Samsung Galaxy Watch9 smartwatch 40 mm, Wi-Fi, silver, cream band

The silver aluminium case and cream band give the Galaxy Watch9 a soft, light look that reads less like a sports gadget and works with a dress or a blazer. The case measures 42.7 × 40.4 mm, is 8.6 mm thick, and the watch weighs 31.5 g. According to the manufacturer it meets the MIL-STD-810H durability standard, so everyday knocks are not a worry.

The display has a resolution of 438 × 438 pixels at 327 ppi and shows 16 million colours. In always-on mode you can see the time and notifications without moving your wrist, and the light sensor keeps brightness at a comfortable level. Sapphire glass resists scratches better than ordinary glass, which matters if your watch often brushes against desks, doors or bags.

The 390 mAh battery charges wirelessly, so there is no plug to fit into the case. The manufacturer does not state battery life in hours; it depends on whether you use the always-on display, GPS and lots of notifications. Inside, according to the manufacturer, is a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. A microphone and speaker are built in, and common audio formats such as MP3, AAC and WAV are supported.

An optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope and barometer help you follow workouts and daily movement. The manufacturer describes insights that bring together sleep, activity and recovery data; these are wellness pointers, not a health analysis. Five satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS) record the route of a walk or run even when your phone stays at home. A geomagnetic sensor and an ambient light sensor add to the data and adjust screen brightness.

There is no LTE or eSIM: notifications, calls and internet come from your paired smartphone or a Wi-Fi network (Wi-Fi 4). Bluetooth 6.0 and NFC are also on board. The manufacturer lists Android as the compatible system. With 5 ATM and IP68 you can keep the watch on while swimming and in the shower.

The silver Galaxy Watch9 40 mm suits an Android phone owner who prefers a light-coloured, lightweight watch that looks more like jewellery than sports gear. It is for someone who wants notifications, movement and sleep tracking and GPS, but does not need a separate cellular connection on the wrist. At 31.5 g it is comfortable to wear overnight as well.