Pixel Watch 4. There isn’t an extra monthly or annual cost – at least for two years, that’s what Google provides out of the box – but it needs to make use of the bands found in the cellular version of the watch. That could be a reason alone to get it right there.

Value score: 4.5/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Design

Google Pixel Watch 4 hands-on — (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Domed display
New Material 3 Expressive software look
Redesigned charger

The first thing I noticed during my hands-on time with the Pixel Watch 4 was that the display itself is not flat like on the Pixel Watch 3. Sure, we’ve seen smartwatches on which the display slopes down the sides towards the watch case, such as the Apple Watch Series 10, but the glass display here is actually domed to the point where, as you swipe across the screen, you’ll feel the surface rise or lower.

This makes the sides of the display and the graphics appearing on the edges even more sloped, a feature the new Material 3 Expressive interface uses in its animations. However, it also noticeably increases the thickness on your wrist. The domed 360 Actua display still looked rich and vibrant with crisp text or numbers, and it got considerably brighter in the demo room, which wasn't brightly lit. Google says it can hit up to 3,000 nits, a jump of 1,000 nits compared to the Pixel Watch 3.

The third-generation Pixel Watch got a larger display than its predecessor, and the fourth-gen model goes bigger again, with 16% smaller bezels and 10% larger active display area, which Google says is made possible by the domed display.

We think the physical touch and interaction with the watch might take some time to get used to, but the new design delivers a theoretically more durable surface – as is the case with some dome shapes – and more space to hit touchpoints or see items presented on your wrist is certainly a win. It enhances what we described in our Pixel Watch 3 review last year as the 'polished pebble' effect of the Pixel Watch’s looks.

The Pixel Watch 4 still boasts Corning Gorilla Glass to protect against drops or scratches, and the rest of the build here is aerospace-grade aluminum. It’s also water-resistant up to 50 meters. Another major change this year is a redesigned back, which has resulted in the moving of the charging ports in order to make this smartwatch repairable and serviceable.

Yes, you’ll notice several screws, which allow the battery to be replaced for a more sustainable design. This isn’t something that's common for major smartwatch brands, as most devices are sealed units, so it’s a welcome step in the right direction from Google.

This also means a pretty significant change in charger design, as you’ll no longer place this on a proprietary puck with prongs as you would the Galaxy Watch, Apple Watch, or any Pixel Watch before this. The Pixel Watch 4 charges on its side in a dock, and if you’re charging it on a nightstand this should make it easier to use the smartwatch as a small alarm clock – it’s even perfectly positioned so that you can tap the crown to snooze.

Google is also taking advantage of these charger and design changes to speed up refueling. You can now charge the Pixel Watch 4 from 0% to 50% in just 15 minutes, and Google is promising longer battery life for both sizes – up to 30 hours for the 41mm and up to 40 hours for the 45mm. Your mileage will, of course, vary depending on usage, but it’s a good step beyond the Pixel Watch 3.

Design score: 5/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Features

On-wrist Gemini
Usual suite of health and fitness features
Tons of third party apps

Gemini powers a ton of new features. Google’s new Smart Replies feature looks like a welcome innovation, especially if you’re tired of suggested replies that often lack context and are unsuited to the conversation. The Pixel Watch 4’s silicon can power an on-device large language model to generate appropriate suggested replies based on what a message says.

We’ve already seen Gemini arrive on-wrist courtesy of the Galaxy Watch 8, but Google is serving up something special for its watch, and that’s a ‘raise to talk to the AI assistant’ functionality. Simply raise your wrist, and a glowing bar appears at the bottom of the display, which indicates that Gemini is listening and that you can start your request. You don’t need to say ‘Hey Gemini' – Google has us pretty well trained in that department – and it worked well in practice, quickly pulling up the weather.

Google’s shipping the Pixel Watch 4 with a familiar suite that includes general activity, heart-rate, blood oxygen (SpO2), and sleep tracking. You can also take an ECG or Electrocardiogram, and there’s an improved Skin Temperature sensor for more accurate readings. You can also track over 40 workouts with the Pixel Watch 4.

The real big potential leap, though, is a promised ‘personal AI health coach’ that’s powered by Gemini and set to arrive at some point in October as a preview in the United States at first. It should go beyond ‘Workout Buddy’ on the Apple Watch and some AI features on the Galaxy Watch, but we don’t know exactly what it entails just yet. Google is promising it to be a coach of sorts that bases recommendations on your health data and that you can chat with, maybe something similar to that of Oura Advisor.

While the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t usher in a tremendously radical redesign, it’s mostly about polishing and the addition of a healthy dose of AI functionality – something that Google is a big fan of. It’s likely that you don’t need to rush out for it if you already have a Pixel Watch 3, as you'll get many of the same features and the same smorgasbord of third-party app availability there.

Features score: 4/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Performance

Zippy and fast day-to-day
Battery charges fast and lasts as described
Heart rate accuracy fine, but not as accurate as an Apple Watch Ultra 3 or Garmin Venu 4

The Pixel Watch 4 felt like a modern-day smartwatch that was responsive and zippy fast. Under the hood it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Wearable Platform and a next-gen ML CoProcessor, both of which ensure that the new Material 3 Expressive interface design runs well here. It was easy enough to swipe between tiles, and we especially liked the more vibrant nature of the colors, which you can, of course, customize. Overall, this watch feels speedy compared to previous years.

We tested Gemini with a message that referenced delays on my local train service, and the Pixel Watch 4 delivered an appropriate response. It took a few seconds, but it’s much better than the list found on previous Pixel Watches, the Galaxy Watch, or the Apple Watch. However, we also had a couple of mishaps: it once directed me to a disused train station, not the closest operating one.

We tested the heart rate tracking against an accurate chest-mounted heart rate monitor, the Polar H10, during a four-mile run. The Google Pixel Watch 4 had an average heart rate difference of around 13bpm during our tracked test. Not awful, but the Garmin Venu 4 had a 5bpm difference, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 had just 1bpm difference to the chest strap.

It's more accurate than the Garmin Instinct 3, which had 18bpm difference, but worth understanding that during our test, the Pixel Watch 4 was more in 'ballpark' territory rather than 'pinpoint accuracy', and perhaps best used as a guideline for activity-based metrics rather than gospel.

However, the watch was extremely comfortable to wear despite its thickness, very useful day-to-day, easy to navigate and a joy to use. Battery performed as described, and charging was very fast. I loved the redesigned charger, especially as the watch feels like it now has a nightstand place.

Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	Same price as last year, a win!	4.5/5
Design	Iterates on the iconic pebble with smart choices, like the domed screen & new charger.	5/5
Features	All the third party apps you want, workout tracking and AI.	4/5
Performance	Some early glitches & accuracy quibbles, but generally a joy to use.	4/5

Google Pixel Watch 4: Should I buy?

A close up of the Pixel Watch 4 being unscrewed for repairs — (Image credit: iFixit)

Buy it if...

You want the best Wear OS watch

Love Android? This is going to give you the best Wear OS experience.

You're a Fitbit user

This automatically shot to the top of our pick for "best Fitbit watch" thanks to its use of Fitbit integrations.

You're an AI pioneer

Love Gemini? You've now got it on your wrist to perform tasks like smart replies.

Don't buy it if...

You need athlete-level tracking

The Google Pixel Watch 4 wasn't as accurate at measuring our heart rate during a workout as a Garmin Venu 4 or Apple Watch Ultra 3.

You use an iPhone

It sounds silly, but unless you're planning a switch to Android, there's no need to buy this watch.

Also consider

Component	Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm)	OnePlus Watch 3 (43mm)	Garmin Venu 4 (41mm)
Price	From $399 / £349 / AU$579	From $499 / £269.99 / AU$TBC	From $549.99 / £469.99 / AU$949
Dimensions	41 x 41 x 12.3mm	43.2 x 43.2 x 11mm	41 x 41 x 12 mm
Weight	31g without straps	37.8 without straps	46g with band
Caze/bezel	Recycled aluminum	Stainless steel	Stainless steel/Polymer
Display	320ppi always-on display AMOLED	466 x 466px 1.3-in AMOLED display	390 x 390px 1.2-in AMOLED display
Operating System	Wear OS	Wear OS	Garmin OS
GPS	GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS	Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, SatIQ
Battery life	Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled	Up to 60 hours, 7 days in power saver	Up to 10 days
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Water resistance	WR50, IP68	5ATM	5ATM

OnePlus Watch 3

An excellent WearOS alternative, in 43mm and 47mm sizes.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

Garmin Venu 4

One of the best smartwatches for fitness tracking.

Read our full Garmin Venu 4 review

How we tested

We wore the Pixel Watch 3 for days, tracking our sleep, performing ECG tests and working out with a chest-mounted heart rate monitor. We also tested AI systems like smart replies and on-device Gemini searches. We loaded our favorite third-party apps onto the watch, like Strava and Spotify, drained the battery down and examined the speed of its fast charging.

I’ve used the Shot Scope G6 for a bunch of rounds, and its simplicity and accuracy make it an easy entry-level golf watch to recommend

12:00 pm | August 10, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: GPS | Comments: Off

Shot Scope G6: One minute review

The Shot Scope G6 is a splendid budget-friendly GPS golf watch. Offering a robust feature set, accurate yardages, and an easy-to-use control scheme, it's a GPS watch that's comfortable in its own skin, offering no more and no less than what it does - all for an attractive price.

Sitting firmly in the entry-level end of the best golf watch market, it does have some strong competition for company in the form of the Garmin Approach S12, for example. However, the G6 stands firmly on its own two feet with what it offers over the S12 in the form of colored maps and visual hazard and layup distances, to name but two.

Out on the course, the G6 is easy to use with a simple four-button input system that means you can quickly and cleanly navigate holes and manage your way around courses. Yardages are wonderfully accurate based on our testing, and a robust battery life that gets you comfortably through two full 18 rounds nicely rounds out a strong feature set for a budget-friendly GPS golf watch.

While a proprietary charging system and port, a slightly small display, and a distinct lack of shot tracking and even score recording through the (otherwise decent) companion app do frustrate, this is a fine GPS-only, entry-level golf watch that is easy to recommend if you're shopping in the sub-$200/£200 range.

The Shot Scope G6 golf watch — (Image credit: Future)

Shot Scope G6: Specifications

Component	Shot Scope G6
Price	$179.99 / £179.99 (around AU$370)
Dimensions	1.7 x 1.7 x 0.39in/44 x 44 x 10mm
Weight	1.48oz / 42g
Case/bezel	Brushed steel
Display	176 x 176px; Daylight readable MIP
GPS	GPS L1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1
Battery life	GPS Mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch Mode: 4 days
Connection	Bluetooth 5
Water resistant?	Not stated

Shot Scope G6: Price and availability

List price of $179.99 / £179.99 (around AU$370)
Entry-level pricing offering good value for money
Launched in March 2025

The Shot Scope G6’s price point puts it firmly in the entry-level end of the golf watch market. However, it does punch nicely above its price tag with what it offers – as I’ll talk about in the rest of this review.

