The last few months have been sprinkled with rumors of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Watch lineup, with the addition of a pioneer budget model, the Galaxy Watch FE, being of particular note. As time went on, it became more evident that this smartwatch was likely to be a refresh of the Galaxy Watch 4.
Out of nowhere (unless I missed something), Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Watch FE today. As the rumors claimed, it's going to set you back $199, and yes, it is basically the same as Samsung's base 2021 smartwatch, with perhaps just two distinctions, so let's talk about things.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE Breathes New Life Into The Galaxy Watch 4
When rumors regarding an upcoming device begin to sing in unison, you can almost be sure that things are going to pan out. In the case of the Galaxy Watch FE, we heard too much pointing to it being extremely similar to the Galaxy Watch 4, released in 2021, on the spec sheet. Today, Samsung has finally revealed the Galaxy Watch FE to us, and yep, those rumors were true.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE launches as a budget option for those looking for the Galaxy Watch experience, giving you the same safe design as the Watch 4, with just a few improvements. First off, the Watch FE is only available in a 40mm case size, so if you're not a fan of smaller watches, write this one off. It also comes in the same three colorways: Silver, Pink Gold, and Black, though the watch bands get updated.
The chip in this is the Exynos W920, which isn't fantastic for 2024, paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (a shame since the other models are rumored to be doubling that to 32GB this year). The battery is the same small 247mAh cell in the Watch 4, and it will likely come with the same slow charging that model had. You get a 1.2-inch 396 x 396 circular AMOLED display to interact with One UI 5 Watch through.
Don't worry though, all the sensors that you expect are in place, so it will still get the job done when it comes to your health and fitness. The only real difference between this watch and the Watch 4 is that it has Bluetooth 5.3 instead of 5.0, and it goes for sapphire crystal glass over the display instead of Corning Gorilla Glass. Yep, that's all. And it'll cost $199 to nab it brand new, starting from June 24th.
At $199, Is The Galaxy Watch FE A Sensible Purchase To Make If You Want The Best Value?
Now, the question is: is it worth it to buy yourself a rebranded 2021 smartwatch in 2024 at $199? That's a good question, truly. And if you ask me, the answer is no, especially if you know your way around the most popular online marketplaces.
Sapphire glass, Bluetooth 5.3, and new band designs are nice, but are they worth paying more for? On Amazon, you can get the Galaxy Watch 4 for $165 right now. That's a $35 difference, and I'm not sure whether the perks of the FE model fill in that price difference convincingly enough. On eBay, you can find this same watch for a lot less brand-new.
In fact, pay $40 more and you can get the 40mm Galaxy Watch 6 on Amazon, and with that, you get a better processor, more RAM, a bigger battery, faster charging, and a slightly bigger and higher resolution display. That covers the price difference, in my humble opinion (and if you're in the market for two watches, Samsung's deal is still active). I simply don't think the Watch FE is a great purchase, but I think many members of the target audience may not know the finer details.
