Whether the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra blows you away or disappoints you’ll rely solely on context and expectations. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro house owners might need hoped for extra battery life, whereas Watch 6 Classic customers in all probability dislike the design decisions Samsung’s engineers made. Apple followers will scoff on the similarities to their Ultra watch, whereas Pixel Watch followers could also be jealous of the premium options.
If you ignore the truth that Samsung cribbed upgrades just like the third Quick Button, siren, and three,000-nit show from Apple and take a look at this machine in a vacuum, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is a implausible smartwatch that has grown on me after six weeks of testing. I’ve turn into accustomed to its weight, its design makes my different smartwatches look low cost, and its health efficiency surpassed my expectations.
Most importantly, Samsung patched a severe challenge with the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 7 a couple of weeks after launch. During my preliminary overview, the battery drained so rapidly that I discovered it laborious to advocate paying a lot for thus little upside. Now, it greater than lives as much as Samsung’s battery estimates, and that made me bump my overview rating up a half-star.
So though many individuals noticed footage of the Ultra and wrote it off as ugly or a bizarre Apple clone, I’d advise you to take it severely—should you can afford it.
I am unable to wave away the straightforward proven fact that this watch prices greater than the Pro and Classic that preceded it, and even when the Galaxy Watch Ultra is likely one of the finest Android smartwatches in the present day, not everybody must spend a lot cash on a watch. So let’s dive in and enable you resolve should you’re able to splurge on the Ultra!
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Price and availability
Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch Ultra on July 24, 2024, for $649 / £599 / €699 / CA$879 / A$1,299 / ₹59,999. By distinction, the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 with the identical show measurement prices $329, or about half the worth.
Available in White, Silver, and Black, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has three band choices: Marine, Trail, and Peakform. Each prices $79 as a standalone choice should you select to purchase a second choice. The nylon Trail band is the lightest for the very best consolation however will take in sweat. The elastomer Marine band repels water for swimming and water sports activities however feels the heaviest. The rubber Peakform band is a sporty center floor choice.
As of late August, Samsung provides a big trade-in low cost for the Galaxy Watch Ultra on Samsung.com. While they range by nation, within the U.S., you possibly can stand up to $350 off with a Galaxy Watch 6 Classic or Watch 5 Pro. I’ll embrace among the trade-in values under:
- $350: Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, GW 5 Pro, Apple Watch Ultra / Ultra 2
- $300: GW 4 Classic, AW Series 9 / 8
- $250: AW Series 7 / 6, Garmin Forerunner 965 / 955 Solar
- $200: GW 6 / 5, AW Series 5
- $175: Garmin Venu 3, Forerunner 265
- $150: GW 4 / 3, AW SE (2), Garmin Instinct 2 / Crossover, Forerunner 255
- $100: Any smartwatch in good situation
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Design and bands
- Despite being heavier and thicker than most watches, you get used to the Ultra’s weight.
- The Marine band is snug and balances the Ultra’s weight and look properly, whereas the Trail is healthier suited to exercises.
- The Quick Buttons could be very helpful however ought to have been a crown.
- While sturdy, the Ultra has had a couple of high quality management points since launch.
Samsung designed a watch that appears higher in particular person than in images. All you possibly can see from afar is a chunky sq.; in particular person, the shiny, metallic contours and buttons, rounded edges, and raised bezel look enticing and distinct from every other smartwatch I’ve worn.
Without a band, the Galaxy Watch Ultra weighs 60.5g / 2.13oz, similar to the Watch 6 Classic 47mm (59g) however heavier than the Watch 5 Pro (46.5g). Unlike the Classic, most of that additional weight is for squircle aesthetics, not the perform of a rotating bezel. Switching to this might be an actual transition should you’re used to the 1.5-inch Watch 6 (33.3g), although not in comparison with different “flagship” watches.
Still, this factor is chunky. Samsung claims it is 12.1mm thick, not together with the huge well being sensor lump; I measure it as nearer to 16mm thick.