Generally, though, the Shot Scope G6 is attractively priced in the entry-level end of the market, but still faces some robust competition in the form of the Garmin Approach S12. The latter watch, a budget model in Garmin’s excellent Approach line of golf watches, features a lot of what makes that brand’s devices excellent, and while a few years old now, it still holds its own in the market and sells for the same price as the Shot Scope G6.

With that being the case, it’s wise to temper ones expectations in terms of what the Shot Scope G6 will offer you as it, as expected, doesn’t feature more premium features that you might see on the likes of the Garmin Approach S70, of course, and even those on its older sibling, the Shot Scope V5.

What it does offer, though, is simplicity in a golf watch that certainly means you get great bang for buck value.

Value score: 4/5

Shot Scope G6: Design

44mm watch face housing a clear screen, and button labels
Loads of different straps to choose from
The screen is smaller than the watch face

The Shot Scope G6 doesn’t throw up any surprises when it comes to its design. It’s a simple circular watch face with two dimensions and four buttons placed on the outer edge equidistantly. Simple. The four buttons are a microcosm of the G6’s simplicity in themselves, operating only one function each: up, down, back, and select, respectively.

One major thing to note is that the display is not the same size as the watch face – in fact, it is comfortably smaller, and a black band runs around the face. This almost acts like an on-screen bezel you’d see on a monitor, and means there’s a chunk of watch face that houses only the G6 model typeset, and the four buttons’ names before the display part actually starts or resides. It’s still clear and crisp when it needs to be, but it’s not a watch that prioritises its screen real estate as a result.

There’s a range of wristbands to choose from if you’re keen to customise your watch, all of which are easy to attach and detach from the watch itself.

Like the Garmin watches I’ve used over the years, the charging point on the G6 is a point of annoyance for me. It’s a proprietary connection, comes with a wire that’s never quite long enough, and the port is on the rear of the face. As a result, you’ll have to charge the watch face down all the time, and at a place sufficiently close to a socket or USB port. While it’s an entry-level watch, it still feels a bit clunky and inelegant for a golf watch in 2025.

Design score: 3.5/5

Shot Scope G6: Features

Robust golf GPS features - but no shot tracking or score recording
Simple and intuitive on-course features
Bright and easy-to-view color screen

On board the Shot Scope G6 is a robust feature set that is befitting of its GPS golf watch proposition and entry-level pricing – with a few caveats.

Pre-loaded with 36,000 courses, you’d be hard pushed to find a course not on there (even in the face of competing brands offering 40,000+), and each of the courses’ holes is displayed in crisp and clear colorings, which makes glancing at the watch for navigation easy.

There is a companion app, though it is rather ‘separate’ from the watch, with no sending of data or scores from the watch to the app, which holds back the overall functionality somewhat. However, on a broader note, I have found the Shot Scope app itself to be excellent, particularly in the way you can build your bag using specific brands, models, and lofts of clubs.

Relatedly, having grown used to watches that will track shots and also send back completed rounds to a companion app in order to build a bank of scores for a handicap, or give you data on your clubs for future rounds, the Shot Scope G6 does feel a little lacking in this particular area of its feature proposition. Especially when its competitor, the Garmin Approach S12, does at least offer the ability to send rounds back to its app.

It will keep score for you during the round, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no facility for that score to be sent ‘back’ to the app and for it to be recorded that way. I know we’re swimming in budget golf watch territory here, but in 2025, that seems like a winning feature to include if at all possible.

Features score: 3.5/5

Shot Scope G6: Performance

Accurate yardages and hazard maps
Robust battery life
No score recording or shot tracking holds it back

In short, the Shot Scope G6 is a simple and robust GPOS golf watch and one that performs to a level on the course that makes it easy to recommend.

Yes, recognising that there’s no shot tracking and score recording is key, but what the G6 does offer you, and what it does do, is excellent. The yardages are accurate, and the presence of distances to hazards, doglegs on holes, and several different layup points is incredibly welcome, and complements the front, middle, and back green distances it offers very well indeed. Golfers can also adjust their own lines on the watch to navigate holes as they see fit.

Across all my rounds, at home and abroad, the Shot Scope G6 was reliable, clear, had really accurate yardages, and was a genuine help around the course from shot to shot. The hazard and dogleg information were particularly useful for course management.

It functioned quickly, too – I found the GPS to find my course and kick into gear to be operating quicker than a Garmin Approach S70 and my Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition, both of which cost upwards of three times the price of the Shot Scope G6.

It was also easy to use during rounds, even when wearing gloves (I wear two), but the buttons do take some getting used to, especially so when you engage the lock screen as I did regularly to avoid accidental pushes.

As mentioned above, the app doesn’t truly work in tandem with the watch, but it is a nice extra thing to use adjacent to it. It allows me to put in each and every individual club type, brand, model, and loft. However, the lack of a feature that sends back rounds and scores from the watch to the app does hold it back from achieving more in my eyes.

As for battery life, I found it to be pretty much in line with Shot Scope's own assessment, though I was in dire need of charging it after my second round of 18, plus a bit of ‘on time’ before and after rounds. As a result, perfectly acceptable and robust enough to work, and forgiving enough if you forget to charge it after one round.

Within its limitations as a GPS watch only, it is a fine device and one I would happily use again and again. If that’s all you’re after, then it’s a great golf watch to go for.

Performance score: 4/5

Shot Scope G6: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Price	This is a very attractively priced entry-level golf watch that offers robust bang for buck value if you’re after a GPS watch.	4/5
Design and screen	Intuitive controls and a plain but functional design make for an easy-to-use watch, despite the small screen space.	3.5/5
Features	While it’s a shame there’s no shot tracking or score recording (beyond an in-round scorecard), the GPS accuracy and in-course info, such as hazards, make for a robust feature set.	3.5/5
Performance	Within its limits as a GPS-only watch, the Shot Scope G6 is a great watch that performs very well, and it never let me down in terms of accuracy and on-course assistance.	4/5
Total	If you’re looking for an entry-level watch that’s ideal for on-course assistance and companionship, rather than to analyse data, then the Shot Scope G6 is an excellent choice at its attractive price point.	4/5

Shot Scope G6: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want an entry-level golf watch that’s great value for money

Coming in safely under the $200 / £200 mark means the G6 begins life at a good value price – but then really emphasises its value with the accuracy and feature set it offers.

You’re after a simple golf course companion for straightforward assistance

The ShotScope G6 is brilliantly simple in its proposition and provides some of the best and simplest – and most accurate – on-course information I’ve experienced.

You’re already in the Garmin ecosystem

The S70 is an ideal step up if you've tested the waters already with one of Garmin’s budget golf watches and want to embrace something more feature-filled.

Don't buy it if...

You crave shot-tracking and score-recording features

With no way to track your shots or your rounds beyond a digital scorecard, even in partnership with the robust app, the G6 is not the best pick for those looking for a device to store yardages for their clubs and build a bank of scores to track a handicap.

You want your golf watch to be a daily driver smart watch

The G6 really is just a GPS golf watch; nothing more, nothing less. As a result, if you’re looking for your first or next golf watch to do anything more, particularly to fill a smart watch void, then this isn’t it.

You want a big display

While the G6’s display is clear and bright enough, there’s no escaping the fact that the display area is pretty small.

Also consider

	Shot Scope G6	Garmin Approach S12	Shot Scope V5
Price	$179.99 / £179.99 (around AU$370)	$199.99 / £179.99 / AU$299 (launch prices)	$249.99 / £239.99 / AU$429.99
Dimensions	1.7 x 1.7 x 0.39in / 44 x 44 x 10mm	1.72 x 1.72 x 0.45in / 43.7 x 43.7 x 11.5mm	1.69 x 1.69 x 0.47in / 43 x 43 x 12mm
Weight	1.48oz / 42g	1.2oz/34.1g	1.76oz / 50g
Case/bezel	Brushed steel	Lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer	ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Display	176 x 176px; Daylight readable MIP	175 x 175px; ??????????	240 x 240px; 1.2in / 30mm Daylight readable MIP
GPS	GPS L1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1	Unspecified	GPS 1, Galileo E1, Glonass L1
Battery life	GPS mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch mode: 4 days	GPS mode: up to 30 hours / Watch mode: up to 10 weeks	GPS mode: 2+ rounds of golf / Watch mode: around 5 days
Connection	Bluetooth 5	Bluetooth	Bluetooth
Water resistant?	Unspecified	Yes, 5m	Unspecified

Garmin Approach S12
Another excellent entry-level golf watch, Garmin’s Approach S12, is a brilliant alternative that packs in a whole bunch of Garmin’s excellent golf features into an affordable package.

Read our full Garmin Approach S12 review

Shot Scope V5
If you’re looking at the G6 but are after a little more functionality and features, then the Shot Scope V5 adds shot tracking data (including 16 club tags to use), a host of ways to analyse your stats, as well as a great battery life and slick design.

Read our full Shot Scope V5 review

How I tested the Shot Scope G6

I used the Shot Scope G6 over the course of a couple of months, using it for a host of rounds at my home course in Somerset, as well as multiple rounds on holiday around the course of Belek in Turkey. I used all of its features, from checking yardages to hazard information, and found it a reliable and easy-to-use watch while on the course.

I was able to directly compare the G6 to other golf watches I had access to, including the Garmin Approach S70 and my TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Golf Edition. While these are much more premium golf watches, the comparison still enabled me to appreciate what the G6 offers for its entry-level price and what could be added to improve it further.

First reviewed May-July 2025

Garmin Venu X1: One-minute review

When you think of the best Garmin watches, you think of thick, G-Shock-style rugged adventure watches, not a sleek full-screen bezelless smartwatch that sits slim on your wrist. The Garmin Venu X1 bucks the trend, offering a complete redesign, and it’s fun to get to grips with the Garmin experience in what feels like a whole new way.

Personally, I loved it. I’ll discuss the design and display, which of Garmin’s usual suite of metrics and features it gets, and how it performs, in detail below, but it’s an eminently usable watch that has very quickly become a fixture in my usual rotation. The slender nature of the watch and curved stainless-steel backing hugs the wrist and makes it comfortable, and that gorgeous full-color AMOLED display is perfect for viewing maps.

