The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 improves on the original Galaxy Watch in almost every way… except for its huge price. Here’s how both stellar smartwatches stack up.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is the eagerly awaited successor to one of our favorite wearables, the original Samsung Galaxy Watch, which remains on our best smartwatch list despite being a couple of years old. But how do they compare? No, you didn’t miss a smartwatch – there is no Galaxy Watch 2. Instead, Samsung has leapfrogged the sportsy Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 to name its next top-tier wearable the Galaxy Watch 3. The new smartwatch has a leaner design and better specs, which is to be expected, given it’s been two years since the original Galaxy Watch came out in August 2018. It has more health and workout features, an ECG, SPO2 blood oxygen monitoring, and blood pressure tracking. The real question is whether there’s been enough improvement to warrant the brand-new smartwatch’s high price, or if consumers should be satisfied with the reliable (and discounted) original Galaxy Watch. We don’t have an easy answer, unless you’re very budget-conscious – in which case, the new watch likely isn’t worth it. But if you’re looking to replace an aging watch or are just curious how the old and new Galaxy Watches stack up, read on for our category breakdowns. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 was announced on August 5, 2020 and became available a day later on August 6 in the US, UK and other ‘select countries,’ according to a Samsung press release, with more on the way. No, we don’t know why they skipped ‘Galaxy Watch 2.’ The Galaxy Watch 3 comes in two sizes: 41mm starting at $399 and 45mm starting at $429, both pricing for the non-LTE versions in stainless steel. These are available in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, and Mystic White colors with leather straps. The watch also comes in titanium in a single color (Mystic Black) with a metal strap. The original Samsung Galaxy Watch was released in August 2018 alongside the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, with launch prices for the non-LTE versions of $329 / £279 / AU$499 for the smaller 42mm model and $349 / £299 / AU$549 for the 46mm. The LTE-connected models cost $379 / AU$599 (about £290) for the 42mm model and $399/ AU$649 for the 46mm version – but at this point, all of them have been discounted to more affordable prices. The original Galaxy Watch came in Midnight Black and Rose Gold for the smaller 42mm size, and a single Silver color for the larger 46mm model. The Galaxy Watch 3 is a sleeker version of its predecessor, coming in 14% thinner and 15% lighter than the original Galaxy Watch, but most of the change is in the appearance: it simply looks less bulky than the older wearable. Specifically, the lugs (the arms connecting the watch’s case to the band) are thinner, with open space around the watch band strap’s bar.
