Samsung Galaxy Watch8 with LTE support and 44mm case is available in the Italian version at €311.71a price that makes it one of the most competitive Android smartwatches of the moment thanks to its connectivity Integrated LTE and in the presence of Galaxy AI. A little higher up, a €359 and with the activation ofPrime subscriptionthere is Galaxy Watch9 (40mm, Graphite, Bluetooth only), the new generation model which introduces some non-negligible technical changes.
On the front of the processorthe difference is substantial: Galaxy Watch8 uses the chip Exynos W1000produced with a 3nm process, while Galaxy Watch9 abandons the Samsung chipset to adopt the new one Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elitepenta-core and always at 3nm. This step brings with it a generative leap also on the software side: Galaxy Watch8 debuts with Wear OS 6 And One UI 8 Watchwhile Galaxy Watch9 comes directly with Wear OS 7 And One UI 9 Watchthe latest interface from Samsung.
There drums it is one of the chapters in which the new model stands out the most, at least on the 40mm size being compared: Galaxy Watch9 40mm features a 390mAhagainst i 325mAh of the equivalent version of Galaxy Watch8, an increase of more than 20%. On the 44mm size, that of the LTE specimen on offer, the difference is instead more contained, with a capacity that goes from 435mAh to 445mAh in the next generation. Both models guarantee adeclared autonomy of up to 40 hours with always-on-display mode disabled.
As for the connectivityGalaxy Watch9 introduces the Bluetooth 6.0a newer standard than the Bluetooth 5.3 present on Galaxy Watch8. However, it should be underlined that the Galaxy Watch8 sample on offer boasts the module LTEa function absent in the version of Galaxy Watch9 considered here, which is limited to Bluetooth only: those who want to make calls or stay connected without a smartphone nearby will therefore have to choose the model with the integrated SIM.
The display does not change between the two generations: the 44mm size offers a screen 1.47 inch Super AMOLED with resolution 480×480 pixelswhile the 40mm size offers a panel of 1.34 inches to 438×438 pixelsboth with peak brightness up to 3,000 nits and protection in sapphire glass. Even the physical dimensions remain unchanged, with a thickness of 8.6mm on both sizes; only the weight of the 40mm case changes slightly, which changes from 30 grams of Galaxy Watch8 a 31.5 grams of Galaxy Watch9.
On the level of memoryboth models maintain 2GB of RAM And 32GB of storagewithout changes. Even the sector health sensors remains almost identical, with the Samsung BioActive Sensor for monitoring heart rate, body composition via bioimpedance (BIA)the temperature sensor and the sleep and physical activity analysis functions, as well as the resistance certification 5ATM + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H.
One last technical detail concerns the smartphone compatibility: Galaxy Watch9 requires at least Android 13while Galaxy Watch8 remains accessible even to those who own devices with Android 12something to consider for those who don’t update their phone regularly.
In summary, those looking for a cheaper model with autonomous cellular connectivity find a solid proposal in Galaxy Watch8 44mm LTE at €311.71, while those who focus on updated performancenew Qualcomm chipset and more recent software can evaluate Galaxy Watch9 40mm at €359 with Prime, accepting however the absence of the LTE module on this specific configuration.