The battery life is a concern in comparison to more typical Garmins, however: if you’re used to a two-week battery, the always-on display will crush the Garmin Venu X1’s longevity down to just a few days. However, without the always-on display you’ll get a week (far more than even the best Apple Watch), even with multiple battery-sucking hour-long GPS workouts.

The other slight concern is the redesigned operating system. The list of widgets (or ‘glances’ in Garmin speak) are navigated via a combination of touchscreen and buttons, and have received a Liquid Glass-style facelift to make use of Garmin’s Apple Watch-style screen. However – and to keep the comparison going – sometimes the framerate can lag, and without Garmin’s five-button configuration or an Apple-style digital crown, swiping around can be cumbersome (especially mid-workout). It doesn’t spark joy, to quote Marie Kondo, in the same way that Apple’s form factor does.

Nevertheless, I’ve been wearing the watch for weeks, and I’ve finished my testing, and it’s still on my wrist – and once I’ve finished testing my next watch, I’ll probably strap it back on again. It’s light, it looks good, it’s comfortable, it lasts longer than an Apple Watch (with the latter two factors helping to make it practical to wear overnight for better sleep tracking), and it’s just a damn good watch. I still can’t get over how good full-color maps look on its enormous screen.

Garmin Venu X1: Price and availability

$799 / £799 / AU$1,399
One size
Around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Garmin Venu X1 is available in all regions, priced at $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. That’s around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is priced at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

Like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Garmin Venu X1 comes in just one size, as opposed to most other Garmin watches that are available in multiple sizes. However, the Ultra 2 does have one major feature the Venu X1 doesn’t: LTE support.

LTE support means you can add the Ultra 2 to your phone’s data plan (this usually costs extra), and allows you to make calls, send messages and even stream music directly without being connected to your phone. The Venu X1, despite being in the same premium price bracket as the Ultra 2, doesn’t have this functionality.

Then again, neither do other Garmin watches such as the Garmin Fenix 8, which actually costs more than the Venu X1. The difference between the two is that the Venu X1 is positioned as a smartwatch competitor, rather than an adventure watch.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Venu X1: Design

Gorgeous, bright AMOLED display
Slim profile, highly unusual for Garmins
Stainless steel curved backing for comfort

The Garmin Venu X1 is slimmer than any other Garmin I’ve yet tried, and I’ve tried a lot. No chunky adventure watch here: Garmin has opted for a practically bezel-less slender watchwith just 7.9mm of thickness. The slim profile combines with the metal backing, which is curved to follow the wrist, for a fit that I found very comfortable, though people with smaller or larger wrists than mine might not find it quite as good a fit.

Most other smartwatches have straight backs, relying on straps to bind their boxy cases to your wrists, which can cause the sensor to dig into your wrist. I found the Garmin Venu X1 very comfortable indeed, more so than the Apple Watch Ultra series.

While the back is cambered, the wide display isn’t curved at all, unlike the Apple Watch Series 10. Instead, it’s completely flat, slightly reducing glanceability in theory, but the screen is big and bright enough that it doesn’t really matter. The display (a 51.2mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display) is among the best I’ve ever seen on a smartwatch.

The velcro strap included with the watch isn’t particularly stylish, but it’s perfectly adequate performance-wise. It’ll need cleaning, as it’s fabric, and it got a bit dirty even during my first month of training.

The only real design flaw I’ve identified after using this watch for a month is Garmin’s operating system, which has had a bit of a facelift to better suit Garmin’s biggest, brightest display. It looks fine, but to navigate it you have to scroll through with two buttons and the touchscreen, as there’s no digital crown and only two buttons, unlike on most of Garmin’s other watches.

This is something that’s always been a problem with the Venu series for me; however, it’s by no means a dealbreaker. Occasionally you’ll need to swipe between screens during a workout, from heart rate and time to maps for example, with the touchscreen – and this can become smeared with sweat and dirt. However, it’s not enough to be a serious problem with the watch; it’s just a minor gripe.

Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Features

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Garmin Venu X1 worn during run on separate wrists — (Image credit: Future)

Garmin’s top-tier training features
Full-color offline maps
LED torch

First up, all of Garmin’s best features, including Morning Report, Training Readiness score, Endurance and Hill scores, Garmin Coach, full-color maps, work brilliantly here, and the watch functions well as a workout companion that’s much lighter than the chunkier Forerunners and Fenixes, making it ideal for runners and swimmers as you’ll practically forget you’re wearing it.

The added comfort and reduced weight are especially beneficial for sleep tracking. The watch is so much more comfortable than watches with thicker profiles, which means it’s easier to wear in bed. You can get all your recovery metrics, such as sleeping heart rate variability and sleep quality, from the watch directly, rather than not wearing it (or even removing it in frustration during the middle of the night because it’s stopping you nodding off, as I’ve done with some chunky watches) and relying on Garmin’s estimations.

That massive display is transformative when viewing complex information such as multiple glances at once, or full-color maps. You can’t use the touchscreen for precision movements such as responsive pinches to zoom in and out, like you would on a phone, but the maps screen is still ideally suited for getting turn-by-turn directions on city walks, or long runs using the Create a Course functionality.

The Garmin Venu X1 offers a generous 32GB of onboard storage for music and GPX maps, and supports offline playback from apps such as Spotify. It’s also packing Garmin’s useful LED torch, with a red mode for wearing at night as a safety light, and three levels of white light. It can be used for anything from finding your way to the bathroom in the dark to signalling for help atop a mountain, perhaps when you’ve taken a wrong turn after a hike.

The torch uses a fair amount of battery, though, so if you’re going to be out overnight you might want to disable the always-on display to conserve power – more on that in a moment.

Features score: 5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Performance

Garmin Venu X1 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2 — (Image credit: Michael Sawh)

Good battery life without always-on display
Easy to wear
I enjoyed training in it

I wore the Garmin Venu X1 for around a month, draining the battery completely, charging it multiple times and doing lots of running and resistance training while wearing it. I also competed in a 12K trail-running event, using the Primary Race training tool to fine-tune my plans for the day. I slept with it, took it out on the roads, and wore it during gym and yoga sessions.

I’ve seen some criticisms stating the battery is very bad with always-on display enabled, and they’re right: with this functionality on, you’re only getting a few days of battery life. However, as someone who found the raise-to-wake functionality more than suitable and sensitive enough for my needs, I’m living with the watch just fine. During testing, the battery lasted around a week with multiple GPS workouts, which is pretty much as advertised.

Using it as a running watch, I found that it’s one of the best I’ve tried this year. It’s not as powerful or rugged, or quite as feature-rich, as the Fenix 8, but it’s a much better all-rounder watch. I used the voice command functionality to set kitchen timers and so on, and it’s certainly easier than swiping through the OS. However, it’s not quite as seamless as the Apple Watch’s nigh-on futuristic raise-and-speak functionality, as it still takes a swipe and tap to set up.

As Garmin’s attempt at an Apple Watch, the Venu X1 very nearly succeeds, and it’s a lovely watch to wear and train with in its own right. However, I think that in order to truly succeed both as a training watch and a smartwatch, it needs to leave more of its Garmin trappings behind – among other things, Garmin needs to completely redesign the interface, and enable users to access its voice command feature with one fewer swipe.

Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A premium watch with premium features, but not outrageous value.	4/5
Design	A beautiful screen with a transformative slim, light chassis.	4.5/5
Features	Garmin’s best features packed into a slender package.	5/5
Performance	A terrific running watch, but not quite the complete smartwatch package, and so-so battery life with always-on display.	4/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re on Android

This powerful watch is the closest thing to a system-agnostic Apple Watch Ultra 2.

You want comfort

This slender watch is extremely light and comfortable for workouts, sleep tracking and daily wear.

You’re a power user

Are you a serious runner, cyclist, hiker or triathlete? You’ll love this watch.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

This is not a cheap watch, even by Garmin standards.

You like the traditional Garmin look

There are plenty of Garmin watches with the usual rugged aesthetic to choose from.

You need a two-week battery life

The Garmin Venu X1 lasts anywhere from two to nine days.

Also consider

Component	Garmin Venu X1	Apple Watch Ultra 2	Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Price	$799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499	$799 / £799 / AU$1,399	$649 / £599 / AU$1,299
Dimensions	41 x 46 x 7.9 mm	49 x 41 x 14 (mm)	47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm
Weight	41g	61g	60.5g
Case/bezel	Titanium/Polymer	Titanium	Titanium
Display	51.2 mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display	49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display	480 x 480 full-color AMOLED
GPS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS	Dual-frequency (unspecified)	Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life	Up to 8 days	36 hours	590mAh, up to 100 hours
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
Water resistant	Yes, 5ATM	Yes, WR100 (diveproof)	10ATM + IP68

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

As above, but for Samsung and Android phone users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Venu X1 for a month, draining the battery multiple times and testing it against the Apple Watch Ultra 2. I used the Primary Race tool to complete a trail running event, slept with it, showered with it and completed gym, running and a variety of other workouts with it. I used its maps functionality in conjunction with running routes created on Garmin Connect.

Garmin Venu X1 review: The most innovative Garmin watch in years, and a genuine Apple Watch Ultra rival

11:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: AMOLED, LED | Comments: Off

Garmin Venu X1: One-minute review

Garmin Venu X1: Price and availability

$799 / £799 / AU$1,399
One size
Around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Garmin Venu X1 is available in all regions, priced at $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. That’s around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is priced at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Venu X1: Design

Gorgeous, bright AMOLED display
Slim profile, highly unusual for Garmins
Stainless steel curved backing for comfort

Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Features

Garmin’s top-tier training features
Full-color offline maps
LED torch

Features score: 5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Performance

Good battery life without always-on display
Easy to wear
I enjoyed training in it

Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A premium watch with premium features, but not outrageous value.	4/5
Design	A beautiful screen with a transformative slim, light chassis.	4.5/5
Features	Garmin’s best features packed into a slender package.	5/5
Performance	A terrific running watch, but not quite the complete smartwatch package, and so-so battery life with always-on display.	4/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re on Android

This powerful watch is the closest thing to a system-agnostic Apple Watch Ultra 2.

You want comfort

This slender watch is extremely light and comfortable for workouts, sleep tracking and daily wear.

You’re a power user

Are you a serious runner, cyclist, hiker or triathlete? You’ll love this watch.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

This is not a cheap watch, even by Garmin standards.

You like the traditional Garmin look

There are plenty of Garmin watches with the usual rugged aesthetic to choose from.

You need a two-week battery life

The Garmin Venu X1 lasts anywhere from two to nine days.

