Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Apple Watch Series 12 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Smartwatches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
For iPhone owners the Apple Watch Series 12 is the most complete smartwatch, blending the best app ecosystem with a broad, credible health suite. Android users get nearly the same all-round strength from the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, which pairs Wear OS breadth with a genuinely helpful assistant.
Apple Watch Series 12
Buy itA very complete smartwatch, provided you carry an iPhone.
- A deep, polished app ecosystem, with fast and reliable notifications
- Broad health suite including ECG, sleep apnea and hypertension notifications, a sleep score, and a Readiness app
- Excellent build, always-on display up to 2000 nits, and eight finishes across aluminum, titanium, and ceramic
- Works with iPhone only, so it is a non-starter for Android users
- Rated up to 24 hours of normal use, so it still wants a daily charge and trails multi-day rivals
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
Buy itThe best all-round smartwatch for Android, with Wear OS breadth and a genuinely useful assistant.
- Full Wear OS app catalog plus Google Maps, Wallet, and an on-wrist Gemini assistant that handles real queries
- Strong, well-rounded health and sleep tracking with a built-in running coach
- Refined cushion-case design and fast wireless charging
- A handful of health features work best, or only, with a Samsung Galaxy phone
- Battery is respectable but still asks for a daily-to-every-other-day charge
Side by side
| Apple Watch Series 12 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | IPhone owners who want the best all-round smartwatch and do not mind charging daily. | Android users, and especially Samsung phone owners, who want the deepest smartwatch experience. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Apple Watch Series 12 - A very complete smartwatch, provided you carry an iPhone. Choose the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 instead if android users, and especially Samsung phone owners, who want the deepest smartwatch experience.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Smartwatches: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).