It’s been 11 years since Samsung released its first smartwatch—2013’s Samsung Gear, which featured a camera built into the strap—but the tech giant waited until 2024 to launch its first rugged option, the Galaxy Watch Ultra (available from Samsung). With a large, bright, and durable display and plenty of fitness and health sensors—including, for the first time in a smartwatch, FDA-approved sleep apnea detection—the premium Galaxy Watch Ultra has a lot going for it. But it also has a few minor issues, if my five days with the device are any indication.
Oddly enough, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has exactly the same naming convention as its main rival, the Apple Watch Ultra, but just as Apple’s wearable requires an iPhone, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear Ultra requires an Android 11 (or newer) phone to pair with – so maybe not exactly rival devices in that regard.
By taking its time to launch its first adventure-ready model, Samsung has clearly done its homework to see what rival devices have to offer – no doubt from Apple, Suunto and Garmin – to ensure the Galaxy Watch Ultra has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a rugged watch.
Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Watch7, which comes in two sizes, 40 mm and 44 mm, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is only available in 47 mm size (47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1 mm, to be precise) and is built for extreme durability thanks to its tough and scratch-resistant military grade 4 titanium material (MIL-STD-810H) that can withstand extreme temperatures from -20 °C to 50 °C (interestingly similar to the Galaxy Watch7).
The total weight of the somewhat chunky body is 60.5 grams and it has IP68 protection, which means the watch can withstand dust, dirt and sand and can be submerged in water up to 1.5 meters (more than 4 feet) deep for up to 30 minutes or up to 100 meters (about 328 feet) deep for up to 10 minutes. For comparison, the Galaxy Watch7 can survive at a depth of up to 50 meters (about 164 feet) for up to 10 minutes. (In terms of altitude, it can also be used at 9,000 meters, for example for cycling in the mountains.)
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is snappy. When you flick around the screen—say, swipe down on the watch face to reveal a quick options bar, swipe up to see apps, swipe right to see notifications, or swipe left to get to the exercise tiles—it’s super responsive, thanks in large part to the competent Exynos W1000 processor and the sophisticated One UI 6 platform based on WearOS 5.
I used the watch for various fitness activities on two of the five days to see how it fared. I liked the optional audio guide, which gives you spoken feedback on your goal and laps. Aside from a crash that required a restart while swimming, it was a mostly positive experience, which we’ll get to in a moment.
With moderate use, we got about a day and a half between charges (not at maximum brightness), but Samsung says the Galaxy Watch Ultra can last up to 100 hours in power saving mode, which is very impressive (that’s about four days compared to the Apple Watch Ultra’s three days in power saving mode). Since I’ve only had the watch for a few days, that claim wasn’t tested for this initial hands-on review.
Aside from some of the rugged specs and battery life, there’s not much difference between the Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch7. The screen is the same, as are many of the fitness and health tracking sensors. It has the same processor, storage, and dual-frequency GPS.
Of course, there are a few other differences, like battery life and battery life. For example, the Watch Ultra has a built-in eSIM, while the Watch7 requires you to buy an LTE-enabled model, and the Watch Ultra has that big quick button, but for most people who aren’t crazy adventurers, the Galaxy Watch7 might be a better (and cheaper) choice. The Galaxy Watch Ultra costs $649.99, while the Galaxy Watch7 costs $249.99 (or starting at $349.99 for the LTE version).
A few issues aside, Samsung has really delivered with the Galaxy Watch Ultra – especially for outdoorsy types, serious fitness fans, and those who need a little help keeping an eye on their health.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 is also a great choice for those who don’t need an adventure-ready watch, as it’s virtually identical in every other way – and at a much lower price.
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