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Head to Head

Apple Watch SE 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

Nearly identical pricing, and the same iOS-vs-Android question as always: the SE 3 only pairs with iPhone, while the Galaxy Watch 8 is built for Android and Samsung's health ecosystem.

Apple Watch SE 3Apple

Apple Watch SE 3

4.7
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

4.5
$249
Lower price
MSRP
$350
Full Smartwatch
Watch Type
Full Smartwatch
Just the Basics
Training Data
Just the Basics
iOS only
Phone
Android only
4.7
Higher rated
Rating
4.5
7 hrs
GPS Battery Life
13 hrs*
Longer battery
Single-Band
GPS
Dual-Band
More precise
27g
Lighter
Weight
30g
40/44mm
Case Size
40/44mm
Yes
Wrist Calls
Yes
No
Offline Maps
No
Spotify/Amazon Music
Offline Music
Spotify/Amazon Music
5 ATM
Water Resistance
5 ATM
—
Notable For
—
Best For
  • •You're an iPhone user, since the SE 3 requires iOS
  • •You want the higher-rated option and already lean toward Apple's ecosystem
  • •You're an Android user, especially with a Samsung phone already
  • •You want deeper integration with Samsung Health and Wear OS
The Full Story

SE 3 skips ECG and blood oxygen but keeps the core Apple Watch experience: notifications, apps, and solid everyday fitness tracking. A great pick for runners who want one device for life and training both, without paying flagship prices.

Galaxy Watch 8 covers the fitness basics well and adds genuine smartwatch polish, including on-device AI features. Serious training-analytics runners will eventually want more depth, but for Android users who want one device for daily life and running both, it's a strong pick.

*Estimated — this model's exact GPS battery life isn't published by the manufacturer. All figures are standard GPS mode, midsize case, no solar boost.

†Estimated — this model launched too recently to have an established customer rating yet.

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