“Discover the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in this in-depth review. Learn if its rugged design, advanced features, and premium price tag make it the right smartwatch.”
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is the newest and most premium addition to their smartwatch range. It’s significantly more expensive than the Galaxy Watch 7, leaving many to wonder if it’s truly worth the extra cost. This blog breaks down the key features, design, and performance of the Galaxy Watch Ultra to help you make an informed decision.
Design and Build Quality: Rugged and Adventurous
The Galaxy Watch Ultra stands out with its 47.7mm case. It’s marketed as being made of titanium and Grade 2 titanium, but it’s important to note that parts of the frame are actually plastic. This might disappoint those expecting a fully metal body. Samsung likely used plastic to improve cellular connectivity, but this design choice may not appeal to everyone.
The overall look of the watch is rugged, designed for outdoor adventurers, but it’s also bulkier compared to other smartwatches, like the Galaxy Watch 7. The most noticeable change is the absence of the rotating bezel, a signature feature in earlier Galaxy watches. Instead, the touch-sensitive bezel allows you to swipe around the edges of the screen to navigate the interface, which works well but lacks the tactile satisfaction of a physical rotating bezel.
Comfort and Durability
In terms of comfort, the Galaxy Watch Ultra does a great job. It comes with a Marine strap that has multiple perforations, making it breathable and comfortable for all-day wear. There are also additional strap options available, like the Trail and PeakForm straps, which are designed for specific outdoor environments. The Dynamic Lug System makes changing straps easy and secure, which adds to the versatility of the watch.
The watch is durable, with IP68 certification for water resistance up to 10 ATM, and it meets MIL-STD-810H standards for durability. However, despite these durability claims, Samsung warns that it is not suitable for deep-sea diving, which could be a drawback for some outdoor enthusiasts.
Display: Bright and Easy to Read
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra features a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 pixels. The screen is protected by sapphire crystal glass, which is known for its scratch resistance. The display is bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight, making it ideal for outdoor use. The always-on display (AOD) is also bright and clear, ensuring you can quickly glance at the time or important notifications without needing to wake the watch fully.
While the display is not significantly larger than the Galaxy Watch 7’s screen, the larger case around it gives the illusion of a bigger screen. The sapphire glass adds an extra layer of durability, making it suitable for harsh conditions.
Performance and Software: Smooth and User-Friendly
The Galaxy Watch Ultra runs on Wear OS 5.0 with One UI 6.0, offering a smooth and responsive user experience. The interface feels refined, with Samsung’s custom Ultra-specific watch faces adding a unique touch. One standout feature is the red-colored Night mode, which makes it easier on the eyes during night-time use.
For those who engage in outdoor activities like hiking or mountaineering, the watch includes a high-sensitivity touchscreen mode. This allows you to operate the watch even while wearing gloves, a useful feature in extreme environments. While the watch lacks a physical rotating bezel or crown, the touchscreen interface is easy to navigate.
Fitness enthusiasts will appreciate the seamless integration with the Samsung Health app, which provides detailed tracking of workouts, sleep patterns, and other health metrics. There’s also a new Fitness tab with various video workouts, offering more options for staying active.
Also Read: Apple watch Ultra 3
Health and Fitness Tracking: Packed with Features
The Galaxy Watch Ultra offers a wide range of health and fitness tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and Blood Pressure (BP) and Electrocardiogram (ECG) readings. However, the BP and ECG features are only available for Samsung smartphone users, which limits their accessibility for users with other Android devices.
Sleep tracking is accurate, but it lacks the ability to track naps, which could be a downside for users who take short rest breaks during the day. Despite this, the Samsung Health app provides useful insights and suggestions for improving your sleep patterns.
One area where the watch could improve is in GPS tracking. While it works well in open areas, it tends to be less accurate when used in urban environments with tall buildings, which can interfere with the GPS signal.
Battery Life: Good, But Not Exceptional
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is equipped with a 590mAh battery, which offers about two days of battery life with regular use, including always-on display (AOD) and GPS tracking for daily workouts. If you turn off the AOD and limit other power-hungry features, you can extend the battery life to around three days.
While the battery life is decent for a smartwatch, it falls short compared to other adventure-oriented watches like Garmin’s or Suunto’s offerings, which can last up to several weeks on a single charge. The watch comes with a 10W magnetic charger, which takes around 1 hour and 50 minutes to fully charge the battery.
Who Should Buy the Galaxy Watch Ultra?
For casual users, the Galaxy Watch 7 offers nearly the same health and fitness tracking features at a much lower cost. However, if you’re someone who enjoys outdoor adventures, marathons, or hiking, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is a solid choice with its rugged design and specific features tailored for extreme environments.
While it lacks some features found in other multisport watches like the Garmin Fenix series or Suunto watches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra performs well for outdoor activities and is a good option for those who already own Samsung smartphones.
Also Read : Samsung.com
