With a large rectangular screen, chromed edges, and prominent all glass front, the Gear S looks less like other smartwatches and more like an iPhone had a child with a rubber wristband. But if it looks a lot like a smartphone, that’s probably because it’s not too far off from being one. Unlike other smartwatches, the Gear S isn’t solely dependent on a Bluetooth link to another device; it has a complete set of hardware inside it, including an independent cellular radio that we’ll get to in a minute.

With a large rectangular screen, chromed edges, and prominent all glass front, the Gear S looks less like other smartwatches and more like an iPhone had a child with a rubber wristband. But if it looks a lot like a smartphone, that’s probably because it’s not too far off from being one. Unlike other smartwatches, the Gear S isn’t solely dependent on a Bluetooth link to another device; it has a complete set of hardware inside it, including an independent cellular radio that we’ll get to in a minute.