Also consider

Component	Garmin Venu X1	Apple Watch Ultra 2	Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Price	$799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499	$799 / £799 / AU$1,399	$649 / £599 / AU$1,299
Dimensions	41 x 46 x 7.9 mm	49 x 41 x 14 (mm)	47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm
Weight	41g	61g	60.5g
Case/bezel	Titanium/Polymer	Titanium	Titanium
Display	51.2 mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display	49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display	480 x 480 full-color AMOLED
GPS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS	Dual-frequency (unspecified)	Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Battery life	Up to 8 days	36 hours	590mAh, up to 100 hours
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE	Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi
Water resistant	Yes, 5ATM	Yes, WR100 (diveproof)	10ATM + IP68

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

As above, but for Samsung and Android phone users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

We’ve found the best pair of durable all-rounder running shoes you can buy this year – say hello to the Saucony Ride 18

11:00 am | August 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Comments: Off

Saucony Ride 18: One minute review

I must admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the Saucony Ride 17. While it was a solid all-rounder, I found the internal molding quite intrusive and it always felt like I was wearing a support shoe rather than a neutral trainer. In the end, it just didn’t work for me, and I passed it on to a friend (who loved it!).

As a result, I was hesitant to try the Ride 18, even though I knew it was a popular model with plenty of great credentials, but I was pleasantly surprised. With just a few subtle tweaks, Saucony has created a far more comfortable shoe which seems to mold to my feet perfectly.

It just goes to show that small changes can make all the difference. Increased structure in the upper, a touch more heel cushioning and bonus foam content are particular highlights. Best of all, the trainer comes at an affordable price, meaning it’s a great value-for-money workhorse, perfect for those easy and long runs.

Much like Brooks Ghost, the Ride 18 is likely to remain a firm favorite for those looking for a cushioned ride. It’s been a complete game changer for me and the Ride 18 is now my go-to road shoe for easy runs and everyday training.

Saucony Ride 18 review: Specifications

Component	Saucony Ride 18
Weight	Around 228g (Womens) 259g (Men’s)
Upper	Engineered mesh with inner sleeve
Midsole	PWRRUN+Foam
Outsole	Durable Rubber
Heel-to-toe drop	8mm

Saucony Ride 18 review: Price and availability

$145 USD / £130 GBP / AU$239.99
Affordable considering it's a workhorse
Frequently found on sale

The Saucony Ride 18 is one of the more affordable road shoes. Priced at $145 USD / £130 GBP / AU$239.99, it can be found at discounted prices, but limited sizes are available.

We’ve spotted it as cheap as £105.00 in the UK at Sports Direct (link) (sportsdirect.com), at $144.95 in the US on Road Runner Sports (link) (roadrunnersports.com), and as low as AU$210 on Sports Direct Australia (link) (au.sportsdirect.com).

Value score: 4.5/5

Saucony Ride 18 review: Design

Extra cushioning foam
More pronounced grooving
No more heel pull-tab

The Saucony Ride 18 retains much of the DNA that made its predecessor popular, yet introduces a series of subtle refinements that combine to deliver a more responsive and comfortable ride. The trainer still employs an 8mm heel-to-toe drop, a specification that appeals to runners seeking a balanced transition without the feeling of a pronounced incline. Underfoot, the PWRRUN+ midsole material has been enhanced with additional cushioning foam, resulting in improved energy return despite a marginal reduction in overall weight. This increased foam content not only makes the shoe feel livelier underfoot, but also boosts the comfort factor.

A closer look at the outsole reveals more pronounced grooving compared with the Ride 17. The more numerous flex grooves provide enhanced grip on a variety of surfaces and encourage a more stable, confident stride. The redesigned tread pattern also appears more wear-resistant, suggesting it will maintain performance over a longer lifespan.

Above the midsole, the engineered knit upper has been reworked to offer greater stretch and conformity around the foot. The device-knit construction wraps the midfoot snugly, eliminating the noticeable internal arch of the previous model and providing a smoother, more uniform pressure distribution. An extra layer of padding in the heel collar further secures the foot in place, preventing slippage without causing discomfort or hotspots during extended runs.

In the forefoot, the generous yet not cumbersome toe-box volume allows natural toe splay without feeling loose. The tongue padding has been optimized to strike a balance between comfort and minimalism, offering enough cushioning to prevent lace-bite without bulking up. The lace system now includes an additional eyelet, enabling various lockdown configurations for a personalized fit. The heel pull-tab has been removed, but this always appeared to be superfluous to me, anyway.

Overall, the Ride 18’s design updates – enhanced foam, refined tread, adaptive upper and tailored fit – combine into a package that feels soft, light and supportive.

Design score: 4/5

Saucony Ride 18 review: Performance

Solid track shoe
Handles light trails as well as roads
Good for most distances

I put the Saucony Ride 18 through its paces on both my regular road runs and interval track sessions, where I was doing 400m and 800m reps, or pacing athletes to smash 5k PBs. On the track, the shoe felt exceptionally smooth and consistent, offering just enough pop from the responsive midsole to sustain a metronomic pace without fatigue. Transitions from heel to toe remained fluid, even when shifting speeds between repeats.

Despite its track prowess, the Ride 18 proved versatile enough for road outings and light trail adventures. The reliable cushioning and grip inspired confidence on varied surfaces, making the pair trustworthy for anything from a brisk parkrun to a 20-mile long run. The outsole’s traction handled damp tarmac and gravel alike.

Although capable in general interval sessions, the Ride 18 does still lack the ultra-lightweight feel and snappy responsiveness of a dedicated racing flat or carbon-plated shoe (but then again, it’s not designed for this kind of running). But for everyday training, tempo runs and mixed-surface routes it strikes an impressive balance of comfort, stability and performance.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Saucony Ride 18: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You value everyday versatility

The Ride 18 adapts from road to light trail, and from speed to easy running, without missing a beat, making it your go-to trainer for mixed workouts.

You appreciate consistent cushioning

Its balanced PWRRUN Plus midsole delivers a soft, reliable bounce mile after mile, keeping your legs feeling fresh.

You need a snug, secure fit

An adaptive knit upper and padded heel collar hold your foot comfortably in place, so you can focus on your stride.

Don't buy it if...

You demand razor-sharp responsiveness

For race-day flats or super-snappy speed sessions, the Ride 18 feels a touch too plush and mellow.

You’re tackling ultras

While it’s durable, the cushioning isn’t as luxurious as specialist long-distance models, so your feet may tire on very long runs.

You prefer hardcore off-road

For technical trails or deep mud, you’ll want deeper lugs and reinforced protection that this pair can’t provide.

Also consider

Altra FWD Via

Our previous favorite slow, all-rounder shoe

Read our full Altra FWD Via review

Saucony Ride 17

The previous iteration which can now be found quite cheaply.

Read our full Saucony Ride 17 review

First reviewed: July 2025

I wore this $80 / £80 AI-powered Apple Watch rival for two months, and I still love it

5:00 pm | August 2, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: Fitbit Charge, Garmin Forerunner, GPS | Comments: Off

Amazfit Bip 6: One minute review

I was eager to get my hands on the budget-friendly Amazfit Bip 6 to see if it matches up to the likes of the CMF Watch 2 Pro or Amazfit Active 2, our five-star best cheap smartwatch pick. When we reviewed the Amazfit Bip smartwatch back in 2019, we praised its amazing value, stylish design, and excellent companion app. Now at version 6, the Bip 6 is better than ever.

Across the board, the Bip 6 delivers. A sleek design, copious number of workout options, and onboard GPS all contribute to delivering a smartwatch that rivals many of the best smartwatches and fitness trackers. That’s not all the Bip 6 can do though, and it’s not quite all positive. However, considering its low price, it certainly delivers where it counts.

Amazfit Bip 6: Specifications

Price:	$79.99 US / £79.90 UK / AU$169
Dimensions:	46.3 x 40.2 x 10.45mm
Weight:	27.9g without strap
Case/Bezel:	Aluminum alloy and fiber-reinforced polymer
Display:	Size: 1.97-inch AMOLED 390x450px PPI 302
GPS:	Yes
Battery life:	Up to 14-days battery life
Connection:	Bluetooth
Water resistance:	5 ATM

Amazfit Bip 6: Price and availability

$79.99 US / £79.90 UK
An impressively good watch for the price

The Amazfit Bip 6 smartwatch is one of a growing number of budget-friendly smartwatches that deliver surprisingly good specs. You can pick it up for only $79.99 US / £79.90 UK with available colorways including black, red, and stone. By way of comparison, the five-star Amazfit Active 2 costs $99.99 US / £99.99 UK. AU pricing is TBC.

Value score: 4.5/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Design

1.97-inch AMOLED display
Liquid silicone strap
5 ATM water resistance

Let’s turn our attention to the design and build quality of this watch. Straight out the box, I was amazed by how good it looked. I had seen pictures of it, but because of the low price I was expecting to receive a poorly-built smartwatch. Sorry for my pessimism, Amazfit, you’ve ended up exceeding my expectations.

The frame is made of aluminum alloy while the case is fiber-reinforced polymer. It’s ever-so-slightly larger than the Bip 5, although not noticeably. I appreciated how flush it sat on my wrist and is light enough to blend into the background, even when exercising.

This smooth, bevelled metal case houses a gorgeous 1.97-inch AMOLED display which is an upgrade from the TFT on the previous iteration. This results in higher contrast, vibrant colors, and lower power consumption. And at a peak brightness of 2000 nits, I had no problem viewing the screen in even the brightest of lighting conditions.

The screen has a 380 x 450 resolution and 302 PPI, which isn’t far short of the Apple Watch Ultra. All of this is protected by 2.5D tempered glass so you don’t have to worry about it smashing – within reason, that is.

The watch is operated with two buttons located on the right-hand side of the case. They are large enough to be easily locatable but not big enough to get in the way. Personally, I love wearing a smartwatch with a crown button because it helps me navigate through the long list of workout options. As much as I missed it on the Bip 6, I soon got used to swiping the touchscreen instead.

The liquid silicone strap is comfortable, although a little awkward to put on. This is because the process of tucking the strap away actually clamps the watch in tighter. This made it difficult to reliably find the right position for the catch time after time. To provide a high level of choice and individuality, the strap can be purchased in a variety of different colors including black, charcoal, stone, red, and blush.

The Bip 6 has a water-resistance grade of 5 ATM, which means it can withstand water pressure down to 50 meters. Despite this, it’s not designed to be taken swimming for long periods of time or for intense water sports. I’m not doing either of those but have worn it in the shower and not encountered any problems at all.

Design score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Features

24/7 Health monitoring and over 140 activity modes
Make and answer calls
Track progress through the Zepp app

As well as an AMOLED display, 5ATM water resistance, and on-board GPS, the Bip 6 delivers an impressive range of health monitoring and more activity modes than you could shake a stick at, alongside functionality for making and answering phone calls.

