Galaxy Watch 6 Bluetooth vs LTE - Which is Right For You?

So you have been planning to buy the Galaxy Watch 6 and wondering what can possibly be the difference between the Galaxy Watch LTE vs Bluetooth.

Well, there is one major difference, and that is worth considering before you make a decision. LTE connectivity.

The main difference between the Galaxy Watch 6 Bluetooth vs LTE is that of cellular connectivity. The LTE model is expensive and offers all the features of the BT model. Plus, it adds the functionality of making calls and texts without a phone nearby.

Now that you have the short version, let’s dig into some details to make the right choice.

Galaxy Watch 6 Bluetooth vs LTE: Main Differences

Pricing:

LTE models are always expensive. The price difference is usually $50 if we were to consider the previous models like Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 LTE vs Bluetooth, or Galaxy Watch 4 LTE vs BT.

The following table will get you all the pricing.

	Galaxy Watch 6 (43mm)	Galaxy Watch 6 (47mm)	Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (43mm)	Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47mm)
Price (BT+Wi-Fi)	$299.99	$329.99	$399.99	$429.99
Price (LTE)	$349.99	$379.99	$449.99	$479.99

Now apart from this price difference, you should also consider the monthly charges that you will have to pay for the LTE watch. Of course, you would have to buy a separate carrier plan for your watch.

The pricing for the plan varies with carrier providers and regions, but in the US that is around $10. So the LTE watch is basically gonna had an additional cost of around $120 per month.

People have this misconception that an LTE watch won’t work without a carrier plan. It’s completely ridiculous. An LTE watch without a carrier plan, or without LTE use, will just work like a Bluetooth watch.

Cellular Connectivity:

The LTE model offers cellular connectivity that will basically free the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 or 6 Classic from the smartphone.

You can answer and receive calls on Galaxy Watch 6 LTE without a phone or can send and receive texts. In addition to this, the watch would be able to stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks.

The Bluetooth model can do all these things but it needs a connected smartphone or Wi-Fi connection to make it possible. If you have music already downloaded on the watch you basically don’t need a phone. Also, to make contactless payments, you don’t need a paired Android Phone.

However, you would need a smartphone to initially set up both the LTE and Bluetooth models.

Battery Performance:

LTE connectivity is a power-hungry feature, and if you prefer to activate it on your cellular Galaxy Watch 6, the battery performance is going to take a tool.

Simply stated, Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 LTE uses more battery than the Bluetooth model.

However, if you don’t activate the LTE feature on the watch, it will offer the same battery performance as the Bluetooth model.

FAQs:

Yes, you can leave your phone at home and use Galaxy Watch 6. On Bluetooth models, you can use the native GPS and sensors to track workouts, make payments through Samsung Pay, and listen to downloaded music.

On the LTE models with cellular plan activated, you can perform all the above tasks in addition to standalone calling, texting, and Whatsapp messaging.

On the LTE models with cellular plan activated, you can perform all the above tasks in addition to standalone calling, texting, and Whatsapp messaging.

Only the GW6 LTE model can make and receive calls without a phone. But you must have a plan activated on these watches.

Bluetooth models can make calls as long as it is connected to a smartphone or the same Wi-Fi network as the phone.

Yes, the LTE Galaxy Watch 6 also has Bluetooth, Wifi, and in fact all the features of a Bluetooth model.

Make sure your Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 LTE is connected to your smartphone via the ‘Wear App’. Now follow the instruction

Open the Galaxy Wear App on your connected Android or Samsung phone.
Navigate to Watch Settings-> Mobile Plan->Setup Mobile Plan
Follow the onscreen instruction (you might have to log in to your Supported carrier account (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, UScellular)

Keep in mind, the UK models cannot be activated on US carriers.

You can use Galaxy Watch 6 LTE without a cellular plan. It will work as a standard Bluetooth model without an active plan.

No, the Galaxy Watch 6 LTE doesn’t have a SIM card. Instead, it has an eSIM feature that is basically an embedded chip inside the watch. This chip can be programmed to activate a carrier plan, or switch carrier.

You must have the same carrier as that of your smartphone on your Galaxy Watch 6.

It’s perfectly okay if you don’t know the model of your Samsung Galaxy Watch. Perhaps, you received it as a gift. Here is a simple trick to know whether your watch has LTE support.

If the watch was received as a gift or hand-me-down, the recipient might not know the specific model details.

For all the LTE models of Galaxy Watch 4, 5, and 6, the top button has a red tint which you can easily identify.

Galaxy Watch 6 BT vs LTE: What should you buy?

We would recommend you buy the LTE model. It surely costs $50 more, but at some point in your life, you might want to enjoy the standalone features of the watch.

In case you don’t want it now, simply don’t activate the cellular connectivity of the watch. It will simple function as a Bluetooth model.