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Smartwatch

Samsung Galaxy Watch9

40mm, Bluetooth (no LTE), Graphite

$429.99US price, checked Oct 13, 2026

Android smartwatch with an FDA-authorized sleep apnea alert and ECG app

Check price at Samsung Full review →

Our smartwatch pick for iPhone owners

Apple Watch Series 12

42mm aluminum case, GPS (no cellular), with a Sport Band

$399US price, checked Oct 13, 2026

Full iPhone smartwatch with sleep and hypertension alerts, charged most days

Check price at Apple Full review →

Criterion	Samsung Galaxy Watch9	Apple Watch Series 12
US price	$429.99Checked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review	$399Checked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review
Three-year ownership estimate	$429.99 Incomplete known subtotal. Not included: energy use.	$399 Incomplete known subtotal. Not included: energy use.
Choose if	You have an Android phone on Android 13 or later and want a sleep apnea alert and an ECG app without a listed monthly fee.	An iPhone owner who wants sleep scoring, sleep apnea and hypertension notifications and an ECG app in one everyday smartwatch, with no required fee.
Main trade-off	Expect to charge it about once a day, and blood pressure estimates need a separate cuff for calibration every 28 days.	You'll charge it most days (Apple rates it at up to 24 hours), Android phones aren't supported, and the notifications flag possible signs rather than diagnose.
Key specifications	Battery: 390 mAh for the 40 mm model and 445 mAh for the 44 mm. Samsung's launch release rates it at up to 30 hours with the always-on display on, without naming a size. The 40 mm charges to 50% in 30 minutes and to 100% in 80 minutes Sensors: Samsung names a BioActive sensor for health tracking. The page doesn't list the individual sensors Health features: Sleep apnea risk notification and an ECG app, both for people 22 and older. Also blood pressure estimates, Bedtime Guidance, Energy Score, Vitals, Heart Health Score, an antioxidant index and an AGEs index. Blood pressure needs calibration every 28 days with a third-party cuff, sold separately. Samsung says Bedtime Guidance and Vitals are for wellness only Subscription: None listed for the health features. Optional iFIT premium content needs a paid subscription. The iFIT offer gives up to 2 months, then renews at iFIT's monthly rate unless you cancel. The Strava offer gives a 60-day trial that becomes a paid annual plan unless you cancel Compatibility: Runs Google Wear OS. Samsung lists sleep apnea, Bedtime Guidance and Energy Score for Android phones on Android 13 or above. A blood pressure footnote says Android 12 or later and Wear OS 4.0. The page doesn't mention iPhone Water resistance: 5ATM, IP68 and MIL-STD-810H, according to Samsung's launch release. The Galaxy Watch9 page's IP68 footnote says it's water-resistant in up to 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It says to rinse and dry the watch after it gets wet Display: Sapphire crystal, with brightness up to 3,000 nits. The 40 mm screen is 1.34 inches (438 x 438), and the 44 mm is 1.47 inches (480 x 480) Sleep apnea FDA status: De Novo DEN230041, granted February 6, 2024, for adults 22 and older. Version 2.0 got 510(k) clearance K261011 on July 20, 2026, for users 18 and older. Neither FDA document names Galaxy Watch9	Battery life: Up to 24 hours of normal use, or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode. Up to 10 hours of outdoor-run workout tracking without iPhone. Apple's test for the 24-hour figure included 6 hours of sleep tracking and a Bluetooth connection to iPhone. Charging: Up to 80% in about 30 minutes. A 15-minute charge gives up to 12 hours of normal use. A 5-minute charge gives up to 10 hours of sleep tracking. Apple measured charge times on drained watches with the included Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable and a 20W USB-C power adapter. That adapter isn't in the box. Sensors: Second-generation electrical heart sensor, always-on optical heart sensor, blood oxygen sensor, temperature sensor, water temperature sensor, depth gauge to 6 m, compass, always-on altimeter, high-g accelerometer, high dynamic range gyroscope and ambient light sensor Health features: Sleep score, plus sleep apnea notifications for people 18 and older. Hypertension notifications, the ECG app and irregular rhythm notifications are each for people 22 and older. Apple says Vitals and Blood Oxygen are for wellness purposes and not for medical use, and that temperature sensing isn't intended for medical use. Subscription: None listed for the health features on Apple's Series 12 page. Apple Music needs its own subscription. Apple Fitness+ is a separate service that the page doesn't price. Water and dust: Water resistant to 50 m under ISO 22810:2010. Apple rates it for shallow-water activities such as swimming in a pool or ocean, or snorkeling to 6 m. It isn't for scuba diving, waterskiing or other high-velocity water sports. Apple says water resistance can diminish over time. Dust resistance is rated IP6X. Compatibility: iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), with iOS 27 or later. The GPS model connects over Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 4 and has no cellular radio.