First up is Amazfit's BioTracker technology, enabling round-the-clock health monitoring. This includes heart rate, blood-oxygen levels, stress levels, and sleep quality. There’s nothing out of the ordinary or particularly special but strong for a budget smartwatch.

Things get a little more exciting when we get into activity modes. Not only are there over 140 of them including running, cycling, and swimming, but there’s also a dedicated HYROX race mode. I’ve never actually partaken in one of these races but if you’re into HYROX,this would be the ideal smartwatch for you. Tracking through the series of 1km runs and various functional fitness tests would be a nightmare on any other smartwatch, but with the Bip 6 all parts of the set order of exercises are handled for you.

Thanks to a built-in microphone and Bluetooth technology, the Bip 6 is able to make and answer calls like a pro. You’ll also be able to receive notifications and reply to texts using Zepp Flow.

Health tracking and activity records can be accessed through the watch but the most extensive insights are available through the Zepp app. If you’d like even more advanced wellness information then you’ll have to subscribe to Zepp Aura inside of the Zepp app itself.

Features score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Performance

Single-frequency GPS, but accurate
Zepp flow streamlines using the phone
Positive user-experience

In terms of using the smartwatch, everything was very positive. The watch wakes up quickly and reliably when the wrist is rotated and the interface is adequately responsive. The watch lost pairing with the app a few times but re-pairing was quick and painfree. Data such as notifications and weather information were also delivered promptly and effficiently.

The Bip 6 also features built-in GPS, although it’s only single frequency at this price. Despite the lack of dual-frequency GNSS technology I found the Bip 6 to be both reliable and accurate. If you need super accurate tracking even through densely built-up areas then you’ll be better off with a dual-frequency watch such as the Garmin Forerunner 255 instead. That being said, I did take the Bip 6 into a dense forest and it had no problems picking up GPS within seconds.

During walks, runs, and cycling, I tested the Bip 6 alongside the Suunto Race S which is my usual tracking preference. I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the results were comparable, including heart rate, pace, distance traveled, and more. I also love how granular the Zepp app presents all this data, with in-depth graphics, plenty of stats, and bar chart dials. Being able to compare similar types of workouts over a period of time was also very helpful.

The Bip 6 also supports offline maps which helps when you know signal is going to be sketchy. By downloading unknown routes ahead of time, I was able to guarantee that navigation wouldn’t be a problem.

It is possible to play music while working out, but you’ll have to download music to the watch first. The lack of support for music streaming services like Spotify means you’ll have to be prepared ahead of time and preload your favorite music onto the watch. I like that it’s possible to listen to music through the watch, but the lack of convenience is a negative for the overall experience.

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Battery life is impressive, especially given the price of the watch. The battery capacity has actually been raised from previous models from 300mAh to 340mAh, boosting overall performance and offering 14 days battery life with typical usage. By tracking around one or two activities per day, I found the watch actually lasted between 15 and 20 days.

As soon as I increased that and made use of the GPS more frequently, I quickly found that the battery life dropped to nearer 10 days. Recharging was possible through the custom Amazfit charging attachment that connects to the back of the watch. My only gripe was that there was no USB-C cable included, so you’ll need to source that yourself. A full recharge from empty took 120 minutes.

Finally let’s talk about Zepp Flow. This feature allows users to operate the watch using simple voice commands. Once I became familiar with the range of accepted commands, I found myself hardly using the GUI and associated buttons. I was able to adjust settings, check health data, start workouts, and reply to notifications with ease.

If Sam Altman and Jony Ive have their way, then the future of devices will look very different to what we have today. Devices will likely become entirely unobtrusive and operated solely with the voice. The Bip 6, with Zepp Flow, appears to be a step in that direction and Amazfit has absolutely nailed the implementation. I am excited to see how it pushes this design even further in future iterations.

Performance score: 4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more capable smartwatch at this price point.	4.5/5
Design	A great-looking watch that is comfortable to wear.	4/5
Features	The Bip 6 does all the basics well with little to set it apart from the rest.	4/5
Performance	Accurate GPS and seamless operation using Zepp Flow.	4/5
Total	A well-rounded smartwatch that offers a lot given the budget-friendly price.	4/5

Amazfit Bip 6: Should I buy?

Buy if it...

You want your money to go further
At $79.99 US / £79.90 UK you’ll be amazed at how much performance and quality you get for the price.

You like simple and sleek design
The Bip 6 looks more premium than the price tag would suggest. The materials give away its budget status but it still looks nice.

You want GPS tracking
With onboard GPS you’ll be able to track your workouts to your heart’s content.

Don't buy it if...

You’re put off by paid subscriptions
Access to wellness and personalized reports will require Zepp Aura, a subscription-based service.

You need the very best GPS
With single frequency GPS you might find you have problems in densely built-up areas.

Also consider

Fitbit Charge 6

A little bit more expensive but still relatively affordable

Read our full Fitbit Charge 6 review

Garmin Forerunner 165

A more expensive watch, but a better outdoor companion.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 review

How I tested

Having worn the Amazfit Bip 6 for two months, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to get a proper feel of what the watch is like in reality. My testing has covered all elements of the watch including ‘smart’ features alongside the health and fitness tracking parts. I’ve also had it on at night to give the sleep tracking a rigorous test. This is a watch that I’ll continue to enjoy wearing, not only from a comfort point of view but also from a performance perspective.

First reviewed: July 2025

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic review: A Galaxy Watch Ultra that’s dressed to impress

5:00 pm | July 9, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: LTE | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: One-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is different from its predecessors. The Classic series crops up every two years like clockwork, and all feature that rotating bezel, which serves as a way to interact with the watch.

However, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and Watch 4 Classic bear a resemblance to their namesake mainline entries in the Galaxy Watch series, the Watch 8 Classic draws more from the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

This new influence means the body is a whole different shape to the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, which has slimmed down by 11% to become the thinnest Galaxy Watch yet. The Classic is still chunky, and features the Ultra’s programmable Quick Button in addition to the rotating bezel. The Quick Button can be programmed and used in many different ways, from starting your most-used workout to opening music controls. The rotating bezel also allows you to scroll through apps, lists, and messages without using the touchscreen.

These two features, combined with voice commands aided by the Google Gemini AI assistant, mean you have lots of different ways to interact with the watch, which is great. The bezel feels smooth in use, and it feels very natural to use the wheel to scroll through long passages of text and lists of apps alike.

Other new features include sleep apnea detection, a new Running Coach with 160 running plans to recommend and track, useful redesigned software (including new at-a-glance app collection displays and a minimalist widget called a Now Bar, which lives on your watch face when a task is running in the background) and of course, that previously mentioned AI assistant. It’s also got Samsung’s existing suite of features, such as a BioActive heart rate sensor, sleep coach recommendations, accurate body composition, and lots more.

I’ve tested the watch for around a week alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch8, and can confirm it's the full package inside an attractive but thick and chunky casing. It's great, but I do prefer the slender Galaxy Watch8 for day-to-day and active wear.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: Price and availability

Bluetooth-only model starts at $499 / £449 / AU$899
LTE model is $549 / £499 / AU$999
Pre-orders available July 9

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is available for pre-order now priced at $499.99 / £449 / AU$899 for the Bluetooth-only model. Considering the mainline Watch8 is available for $150 / £100 cheaper, you’re paying for the upgraded stainless steel body, the rotating bezel, and the added Quick Button. LTE connectivity is available for an additional $50 / £50 / AU$100.

This certainly isn’t a small price increase between editions, and it's a big jump from the previous-generation Classic as well: the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic started at $399 / £369 / AU$699, although that was a smaller-sized 43mm model, whereas, like the Ultra, the Classic 8 is a one-size-fits-all 46mm.

Value score: 3.5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Design

The rotating bezel is back
Added Quick Button
Redesigned UI/software

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic only comes in a single size, 46mm, where 40mm and 44mm options are offered with the mainline Samsung Galaxy Watch 8. This is a watch for bigger wrists only, as it’s also thick and chunky due to the added height and heft from the bezel. However, the machined bezel is a lovely design, and intuitive to use when scrolling through options on the watch.

It looks and feels like a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, especially with the addition of the Quick Button – so if you liked that design, you’ll also like this one. The Watch8 Classic's display is tied with the 8 for the brightest yet, at 3,000 nits. You also get double the internal storage of the standard Samsung Galaxy Watch8 – 64GB, instead of the standard 8’s 32GB.

As mentioned above, the Quick Button can be programmed for different purposes, and the bezel is used like the digital crowns on the best Apple Watches in that you use it to cycle through options, but the real magic is in the redesigned UI, which I love.

At-a-glance views now offer more information on your limited display, while a new watch face widget called the Now Bar, an idea borrowed from the best Samsung phones, allows tasks running in the background – like Timers and Workouts – to have a small presence on your regular watch face. It works very well in practice, and I loved using it.

My main design concern, other than the limited size options and thickness of the watch, is the Dynamic Lug system, which is borrowed from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. I mentioned in my Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 review that I found it fiddly, especially as a man with short nails.

However, it does mean there’s less case movement during exercise, and the watches (in white and black) look snappy with the leather-effect strap provided. If you’re keen to use it for exercise, especially swimming, it may also behoove you to pick up a silicone one, further inflating the price of the watch as you’ll need to buy this separately.

Design score: 4.5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Features

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic advanced running metrics — (Image credit: Future)

Tons of third-party apps
Powerful wellness metrics
New hardware features like the Antioxidant Index

Aside from the design differences, many of the new features on offer are the same as the ones described in my Samsung Galaxy Watch8 review, but I’ll repeat them here. Sleep apnea detection is added to Samsung’s extensive suite of sleep-tracking features, which also includes sleep coaching, snore detection, and Energy Score.

A new Running Coach helps calibrate your running and can recommend one of 160 different training plans, intelligently switching between plans on the fly based on your performance. The new Antioxidant Index detects the level of the beneficial antioxidant carotenoids in your body, found in leafy greens and orange vegetables: if this score is low, you likely need to eat more vegetables.

Gemini on the Samsung Galaxy Watch, the first of its kind, is a headline feature here, and based on my time with the watch, it seems to work well in practice. I normally used it as a standard Google Assistant for hands-free texting, but every now and again it did something smart enough to really impress. For example, I asked it for directions to the nearest Sainsbury's supermarket, and the watch automatically brought up Google Maps with turn-by-turn directions already plugged in. Sweet.

All of this is added to Samsung’s existing suite of health tracking, fitness, and lifestyle features, which are further enhanced by third-party apps from Wear OS. These include advanced fitness features like dual-frequency GPS to better calculate runs, hikes, and rides, TrackBack to stop you getting lost, and body composition analysis to determine your ratio of fat to muscle to bone.

