Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Review: The Watch Samsung Needed to Face Off Against the Apple Watch Ultra on Equal Footing

• Samsung’s new watch is the company’s response to the Apple Watch Ultra.

• The Galaxy Watch Ultra has a clearly sporty orientation.

Following a similar strategy to Apple, Samsung recently announced two new models of the Galaxy Watch: the standard Galaxy Watch 7 and an Ultra version for those who seek more precision and robustness. Yes, the Galaxy Watch Ultra resembles the Apple Watch Ultra, but just in photos. When compared in person, it’s a different story.

I was expecting the Galaxy Watch Ultra to be large, somewhat flashy and robust, just like the Apple Watch Ultra. Upon first impression, the Samsung watch seems to take this definition to the extreme. It might not be the largest smartwatch I’ve ever tested (that award goes to the Huawei Watch Ultimate), but it does feel large when you use it. Very large. And this comes with some advantages, especially in terms of battery life.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Specs

Design: Excellent Build, ButSuitable Only for Large Wrists

The first thing you notice about the watch is its size and design. Despite its square appearance, the screen is actually circular, creating an optical illusion. In terms of usability, I didn’t notice any difference compared to previous Samsung Galaxy Watch models. Because of its shape, Samsung was able to fit in a larger battery than what’s typically found in a round watch, which turned out to be a significant advantage.

The watch is quite large and noticeably thick, making it look bigger than an Apple Watch Ultra. While the titanium construction is of excellent quality, I was somewhat disappointed to discover that not all of the body is made of titanium. In fact, the majority of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is made of polycarbonate. Its build follows a “sandwich structure,” which takes away from the smartwatch's premium feel.

Samsung uses polycarbonate to improve the watch’s connectivity through its antennas. It comes with LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth as standard features. Despite its use of polycarbonate, the device’s appearance aligns with expectations for its category. It’s highly resistant, with a IP68 rating and military SD MIL-STD-810H certification. The dial is protected by sapphire crystal, and the overall aesthetics are sportier than previous models.

A round 1.5-inch display dominates the front of the watch. It’s surrounded by a fixed bezel, while the rectangular frame is available in three finishes: white, titanium (more like silver), and titanium gray (more like black). The polycarbonate center varies in shade to complement the color of the metal.

The watch has all its buttons on the right side, with an action button in the center marked by an orange ring. It’s important to note that this button isn’t a crown and only supports touch. I realized this by trying to rotate it, but it actually doesn’t function that way. It would’ve been better if Samsung had included a physical rotating crown or at least made the button ring tactile, but unfortunately, that’s not the case.

The virtual rotating bezel on the display remains very helpful for scrolling through menus, but it’s not as convenient when using the watch with just the physical buttons. I really miss having a physical rotating bezel or a crown, and I hope Samsung will consider including one in their future models.

The button on the side of the watch triggers the workout record feature by default, but users can choose to program it so it can do something different. There are also secondary buttons above and below it, which have sensors for health measurements. These buttons launch Samsung Pay or the last app you’ve used. Additionally, while the bottom button goes back one step, the top button goes back to the beginning. Both buttons are made of metal and are highlighted by a colored line. You can customize the combinations of button presses.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is 12 mm thick and has a titanium and polycarbonate build. At the bottom of the watch, there’s Samsung’s BioActive Sensor, which also supports wireless charging. The watch comes with a magnetic charger and a USB-C cable. While it supports Qi wireless charging, it may not work with most docks due to the curvature of the glass, including Samsung’s own Watch dock.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra introduces a new strap attachment system that’s not universal (the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 maintains the original system). While it may look similar to the Apple Watch straps, the fastening mechanism is quite different. The case is attached to the strap by a metal pin that’s secured under a tab. Even if it uses a proprietary system, there are compatible straps available on the market.

Display: The Screen a High-End Smartwatch Deserves

The display may seem small considering the size of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, even though diagonally it measures 1.5 inches. The brand incorporates one of its outstanding AMOLED panels, which looks perfect in all lighting conditions. It’s truly remarkable.

I think it’s ideal for outdoor sports because, as I mentioned, the screen is readable in any scenario. It doesn’t matter if the sun is shining directly on it or if it’s night time: The panel adjusts perfectly to the conditions. It also responds well to touch and to sliding the virtual bezel, accompanied by the delightful haptic sensation of the linear vibration motor.

When the lighting is poor, the night display with higher contrast and red and orange accent colors becomes active. The Always On Display (AOD) feature can work in both modes, but this uses more battery. Outdoors, the AOD is barely visible, so you usually need to activate the watch.

Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra’s AOD has low power consumption, even when the display is on when you’re not using the watch. During my tests, the AOD display used 25-30 % of the power while on.

The panel is sharp with excellent viewing angles and contrast, making it a top-notch AMOLED panel. It has impressive readability in direct sunlight, making it the best I’ve tested so far.

Power: A Large Processor for Wear OS That Barely Contains Its Energy Cravings

Wear OS isn’t characterized for being an overly efficient system. Google still doesn’t achieve it in Wear OS 5, the latest version that comes with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. To alleviate this drawback, the new SoC Exynos W1000 uses Samsung’s manufacturing 3 nm process to improve efficiency in consumption without underestimating the power. The result is satisfactory, but not the best.

I didn't notice a lack of power at any time. The whole watch flows perfectly. Apps start instantly, GPS positioning is very fast, and I had no problems with connections. In short, Wear OS and the Exynos W1000 work well together. Plus, I didn’t notice any temperature increases during my weeks of testing, no heat issues at all.

Despite its excellent performance, the Galaxy Watch Ultra isn’t quite as efficient as one would hope. The device consumes a significant amount of energy, but this is balanced by its large battery capacity. Much of the power consumption is attributed to the operating system and Samsung’s One UI Watch skin, which is known to be quite power-hungry.

The Exynos W1000 processor, paired with 32 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM, doesn’t compromise on performance. It’d be great to see Samsung adopt a dual system similar to OnePlus, which could make the Galaxy Watch Ultra even more impressive.

Operating System: The Wear OS 5 Debuts on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, But It Doesn’t Look Like It

The agreement between Samsung and Google not only involves the improvement of artificial intelligence in Galaxy AI, but also the operating system of the new watches. Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the Watch Ultra feature the new Wear OS 5. There are no visible changes compared to Wear OS 4, and I haven’t noticed an evolution in the One UI Watch 6 interface.

The software is perfectly suited to the needs of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Besides the numerous preinstalled options, the watch has access to the Google Play Store, significantly expanding its possibilities. However, one drawback is that a large part of the Wear OS 4 watch faces aren’t compatible with Wear OS 5. Popular apps like Facer have already addressed this issue. At present, this is a problem, especially for those who have already purchased watch faces.

The watch retains the essential features of a smartwatch, including NFC for mobile payments using Samsung Pay, control gestures (such as double finger tapping, similar to the latest Apple Watch), card navigation, and a classic One UI Watch app drawer. The animations and transitions are smooth, and Samsung provides an extensive range of customizations and a remarkable selection of watch faces as standard.

Besides the design, Samsung also draws inspiration from the Apple Watch’s watch faces. There are customizable elements everywhere, with a special focus on extreme sports and minimalist options. In my opinion, Samsung’s efforts in design and functionality are remarkable. I’ve gotten tired of the standard watch faces, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra offers something that its Apple counterpart doesn’t: thousands of watch faces available for download in the store. WatchOS, you’re falling behind.

A lot of the watch management, administration, and customization can be done using the phone app. Samsung doesn’t restrict those with an Android version equal to or greater than Android 11. However, if the paired phone isn’t a Samsung, the watch loses some options such as blood pressure monitoring and EKG. Plus, Wear OS 5 isn’t compatible with iOS.

During my testing of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra with a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and a phone from another brand, the 2024 Motorola Razr+, I had to switch the synchronization between the two devices. I found that Samsung allows for a simple and fast migration, but it requires both phones to use the same Google account as the watch.

Sport and Health: This Could Be the Best Sports Watch Ever

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, considering they both share the same processor, operating system, skin, and BioActive Sensor for measuring various health metrics. Just like the Apple Watch Ultra, Samsung designed this watch for athletes who want a smart companion for their smartphone without compromising sports performance.

I’m not a professional athlete, and I don’t usually push myself to improve my workout times and distances. I typically train every day, doing cardio in the morning and strength exercises in the afternoon, usually for at least an hour in total. The duration of my workouts varies depending on my schedule, so some days I push myself more than others. I also switch between exercising outdoors and indoors.

The Galaxy Watches always left me feeling a bit conflicted when it came to sports tracking. They offered a wide range of activities and measurements, but the precision sometimes fell short for anything beyond basic information. However, with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, I’ve noticed a significant improvement.

