Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs 7 Review: Which One Should You Choose?

1. Design & Display

• The Galaxy Watch 8 introduces a bold squircle “cushion” case—thinner at 8.6 mm vs the Watch 7’s 9.7 mm—giving it a sleeker, Ultra-inspired aesthetic
• Its LCD gets notably brighter, hitting 3,000 nits—significantly better than the Watch 7’s 2,000-nit display.
• The Watch 7, meanwhile, keeps its classic circular look that fans appreciate for its understated elegance.

2. Health & Smart Features

• Both models house the Exynos W1000 chip and same core sensors, including Samsung’s BioActive sensors.
• The Watch 8 steps up with Gemini AI integration, the “Now Bar” quick access utility, an Antioxidant Index, and a Vascular Load monitor.
• The Watch 7 still impresses with strong sleep tracking, Energy Score, and AGES index for metabolic health tracking.

3. Battery & Fit

• Battery remains in the same neighborhood—roughly 30 hours on Watch 8, with only marginal gains despite capacity bump.
• The Classic variant of Watch 8, thanks to its larger case and rotating bezel, achieves up to 42 hours in some real-world tests.

4. Value Proposition

• Initially priced at $349, the Watch 8 comes in ~$50 higher than the Watch 7’s launch price.
• The Watch 7 remains a smart buy, especially on sale—sometimes up to 50% off—for near-identical performance and long-term software support.

Final Verdict: Which One Suits You?

The Galaxy Watch 8 is a compelling upgrade if you're after fresh aesthetics and next-gen Galaxy AI capabilities. But if value and trusted features are top of your list, the Galaxy Watch 7 still proves itself a top-tier smartwatch.