Samsung Galaxy Watch9 Review: Features, Battery Life and Upgrade Advice

Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch9 last summer alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra2, a more rugged and shock-resistant smartwatch designed for outdoor adventures.

The Galaxy Watch9 is Samsung’s everyday smartwatch and fitness tracker, offering a wide range of health and wellness features. It comes in a 40mm size in Cream and Graphite, as well as a 44mm size in Graphite and Silver. Prices start at $80.

Although the Galaxy Watch9 includes a faster processor, a slightly larger battery and additional wellness metrics, it is a modest update compared with last year’s Galaxy Watch8. After testing the 40mm model for two weeks, an upgrade from the Watch8 does not seem essential. However, if you have an older Galaxy Watch or are invested in the Samsung ecosystem, the Galaxy Watch9 is the best choice for a new Samsung smartwatch.

Galaxy Watch9 design and performance

The biggest hardware update in the Galaxy Watch9 is its new processor. The smartwatch uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, which Samsung says improves CPU and GPU performance while increasing efficiency.

In testing, the Galaxy Watch9 responded smoothly while scrolling through menus, launching apps and dismissing notifications. Its familiar design makes it a practical choice for everyday use, while the latest software adds useful customization and assistant features.

Wear OS 7 and Gemini Raise to Talk

Wear OS 7 adds more customizable widgets and live updates from compatible apps. One of the most notable new features is Gemini’s Raise to Talk, which lets you start a conversation with Google’s AI assistant by lifting your wrist toward your mouth.

The Google Pixel Watch has offered this feature for two generations, so it is good to see Samsung finally bring a similar experience to the Galaxy Watch9.

Galaxy Watch9 battery life and charging

Samsung has slightly increased the battery capacity in both Galaxy Watch9 sizes. The 40mm model has a 390mAh battery, up from 325mAh, while the 44mm model uses a 445mAh cell, up from 435mAh.

However, the larger batteries do not translate into longer real-world battery life. This is likely because the Galaxy Watch9 uses additional power for its expanded health and wellness features.

Samsung estimates up to 30 hours of battery life, but average battery life with the Always-On Display enabled was closer to 25 hours. That is enough to get through the day and night, but you will still need to charge the watch regularly.

A full charge took about 100 minutes on average. That is significantly longer than the 45 minutes required for the Pixel Watch 5 to reach a full charge.

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch9?

The Galaxy Watch9 is a capable everyday smartwatch and fitness tracker with smooth performance, expanded wellness features and useful Wear OS 7 updates. However, its improvements over the Galaxy Watch8 are relatively modest, and its battery life remains limited despite the larger battery capacities.

Galaxy Watch8 owners may not need to upgrade. For anyone with an older Galaxy Watch—or anyone looking for a smartwatch that works well within the Samsung ecosystem—the Galaxy Watch9 is the strongest choice.