Do larger Galaxy Watch 6 displays improve the experience?

Samsung’s brand-new Galaxy Watch 6 lineup boasts bigger displays than ever. If you ask most smartwatch wearers, more screen space should mean a better user experience. If nothing else, larger graphics are easier to tap and larger text is easier to read. But how does the expansion actually translate on users’ wrists, and is the experience significantly different on a Galaxy Watch 6 versus a Galaxy Watch 5? We dug in.

For better or worse, the Galaxy Watch 6 looks a lot like the Galaxy Watch 5. Likewise, the 6 Classic doesn’t exactly revolutionize the 4 Classic’s design. Both new Samsung smartwatches feature subtle improvements across the board and bring back the same basic looks shoppers have seen before. Samsung did, however, improve the line by boosting its display sizes.

The Galaxy Watch 6 offers a display area 20% larger than that of the Galaxy Watch 5. Last year, the sporty model landed with 40mm and 44mm case sizes featuring 1.2-inch and 1.4-inch displays. This year, the Galaxy Watch 6 offers larger 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch displays in the same case sizes.

Likewise, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offers even larger cases and shrinks the 5’s bezel by 15%. In other words, its real estate is noticeably larger than the last device to sport a rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. The older sibling offered 42mm and 46mm cases with 1.1-inch and 1.36-inch displays respectively. The newest Classic combines an extra 1mm on each case with much thinner bezels to offer 1.3-inch and 1.5-inch displays.

Given that the displays don’t add bulk, they’re an easy upgrade to celebrate. There aren’t any obvious drawbacks beyond that you may need to purchase a new screen protector. On the flip side, the expanded margins mean larger graphics. If you often find yourself raising your arm excessively to check stats or read texts, you’ll appreciate the roomy new devices.

Rather than cramming more details onto data fields, Samsung merely beefed up existing icons and menus to improve readability. This is helpful when browsing at-a-glance info on your Wear OS tiles, but it’s even more impactful on info-packed screens such as graphs, Google Maps, and more. For users who like maximum complications on their watch faces, the bigger displays also make those particulars more visible.

Of course, most any conversation about the Galaxy Watch 6 series inevitably makes its way to the return of the rotating bezel. As mentioned, even while bringing back this space-eating feature, Samsung still managed to maintain its promise of a larger display. With a thinner bezel, bigger screen, and beefed-up resolution, the 6 Classic delivers a truly attractive device for those interested in a traditional aesthetic.

Wear OS 4 has not yet rolled back to the Galaxy Watch 4 series so the devices don’t feature the same software. Since Samsung redesigned certain menus and tiles, a 1:1 comparison is not possible. A side-by-side look at different layouts isn’t as helpful as identical screens.

Still, it’s clear that the user experience is positively impacted by a larger display. As seen above, the watches often show the same amount of information. However, it’s easier to read and review on the Galaxy Watch 6. Likewise, shortcuts are easier to interact with, input is more consistent, and actions like selecting an app are easier. Even the thinner rotating bezel is pleasant to use. Notably, the 6 Classic is protected by Sapphire Crystal while the 4 Classic isn’t. The role of reflective lighting is misleading in analyzing each screen’s contrast in the shots above.

Whether you purchase a Galaxy Watch 6 or a Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, you’re taking home at least one user-friendly upgrade. Rather than bringing your watch up to your nose to see it or feeling like an oversized giant tapping the wrong details, you can now see clearer and aim truer.