This is surprisingly accurate: we tested Samsung’s feature against a smart scale with favorable results.

Features score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Performance

Great wellness metrics
Programmable Action button & satisfying bezel rotation
Battery life still frustrates

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic’s rotating bezel, plus its programmable Quick button (not an Action button a la the Apple Watch Ultra) offer more interaction options than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8, and the watch is all the better for it. The Watch8 Classic’s rotating bezel spins back and forth with satisfying tactile clicks, used to scroll between tiles and up and down lists in grid view.

The Quick button allows you to set two functionalities to a short press and a long press: I used a short press for Google Gemini and a long press to automatically start a running workout. These two functions were for my most-used apps. I found the Quick button useful and intuitive, but I ended up doing this in the first place as I didn’t find saying “Hey Google” always brought up Gemini, as I found speech recognition struggled to pick up the wake-word. However, once the app was active, it had no problems interpreting my requests, usually simple things I would already use the voice assistant for, such as texting brief message responses.

However, I did use more complex prompts on occasion, such as asking it to recommend good walks within five miles of my location, and Gemini had no problem doing so. Some requests, such as asking it about my sleep, simply pull up the corresponding app (in this case, Samsung Health) and the correct tile within that app (in this case, sleep scores).

Wellness metrics were great. I tested the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 against the Garmin Venu X1 in a detailed test which you can read about here, but I also ran with the Galaxy Watch8 Classic and got a similar reading. The strap provided is a leather-look exterior with a silicon underside, so I felt like I could exercise with the watch without changing straps – which is a good thing too, as the new quick release strap is actually more fiddly to use with short nails than first thought. A colleague with long nails agreed it wasn’t easy, and required a very firm press to release.

The Watch8 Classic wasn’t as comfortable to wear as the vanilla Watch8, largely down to the bulkier profile. You can see both watches compared above, but the bigger bezel changes the shape of the Watch, causing it to shift around due to how lightweight it was. During the run, I had to stop and tighten the strap a notch beyond how I’d wear it normally, because I could feel it shifting around on my wrist. Because it’s so lightweight for its size, however, I was ok with wearing it overnight, allowing Samsung’s smorgasbord of sleep information to come into play.

Sleep, exercise and recovery metrics alike were detailed and full of actionable, useful information: not always a given, as many smartwatches are content to merely throw more stats at you without context as to what they meant or how to improve them. My only gripe is the battery, which is still too short, and the watch took over 100 minutes to charge from 10% to full.

Performance score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	Relatively expensive considering the price of the standard Galaxy Watch8	3.5/5
Design	Bulky, but the rotating bezel is a winner	4.5/5
Features	A wealth of metrics, hardware tricks and third-party apps.	5/5
Performance	Interactive and comprehensive with great wellness metrics.	4/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic: Should I buy?

Weather report on Samsung watch — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want a chunky watch

That bezel adds a lot of height to the overall watch.

You want a statement piece

There’s no denying with all its stainless steel and classic bezel, that this watch looks lovely on wrist.

You want a fitness companion

This watch is packed with comprehensive, actionable exercise and recovery insights.

Don't buy it if...

You dislike sleeping in chunky watches

Unless you’re going to also spring for a Galaxy Ring, you’re better off getting the slimmer Watch8 series.

You’re an iPhone user

Almost self-explanatory, but you’ll be far better off with an Apple Watch Ultra.

You already own and love the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

There’s almost nothing the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic can do that last year’s Ultra can’t, with more battery life left over than the Classic.

Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Watch8

The mainline Watch8 is slimmer, cheaper and offers the same great functionalities.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch8 review here

OnePlus Watch 3

Now available in two sizes, the onePlus is another chunky steel Wear OS watch that will appeal to fans of this one.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

How I tested

I wore the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic for a week, trying all the features, draining the battery down to its fullest, and completing multiple workouts. I tested its running GPS against a top Garmin watch, tried the health features such as the Antioxidant Index, composed prompts for the on-wrist Gemini assistant and downloaded third-party apps onto the watch such as Strava and Spotify.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 review: Unequivocally the best mainline Galaxy Watch in ages

5:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness Smartwatches | Tags: Galaxy Watch | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: One minute review

Every time I try a big-name smartwatch these days, I’m slightly disappointed. Not because they’re bad devices (they’re certainly not) but because all too often, they tend to be very similar to their predecessors with very incremental, minor changes, such as a new software feature or slightly brighter screen, which isn’t the most exciting thing to write about.

However, not so this year. Samsung has decided to buck the trend with a comprehensive redesign, extending from its hardware to its software. The watch itself is thinner with a brighter screen and bigger battery (although battery life is still allegedly the same), keeping the round display but adopting a Watch Ultra-style metal cushion in an attempt to give Samsung watches a distinctive brand identity

In the software stakes, there are several useful updates that change how you use the watch day-to-day. A Now Bar widget allows you to quickly access the task you’re currently running in the background (such as a timer or workout) from the watch face screen, while at-a-glance views are more useful thanks to a nifty redesign. On-device Gemini has also been added out of the box, allowing you to complete complex multi-step tasks with a simple audio request, such as “find the best gym nearby and ask Julie if she wants to join it”.

There's also a running coach, which analyses your form and performance during a 12-minute test run and assigns you one of 160 running performance plans, switching you from plan to plan if you repeatedly exceed its expectations (or don’t perform as expected). A new antioxidant index measures the level of carotenoids, a beneficial antioxidant, using your thumb as another metric to indicate general health. Sleep apnea detection has also landed, just like this year’s crop of the best Apple Watches.

This is all in addition to the other features present on other watches: heart rate, advanced sleep algorithms, body composition, third-party apps, social features, music control, 32GB storage and more. Samsung’s eighth iteration of its Galaxy Watch series is the most comprehensive change I’ve seen from the company in years, sporting plenty of genuinely useful improvements.

Having lived with the watch for a week, it performs up to expectations: it's fast, accurate and looks great, although I didn't use the on-watch AI for anything much more sophisticated than the usual Assistant functionalities, preferring the larger format of my phone's screen for anything more detailed. The wellness metrics were comparable to a top Garmin watch too, and surprisingly, I preferred the slimmer Watch8 to the bulkier Watch8 Classic.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Specifications

Component	Samsung Galaxy Watch8 (40mm)	Samsung Galaxy Watch8 (44mm)
Price	From $349.99 / £319 / AU$649	From $399.99 / £349 / AU$699
Dimensions	42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6mm	46.0 x 43.7 x 8.6mm
Weight	30g	34g
Case/Bezel	Armor Aluminum	Armor Aluminum
Display	1.3-in super AMOLED	1.5-in super AMOLED
GPS	GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo	GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo
Battery Life	Up to 30 hours	Up to 40 hours
Connection	Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3
Water Resistance	5ATM	5 ATM

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Price and availability

40mm Bluetooth model starts at $349.99 / £319 / AU$649
44mm model starts at $399.99 / £349 / AU$699
Available to pre-order July 9

The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 series is available to pre-order now. Prices start at $349.99 in the US, £319 in the UK for the 40mm Bluetooth model, rising to £369 for the LTE-enabled version, and AU$649 in Australia, rising to AU$749 for the LTE model. The 44mm Bluetooth-only version starts at $399 in the US, £349 in the UK and AU$699 in Australia.

This is a slight price rise from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, which started from $299.99 / £289 / AU$549 when it was released last year.

Value score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Design

Slimmer new cushion shape
3000-nit brightness
Software revamp

Let’s talk about some of the new changes. First and foremost, the display is still perfectly round, but the casing no longer hugs that shape to create a cylinder. Instead, it’s a squarish cushion designed to emulate the shape of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. Samsung representatives have mentioned that it’s an instantly recognizable brand identity, in the same way you see a ‘squircle’ watch with a digital crown and immediately understand it as an Apple Watch.

The most surprising thing about the redesign is that where the Ultra looks awkward and boxy at times, the Galaxy Watch8 looks good. This is partially down to the watch being 11% thinner than its predecessor, and a whole lot thinner than the Ultra or the other new kid on the block, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, as you can see above. It’s a lovely minimalist design, and I like it a lot. The display is brighter now, capable of up to 3,000 nits, and the battery is 8% larger to accommodate.

There’s also less case movement on-wrist now, thanks to the Dynamic Lug system ported over from the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Getting the straps on and off using this system was a bit more fiddly than anticipated, especially if you have short nails like mine, but it’s hard to deny the watch was an incredibly snug and comfortable fit, even during runs.

The UI has also received an upgrade. A Now Bar, similar to those on the best Samsung phones, pops up on the watch face when a task is running in the background such as Timer or Workout. It's a satisfyingly slender widget showcasing a piece of information, like the time remaining, which you can tap to balloon it to full-screen. At-a-glance app views and collections have also received a revamp, emphasizing usability. I loved all of these changes, especially the Now Bar; it’s such a simple concept executed wonderfully.

Design score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Features

Gemini on wrist
Advanced new health features
Running Coach with 160 plans

First and foremost, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is the first watch with Google Gemini on-wrist out of the box. It’s finally here, and as you might expect, it’s very handy when it comes to performing simple tasks. My demonstration involved simple requests, such as starting a 20-minute running workout, but also more complex examples – such as the aforementioned “find the best gym near me and text Julie” prompt.

It has the potential to be transformative in the way we interact with smartwatches going forward, but I'll be honest, I rarely used it beyond simple assistant features. In its most useful instance during my week of everyday wear, I asked Gemini to show me directions to the nearest supermarket on my watch, at which point it promptly called up Google maps. That I found very cool indeed: it's likely to change how we use our smartwatches in small ways.

Another new feature I can’t wait to get stuck into is the new Running Coach. After inputting your goals and completing a 12-minute test run, you’ll be assigned one of 160 different running plans, ranging from a first 5K to a complete marathon. If your performance looks like you’ll outperform your goal at any point, Samsung Health will switch you to another running plan that more closely matches your capabilities.

Other new health features include the Antioxidant Index, which detects the level of a single antioxidant, carotenoids, in your blood to give you an indication of whether you’ve eaten enough fruit and vegetables to support a healthy diet using your thumb. I got to try this: sadly, my carotenoid levels were not up to scratch, though I don’t have any way of verifying the reading.

Otherwise, the watch is still packing all its existing health and fitness credentials and plenty of robust hardware and software features. Hardware features such as the camera viewfinder and body composition sensor are all present and correct, as are Samsung’s app drawer and the litany of third-party apps the watch, which uses Samsung’s One UI Watch 6 skin of Wear OS, is capable of accommodating.

