Thinner, smarter, sharper: Galaxy Watch 8 breaks away from the old Watch 7 design

At Galaxy Unpacked in New York, Samsung finally pleased smartwatch fans with a long-awaited redesign. The company has used the same design language for the base Galaxy Watch model since 2021, but the brand-new Galaxy Watch 8 marks the end of this saga and the beginning of a new chapter.

Finally, the standard Galaxy Watch can no longer be mistaken for one of the older smartwatch models. The Galaxy Watch 8 introduces a new design language, and here is how it compares to the Galaxy Watch 7. Not only does it look fresh, but some aesthetic changes have practical benefits, particularly regarding health and fitness tracking accuracy.

By far, the most standout design feature of the Galaxy Watch 8 is the new “squircle” form factor. The body has the shape of a square with rounded corners, on top of which resides a perfectly circular display. Samsung calls this a “Cushion Design.” It debuted last year with the Galaxy Watch Ultra and now defines the entire 2025 lineup.

The new shape also allowed Samsung to bring the Dynamic Lug System to the Galaxy Watch 8. The system, which also debuted with the Galaxy Watch Ultra last year, allows users to change bands effortlessly and quickly.

These design improvements are not just aesthetic. They help the Galaxy Watch 8 fit more snugly on the wrist, leading to improved health and fitness tracking accuracy. Even though the Watch 8 uses the same BioActive sensor as the Watch 7, Samsung says that tracking is more accurate because of the shape of the new watch.

Compared to the Galaxy Watch 7, the new and updated Watch 8 design reduces case movement on the wrist by 8% and improves comfort by 12%. Samsung's new smartwatch is also 11% slimmer than the Watch 7, measuring 8.6mm instead of 9.7mm.

Samsung claims it has achieved a thinner profile by completely re-engineering the internal structure of the Galaxy Watch 8. So, not only does the Galaxy Watch 8 look different on the outside, but it also has a vastly different internal structure compared to the Watch 7.

As far as similarities go, much like the previous model(s), the new Galaxy Watch 8 has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating and is available in two sizes: 40 and 44mm. Buyers will get to choose from two color options with matching silicon wrist straps: Graphite and Silver.