Apple Watch Series 7 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (2021): Which Smartwatch Should You Upgrade To?

No year is complete without a smartwatch showdown but we can check that off our list now that the Apple Watch Series 7 has officially been announced and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is finally here. While the Apple Watch 7 doesn’t stray too far from its predecessor, it does have some commendable upgrades that allow it to take on Samsung’s latest flagship smartwatch. To help you figure out which model you should sport on your wrist, here’s an in-depth comparison of the two, covering their design, display, features, software, and battery life.

Apple Watch Series 7 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Comparison Chart

Design

The Apple Watch 7 is set to have a softer look than its predecessors while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 comes in sporty and classic versions.

There were rumors swirling around that the Apple Watch 7 was getting a flat edge design but that’s actually not the case. In fact, the newest smartwatch model from Apple will be curvier than its predecessors. By how much we don’t know yet but it’s safe to say that Apple is going for a softer look overall. While it will probably look quite different from the older models, we can expect an even bigger change in the display department. It has been years since Apple upgraded the Apple Watch’s bezel but it is now much smaller at 1.7mm, making way for a screen that’s 20% bigger. The size of the chassis itself hasn’t changed though which is good; just better use of real estate.

As for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, you get to pick from two design versions. If you’re into the sporty look, you’ll like the flagship version which bears a strong resemblance to the fitness-centric Galaxy Watch Active 2. But if you want a smartwatch that you can wear for all kinds of occasions, the classic version will be right up your alley. Just like last year’s Galaxy Watch 3, it’s designed to look like a traditional luxury smartwatch, striking a good balance between style and functionality. Of course, it comes with the Galaxy Watch’s trademark rotating bezel for an extra easy navigation experience.

Features and Software

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has more new features than the Apple Watch Series 7.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4’s most compelling feature and its biggest advantage over the Apple Watch 7 is its new bioelectrical impedance (BIA) sensor. This feature is a brilliant addition because you no longer need to step on an electronic scale to gather data about your body composition. Called the BioActive sensor, it can tell you your metabolic rate, water percentage, and body fat percentage which are all better indicators of health and fitness versus your weight.

Aside from the new BioActive sensor, the Galaxy Watch 4 also has an optical heart rate sensor, ECG, sleep tracking, and blood oxygen monitoring, all of which it inherited from its predecessor. Some markets even have a version of the Galaxy Watch 4 that can measure your blood pressure. To top things off, the Galaxy Watch 4 is the first model to run Google’s new Wear OS. Through the Wear OS 3, a lot more Google apps and services are made available on the Galaxy Watch 4 such as YouTube Music with offline mode, Google Pay, and Google Maps. Compared to Tizen, which is the Galaxy Watch’s previous OS, the Wear OS provides a much bigger app library. Unfortunately, Google Assistant isn’t usable on the Galaxy Watch 4 yet but Samsung says it’s in the works.

Over on Apple’s end, the upgrades they put on the Apple Watch Series 7 aren’t as exciting as the Galaxy Watch 4’s. The Series 6’s ECG and blood oxygen monitoring have been retained but no new sensors have been added. Fall detection has been upgraded to work for cyclists, plus biking and e-biking have been improved to work more seamlessly. In addition, you get some new watch faces, a full keyboard for faster typing, and machine learning for faster text input but that’s about it. As for software, the Apple Watch Series 7 ships with the watchOS 8 which comes with several new timers, new messaging methods, and a Mindfulness app.

Battery Life

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is able to outlast the Apple Watch Series 7.

Equipped with a low-power display processor, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is able to keep its main processor offline when it’s not in use. This gives way to a longer battery life which can easily last up to 24 hours with normal usage. As for the Apple Watch Series 7, it misses the 24-hour mark by a couple of hours, only able to manage up to 18 hours per charge like its predecessor. We have to give Apple some credit though because even though the Series 7 has a bigger display, this didn’t cause a decrease in battery life. In addition, the Series 7 charges 33% quicker than the Series 6, only needing an 8-minute boost to perform 8 hours of sleep tracking.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has more impressive upgrades than the Apple Watch Series 7.

While the rivalry between the Apple Watch Series 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 will only become real once the former hits stores, you can already choose which smartwatch is right for you based on the smartphone you’re using now. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 can’t be paired with an iPhone, plus some of its features can only be used on Samsung smartphones. With that, it’s best for Android and Samsung users. Likewise, the Apple Watch Series 7 is exclusive to iOS users.

But if we have to name a winner for this comparison based on upgrades, it seems that the Galaxy Watch 4 deserves that title for now. While the Apple Watch Series 7 has the same old sensors from its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 4’s new BioActive sensor puts it ahead of its competitor in terms of health and fitness. In addition, its switch to Google’s Wear OS means a wider selection of apps and services for users to enjoy.

FAQs