Despite its thickness and weight, I’ve grown accustomed to the scale and do not discover it as uncomfortable as I first did. Also, though I hate carrying a smartwatch to mattress, I’m pleasantly stunned to seek out that it wasn’t horrible to put on for sleep monitoring throughout a number of nights of testing. My Marine band retains it feeling free and breathable.
I enlisted my smaller-wristed, Apple Watch Series 9-wearing fiancee for her opinion, having her put on the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 on both wrist. She mentioned she’d fortunately put on both however that she most popular the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s design and the match of the Marine band over Apple’s Trail band, which she mentioned made it appear and feel “top-heavy.”
Though I discover the Marine band fairly thick and would’ve most popular the thinner nylon choice, it proportionally matches the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s bulk, so the load distributes extra naturally, and it seems much less outsized. I do not thoughts an imbalanced, blocky search for a softer, extra breathable band, so I’d have chosen Trail or Peakform myself.
I’ve since supplemented Samsung’s principal band with third-party Galaxy Watch Ultra bands that value considerably much less. Samsung’s Dynamic Lug system is proprietary and does not work along with your previous Galaxy Watch bands, however not less than it is extremely simple to make use of. Tap two buttons alongside the Ultra’s backside to come out each straps, then slide and click on the brand new bands in. Once you already know what you are doing, it takes lower than a minute.
What makes the Galaxy Watch Ultra “area of interest” is its rugged design, which is tailor-made for excessive circumstances. All Samsung watches have the MIL-STD-810H label slapped on, that means they need to survive if dropped on the ground. Samsung particularly examined the sturdy Ultra for “excessive/ low temperatures, altitude, humidity, immersion, salt, fog, mud, vibration, and drops.”
The Galaxy Watch Ultra can survive elevations as much as 29,527 ft, or barely increased than Mount Everest. Of course, it is solely rated for temperatures of -4°F to 131°F (-20ºC to 55ºC) earlier than capabilities fail, and most mountain peaks get a lot colder than that. Ultra customers will in all probability put on it in additional informal exercise circumstances.
Samsung guarantees that the Galaxy Watch Ultra has 10ATM water resistance (double most watches’ max depth) and was examined in salty or chlorinated water. Thus, you possibly can safely swim wherever or use it for high-speed water sports activities, so long as you gently rinse and dry it off afterward.
Unfortunately, since launch, we have seen a few Ultra consumers complaining about misaligned shows or the Quick Button falling off, with Samsung buyer help reportedly refusing to step in in a single case. It jogs my memory of the problems with the Pixel sequence’ quantity rocker falling off, and it is my one imprecise concern with the Ultra’s design — that it might run into sturdiness points and that Samsung’s QC will not be as responsive as you’d count on for such an costly machine.
The Quick Button, nested between the standard two Home and Back buttons, opens up your Samsung Health workouts by default, although you possibly can reconfigure it to set off your flashlight, stopwatch, or water lock mode. Hold it down, and you may set off an 85db siren to assist folks discover you in emergencies. It’s uncomfortably loud in apply, which is the purpose in emergencies!
During a exercise, you faucet the Quick Button to pause the exercise immediately as a substitute of getting to swipe left and faucet a button with sweaty fingers. It’s extraordinarily handy, the primary factor I’d miss as a runner if I downgraded to the Galaxy Watch 7.
My principal grievance is that Samsung made the Quick Button crown-shaped however did not add any crown performance. Without the Watch 6 Classic’s bodily bezel, you are absolutely reliant on swipes or rotating your finger alongside the show edge to scroll, and I a lot favor a bodily dial since that leaves my view of the show uninterrupted. Without a crown or bezel, the Ultra expertise is lacking one thing.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Hardware and show
- The Galaxy Watch Ultra has a brand new Exynos W1000 CPU with a sooner clock pace and extra cores than the Watch 6’s Exynos W930.
- It has the identical RAM as final gen however double the storage.
- The show is similar measurement (however brighter) than the Watch 7’s.
