First Impressions
While it can get pricey, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is certainly the more interesting of the two wearables that Samsung has launched alongside the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. The rotating bezel, the nicer included strap and overall build quality improvements should make this the one to go for.
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Rotating bezelThe phyiscal rotating bezel returns and is a great way of interacting with the Watch 6 Classic -
Two sizes43 and 47mm sizes available, wirth various strap options
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is available to pre-order at Samsung.
Introduction
Out of the two smartwatches just unveiled by Samsung, it is the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic that feels like the more interesting one.
Oddly, Samsung has decided against upgrading its Galaxy Watch 5 Pro this year, instead keeping that more running-focussed model around and bringing back the Classic moniker last used in 2021.
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic slots in between the standard Watch 6 and the Watch 5 Pro, offering the same fitness set as the former, but with a couple of notable design changes.
Design and Screen
- Two sizes, 43 and 47mm
- OLED circular display with rotating bezel and sapphire crystal coating
- Stainless Steel case
Just about all the biggest differences between the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic are centred around the design. The biggest change is the addition of a physical rotating bezel that allows you to navigate the Watch 6 Classic’s interface without touching the circular screen.
It feels great to slowly rotate the bezel and move through home screens and settings, almost like a much larger version of Apple’s Digital Crown. I love avoiding touching the screen as much as possible on a smartwatch, and the rotating bezel is one of the best methods on any device.
Bezel aside, the Watch 6 Classic swaps the aluminium body of the Watch 6 for a stainless steel one and the rubbery sports band is ditched for a nicer version Samsung calls Hybrid Eco-Leather. This seems to be a faux leather type band with a hint of silicon to make it suitable for the gym and running. It feels and looks nice but there are of course lots of other bands that can be swapped in, and a 20mm watch strap should fit too.
Like the Watch 6, two sizes of the Classic are available – 43mm and 47mm. Both have the same feature set, you’re just getting a 1.5-inch OLED display rather than a 1.3-inch OLED version and a bigger battery if you go for the larger one. I personally prefer smaller watches and the 43mm is a really nice size.
Both feature sapphire crystal covering over the OLED display, which in itself is bright and sharp.
Features and Fitness Tracking
- BioActive sensor
- Exynos W930 chipset, 2GB RAM
- Temperature sensor
Samsung decided against releasing a Watch 5 Classic, instead focussing on the Pro model in 2022 If you still want the most feature-packed Samsung wearable with the widest set of tracking skills, the Watch 5 Pro is likely still your best bet with the current Watch 6 models feeling a little more consumer-friendly.
The innards of the two Watch 6 models are the same, with the Exynos W930 chip adding a claimed 18% improvement in clock speeds for a smoother overall experience. There’s 2GB memory too, which is up from 1.5GB in the Watch 5 series.
Sleep tracking is a bigger deal now, with a wider array of slumber options available including sleep stages, skin temperature tracking and snoring detection. I won’t be listening back to my snoring, but it’s there if that is your thing.
The range of fitness-tracking skills is wide and there are plenty of onboard sensors that can keep an eye on heart rate – there are now personalised heart rate zones and you can choose specific training sessions that will target a particular zone – body composition, ECG and alert emergency services if you fall. The skin temperate sensor – which was mostly dormant in the Watch 5 – is also now used for menstrual cycle tracking which is a very welcome addition.
Samsung partnered with Google to move over to the Wear OS software a few years ago and it remains the operating system of choice here. Wear OS 4 – with Samsung’s OneUI 5 Watch overlay on the top – is great, combining Google services with Samsung’s own additions like Wallet, Camera Controller and Find My Phone. It’ll feel most familiar to Samsung phone owners, but any Android 10 phone will work here. Sadly there’s no iPhone support to be seen – though iOS users looking for a smartwatch all always best to look at an Apple Watch as they integrate best with iOS features.
In a briefing ahead of the Watch 6 Classic launch, Samsung claimed the watch (whichever size you get) should last for around 40 hours on a single charge. Not an earth-shattering number, but a little more than what the Apple Watch 8 gets.
Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is available to pre-order at Samsung.
Early Thoughts
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic starts at £369 for the 43mm, while the 47mm will set you back £399. That’s £80 more than the 44mm Galaxy Watch 6. There are cellular connected options too: £429 for the 43mm and £459 for the 47mm.
While it can get pricey, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is certainly the more interesting of the two wearables Samsung has launched alongside the Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5. The rotating bezel, the nicer included strap and overall build quality improvements should make this the one to choose.
