I use and review gadgets for a living, so I don’t carry the same smartphone or other devices for more than a few months. In 2021, Samsung sent me the Galaxy Watch 4 to review alongside the then-flagship Galaxy S22 Ultra. While I’ve switched to newer phones at least 50 times since then, the Galaxy Watch 4 has stayed on my wrist.
That’s not to say there haven’t been better smartwatches launched in this tenure. Samsung has launched multiple newer iterations of the Galaxy Watch. Other brands, including OnePlus with its Watch 2, have also dipped into the smartwatch market with lucrative offerings. However, I never felt the need to replace my Galaxy Watch 4. It still serves its purpose and does it well. Here’s how the Galaxy Watch 4 has aged in four years, and why I won’t upgrade until it dies.
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The UI still runs smoothly
A few stutters here and there are bearable
I’m generally not a fan of Samsung’s hardware, whether it’s their smartphones or wearables. But, I appreciate the brand’s long-term software support. Despite being almost four years old, the Galaxy Watch 4 runs on the latest version of OneUI for wearables: OneUI 6 Watch. This is the same version you get if you purchased the latest Galaxy Watch 7 from the brand.
It’s also commendable that the internals of the Watch 4 can handle the latest Wear OS build without issues. Swiping across the UI is smooth for the most part. There are a few lags, but nothing that renders the watch unusable. Launching apps takes a few seconds longer than it used to when the watch was new, but it’s forgivable on a tiny wrist computer.
It has all the necessary health tracking features
From ECG to BP monitoring
If you use a smartwatch to track your workouts (isn’t that what everyone uses it for?), the Samsung Health app on the Watch 4 has all the important workouts, and automatically detects when you begin a workout. Moreover, the watch has the Google Play Store since it runs on Wear OS, allowing you to download third-party apps like Strava and Hevy to track your workouts.
The Galaxy Watch 4 also offers features like ECG, blood pressure monitoring, and body composition measurement, similar to the latest smartwatches. Then, there are your regulars, like heart rate monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, the ability to log water intake, and more. Why upgrade when you have everything?
Runs Google Assistant and Samsung Pay
Couldn’t ask for more
Along with tracking workouts, I use my smartwatch to read and reply to notifications, set reminders using Google Assistant, and make contactless payments at stores and restaurants. The Watch 4 handles these tasks without breaking a sweat, and it’s convenient to tap my smartwatch on any terminal to make payments. Samsung Pay enables this ability on the Galaxy Watch 4, and the app runs regardless of your phone’s manufacturer. I spoke to a few users who said Google Assistant handles basic tasks but has become less reliable on their smartwatches since Google introduced Gemini. However, this is more of Google’s issue than Samsung’s.
Other aspects of the watch, like the OLED display and the onboard microphone for taking calls, have also held up well. There’s no visible burn-in on the screen despite using the watch extensively at high-brightness levels outdoors. I’ve used the watch for four years with the always-on display functionality enabled. As far as the speaker is concerned, I can hear some crackling occasionally, so the audio output is no longer as clear as it used to be.
Lacks some modern touches
I would’ve liked a sleeker design
While the core design elements remain similar to the Galaxy Watch 4, the Watch 7 has a more refined look. Other newer smartwatches have sleeker designs, brighter displays, and faster processors. These changes enable a better end-user experience. The latest version of the Galaxy Watch has upgraded sensors for better accuracy, sleep apnea detection, and some AI features that track your energy levels throughout the day. There’s also a larger battery that can go up to two days without charging.
There are improvements, but none are groundbreaking compared to the degree of change you expect from other gadgets like smartwatches. For instance, smartphones have improved over the past four years in terms of cameras and battery tech. We now have phones with 1-inch camera sensors and 6,000mAh batteries in a slim form factor. These changes have a big impact on the user experience. On the other hand, a slightly brighter display or quicker app launch doesn’t impact usability much.
Read our review
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is great, but it’s not for everyone
A great watch, but you might prefer the Galaxy Watch 7
Barely lasts an entire day
The battery hasn’t aged too well
When I first got the Galaxy Watch 4, it lasted a day and a half on a single charge. I would take it off the charger in the morning, wear it throughout the day, then go to bed with it to track my sleep, and wake up in the morning and put it on the charger before heading for a shower. Four years later, I need to charge it before going to bed. Otherwise, I wake up with a dead watch.
It still lasts about 12 hours, but I can’t track my sleep with it. This could be a deal-breaker for many since the point of buying a smartwatch is to track your health. It’s also the only parameter that pushes me to consider upgrading. I asked a few of my friends who still use the Galaxy Watch 4, and some reported even worse endurance. Considering the small battery and the way chemistry works, I won’t blame Samsung for this. The charging speed isn’t the fastest, taking about 90 minutes for a full top-up.
Still waiting for a radical change
Despite other enticing options
There’s a hard truth to face. Despite my Watch 4 showing its age, I am not hard-pressed to jump ship. Even an option as tempting as the new OnePlus Watch 3 that offers the best battery life of any Wear OS smartwatch, which I would have trouble getting anyway, no other option coming seems worth it.
Samsung’s smartwatches have received many upgrades, including an Ultra variant that offers a rugged build, a super-bright display, and sophisticated sensors to track various sports and activities. Despite these advancements, I still sport the Galaxy Watch 4. I can’t justify spending on a replacement for a product that’s working just fine. Though it’s lost a step or two, I’m sure I can push the Galaxy Watch 4 for a few more months or years until it reaches a stage where I can’t use it anymore. Hopefully, there will be more smartwatches with significant changes to justify the upgrade by then.
