Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is available on August 27 starting at $249

Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Classic today, confirming many, if not all, of the leaks and rumors leading up to the official reveal. The only thing we really didn’t know was pricing. It’s good news.

Pre-orders for both smartwatches start today and will be available to purchase later this month on August 27. The standard Galaxy Watch 4 comes in either 40mm or 44mm aluminum; pricing starts at $249 for the Bluetooth version and $300 for the LTE model. Compared to the $400 launch price of the Galaxy Watch 3, this iteration is far more affordable in an increasingly competitive market.

Cool with shelling out the extra dough for a more premium smartwatch? Samsung has the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic in stainless steel, which starts at $349 for the Bluetooth model and $400 for the LTE version. The biggest draw here compared to the regular Galaxy Watch 4 is the rotating bezel which makes navigating around the UI easier; the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic comes in 42mm or 46mm sizes.

If you’ve been keeping up with our extensive Galaxy Watch 4 coverage, there aren’t many surprises, but some of the best features have been confirmed. If anything, it seems Samsung is doubling down on fitness and health tracking, with an improved UI and a new operating system co-developed with Google. On paper, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic sound like formidable smartwatches to the Apple Watch Series 6.

Beneath the bezel — Here’s just a quick rundown of the specs on the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic.

• Processor: Samsung’s 5nm Exynos W920 (1.8GHz)
• Display: Always-on Super AMOLED (1.2 inches for 40mm / 42mm and 1.4 inches for 44mm / 46mm)
• Sensors: Samsung BioActive Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro, etc.,
• RAM: 1.5GB
• Storage: 16GB
• Battery: 361 mAh on 44mm / 46mm sizes; 247 mAh on 40mm / 42mm
• Battery life: 40 hours (10 hours with 30 minutes of charging)
• Charging: Wireless
• Protection: IP68 Rating

Stat nerd heaven — If you’re the type that wants to know every aspect of your physical fitness, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has you covered. The BioActive sensor is actually a combination of three distinct sensors: Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart, and the much-rumored Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) sensor. These features can measure blood pressure and blood oxygen levels, with the option to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) that can detect any irregularities with the heartbeat. The BIA sensor can measure body composition by sending a weak electrical current through your body to measure resistance, which offers a detailed look into your fitness. This new Body Composition feature is the marquee fitness feature, measuring “skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, body water and body fat percentage.”

The sleep tracking feature is more robust this time around. Paired with a smartphone, the smartwatch’s blood oxygen tracking, synced via the Samsung Health app, can pick up on snores to record an even more detailed look into your sleeping patterns. As someone who hardly ever gets enough shuteye, the sleep tracking feature alone is a big selling point, but how well it works still remains to be tested.

Smarter than ever — With the new Wear OS, which is developed jointly with Google and announced at this year’s Google I/O developers conference, there’s more to the Galaxy Watch 4 than the fitness features. Users will be able to access first-party Google apps such as Google Maps, which works with the built-in compass to make navigation possible without a phone when using the LTE versions. Fitness apps such as Strava, Calm, and Adidas Running will also be compatible; users can stream music from their smartwatch with Spotify.

While the new Wear OS makes a lot of changes under the hood, Samsung’s One UI is running on top of it to enable features like smart gestures. For example, you can shake your arm up and down to accept a call. And if you’ve got compatible Samsung Galaxy Buds, you can seamlessly switch between the smartwatch and your phone with the Auto Switch feature. According to Samsung: “With One UI Watch, compatible apps are automatically installed on your watch when downloaded on your phone, and your important settings – like do not disturb hours and blocked callers – are synced instantly.”

Samsung smartwatches have always been a go-to option for Android users, and the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic sure seem like worthy successors to last year’s well-liked Galaxy Watch 3. The lower sticker price and new software features make it an enticing upgrade. The sensors give fitness-focused smartwatches like those from Fitbit and Garmin a run for their money, especially when packaged in a stylish design.

If you’ve been following this smartwatch’s tortured release, the wait is over. You can pre-order yours starting today. A limited edition of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic designed by Thom Browne will be available next month.