8Rank 08 of 8 · Best Fitness Trackers
Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 8
A capable Android smartwatch with the weakest measured heart-rate performance in this ranking — listed because the feature list is genuinely strong and the sensor is genuinely not.
6.7BPR score
- €179Price
- Worst heart-rate accuracy in the 2026 comparison reviewed; cadence-lock artefactMeasured heart-rate accuracy against an ECG chest strap
- 8 of 8in Best Fitness Trackers
- 6.7BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
This is the entry where the marketing and the measurement part company, and it is the reason this ranking is built on heart-rate accuracy rather than feature counts.
In the 2026 comparison work we reviewed, the Galaxy Watch 8 recorded the worst heart-rate accuracy of the devices tested, and the failure mode is worth understanding: a cadence-lock artefact during running. The optical sensor latches onto the rhythm of your arm swing rather than your pulse, and reports it as heart rate. This is more dangerous than random noise, because the resulting line looks smooth and plausible — there is nothing on the chart to tell you it is wrong. Anyone training to heart-rate zones on this watch may be training to the wrong number without ever suspecting it.
Everything else about it is good. Wear OS with the full Google app ecosystem, a bright AMOLED display, ECG and blood-pressure features (blood pressure requires periodic calibration against a cuff and regional availability varies), body-composition measurement, and tight integration with Samsung phones.
Battery is around 30–40 hours — better than the Apple Watch, far behind the Garmins. It is Android only, and several health features work fully only with a Samsung phone. If you buy it, pair a chest strap for any session where the number matters. It supports them, and on this watch that is not an optional refinement.
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- OS
- Wear OS
- ECG
- Yes
- Blood pressure
- Yes, cuff calibration required, regional availability varies
- Battery
- ~30–40 hours
- Compatibility
- Android only
- External sensors
- Bluetooth chest strap supported
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Full Wear OS with the Google app ecosystem
- ECG, blood pressure and body composition features
- Bright AMOLED display
- Excellent integration with Samsung phones
- Supports external chest straps
Worth knowing
- Worst measured heart-rate accuracy in the 2026 comparison reviewed
- Cadence-lock artefact during running produces plausible but wrong data
- Android only; some features need a Samsung phone
- 30–40 hours battery
- Blood-pressure feature needs cuff calibration and is not available everywhere
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category Best Fitness Trackers.
| Product | Score | Measured heart-rate accuracy against an ECG chest strap | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitbit Charge 6Top score | 8.9 | ~1% deviation vs Polar H10 chest strap | €85 |
| Samsung Galaxy Watch 8This product | 6.7 | Worst heart-rate accuracy in the 2026 comparison reviewed; cadence-lock artefact | €179 |
| Category average8 products analysed | 8.2 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Should I avoid it entirely?
Not necessarily — as an Android smartwatch it is strong, and for steps, notifications and resting heart rate it is fine. But if you train to heart-rate zones, pair a chest strap. The cadence-lock problem means the wrist number can be confidently wrong.
What is cadence lock?
The optical sensor picks up the regular motion of your arm swing instead of the blood-flow signal, and reports your running cadence as your heart rate. Because running cadence is often in a plausible heart-rate range, the resulting graph looks normal. It is the hardest kind of measurement error to notice.
From the same ranking
Other products in Best Fitness Trackers.
The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
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No. 018.9/ 10
Fitbit Charge 6
Chest-strap-class heart-rate accuracy from a wrist band at around €85, with a CE-marked ECG…
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No. 028.8/ 10
Garmin Forerunner 165
The running watch in this ranking — multi-band satellite positioning, genuine training-load…
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No. 038.6/ 10
Apple Watch SE 3
The most accurate device in this ranking on both heart rate and sleep staging — and the only…
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No. 048.3/ 10
Huawei Watch Fit 4
Dual-band satellite positioning at around €102 — a specification that otherwise starts near…