After introducing the Galaxy Watch in 2018, Samsung curiously skipped out on a proper sequel last year, and it introduced the Galaxy Watch3 earlier this summer. Like the original Galaxy Watch, it features a round display with a rotating bezel, which serves as a navigation method for its menus. However, the watch itself is thinner and lighter, so it should be more comfortable.
This year, Samsung introduced a couple of big new features, including blood pressure monitoring and an ECG, drawing inspiration from the Apple Watch, which introduced the feature in 2018. However, these features are dependent on regulatory approval by region or country, and they may not be available everywhere; Portugal, unfortunately, seems to be one of the excluded countries. Another new feature is fall detection, something else that Apple introduced in 2018, and it could be helpful for serious falls when the user may be unable to get up on their own.
Of course, it also has all the fitness features you"d expect, like blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring, heart rate and stress monitoring, sleep tracking, and activity tracking with VO2 max monitoring. This includes a running coach program that"s meant to help you exercise more effectively.
The Galaxy Watch3 runs on Samsung"s Tizen OS, and it has a few apps available on the Galaxy App Store, along with the capabilities you"d expect, like watch faces, replying to notifications, music controls, and so on. Some features may be exclusive to Samsung phones, though, like the using the Samsung Messages app for SMS or setting automatic replies. The watch also supports NFC for payments, which may be more convenient than using your phone.
We were sent the 45mm version of the Galaxy Watch3, without LTE. This variant costs $429.99 in the United States, or around €459.90 in Europe, depending on where exactly you live. You can check out our hands-on video below.