You're probably looking at a deal online and wondering if a watch released years ago can actually keep up with your life today. It's a fair question. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch was a massive pivot for Samsung—the moment they ditched their homegrown Tizen OS and crawled back to Google’s Wear OS. Honestly? It was a messy divorce and a shotgun wedding all at once. But that specific marriage of hardware and software is exactly why this watch refuses to die.
I’ve seen people wearing these until the silicone straps literally crumble off their wrists. Why? Because the core tech inside was surprisingly ahead of its time. When it launched, that 5nm Exynos W920 chip was a beast. Even now, compared to some of the mid-range junk flooding the market, the Galaxy Watch 4 holds its own.
It’s fast. Mostly.
The Wear OS transition was a bigger deal than you think
Before the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch, Samsung watches were like beautiful islands. They looked great, but you couldn't get any apps. Wanting a decent Google Maps experience was a pipe dream. Then 2021 happened. Samsung and Google sat down, realized they were both losing to the Apple Watch, and built Wear OS 3.
This watch was the guinea pig.
Usually, being the first version of a new software platform is a death sentence. You're basically a beta tester who paid $250 for the privilege. But Samsung over-engineered the internals. They gave it enough RAM to actually handle the background processes that usually choke older smartwatches. If you pick one up today, you’ll notice that while it might not be as buttery smooth as a Watch 7, it doesn't feel like a relic. It feels... capable.
What most people get wrong about the BioActive sensor
Samsung spent a lot of marketing dollars on the "BioActive Sensor." It sounds like something out of a sci-fi flick, right? In reality, it’s just a clever way of saying they crammed three sensors into one piece of glass. It handles Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart Signal, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA).
That last one—the BIA—is the kicker.
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It’s supposed to tell you your body fat percentage and skeletal muscle mass. Now, let’s be real for a second. Is it as accurate as a DEXA scan? Absolutely not. Not even close. If you’re a pro athlete tracking every gram of fat, this isn't your tool. But for the average person who just wants to see if their new gym routine is doing anything over a six-month period, the trend lines are surprisingly consistent.
A study published in Nature (the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, specifically looking at wearable accuracy) highlighted that while wrist-worn BIA has its quirks—like being sensitive to how hydrated you are—the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch was a pioneer in bringing this level of data to the masses.
Does the battery actually suck?
Yeah, kinda.
If you're coming from a Garmin where you charge it once a month and forget where the cable is, the Galaxy Watch 4 will annoy you. It’s a "charge every night" or "charge every 1.5 days" situation. Samsung promised 40 hours. In the real world, with Always-On Display (AOD) active and a workout tracked, you’re looking at about 24 to 30 hours.
That’s the trade-off. You get a beautiful, high-resolution AMOLED screen and a bunch of "smart" features, but you pay for it in electricity. Some people find the 40mm model particularly egregious because the battery is physically smaller. If you have big wrists, get the 44mm. Your sanity will thank you.
The "Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Smartwatch" vs the Classic: A weird choice
You might see the "Classic" version floating around. It has the physical rotating bezel. Most fans will tell you that the physical bezel is the only way to live. Clicking that ring to scroll through notifications feels tactile and satisfying.
The standard Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch uses a "digital" bezel. You slide your finger around the edge of the screen. It works, but it’s like using a touch-sensitive volume slider in a car instead of a knob. It's fine, but it lacks soul. However, the standard model is much lighter. If you’re a runner, you might actually prefer the sleeker, aluminum body of the base model over the chunky stainless steel of the Classic.
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Health tracking limitations you need to know
Here is the part where I get honest about the "Samsung Ecosystem" trap.
Samsung locks some of the best features—specifically ECG (Electrocardiogram) and Blood Pressure monitoring—to Samsung phones. If you’re using this watch with a Pixel or a OnePlus, those features won't work out of the box.
- You can’t just open the app and go.
- You’ll need to find "workarounds" on forums like XDA Developers.
- It involves sideloading modified versions of the Samsung Health Monitor app.
It’s a headache. If you aren't tech-savvy and you don't own a Galaxy phone, you are buying a crippled device. Period. It's an annoying move by Samsung to keep people in their "walled garden," and it’s one of the biggest complaints long-term users have.
Sleep tracking and the snore factor
The sleep tracking is decent, though it can be a bit over-optimistic about how much "Deep Sleep" you’re getting. One funny (or embarrassing) feature is the snore detection. It uses your phone’s microphone to listen to you saw logs at night and then syncs that audio with your heart rate and blood oxygen levels.
Seeing a graph of your oxygen dropping while hearing a recording of yourself snoring is a massive wake-up call for a lot of people to go see a sleep specialist. It’s a feature that actually changes lives, even if it feels a bit creepy at first.
Software longevity in 2026
Samsung promised four years of One UI Watch and Wear OS updates. Since the watch launched in late 2021, we are approaching the end of that "guaranteed" window.
Does that mean it turns into a brick? No. But it does mean the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch will eventually stop getting the latest "bloatware" or fancy new watch faces. Security patches will likely linger a bit longer. Given how many of these are still in the wild, the developer community is huge. You’ll likely find custom watch faces and community support for years to come.
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Real-world durability: Aluminum vs. your doorframe
The screen uses Gorilla Glass DX+. It’s tough, but it’s not sapphire. If you’re the type of person who bangs their arm against doorframes or works on cars, you will scratch the screen eventually.
- The aluminum casing on the standard model is soft.
- It dings easily.
- Paint can chip near the lugs.
If you want a "forever" watch, this isn't it. This is a disposable piece of high-tech jewelry meant to last 3 to 5 years. If you find one used or refurbished for under $80, it’s a steal. If someone is trying to charge you $200 for it in 2026? Walk away. You can get a Watch 6 or 7 for that price on sale.
Practical steps if you're buying one today
If you’ve decided to pull the trigger on a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch, don’t just slap it on your wrist and go. There are a few things you should do immediately to make the experience better.
First, go into the settings and turn off "Hey Google" or "Hi Bixby" voice activation. It's a massive battery drain because the microphone is always listening. Just map the top button to trigger your assistant with a long press. You'll save about 10-15% battery life per day just by doing that one thing.
Second, check your software version. Samsung pushed several updates that significantly improved the heart rate sensor accuracy during high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Early reviewers complained about the watch "losing" their pulse during sprints, but that was largely fixed in later patches.
Third, change the strap. The "gapless" silicone strap that comes in the box is designed to look sleek, but it makes the watch stick out from the wrist on people with smaller arms. This leads to light leakage, which messes up the heart rate sensor readings. A cheap 20mm nylon band from Amazon will make the watch more comfortable and more accurate.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 smartwatch remains a landmark device because it proved Wear OS could actually work. It’s not perfect—the battery is mediocre and the ecosystem locking is frustrating—but as a tool for tracking your fitness and managing notifications, it’s still remarkably relevant. Just make sure you’re paying a price that reflects its age.