The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is so cheap, I might ditch my ‘dumb watch.’

One of the biggest knocks on previous Galaxy Watches was the lack of apps. When Samsung announced that the Galaxy Watch 4 would be running WearOS by Google, I think a lot of us were super excited. With a brand-new platform, there’s gonna be a lot of questions, so let’s see if I can help answer some. This is my review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

Last year we were advising you to get a dumb watch, now we’re showing you a Samsung smart watch? It’s not that simple, and both have their place. Plus, this deal on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is pretty juicy, so we think you should have a look anyhow. Usually $430, the watch is now just $150. That’s a savings of $280, which accounts for 65% of the watch’s regular price. There’s not much time to get the watch, however, as this deal was already set to end in 13 hours while this article was being written. And that’s not even taking into account that the deal ends when it sells out. All of this is to say, if you’re interested in this deal, go ahead and tap the button below to see if its still being offered, as it very well might not be. If you see that it is, keep reading to learn more about the crew’s personal experiences with the watch.

If this pulls your fancy, then you need to tap the button below as soon as possible. If you’re still in luck, you’ll find the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 for just $150. Again, that’s $280 off of the regular price and a savings of 65%.

One of the biggest criticisms of previous Galaxy watches was their lack of app support. So, when Samsung announced that the Galaxy Watch 4 would be running on Wear OS by Google, many were excited about the potential improvements. With this new platform, however, naturally come many questions. Let me help answer some of them.

I’ve been testing the smaller 40mm Galaxy Watch 4 in black. For context, my wrist measures 14 centimeters, and while I like many aspects of the watch, I do have some concerns about its fit. The gapless design of the straps causes them to flare outward rather than sitting flush, which makes the watch look larger on my smaller wrist. For those with bigger wrists, this probably won’t be an issue. My suggestion? Swap the strap out for a normal 20mm band to improve the fit and appearance.

Navigating the Galaxy Watch 4 is similar to previous models, but with a few changes. Swiping left takes you to notifications, and right to widgets (now called “tiles”). You can also scroll using the digital bezel, though it’s not as accurate or satisfying as the physical one. Swiping down reveals quick settings, and swiping up shows all apps. Two buttons on the side—home on top, back on the bottom—help with navigation, and the long-press functions for Samsung Pay or Bixby are customizable. Google Assistant, which is a key feature of Wear OS, is expected to come later, so for now, it’s all about Bixby.

In terms of app performance, the Galaxy Watch 4 is a bit smoother than the Galaxy Watch 3. I noticed fewer delays when opening apps or starting workouts. The switch from Samsung’s Tizen OS to Google’s Wear OS offers wider app support, which is a major benefit. However, if you’ve invested heavily in apps or watch faces from the Galaxy App Store, you’ll lose access to them when upgrading to the Watch 4. That said, the stock watch faces are excellent, and most users will find something they like.

A significant advantage of Wear OS is access to Google’s apps like Google Fit, Keep, Pay, Messages, and Maps. Native Google Maps on the watch is incredibly convenient, and Android Messages is a great addition for non-Samsung phone users. The app installation process is also smoother, as everything goes through the Google Play Store now.

Personally, I use my smartwatch mainly for convenience—like chatting with my mom daily via the watch. There are also some handy gesture controls, such as shaking the watch twice to answer a call or rotating it twice to decline one. You can respond to texts through several methods, with speech-to-text being the fastest and most practical.

A nice feature is that the media player now opens automatically on the watch when you start playing something on your phone, eliminating the need to scroll to a widget or press a floating icon. Battery life, with all settings on, gives just over a day, but with some adjustments like turning off the always-on display, you can stretch it to about 35 hours. Charging takes around an hour and 45 minutes, so plan accordingly if you intend to use it for sleep tracking.

Though I’m more into food than fitness, the Galaxy Watch 4’s health features are impressive. It tracks steps, reminds you to stay active, and monitors heart rate. It also offers advanced sensors like ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and body composition measurements. Unfortunately, in some regions like Canada, certain features aren’t approved yet, so be sure to check which ones work in your country before purchasing. The body composition feature is fun and can motivate you to improve your fitness, though I’d advise not getting too hung up on the exact numbers.

The Galaxy Watch 4 also tracks sleep and gives a score based on your performance each night. While the data is insightful, I wish the app provided more actionable guidance on improving sleep quality. It’s nice to see that activity data can now be synced with both Google Fit and Samsung Health, which is great for those looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The watch excels at automatically detecting and tracking exercises, offering a choice between Google Fit and Samsung Health depending on your preference. You can also store music directly on the watch, although with only around 8GB of usable storage, space is somewhat limited.

