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Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 just came out and you can already save $50
Brandt Ranj is a commerce reporter for The Verge writing about the best deals and gadgets. He previously wrote for Business Insider, Rolling Stone, Futurism, and Popular Science.
If you’re looking to upgrade an older Android smartwatch, or want to give wearables a try for the first time, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8 is a compelling choice. It has a new design, lets you access Google’s Gemini AI from your wrist, and has a handful of new health and wellness features. It launched on July 25th, but you can already get the 40mm model on sale for $299.99 ($50 off) from Samsung. Amazon has the watch for full price, but is offering a $50 promotional credit toward a future purchase if you use the code APSUE5MBXB6Y at checkout.
$300
Samsung’s latest smartwatch features a new squircle design, Gemini, and some new health features like an Antioxidant Index and Running Coach.
The Galaxy Watch 8 is squircle shaped, which may be divisive, but allows it to lay flatter and Verge reporter Victoria Song found it fit more more comfortably on her wrist in her review. The change also let Samsung make the watch thinner than the Galaxy Watch 7, and yet we still found it can still last more than a day on a charge. While it’s not a huge departure from its predecessor, it could be a good upgrade for anyone with a Galaxy Watch 5 or below, and Samsung’s new discount counteracts the $50 price increase means you’re not paying any more than the Galaxy Watch 7 cost at launch.
If you’ve gotten used to Google Gemini on your smartphone or computer, the Galaxy Watch 8 will let you access it from your wrist – we created playlists, checked the weather, and have previously asked Gemini whether it’s necessary to scrub a sweet potato before peeling it.
On the health and wellness side, the Galaxy Watch 8 can track steps, your heart rate, blood oxygen level, steps, and activity. If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, you use the smartwatch to take an EKG or detect sleep apnea. A new feature called Running Coach will put you through a 12-minute run test, give you a grade from one through 10, and create a workout program based on your performance. It also includes sensors designed to detect whether you’re eating enough fruits and vegetables, but we found it can be fooled by colorful objects, including a Cheeze-It.
The Galaxy Watch 8 is also available in a 44mm size, and that model is also on sale for $379.99 ($50 off) from Samsung.
Three more great deals
- If you need a new wireless controller to pair with your Nintendo Switch 2, Gamesir’s Super Nova is $39.99 ($10 off) at Best Buy. The gamepad has a long list of features you might not expect given its price, including drift-resistant Hall Effect joysticks and two-stage Hall Effect triggers, a pair of customizable back buttons, removable face buttons that let you switch between an Xbox and Nintendo Switch layout, built-in gyroscope, RGB lights, and a 1000hz polling rate. It supports wireless connectivity via Bluetooth or an included 2.4GHz adapter, and can be used as a wired controller using a USB-C cable. These connectivity options make it compatible with both generations of Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS and Android devices.
- JBL’s Tour Pro 3 earbuds are currently around $249.95 ($80 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. I’ve tested the earbuds, and was impressed with their comfort, audio quality, active noise cancellation performance, and battery life. The buds are great on their own, but they come in a charging case with a 1.57-inch touchscreen. You can use the display to switch between listening modes, adjust your volume, and check the earbuds’ battery without reaching for your phone. The case can also be used as a USB-C audio receiver, so you can listen to music from a wired source (like an airplane’s entertainment system) on the earbuds.
- Want a charger with some personality? Ugreen’s Uno 30 Watt Charger is around $17.99 at Amazon and from Ugreen, an all-time low price. It has one USB-C port, which is fast enough to charge an iPhone 15’s battery from zero to 60 percent in half an hour. An LED screen on its front side shows different pixelated faces when it’s currently charging your device, and when it’s done. It’s a nice touch that lets you know when your device is ready to be unplugged at a glance, and shouldn’t impact its performance.
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