Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 tested and compared to the 7 Ultra that costs twice as much
New wearable from Samsung is the perfect everyday smartwatch for Android phone users
I’ve been testing out Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 7 paired with a Galaxy Z Flip 6 flip-fold smartphone - two of the easiest products of 2024 to recommend.
Both devices form part of a range of exciting new Samsung kit released last month, including the incredible new Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, the first set of Samsung earphones to match the best from Bose, Sennheiser, Sony and Apple.
All of the new products are available from Currys, which is where I picked up the Galaxy Watch 7. (I’ve also tested Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra which I will review separately.)
Galaxy Watch 7 new features
Galaxy Watch 7 has the same design as its predecessor, which I loved, but it’s the first wearable to run the latest WearOS 5 software and it includes a raft of Galaxy AI-powered wellness features and enhanced sleep insights.
You get a new BioActive health sensor, faster processor, upgraded GPS and double the storage - 32GB rather than 16GB.
Galaxy Watch 7 also includes the same high-res AMOLED touchscreen as its predecessor but with increased peak brightness which is now at 2000 nits so the watch screen is really easy to see and read in daylight.
It’s a comfortable watch to wear around the clock. You need to wear it in bed as the sleep tracking is so good. If you use it with a Samsung phone such as Flip 6 then the Samsung Health app enables you to record your sleep to see if you snore, how loudly and how often.
All your sleep data is accompanied by AI-generated insights and tips to help you better understand your nightly metrics and long-term trends.
Other software improvements include the addition of triathlon/multisport workout mode support and Energy Score support, a new running race partner mode and a new cycling FTP (functional threshold power) prediction that Samsung said takes only four minutes.
Galaxy Watch 7 other features
You can customise all the data pages and data fields for the dozens of workouts and sports supported either on the watch or your phone, and you can assign up to seven data metrics per page (on the 44mm model reviewed).
Because the Watch 7 runs WearOS, this means you can install various third party apps such as Strava, Komoot and Spotify. And it supports Google Wallet so you can use it to pay for purchases in stores and restaurants.
Navigating the menus and user interface is intuitive and slick using both the two physical buttons on the right hand side of the watch and the touchscreen. Most of the time I accessed the information I wanted by swiping left and right on the home screen to access the various widget dashboards (also known as tiles).
I found the GPS accuracy was not on a par with Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra or other dedicated multisport watches such as Coros Vertix 2 or Garmin Epix second-gen. On the upside, the heart rate accuracy was reliable when compared to the same multisport wearables and the Polar H10 chest strap monitor.
I did test Watch 7 with other Android phones and it worked seamlessly with them all, but to get the most from it, I would suggest you pair it with a Samsung phone such as the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
This will give you access to features such as the ECG readings, irregular heart rate rhythm notifications and blood pressure detection.
Galaxy Watch 7 verdict
Galaxy Watch 7 is one of the best everyday smartwatches you can buy, an improvement on Galaxy Watch 6 in many ways. It’s at an affordable price point and will do a decent job at health, fitness and sleep monitoring for most people.
If you are someone who takes outdoor sports very seriously and engages in daily workout activity at the likes of running or cycling, then the Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra is the better choice due to its more precise and reliable GPS accuracy and its longer battery life.
Pricing and availability
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is available at Currys in silver, cream and green for €329 for the 40mm Bluetooth model and €379 for the 40mm Bluetooth & LTE model. The larger 44m Bluetooth model costs €359 and the 44mm is €409 for Bluetooth & LTE.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is available at Currys in blue, silver, yellow and mint for €1239 for the 256GB model and €1349 for the 512GB model.
You can also buy the above products from the Samsung store on Amazon and from Samsung Ireland directly.
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