Both Google Fit and Samsung Health are solid apps, but Samsung Health is more feature-packed and works better with the Galaxy Watch 4 since it’s a Samsung product. Overall, the design of the Galaxy Watch 4 is a step forward, the software runs smoother, and Bixby has improved, though it still doesn’t measure up to Google Assistant.

Switching to Wear OS brings more app support, and features like Google Maps and Android Messages make the Galaxy Watch 4 more versatile and appealing to a wider audience. The base model is reasonably priced for what you get, making it a solid choice for smartwatch users. Thanks for watching, and until next time—I’m out!

It’s difficult to deny that smartwatches can be a mixed experience. Wear OS, in particular, hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations many of us had when it was first reimagined. However, there’s hope for a resurgence over the next few years, especially with Google and Samsung’s increased investment in the platform. A major indicator of this commitment was the release of the Galaxy Watch 4 in late 2021. After using it extensively, I can now offer a long-term review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

One of the main reasons the Galaxy Watch 4 appealed to me initially was its circular screen. It has a slim, flat chassis, and the standard 44mm model looks great on paper. Unfortunately, over time, the edge bevel is prone to dings, scrapes, and scuffs. The softened edges sometimes catch on pockets or zippers, which can flake the paint and damage the aluminum chassis. Given its sleek appearance, this was a major letdown, and after a few weeks, I opted to buy a cover to protect the edges. This cover made the watch resemble the classic version, albeit without the rotating bezel. Though this addition slightly changed the look and feel, it was worth it for the protection it provided. If you’re planning to keep your watch long-term, you may want to consider investing in some added protection to avoid wear and tear.

Samsung’s understated design choices also make the Galaxy Watch 4 an excellent accessory that complements various outfits. It’s much leaner than the bulkier Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and I found the stealthy black model I chose to be a subtle addition to my wardrobe. However, the watch strap is one of its more noticeable flaws. The rubberized texture is fine for workouts, but it isn’t ideal for everyday wear. Over time, the strap started to crease and stretch, leaving marks when fastened. Though the lugs are standard and can be replaced, the blocked-off design prevents the strap from fully opening, making it feel more like a bracelet with a fixed clasp. The annoying tuck design, intended to affix the watch to your wrist, doesn’t always fit comfortably, requiring me to adjust it frequently. Despite these inconveniences, once fitted, the watch is light and comfortable enough for all-day wear.

The 44mm model’s 1.4-inch display is one of the highlights of the Galaxy Watch 4. It’s bright, vibrant, and pin-sharp. The side buttons have a satisfying click without feeling cheap, and even after prolonged use, they haven’t deteriorated significantly. The overall performance of the watch is solid, largely thanks to the Exynos W920 chipset and 1.5GB of RAM. Apps run smoothly, and while there are occasional lags when the battery dips below 20%, the watch’s overall experience is still impressive. It’s also the only smartwatch running Wear OS 3.0, fused with Samsung’s One UI, which Android fans will recognize.

There are a few limitations, however, such as the inability to fully reassign the side buttons, which I found frustrating over time. Google Assistant is also unavailable, leaving Bixby as the default, which isn’t ideal for those who don’t use many Samsung products. Additionally, pairing the watch with a non-Samsung phone can be more difficult than it should be, requiring the Galaxy Wear app and an additional plugin to sync everything properly. This makes switching between devices somewhat problematic.

One of the biggest disappointments for non-Samsung phone users is the inability to access certain key features like ECG readings. Despite this, the Galaxy Watch 4 excels in fitness tracking, automatically kicking in during workouts and walks. GPS tracking is not perfect, but for basic health and fitness monitoring, it’s a solid option for most users. Samsung Health, the accompanying app, is user-friendly and provides a neat snapshot of your progress and overall health.

In terms of battery life, the Galaxy Watch 4 lasts about 1.5 to 2 days for most users. I often find myself charging it each morning to ensure it lasts through a busy day. While charging times are slow, they’re manageable, and I appreciate receiving notifications on my connected phone when the watch is fully charged. Unfortunately, Qi wireless charging has been inconsistent for me, working properly only a handful of times. However, reverse wireless charging on devices like the Galaxy S21 series seems to work better.

Ultimately, the Galaxy Watch 4 remains one of the best smartwatches for Wear OS, even with its few flaws. Although it pairs better with a Samsung phone, it still offers an excellent experience for Android users. While it’s not perfect, it’s certainly the closest an Android smartwatch has come to delivering a seamless experience, making it a solid option for those in the market for a new wearable.

