The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has been available in the Kenyan market for several months now after its release in July and I managed to get my hands on it. Priced at Ksh 54,999 at official Samsung retail stores and averagely Ksh 40,000 – 45,000 at other vendors, I have a couple of thoughts. Having used it for a couple of weeks, I have come up with several thoughts on why anyone would consider purchasing the Watch 8 Classic
Design and Durability
The classic variants of galaxy watches have always stood out and this one is no different from its predecessors. Samsung has transitioned to a new design they refer to a “squircle” shape from the traditional circular design. A blend between circular and square shapes. Preferences are subjective but I personally love the appeal that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has. It is stylish and the Watch 8 Classic stands out in all occasions be it formal or just day to day usage.
An new addition on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is the quick button which when long pressed an trigger any intended action mapped out by the user. First seen on the Galaxy Watch Ultra
Samsung also brought back the rotating bezel that had been omitted on last year’s Galaxy Watch Ultra. This helps users reduce the need to touch the screen and helps process the screen from scuffs. The body is made of a stainless steel frame and a sapphire crystal glass on the screen. With a MIL-STD-810H compliance certification from the US Department of Defense, the Watch 8 Classic has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance and ruggedness that can survive day to day usage.
Display and Speakers
Samsung is a superior brand when it comes to displays and here they did not disappoint. The Watch 8 Classic has a Super AMOLED display with 3000 nits of peak brightness. This in the harshest of outdoor scenarios where the sun is super bright, means you will not strain when viewing content.
A small speaker is fitted on the side of the watch for content consumption when listening to music or taking phone calls. Though small in size, it is really loud and surprisingly, well refined with some distortion only being felt at 100% volume.
Battery Experience and Charging
My battery experience on the Watch 8 Classic was extremely underwhelming. With a 445 mAh battery, I only managed to squeeze only get 1 day of battery life. This is with features like heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking running throughout. During my testing, I realized the watch lost more than 20% during on sleep cycle. If you push it too hard when doing outdoor activities with GPS on, it might not last a whole day. After so many Galaxy Watch iterations, the battery life should be better optimized. At the time of writing this, I’m getting better battery life from my older Galaxy Watch 4 than the new Galaxy Watch 8 Classic that is also running OneUI Watch 8.
Inside the box, Samsung includes a 10W wireless magnetic charger with a USB Type-C connector that can power the watch from 0-100% in 1.5 hours. This is only attainable if you use an appropriate wall plug. Do I wish the watch would charge faster? Yes. That’s just a wish. Hopefully Samsung does some improvements with the next iteration in Mid 2026.
Performance and Software Experience
Powering the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a Exynos W1000 (3 nm) chipset by Samsung paired with 2GB RAM and 64GB of Internal Storage. Performance was top of the line compared to the several android based watches I’ve used. Haptic feedback is responsive and the animations are on point. The software responds instantly to the physical bezel, delivering a flawless 1:1 navigation experience across tasks.
The software experience is also something Samsung perfected. The watch is running OneUI Watch 8 based on Google’s WearOS 6. Samsung redesigned several elements and also included the now bar that was introduced on smartphones to show live activity that include workouts, navigation and music on the watch.
Setting up the watch using a non galaxy device was straightforward as long as it is running Android. You only need to download the Galaxy Wearables app, confirm the code on the watch’s screen and follow through the prompts. If you have a Samsung account, it will take less than 10 minutes with it using your already existing preferences.
Health Tracking
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has several sensors to help in health tracking including the heart rate, Sp02, BioActive, antioxidant index and temperature sensors. During my testing, I wore the watch during the day and when I went to sleep and the output was really good. A much as I wasn’t comparing it with another wearable, I felt that the output was accurate. From sleep metrics like snore detection, and even my skin temperature throughout my rest. Data is also displayed in interactive graphs that are colored so that you can tell values apart.
Connecting to Samsung Health feels like a cheat code. Steps and exercise tracking feels like a breeze and even motivates you to get up and walk serving more than a wearable. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic becomes more or less your fitness companion.
Just like many of its predecessors, the watch can be used to track any fitness or sport activity thrown at it. From swimming, to a 2 hour gym session or even running, the accuracy with energy levels and heart rate monitoring is superb.
Final Verdict
The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is a looker and conversation starter, but its value depends on your priorities. If you need a battery that lasts a week or more, look toward Garmin, Huawei, or Amazfit. However, if you don’t mind a daily charge, it’s a top-tier choice with. With a premium stainless steel build and guaranteed software support through 2029, its timeless design ensures you won’t need an upgrade for years.
