Samsung Galaxy Watch9 44mm review: health tracking on and off a Samsung phone

Battery first, because it decides this watch. Android Authority's reviewer says the 44mm Watch9 lasts about 30 to 35 hours in typical use with the always-on display off and under an hour of workout tracking. On a heavy day with roughly three hours of DJing and 20,000 steps, it had 15% left after about 24 hours.

That's a day, not two. My 7.4 is an opinion built on that review and Notebookcheck's, not on wearing one.

Battery and charging

The 44mm cell is 445 mAh, per both outlets. Retailer spec sheets list 40 hours with the always-on display off, but neither reviewer reached that in normal use.

Notebookcheck found 40% to 50% gone between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. with the always-on display and health features running, and 60% to 70% over 24 hours if you track sleep. Android Authority woke to a dead watch after starting one night near 40%.

Charging is slow. Both say a dead watch needs nearly 1.5 hours. Android Authority measured about 1 percentage point per minute early on and says a 10 to 15 minute top-up does little. It compared that with Google's claim of 50% in about 15 minutes for the Pixel Watch 5.

The chip is the real upgrade

Samsung moved from Exynos to the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite, with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (Notebookcheck). Its browser tests put the Watch9 at 21,546 in Octane V2 against 13,026 for the Watch8. Android Authority found it faster than the Watch7 but not transformative. It runs Wear OS 7, and Android Authority says Samsung promises five major Wear OS upgrades.

The watch weighs 34 g and is rated 5ATM + IP68. Android Authority calls it extremely comfortable. I'd rank that above any benchmark for something worn through sleep.

Health tracking with and without a Samsung phone

The sensor list is long: optical heart rate, ECG, body composition, skin temperature, dual-frequency GPS. Notebookcheck compared it with reference devices. Blood pressure deviated 1.1% systolic and 0.4% diastolic from a Braun cuff, SpO2 averaged 0.7% off, and heart rate during cycling was 4.3 bpm off a Polar H10 chest strap (three samples, so take that one gently).

Here's the catch. ECG, irregular-rhythm notifications and sleep apnea detection are not officially available with non-Samsung phones like Pixel or OnePlus, says Android Authority. Basic Samsung Health works on any Android phone. Notebookcheck lists ECG and blood pressure as Samsung-phone features and says the cuff recalibration is needed at least every four weeks.

Price

Samsung's buy page lists the 44mm with Bluetooth at $459.99 (November 1, 2026). The 40mm is $429.99 on the same page. I didn't confirm LTE pricing, so check the configuration on Samsung's page before you pay.

Who should buy it

Buy it with a Galaxy phone. Skip it if you want multi-day battery, or if you carry a Pixel or OnePlus phone and want ECG. For iPhone owners the question is moot, and the Apple Watch Series 12 against Galaxy Watch9 covers the other side.

Android owners comparing options should start with smartwatches for Android. Runners should see smartwatches for running. Full specs are on the Galaxy Watch9 44mm page.