The Apple Watch 6 versus the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is what we've been waiting for all year. The two flagship smartwatches were launched at the same price of $399, with refreshed features, faster software, and a remarkable new health sensor.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 offers a slimmer design, larger music storage, and more fitness features than the original. However, it is not as slim, has less storage, and offers fewer functional wellness tools than the Apple Watch Series 6. Both tout an FDA-approved ECG monitor and SpO2 reading, but there are other things to consider in the battle for the best smartwatch crown.

For one, the Apple Watch can only be set up with an iPhone, leaving Android users isolated. However, the new family sharing mode means that an iPhone owner can assign an Apple Watch to a non-iPhone user via LTE. Of course, the Galaxy Watch is compatible with both iOS and Android.

While the Apple Watch 6 outperformed the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 in the final rankings, there are additional factors that may trouble you between the Apple Watch 6 and the Galaxy Watch 3. For an overview of the two comparisons, read here.

The Apple Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 3 have the same starting price of $399. That gets you either the 41mm model of the Galaxy Watch 3 or the 40mm model of the Apple Watch Series 6. 44mm Apple Watch or the larger 45mm Galaxy Watch 3 would be $429.

The big difference in price is LTE connectivity. Samsung is asking for an additional $50 on top of the base price to disconnect the Galaxy Watch 3 from the phone. Apple, on the other hand, sells its flagship LTE model for $100 more; if you want a more affordable Apple Watch with LTE, the Apple Watch SE is a good choice.

The look of the Apple Watch remains unchanged six years later, which may be why many people think of its design when they hear "smartwatch." The iconic screws still look modern, but look even better in the new Product Red and Blue limited edition finishes.

The Galaxy Watch 3 looks more like a traditional wristwatch. With a rotating bezel that can be used to navigate menus, it balances a useful high-tech device with a fashionable wrist accessory.

While the slender Apple Watch holds the upper hand in terms of slimness and comfort, the circular Galaxy Watch 3 eliminates some of its original size and bulk while increasing the display area; comparing the two side-by-side, the Galaxy Watch is decidedly bolder, with the smaller Apple Watch 3's larger display area and more compact design, while the Galaxy Watch 3's larger display area is more compact.

Also, the Galaxy Watch 3 comes with an elegant leather-like band, while the Apple Watch comes with a sports band. Both devices' straps can be replaced with Galaxy Watch compatible bands or the best Apple Watch bands.

The Apple Watch 6, like the Series 5, has an always-on display, but this time it is brighter. However, this is not the only smartwatch that allows users to check the time without waking from sleep. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 3 screen is also always on.

Both watches have beautiful OLED touchscreen displays that are easy to read even in direct sunlight; the Apple Watch's screen is slightly higher resolution (448 x 368) than the Galaxy Watch 3's (360 x 360), but the difference is not noticeable to the naked eye.

The Apple Watch has built an impressive reputation for its fitness tracking and health tools, and with the Apple Watch Series 4's FDA-certified ECG sensor that can detect atrial fibrillation, Apple has enhanced its reputation. And now, with the Apple Watch 6, the company is putting blood oxygenation level (SpO2) monitors on the map.

However, Samsung also offers SpO2 monitoring and has countered Apple with its own ECG sensor in the Galaxy Watch Active 2. The heart health measurement was not FDA approved until the Galaxy Watch 3 was released, but the software is now up and running, offering a potentially life-saving feature. The same can be said for trip detection, which is old news for the Apple Watch, but a smart feature that Samsung finally copied this year.

Both the Galaxy Watch 3 and Apple Watch Series 6 have sleep tracking capabilities. Previous Galaxy Watch sleep logs were found not to be 100% accurate, and Apple Watch logs are not 100% accurate either. However, the Apple Watch's sleep tracking does help us to establish a sleep schedule to some extent.

As for fitness, these rival smartwatches offer a large catalog of preset workouts, as well as automatic workout tracking in case you forget to select an activity. The Galaxy Watch 3 and Apple Watch also provide VO2max readings, an important metric for runners. As exercise accessories, these wearables are nearly competitive. [The Apple Watch 6 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 have native app stores for browsing and installing programs to maximize the user experience. Some apps extend smartphone programs, while others are unique to each smartwatch's skill set.

A few major companies, like Spotify, support the Tizen OS; the Galaxy Watch 3's 8GB of music storage allows users to store songs and play them offline with a Spotify Premium subscription. [You can't store Spotify music on your Apple Watch, but you can download playlists and stream them if you have an Apple Music subscription. Storage will also be greatly increased: 32 GB.

Neither smartwatch is rated very highly for battery life. As a matter of fact, if you wear a high-performance smartwatch regularly, you will need to charge it several times a week, if not daily.

The Galaxy Watch 3 lasts up to two days, but depending on workout tracking and display settings, it may only last 24 hours; the Apple Watch 6's 18-hour limit is a bit more reliable.

If you want a smartwatch with a battery that lasts longer than a week, you may need to look to other wearable brands. For example, check out our guide to choosing the best Fitbit.

This Apple Watch 6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 showdown differs from last year's Apple Watch 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 in several ways. The question is not which of these smartwatches is better; both have FDA-approved ECG sensors, SpO2 monitoring, trip detection, and other game-changing features.

For the most part, we recommend the Galaxy Watch 3 for Android users and the Apple Watch 6 for iPhone users. Neither company has tilted the scales enough to divide their respective cell phone camps.