Samsung’s new cheaper Galaxy Watch looks tempting for Android owners
The Galaxy Watch FE packs in most of the features of more expensive Android wearables for under £200
If you are in the market for a smartwatch to pair with your Android smartphone but think many of the most popular Samsung Galaxy Watch or Google Pixel Watch options out there are a bit too expensive, Samsung has another new wearable for you to consider that rings up the till at a sliver under £200.
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That’s not exactly what everyone would deem cheap, but the new Samsung Galaxy Watch FE packs in enough smarts to keep all but the fussiest tech fan happy. It is the first smartwatch from the Android brand with its ‘FE’ branding, which is sometimes used to mean ‘fan edition’ - though just like with the Apple Watch SE has come to mean it’s slightly stripped down.
By the looks of things, it’s basically a Galaxy Watch 4 with some upgraded specs and features - and that’s no bad thing. The design is very similar to the latest Galaxy Watch 6 with a subtle circular look and a touch sensitive bezel for scrolling through menus and text. The FE comes in black, pink, gold or silver with a 1.2-inch bright OLED screen that can be ‘always on’, so you can check the time without having to flick your wrist to turn it on.
Samsung said the Galaxy Watch FE “is ideal for those looking to begin their journey to improve their overall wellness with comprehensive insights.” That’s because it’s equipped with an advanced BioActive Sensor so you can track your walks, runs, cycles and many more activities and sports besides, while keeping tabs on your heart rate and movement. The watch can even detect high and low heart rates, and can also perform an ECG to look deeper into heart health.
It even has Samsung’s impressive body composition feature that can quite accurately tell your fat, muscle and bone makeup. The pricier Galaxy Watch 6 gets you a better, brighter screen, faster chipset, a better sleep sensor, and thinner design.
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While the watch will work with any modern Android phone running Android 11 or newer, Samsung has pointed out - unsurprisingly - that you’ll get the best experience if you pair it with a Samsung phone.
“As with every Galaxy Watch series, the FE offers seamless connected experiences between Samsung Galaxy devices,” the company said. “Users can quickly and easily locate their phone when disconnected from their Watch with Find My Phone. Remotely control your connected Samsung smartphone camera with Camera Controller to switch mode, change angle or zoom right from the wrist. Galaxy Watch FE supports Samsung Walle, meaning users can pay for purchases on their smartwatch for a truly all-in-one digital wallet.”
The watch runs Wear OS, Google’s wrist-based software, but it has Samsung’s design over the top to keep the look and feel like you’d expect from a Galaxy device. The FE has 16GB storage so you can load music onto it and listen with wireless headphones, allowing you to leave your phone at home when you go out on a run, while the IP68 water and dust resistance rating means you can take it for a fully submerged swim and track your workout all at the same time.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE goes on sale in the UK on 21 June for £199, a decent chunk cheaper than the £289 Galaxy Watch 6.