Galaxy battle: I walked 5,500 steps with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs Galaxy Watch 7 — here's the winner

Samsung makes some of the best smartwatch models available in 2025, including both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the newer Samsung Galaxy Watch 8.

I've already covered the differences between the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs. the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 in terms of features, design, and battery life, but what about fitness-tracking accuracy?

To find out which Samsung smartwatch is the more precise workout companion, I sported one on either wrist and embarked on a 5,500-step walk — manually counted, of course — around my neighborhood in Seattle, Washington.

Scroll down the page to see how my post-workout stats compare, including steps, distance, climb, pace, heart rate, and calories burned.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Quick comparison

But first, a quick comparison: The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch 8 feature the same onboard health sensor array, but the newer model has a couple of exclusive wellness features, including insights into a user's cardiovascular load and antioxidant levels.

The Galaxy Watch 8 also has a brighter screen and slightly better battery life. Design-wise, the older model sports a simple, circular case, while the Galaxy Watch 8 has a 'cushion case' similar to the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Another major distinction: Only the Galaxy Watch 8 is available in Samsung's 'Classic' edition, which features a fan-favorite rotating bezel.

Those core differences aside, from a fitness-tracking perspective, these two devices are essentially an even match. So, which model, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 or Galaxy Watch 7, came out on top in my walk test? Read on to find out.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: $499 at Samsung

The latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 comes in three varieties, including my favorite, the 'Classic' edition. This version spots an extra, programmable 'Action' button and a fan-fav rotating bezel. It's also the longest-lasting Galaxy Watch 8 option, cruising for ~42 hours per charge in my testing.

View Deal

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: was $299 now $239 at Amazon

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is last year's model, but it offers most of the same features, including best-in-class sleep tracking, as the newer Galaxy Watch 8, just at a lower price point and in an arguably sleeker package. The tradeoff is reduced battery life and a less bright display.

View Deal

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Walk test results

For this walk test, I wore the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic on my left wrist and the Galaxy Watch 7 (40mm) on my right wrist. As a control, I manually counted my steps, denoting every hundred taken with a click of my trusty tally counter. As a control for distance, elevation, and pace data, I ran Strava on my iPhone.

To avoid either device piggybacking on location data from my paired Samsung Galaxy S24, I left it behind.

This is as close as they come. Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 7 recorded step count tallies that fall well within a reasonable margin for error. The former overcounted by just 31 steps and the latter undercounted by a mere 25 steps.

Strava, for what it's worth, measured a step count total of 5,524 steps.

Distance-wise, both smartwatches also proved accurate, with less than a tenth of a mile separating the totals from Strava's count.

The Galaxy Watch 8 seems to have undecounted my climb by a manageable 16 feet, while the Galaxy Watch 7 was off by a more notable 26 feet. Beyond that, pace, heart rate, and calorie data are all anear-match across the board.

Finally, the Galaxy Watch 7 burned more battery during my 50-minute walk, which was to be expected.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs. Galaxy Watch 7: And the winner is...

While the Galaxy Watch 7 was ever-so-slightly more accurate at counting my steps and measuring my distance, the Galaxy Watch 8 was noticeably more precise at measuring my climb.

So, which device wins this bout? I'm giving the championship belt to the Galaxy Watch 7, but I strongly suspect that these two titans of the wrist will be squaring up again sometime soon (perhaps for a bike ride). As noted above, this was an exceptional close comparison.

More importantly, you now know that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is just as competent at tracking workouts as the newer Galaxy Watch 8, and either is a great choice to keep tabs on your next walk, run, hike, or pickleball match.

More from Tom's Guide

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs Galaxy Watch 8 — these are the 5 biggest differences
• I walked 6,500 steps with the Fitbit Charge 6 vs Pixel Watch 3 — and I’m surprised by the winner
• I test smartwatches for a living — and these are my 5 favorite models when I go hiking