Intro
Which is the better smartwatch: the Apple Watch Series 9 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6?
Many people would say this is a theoretical question as the Galaxy Watch won't work with iPhones, and Apple Watches don't work on Android, so your choice of a smartwatch is very limited by the smartphone you use.
But in case you just want to know which is the ultimate smartwatch right now, or are considering switching from Android to iPhone, or vice versa, you might want to know. So... let's find out which one is the better watch!
Apple Watch Series 9 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: differences
- Apple Watch is square, Samsung is round
- Both come in small and large sizes
- Both come with quick swap bands
- Apple Watch has more apps
- Apple Watch expected to have more accurate sensors
- Apple Watch expected to be a bit more expensive
Table of Contents:
- Design and Sizes
- Bands
- Software
- Battery and Charging
- Models and Prices
- Voice Calls and Haptics
- Specs
- Summary
Design & Sizes
Stylish, each in their own way
It's easy to tell these two apart: for once, the Apple Watch Series 9 is a rectangle and the Galaxy Watch 6 is round.
One thing that is similar is how little these change between generations: the Apple Watch Series 9 looks the same in the past few years, and the Galaxy Watch is also extremely similar to previous Samsung watches (it is a bit thinner now, though).
Both are expected to come in a smaller size (41mm with the Apple Watch, 40mm on the Galaxy) and a larger one (45mm with Apple, 44mm on Galaxy).
Bands
Apple's quick swap band system is better, but Samsung has finally done something for easy band swaps
The Apple Watch Series 9 is expected to use the same band swap system it's had since the very first model, with the only new thing being one new fabric band with a magnetic clasp. Samsung, on the other hand, brings new one-click bands to the Watch 6, a nice upgrade from spring bar bands that it used before. You could still use those, however, they are back compatible.
Software & Features
Can WearOS catch up?
When it comes to software, Apple uses watchOS, while Samsung uses Googles' Wear OS platform.
After ten iterations, watchOS is clearly the more refined platform with more apps, but WearOS is also growing now, especially in the last two years that Samsung has been using it.
You use both platforms in a similar way: swipe and tap around, and you have all essential functions on both:
- heart rate monitoring
- workout tracking
- sleep tracking
- blood oxygen measurements
- ECG function
Galaxy Watch 6 vs Apple Watch Series 9: Which one is better for sleep tracking?
We will be analyzing the accuracy of sleep tracking on these two once the Apple Watch S9 arrives in late September.
One difference we have to mention right away, however, is that the Galaxy Watch is able to track naps, a feature that is not available on Apple Watches.
Galaxy Watch 6 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Which one has more accurate heart rate tracking?
This is also something we will be measuring in our full review coming in late September, so stay tuned for more details.
Battery and Charging
One day battery life
Want a smartwatch that can last more than one day between charges? Well, these two ain't it.
Expect around 30 hours or real-world battery life on both of these, but what is clear is that none of them will last two days between charges.
And if you are curious about the actual battery sizes, here are the numbers we expect to see:
- Galaxy Watch 6 40mm battery size: 300 mAh
- Apple Watch Series 9 41mm battery size: 282 mAh
- Galaxy Watch 6 44mm battery size: 425 mAh
- Apple Watch Series 9 45mm battery size: 308 mAh
As you can see, the larger Galaxy Watch model in particular has a nearly 30% bigger battery, which is a big difference, so you can expect that partiuclar model to last more than the rest.
Models and Prices
So you have a small and large size on both Apple Watches and Galaxy Watches, but there is still a big difference in the pricing.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is expected to have a base Aluminum model priced from $400, and then you will also have a Stainless Steel version with sapphire glass, that will cost no less than $700. The Galaxy is clearly the cheaper option, starting at just $300.
Specs
Here is a quick overview of the Galaxy Watch 6 vs Apple Watch Series 9 specs:
| Specs | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | Apple Watch Series 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Models (Size, Weight, Prices) | 40mm (38.8 x 40.4 x 9.0 mm) 44mm (42.8 x 44.4 x 9.0 mm) 28.7g weight for 40mm 33.3g weight for 44mm from $300 | 41mm (41 x 35 x 10.7 mm) 45mm (45 x 38 x 10.7 mm) 32g weight for 41mm 38.8g weight for 45mm from $400 |
| Materials | Aluminum body Sapphire display Sapphire bottom | Aluminum / Stainless Steel / Ceramic body Glass or Sapphire display Sapphire bottom glass |
| Processor, RAM, Storage | Samsung Exynos W930 | Apple S9 |
| Software | WearOS 4 | watchOS 9 |
| Battery and Charging | 300mAh for 40mm 425mAh for 44mm | 282mAh for 41mm 308mAh for 45mm |
| Sensors | HR, blood oxygen, altimeter, ECG | HR, blood oxygen, altimeter, ECG |
Summary
So which one is the better watch?
We will learn this in late September when we get to test these side by side, and especially see the accuracy of heart rate tracking and sleep tracking.
But even now we know that these are clearly your two most advanced options in the world of smartwatches. You'd just have to wait a bit more for the details.