Features score: 5/5

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Performance

Battery life performed as described, albeit sluggish charging
Excellent running metrics
Gemini on-wrist is a fun addition

I wore this watch pretty much constantly until the battery was completely drained, sleeping and exercising in it, and I can confirm after several short workout sessions (one 25-minute run, and a few automatically-detected walks), the battery gave up after around 25 hours with the always-on display on. That’s as described by Samsung, and longer than your average Apple Watch, but still far shorter than most of the best running watches.

When it comes to its workout performance, I was impressed. I tested the Watch8 against the Garmin Venu X1, and its metrics fell comfortably within the margin of error to suggest sufficient accuracy for both watches. It really is a great running watch; it fits flush on the wrist, doesn’t move around, remains super comfortable, and shows consistently useful information.

Even after my run finished, Samsung Health highlighted issues it thought I could improve upon, and recommended me specific drills as an action plan to address them. That, in particular, is a wonderful addition to Samsung Health, and it’s great to see some actionable insights rather than the watch simply throwing more stats without context into the mix.

I found sleep tracking with the Watch8 to be accurate, at least as far as sleep duration goes, and its slim profile ensured comfort overnight. During my testing, I woke up in the middle of the night with a cough, and Samsung correctly identified my time spent awake. Samsung’s Sleep Animal feature, gleaned from historic data from the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, offered me the light-sleeping Nervous Penguin profile.

The much-hyped on-watch Gemini feature was fine, though I certainly feel like I’m becoming numb to AI notification summaries and simple voice-command tasks these days, even if this is the first on-watch representation of Google’s Gemini AI Assistant. In fact, this has come to the Samsung Galaxy Watch series even before the Google Pixel Watch. Perhaps we’ll all have to reorient the way we feel about AI when we’re wearing it on our bodies, and it’s nice at least to have the option to ask Gemini to start a workout instead of swiping through tiles, and you can do some cool things with notifications.

One notable gripe I had with the watch, hand-in-hand with the lackluster battery, was the disappointing charge time. Using the Watch8’s proprietary charger, I started charging the watch from 0% at 08:18am. It took until 10:12am to completely fill the gauge, almost two hours.

Samsung Galaxy Watch8: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You’re a Samsung phone user

The latest iteration of the Galaxy Watch knocks it out of the park.

You want a slim watch

Rather than the bulky Ultra or Classic, the sleek and light mainline Watch8 looks positively elegant.

You want Gemini on-wrist.

At present, this is one of the very first watches with on-wrist Gemini via Wear OS 6.

Don't buy it if...

You value battery life

At a piddly 30 hours with a two-hour charge time, you’ll be taking the watch on and off quite often.

You’re an iPhone user

Get an Apple Watch, you know the drill.

You want the rotating bezel

For my money, the Watch8 looks better slim. However, if you simply must go for the addition of the rotating bezel, the Watch8 Classic is also available. View Deal

Also consider

OnePlus Watch 3

One of the best alternative Android watches

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

A weighty, powerful watch and the best Samsung watch for active people.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

I wore the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 for a week, draining the battery down completely and charging back up to full. I slept with it on, paired it with a Samsung phone, and tried all the features such as antioxidant index and on-wrist Gemini. I completed multiple GPS workouts, comparing the results to a top Garmin watch for accuracy.

Garmin Forerunner 570 is a ‘marvel’ of a running watch – but there’s no hiding that Forerunners are getting more expensive

6:28 pm | June 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: AMOLED, Garmin Forerunner, GPS | Comments: Off

Garmin Forerunner 570: One minute review

The Garmin Forerunner 570 is a solid, stylish upgrade to what’s long been Garmin’s best running watch. It’s no revelation by any means, but it is a welcome refinement and for the right person, that might be enough.

In short, this is the Forerunner that finally looks the part. It swaps out the safe, functional aesthetic of older models for something bolder and a bit more expressive. Between the colorful two-tone straps and sleek aluminium bezel, the 570 is easily the most fashion-forward Forerunner to date. If you’re not into raspberry and turquoise combos and prefer to play it safe, a plain ol’ black option still exists.

The real highlight, though, is the new AMOLED display. It’s bigger, brighter and sharper than what came before, and makes the whole interface feel slicker and more modern. It’s the kind of screen you’d happily gaze at all day, whether checking your stats, skimming a notification, or seeing what’s playing on Spotify.

Performance-wise, this is still a Garmin device through and through. It tracks over 90 sports, handles GPS and heart rate with accuracy, and delivers all the in-depth training insights you could possibly need. The new Elevate v5 heart rate sensor performs particularly well, even during interval workouts, and feeding into metrics like Training Readiness.

There’s also a subtle push into smartwatch territory. You can now take calls from your wrist, trigger your phone’s voice assistant, and hear alarms or music through the built-in mic and speaker, all of which you couldn’t do on previous Forerunners. These are handy additions for day-to-day use.

The downsides? They’re not huge, but they’re worth noting. Battery life is down slightly from previous models thanks to that power-hungry AMOLED display, and while Garmin’s added polish, it hasn’t added any major new features. There’s no ECG, no offline maps, and nothing particularly game-changing on the software front. And now, Garmin Connect’s richer insights – like advanced sleep and adaptive training plans – are hidden behind a monthly subscription, which stings a bit after paying nearly $549.99 / £460 / AUD$999 for the watch itself.

All in all, the Forerunner 570 is top-notch. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, and it won’t be for everyone – especially if you already own a recent Garmin – but it’s a confident step forward for the series. After almost a month of daily wear, I consider it a strong choice for runners and multi-sport users who want a more stylish training companion that still does the basics exceptionally well.

Garmin Forerunner 570: Price and availability

Garmin Forerunner 570 home watch face — (Image credit: Future)

Availability: Buy now worldwide in two sizes (42mm and 47mm)
Price: From £459.99 / $549.99 / AU$999
Colors: Multiple colorways

The Garmin Forerunner 570 launched in May 2025 and is available directly from Garmin as well as most major retailers in two case sizes – 42mm and 47mm.

This time 'round, Garmin has injected some seriously snazzy colors, which have never been seen before in the series and are certainly more loud and playful. While my test model is the straight-up black for those who want to keep things minimal, there are some fruitier-named options to choose from, such as a Raspberry Aluminum with a Translucent Bone/Mango band, Amp Yellow Aluminum with a Translucent Whitestone/Turquoise combo, or Indigo Aluminum with Translucent Imperial Purple/Indigo Band.

They’re pretty out-there, and I can imagine they’ll divide opinion among potential customers, but from what Garmin has said, that’s the point.

At $549.99 / £459.99 / AUD$999, it’s firmly into upper mid-range territory. That’s £30 more than the Forerunner 265 cost at launch, and significantly more than competing watches like the Suunto Race S ($349 / £325 / AU$599) or Coros Pace Pro (£349.99 / $450 / AU$690), which offer features like offline maps and longer battery life at lower prices.

There’s also an added consideration now with Garmin Connect’s recently introduced subscription model. Previously free features such as advanced sleep tracking, adaptive training plans and full HRV trend analysis are now part of Garmin Connect Plus; a paid tier costing from £6.99 / $6.99 per month.

While you can still sync workouts, view metrics and access your training history on the free tier, the move has drawn plenty of criticism from long-time users, particularly those paying premium prices for hardware like the Forerunner 570. For many, that monthly fee will be worth it for the richer data and personalized feedback, but it’s still a frustrating shift, especially for new buyers who expect those features to be included as standard after forking out for a very expensive watch!

Value score: 3 / 5

Garmin Forerunner 570: Design

Garmin Forerunner 570 sports tracking - testing in gym — (Image credit: Future)

Premium-feeling aluminum bezel
Colourful strap options make it more appealing
AMOLED screen is bright, vibrant and sharp

It’s fair to say Garmin’s never been one to push the boundaries when it comes to design, but the Forerunner 570 finally dares to break tradition, at least to some extent. In my opinion, this is the most stylish Forerunner to date, thanks to its vibrant color options and new aluminum bezel that upgrades what has traditionally been Garmin’s focus on functionality over form.

Quite ironic, then, that my review device was the smaller 42mm model in the bog-standard black variety, which looks just like any other Garmin watch. Still, the display is the star of the show here anyway.

The Forerunner 570’s 1.2in AMOLED panel is a stunner. Its resolution of 390 x 390 pixels is super crisp, colorful and bright enough to read, even in strong sunlight, and especially when displaying data screens or notification previews.

Despite the big display, the Forerunner 570 stays comfortable for all-day wear. It weighs just 50g (47mm) or 42g (42mm), and the silicone straps feel soft and comfortable on the wrist. Some models also feature slightly translucent straps, a subtle design touch that helps elevate the overall sporty aesthetic.

The traditional five-button Forerunner layout returns, alongside touchscreen controls. The buttons aren’t quite as tactile as those on Garmin’s chunkier Fenix line, but they’re still reliable and work well during sweaty sessions. There’s now also a speaker and mic on board, discreetly integrated into the sides of the case – but more on that later.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Garmin Forerunner 570: Features

Garmin Forerunner 570 face and strap — (Image credit: Future)

No major new software tricks
Grouped glance folders improve on-watch UX
Speaker and mic add a lifestyle smartwatch vibe

The Forerunner 570 brings very little that’s new in terms of features and that might disappoint some. Most of its tools and widgets already exist elsewhere in Garmin’s ecosystem, especially on the older Forerunner 265 and 965 devices. But what it does, it does very well.

Glance folders are now enabled by default, giving you smarter access to related stats like Body Battery, HRV, sleep and training readiness, which helps reduce the scroll-fatigue that often plagues Garmin watches. You can create your own, too, which is a handy upgrade.

Somewhat annoyingly, there’s no ECG support, despite the bundled Elevate v5 sensor being physically capable of it (just like the cheaper Venu 3). It feels like an arbitrarily paywalled feature. There’s still no offline mapping - Garmin saves those features for the higher-end 965 and 970 models. I don’t know about you, but I find that pretty tough to swallow considering the watch’s price. Gulp.

You do get some modest smart features, though. With the built-in mic and speaker, you can now take calls from your wrist (as long as your phone is nearby), use voice assistants, and even hear alarms or music directly from the watch. Music playback supports local MP3s as well as streaming service syncing from Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music.

Notifications, calendar previews and music controls are here too, alongside access to Garmin’s ConnectIQ store, though it remains limited compared to the watchOS or Wear OS ecosystems.

Features score: 3.5 / 5

Garmin Forerunner 570: Performance

Tracking and training tools remain best-in-class
HR and GPS are reliably accurate
Battery life is slightly shorter than its predecessor

If there’s one thing Garmin fans care about, it’s performance and, thankfully, the Forerunner 570 doesn’t disappoint. For starters, it tracks just about every sport you can think of, with over 90 activity modes available. Newer additions include gravel biking, squash (the lack of which I always grumbled about), rucking and obstacle course racing, alongside your staple sports like running, cycling and pool swims. As always, these are easy to find, easy to activate and offer you an overview of stats when you’ve finished tracking them.

