Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Wins Fitness Praise at $379, but 24-Hour Battery Limits Workouts
Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Aug 21
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Wins Fitness Praise at $379, but 24-Hour Battery Limits Workouts
3 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Aug 21
Summary
$379 Galaxy Watch 9 impressed a fitness editor with accurate workout tracking, auto-detected activities and a broad Samsung Health suite after a month of gym, running and yoga use.
Upgraded tools such as the Vitals dashboard, Cardio Load and a 100-point Fitness Index added useful health insight, while pace and distance were broadly consistent with a Coros Pace 4.
The watch still felt awkward in motion: its highly sensitive touchscreen and swipe-heavy interface were harder to manage during runs and walks than button-led sports watches.
Battery life also fell short of expectations, lasting about 24 hours in testing despite Samsung touting up to 20% better endurance; the 40mm model starts at $379 and LTE costs $50 extra.
For exercise-first buyers, the verdict was mixed: Galaxy Watch 9 looks polished and tracks well, but sizing, sleep-wear demands and daily charging make it less compelling as a dedicated training watch.