The Galaxy Watch 4’s shift to Wear OS brings a lot of promise, especially with the enhanced app ecosystem. Samsung’s decision to collaborate with Google gives the watch access to a range of familiar, useful apps, significantly improving what was once a limitation of the Galaxy Watch lineup. Features like Google Maps and Android Messages cater to users who are not tied to Samsung’s ecosystem, making the Watch 4 appealing to a broader audience.

Samsung’s commitment to Bixby is evident, even though it still doesn’t quite compete with Google Assistant. The improvements in responsiveness are noticeable, and while Google Assistant is expected to be added later, users have to rely on Bixby for now. For those who prefer not to use Bixby at all, the option to remap the buttons is a welcome customization feature. Mapping a double press of the home button to your favorite apps, such as the timer, adds a layer of convenience that enhances the watch’s usability in everyday tasks.

Performance-wise, the Galaxy Watch 4 is smoother than its predecessor. The lag I noticed in the Galaxy Watch 3 when opening apps or starting workouts is virtually non-existent on the Watch 4. This faster, more fluid experience is something every smartwatch user will appreciate, especially during workouts or multitasking.

However, the transition from Tizen to Wear OS is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you gain access to a much wider selection of apps through the Google Play Store. On the other hand, those who have invested in Galaxy App Store apps and watch faces may find it disappointing to lose access to them. Fortunately, the stock watch faces are well-designed and versatile, which should satisfy most users’ aesthetic needs.

One of the standout features is the watch’s ability to integrate seamlessly with Google’s app suite. Starting navigation on your phone and having turn-by-turn directions pop up on your watch is incredibly convenient. Additionally, the availability of Android Messages on the watch, especially for users who don’t own a Samsung phone, is a significant improvement over the Samsung Messages limitation of previous Galaxy watches.

Battery life on the Watch 4 is decent, especially with some tweaks to the settings. I found that after turning off the always-on display and adjusting heart rate tracking to manual mode, I could extend battery life to about 35 hours, which is adequate for a day’s use, including overnight sleep tracking. Just be mindful of the charge time—around 1 hour and 45 minutes—if you plan on wearing the watch continuously, especially for features like sleep tracking.

The fitness and health tracking features are robust, offering the basics like step counting, reminders to stay active, and heart rate monitoring, alongside advanced features like ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and body composition tracking. However, some of these advanced features, like ECG and blood pressure, are not available in all regions due to regulatory approvals, so it’s essential to check what’s functional in your area before purchasing.

The body composition feature, while not 100% precise, is a motivating tool for users looking to track their fitness progress. It provides a breakdown of your weight in terms of muscle and fat, offering a great baseline for improving your health. However, I wouldn’t take the numbers too seriously—use them as a guide rather than a strict measure of fitness.

Sleep tracking is another area where the Galaxy Watch 4 excels. Each morning, the watch provides a sleep score out of 100 and a breakdown of your sleep stages, offering insights into your overall sleep quality. While the data is informative, the app could do a better job offering suggestions on how to improve your sleep, rather than just displaying the raw data.

For fitness enthusiasts, the ability to sync data with both Samsung Health and Google Fit is a welcome addition. Samsung Health, in particular, feels more feature-rich and tailored to the Galaxy Watch 4, though Google Fit offers more workout variety, such as dance, which isn’t available on Samsung Health. Both apps do an excellent job of tracking your progress and keeping important workout information right on your wrist during exercises.

The Galaxy Watch 4 also allows for music storage, letting you sync music to the watch and leave your phone at home during workouts. While you’re left with about 8GB of usable storage after accounting for the built-in features, this is still plenty for most users. The convenience of having music directly on the watch adds to its overall appeal, especially for fitness and running enthusiasts.

In terms of design, the Galaxy Watch 4 is a refinement of previous models. The gapless strap design may not work for everyone, especially those with smaller wrists, but swapping out the strap for a regular 20mm band solves this issue. The overall build feels premium, and the interface is intuitive and smooth. While the software runs better, and Bixby has improved, the real game-changer will be when Google Assistant is finally added, fully unlocking the Wear OS experience.

Overall, the Galaxy Watch 4’s transition to Wear OS is a smart move that broadens its appeal by providing better app support and tighter integration with Google’s ecosystem. It’s more capable and feature-rich, especially with apps like Google Maps and Android Messages. At its price point, the base model offers good value for what you get—a smartwatch that blends fitness tracking, convenience, and a promising app ecosystem that’s only likely to expand as Wear OS continues to evolve.

As always, thank you for reading, and until next time—take care!

