ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE retails for $250 in three colours.
- The watch is small, helps a number of well being and wellness options, and allows you to use it for communications even for those who go away your cellphone at residence.
- The small watch physique means the show can also be small, the processor is previous-generation, and there are not any AI well being options.
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I really feel like Samsung made the Galaxy Watch Extremely only for me, given its enhanced sturdiness, superior options, and massive, daring design. I’ve spent a few weeks with a a lot smaller and extra petite watch that’s clearly not constructed for my wrists, however is a compelling choice for a lot of different individuals who wish to discover the world of smartwatches.
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The Watch Extremely weighs 61.5 grams, whereas the Watch FE is just 25.9 grams. The Watch Extremely has a 47mm major dimension, whereas the Watch FE is just 40.4mm. This implies the latter mannequin feels tiny on my wrist, however I discover the silicone band very comfy, and the scale makes it very straightforward to make use of for sleep monitoring.
Samsung provides FE (fan version) smartphones and tablets, however this yr’s Galaxy Watch FE is the primary smartwatch with the moniker. The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE LTE is a $250 smartwatch you should utilize on the go with out having a cellphone related through Bluetooth.
The entry-level smartwatch is priced excellent, provided that it provides many of the capabilities within the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Extremely. The 40mm Watch 7 with LTE is priced at $350, which means you’ll be able to decide up the FE for $100 much less with out compromising an excessive amount of.
The processor is identical as within the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Professional. I used the Watch 5 Professional for a few years earlier than upgrading to the Watch Extremely, and it is a completely succesful processor that allows you to zip across the consumer interface.
Samsung’s BioActive sensor is the important thing part to measuring your well being and wellness information. The sensor discovered within the Watch FE LTE helps observe your sleep, ECG, irregular coronary heart rhythms, blood oxygen, and extra. It doesn’t observe pores and skin temperature, so that’s one trade-off it’s important to make for the smaller and cheaper watch.
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The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE LTE provides the identical Put on OS 5.0 and Samsung options as the corporate’s different watches. The software program helps all of the Google apps, corresponding to Messages, Google Assistant, and Google Maps.
The Galaxy Watch FE’s sleep monitoring matched what I measured for different watches. After you report seven days of sleep, Samsung Well being will point out what sort of sleeper you might be, denoted by an animal and an outline of your sleep patterns.
The watch’s small dimension may assist maintain the guts charge sensor firmly planted towards your wrist throughout motion, the place generally giant watches are inclined to shift. I discovered that the guts charge sensor carefully matched different watches, too.
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That mentioned, GPS monitoring was not as correct as each different watch I examined as a result of distances would usually present up as longer than I truly ran, and the observe didn’t comply with the trail I truly ran. The Watch FE LTE helps 4 GNSS networks for positioning, however not like costlier watches, it doesn’t assist twin frequency bands. If you happen to want exact positioning, the Galaxy Watch FE LTE is probably not the most effective match for you.
The watch is nice for monitoring steps, indoor actions, and different exercises that do not require exact positioning. Samsung Well being works with the Samsung Wearable app to offer a full well being and wellness expertise based mostly on the information the Watch FE LTE collects. Samsung Well being additionally contains a great deal of health applications at no cost, so you’ll be able to take pleasure in numerous exercises at three health ranges and with completely different health objectives.
Lastly, the included silicone band may be very comfy and engaging. It is fast and straightforward to change out the bands, too, with the single-button press mechanism on the again of the watch band.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Whereas I are inclined to give attention to large watches that match my wrist, I’ve been having fun with the chance to check out smaller watches this yr as I consider watches that my spouse and daughters would take pleasure in utilizing. Smartwatches may be helpful for staying in contact, elevating consciousness of your well being and probably figuring out oncoming well being challenges, monitoring ladies’s well being metrics, and motivating you to enhance your health and efficiency.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is an reasonably priced, small watch choice for the plenty, and it is good to see Samsung proceed to supply a variety of watch choices to suit every individual’s life-style and value level.
Replace log:
- This story was first printed on October 29, 2024, and was up to date on October 17, 2025, with a radical fact-check and a change to the pricing from Walmart. We have additionally included new data concerning the most recent Samsung smartwatch fashions, just like the Watch Collection 8 and Extremely.