Among the compelling options from Samsung, Google, and OnePlus, I went with the Galaxy Watch 8 as my Wear OS smartwatch of choice. Price was a big reason, as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 starts at $350, and discounts and trade-ins have brought the cost down significantly. Another thing was the design of the watch, which is much thinner and has a lower profile than the Pixel Watch or the OnePlus Watch. Above all, the Samsung Health suite won me over.
There are several Samsung Health features that give you insight into your fitness and long-term health using the sensors on the Galaxy Watch 8. I can look at my watch a few times every day and get quick snapshots of how I’m feeling using the underlying sensor data. You can too, using these five features of the Galaxy Watch 8. They are also available on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Power score
The best part of using the Galaxy Watch 8 is always getting the Power score each day. Gauge your readiness for the day ahead using activity and sleep data from the day and night before. It requires using the Samsung Health app with a Samsung account, but otherwise, Energy points are calculated automatically with no manual setup required. Samsung uses the following metrics to come up with your score, out of 100 points:
- Average sleep time
- Sleep time consistency
- Sleeping regularly
- Time to sleep
- The previous day’s work
- Work consistency
- Sleep heart rate
- Sleep heart rate variability
As you can see, sleep is an important part of your energy score. If you don’t sleep well, your score will be lower, and naps may or may not help. That’s because Samsung calculates the time of day you sleep, knowing that a late nap disrupts your circadian rhythm and reduces energy. There are four categories of Power Points: It’s very good (85-100), Good (75-84), Good (60-74), It needs attention (0-59).
Therefore, to get the most insight into the power output of your Galaxy Watch 8, make sure you wear it during sleep and during all daily activities. Then, check in the Samsung Health app on your phone or smartwatch tile to see your daily score.
Sleep points
Since Power points capture so much of your sleep data, you might be wondering what Sleep points do something different. Similar to the power score, the sleep score is automatically calculated when your Galaxy Watch 8 is worn while you sleep. It also uses the same scale, but factors in different metrics to calculate it. Sleep points measure yours real sleep time, deep sleep, REM sleep, restagain sleep delay to calculate the final score.
Samsung also compares your nightly sleep score to the average score for your age group. For example, one night I scored a 92, which was in the top 2% of my age group. The company adds that getting a sleep score of 85 or higher equals a good night’s sleep. You can also view your blood oxygen levels, sleep stages, snoring, skin temperature, heart rate, and respiration rate data in the Samsung Health app.
I never felt like my Apple Watch provided detailed enough sleep data to justify wearing it to bed, and my Garmin is too bulky to wear all night. Samsung offers the best combination of rich sleep score data and slim Galaxy Watch 8 hardware.
Gemini
Gemini is the perfect replacement for Google Assistant on your arm, enabling quick actions and time-saving automation. I use it on my Galaxy Watch 8 to set a number of night alarms with one command, avoiding the hassle of adjusting alarms on a small screen. You can also use it to get directions, start a workout, or turn up music. It will also read your live health and fitness stats during workouts for a hands-on experience.
To use it, all you have to do is hold the side button or say “Hey Gemini.” You can also enable it Raise To Speak below Settings > Touch > Raise to Talk to unlock Gemini by lifting the Galaxy Watch 8 to your mouth.
Running coach
Samsung Running coach feature may not replace personal trainers anytime soon, but it’s a cool Galaxy Watch 8 tool for beginners. The feature works by having the wearer complete a 12-minute lactate threshold test, which tells Samsung Health a lot about the wearer’s running ability. Then, it will create a training plan that will help you reach your goals. Complete the “level test” in each numbered level, and you’ll advance to the next one.
To try it out, open the Samsung Health app on your watch and press Exercise. Then, find out Running coach in the list and click it. You will now complete the above-mentioned practical test by following the on-screen instructions. After completing the test, your watch will come up with a personalized training program based on your needs.
Vascular load
Many of Samsung’s best health features work in the background, and it’s no different Vascular load. It tries to track your heart health to prevent a picture of your overall health. to see you, swipe left view i Tiles screen, and press Add tiles. get the Important tab, and select Vascular load. Next, press Show on the phone.
Watch it open
From there, you will be able to start tracking your Vascular load after getting a baseline by wearing your watch to sleep for three nights.
The software is only part of the story, and the slim profile of the Galaxy Watch 8 seals the deal. It’s only 8.6mm thick (without the protruding sensors), and that means it’ll be comfortable enough to wear during heavy workouts and a night’s sleep. The more you wear a smartwatch, the better the data it provides. That’s why the design of the Galaxy Watch 8 deserves credit for how useful these five fitness and health features are.
The best watch for Wear OS
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 beats out options from Google and OnePlus for the title of best Wear OS fitness watch in my book. It’s free, intuitive, and loaded with features. Use five on this list to get the most out of your Samsung smartwatch.