Apple Watch Series 10 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8
The Verdict
The Apple Watch Series 10 and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 sit in the same category and end up appealing to slightly different buyers. The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 is the cheaper of the two at $300 versus $399, a difference of about $99. The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 is the newer release, which usually means a faster chipset and longer software support. Apple Watch Series 10 stands out for thinnest and lightest apple watch ever at just 9.7mm thick, while Samsung Galaxy Watch8 is praised for thinnest galaxy watch at 8.6mm. Use the side-by-side spec table below to compare cameras, displays, battery life and connectivity in detail and decide which one fits your priorities.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple Watch Series 10 if…
- →Thinnest and lightest Apple Watch ever at just 9.7mm thick
- →New wide-angle OLED display is significantly brighter at off-angles
- →Larger 42mm and 46mm case sizes with bigger displays in slimmer body
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 if…
- →Thinnest Galaxy Watch at 8.6mm
- →3nm Exynos W1000 processor
- →3000 nits peak brightness
Pros & Cons
Apple Watch Series 10
Pros
- Thinnest and lightest Apple Watch ever at just 9.7mm thick
- New wide-angle OLED display is significantly brighter at off-angles
- Larger 42mm and 46mm case sizes with bigger displays in slimmer body
- Sleep apnea detection and improved health tracking via watchOS 11
- Faster charging — up to 80% in about 30 minutes
Cons
- Battery life is still just 18 hours, behind most competitors
- Blood oxygen sensing disabled on US units due to patent dispute
- No major performance jump over Series 9's S9 chip
- Cellular model costs an extra $100
- Requires an iPhone, no Android compatibility
Samsung Galaxy Watch8
Pros
- Thinnest Galaxy Watch at 8.6mm
- 3nm Exynos W1000 processor
- 3000 nits peak brightness
- Wear OS 6 with Gemini AI assistant
- Dual-frequency GPS
Cons
- $300 starting price for base model
- Battery life varies heavily with AOD
- Limited third-party watch face selection on Wear OS
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple Watch Series 10 | Samsung Galaxy Watch8 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | watchOS 11 | Wear OS 6 with Gemini |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 30 g (42mm aluminum) | 28.8 g (40mm) |
| Case material | Aluminum (Titanium option available) | Armor Aluminum |
| Water resistance | WR50 (50m) + IP6X dust resistant | 5ATM + IP68, MIL-STD-810H |
| Health & Sensors | ||
| ECG | ||
| SpO₂ | ||
| Skin temperature | ||
| Heart rate | ||
| Sleep tracking | ||
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 18 hours normal use, up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 40 hours |
| Display | ||
| Size | 42mm (1.96") | 40mm / 44mm |
| Type | LTPO3 OLED Always-On Retina with wide-angle OLED, up to 2000 nits | Super AMOLED |
| Always-on display | ||
| Resolution | 374 x 446 | 480 x 480 (44mm) |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 1 GB | 2 GB |
| Chipset | Apple S10 SiP | Exynos W1000 (3nm) |
| Connectivity | ||
| GPS | ||
| NFC | ||
| Wi-Fi | ||
| Cellular | ||
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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