The rotating bezel was, for so long, a simple yet well-executed feature that set Samsung’s smartwatches apart from the smartwatch crowd.
When Samsung ditched its own Tizen OS for another stab at Google WearOS, that much-loved bezel started to feel less of a fixture when it came to interacting with Samsung’s smartwatches. Samsung even moved to offer a digital bezel alternative that simply didn’t offer that same satisfying feeling of twisting a physical one.
After choosing to skip the Galaxy Watch 7 Classic last year , Samsung changed its tune in 2025 and, at its latest Unpacked event, announced the Galaxy Watch 8 series and brought the Classic back.
The perfect blend?
The Samsung Watch 8 Classic was officially unveiled alongside the Galaxy Watch 8 (and a refreshed Watch Ultra ) and it’s fair to say there’s been some big changes since the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic , all while keeping that design feature crowd-pleaser still in place.
For starters, there’s now just one size. On the Watch 6 Classic, you had the pick of 43mm or 47mm sizes.
Mike Sawh
Now you’ll have to settle for a 46mm one that sits somewhere in the middle. There is still the option of Bluetooth or LTE connectivity models and you now have the choice of black or white colours, which means this isn’t the Samsung smartwatch you go for if you like something with a playful look.
The fully round design is gone too, replaced with one that mirrors the Galaxy Watch Ultra. It’s also grabbing the quick button from Samsung’s outdoor smartwatch to make it feel a bit like a smaller Ultra.
A Super AMOLED display still shines brightly and it’s even brighter now, hitting a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Around that is the bezel that’s back to being more showy compared to the more elegant one attached to the previous Classic.
When you twist it, it’ll scroll through the app stream or the stream of widgets that, thanks to the software change,s can now be done from a single screen. With the UI changes brought by the introduction of WearOS 6, the bezel feels like it’s back to being more useful to have hanging around that screen.
Mike Sawh
New health tracking smarts
The Classic isn’t stuck in the past in terms of its capabilities to track your fitness, health and be more useful when you’re not doing a lung-busting workout in the gym.
It comes equipped with Google Gemini AI, to make it the first Wear OS smartwatch to pack it as well as Wear OS 6. This is down to Google’s move to phase out its Assistant for an AI-powered one that should handle more complex questions in a quicker fashion.
Mike Sawh
There’s Samsung’s latest BioActive sensor, which now has the unique ability of letting you measure carotenoids (image above), which is all to do with delving into the realms of antioxidants. This is the Antioxidant Index available across the new range.
By placing your thumb on that sensor for a five-second measurement, you could make better lifestyle decisions that could help prevent chronic illnesses and generally live a healthier life. That’s to add to the ECG and blood pressure capabilities that Samsung already offers through its latest sensor technology.
If you’re planning to take the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic to bed, it’s getting the best of Samsung’s sleep tracking as well and that now includes the ability to monitor the strength of your vascular system. A new bedtime guidance feature will also analyse sleep pressure and your circadian rhythms to provide recommendations on when to go to bed that’s more in tune with what your body needs.
Mike Sawh
Samsung is now turning on sleep apnea tracking in more countries and will let the Classic tap into Samsung SmartThings devices to better understand your sleep environment and become more of a sleep tracking powerhouse.
While the Classic doesn’t scream sports or health watch, it’s not short of features on that front. Outdoor sports tracking receives a big boost with the addition of dual-band GPS, to improve signal performance when running or riding near tall buildings or going for a hike in deeply wooded areas.
Mike Sawh
More than a bezel
There are far more reasons to be happy for the Classic’s return beyond a rotating bezel.
Those who have called for it, should also be happy that it’s getting the best that Samsung has to offer in software features to give Samsung smartwatch fans an option if the Galaxy Watch 8 feels too minimalist or you’re just not the adventurous type to want to strap on the Watch Ultra.
Samsung might have made one of the best smartwatches of 2025 here. We’ll have a full review soon after some proper testing time.
Author: Mike Sawh, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Mike has been testing and reviewing consumer technology for over 10 years, specialising in wearable and fitness technology. He’s a keen swimmer and runner and co-founder of YouTube channel, The Run Testers.
Recent stories by Mike Sawh:
- Our 10 favourite budget smartwatches, vetted by tech experts
- Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro review: Flashy upgrade for a likeable outdoor smartwatch
- Huawei Watch Fit 4 review: Budget smartwatch with outdoor appeal
