Despite being around for almost two years since it was released in August 2018, the Galaxy Watch is still one of the best smartwatches you can buy today. For one, it runs on the same Tizen 4 as Active 2 and was also updated with most of the UX features on Active 2. You can get the Galaxy Watch in two sizes; 42mm and 46mm. Each of these two is available in LTE or Bluetooth only. In this post, I compare the Samsung Galaxy Watch Bluetooth vs LTE to find out the differences.

Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm) LTE vs Bluetooth: Specs Comparison

	Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm) (LTE)	Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm) (Bluetooth)
ABOUT DEVICE
Device name	Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm)	Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm)
Device type	Classic/Fitness/Standalone smartwatch	Classic/Fitness/Standalone smartwatch
Predecessor	Samsung Gear S3	Samsung Gear S3
Successor	N/A	N/A
Date Released	August, 2018	August, 2018
Gender	Men	Men
WHERE TO BUY	BUY AT AMAZON	BUY AT AMAZON
DISPLAY
Display size	1.3 inch	1.3 inch
Display type	Super AMOLED Full color	Super AMOLED Full color
Display resolution	360 x 360 pixels	360 x 360 pixels
Pixel density	278 ppi	278 ppi
Display always-on	Yes	Yes
Input type	Touchscreen, 2 physical buttons physical rotating bezel	Touchscreen, 2 physical buttons physical rotating bezel
BODY
Shape	Circular	Circular
Casing material	Stainless steel/glass reinforced with polycarbonate	Stainless steel/glass reinforced with polycarbonate
Strap material	Silicone (leather straps also available)	Silicone (leather straps also available)
Bezel Material	Ceramics	Ceramics
Weight	63 grams	63 grams
Color(s)	Black and silver	Black and silver
Dimension	46 x 49 x 13 mm	46 x 49 x 13 mm
Strap size	22 mm	22 mm
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla glass DX+	Corning Gorilla glass DX+
Durability test	MIL-STD-810G	MIL-STD-810G
Waterproof rating	Yes, IP68, 5ATM MIL-STD-810G	Yes, IP68, 5ATM MIL-STD-810G
CLOCK FEATURES
Time/Date	Yes	Yes
Alarm	Yes	Yes
Stopwatch	Yes	Yes
MEMORY
RAM	1.5GB (LTE)	0.75GB (non-LTE)
Internal storage	4GB	4GB
Memory card slot	No	No
MEDIA
Audio	mp3/mp4	mp3/mp4
Microphone	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes
Camera	No	No
Music streaming	Yes	Yes
CONNECTIVITY
Bluetooth	Bluetooth v4.2	Bluetooth v4.2
NFC	Yes	Yes
Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth calling	Yes	Yes
NOTIFICATIONS
Calls alert	Yes	Yes
SMS alert	Yes	Yes
Email alert	Yes	Yes
Reminder	Yes	Yes
CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY
Network Technology	GSM/HSPA/LTE	None
SIM	Yes, e-SIM	None
FITNESS TRACKING
Steps	Yes	Yes
Distance	Yes	Yes
Calories	Yes	Yes
Floors climbed	Yes	Yes
Sleep tracking	Yes	Yes
Heart rate monitoring	Yes	Yes
VO2 Max.	Yes	Yes
Stress	Yes	Yes
Swim tracking	Yes	Yes
Menstrual cycle tracking	No	No
Blood pressure	No	No
ECG Tracking	No	No
Blood oxygen	No	No
Preloaded sport modes	Yes	Yes
PLATFORM
Operating system	Tizen OS 4.0	Tizen OS 4.0
CPU	Dual core 1.15GHz	Dual core 1.15GHz
GPU	--	--
Chipset	Exynos 9110	Exynos 9110
SENSORS
GPS	GLONASS/A-GPS	GLONASS/A-GPS
Accelerometer	Yes	Yes
Gyroscope	Yes	Yes
Heart rate sensor	Yes	Yes
Barometer	Yes	Yes
Compass	No	No
Pulse Ox.	No	No
Altimeter	--	--
ECG	No	No
Thermometer	No	No
Ambient light	Yes	Yes
OTHER FUNCTIONS
Interchangeable straps	Yes, 22mm	Yes, 22mm
Custom watch face	Yes	Yes
Voice Assistant	Yes	Yes
Compatibility	Android 5.0+ & RAM 1.5GB+ iPhone 5+ and iOS 9.0+	Android 5.0+ & RAM 1.5GB+ iPhone 5+ and iOS 9.0+
Payment system	Samsung pay	Samsung pay
Companion app	Samsung Gear app	Samsung Gear app
BATTERY
Battery type	Non-removable Li-ion battery	Non-removable Li-ion battery
Battery capacity	472mAh	472mAh
Est. battery life	Standby :5 days+, Mixed usage: 2 days+	Standby :5 days+, Mixed usage: 2 days+
Charging mode	WPC based wireless charging	WPC based wireless charging
Charging duration	About 1-2 hours	About 1-2 hours
BOX CONTENTS
	Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm)	Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm)
	Straps	Straps
	Charging dock	Charging dock
	Quick start guide	Quick start guide

Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm) LTE vs Bluetooth: Video Comparison

Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm) LTE vs Bluetooth: The Difference

• The design on the LTE and Bluetooth is the same, it’s same colorful AMOLED display, physical rotating bezel, and stainless steel material for the case. The 22/24mm straps are the same on both sizes.
• The fitness tracking features are also the same, you can expect any of these two to track your steps, floors climbed, calories, heart rate, sleep, outdoor activities like routes and locations.
• However, the difference between the Bluetooth and LTE model is the presence of cellular connectivity on the LTE model which the Bluetooth model lacks. As a result, the LTE model is a standalone smartwatch that allows you to make and receive calls directly from the watch.
• You can also make and receive calls from the Bluetooth model, but it must be connected to your phone which can cause some level of inconvenience especially while running or in the middle of another activity.
• The LTE model also has a higher 1.5GB RAM compared to 0.76GB of the Bluetooth model. I can really say how this affects performance on the LTE model, but from my experience, the Bluetooth model has one of the best and flawless performance I’ve seen on different smartwatches. Mind you, LTE isn’t available in every country of the world.
• On average, the Bluetooth only Galaxy watch 46mm can go up to 4 days from a single charge, this is higher than that of the 42mm of 2 days or more. You can expect the LTE models to go a little less than this considering the cellular features.

Which is Better?

I’m not a fan of standalone smartwatches because I think it complicates what a watch should be, but there are people who like standalone functionality in smartwatches probably because of the convenience and freedom it gives the phone. If you’re like me, the Bluetooth model is a great choice, while the LTE is a more comprehensive smartwatch and a great choice for anyone that fancies standalone features, but will cost you some extra bucks.