ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE retails for $250 in three colours.
- The watch is small, helps a bunch of well being and wellness options, and allows you to use it for communications even when you depart your cellphone at dwelling.
- The small watch physique means the show can be small, the processor is previous-generation, and there are not any AI well being options.
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I really feel like Samsung made the Galaxy Watch Extremely only for me, given its enhanced sturdiness, superior options, and massive, daring design. I’ve spent a few weeks with a a lot smaller and extra petite watch that’s clearly not constructed for my wrists, however is a compelling possibility for a lot of different individuals who need to discover the world of smartwatches.
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The Watch Extremely weighs 61.5 grams, whereas the Watch FE is simply 25.9 grams. The Watch Extremely has a 47mm fundamental dimension, whereas the Watch FE is simply 40.4mm. This implies the latter mannequin feels tiny on my wrist, however I discover the silicone band very comfy, and the dimensions makes it very simple to make use of for sleep monitoring.
Samsung presents FE (fan version) smartphones and tablets, however this 12 months’s Galaxy Watch FE is the primary smartwatch with the moniker. The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE LTE is a $250 smartwatch you need to use on the go with out having a cellphone linked by way of Bluetooth.
The entry-level smartwatch is priced good, provided that it presents many of the features within the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Extremely. The 40mm Watch 7 with LTE is priced at $350, that means you may decide up the FE for $100 much less with out compromising an excessive amount of.
The processor is similar as within the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Professional. I used the Watch 5 Professional for a few years earlier than upgrading to the Watch Extremely, and it is a completely succesful processor that permits you to zip across the person interface.
Samsung’s BioActive sensor is the important thing element to measuring your well being and wellness knowledge. The sensor discovered within the Watch FE LTE helps monitor your sleep, ECG, irregular coronary heart rhythms, blood oxygen, and extra. It doesn’t monitor pores and skin temperature, so that’s one trade-off it’s important to make for the smaller and cheaper watch.
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The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE LTE presents the identical Put on OS 5.0 and Samsung options as the corporate’s different watches. The software program helps all of the Google apps, comparable to Messages, Google Assistant, and Google Maps.
The Galaxy Watch FE’s sleep monitoring matched what I measured for different watches. After you document seven days of sleep, Samsung Well being will point out what sort of sleeper you’re, denoted by an animal and an outline of your sleep patterns.
The watch’s small measurement might also assist hold the guts price sensor firmly planted towards your wrist throughout motion, the place typically massive watches are inclined to shift. I discovered that the guts price sensor carefully matched different watches, too.
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That mentioned, GPS monitoring was not as correct as each different watch I examined as a result of distances would usually present up as longer than I truly ran, and the monitor didn’t comply with the trail I truly ran. The Watch FE LTE helps 4 GNSS networks for positioning, however not like dearer watches, it doesn’t help twin frequency bands. When you want exact positioning, the Galaxy Watch FE LTE is probably not one of the best match for you.
The watch is nice for monitoring steps, indoor actions, and different exercises that do not require exact positioning. Samsung Well being works with the Samsung Wearable app to offer a full well being and wellness expertise based mostly on the information the Watch FE LTE collects. Samsung Well being additionally contains a great deal of health packages without spending a dime, so you may take pleasure in numerous exercises at three health ranges and with totally different health targets.
Lastly, the included silicone band could be very comfy and engaging. It is fast and simple to modify out the bands, too, with the single-button press mechanism on the again of the watch band.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Whereas I are inclined to give attention to huge watches that match my wrist, I’ve been having fun with the chance to check out smaller watches this 12 months as I consider watches that my spouse and daughters would take pleasure in utilizing. Smartwatches may be helpful for staying in contact, elevating consciousness of your well being and probably figuring out oncoming well being challenges, monitoring ladies’s well being metrics, and motivating you to enhance your health and efficiency.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is an reasonably priced, small watch possibility for the plenty, and it is good to see Samsung proceed to supply a variety of watch choices to suit every particular person’s way of life and worth level.
Replace log:
- This story was first revealed on October 29, 2024, and was up to date on October 25, 2025, with a radical fact-check and a change to the pricing from Walmart. We have additionally included new info concerning the most recent Samsung smartwatch fashions, just like the Watch Sequence 8 and Extremely.
