Initial Impressions 46mm Silver

[CKwik240]

Received my GW4 Classic in silver today. I charged it up while finishing up work and then logged into T-Mobile and swapped the e-SIM to the new watch. Set up Samsung Pay. Went pretty smoothly. Played around a bit with various settings and apps. Still have a lot to look at.

Looking at the the GW4 side by side with the GW3, the GW4 Feels a bit smaller. Mainly in the thickness, but the narrower 20 mm band is noticable. The mounting points for the band are thinner as well. It's not necessarily a terrible look, but the GW3 feels a lot beefier. One thing that jumps out is that the GW3 had a high polished surface around the bevel. The GW4 has a media blasted surface. It looks good, but I definitely prefer the polished surface personally, especially with stainless steel bands. The sides for both watches have a brushed stainless finish. I still have my GS3 Frontier. I'm trading it in as the battery is starting to show it's age. Loved that watch as my daily watch as the finish is super durable. Banged that sucker against all kinds of trucks and their parts and no scratches. The stainless watches just look way better when dressed up.

Bands. Mine came with the grey sportsband. Functions just fine and feels comfortable, but just looks cheap and doesn't really match the aesthetics of the classic version. It does make the watch feel a little wider though as the band widens out just past the mounting tabs and tapers back down so it has great visual proportions. I'd suspect the black watch with a black sport band may look pretty good.

I'm pretty disappointed that Samsung decided on a 20mm band. Just doesn't look as good. I had ordered a Fullmosa stainless band on Amazon and it is a hair too wide. Going to try and return it. I could machine it down, but if I'm going to do that, I'd rather machine some clearance out of the band I'm using on my GW3 at work. The GW4's band tabs are more square in appearance, so it may look pretty good if I just notch a millimeter on each side. The GW3 band tabs are much more angular so a notch would probably look a little funny.

Just my initial thoughts now that I have mine. Photo of the GW4, GW3, and GS3 Frontier are attached. The GW3 be ha a stainless Ringke bezel cover. Gotta figure out how to take that off before I sell it. Lol

 

[evohicks]

I could machine it down, but if I'm going to do that, I'd rather machine some clearance out of the band I'm using on my GW3 at work. The GW4's band tabs are more square in appearance, so it may look pretty good if I just notch a millimeter on each side.

This is what I did with my 22mm Galaxy Watch stainless bracelet, 1mm off each side. You will need the smaller spring clips also, I used some that came with one of my wife's 20mm galaxy watch bands.


https://flic.kr/p/2mivJKr https://www.flickr.com/photos/36378108@N06/

 

[mlblack16]

Received my GW4 Classic in silver today. I charged it up while finishing up work and then logged into T-Mobile and swapped the e-SIM to the new watch. Set up Samsung Pay. Went pretty smoothly. Played around a bit with various settings and apps. Still have a lot to look at.

Looking at the the GW4 side by side with the GW3, the GW4 Feels a bit smaller. Mainly in the thickness, but the narrower 20 mm band is noticable. The mounting points for the band are thinner as well. It's not necessarily a terrible look, but the GW3 feels a lot beefier. One thing that jumps out is that the GW3 had a high polished surface around the bevel. The GW4 has a media blasted surface. It looks good, but I definitely prefer the polished surface personally, especially with stainless steel bands. The sides for both watches have a brushed stainless finish. I still have my GS3 Frontier. I'm trading it in as the battery is starting to show it's age. Loved that watch as my daily watch as the finish is super durable. Banged that sucker against all kinds of trucks and their parts and no scratches. The stainless watches just look way better when dressed up.

Bands. Mine came with the grey sportsband. Functions just fine and feels comfortable, but just looks cheap and doesn't really match the aesthetics of the classic version. It does make the watch feel a little wider though as the band widens out just past the mounting tabs and tapers back down so it has great visual proportions. I'd suspect the black watch with a black sport band may look pretty good.

