Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch offering comes in at $200 but features a durable build with plenty of health and fitness tools.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch FE, an entry-level smartwatch.
- It features health tools like HR monitoring, blood pressure tracking, and sleep coaching.
- The watch is available in Black, Pink Gold, and Silver and in a Bluetooth-only or LTE model.
Samsung's latest release isn't much of a surprise, thanks to numerous leaks over the past few months. We had seen leaked renderings and specs for an FE version of Samsung's wrist-based wearable, but the waiting for confirmation is over. Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy Watch FE as of today. This is the first FE in the Galaxy Watch line, and while it borrows some features from the Galaxy Watch 6, it is very similar to the older Galaxy Watch 4. It sits at the entry point of the lineup with a $200 price point for the Bluetooth-only version and $250 for the LTE version.
It is a bit surprising that Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch FE now. The company typically unveils its new hardware at the Galaxy Unpacked event in July. However, we are expecting a Galaxy Watch 7, a Galaxy Watch Ultra, and the Galaxy Ring, so the event is shaping up to be a busy one, even without an additional watch. No matter what the reasoning, we will gladly take the news now.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
Brand Samsung Heart Rate Monitor Samsung BioActive Sensor Operating System Wear OS Powered by Samsung Onboard GPS Yes Lens Material Sapphire cyrstal Case size 40 mm Colors Black, Pink Gold, Blue Display Super AMOLED full color always on display Storage 16GB Battery 247mAh Connectivity LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4+5GHz, NFC Durability 5 ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H Health sensors Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor Dimensions 39.3 x 40.4 x 9.8 mm Weight 26.6 g Mobile payments Yes GPS GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Galileo
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE design and features
An entry-level yet durable smartwatch
The Galaxy Watch FE has a single 40mm case size and a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED color always-on display, which is slightly smaller than the other Galaxy Watch offerings. Surprisingly, for a budget-friendly device, the display uses sapphire crystal glass, which will offer excellent protection against scratches and breaks. It's also water-resistant to 5ATM and offers an IP68 rating, so you can swim laps in this watch.
The FE is available in Black, Pink Gold, and Silver, with new watch bands that feature blue and orange stitching. Those bands use the on-click design, making it easy to swap them out. You'll get full access to the Galaxy ecosystem, including the ability to find your phone even when it's disconnected from your watch. There are also NFC payments through Samsung Wallet, and you can use the FE to control your Galaxy phone's camera remotely.
Of course, the more budget-friendly price means there are some compromises. The FE is missing the temperature sense that it introduced on the Galaxy Watch 6 last year. It also uses the Exynos W920 chip, which is the same chip found in the older Galaxy Watch 4. Finally, at 247mAh, the battery is on the small side, coming in below all but the small version of the Galaxy Watch 4. Hopefully, Samsung made enough software improvements to get a lot of efficiency out of that battery.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE health and fitness tools
Budget price does not equate to budget health features
It wouldn't be a smartwatch in this day and age without a robust list of health and fitness tools. Indeed, that is true with the Galaxy Watch FE. It uses Samsung's BioActive Sensor to provide an array of health features. That includes HR Alert for detecting abnormally high or low heart rates, and Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification (IHRN) to monitor heart rhythms that are suggestive of atrial fibrillation (Afib). Plus, it will be able to monitor blood pressure and ECG via the wrist.
In terms of training tools, the Galaxy Watch FE can track 100 different workouts and offers personalized heart rate zones for adapting goals specific to your body. Samsung says it provides advanced running analysis (also found on the Galaxy Watch 6) that "analyzes the runner's posture for asymmetry and contact/flight time to improve efficiency and prevent injuries." In theory, these will help you analyze your performance and maximize efficiency, providing insight and guidance to prevent injury. You have to know how to use this data, but it is nice to have.
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You'll also be able to use the FE to monitor your sleep. It will monitor sleep patterns and offer sleep coaching to help you create a more slee-friendly environment and improve your overall sleep. The Body Composition feature, which has been around since the Galaxy Watch 4, estimates the amount of fat, muscle, and bone in your body. Finally, you can opt to receive motivational messages to inspire you to keep improving.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE availability
Expect shipping to begin later this month for some models
The Galaxy Watch FE Bluetooth-only version will go on sale starting June 24 for $200 in either Black, Pink Gold, or Silver. The LTE version is expected in October for $250.
