Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. Galaxy Watch FE: Modest differences
by Roland Udvarlaki · Android PoliceSamsung Galaxy Watch 7
A great premium option
Although the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 might borrow a lot of inspiration from a certain other company, there’s no denying that it still retains the best health tracking features, fast performance, a bright and colorful display, and tight integration with the company’s own lineup of Galaxy devices.
Pros
- Accurate health tracking
- Bright and colorful display
- Smooth performance
Cons
- Pricier
- Blood pressure monitoring is not supported in the US
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
A more budget-friendly alternative
$149 $200 Save $51
The new Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is the company’s first “Fan Edition” watch. It features a more appealing price point and similar features and hardware to its premium lineup of smartwatches. At $200, it’s relatively affordable and features most of the essential features that any user would want.
Pros
- Great performance
- More affordable
- Similar features & tracking
Cons
- Slow charging
- It only comes in one size
Samsung makes some of the best smartwatches on the market and has a long history of producing some of the most reliable and unique devices under the Galaxy Watch brand. This year, the company unveiled its latest generation, the Galaxy Watch 7, alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra and a new, more budget-friendly alternative, the Galaxy Watch FE.
We’ve reviewed all three smartwatches, but if you’re in the market for a new watch, you might want to dig deeper and find out how exactly the most affordable and the premium flagship watch compare against one another.
Price, specs, and availability
The Galaxy Watch 7 is available at Samsung, and various other retail stores across the nation. It’s available in two sizes and various different colors and connectivity options. The base 40mm watch comes with Wi-Fi and costs $300. It’s available in Cream and Green colors, and the LTE model will set you back an extra $50, retailing for $350. The 44mm model comes in Silver and Green colors, and the Wi-Fi model costs $330, while the LTE variant is priced at $380.
The Galaxy Watch FE is available at Samsung’s website, and many other retailers. It comes in a single 40mm size. The Wi-Fi model costs $200, while the LTE variant retails for $250. It comes in black, silver, and pink gold colorways.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Samsung Galaxy Watch FE Case size 40mm, 44mm 40mm Case Material Aluminum Aluminum Display 1.3" 432 x 432 AMOLED (40 mm); 1.5" 480 x 480 AMOLED (44 mm) 1.2" AMOLED CPU Samsung Exynos W1000 Exynos W920 Dual Core 1.18GHz RAM 2GB 1.5GB Storage 32GB 16GB Battery 300mAh (40 mm); 425mAh (44 mm) 247mAh Cellular connectivity LTE (optional) LTE (LTE model only) Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.0 Software Wear OS 5 with One UI 6.1.1 Watch Wear OS with One UI 5 Watch Health sensors Optical bio-signal; electrical heart signal; bioelectrical impedance; temperature Optical heart rate, electrical heart, bioelectrical impedance analysis Dimensions 40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7mm (40mm); 44.4 x 44.4 x 9.7mm (44mm) 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8mm Weight 28.8g (40mm); 33.8g (44mm) 25.9g IP Rating IP68 IP68 Colors Green; Cream (40mm); Silver (44mm) Black, pink gold, and silver Price From $300 $200
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Design and display
Similar looks, premium feel
The 40mm Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch FE have many similarities. They both feature a Sapphire Crystal glass shield and an aluminum frame. They’re both 5 ATM and IP68 rated, but the Watch 7 is a little more rugged thanks to its 810H military-compliant design and Armor Aluminum 2 frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance. This makes it a bit more durable, making it a better option for those who care about longevity.
In terms of looks, both watches are very similar. They have rounded circular displays, although the Watch 7 takes the edge with its slightly larger display size, measuring 1.3 inches. The FE has a 1.2-inch panel, but both watches sport a Super AMOLED screen with a similar pixel density, resulting in a bright and sharp display on your wrist. They’re both bright and colorful, and you’ll have no problems seeing them outside or in a pitch-black room.
The dimensions are very similar, too. Given the slightly larger footprint of the Watch 7, it’s unsurprising to see that it’s larger, although, not by much. It measures 40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7 mm, compared to the FE’s 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8 mm. The difference is negligible, and they’re nearly identical, so if this size fits your wrist, only the looks will matter more and the rest of the features.
