Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 Review: It’s OK and Also Expensive

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It wasn’t easy to hide my excitement over the release of the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 . As one of the biggest fans of the Galaxy Watch Active 2, seeing a more fashion-forward watch with physical rotating bezel from Samsung certainly grabbed my attention. You knew I was going to get one on the wrist. And I did just that, having now spent a couple of weeks with a 41mm Galaxy Watch 3.
I don’t want to spoil this here review and tell you that my excitement has since drained, but let’s just be straight here –  this is a really expensive Galaxy Watch Active 2 in a new case. What I’m saying is that it’s a nice watch, it’s also really expensive compared to what I still believe is the best Android smartwatch .
Here’s a quick review of the Galaxy Watch 3.

What’s good about the Galaxy Watch 3?
Design : I’m actually pretty torn on the Galaxy Watch 3 design and don’t love it, but I’m trying to be fair here and point out that it is a nicely designed watch. Samsung clearly took care in creating a premium-feeling smartwatch that easily rivals the feel of an Apple Watch, only this actually looks like a classic watch.
I’m not sure how many of you have held or used an Apple Watch, but they have substantial weight to them compared to other smartwatches. They come off as if they are a meaningful piece of tech, not just a cheap notification accessory. The Galaxy Watch 3 is probably the only smartwatch I’ve worn that brings out that same response. And look, I’ve reviewed $1,000+ watches , none of which I would give this same praise to.
What I like here is the precision, the two sizes, the satisfaction you get from rotating its bezel, and again, the weight. As you wear this watch, hold it in hand, or use it, there is nothing cheap about it. The pushers have great click, each notched rotation from the bezel is reassuring, and with its always-on display, you might actually trick someone into thinking you aren’t wearing tech on the wrist.
For this review, I tested the 41mm version because the 45mm version didn’t come in silver (edit: it does come in silver!) and that size also sounds huge. The big differences between the two sizes are really just the size and the teeth on the bezel (45mm has them, 41mm doesn’t). I wish Samsung would have gone with a matching silver bezel for this particular model, as two-tone is an acquired taste that I don’t have.
Outside of appearance, my one complaint is that this watch, well, it’s thick. There’s a chance that the 45mm version spreads things out some on the wrist, but this 41mm model rides high. I didn’t bang it on doors or walls necessarily, but that weight I mentioned coupled with its height means it’s somewhat top-heavy and needs to really be tightened to the wrist to avoid feeling floppy. Working out with it, the thickness is most definitely noticeable, as...