After weeks of leaks, Samsung has unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE, a 40mm smartwatch that offers some of the features of its recent premium models at a more affordable price.
The FE includes some of the features that made the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 a mainstay on our best smartwatches list. Although the FE appears to be based on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, it features a Sapphire Crystal display, upgraded from the Watch 4’s Corning Gorilla Glass, interchangeable straps with a ‘one-click’ system (where the Watch FE features about new band designs) and some of Samsung’s latest wellness tools.
More than 100 workouts, personalized heart rate zones to improve activity tracking, and advanced running analytics are here and welcome. According to Samsung, the advanced running analytics (also found on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6) “analyzes the runner’s posture for asymmetry and contact/flight time to improve efficiency and prevent injuries.”
The Watch FE also retains the body composition tool from the Galaxy Watch 4, which allows the watch to scan your body and estimate the amount of fat, muscle, and bone you’re packing on. We tested the same body comp tool on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro on a smart scale and found the results to be very accurate.
Non-wellness features include Find My Phone, camera controls, Samsung Wallet, and access to the Google Play Store – essentially everything you’d expect on a current Samsung watch.
Currently, the image above is our only official look at the device. The Galaxy Watch FE is available in three colors: silver, rose gold and black. The Bluetooth-only version will be available in the US from June 24, and the LTE version will be available later this year. Pricing will be $199.99 in the US for the Bluetooth-only model, and $249.99 in the US for LTE. It will be available worldwide in the coming weeks, but there’s no word yet on international pricing.
Analysis: Samsung’s entry-level watch breaks early
Samsung’s worst kept secret is out! We knew an FE watch was coming, but it’s a surprise to see it unveiled before Samsung’s Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event next month.
The ‘FE’ moniker is Samsung’s equivalent of Apple’s ‘SE’, indicating the watch is cheaper than other products in the range but will still keep up with Samsung’s updated software, presumably with Wear OS 4 as part of Samsung’s One UI View 5 operating system.
What does this mean for the rest of the watches being unveiled this year? With a cheaper smartwatch already unveiled, Samsung could look to copy Apple’s success by introducing its other rumored smartwatch, an Ultra or Pro model, allowing three watches to sit side by side in the range at the same time.
The other big question mark is of course the Samsung Galaxy Ring. We know the Ring will work with at least some Samsung Galaxy Watches by providing additional metrics when worn during sleep and exercise, so it will presumably communicate with the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE in this way as well. Time will tell.