• watch4classicsquare
    Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
    Our top pick
    $219.99 $399.99 Save $180

    The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has all the features of the regular model, but has a more premium design, higher-end fit and finish and - crucially - a rotating bezel that acts as part of the control. 

    Pros
    • Rotating bezel for easy navigation
    • Great fitness and health tracking
    • Loaded with Wear OS
    Cons
    • More expensive than the regular model
    • Not especially speedy or smooth in operation
  • galaxywatch4square
    Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
    Great, affordable option

    The Galaxy Watch 4 is lightweight, comfortable to wear and has all the features you need in a modern smartwatch. That includes lots of fitness/health tracking options and third-party apps. All at an accessible price. 

    Pros
    • Affordable price point
    • Small and lightweight design
    • Wear OS based
    Cons
    • A bit plain looking
    • Not the fastest/smoothest performance

The Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic were the first smartwatches to adopt the new version of Wear OS.

Since then, Google introduced the Pixel Watch and Samsung released the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro in 2022 and the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic in 2023. But - despite being a little older now - the Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic are still solid smartwatches.

We've compared the specifications for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic to help you work out what the differences are and which could be the right Samsung smartwatch for you if you are looking at the slightly older models. We also have a feature on how the Watch 5 compares to the Watch 5 Pro if you are considering the newer models.


  • Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic Samsung Galaxy Watch 4
    Operating SystemWear OS 3, Samsung One UIWear OS 3, Samsung One UI
    Case MaterialStainless SteelAluminium
    ColorsBlack, SilverBlack, Silver, Green, Pink Gold
    Display1.19-inch, 396 x 396 (42mm) / 1.4-inch, 450 x 450 (46mm) AMOLED 1.2-inch, 396 x 396 (40mm) / 1.4-inch, 450 x 450 (44mm) AMOLED
    CPUExynos W920Exynos W920
    Weight46.5g25.9g

Design

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic look similar when it comes to design. At least, in basic layout terms. The two devices have circular faces with flat edges and a casing that seamlessly transitions into the lugs.

Both devices also have two function buttons on the right edge and sensors on the underside of the casing. The Watch 4 Classic is a little bulkier and it has a rotating bezel on the top of its face. It is also made from stainless steel. The Watch 4 meanwhile, has a tapered black bezel on the top and it is made from aluminium.

The Galaxy Watch 4 comes in two case sizes of 40mm and 44mm, like the Apple Watch Series 6, and four colour options in total, with black and silver available in both case sizes, green exclusive to the 44mm size and pink gold exclusive to the 40mm size.

The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic meanwhile, also comes in two case sizes but slightly larger than the Watch 4 at 42mm and 46mm. There are just two colour options of just black and silver available across both models.

Size difference isn't the only thing that sets them apart either. The Classic model is noticeably heavier, with a starting weight of 46.5g versus the regular model's 25.9g.

Both have MIL-STD 810G durability and are 5ATM water resistant. There are a range of straps available to customise each smartwatch to your style, with all straps secured with a buckle fastening.

Display

As mentioned, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 comes in two case options: 40mm and 44mm. The 40mm model has a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display with a 396 x 396 resolution. The 44mm model has a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 450 x 450 resolution.

The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic meanwhile comes in 42mm and 46mm case options. The 42mm model has a 1.19-inch Super AMOLED display with a 396 x 396 resolution, while the 46mm model has a 1.4-inch display with a 450 x 450 resolution, like the larger Watch 4 model.

All models feature Corning Gorilla Glass DX for protection and they are all colour, Always On Displays.

Hardware and specs

Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic run on the Exynos W920 5nm chip, supported by 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. They both also come in Bluetooth only and Bluetooth and LTE variants and they both run on the Wear OS 3 platform with Samsung's One UI Watch 3 over the top.

The Galaxy Watch 4 44mm and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm models both have a battery capacity of 361mAh, while the Galaxy Watch 4 40mm model and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 42mm model have a capacity of 247mAh.

Software and features

Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and the Watch 4 Classic have the same sensors on board, offering the same features. They both have a BioActive sensor that records optical heart rate, electrical heart rate and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis.

This allows users to monitor blood pressure, detect AFib irregular heartbeat, measure blood oxygen and calculate body composition, the latter of which includes skeletal muscle and body fat percentage, among other factors.

Both smartwatches also offer built-in GPS, both have waterproofing with swim tracking and both offer detailed sleep tracking too. The two models also offer NFC for Samsung Pay, allowing you to pay with your wrist if you have a compatible bank.

As mentioned, the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Watch 4 Classic run on Samsung's One UI Watch 3 platform on top of the Wear OS 3 operating system that was created by Samsung and Google, so they will offer a very similar experience in terms of software. Features include the built-in compass on the watch models working with Google Maps, and compatibility with multiple third-party apps like Spotify, Adidas Running, Strava and Calm.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 4

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 might not be the latest smartwatch in the company's portfolio but it remains an excellent performer, and one that runs on the new Wear OS platform. With the Galaxy 5 having succeeded it, you should get this model at a decent price.

Price

  • Galaxy Watch 4: From $219 in the US
  • Galaxy Watch 4 Classic: From $214 in the US

With the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 now being two generations old, the prices for both models have dropped significantly. They've also become a bit unpredictable, to the point where - at the time we last updated this article - the Classic variant was cheaper at some retailers than the regular model. We found it for as low as $214. That's not much more than the regular model, which can be found for around $199 in some places at the time of writing.

watch4classicsquare
Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic
$249 $429 Save $180

The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic has all the features of the regular model, but has a more premium design, higher-end fit and finish and - crucially - a rotating bezel that acts as part of the control. 

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic share similarities in terms of features and performance, but our top pick is the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. It's a much nicer-looking watch for starters, thanks to the more premium fit and finish, the stainless steel casing and the rotating bezel. By comparison the standard model is a little plain looking.

Both feature the same set of capabilities and specs though - for the most part - so if you just want a smartwatch that does it all, don't care about design and just want to spend as little money as you can, few can beat the Watch 4.