Samsung seems to have permanently discounted the Galaxy Watch 8 after the Galaxy Watch 9 debut
Instead of discontinuing it or keeping it around at the same old price, Samsung appears to have officially made the Galaxy Watch 8 cheaper than before.
If you're a hardcore Samsung fan looking for the best smartwatch money can buy right now, your options might seem pretty clear (and limited) at first glance. But what if you can't afford the brand-new and remarkably powerful Galaxy Watch 9 or Galaxy Watch Ultra 2?
Well, there's always the Galaxy Watch 8 to consider, especially at its newly reduced price.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: now $250 off with trade-ins
$449
99
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$250 off (36%)
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has just landed at the official store. With a larger battery and a rugged design, this new smartwatch is the ultimate companion for many. Pre-order yours and save up to $250 with a trade-in.
The Galaxy Watch 9 brings improved health and wellness features. It's already available at the Samsung Store, and you can now pre-order it for up to $250 off with a trade-in.
The Galaxy Watch 9 brings improved health and wellness features. It's already available at the Samsung Store, and you can now pre-order it for up to $250 off with a trade-in. This is the 44mm variant with Bluetooth connectivity.
Shouldn't this thing be discontinued now that its sequel is out?
Not necessarily. That's because, unlike Apple, Samsung doesn't always kick its old products out of the company's official website the second a new edition goes up for pre-order. That does happen sometimes, but generally, "outdated" Galaxy devices linger around for a few months after their sequels are released before unceremoniously going out of stock and eventually disappearing altogether.
Yes, the Galaxy Watch 8 is still a very stylish and reasonably powerful timepiece you might want to consider... at the right price. | Image by PhoneArena
While the Galaxy Watch 8 could suffer just such a fate later this year, its list price appears to have been reduced shortly after the Galaxy Watch 9's announcement, which suggests its life might actually be prolonged.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm)
$299
99
Released at $349.99 and up last year, the Galaxy Watch 8 is now $50 cheaper with no special requirements and no strings attached from its manufacturer, and the new permanent price cut is good across the board. The wearable is still not as powerful as the Galaxy Watch 9, but its appeal is vastly improved now.
Originally made available for $349.99 and up, the Exynos W1000-powered timepiece can now be had starting at $299.99 directly from its manufacturer, and you don't need to jump through any hoops or take advantage of a limited-time promotion to save 50 bucks.
There's a very good chance such opportunities will arise again at major US retailers like Amazon in the coming months, so for the time being, it's probably not wise to settle for just a $50 discount over the Galaxy Watch 8's original price.
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Do you plan to buy a Samsung smartwatch anytime soon?
Still, it's important to note that Samsung has permanently discounted the 2025-released device, unlike its other two wearables from last year. The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) are technically still around as well, but at unbudged $499.99 and $649.99 prices, respectively, they're even less compelling and unlikely to ever become compelling again.
What's weird is that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic hasn't received a sequel this year, so it clearly would have made a lot more sense for that model to score a permanent price cut meant to prolong its life and improve its mass appeal.
What are the key differences between the Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 9?
Qualcomm's state-of-the-art new Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset is easily the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2's biggest upgrade over the two's predecessors, but unlike Samsung's 2026 rugged timepiece, the new non-rugged model doesn't bring substantial improvements to the table in the battery life or display brightness departments.
At first glance, you're unlikely to notice many major distinctions between the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch 8. | Image by PhoneArena
That being said, the Galaxy Watch 9 does pack a slightly larger battery compared to the Galaxy Watch 8 in both 40 and 44mm variants while also expanding on an already impressive set of health monitoring and fitness tracking tools with super-advanced features like Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load, and Fitness Index.
That seems enough to warrant a Galaxy Watch 9 purchase at $379.99 currently, but if (or rather when) the Galaxy Watch 8 drops from its new $299.99 list price to $249.99, you might be looking at an extremely tough choice. The Galaxy Watch 8, mind you, has become slightly more affordable across the board, fetching $329.99 (instead of $379.99) for a 44mm model sans cellular connectivity, as well as $349.99 (down from $399.99) and $379.99 (instead of $429.99) in 40 and 44mm sizes, respectively, with built-in 4G LTE support. Tough choices all around, eh?
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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