I’ve consistently compared this watch to my Apple Watch Ultra, and Samsung doesn’t shy away from competing with it. I’ve used both for running, weight training, plenty of HIIT workouts, intense biking, and extensive step tracking. The result was accurate tracking with consistent data points and smoothed-out areas in the route logs.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch accurately tracked routes along roads and streets, with occasional deviations of about ±260 feet per mile (though the margin could be larger in some instances). The accuracy was consistent even during high-speed activities like mountain biking, comparable to the performance of the Apple Watch Ultra. This level of accuracy is impressive given that the Samsung Galaxy Watch isn’t exclusively designed for professional athletes.

The dual-band GPS quickly establishes your position in just a few seconds, so you’re ready to start your workout. On the Samsung Galaxy Watch, you can actually wait until you’re well-positioned, which is something I miss on the Apple Watch.

The heart rate measurement is accurate even during intense workouts. However, I did notice some discrepancies at maximum heart rates. While I didn’t exceed 175 beats per minute, the Galaxy Watch recorded 192. At lower heart rates (160 or less), I found no noticeable differences compared to a dedicated heart rate monitor.

Besides measuring heart rate, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra offers several other health features, including blood oxygen saturation measurement (something to be expected from a top-range watch), body composition analysis (although it may not be entirely reliable), temperature tracking during sleep (for assessing sleep quality and tracking menstrual cycles), and a new measurement called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) index. The AGEs index is said to be a reference for metabolic health. However, there are no comparisons available for this new measurement as of now.

In the review’s software section, I mentioned that Samsung users can record their blood pressure with accurate results, as compared to an upper arm blood pressure monitor, and also conduct EKGs. This data is stored in the Samsung Health Monitor app, which needs to be downloaded from the Galaxy Store. The data can then be imported into Samsung Health.

Regarding the Samsung Health app, workout records are stored on the phone for easy reference and monitoring. These records can also be viewed on the watch, but only the most recent ones. Additionally, the app maintains Samsung’s classic activity hearts that fill up based on daily activity, similar to the style of the Apple Watch rings.

Each day, the watch provides an energy score based on the previous day’s sleep and activity. Sleep data is available as soon as the watch is turned on, automatically saved, and very detailed. I did notice some occasional inaccuracies in the calculation of deep sleep. Not every night, though.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is designed for swimming in salt water, can withstand up to 10 ATM pressure, and can be used at 3,000 feet above sea level and under the desert sun. It also features a multisport mode that’s particularly suitable for athletes who engage in various sports in one session. Users can customize the recording app to easily adapt to different training routines.

In my case, Samsung has met my sporting needs. This watch not only accurately measures, but also records all the sports data I need and provides it in a multifunctional app where it stores all the records and synchronizes them with the account. However, I wish it had a more amateur and less casual style, as well as a greater variety of targeted exercises and training plans.

Galaxy AI also contributes to the watch by managing the system’s efficiency. The energy score is the result of its work behind the scenes. I found it to be a simple and useful indicator when planning the day’s activities. Additionally, I’d like the watch’s exercise app to remember the sports I usually do and offer them to me first, without having to scroll to find them. This is where Galaxy AI could be helpful.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, Xataka’s Opinion

I found the smartwatch to be remarkably impressive, showcasing strength and power largely following Apple’s lead. The Apple inspirations are evident in all aspects, from design to software, although with a somewhat rougher feel. Samsung doesn’t refine the construction, and the polycarbonate body detracts from its overall glamorous feel. However, this doesn’t make it feel any less solid or durable. In fact, quite the opposite.

The smartwatch offers good battery life for a Wear OS device, and its sports tracking capabilities are at a very high level. Its focus on extreme sports makes it particularly effective for other activities, while the One UI Watch possibilities are also very promising. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra exudes quality in every aspect, but it’s undeniably large and quite thick–there's no getting around that.

I’ve noticed some major issues with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. One drawback is its inability to charge on Qi docks, and the absence of a physical crown or bezel for non-touch scrolling through menus. Another problem is that Google’s transition to Wear OS 5 has caused issues with watch faces. Developers will likely fix this, but it’s frustrating to not be able to use the watch faces I bought on Google Play. Additionally, non-Samsung Galaxy phone users will miss out on certain functions, and iPhone owners are completely excluded.

While the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a good option for those looking for a more professional sports watch, it could have been more innovative and less influenced by the Apple Watch Ultra’s features. The starting price of almost $650 is also a bit high given the strong competition in the Wear OS market, although you might find it at discounted prices. Despite these issues, I found it to be a good product overall.

This article was written by Iván Linares and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.

Image | Xataka

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