Samsung gave the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 7 44mm the identical 1.5-inch, 480 x 480 show with about 320 pixels per inch, besides that the Ultra hits 3,000 nits of brightness as a substitute of two,000. That additional brightness appears to be like implausible in direct California daylight, richly colourful and unimpeded by reflections.
It has Sapphire glass to guard towards scratches and an elevated bezel that makes the show much less more likely to scrape towards one thing than the absolutely flat Watch 7.
You would possibly want Samsung had made the Ultra show even bigger to justify the upper value, however it’s already heavy sufficient. Maybe Samsung will transition the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 to a squircle, as has been rumored, to distinguish the Ultra from mainline Galaxy Watches. For now, Samsung has made the suitable name by preserving issues acquainted to long-time Android watch followers.
| Category | Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra |
|---|---|
| Display | 1.5-inch Super AMOLED, 480 x 480, 3,000 nits |
| Colors | Titanium Sliver, Titanium Gray, Titanium White |
| Processor | Exynos W1000 (1.6GHz) |
| RAM & storage | 2GB + 32GB |
| Battery | 590mAh |
| Software | One UI 6 Watch (Wear OS 5) |
| Sensors | Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor |
| Dimensions | 47.1 x 47.4 x 12.1mm* |
| Weight | 60.5g |
| Connectivity | LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, WiFi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, Global Positioning System (L1+L5), Glonass, Beidou, Galileo |
| Durability | 5ATM + IP68, MIL-STD-810H, Sapphire Glass |
| Price | $649 |
The Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch 7 have practically similar {hardware}. The 4 principal Watch 6-to-7 upgrades — the Exynos W1000 CPU, doubled storage, dual-band Global Positioning System, and 3x the LEDs for higher coronary heart price knowledge — are discovered on each watches. I’m glad Samsung did not hold these new perks unique to try to upsell us, however that does imply the Ultra does not have that many exclusives moreover additional battery life and built-in LTE mobile via your service.
That does not make these upgrades any much less priceless. I’ll speak in a later part concerning the wonderful Global Positioning System and HR efficiency, and the doubled storage is significant for anybody who desires to stream music, podcasts, or audiobooks whereas utilizing the Watch Ultra as a standalone smartwatch.
As for the Exynos W1000 improve, Samsung’s advertising and marketing claims that it is “2.7x faster” than the last-gen Exynos W930. That had simply two Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.4GHz, whereas the newer CPU has 4 Cortex-A55s clocked barely increased (1.5GHz) and one Cortex-A78 (1.6GHz).
In real-life use, it is undoubtedly sooner than my Watch 6 and (particularly) Watch 5 Pro, loading apps and processing Google Assistant queries in a flash. I would not say the Galaxy Watch Ultra is 2.7x sooner, because the Watch 6 was already fairly quick. But you see far much less lag, and the additional cores will deal with demanding duties for future Wear OS characteristic updates. I’ve no complaints.
Otherwise, should you examine the Galaxy Watch 6 vs. 7 and Ultra for {hardware}, Samsung did not change something important with its connectivity requirements or sensor array, except for the siren and “free” LTE.
I’ll admit that I did not check the Ultra’s LTE options. I do not care a lot about standalone LTE options, and I think loads of Ultra consumers will let the LTE capabilities go unused as a result of the setup is a trouble and the service add-on value is surprisingly costly. Google not too long ago launched the Pixel Watch 3 and provided two free years of knowledge for anybody who upgrades to an LTE mannequin; I actually want Samsung had completed the identical with the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Battery and charging
- Samsung guarantees 60 hours of battery life with the always-on show lively or 100 hours in energy saver mode.
- While the Ultra had a battery drain challenge at first, Samsung fastened it with a post-launch replace.
- It takes about two hours to recharge.
During my preliminary Galaxy Watch Ultra overview, I warned would-be Ultra consumers that it did not dwell as much as Samsung’s battery guarantees. It solely tended to final about 40 hours with AOD, so I knew I’d should cost it earlier than a second night time of sleep monitoring. The battery drain was painfully noticeable.
