Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Brings Back Iconic Rotating Bezel

Samsung has come to its senses and brought back the rotating bezel on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

The signature design and — importantly — beloved control feature has returned after users complained about its removal in the Galaxy Watch 5. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic will be released alongside the regular Galaxy Watch 6 sans rotating bezel.

Samsung also added more sleep-tracking features to both the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the regular Galaxy Watch 6.

Return of the Rotating Bezel

A rotating bezel might not seem like a big deal, but when you’re competing against the most popular smartwatch, the Apple Watch, differentiation is key. For Samsung, it was and now is (again) the rotating bezel around the display.

Twist the bezel in either direction to quickly navigate Wear OS 4 without touching the display. As any Apple Watch user can attest, having a physical control to navigate apps and menus on such a tiny screen is vastly better than poking and swiping, which can often mean covering half of what you’re trying to see.

In terms of specs and features, the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic are identical except for differences in case sizes, materials, and colors. The Galaxy Watch 6 comes in 40mm and 44mm, and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic in 43mm and 47mm. The Watch 6 Classic cases might appear larger, but rest assured, they’re not — they have the same 1.3- and 1.5-inch displays (and identical resolutions) as the Galaxy Watch 6.

Galaxy Watch 6 Tech Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch (432 x 432) Super AMOLED on 40mm / 1.5-inch (480 x 480) Super AMOLED on 44mm
• Chipset: Exynos W930 (1.4GHz dual-core)
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB
• Battery: 300 mAh (40mm) / 425 mAh (44mm)
• Software: Wear OS 5 with One UI 5
• IP rating: IP68 + 5ATM / MIL-STD-810H
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 5.3
• Colors: Graphite or Gold (40mm) / Graphite or Silver (44mm)

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Tech Specs

• Display: 1.3-inch (432 x 432) Super AMOLED on 43mm / 1.5-inch (480 x 480) Super AMOLED on 47mm
• Chipset: Exynos W930 (1.4GHz dual-core)
• RAM: 2GB
• Storage: 16GB
• Battery: 300 mAh (43mm) / 425 mAh (47mm)
• Software: Wear OS 5 with One UI 5
• IP rating: IP68 + 5ATM / MIL-STD-810H
• Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 5.3
• Colors: Black or Silver (43mm) / Black or Silver (47mm)

The Galaxy Watch 6 is made of a lighter “Armor Aluminum” and comes with a sport band. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic has a stainless steel case and a “Hybrid Eco-Leather” band. Both models come with a sapphire crystal cover for the displays.

Upgraded Sleep Tracking

Beyond the hardware, as a health and fitness device, Samsung’s added several new ways to better track your sleep with the Galaxy Watch 6 series. The smartwatches provide more info on sleep cycles, total sleep time, awake time, and mental recovery. Total sleep time and awake time are now represented as a “Sleep Animal Symbol” to aid users in understanding their sleep type. A “Sleep Messages” feature that Samsung says was co-developed with the National Sleep Foundation offers an in-depth overview for each night’s sleep. There’s also an improved “Sleep Coaching” feature to help build better sleeping routines.

While the focus of the Watch 6 series is clearly on sleep tracking, Samsung’s added a “Personal Heart Rate Zone” feature that guides users to their fitness goals based on readings from the various health sensors, a new “Track Run” feature for runs on a track, and a “Custom Workout” feature that, well, lets you create custom workout routines.

Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic Price and Release Date

The Galaxy Watch 6 starts at $299.99 (40mm) and $329.99 (44mm), respectively. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic starts at $399.99 (43mm) and $429.99 (47mm) Pre-orders start today with availability on August 11. Customers who pre-oder a Watch 6 Classic can snag a free fabric strap.