The Elevate v5 optical heart rate sensor proved impressively accurate throughout my testing. During workouts like easy runs and long indoor rides, readings seemed consistent.

Where it really stood out, though, was in high-intensity efforts. Wrist-based sensors typically struggle with sudden changes in effort, with heart rate often lagging behind. But the Forerunner 570 seemed to keep up well with rapid shifts in heart rate and recovering smoothly in between spikes. This might be down to improved sensor layout and refined algorithms in the Elevate v5, helping it react faster and with more consistency.

Dual-band GPS with SatIQ mode means you get impressively accurate tracking as well, even in tough urban areas with high rises or wooded environments in more rural settings. It held up well in twisty city runs as well as out in the countryside, delivering routes that aligned near-perfectly with those on the ground. You can pair external sensors too, including cycling power meters.

As always with Garmin, training insights remain reliable. You get VO2 max estimates, race predictions, lactate threshold estimates, and newish metrics like Training Load Ratio, which balances your acute and chronic effort, and environmental acclimation (heat and altitude readiness). You can also access Garmin Coach triathlon training plans, create multi-sport custom workouts, and get Morning and Evening Reports that summarise your readiness, recovery and planned sessions. These aren’t entirely new, but their presentation is slicker than ever on the Forerunner 570.

As a result of that gorgeously bright and vibrant display, however, battery life has taken a bit of a hit. With the AMOLED screen always on, I managed just short of four days of regular use, including daily workouts, notifications and sleep tracking. That’s definitely less than the Forerunner 265, which, in our review, lasted about ten days without a charge with intermediate use. However, this does depend completely on how you use it. Daily long-distance runs with GPS versus a few gym workouts per week are going to give you completely different results.

Nevertheless, in GPS-only mode, the Forerunner 570 manages around 18 hours, which will drop to about 14 if using all-systems GNSS plus music. While that’s not so bad, it’s not best-in-class either, especially considering rivals like Coros and Suunto deliver more.

You can squeeze more juice out of the watch by disabling always-on mode or speaker use if you’re desperate, but this is going to impact your experience. If battery life is the priority for you, you might be best off with a watch from Garmin’s Fenix series.

Performance score: 4 / 5

Garmin Forerunner 570: Scorecard

Garmin Forerunner 570 sensor — (Image credit: Future)

Category	Comment	Score
Value	A little on the high end of the scale for value	3/5
Design	Lightweight, comfortable and new colourways.	4.5/5
Features	Good, but more comprehensive options available.	3.5/5
Performance	Excels as a training tool; tracking best in class	4/5

Garmin Forerunner 570 running outside — (Image credit: Future)

Garmin Forerunner 570: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want a stylish Garmin

The colorful designs and aluminum bezel give this the flair older models lacked.View Deal

You need great training tools

From accurate HR and GPS to detailed recovery metrics, it’s rock solid for fitness.View Deal

You like smartwatch extras

Taking calls, playing music, and voice assistant access are welcome additions.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You already own a Forerunner 265

There’s not enough new here to justify the upgrade.View Deal

You want offline maps or ECG

Those features are still locked behind Garmin’s pricier models. View Deal

You’re chasing battery life

The AMOLED screen might be a pull in terms of style, but it hits longevity hard.View Deal

Also consider

Garmin Forerunner 265 (£299)

Still a top performer with most of the same tracking features, and now much cheaper. A smarter buy for many.

Check out our full Garmin Forerunner 265 review View Deal

Coros Pace Pro

Lighter on style but bigger on stamina. A top pick for endurance athletes and budget-conscious buyers

Check out our full COROS Pace Pro review View Deal

Suunto Race S

A solid mid-range AMOLED sports watch with offline maps, better battery life and competitive tracking performance.

Check out our full Suunto Race S review View Deal

How I tested

How I tested I wore the Garmin Forerunner 570 almost daily for three weeks, using it to track a mix of outdoor runs, indoor cycling, strength training and racket sports. I compared GPS tracks and heart rate data against other premium watches, and I also tested its smart features, including music playback, notifications and voice assistant integration. I used the Garmin companion app, Garmin Connect, to review performance and training insights.

First reviewed: June 2025

The Suunto Ocean is an Apple Watch Ultra 2 rival in the scuba stakes – and it’s more eco-friendly too

4:31 pm | June 22, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Health & Fitness | Tags: Garmin Fenix | Comments: Off

Suunto Ocean: Two-minute review

Suunto has been working hard in recent years to innovate when it comes to smartwatches, and its latest dive watch carries on that trend with colossal improvements over its predecessor, the Suunto D5 (a watch that I personally own and dive with, so one that I’m pretty au fait with).

Like the outgoing model, the Suunto Ocean has a relatively small 1.43-inch AMOLED display, which works out to be 36mm. That sounds small, but the high-definition, circular display with automatic brightness adjustment makes it feel more similar to my 49mm Apple Watch Ultra 2 in terms of readability, so don’t be put off by this.

All models benefit from strong sapphire crystal glass, but the stainless steel case doesn’t offer as much protection from accidental dings as something like a Garmin Fenix 8, which is available for a similar price with titanium. We’d like to see titanium used in future Suunto models for better longevity, which is clearly an important consideration for the Finnish company Suunto quotes 11.63 CO2e emissions for the Ocean’s production, which are offset via a reforestation project. For reference, Apple claims 12kg of CO2e for the Ultra 2 with the Alpine or Trail Loop bands (not the bands built for scuba diving), so Suunto’s work to reduce emissions here is commendable if we take it at face value.

Among the 95+ activities you can track, in addition to sleep and recovery tracking, the main reason you’ll be considering a Suunto Ocean is for its dive-specific capabilities, including support for air and nitrox all the way up to 100% oxygen. You can configure five different gasses, but if you’re into pushing the limits, you’ll notice a lack of support for more advanced systems like rebreathers or trimix (a blend of oxygen, helium and nitrogen).

Handily, if you’re upgrading from a Suunto D5, then you’ll be pleased to know that the Ocean works with that same transmitter. If you’re buying new, then the Suunto Tank Pod is sold separately for around half the price of the watch (prices below).

Away from all the technical stuff, the Suunto Ocean is also a great option for freedivers and holidaymakers who just want to track their snorkeling expeditions with one of the best swimming watches. It’ll track you all the way down to 60 meters, which is above recreational limits. That said, the watch itself is physically rated all the way down to 100 meters, so it would be nice just to have that same amount of support for diving activities. After all, why cap it?

Our favorite Suunto Ocean feature is a new one to the industry – sure, if you're an experienced diver, those familiar dive profiles are extremely helpful to help you identify trends, patterns and potential causes for concern throughout your dive, but the watch will also use data from its sensors, like the gyroscope, to map out your dive in 3D.

In our experience, it wasn’t always completely accurate, but you’d expect this from a first-generation product. Even having an idea of where you’ve been on a map throughout your 40-minute dive is nothing short of a game-changer because it helps you to visualize an environment that offers very limited visibility when you’re in it (sometimes centimeters rather than meters).

Even though it handles land-based activity and sleep tracking, the Ocean’s battery life far exceeds the D5’s 6-12 hours of dive tracking. Suunto now claims 40-60 hours of dive tracking, or up to 16 days of regular smartwatch mode. That’s considerably more than the 30 hours’ dive tracking offered by the ultra-high-end Garmin Descent Mk3i.

On that note, the Suunto Ocean ships with an old-school USB-A charger, which doesn’t quite live up to modern standards. We’d like to see it upgraded with a USB-C connection, given that the world is moving that way. Remember that Suunto is all about reducing its carbon footprint, and that should extend to e-waste.

Our test watch also arrived with a short strap, which wasn’t long enough to go around a drysuit sleeve and might not be so good for wetsuits either. Given that it’s designed for diving, it would be good to have a longer strap included in the box. Still, you’ll want that shorter strap for when you’re not diving.

Just like any other piece of diving equipment I test, the Suunto Ocean had several outings at the dive club where it was inspected (in great detail) by many members. In this case, it led to a sale, with one member choosing to upgrade after witnessing the crisp, color display underwater and hearing about the impressive land activity tracking and battery life.

I think that just about summarizes my experience living with the Suunto Ocean, too – it’s the perfect blend of (relative) affordability, function and design, so it’s a really easy one to recommend to any recreational diver.

Suunto Ocean: Specifications

Component	Suunto Ocean
Price	$899 / £725 / AU$1,399
Dimensions	49.9 x 49.9 x 13.2 mm
Weight	99g
Case/bezel	Polyamide/stainless steel
Gas mixes	Up to 5 gases (Oxygen 21 - 100%)
GPS	GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS
Battery life	Up to 16 days (40-60 hours diving mode)
Connection	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Water resistant	Yes, 60m depth

Suunto Ocean: Price and availability

$899 / £725 / AU$1,399
Suunto Tank Pod: $439.95 / £320 / AU$549

Suunto’s flagship dive watch, the Ocean, costs $899, which puts it on the more affordable end of fully fledged smartwatches. It’s more than the Suunto D5 ($649), but it does the work of two separate watches and still manages days of battery life, so you could save some cash versus buying two separate systems.

Suunto Ocean: Scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	There aren’t many watches that can do this much at this price point.	5/5
Design	It looks very smart and clean, but it might not be as durable as titanium-clad rivals.	4/5
Features	You’ll be able to do everything you need, unless your next stage is tech diving with advanced gas mixes.	4/5
Performance	An extremely user-friendly interface with huge battery life improvements.	5/5

Suunto Ocean: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You want something that’s easy to use

You get a few key shortcut buttons and an extremely simple operating system that anyone could learn within minutes.

You want to keep an eye on your spending

Diving is an expensive hobby, but you can cut costs with smart purchases like this Suunto Ocean.

You’ve got an eye on the environment

Suunto makes bold claims about its sustainability – a should-be core value of any diver.

Don't buy it if...

You need more advanced features

You’ll need to get a more advanced watch if you want to entertain advanced gas mixes or rebreathers.

You want the last word in premium

There’s no denying this is a very well-designed watch, but its materials are pretty ‘normal’.

Also consider...

Garmin Fenix 8

A high-quality all-in-one dive watch for true outdoor enthusiasts.

Read our Garmin Fenix 8 review

Garmin Descent Mk3i

Industry-leading features in an extremely premium package.

Read our Garmin Descent Mk3i review

First reviewed: June 2025

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