In a market saturated with wearables chasing minimalism and touch-only interfaces, Samsung has chosen a different path for its latest flagship timepiece where one paved with heritage, refinement, and intelligence. The newly launched Galaxy Watch8 Classic isn’t just a smartwatch. It’s a statement.
Brought back by popular demand, the iconic rotating bezel returns with a satisfying click, offering tactile precision in a sea of swipe fatigue. Nestled within a sleek 46mm stainless steel frame, the Watch8 Classic is Samsung’s bold answer to a modern user’s biggest question: Can a smartwatch be smart, stylish, and deeply human? The answer, it turns out, is a confident yes.
A Timepiece That Honors Its Roots
While many smartwatches lean aggressively toward sport or fashion, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic walks a more elegant line. With a newly designed cushion-style silhouette and polished stainless steel casing, the watch carries the DNA of a traditional timepiece; the kind your father might have worn and updated for today’s digitally connected world.
But this isn’t just a nod to nostalgia. A newly added Quick Button now sits beside the bezel, allowing users to instantly launch workouts, apps, or smart functions. It’s discreet, responsive, and immensely useful especially when paired with Samsung’s growing Galaxy AI ecosystem.
The Bezel Is Back
The rotating bezel may seem like a minor feature in the era of gesture control, but it’s one of the most intuitive design decisions Samsung has ever made. There's something almost analog about it — and yet, its function is completely digital. You can scroll through apps, zoom in on maps, navigate menus — all with a flick of the wrist.
In fact, the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Samsung’s more rugged sibling, lacks this feature entirely — making the Watch8 Classic a purist’s dream and a functional marvel.
Smarter Than Ever: Powered by Galaxy AI and Google Gemini
The Watch8 Classic marks a major leap with the integration of Galaxy AI and Google Gemini. Voice commands are now smarter and more context-aware. Say, “Summarise my last email,” or “What’s on my schedule today?” and you’ll get quick, accurate responses with no more fiddling with small screens.
Better still, the Watch8 Classic plays perfectly with your smart home. Control your Google Home or Samsung SmartThings devices on-wrist like dim the lights, check the aircon, lock the doors and more all without touching your phone.
Samsung’s One UI 8 Watch OS also introduces the Now Bar, a dynamic new interface that shows currently running apps and helps streamline multitasking. It’s a small feature that makes a big difference.
Health Tracking That Goes Beyond Steps
Wellness is now personal. The Watch8 Classic brings a new level of depth to health monitoring with features that feel pulled from a sci-fi film but work brilliantly in real life.
Among them:
- Sleep Apnea Detection, monitoring for oxygen drops while you sleep.
- Energy Score, combining heart rate variability, sleep, and activity into a daily wellness number.
- Vascular Load Tracking, a new frontier in cardiovascular wearables.
- Real-time Running Coach, Body Composition Analysis, and AGEs Index for cellular health.
Whether you’re training for the KL Marathon or just trying to sleep better, the Watch8 Classic is more coach than companion.
Display and Durability Fit for Malaysia
Built for tropical unpredictability and urban grit, the watch is both refined and robust. Its 1.34” Super AMOLED screen, shielded by Sapphire Crystal Glass, now reaches up to 3,000 nits of brightness — meaning you can read your notifications even under the scorching midday sun in Damansara or while hiking in Broga Hill.
Rated 5ATM, IP68, and MIL-STD-810H, it shrugs off water, dust, shock, and sudden weather shifts. Whether you're in a boardroom or on a beach in Langkawi, it’s built to keep up.
Battery life sits comfortably at up to 30 hours with Always-On Display enabled, supported by fast wireless charging. A 30-minute charge can easily power a full day of activity.
Design That Evolves With You
Offered in Graphite, Camel, and a standout Mint, the Galaxy Watch8 Classic also introduces a Dynamic Lug System, allowing for swift and secure strap changes. Samsung’s band options from leather to hybrid, athleisure to sport which ensure the watch feels just as comfortable with your weekend batik as it does with a blazer or baju Melayu.
Availability & Price in Malaysia
The Galaxy Watch8 Classic is now available at:
RM1,799 for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi version
RM2,099 for the LTE variant
Available across all Samsung Experience Stores, authorised retailers, and online.
Final Verdict: A Classic, Reimagined
There are smartwatches that follow trends, and then there are those that define them. The Galaxy Watch8 Classic falls squarely in the latter category : a watch that understands where it came from, where it’s going, and who it's built for
It’s not just a gadget. It’s a tool for living better - smarter, healthier, and more connected without losing touch with time.
In a world that’s constantly racing forward, Samsung has gifted us a rare thing: a reason to pause, look down, and appreciate how far a good watch can go.
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