Galaxy Watch 9 vs. Galaxy Watch 8: I’ve compared both models, here’s my advice

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We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. Written by Nina Raemont, Editor, Wearables & Health TechEditor, Wearables & Health Tech July 22, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. PT Nina Raemont/ZDNETFollow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Product launch season is upon us, and Samsung kicked things off at its Galaxy Unpacked event in London with its new lineup of smartwatches: the flagship Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and the more accessible Galaxy Watch 9.  Also: Everything announced at Samsung Unpacked 2026: New foldables, smartwatches, more As Samsung's base model smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 9 has a handful of upgrades that could make the Pixel Watch or other Android watch owners convert. But how does it compare to its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 8?  Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite        Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Bio-signal Sensor + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor Kerry Want/ZDNET Buy the Galaxy Watch 9 View now at Samsung 1.