Samsung Galaxy Watch7 in review: Stylish and good smartwatch without wow effect

However, the Watch7 also has weaknesses with GPS tracking and battery life that really bothered me in everyday life. Compared to the Watch6, the improvements in everyday life are actually quite manageable. For owners of the predecessor, an upgrade is definitely not worth it. For everyone else, however, the Watch7 offers a successful combination of style and functionality. For currently around EUR 220 I can recommend it.

Compared to the Watch6, the case is slightly thicker and heavier, but you hardly notice it in everyday life. The AMOLED display is 1,5 inches and impresses with its very high brightness. Everything is easy to read even in the sun. The colors are strong and vibrant, but I found the viewing angle stability not quite optimal. Unfortunately, the refresh rate is only 60 Hertz, which I find a shame on the one hand, but on the other hand is completely sufficient for a smartwatch.

Galaxy Wearable App: Setup & Operation

Setting up the Samsung Galaxy Watch7 using the Galaxy Wearable app is child's play. After downloading the app, I was guided through the process step by step and all the important functions and operating options were explained on the watch itself:

• Open the Quick Panel: Swipe from top to bottom
• Open app overview: Swipe up from the bottom edge
• View notifications: Swipe from the left edge to the right
• Show tiles and useful functions: Swipe from the right edge to the left
• Home button: Press the Home button to go to the watch face from any screen

The app itself is clearly laid out and allows you to customize watch faces, manage notifications and perform software updates. The separate Samsung Health app is used for fitness and health data, which I found a bit illogical at first, but later made sense. One disadvantage, however, is that the division into two apps can sometimes be a bit cumbersome.

Functionalities at a glance

The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 offers a number of functions that can enrich your everyday life. Here is an overview of the most important features:

• Heart rate measurement: The watch continuously measures your pulse and helps you keep an eye on your heart health. In everyday life, I actually used this function the most, especially when exercising. Of course, it's difficult to say whether the data is 100 percent accurate.
• ECG function: The ECG function can be used to detect cardiac arrhythmias.
• Sleep tracking: The watch analyzes sleep phases and provides information about sleep quality. In my test, the tracking worked really well.
• fitness and training modes: I was particularly impressed by the variety of sports and training types. Whether running, cycling or swimming - the Watch7 offers a suitable mode for almost every activity. The implementation is clear and intuitive, which makes tracking during sport easier.
• GPS tracking: For outdoor activities like running or cycling, the watch records your route. I used this feature a lot on my walks. It can be very helpful, but unfortunately the GPS is not really reliable.
• Music storage: Music can be stored directly on the watch and played via Bluetooth headphones - practical when exercising and the smartphone stays at home. I used this function when jogging and found it very convenient.
• Notifications: Incoming calls, messages and app notifications are displayed directly on your wrist. There are also so-called "AI functions" for incoming notifications, because you have ready-made response options that you can send with one click.

Overall, the Galaxy Watch7 offers numerous functions that are particularly attractive for sports enthusiasts. Even though I didn't use all of the features intensively in my test, I find the sports and training modes to be particularly well-designed and helpful.

Battery, Performance & GPS

Under the hood is the Exynos W1000, which is manufactured using the energy-saving 3-nanometer process. There are also 2 GB RAM and 32 GB flash memory. For comparison: the predecessor had "only" 16 GB flash memory, which is completely sufficient for a watch. The everyday performance is rock solid. Animations are usually played smoothly and the widgets open pleasantly quickly. There are a few stutters now and then, however. The built-in dual-frequency GPS does not really work flawlessly for me. However, I hope that Samsung will improve the GPS with future updates.