Exact variant	40mm, Bluetooth (no LTE), Graphite	42mm aluminum case, GPS (no cellular), with a Sport Band
Dimensions	Samsung's launch release lists the 40 mm at 42.7 x 40.4 x 8.6 mm and 31.5 g. The 44 mm is 46.0 x 43.7 x 8.6 mm and 34.0 g. The 40 mm comes in Cream or Graphite, and the 44 mm in Silver or Graphite. The Galaxy Watch9 page lists a 14 g band.	The aluminum GPS case is 42 mm high, 37 mm wide and 9.7 mm deep. It weighs 32.2 g. Apple's specs page says the 42mm size fits 130 to 200 mm wrists. The buy page says a Sport Band comes with one size in the box.
Installation	No installation. It runs Google Wear OS. Samsung lists sleep apnea, Bedtime Guidance and Energy Score as available on Android phones running Android 13 or above. The Galaxy Watch9 page doesn't mention iPhone. Neither that page, the buy page nor the launch release lists what's in the box, so it's unclear whether a charger or power adapter comes with it.	No installation. Pair it with an iPhone 11 or later, including iPhone SE (2nd generation or later), running iOS 27 or later. It doesn't work with Android phones. In the box are the watch, the band and an Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable (1 m). No power adapter is listed.
Materials	Samsung says the case is aluminum and the display is sapphire crystal. It doesn't say what the band is made of.	The case is made with 100% recycled aluminum and comes in Dark Bronze, Light Gold, Black or Space Gray. Aluminum cases have a Ceramic Shield 2 front crystal. The pages checked don't say what the case back or the Sport Band is made of.
Warranty	Samsung's US warranty page gives no length for a watch bought in the US. Its only figure is a 'standard warranty 12-month period' in an FAQ on international service, which names watches launched in 2023 or later. The Standard Limited Warranty that Samsung links for this model doesn't state the period either. It covers the battery only if capacity falls below 80% of its rating.	The Apple One (1) Year Limited Warranty runs one year from the date of original retail purchase. It excludes damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse or other external causes. It also excludes consumable parts, such as batteries, that diminish over time by design, unless the failure is due to a defect in materials or workmanship. The warranty page doesn't give a battery-capacity threshold for service. Apple says AppleCare plans are separate from and in addition to this warranty.
Returns	Watches bought on Samsung.com or the Shop Samsung app can be returned within 15 days of delivery. Samsung charges a 5% restocking fee unless the return is for damage or a defect. Damage or defect claims are due within 5 days of delivery. Return shipping is free. The watch must be like new, factory reset and in its original packaging with everything that came in the box. Watches bought elsewhere follow that retailer's policy.	Under Apple's U.S. Sales and Refund Policy, you can return or exchange it within 14 days of the date you receive it from Apple. It must be in its original condition, with all included parts, accessories and packaging, and you need a receipt. Apple may inspect returned products. The Series 12 buy page says returns are subject to Apple's Sales and Refunds Policy. The pages checked don't state restocking fees or return shipping costs.
Unresolved questions	Whether the buy page's $429.99 for the 40mm is the Bluetooth or the LTE price Battery life with the always-on display off, and which size the 30-hour figure is for The standard warranty length for a watch bought in the US What's in the box, including whether a charger or power adapter comes with it Band material, and whether the listed weight includes the band Which version of the sleep apnea feature Galaxy Watch9 runs, since the FDA documents don't name it Whether the ECG app and blood pressure feature on Galaxy Watch9 carry their own FDA status The full list of sensors behind the BioActive sensor Whether the watch works with an iPhone at all The price of a compatible blood pressure cuff Independent, peer-reviewed accuracy data for Galaxy Watch9	Coverage for battery capacity loss beyond Apple's one-year warranty, which excludes batteries that diminish over time unless failure is due to a defect The checkout price of the exact 42mm aluminum GPS Sport Band configuration: Apple's buy page shows 'From $399' and a $399 lease example for the 42mm model, but no price for this band and color What the Sport Band is made of, and the wrist range of the single band size in the box FDA clearance details for the sleep apnea notifications, which weren't retrieved for this review (Apple's Series 12 page mentions FDA-cleared features without listing them) Independent, peer-reviewed accuracy data for the Series 12 sensors (Apple's heart-rate accuracy claim rests on its own study) Battery lifespan, battery service cost and charger power draw

These comparisons use published specifications, not head-to-head tests. Prices and terms are dated. Unknown costs are not zero. Check the exact variant before you buy.