Smartwatches are the most popular wearables, but the Apple Watch is the one talked about most often. The Apple Watch sets the gold standard for smartwatches, but while Android smartwatches may not be as common or popular — they aren’t bad. In fact, Samsung makes some really good smartwatches. And, Samsung’s latest smartwatches are even more appealing now that they run Wear OS instead of Tizen.
Keep reading to learn more about the current Samsung smartwatch lineup.
How many versions of the Galaxy Watch are there?
Samsung currently has two models in their smartwatch lineup, the Galaxy Watch, and the Galaxy Watch Active. Both the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch Active are successors to the Galaxy Gear watch lineup, which was available from 2013 through 2017.
Samsung Galaxy Watch
The Galaxy Watch first launched in August 2018. The follow-up model, the Galaxy Watch3, arrived in August 2020, and the Galaxy Watch4 and the Galaxy Watch4 Classic arrived in August 2021. The specs for each of the Samsung Galaxy smartwatches are outlined in the table below.
Samsung Galaxy Watch4 | Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic | Samsung Galaxy Watch3 | Samsung Galaxy Watch | |
Display | Super AMOLED, Always-On, Gorilla Glass with DX+ (1.2″ display on 40mm and 1.4″ display on 44mm) | Super AMOLED, Always-On, Gorilla Glass with DX (1.2″ display on 42mm and 1.4″ display on 46mm) | Super AMOLED, Always-On, Gorilla Glass with DX (1.2″ display on 41mm and 1.4″ display on 45mm) | Super AMOLED, Always-On, Gorilla Glass with DX+ (1.2″ display on 42mm and 1.3″ display on 46mm) |
Size | 40mm or 44mm | 42mm or 46mm | 41mm or 45mm | 42mm or 46mm |
Weight | 25.9 grams (40mm) 30.3 grams (44mm) | 46.5 grams (42mm) 52 grams (46mm) | 48.2 grams (41mm) 53.8 grams (45mm) | 49 grams (42mm) 63 grams (46mm) |
Storage | 16GB | 16GB | 8GB | |
Battery | 247 mAh (40mm) 361 mAh (44mm) | 247 mAh (42mm) 361 mAh (46mm) | 247 mAh (41mm) 340 mAh (45mm) | 270 mAh (42mm) 472 mAh (46mm) |
OS | Wear OS with One UI Watch 3 | Wear OS with One UI Watch 3 | Tizen | Tizen |
Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
Colors | Black, Pink Gold, Silver (40mm) Black, Green, Silver (44mm) | Black, Silver (42mm) Black, Silver (46mm) | Mystic Silver, Mystic Bronze (41mm) Mystic Silver, Mystic Black (45mm) | Midnight Black, Silver, Rose Gold (42mm) Midnight Black, Silver, Rose Gold (46mm) |
Original MSRP | From $249.99 | From $349.99 | From $399.99 | From $329.99 |
Swappa Price | Starting at around $200 | Starting at around $250 | Starting at around $130 | Starting at around $65 |
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active
The Galaxy Watch Active lineup currently has two models, the Galaxy Watch Active and the Galaxy Watch Active2, and both were originally released in 2019. Samsung released the Galaxy Watch Active in March 2019 and followed up with the Galaxy Watch Active2 in September 2019. You can check out the Galaxy Watch Active and the Galaxy Watch Active2 specs in the table below.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active | |
Display | Super AMOLED, Always-On, Gorilla Glass with DX+ (1.2″ display on 40mm and 1.4″ display on 44mm) | Super AMOLED, Always-On, Gorilla Glass (1.1″ display on 40mm) |
Size | 40mm or 44mm | 40mm |
Weight | 26 grams (40mm aluminum) 37 grams (40mm stainless steel) 30 grams (44mm aluminum) 42 grams (40mm stainless steel) | 25 grams |
Storage | 4GB | 4GB |
Battery | 247 mAh (40mm) 340 mAh (44mm) | 230 mAh |
OS | Tizen | Tizen |
Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 |
Colors | Rose Gold, Aqua Black, Cloud Silver, Pink Gold (40mm aluminum) Silver, Black, Gold (40mm stainless steel) Aqua Black, Cloud Silver, Pink Gold (44mm aluminum) Silver, Black, Gold (44mm stainless steel) | Black, Silver, Rose Gold, Green |
Original MSRP | From $279.99 | From $199.99 |
Swappa Price | Starting at around $95 | Starting at around $60 |
Samsung Galaxy Watch vs Galaxy Watch Active
The newest Samsung smartwatches are the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic, both of which were released in August 2021. These new smartwatch models were announced alongside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
Some of the most common questions we get asked — are how each of the different Samsung smartwatches compares with one another. We outlined the specs for the different versions of the Galaxy Watch and the Galaxy Watch Active above, and now we’re going to shift to a few one on one comparisons, beginning with the Galaxy Watch3 versus the Galaxy Watch Active2.
