Samsung Galaxy Watch9 smartwatch 40 mm, Wi-Fi, graphite

The 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display with 438 × 438 pixels at 327 ppi shows 16 million colours, so notifications and watch faces look crisp. It can stay always on, letting you see the time without raising your wrist. An ambient light sensor adjusts the brightness. Sapphire glass protects the screen against scratches better than ordinary glass.

The graphite aluminium case measures 42.7 × 40.4 mm and is just 8.6 mm thick, with a total weight of 31.5 g. According to the manufacturer, the watch meets the MIL-STD-810H durability standard. The graphite band closes with a single-prong buckle and matches the case. Small and light, the watch does not catch on sleeves or disturb your sleep, and the dark tone goes with sportswear and a suit alike.

According to the manufacturer, the watch runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. The battery holds 390 mAh and charges wirelessly. Battery life in hours is not stated by the manufacturer and depends on how you use the display, GPS and notifications. A built-in microphone and speaker handle voice commands and audio playback, with MP3, AAC, OGG, WAV and other formats supported.

An optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer and geomagnetic sensor collect training and activity data. The manufacturer says the watch gives insights into sleep, activity and recovery; these are wellness features, not a medical assessment. GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS handle positioning, so a running or cycling route records without your phone.

This is the Wi-Fi version: there is no cellular connection or eSIM, and calls and messages come through your paired phone. It connects via Wi-Fi 4 (802.11a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 6.0 and NFC. The manufacturer lists Android as the supported operating system. With 5 ATM and IP68, you can wear it while swimming and in the shower.

The Galaxy Watch9 40 mm in graphite suits an Android phone user who wants a small, light smartwatch in a dark tone with notifications, workout tracking and GPS, but no cellular of its own. The slim case and tough sapphire glass work at the office as well as at the gym.