The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a £649 Android smartwatch that builds upon its predecessor with several key improvements. The design has been refined, featuring a slimmer 10.7mm body compared to the previous 12.1mm model while retaining the distinctive cushion-shaped form and square base with a circular screen. It includes three side buttons with raised housing for impact protection.
The watch boasts a standout display – a 1.52-inch AMOLED panel reaching a peak brightness of 5000 nits, making it highly readable in direct sunlight. This has been achieved through a redesigned marine band strap and an air pocket structure for improved circulation.
Under the hood, a significant change is the processor: the watch now utilizes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset instead of Samsung’s Exynos chipsets. This upgrade delivers noticeable performance improvements in swiping, app loading, and third-party app usage, alongside hands-free Gemini support for voice commands.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 includes notable upgrades in health and fitness tracking, particularly with GPS accuracy thanks to its dual-GPS setup. New pro tracking modes include trail running with GPX route support and a professional diving mode developed with Mares. Real-time hydration guidance is available when users burn at least 70 calories over 30 minutes.
The Samsung Health app has been refreshed with new features such as Vitals, which tracks respiratory rate, skin temperature, heart rate, HRV, and blood oxygen. A Heart Health Score provides intensity advice, while Daily Cardio Load advises on training. However, these AI insights are described as generic.
Sleep tracking remains a strong feature, closely matching data from an Oura Ring 5. Key health functions like ECG, blood pressure monitoring, and sleep apnea detection are currently limited to Samsung smartphone users.
The watch does not work with iPhones.
Battery life has been improved with an 800mAh cell, providing approximately two days of usage with all features enabled. Users can extend this to three or four days by disabling power-hungry features such as the always-on display and constant heart rate tracking. Charging takes around one hour and fifteen minutes.
The reviewer highlights that despite these improvements, battery life still lags behind some competitors. Some health features are exclusive to Samsung smartphones, and AI insights feel generic.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is considered a highly capable Wear OS smartwatch, particularly recommended for Android users, especially those with Samsung phones seeking a premium device for daily use and outdoor activities.
Source: Trusted Reviews