Samsung Gear Live Vs. LG G Watch: Android Wear Face-Off

Todd R. Brain June 20, 2025

Smartwatches are all the rage these days, and to add fuel to the fire, Samsung and LG have released their first batch of smartwatches based on Android Wear. After reading this Buzzle article on Samsung Gear Live vs. LG Watch, we hope you can make a wiser choice. Smartwatches are all the rage these days, and to add fuel to the fire, Samsung and LG have released their first batch of smartwatches based on Android Wear. After reading this Buzzle article on Samsung Gear Live vs. LG Watch, we hope you can make a wiser choice. TAGGED UNDER: Android Gadgets

Did You Know? Only Android v4.3 or later smartphones are compatible with Android Wear smartwatches. Google has now stepped into the world of smartwatches. The big G is not making these smartwatches but has floated an OS to power the next generation. Samsung and LG have already released their smartwatches based on the Android Wear OS. These smartwatches do not look very different in the real world, but Samsung and LG products can’t be the same. If you want to buy either, read this Buzzle article about Samsung Gear Live vs. LG G Watch.

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In case you aren’t familiar with it, Gear is the name of the series for Samsung’s smartwatches. Gear Live is the fourth member of the Gear series, raising the benchmark of quality and ergonomics set by the Samsung Gear 2. LG G Watch is LG’s first attempt at making a smartwatch, so we are not expecting it to ace the Gear Live, but we are not expecting a poor performance.

Note: You can check if your phone or tablet is compatible with Android Wear by visiting g.co/WearCheck in your Android browser.

Specs Samsung Gear Live LG G WatchDisplay 1.63″, 320×320px, AMOLED, 277.6 pp 1.65″, 280×280px, IPS LCD, 240 ppiBattery 300 mAh 400 mAhWeight 59 g 63 dimensions 37.9 x 56.4 x 8.9 mm 37.9 x 46.5 x 9.95 chipset Snapdragon 400 Snapdragon 400RAM 512 MB 512 MBStorage 4 GB 4 GBO.S. Android Wear Android WearBluetooth v4.0 LE v4.0 LESensors Heart rate monitor, Accelerometer, Compass, and Gyro Accelerometer, Compass, and GyroStarts at USD 199 USD 229Dust and Water Resistant Yes, IP67 certified Yes, IP67 certified trap 22 mm (Changeable) 22 mm (Changeable)

display the Samsung Gear Live graces, a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display having a resolution of 320×320 pixels. The pixel density turns out to be approximately 280 ppm, and given the distance from which you will see this display, it will look very sharp. The LG G Watch packs a slightly bigger, but not better, 1.65-inch IPS LCD. The PPI count is 240. It won’t be as sharp as the Gear Live’s display, but it won’t pixelate either. AMOLED displays produce saturated colors, and I don’t like them, but hey, will we watch a movie on this tiny display? With its IPS LCD, the G Watch will produce natural-looking colors, but it’s a matter of personal taste. What do you want? Vibrant colors or natural colors?

BatterySamsung Gear Live has a 300 mAh battery, while the LG G Watch gets its power from a 400 mAh battery. Gear Live has more pixels to feed, but the presence of an AMOLED display makes up for this by turning off the pixels to display a black color. The stock watch face on the Android Wear is black, so theoretically, Gear Live would beat the LG G Watch in terms of idle time if it also had that same 400 mAh battery. The testing results of folks at Arstechnica indicate that the G Watch has better battery backup. The results are based on real-life usage, and it is concluded that both these watches can easily last a day on a single recharge.

Ease of UseThe Gear Live has a curved back, and the LG G Watch has a flat back. So, unless you have a lot of fat around your wrist, you will feel that the Gear Live is much more comfortable for prolonged use than the G Watch.
Sunlight Legibility: Neither of these watches has a sunlight-friendly display. You’ll have to crank the brightness to the maximum level to discern any text on the display. Surprisingly, these watches also don’t have an auto-brightness mode. So, you will have to go to settings to change the brightness level every time you go out or risk draining the battery quickly.

Weight and Dimensions Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch tip the weighing scale at 59g and 63g, respectively. They are also not super-slim like the latest flagship smartphones. Samsung Gear Live is slimmer than the LG G Watch by 1.05 mm and possesses 8.9 mm of thickness. ChipsetExcept saying that it runs on a 1.2 GHz processor, Samsung and LG have not spilled any beans about the chipset of their latest smartwatches. However, the geeks at Arstechnica confirmed that these smartwatches run on a Snapdragon 400 chipset―the same chip that powers the Moto G.

MemoryLG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live have 512 MB of RAM and 4 GB internal storage. Since you’ll mostly be using your smartwatch to receive notifications and directions, 512 MB of RAM seems more than enough. You won’t install too many apps on your smartwatch, so 4 GB sounds adequate.
These smartwatches run on Android Wear OS and do not support any skin/theme. However, manufacturers can install their watch faces to differentiate their smartwatches from other brands. Gear Live and G Watch have pre-installed Samsung and LG watch faces.
Sensors and ProtectionThe G Watch and Gear Live come with the usual sensors, such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and gyroscope. The Gear Live also sports a heart rate monitor to please fitness freaks. These watches are also IP67 certified for dustproofing and water resistance, allowing you to wash your hands, garden, and do other daily chores without any worries.

Price TagThe Gear Live has an asking price of USD 199, and the G Watch can be yours for just USD 229. Both watches can be bought directly from the Google Play Store.
Image Gallery
Image Credit: lgnewsroom.com

The IP67-certified LG G WatchFront and side view of the LG G Watch

The Samsung Gear LiveSide view of the Gear LiveThe heart rate monitor at the back
Image Credit: samsungmobilepress.com
It is difficult to select anyone who watches out of these two as they don’t differ much in hardware specifications. It is a matter of choosing a brand. Personal taste will also play a major role because some like saturated colors and trust Samsung, and some don’t.