The biggest difference is arguably that while the FE is limited to the one size, the Watch 7 also comes in a larger 44mm model. So if you have big wrists, or just prefer chunky watches, then the Watch 7 has an immediate advantage.
Performance and battery
Both watches can easily last a full day on a single charge
The Galaxy Watch 7 is powered by the Exynos W1000 chip, built on 3nm technology. This is an efficient and powerful chip, and it’s faster than the Galaxy Watch FE’s Exynos W920 chip, built on the 5nm process, that also powered the Galaxy Watch 5 series.
The memory and storage configuration is also slightly different, with the Watch 7 rocking 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM. The FE has half the storage at 16GB, and 1.5GB of memory – which is plenty to house a few fitness tracking apps and to power the watch. Both watches perform well on a daily basis, but the Watch 7 will definitely run a little smoother, especially in the long run. The Watch 7 also benefits from more efficient Bluetooth 5.3 technology, as well as improved GPS tracking.
And finally, when it comes to the battery, the Watch 7 will likely outlast the FE, thanks to the larger 300mAh battery in the 40mm model, with an even larger cell in the 44mm. However, we found that power users and those who live an active lifestyle could still have some challenges making it to the end of the day.
The FE has a 247mAh cell inside, and but for most users this will still last a full day on a single charge, especially for those who aren’t strongly relying on the GPS and other features that could drain the battery much faster. Having said that, both watches can easily run out of juice when used heavily, but a full day is possible for general and regularly active users.
The charging situation isn’t that great on the FE, as it comes with a slow wireless charging standard, whereas the Watch 7 supports 10W wireless charging. We found that the FE took about 2 hours to fully charge up, while the Watch 7 took less than an hour and a half. It’s not much faster, but it makes a difference when you just need a quick top-up here and there in between your routines.
Software, health, and fitness
Reliable and accurate fitness tracking
Both the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch FE feature a great suite of health tracking features, including sleep monitoring, heart rate monitoring, and hundreds of sports activities. The main tracking feature you miss on the FE is sleep apnea.
The watches run on WearOS, offering compatibility with hundreds of apps and watch faces from the Google Play Store. Samsung has a few nice built-in options, too. Both watches come with Samsung Wallet, too, offering a quick and easy solution to pay using nothing but your watch—and let's not forget you can also store IDs and other digital cards here.
In terms of health tracking, we found that the new Galaxy Watch 7 is a little more accurate and precise, but the Watch FE also met our expectations. Both smartwatches are perfectly capable of handling all and most tasks, including sports activities and everything else. They’re great for general users who want to get in shape, or stay in shape, and track their daily workouts and routines.
Which is right for you?
The Galaxy Watch 7 might be a small iterative upgrade over the Galaxy Watch 6 series, but it still packs many welcome additions and enhancements. It has more accurate tracking, a decent battery life that’s on par with most other modern smartwatches, lots of customizable options and compatibility with hundreds of popular apps, services, and watch faces.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
The Galaxy Watch 7 may not be a massive overhaul that we expected from Samsung in 2024, the company still managed to make some significant improvements to improve health and fitness tracking in style. The Watch 7 remains one of the best options for those looking for a premium experience that works seamlessly with Samsung’s own Galaxy, and other Android smartphones.
$300 at Amazon $300 at Best Buy $300 at Samsung
In contrast, the Galaxy Watch FE is also a great buy, but with some caveats. It’s essentially a repackaged smartwatch from 2021, offering a few great features, including all the sports activities, and even ECG. It has most of the same software features as the more premium Galaxy Watch 7, and it has a more appealing, budget-friendly price too.
You'll just have to be willing to live with slightly more sluggish performance, a smaller battery, and overall less accurate tracking. Many users might not even notice the differences, but serious smartwatch fans might.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE
The Galaxy Watch FE might be a repurposed 2021 watch in a slightly more flashy and stylish color, but it remains a great option for those looking for a more affordable smartwatch with most of the same tracking features as the more expensive Galaxy Watch 7 series. It has a stylish design, a big enough display, and a solid one-day battery life.