The Galaxy Watch FE is the cheaper wearable you maybe wanted
The Galaxy Watch FE is cheaper than the Watch 6, yet does most of the same stuff. It'll launch July 1.
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Launching July 1 in Australia for an RRP of $399, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE promises to be a more affordable option for Galaxy phone owners eyeing off the Galaxy Watch 6.
It's pretty similar in style and features to the more expensive Watch 6. Though it only comes in a 40mm size, it has two colour options: Black and Gold.
There will also be a range of new watch bands that offer a distinct blue and orange stitching, which will be easily interchangeable with a one-click band.
Like the Watch 6, the screen is Sapphire Crystal glass, designed to resist scratches.
So what does the Watch FE lose to hit that lower price? Well, it has a slightly smaller display (1.2-inch vs 1.3-inch for the 40mm Watch 6) and only 1.5GB RAM (compared to 2GB for the Watch 6).
There's also no body temperature sensor. Given that sensor is typically used for tracking menstrual cycles, the Watch 6 is probably a better option if you're looking to get pregnant and want the best tracking available. Otherwise, you'll probably be fine.
On the software front though, things are pretty much the same. The Galaxy Watch FE will track over 100 activities, let you pay with Samsung Wallet and help you find your phone if you lose it.
Obviously I haven't tested it yet, but I reckon this is probably going to be the pick of the Galaxy Watch bunch thanks to its price.
Galaxy Watch FE vs Galaxy Watch 6
Spec | Samsung Galaxy Watch FE | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 |
---|---|---|
Colours | Black, Gold | Graphite, Gold (40mm), Silver (44mm or 40mm with LTE) |
Materials | Aluminium, Sapphire Crystal glass | Aluminium, Sapphire Crystal glass |
Dimensions | 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8mm | 38.8 x 40.4 x 9mm (40mm) 42.8 x 44.4 x 9mm (43mm) |
Weight | 25.9g | 28.7g (40mm) 33.3g (43mm) |
Water resistance | 5ATM + IP68 | 5ATM + IP68 |
Processor | Exynos W920 (1.18GHz) | Exynos W930 (1.4GHz) |
Memory | 1.5GB RAM / 16GB storage | 2GB RAM / 16GB storage |
Display | 1.2-inch (396x396) Super AMOLED | 1.3-inch (432x432) Super AMOLED (40mm) 1.5-inch (480x480) Super AMOLED (43mm) |
Battery | 247mAh wireless charging | 300mAh (40mm) 425mAh (43mm) wireless charging |
Sensors | BioActive Sensor (Optical HR, ECG, BIA), accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, light | BioActive Sensor (Optical HR, ECG, BIA), accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, light, temperature |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Galileo, LTE variant | Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Galileo, LTE variant |
Software | Wear OS 4 / One UI 5 Watch | Wear OS 4 / One UI 5 Watch |