Apple Watch vs Samsung Gear S3
Comparing the new Samsung Gear S3 Frontier (top) with the Apple Watch Screenshots

The newly announced Samsung Gear S3 Frontier and S3 Classic are a pair of smartwatches billed to compete against the dominant Apple Watch. Here, we have compared the specifications of the new Gear S3 range with the Apple Watch, to help you decide which is better and deserves your hard-earned cash.

Due to the large size of both Gear S3s (they have a screen diameter of approximately 46mm), we have chosen to compare it with the larger 42mm Apple Watch. If the £259 38mm model is more your thing, then everything apart from the case and screen size remains the same.

Also, it looks like Apple might be preparing to announce a new version of the Watch; this might happen at the media event it has scheduled for 7 September, where the iPhone 7 will be unveiled, or it could be held later in the year.

With that being said, here is how the new Gear S3 Frontier and S3 Classic stacks up against the Apple Watch

Apple Watch 42mmSamsung Gear S3 FrontierSamsung Gear S3 Classic
Display1.65in AMOLED, 390 x 3121.3in AMOLED, 360 x 3601.3in AMOLED, 360 x 360
ProcessorApple S1, 520MHzDual-core, 1GHzDual-Core, 1GHz
Memory512MB768MB768MB
Storage8GB4GB4GB
Battery250mAh, 22 hours380mAh, up to four days380mAh, up to four days
SoftwarewatchOS 2TizenTizen
Dimensions42 x 35.9 x 10.5mm, 50g (body only)46 x 49 x 12.9mm, 62g46 x 49 x 12.9mm, 59g
Water resistance1 metre for 30 minutes1.5 metres for 30 minutes1.5 metres for 30 minutes

Unlike the Apple Watch, both versions of the Gear S3 have an always-on display which means they always show the time, not just when you turn your wrist. Both S3s have an SOS feature to quickly call the emergency services, and the Apple Watch will be getting the same when its software is updated to watchOS 3 in a few weeks' time.

Samsung says both models of S3 are compatible with any 22mm watch strap, not just the range it produces. While this is not true of the Apple Watch, third-party adapters can be bought to get around this.

Samsung Gear S3 range
The Samsung Gear S3 comes in two styles, the Frontier and Classic Samsung

All three watches are water resistant to one metre for 30 minutes, but neither Apple nor Samsung have confirmed their watches are suitable for swimming. The Gear S3 range both come with an altimeter and barometer, as well as a speedometer and integrated GPS.

Samsung's trump card is a version of the Gear S3 Frontier which is unlikely to be sold in the UK. That model comes with integrated LTE connectivity, indicating it has its own SIM card and phone number, so it can make calls and connect to the internet without being connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth.

Finally, while the Apple Watch [42mm] starts at £299, Samsung is yet to reveal how much the Gear S3 will cost, or exactly when it will go on sale.

Samsung