It's time, terrible pun intended, for a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Apple Watch Series 9 face-off.
At Unpacked on July 10, the Korean tech giant unveiled the next-generation Galaxy Watch. But the question is, how does it differ from its Apple-made counterpart?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 starts at $299 and preorders launch on July 10.
The Apple Watch Series 9, on the other hand, starts at $399. (But you can find cheaper Watch Series 9 models on Amazon.)
Whether you get the Galaxy Watch 7 or Watch Series 9, depending on the band style and size you choose, the price tag may increase. In addition, Apple has a choice between "GPS only" and "GPS + Cellular." Cellular support adds an extra $100 to the price tag.
The Galaxy Watch 7, no matter which model you get, comes with cellular support.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
The new Galaxy smartwatch continues to sport a circular design while its Apple rival features a squircle form factor.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 comes in two sizes: large (44mm) and small (40mm). You can choose from three color options: Green, Silver, and Cream.
Plus, all size options come with the following band styles: Sport, Fabric, and Athleisure.
Apple, on the other hand, sells the Watch Series 9 in two finishes: aluminum case (matte finish) and stainless steel case (polished finish). Similar to the Galaxy Watch 7, it comes in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm.
You can choose from five colorways: Pink, Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and (Product) RED.
You can also choose between three band styles: Rubber (flexible and swimproof), Textile (soft, fabric-like material), Stainless Steel (sophisticated and upscale). And under those categories, you can further narrow your preferences. For example, under Rubber, you can grab a Nike Sports Band. But under Textile, you can grab a Braided Solo Loop.
As such, Apple provides far more options as far as band style is concerned. I'd caution against "Solo Loop" under Rubber; it loosens over time. Textiles may be attractive, but they're harder to clean compared to the other styles.
Winner: Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 comes with the following health-tracking features:
Skin temperature monitoring (available on Galaxy Watch 7)
Cycle tracking (available on Galaxy Watch 7)
Irregular rhythm notifications (available on Galaxy Watch 7)
High or low heart rate notifications (available on Galaxy Watch 7)
ECG testing (available on Galaxy Watch 7)
Sleep tracking (available on Galaxy Watch 7)
If you purchase an Apple Watch Series 9 in the U.S., it will not come with a blood-oxygen sensor. (The Apple Watch Series 9 used to come with a blood-oxygen sensor, but due to a recent ruling, the Cupertino-based tech giant can no longer sell smartwatches with this feature.)
The Galaxy Watch 7, on the other hand, does monitor blood-oxygen levels. The Galaxy Watch 7, using bioeletrical impedance analysis (BIA) tech, can also track your body composition based on your weight, body fat, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle, body water, and basal metabolic rate (BMR), The Watch Series 9 doesn't appear to have this feature natively built into the device.
Finally, the Galaxy Watch 7 has a blood-pressure monitor and a sleep apnea sensor; the Apple Watch Series 9 does not.
Winner: Galaxy Watch 7
Both operate best in their own ecosystem. The Galaxy Watch 7 works best with, you guessed it, Samsung devices. In fact, some Galaxy Watch 7 features, powered by Galaxy AI, are only available to Samsung phone owners. As for the Watch Series 9, you can only snag it if you have an iPhone.
So which is better? It depends.
If tracking blood-oxygen levels, sleep apnea, blood pressure are important to you, opt for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7; the Apple Watch Series 9 doesn't have those features. (However, the Apple Watch X, expected to drop later this year, is rumored to get a blood-pressure sensor.)
