I tested the best Apple and Samsung smartwatches right now – here’s who wins

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Apple unveiled its Watch Series 11 throughout this week’s iPhone occasion, alongside two different smartwatch fashions. The Collection 11 will get Sleep Scores (crowd roars), an extended battery life, and all of Apple’s WatchOS 26 software program, which is predicted to be launched to the general public quickly.

Additionally: I tried the Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and SE – what the keynote didn’t tell you

However how does it evaluate to its closest Android rival, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8? I am evaluating two smartwatch icons and their specs. So, who wins? Hold studying to search out out. 

Specs

You should purchase the Apple Watch Collection 11 if…

1. You need to monitor your blood strain

Are you shopping for a smartwatch for its well being options? Apple introduced at its September iPhone occasion that the Apple Watch Collection 11 presents hypertension detection and can obtain FDA clearance by the tip of the month. It could’t carry out blood strain readings, however it does monitor your blood vessels’ response to heartbeats throughout sleep. It screens your blood strain for 30 days utilizing the watch’s optical coronary heart sensor to ship a median score that’s both inside vary or above the brink. 

If the 30-day score is above the brink, Apple advises customers to take the information collected to a physician for medical overview. Neither Samsung nor Google has developed this function into their current lineup of smartwatches, and it addresses a significant well being situation that’s usually underdiagnosed. 

2. You desire a decrease profile AI strategy

Apple infuses AI into a number of elements of its smartwatch — however you would not actually discover when you weren’t paying consideration. Due to a sophisticated prediction algorithm, you may get extra related Good Stack strategies that take your historic location and watch exercise into consideration. If Apple Watch registers customers recording a pilates exercise each time they go to a studio, the Good Stack will extra commonly counsel initiating a Pilates exercise on the Exercise app. 

Due to AI, the smartwatch’s notification pings turn into self-aware: The machine registers the noise quantity of your setting to ship pings that are not blaring in quiet areas or too quiet in noisy ones. Good Replies get smarter with its on-device language mannequin, which gives “exact” and “related” responses to conversations.

Additionally: Should you upgrade to Apple Watch Series 11? Here’s how it compares to older models

AI powers these options — and lots of extra — however Apple is not excited by calling consideration to it. That is a considerably completely different strategy from Samsung and its Galaxy Watch 8, which drips with AI. Extra on that later.

This low-key AI strategy might be a hit or Apple’s Achilles heel in the long term. If and when AI’s hype cycle dies down, Apple will proceed making related options powered by superior expertise, as per traditional. Will probably be revered for not taking the hype bait and centering its product round a function that got here and went. But when high-power AI options are the best way of the long run, Apple might be falling behind within the AI rat race. 

3. You are an iPhone consumer, clearly

You probably have an iPhone, Android smartwatches just like the Galaxy Watch 8 aren’t appropriate together with your smartphone. So, clearly, you may need to seize the Apple Watch to maintain the whole lot inside the similar ecosystem. 

You should purchase the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 if…

1. You need longer battery life

Samsung takes the battery capability cake with its Watch 8, which presents 30 hours of battery life with All the time-On Show enabled and 40 hours with it disabled. Apple’s Collection 11 will get a battery improve, to make certain. Nevertheless it upgrades to 24 hours with AOD enabled and 36 hours in battery-saving mode. 

2. AI exercise assistants

Each Apple and Samsung rolled out AI exercise assistants throughout their summer season product launches. Apple unveiled Exercise Buddy, an in-ear assistant that gives stats, encouragement, and historic information throughout your exercise, and is out there on eight completely different exercise modes, together with Outside and Indoor Run, Outside and Indoor Stroll, Outside Cycle, HIIT, and Practical and Conventional Power Coaching. Samsung’s Working Coach is extra particular to, you guessed it, working, however gives extra actionable suggestions for individuals coaching for his or her first or subsequent race.

Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra: I compared both, and here’s the winner

Customers take a working take a look at, and Samsung grades them out of 10. Then it gives an in depth coaching plan to assist them advance to the subsequent coaching degree. Utilizing restoration and train information, Samsung tailors its exercise suggestions to the consumer. This feels extra customized than Exercise Buddy, and I hope Apple takes notes from Samsung when creating its subsequent health-oriented smartwatch options. 

3. You’ll be able to profit extra from Gemini

The advantage of being an Android watch is that it is powered by Google’s Gemini. Which means you’ll be able to name upon the AI assistant to lookup eating places in your space, name and make a reservation for 2, and inquire about dietary restrictions — all with the raise of a wrist. The Galaxy Watch can deal with a number of instructions with shorter compute occasions. Apple’s AI is extra simplistic and rather less superior. 

Alternate options to think about