Thankfully, Samsung patched no matter induced this speedy draining, and the Ultra has greater than lived as much as its on-paper guarantees since then. At the second, it has been 60 hours since I final charged it, and the battery is at 21% regardless of two nights of sleep monitoring and two hours of dual-band Global Positioning System monitoring. It might in all probability make it a 3rd night time, however I’m charging it to be secure.
Without AOD, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is among the many longest-lasting Wear OS watches, competing with the TicWatch 5 Pro Enduro and OnePlus Watch 2 — although each watches value half as a lot.
As for health assessments, I discovered the Galaxy Watch Ultra used about 15% battery throughout two hours of Global Positioning System-tracked exercise time, earlier than and after the patch. That would put it on tempo for 13 hours of monitoring, which is barely under estimate however greater than sufficient for an all-day exercise with sufficient juice left for sleep monitoring.
Samsung gave the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Watch Ultra the identical 590mAh capability, and it is truthful to want that Samsung had discovered extra room for a little bit additional capability this time, given the Ultra’s weight acquire. The Watch 5 Pro had equal longevity two years in the past however naturally misplaced a few of its endurance since then; which means the Ultra will present a lift, but additionally that it might not final so long as we would hope.
As for charging pace, it’s going to rely in your charging adapter. I’ve seen conflicting reviews on whether or not this sequence makes use of 10W or 15W, however virtually talking, it normally takes me about two hours to refill the Ultra from low battery to 100%. That’s not as quick as you would possibly like, however slower charging normally corresponds with higher battery well being over time.
Samsung needed to redesign the charging puck a bit due to adjustments to the well being sensor, which suggests the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch 7 not help Wireless PowerSharing out of your Samsung cellphone. I by no means took benefit of this characteristic myself, however our Watch 7 reviewer referred to as this a “small bummer” for “forgetful of us” who favored topping off their watch away from house.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Fitness accuracy
- The Galaxy Watch Ultra’s dual-band Global Positioning System frequently matches up with Garmin’s dual-band monitoring.
- Its new revamped HR sensor has additional LEDs and does very properly for normal exercise monitoring, although it may battle with excessive coronary heart charges.
Samsung tripled the variety of LEDs within the Galaxy Watch Ultra in comparison with the Watch 6, which it promised would enhance accuracy throughout intense exercise actions from 88% to 94%. It additionally added dual-band Global Positioning System, which lets the watch pull your location knowledge from a number of satellite tv for pc positions to work round any obstructions like buildings or foliage.
Does it make a distinction? Health and health knowledge was my greatest knock towards the Watch 6 after I reviewed it final 12 months. This 12 months, I carried out a rapid-fire health check and located that the Galaxy Watch Ultra intently matched up towards a Garmin look ahead to Global Positioning System accuracy and a devoted coronary heart price strap for HR knowledge. It solely struggled in a single occasion: when working an anaerobic observe exercise at a near-max coronary heart price.
Since then, I carried out an extended check, working with the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Galaxy Watch Ultra on every wrist, each in dual-band mode. In the top, they each had an identical 160 bpm HR common and had been solely 0.01 miles aside in tracked distance after 9.5 miles. They additionally deviated by only one step per minute for tracked cadence, and their whole tracked steps had been solely 309 aside after over 17,000 steps whole.
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Looking extra intently at how they examine, the Galaxy Watch Ultra did begin to battle a bit within the later miles, randomly dipping in moments after I was stepping up my tempo, then overcompensating and rising to increased coronary heart charges. It averaged out, however “severe” athletes might wish to depend on a devoted strap for the very best outcomes.
In phrases of Global Positioning System accuracy, Garmin did win the battle; the Galaxy Watch Ultra had mile-long stretches the place it confirmed me off my working path, whereas Garmin stayed good. Practically, although, it did not matter: the Ultra and Forerunner stayed parallel with out the weaving or sign loss the Global Positioning System-only Watch 6 had.
