We may earn compensation from reviewed products. Learn about our editorial policies.
I’ve been having a lot of fun recently trying out smartwatches that aren’t the Apple Watch Ultra.
For instance, today, I’m heading to London for a city walk and a full review of the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro. My time with this sports watch has been fun, and enlightening, and has revealed that I’m not quite as attached to the Apple Watch Ultra as I thought I was.
Last week, the brand-new Galaxy Watch6 Classic arrived on my desk. So, off came the Garmin, and on went Samsung’s latest attempt to draw some attention away from the Apple Watch.
Samsung is getting close with this. Really close.
Here are three things the Watch6 Classic can teach the Apple Watch – and, no, not all of them are positives for the former.
1. Round is best
As much as I’ve always enjoyed wearing an Apple Watch on my wrist, I’ve never been enamoured with its form factor. Square watch faces just don’t quite do it for me – I really am a round face kinda guy.
This is completely a matter of personal preference. Equally, I’m fully aware that a square smartwatch face does – in theory, at least – offer the best canvas for a graphical user interface.
There’s just something timeless (there will be more unavoidable puns today, I’m afraid) and classic (see?) about a round watch face. Samsung knows this, which is why it has stuck with that approach for its smartphone lineup. The downside is that if you were expecting a big upgrade from the Watch5, it hasn’t happened this year; they are remarkably similar-looking devices.
There is one big change, though. This year, we’re treated to the return of the rotating bezel. Axed from the Watch5 lineup, the rotating bezel enables users to navigate portions of the Watch6 Classic interface by, you guessed it, turning the bezel clockwise and counterclockwise. It’s intuitive, fun, and satisfying. The only thing missing, in my opinion, is the ability to ‘click’ the bezel to confirm your selection. Maybe something to ponder for the Watch7 Classic, Samsung?
I’m going to potentially draw in an overwhelming amount of friendly fire here, but I’ll say it regardless: I think the Galaxy Watch6 (particularly the Classic) is a much better-looking smartwatch than the Apple Watch.
Fight me in the comments.
2. watchOS reigns (but Apple knows that)
Right, now for the biggest downside of owning a Watch6 Classic. It’s a sluggish experience. Still.
The Watch6 and Watch6 Classic feature Samsung’s own Exynos W930 chip. We’re promised up to 18% improved clock speeds and 33% increased memory capacity.
Does this result in a faster watch than the frustratingly jittery Watch5?
Not really. And it is such a shame. I’m rooting for Samsung’s smartwatches but until the silicon comes up to scratch, it feels like several generations behind the Apple Watch and watchOS.
The Watch6 Classic runs Wear OS 4 which isn’t a bad operating system at all. I’m particularly fond of the watch face selection which makes masterful use of that circular form factor. The ‘Classic’ selection is perhaps the best example of this, which turn the Watch6 Classic into, once again, one of the most handsome smartwatches available today.
It just feels a bit clunky to use. There’s a noticeable lag when interacting with certain functions and swiping between the different areas of the OS doesn’t feel as satisfying as it does on watchOS. Mercifully, the battery life is on par with the Apple Watch Series 8, but it’s still an underwhelming user experience.
I think the answer to this frustrating problem lies solely with that Exynos chip. Again. I dearly hope that, for the Watch7 lineup, Samsung either significantly improves its silicon or turns to a third party. Once again, it is so close with this.
3. Smartwatches don’t have to be expensive
What the Watch6 Classic lacks in grunt and snappiness, it goes a long way to make up for in the affordability stakes. It’s also a much easier product to buy than the Apple Watch.
There are five versions of the Apple Watch to choose from, ranging from the budget SE to the fashion-focused Hermès edition. The prices range from £289 (which remains an absolute steal for the Apple Watch SE) to £1,479 (which is frankly ridiculous, although, admittedly, not a niche in which I dare dread).
In typical Apple fashion, there’s a fair bit of pricing crossover, too. The Apple Watch Series 8 dwarfs the price of the more capable Apple Watch Ultra if you spec it up and head into stainless steel territory, and when you throw in the avalanche of watch band options and watch sizes… well, you’ll probably need a stiff drink.
Apple is a master at this. They want you to buy the next, most expensive version. And, often, you do. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that (it’s a pricing tactic as old as the hills) but if you’re not entirely sure what you need or how much you want to spend, the near-endless choices can make for a fraught Apple Watch buying journey.
Samsung’s latest smartwatch lineup comes in two options: regular Watch6 and Watch6 Classic. You can choose between different sizes and add cellular if you wish. There are also a few different watch bands from which to choose. But it isn’t an overwhelming buying experience.
The Watch6 lineup is keenly priced, too. Starting at just £289 for the smallest non-Classic version, the most you’ll pay is £459 for the largest Watch6 Classic with cellular. Given the performance deficiency (not that Samsung would ever justify its pricing strategy in that manner), I think that’s entirely fair pricing and doesn’t leave you feeling short-changed.
Conclusion
I tried to think of more than three points for this mini comparison between the Watch6 Classic and the Apple Watch.
I drew a blank, I’m afraid.
This isn’t a poor reflection of either watch. I’d argue that smartwatches are far more interesting devices than smartphones at the moment, and the Watch6 Classic reveals there’s always room for innovation and design finesse beyond the haven of the Apple Watch.
Does that mean these two watches are close in terms of their feature sets, user satisfaction, and ecosystem integration? Absolutely! The Watch6 Classic offers practically every feature I know and love on the Apple Watch, and it pairs beautifully with my Z Flip5. As noted earlier, I think it’s a far better-looking device than Apple’s wearable, too.
If Samsung can sort out the performance deficit and offer some better watch bands (I’m not a fan of the current bunch which feel slightly inferior to Apple’s wide selection) we’ll have even more of a battle on our hands.
Am I likely to continue wearing the Watch6 Classic beyond this review period? Well, as noted in my Garmin Fenix 7 Pro review recently, I’m rapidly becoming a multi-watch kinda guy, and I think the Watch6 Classic will return to my wrist far more regularly than the Watch5 Pro ever did.
Before you go
Join my Substack newsletter for tips on becoming a profitable, happy online creator!