Galaxy Watch3 vs Galaxy Watch Active2
You’ll notice some similarities between the Watch3 and the Watch Active2 models. The similarities include:
- 1.2” display size on the 41mm model, and a 1.4” display size on the 44mm model
- Super AMOLED always-on display that is protected by Gorilla Glass
- 247 mAh battery on the 41mm model, and a 340 mAh battery on the 44mm model
- IP68 rating for dust and water resistance
- Powered by Samsung’s Tizen OS
A key difference between these two models is the design. The Watch3 features a more traditional watch design, whereas the Active2 is sleeker and looks more like a sport, or fitness-oriented watch.
The Watch3 also has twice the internal storage space, at 8GB, instead of the 4G of storage offered on the Active2. Otherwise, the Watch3 is much heavier. Using the 41mm models as the example, and you would be looking at 48.2 grams on the Watch3 and 26 grams on the Active2.
The other big difference between these two models is the price, with the Watch3 being the more expensive of the two. The retail price of the Watch3 starts at $399.99, and the retail price of the Active2 starts at $$279.99. That said, you can expect to pay much less for either of these if you buy gently used instead of new.
Galaxy Watch3 vs Galaxy Watch
The Galaxy Watch3 was released in August 2020, and the Galaxy Watch was released two years earlier, in August 2018. It is important to note that there are quite a few similarities between these two models. For example, they each feature:
- Exynos 9110 dual-core processor at 1.15Ghz
- IP68 rating for water and dust resistance
The display sizes vary slightly, as do the overall sizes of the watch. The Watch3 is available in 41mm (1.2” display) and 44mm (1.4” display) options and the Watch is available in 42mm (1.2” display) and 46mm (1.3” display) options. Regardless of the size, the display is always 360 x 360 resolution, and they each have Gorilla Glass protection. Otherwise, the Watch3 has 1GB of RAM memory and 8GB of internal storage space. The Watch has 768MB of RAM memory and 4GB of internal storage space.
It is important to keep your personal budget in mind when choosing a smartwatch, but due to the two-year difference in release dates, we would recommend the Galaxy Watch3 over the original Galaxy Watch.
Galaxy Watch Active vs Watch Active2
The Galaxy Watch Active and the Watch Active2 were both released in 2019. The Watch Active arrived in March 2019 and the Watch Active2 arrived in August 2019. The Active and the Active2 are similar overall, but one key difference is the size. The Active was released in a 40mm size, and the Active2 was released in 40mm and 44mm options. Essentially, this means if you want a 44mm, you’ll need to go with the Active Watch2.
Both the Active and Active2 are available in Black or Silver, but the Active is also available in Rose Gold and Sea Green. The only other color option for the Active2 is Gold. Some of the other similarities include:
- Super AMOLED always-on display protected by Gorilla Glass
- 4GB of internal storage space
- Exynos 9110 dual-core processor at 1.15Ghz
- IP68 rating for water and dust resistance
- Powered by Samsung’s Tizen OS
The bottom line between these two models likely comes down to your size and color preferences. Not to mention, your personal budget. The original retail prices for these two models had an $80 difference, with the Watch Active2 being the more expensive of the two. But when you’re buying gently used instead of new, the retail price isn’t really a factor, and either of these models can be found on Swappa with starting prices under $100.
What is the best Samsung watch?
When it comes to buying tech, people often think the best model is the newest model. The newest models often have additional features or better hardware, so there is some logic to that thought. However, the best model should always be the model that doesn’t break your budget. When it comes to tech purchases, you should always look for a gently used previous-generation model to get the best deal, which is why the Samsung Galaxy Watch3 gets the recommendation from Swappa.
How much is a Samsung smartwatch?
The retail price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch varies based on the size and options, such as whether the watch has Bluetooth or LTE connectivity. The retail prices for the Samsung Galaxy Watch4 lineup is as follows:
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 (40mm / Bluetooth): $249.99
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 (40mm / LTE): $299.99
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 (44mm / Bluetooth): $279.99
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 (44mm / LTE): $329.99
Of course, it should be noted these are MSRP (retail) prices, and you will spend much less if you buy a gently used Samsung watch instead of a brand new watch. You can tap the widget below to view all of the current Samsung Galaxy Watch4 listings.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic is a higher-priced option (as compared to the Galaxy Watch4). The retail price of the “classic” model is as follows:
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic (42mm / Bluetooth): $349.99
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic (42mm / LTE): $399.99
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic (46mm / Bluetooth): $379.99
- Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic (46mm / LTE): $429.99
Which Samsung smartwatch should I buy in 2021?
The best Samsung watch to buy in November 2021 is the Samsung Galaxy Watch3 — and you can get a great deal on a gently used model in the Swappa marketplace. Alternatively, if you prefer the sleeker, more sporty look, you should look towards the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2. You can view all of the current listings for the Samsung Galaxy Watch3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 by tapping either of the widgets below.
Regardless of the specific model you choose to buy, you can move forward with confidence knowing that you’ll get the best deals on gently used tech in the Swappa marketplace.
Swappa is also the safest marketplace for used tech, and our policies have been created to protect all users — buyers and sellers. Swappa’s support team responds in minutes and is available 24/7/365 if you have any questions or concerns. We also encourage you to review some of the Trustpilot reviews that have been left by others who have already bought or sold on Swappa.