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Since my preliminary overview, I carried out another accuracy check for redundancy, pitting the Galaxy Watch Ultra towards the Garmin Forerunner 965’s Global Positioning System and my coronary heart price strap.
For distance, each watches confirmed 6.21 miles and a 162 bpm common precisely throughout my first run. Samsung and Garmin’s Global Positioning System traces regularly overlapped each other all through, and the guts price knowledge intently mirrored the extra correct OHR armband (although nonetheless imperfect at instances).
For my observe exercise, I mistakenly began my Samsung exercise 30 seconds sooner than Garmin’s, which skewed my coronary heart price common. Taking that into consideration, the Ultra was totally on level for that tough mile, however it did have one 30-second span the place it struggled to register my 180+ bpm vary earlier than catching up.
Overall, the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s health {hardware} is way stronger than in earlier generations, with its dual-band Global Positioning System as a powerful level and anaerobic exercises as the one space that wants enchancment.
The subsequent step is to enhance Samsung Health’s reasonably primary health software program. Now that each Apple and Google have launched coaching load to their respective well being apps, it leaves Samsung because the odd firm out; its Energy Score is way more targeted on the day-to-day, not providing a week-to-week perspective. For now, I’m counting on third-party apps like Strava for these sort of insights.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Health and sleep
- The new sensor array makes use of additional LEDs to supposedly supply extra correct readings.
- While the Galaxy Watch Ultra did properly for sleep knowledge and HR accuracy in my assessments, the SpO2 and BIA sensors had been much less dependable.
- The latest AGEs Index seems to be all-but-useless.
Most of your Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra well being knowledge is available in a couple of kinds: passive HR and stress knowledge throughout the day, lively ECG readings, and sleep monitoring at night time with knowledge like blood oxygen (SpO2), pores and skin temperature, respiratory price, and sleep levels.
I procrastinated on sleep monitoring assessments earlier than my preliminary Galaxy Watch Ultra overview — I assumed it might be uncomfortable and mess with my sleep — however I lastly sucked it up since a lot of the Ultra’s new methods, like Energy Score and AGEs Index, depend on in a single day knowledge. Turns out it isn’t really that uncomfortable to put on.
First, the excellent news: Samsung gives in-depth, correct sleep knowledge like bodily restoration, restfulness, psychological restoration, and sleep cycles. The Ultra gave very comparable knowledge to my Ultrahuman Ring Air throughout the board, besides that Samsung calculated the next coronary heart price variability (HRV).
While sleep monitoring is at all times a bit relative and unsure, my Galaxy Watch Ultra’s every day Energy Score, Stress ranges, and resting coronary heart price all appear to match my real-life power and typical knowledge on different watches. I had one occasion the place my resting coronary heart price whereas working was unusually excessive however dropped to correct ranges after I cleaned the underside sensor array; I like to recommend preserving yours clear for the very best outcomes.
On the flip facet, I’m very disillusioned with Samsung’s imprecise sensor array upgrades. Both the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra have new LED colours — Blue, Yellow, Violet and Ultraviolet — which observe new well being markers, beginning with the superior glycation finish merchandise (AGEs) index monitoring. Samsung claims AGEs is simply “one of many many new superior options deliberate for the following Galaxy Watch.”
But if AGEs Index is an indication of what the brand new Galaxy Watch Ultra LEDs can do, I’m not impressed so far. At first, I used to be apprehensive that it confirmed me a mid-high rating, suggesting my bloodstream has extra compounds from a poor sugary eating regimen that sign untimely growing old and potential well being points. Then I noticed that each different Ultra reviewer and an entire Reddit thread all present screenshots with the identical rating, no matter every particular person’s well being and life-style.
It’s nonetheless a Samsung Labs characteristic, so I’ll settle for that it might enhance over time. But Samsung waited nearly a 12 months to allow pores and skin temperature readings on the Galaxy Watch 5. I do not get why it is making this characteristic obtainable and stressing folks out with fears of diabetes or different points, when it isn’t in a position to differentiate between wholesome and unhealthy folks.
