Black Friday puzzle: Buy the Galaxy Watch 6 for 53% off or the Watch 7 for 32% off?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (left, black) and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (right, silver) side-by-side
(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

Samsung doesn't want you to wait until the real Black Friday, as it clears out its inventory of Galaxy Watch 6 models once and for all. The Watch 6 40mm ($139.99, or 53% off) has never come close to this price; last week, it was $169! Now, you can play chicken with Samsung and hope it falls even lower by next week, or you can snag one now before it goes out of stock for good.

The only reason not to buy the Galaxy Watch 6 is if you want the Galaxy Watch 7 at $205 (32% off). That's another all-time low according to Camelcamelcamel, on what we consider the best Android watch of the year.

Our Galaxy Watch 7 vs. 6 guide will break things down in-depth, but essentially, the Watch 7 and 6 share the same design, displays, memory, and battery life, while the Watch 7 has a faster and more efficient processor, more accurate GPS, new health sensors, and more storage.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: was $299 now $139.99 at Amazon

The Galaxy Watch 6 has a thin-bordered, 2,000-nit display, robust Exynos chipset with 2GB of RAM, three years left of Wear OS/ security updates, and a ton of accurate health sensors. Even compared to newer Wear OS watches from other brands, I'd still recommend this year-old watch instead.

Price comparison: Best Buy - $149.99 | Samsung - $149.99

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: was $299 now $205.05 at Amazon

Want the best possible experience and longevity? The Galaxy Watch 7 is liable to last a few hours longer per charge, offer more accurate HR and GPS data for athletes, and provide more space for your on-wrist playlists if you leave your phone at home.

Price comparison: Samsung - $239 | Best Buy - $239

The Galaxy Watch 7 is objectively better than the Watch 6, but I know that most people deal-hunting on Black Friday prefer lower prices whenever possible. If I had to choose between the Watch 7 44mm for $247 or the Watch 6 44mm for $159, I'd lean towards the last-gen model.

Having reviewed the Galaxy Watch 6 in its smaller size, I'd recommend paying a little extra for the Galaxy Watch 6 44mm at $159.99 (52% off), another all-time low! The display jump from 1.3- to 1.5-inches makes a huge visual difference without weighing much more, and while the 40mm only has Black models left, the 44mm is available in both Black and Silver, giving you more options.

Out of the best Android watches, the Galaxy Watch 6 is still on my list, despite the Watch 7 supplanting it, because of its longevity: It just received Wear OS 5 and will get three more system updates by 2027. Unlike other old, cheap watches, the Watch 6 will keep getting new Galaxy AI tricks and app smarts for years.

I'll admit that I'd miss the Watch 7's dual-band GPS tracking, but that's only because I'm a regular runner who's greedy for the most accurate stats possible. "Normal" people can happily make do with the Galaxy Watch 6, which still has all the Samsung Health tricks and third-party Wear OS apps like Strava that you need to train and get (or stay) healthy!

While I personally love my Pixel Watch 3 as a Wear OS alternative, its early Black Friday deal of $329 ($70 off) isn't nearly as impressive. Only the Galaxy Watch 6 and 7 deals are especially kind to your wallet, and the Watch 6 in particular isn't likely to last very long! You can be patient on the newer watches, but this watch might very well sell out for good while you wait for something better.

Michael L Hicks
Senior Editor, Wearables & AR/VR

Michael is Android Central's resident expert on wearables and fitness. Before joining Android Central, he freelanced for years at Techradar, Wareable, Windows Central, and Digital Trends. Channeling his love of running, he established himself as an expert on fitness watches, testing and reviewing models from Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung, Apple, COROS, Polar, Amazfit, Suunto, and more.