Android users looking for a new smartwatch might want to go all in on Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 5, but the company’s latest sale on the previous generation may give them pause. Samsung’s currently selling the Galaxy Watch 4 for only $130, which is, by far, the best price we’ve ever seen it. Typically priced at $250 (and often on sale for $200), the Galaxy Watch 4 had been our favorite wearable for Android users until the successor came around last month, but the differences between the two models are actually quite minimal.
Buy Galaxy Watch 4 at Samsung – $130
There are only a few major differences between the Galaxy Watch 4 and this year’s Watch 5. The newer model has a Sapphire Crystal glass display, which makes it more resistant to cracks and scratches, and it has a unique curvature to the underside of its case, which should help provide more accurate health sensor readings. The Galaxy Watch 5 also has a new skin temperature sensor, but it wasn’t active at launch.
Because we enjoyed our experience with the Watch 5, we now consider it to be the best smartwatch for Android users. But make no mistake, the Galaxy Watch 4 is a very similar device, and you wouldn’t be giving up many new features by opting to pick it up while it’s on deep discount. The Galaxy Watch 4 earned a score of 85 from us for its attractive design that’s also durable with protections like an IP68-rating, 5ATM of water resistance and MIL-STD-810H for durability. It has a 3-in-1 biometric sensor that enables a ton of health tracking features, including body mass scans and continuous blood oxygen detection during sleep.
We also like that it runs WearOS with One UI, so users will still feel like they’re using Samsung’s Tizen but they’ll still reap the benefits of Google’s wearable operating system. You can download apps directly from the Watch 4 from the Play Store, and One UI supports gesture controls that will let you do things like answer or dismiss calls with a flick of the wrist or a lift of the arm. Overall, if you’re on a tight budget or simply don’t want to spend at least $280 on the Galaxy Watch 5, you can still get most of the same features in the Galaxy Watch 4 right now for much less.
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