Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic which can be found in the market in 42mm and 46mm size has a high-quality stainless-steel chassis with an 11mm depth and a mechanical rotating ring. The 42mm version with a weight of 46.5g while the 46mm model with a weight of 52g are the two available in the market. The colors offered are Black and Silver. It comes with 130-210mm wristbands, a rotational bezel, side buttons, and 20mm band options. The Gorilla Glass DX on the front has IP68 dust/water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30min) and MIL-STD-810G certification. The bezel is usually praised for its great texture, but some users also mention that it becomes thicker compared to the Watch 5.

• Stainless steel chassis, 11mm depth
• Physical rotating bezel, side buttons
• Gorilla Glass DX front
• IP68 water/dust resistance, MIL-STD-810G
• Interchangeable 20mm bands

Galaxy Watch 4 Classic Display

Watch 4 Classic comes with a Super AMOLED panel with a 1.2-inch 396 x 396 pixels or a 1.4-inch 450 x 450 pixels screen (both approximately 330 PPI). This display supports an always-on feature and has a 1000-nit brightness limit. It is much closer in equipping to the Watch 5 but is smaller in size compared to the Watch 6. People are satisfied with its colorful display, but the Watch 6’s larger screen is also their focus of attention.

• Super AMOLED, always-on
• 42mm: 396 x 396, 46mm: 450 x 450, ~330 PPI
• Up to 1000 nits
• Gorilla Glass DX protection
• Smaller than Watch 6

Performance and Software

Being powered by the Exynos W920 (dual-core, 1.18GHz, 5nm) with 1.5GB RAM and 16GB integrated storage, the Watch 4 Classic is based on Wear OS 3 and has One UI Watch 3 as well (it is also updatable to One UI 5). As for the features, Samsung Health, body composition analysis, and sleep tracking are present in Watch 4 Classic. Features at a higher level, e.g., sleep apnea detection, have been omitted. There is an almost equivalent performance to Watch 5; it is not, however, faster than Watch 6, the user's quip.

• Exynos W920, dual-core, 5nm
• 1.5GB RAM, 16GB storage
• Wear OS 3 with One UI Watch 3
• Samsung Health, body composition
• Sleep tracking

The W920 handles basic tasks, with Wear OS supporting apps, but it lacks newer health features.

Sensors and Health

In addition to a BioActive Sensor (heart rate, ECG, body composition), the Watch 4 Classic is equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, geomagnetic sensor, and light sensor. It can be used to check ECG, the level of blood oxygen (SpO2), sleep, and menstrual cycle tracking while the system does not include a thermometer. However, there are users who think that it enables them to keep track of their health and there is no sensor available when comparing it to Watch 5.

• BioActive Sensor (heart rate, ECG, body composition)
• Sleep tracking, menstrual cycle tracking
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer
• Geomagnetic, light sensor
• No temperature sensor

Battery and Charging

The 247mAh (42mm) or 361mAh (46mm) battery of Watch 4 Classic may be used for ~40 hours. After that users can recharge the watch wirelessly and up to the 50 percent level in ~45min via a magnetic USB-C charger. However, the usage of Watch 5 achieves 24–30 hours which is less than the battery capacity of the Watch 4. They argue that they have to charge the device more frequently compared to a friend who has the Watch 5 Pro.

• 247mAh (42mm), 361mAh (46mm)
• ~40h (normal), ~24h (always-on)
• Charging: 0–50% in ~45min
• Magnetic USB-C charger
• No reverse wireless charging

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, 2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, and LTE (cellular version, starts from $379) are the main connection options of the Watch 4 Classic. A microphone and a speaker accompany the smartwatch to facilitate calling. In comparison with the Watch 5 that has Bluetooth 5.2 and GPS, Connectivity is now a step behind. They state that the LTE signal is stable, but the data travel speed is lower than that of the newer version.

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 5.0
• GPS, LTE (cellular models)
• NFC, Samsung Wallet
• Microphone, speaker playback
• No Wi-Fi 6

Pricing and Availability

The 42mm, Bluetooth, stainless steel Watch 4 Classic was priced at $349.99 at launch and was made available through Samsung, retailers, and carriers from August 27, 2021. LTE models are $30 more and the largest 46mm size can be purchased at the starting price of $379.99. The model was no longer in production in 2022 but is obtainable from second-hand sellers at the price range of $200 to $300. Users consider it to be more cost-effective than the non-rotatable bezel.