New Samsung Wearables Land: Buds 3, Watch 7, Watch Ultra

The sixth-generation of foldable phones from Samsung are likely to get most of the spotlight as Samsung Unpacked happened in Paris today. However, the South Korean manufacturer had a lot more to unveil than just new smartphones.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds series makes a return after a year off, with the Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro. On top of that, the Galaxy Watch 7 reappears as expected, along with the debut of the Galaxy Watch Ultra which is set to compete with Apple's Watch Ultra.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Brings Samsung's First 3nm Chip

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 retains the design that the Galaxy Watch 6 had, and it's a strong case of “if it ain't broke, don't fix it” because I think the current aesthetic is a pretty clean one. Sure, the standard band now has orange and blue threading, but that's the only major change in looks. It will come in new colorways though: Green and Cream for the 40mm model and Green and Silver for the 44mm model.

While a lot remains the same, a lot changes too. Most notably, you get Samsung's brand-new Exynos W1000, which is the company's first-ever 3nm chip. It's a major leap over what you got with the Exynos W930 in the previous generation and should offer much better power efficiency and performance. The watch also comes with a dual-frequency GPS system for even more precise tracking and is the first Galaxy Watch with one. It is also part of the only smartwatch series running Wear OS 5.

You get Samsung's improved BioActive sensor, which will now be able to track AGEs (advanced glycation end-products). These are essentially markers of your body's metabolic health and your biological aging. Of course, you'll still be able to keep an eye on your ECG, blood pressure, and body composition. Galaxy AI integration will also provide a much better algorithm for analyzing your sleep.

The Galaxy Watch 7 will start at $299 for the 40mm Bluetooth model.

The New Galaxy Watch Ultra Is The Toughest Samsung Smartwatch Ever

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is the first smartwatch of its kind in Samsung's family tree, bringing a new premium watch to the company's portfolio. This watch does a lot differently, straight from its design. The squircle design is confirmed now and instantly sets the watch apart from the rest of Samsung's portfolio, and even other smartwatches, with one glance.

First off, you get the same Exynos W1000 as the Watch 7, as well as a similar BioActive sensor to track AGEs, your ECG, BP, body composition, and sleep. However, it also gets a grade 4 titanium build with 10ATM water resistance in case you're a big fan of diving (up to 100m below sea level or up to 9,000 meters high!). It's also the first smartwatch with FDA-approved sleep apnea detection. It has a Quick Button which you can map to several functions too.

It only comes in a single 47mm size with a 1.5-inch screen (which is the same display size as the 44mm Watch 7) and 3,000-nit peak brightness. However, the bulkier build allows for a 550mAh battery which Samsung says should last 100 hours in power-saving mode.

The device is available in Titanium Silver, Titanium Gray, and Titanium White colorways, and it will cost $649, making it the most expensive Galaxy Watch ever.

The Galaxy Buds 3 And Buds 3 Pro Adopt A Distinctly Different Design

The Galaxy Buds 2 series came out in 2022 and took a break in 2023. Now, Samsung's earbuds are back in the form of the Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro. The first thing you'll notice is that Samsung loses the bean-like design and goes for a stemmed design on both earbuds. The Buds 3 Pro has a silicone tip to fit into your ear canal while the Buds 3 has a more open design without the ear tip.

Both Buds offer Galaxy AI features when connected to a Galaxy device such as Interpreter and Voice Command (which lets you control your music playback without needing to touch the buds or the phone). You get Adaptive ANC which can even detect sirens and allow that sound through, since that's something you want to be able to hear, and Adaptive EQ. The Buds 3 Pro also offers higher-quality sound thanks to a woofer and a tweeter in each earbud, along with dual amplifiers.

Of course, I can't forget to talk about the Blade Lights which are exclusive to the Buds 3 Pro. I'm not sure whether they have any functionality, but they surely look cool. The Buds 3 cost $179 while the Buds 3 Pro go for $249.