The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Pro could rival Garmin with a big battery boost
And a much-needed one
The rumors are that we might get three Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 models around July time, and a new leak points to the Pro variant coming with a significant battery boost compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series.
This comes from GalaxyClub (via SamMobile), and the message (according to Google Translate) is that one of the Galaxy Watch 7 models has a battery capacity comparable to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
You may remember the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, launched in 2022, had an advertised typical capacity of 590mAh. That compares with 410mAh for the standard Galaxy Watch 5, and 425mAh for both the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
In other words, we're looking at a substantial jump from the watches launched in 2023. In our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review, we talked about getting up to 72 hours between charges, or around 40-50 hours with a lot of GPS use involved.
When battery life matters
We're not sure yet what the three versions of the Galaxy Watch 7 will be called – this is still all rumored information – but if there is going to be one with a Pro designation, extra battery life could help it compete with the best Garmin watches out there.
Certain Garmin models can go for days or even weeks between charges, sometimes with the help of solar power. When you're adventuring in the great outdoors, having to charge your smartwatch every night can be a real drag.
See also the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which comes with extra battery capacity over the standard Apple Watch 9 – primarily for the keen runners and hikers out there. Apple's strategy may have helped inform Samsung's thinking this time around.
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We'll have to wait and see whether the Galaxy Watch 7 Pro is a true Garmin competitor. If the leaks are to be believed, these watches – plus foldable phones and the Galaxy Ring – will be launched at an Unpacked event sometime in July 2024.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.