T-Mobile is offering a free Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 — heres how this preorder deal works

TL;DR: T-Mobile is celebrating Samsung Unpacked by offering the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 for free — saving you $379.99 (100% off) via 24 monthly bill credits when you add a qualifying wearable line.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Free via 24 monthly bill credits when you add a qualifying wearable line. Shop Now

Carrier launch windows are historically the only time you can score 100% off a newly-announced flagship smartwatch without trading in an older device. With Samsung Unpacked officially underway, T-Mobile is attempting to lock in subscribers by wiping away the entire $379.99 retail cost of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9.

If you've been holding out on adding a cellular smartwatch to your wrist setup, this is the lowest upfront price you will see all year.

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

As savvy consumers, you should know that carrier bill credits always come with strings attached. While wiping out the Galaxy Watch 9's $379.99 sticker price upfront sounds like a steal, you aren't walking away without spending anything.

To get this new smartwatch for $0, T-Mobile requires you to add a new paired wearable line to your monthly account. Assuming you have AutoPay turned on, that service line will run you around $12 to $15 per month. Add in T-Mobile's standard one-time $35 connection charge at checkout, and your actual out-of-pocket cost over the 24-month contract cycle comes to roughly $323 (plus tax).

If you genuinely want true, phone-free independence, paying around $323 over two years for a top-tier $380 smartwatch plus two full years of standalone cellular data is a genuinely great deal. However, if you just want a simple Bluetooth watch to check text notifications and track your daily sleep, you are better off skipping T-Mobile entirely and buying directly from Samsung.