Introduction and Specifications:
The iconic ring is making a comeback, and this time, Frodo is not to thank. Samsung has reconsidered its decision, bringing back the distinctive rotating bezel for the latest Galaxy Watch6 Classic, a feature that was omitted in the Galaxy Watch5 Pro. This reintroduction stands out as a significant change in the Galaxy Watch6 Classic, accompanied by the inclusion of the new Exynos W930 chipset designed specifically for wearables.
Nevertheless, there's a lingering suspicion that Samsung might be maintaining distinct Galaxy Watch flagship lineups, distinguishing between Pros and Classics. Given the typical two-year upgrade cycle, it seems plausible that the company is specifically catering to Galaxy Watch4 Classic owners with this release. For those uninterested in the rotating ring – a feature not everyone may fancy – the Pro series remains a viable option.
Samsung Galaxy Watch6 Classic specs at a glance:
- Body: 46.5x46.5x10.9mm, 59g; Sapphire crystal front, stainless steel frame; MIL-STD-810H compliant, 50m water resistant (IP68), ECG certified, Blood pressure monitor.
- Display: 1.50" Super AMOLED, 480x480px resolution, 9:9 aspect ratio, 453ppi; Always-on display.
- Chipset: Exynos W930 (5 nm): Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A55; Mali-G68.
- Memory: 16GB 2GB RAM.
- OS/Software: Android Wear OS 4, One UI Watch 5.
- Rear camera: No.
- Front camera: No.
- Video capture: Rear camera: No.
- Battery: 425mAh; Wireless (Qi).
- Connectivity: LTE; eSIM; Wi-Fi 4; BT 5.3; NFC.
- Misc: Accelerometer, gyro, compass, heart rate, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature), 3D Hall sensor; Natural language commands and dictation, Samsung Pay.
The idea of having two distinct watch lineups might clarify why Samsung appears unfazed by the decrease in the battery capacity of the Watch6 Classic, dropping from 590 mAh on the Watch5 Pro to 425 mAh. This reduction is deemed acceptable as it still represents an improvement over the 2021 Watch4 Classic, which featured a 361 mAh cell. Samsung asserts that the new chipset is more efficient, a claim we will thoroughly assess in the battery section of our review.
Efficiency is one thing, but what about performance? Well, the new Exynos W930 offers higher clock speeds and is paired with 2GB of RAM, instead of 1.5GB in the previous two generations. This ensures smoother visuals and faster operation.
Speaking of visuals, the display is now bigger - 1.5" and with a higher resolution to match (480 x 480px).
And on the fitness-tracking front, not much has changed except the added skin temperature measurements. Fall detection is a new feature too, which may be facilitated by the new 3D Hall sensor.
A new Wear OS 4.0 with Samsung's proprietary One UI Watch 5 software ties everything together while the rest of the device is practically unchanged. Of course, there are nuances, and that's why we have this review, so keep reading.
Unboxing the Galaxy Watch6 Classic
The device comes in a pretty standard retail box containing just the user manuals and the charging pad with a cable attached. The only change this year is that the cable is now USB-C instead of USB-A.
While the package lacks a dedicated charger, you have the flexibility to utilize nearly any USB-C wall charger or connect to a PC/laptop for charging. It's worth noting that charging the watch using a third-party Qi charger is not an option, and there's a limitation in that you cannot perform reverse wireless charging with a non-Samsung phone.