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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is the best Wear OS has ever been
A smartwatch is no longer as niche of a product as it once was, and even though Wear OS still has a ways to go to become what it should have been years ago, it’s the best it’s ever been thanks to Samsung and the Galaxy Watch 4. Which is why we’re giving it the award for best smartwatch of 2021.
Most of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch devices have been a hit. And rightfully so because they’ve been pretty dang good. The best watches for most users who have an Android device as their smartphone of choice. But the Galaxy Watch 4 takes things to a new level, blending the best of Samsung’s watches with the best of Wear OS.
Namely, the larger pool of applications available thanks to the integration of the Play Store, but even more so because of the integration with Google Pay and eventually Google Assistant. For Samsung’s part, Wear OS fans now get nifty features like the rotating bezel for navigation, and a bevy of sensors to measure everything from blood oxygen saturation to ECG to heart rate.
In our review of the watch earlier this year, we called it an unrivaled classic. And that still holds true all these months later.
It’s packed with features and built with high-quality materials
Samsung has never really been one to shy away from using nicer materials for its devices. The Galaxy Watch series included. And with the Galaxy Watch 4 Samsung is continuing this trend. If you pick up the Galaxy Watch 4 or the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, you’re getting a nice stainless steel, a durable yet bright display, and tons of features.
There’s even a collection of premium watch straps for you to choose from. Of course, you could also swap the strap out for something entirely different from another brand. Because the watch allows for that too.
For years Samsung has been showing how good smartwatches on the Android side of things could be. And with the Galaxy Watch 4 it took steps to fill in some gaps where its own watches could stand for some improvement.
We of course feel the best version of this watch is the Classic. Because the rotating bezel is just too good to pass up on. And it’s really what sets the Galaxy watches apart from other smartwatches that you can use with Android. It’s the distinct, definitive feature that only Samsung offers. And once you use it, you’ll know why it’s so well-loved.
Beyond the rotating bezel, there’s a lot more to love. The integration with Spotify for easy music control, Google Pay and Samsung Pay support, Google Maps. The list goes on. It’s also one of the nicest looking smartwatches available that won’t cost you upwards of a thousand dollars.
That’s why the Galaxy Watch 4 is getting our best smartwatch of the year award. Because it has the same excellent feel as past Galaxy watches. But with even better software and more features.