The Apple Watch Series 11 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 are both high-end smartwatches with advanced features. The best choice for you will depend on your smartphone preference and your desired features. If you are an iPhone user, the Apple Watch Series 11 is the obvious choice. If you are an Android user, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is a great option. Both watches offer a variety of health and fitness tracking features, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 may offer more comprehensive health metrics.
| Attribute | Apple Watch Series 11 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Size and Technology | Likely to maintain similar sizes as the Series 10 (42mm and 46mm). Rumored to feature a brighter, more energy-efficient display, possibly LTPO or Micro-LED. MicroLED could offer higher resolution and better brightness. | Galaxy Watch 8: 1.3-inch (40mm) and 1.5-inch (44mm). AMOLED display with at least 2,000 nits brightness and 60Hz refresh rate. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: 1.5-inch (46mm). AMOLED display with at least 2,000 nits brightness and 60Hz refresh rate. Galaxy Watch 8 Ultra: 1.5-inch. |
| Battery Life | Expected to have around 18 hours of battery life with typical use. Low Power Mode could extend battery life to around 36 hours. | Galaxy Watch 8: 325mAh (40mm), 435mAh (44mm). Expect around a day between charges. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: 450mAh. |
| Health Tracking Features | Likely to include heart rate monitoring, ECG, sleep tracking, and skin temperature readings. Rumored to add blood pressure monitoring/hypertension detection. Blood oxygen monitoring may return, pending the resolution of a legal dispute. Non-invasive blood glucose tracking is a long-term goal but is not expected in the Series 11. | Heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep patterns, stress levels, ECG, skin temperature, body composition (BIA), vascular load, antioxidant index, and potentially blood glucose monitoring. |
| Fitness Tracking Capabilities | Will likely track steps, distance, and various activity types. May offer more personalized coaching and workout recommendations. Enhanced GPS positioning for more accurate distance and route maps. New training load metric to help users understand the impact of workouts. | Steps, distance, activity types, running coach, and potentially advanced running metrics like asymmetry and vertical oscillation. |
| Water Resistance Rating | Likely to have a 5ATM water resistance rating, making it suitable for swimming. | IP68 (dust and water resistance), MIL-STD-810H (shock protection). |
| Cellular Connectivity | Available in GPS-only and GPS + Cellular models. The cellular connectivity might be upgraded from LTE to 5G for better efficiency. | Optional LTE connectivity. |
| GPS Functionality | Standalone GPS functionality. | Dual-band GPS. |
| Operating System and App Ecosystem | Expected to run watchOS 12, which may include a fresh new look inspired by visionOS. Access to the extensive watchOS app ecosystem. | Wear OS 6 with One UI 8 Watch. Google's Gemini AI is expected to replace Google Assistant. |
| Compatibility with Smartphones | Best compatibility with iPhones running iOS 18 or later (likely iPhone XS or later). Limited functionality can be achieved with Android phones using workarounds, but it's not officially supported. | Compatible with Android. |
| Storage Capacity | Expected to have 64GB of storage. | 32GB (Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch 8 Classic), possibly 64GB on the Galaxy Watch 8 Ultra. |
| Available Sensors | Likely to include accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, heart rate sensor, and potentially a blood pressure sensor. | Accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light, heart rate sensor, blood oxygen sensor, ECG, skin temperature sensor, barometer. |
| Design and Materials | Expected to have a similar design to the Series 10, with a thinner and lighter body. Likely to be available in aluminum and titanium. May feature a brighter screen with smaller bezels. | Galaxy Watch 8: Squircle design, aluminum case. Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Squircle design, stainless steel case (possibly titanium), rotating bezel, sapphire crystal display. Galaxy Watch 8 Ultra: Squircle design, rugged build. |
| Price | Not available | Not available |
| Ratings | Not available | Not available |