Just like after I reviewed the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Watch 6, I discover that the Galaxy Watch Ultra will typically present a low blood oxygen vary after I get up within the morning, like “84%–99%.” Other instances, it reveals a extra affordable vary like “91–100%,” however it’s by no means clear from this vary how a lot time was spent at excessive or low percentages and whether or not I’ve something to fret about.
Given that no different watches give me readings this low whereas sleep monitoring, I’m leaning in direction of merely turning this characteristic off and saving the battery life. At least the temperature sensor appears to be extra correct than it was on earlier fashions.
As a ultimate minor level, I proceed to be unimpressed by Samsung’s BIA sensor. Last 12 months, the Galaxy Watch 6 measured my physique fats share, which was about 4% increased than my Withings scale (28 vs. 24%). This 12 months, it has me at 24.7% as a substitute of my present studying of 19.8%, with about 10 additional kilos of fats. I think the Ultra’s little microcurrents cannot attain right down to my legs, so the algorithm simply extrapolates based mostly on my top and weight.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Competition
The Galaxy Watch 7 44mm has a lot of the similar perks because the Galaxy Watch Ultra, except for its additional sturdiness, battery life, and brightness. You may also purchase it with LTE help if that issues. You miss out on the additional battery life, which is a reasonably main downside, and its design is way more primary. In trade, it weighs (and prices) about half as a lot and measures 2.5mm thinner.
Looking exterior of Samsung watches, the OnePlus Watch 2 and TicWatch Pro 5 are two Android watches with constant three or four-day battery life, and each value considerably lower than the Galaxy Watch Ultra. They each have their drawbacks, nevertheless. The TicWatch has but to obtain Wear OS 4, that means it nonetheless has no Google Assistant, and the OnePlus watch has documented points with coronary heart price accuracy.
Then you’ve got the brand new Pixel Watch 3 45mm. It’s fairly totally different from the Ultra, with a a lot shorter battery life and considerably lighter design, however it additionally has a health focus with a Daily Readiness rating and a Cardio Load rating that’ll attraction to runners. Unfortunately, it does not have dual-band Global Positioning System, however it does have Google’s patented coronary heart price accuracy.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Should you purchase one?
You can purchase the Galaxy Watch Ultra if…
- Better battery life is your first precedence
- You’re utilizing an older smartwatch and need a new one which’ll final years
- You favor the Galaxy Watch Ultra fashion over the Watch 7 (or Watch 6 Classic)
You should not purchase the Galaxy Watch Ultra if…
- You’re connected to the “Classic” look and bezel controls
- You favor a lighter smartwatch expertise
- You cannot afford the Ultra for what it provides
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a superb smartwatch that is pleasing to make use of, including the {hardware} adjustments essential to make it really feel highly effective and dependable. Even if severe athletes would in all probability favor one thing like a Garmin Fenix or one other health watch model, the Ultra falls in between informal and severe customers in an intriguing method.
On the opposite hand, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is not all that totally different from the Watch 7. Its design is a bit polarizing with no bodily bezel or crown; each watches have the identical health updates and MIL-STD-810H commonplace, and the Watch 7 is extra comfortably mild. It’s truthful to say that you simply’re paying for the Ultra’s appears to be like, additional button, brighter show, and the comfort of charging it each few days.
If you will get your arms on one for an inexpensive trade-in deal, I’d actually advocate upgrading to the Galaxy Watch Ultra if it appears to be like and sounds interesting. Otherwise, at full value, it is likely to be a tall ask. And given Samsung’s path from Pro to Classic to Ultra within the final three years, you would possibly resolve to carry out for no matter new smartwatch experiment comes subsequent, Ultra or in any other case!
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Revamped however dear
Ignoring its excessive value and cheaper Watch 7 sibling, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is a superb machine that made practically the entire {hardware} upgrades I’d have hoped for in a flagship smartwatch. I want Samsung had given it a working crown and a little bit extra battery capability to work with, however it’s nonetheless a terrific choice for anybody that may afford it.