I'm pretty disappointed that Samsung decided on a 20mm band. Just doesn't look as good. I had ordered a Fullmosa stainless band on Amazon and it is a hair too wide. Going to try and return it. I could machine it down, but if I'm going to do that, I'd rather machine some clearance out of the band I'm using on my GW3 at work. The GW4's band tabs are more square in appearance, so it may look pretty good if I just notch a millimeter on each side. The GW3 band tabs are much more angular so a notch would probably look a little funny.

Just my initial thoughts now that I have mine. Photo of the GW4, GW3, and GS3 Frontier are attached. The GW3 be ha a stainless Ringke bezel cover. Gotta figure out how to take that off before I sell it. Lol

As for the Ringke bezel cover removal, I just removed mine last night. Had been on my OG Galaxy Watch for about 3 years. I use a plastic tool that was part of a kit I purchased years ago to take what was then my wife's iPhone apart.

Anyway, even with that tool it took a few tries to get it started but then I was able to loosen it and then just slowly went around the circumference, giving a slight twist to pry it up. After removal, I wiped down with some alcohol to remove any residual stickiness and was like new.

Those things really do protect your watch bezel, and they totally changed the looks of the GW and Gear S3 models. I may be installing one on my solid black 46mm Classic, but so far, Ringke is only showing a stainless silver option and I want a black bezel with the minute markers.

 

[CKwik240]

This is what I did with my 22mm Galaxy Watch stainless bracelet, 1mm off each side. You will need the smaller spring clips also, I used some that came with one of my wife's 20mm galaxy watch bands.

I saw your other post where you showed that. It looks like you removed a millimeter from each side over the entire end? Hard to see in the phone as the ends sit in a shadow.

I have the quick connect pins from a band I had for my Gear S2.

 

[CKwik240]

As for the Ringke bezel cover removal, I just removed mine last night. Had been on my OG Galaxy Watch for about 3 years. I use a plastic tool that was part of a kit I purchased years ago to take what was then my wife's iPhone apart.

Anyway, even with that tool it took a few tries to get it started but then I was able to loosen it and then just slowly went around the circumference, giving a slight twist to pry it up. After removal, I wiped down with some alcohol to remove any residual stickiness and was like new.

Those things really do protect your watch bezel, and they totally changed the looks of the GW and Gear S3 models. I may be installing one on my solid black 46mm Classic, but so far, Ringke is only showing a stainless silver option and I want a black bezel with the minute markers.

I even up removing mine last night and I did the same thing you did. Haha.

 

[evohicks]

I saw your other post where you showed that. It looks like you removed a millimeter from each side over the entire end? Hard to see in the phone as the ends sit in a shadow.

I have the quick connect pins from a band I had for my Gear S2.

Yeah I had to do the whole end with my limited tool base, I couldn't get too precise.

 

[CKwik240]

Yeah I had to do the whole end with my limited tool base, I couldn't get too precise.

I did something like that to a ceramic band for the Gear S2 when I had it. It was a hair too wide. Had to get some special grinding wheel though.

Found the packaging from the Gear S2 in the garage. Still had the leather bands sitting in it. I'm gonna use it at least until I try modifying the 22 mm stainless band. Doesn't look half bad, but leather bands just aren't my thing.

 

[felloffthetruck]

The silver watch sure is sharp looking.

 

[arunma]

The silver watch sure is sharp looking.

Very much agree! It definitely has a more business-y feel. I'm not sure why Samsung sends it out with such a cheapo looking silicone watch band, but good thing it works with standard watch bands (unlike a certain competing tech company I won't name).

 

[Rose4uKY]

The silver watch sure is sharp looking.

Silver is nice my hubby got black I like it too though!

 

[evohicks]

Silver is nice my hubby got black I like it too though!

I couldn't make my mind up so I went with black, only because my last watch was silver

 

[CKwik240]

Very much agree! It definitely has a more business-y feel. I'm not sure why Samsung sends it out with such a cheapo looking silicone watch band, but good thing it works with standard watch bands (unlike a certain competing tech company I won't name).

Yes and no for me. Using a standard design means more choices, but can't argue with the ease of swapping out bands on the Apple watch.