I spent 24,000 hours testing smartwatches and my top pick for health tracking right now is cheaper than ever (and not an Apple Watch)

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 is a health-tracking powerhouse and it's the cheapest it's ever been on Amazon right now

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 on wrist
(Image credit: Matt Kollat)

I like the Apple Watch like the best person, but admittedly, some of its health features are lagging behind the competition. For instance, the Apple Watch might finally give you a sleep score, but it wouldn't provide the level of detail into your slumber that wearables from Garmin or Samsung do.

Shop all smartwatch deals in Amazon's Black Friday sale

I'm the head honcho of smartwatch testing at T3, and I've spent the last 6.5 years wearing them to test their capabilities. The 24,000 hours is a modest estimate, assuming I only wear a watch 200 days a year – I tend to wear a watch every day, all day, so the number is probably closer to 40,00 hours.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (2025, 40mm, Bluetooth)
Save $70
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (2025, 40mm, Bluetooth): was $349.99 now $279.99 at Amazon

If you want a wearable that elevates your health tracking rather than just collecting data, the Galaxy Watch 8 is the one to buy – and this Black Friday is the best moment to pick it up for less!

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 on Black Friday?

The Galaxy Watch 8 sits in a sweet spot this Black Friday because Samsung is quietly building one of the most complete personal-health ecosystems on any wrist. That’s why the current $70 discount at Amazon feels like a rare opportunity to get ahead of the curve rather than just bag a bargain.

Samsung’s new sensor suite pulls in data that most wearables can’t measure, from Vascular Load to the Antioxidant Index, helping you understand how lifestyle choices affect your long-term health rather than just your daily stats.

Add on-wrist blood pressure readings and sleep tracking that actually explains why you feel wrecked or refreshed, and you get insights that go well beyond Apple’s newly added sleep score.

Performance-wise, it’s an all-day, every-day kind of smartwatch. The Watch 8 is lighter and more comfortable than older Galaxy models, with a brighter display and Samsung’s best battery optimisation to date.

Workout detection is fast, GPS accuracy is solid for road and trail running alike, and Samsung Health’s training suggestions have finally become properly useful.

Still not convinced? Check out T3's best Apple Watch roundup instead.

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Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.

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