I wanted to hate Samsung’s proprietary Galaxy Watch 8 bands, but I can’t

I didn’t expect to care this much about a watch band system, but here we are. With the launch of its newest smartwatches, Samsung has officially streamlined its wearable portfolio, bringing its questionable squircle shape to every model. This also means that all the Galaxy Watch 8 models now feature the brand’s Dynamic Lug system. This particular facet of the redesign might seem minor at first glance, and for anyone who’s ever struggled to swap a watch strap, it’s a meaningful improvement that’s worth all the backward incompatibility it’s creating.

If, like me, you keep your nails short and consequently can never get the pins to cooperate, the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic will be a welcome change. I’ve always liked customizing my watch depending on the day or activity. While I’m most often sporting a workout-friendly band, I also love leather and metal options for more formal occasions. I prefer woven options for sleep tracking, but when I inevitably get my wrists wet while wearing nylon, I immediately have to swap bands.

The new lugs, first seen on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, ditch the traditional spring-pin mechanism in favor of a slide-in, click-to-lock system. It’s intuitive, secure, and most importantly, it takes seconds to change bands, no nails needed. Samsung says the new fit also improves health-tracking accuracy by keeping sensors more stable on users’ wrists. I haven’t gotten my hands on a device yet to test this claim, but it’s a nice bonus when I was sold on the usability upgrade alone.

With that said, the change doesn’t come without compromise. Because of the new lug shape, neither the Galaxy Watch 8 nor the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is compatible with generic 20mm watch bands. If you’ve spent the last few years collecting straps, including official ones, third-party picks from Amazon, or niche designs from small makers, those are now effectively obsolete — unless you go the ugly adapter route.

The only bands that should work out of the box with the new devices are Galaxy Watch Ultra bands, but they’re also a little wider, as Samsung has confirmed to us. So even if you’ve bought extra straps for your Ultra, you’ll need to buy new, narrower Dynamic Lug-compatible bands for the Watch 8 and Watch 8 Classic.

It’s a frustrating bit of forced redundancy, especially considering the relatively high cost of Samsung’s new compatible straps. At launch, the selection of bands is also a bit thin. The official options look great, but the variety isn’t there yet. Fortunately, there are already plenty of third-party options available and even adapters if you are intent on making your old collection work.

If I’m honest, I hate when brands create waste or walk away from universal compatibility. (I’ve been screaming into the void about proprietary watch chargers for years.) In this case, I’m just choosing to focus on the positive side of the change: the new attachment system is absolutely easier to use. So while I understand why some longtime users are frustrated, for me, this is one of those times where the practical benefits outweigh the annoyance. I am significantly more disappointed in the squircle shape than the idea of replacing my bands for a more effortless system.