FIRST 5 THINGS TO DO ON NEW GALAXY WATCH 4 | Setup + Customization on WearOS

Hey everyone, what’s up? I’m Ella, and welcome to my channel! You may have seen me recently unbox the new Galaxy Watch 4. In this video, as I usually do, I’m going to dive deep into the Wear OS system and fully customize the watch to suit my style. If you’ve recently gotten one of these new Galaxy Watches that run on Wear OS, feel free to follow along! I really hope you’ll pick up some helpful customization tips from this video. So, let’s get started!

Before we dive in, I want to thank Anker for sponsoring this video. The Anker Nano is a tiny yet powerful 20-watt charger that uses a USB-C port. It’s about 50% smaller than Apple’s original 20-watt charger, but it can charge your iPhone up to three times faster than the original 5-watt charger. While it’s designed for iPhones, it works perfectly with other devices like the Samsung Z Flip 3 and my Galaxy Buds. What I love about the Anker Nano is that just 15 minutes of charging gives my phone a lot of juice. If I ever forget to charge my phone overnight, I can plug it in while I get ready, and it’s good to go. If you’re interested in the Anker Nano, check the link in my description for more info. Now, back to the video!

I’ll be doing most of my customizations in the Galaxy Wearable app on my phone. You can do this directly on the watch, but I find the watch face a bit too small, so using the phone is easier. Let’s start with my favorite feature—the watch face! The new Galaxy Watch 4 comes with a variety of new watch faces, and some of them are super cute. One of my favorites is called “Big Number,” where the background changes with the hour. There’s also an AR Emoji option that’s fun and animated, although I probably wouldn’t use it as my daily watch face. My top pick is called “Animals,” which displays an adorable animal on the screen. You can even tap on the face to switch between different animals, like a monkey! But if none of these pre-made faces suit your style, there’s also the “My Photo Plus” option, where you can upload your own photos. Right now, I’m setting my watch face to display pictures of some cute mochi donuts!

One great feature is that each watch face can be customized further. For example, I’m using the Animals watch face and changing the second-hand color. You can also add mini widgets to your watch face—up to four! I’ve added a battery percentage widget and a media controller to keep it simple and avoid clutter.

Next, I want to talk about the apps. When you swipe up from the bottom of the watch, you’ll see all the apps laid out. The biggest difference between the new Galaxy Watch 4 and older versions is that this one runs Wear OS, giving you access to the Google Play Store. Previous models could only use Samsung’s Galaxy Store, which had fewer options. With the Play Store, you get access to useful Google apps like Google Maps, Google Pay, and Google Fit. Unfortunately, Google Assistant isn’t available yet, but I hope it will be added in future updates.

I found some apps I really like in the Play Store. For instance, there’s YouTube Music, although it requires a premium account. If you don’t have that, Spotify is also available, and it works even without a premium subscription. There’s also a fun game called 2048, which plays surprisingly well on a small screen. Another app I downloaded is the Water Drink Reminder, which helps me stay hydrated. Lastly, the pre-installed Camera Controller lets you control your phone’s camera from your watch, which is perfect for taking selfies or group shots without using a timer!

If you want to explore more apps, you can do so through the Play Store on your phone or directly on the watch. Just search for apps, and if they’re available for the watch, you’ll see a little “watch” icon. One last app feature I love is the ability to reorder your apps through the Wearable app, making it easier to access the ones I use the most.

Moving on to Tiles—formerly known as widgets—they’re super customizable too. I’m using a weather tile, an activity summary, a calendar, and a heart rate tracker. You can easily navigate through them by swiping or using the touch bezel, which makes it quicker to scroll through everything.

Lastly, let’s look at the quick panel, which you can access by swiping down. You can add, remove, or rearrange options here to suit your needs. Now, for notifications, one of my favorite features of smartwatches is that they show notifications from my phone. I can customize which notifications I receive, so I’m not constantly bombarded. I only keep notifications on for phone calls and messages, which keeps my wrist from buzzing too much.

In terms of display settings, I love the Always-On Display, so I have that turned on. I also enabled the “touch to wake” feature and adjusted the screen timeout to 30 seconds for better convenience. There’s also a touch sensitivity option, which is great if you’re wearing gloves. The advanced features section lets you customize what the two buttons on the watch do. I’ve set the home key to open the stopwatch and kept the press-and-hold option as Wake Bixby.

Finally, make sure the touch bezel is turned on under general settings—it makes navigating so much easier!

That’s all for my Galaxy Watch 4 customizations. I hope you found this video helpful and learned something new. I’ll be doing a full review of this watch soon, so make sure to subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss it. If you liked this video, give it a thumbs up, and I hope to see you in my next video. Bye!