Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: Cream of the smartwatch crop

By Peter Kostadinov

Updated: Oct 10, 2024, 6:51 AM

4comments

Samsung

Intro

In 2022, the Apple Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro christened the high-end smartwatch market with super-premium design language, features aimed at adventurous folk, and superb battery life.

Yet, while Cupertino has two Apple Watch Ultra models, with a third one possibly on the way, Samsung probably feels it didn't stick the landing with its Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, so a more direct super-premium smartwatch could be necessary––the brand-new Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Galaxy Watch Ultra vs Apple Watch Ultra 2: differences

47mm vs 49mm size
3nm Exynos SiP vs 4nm Apple S9 SiP
32GB vs 64GB of on-board storage
Sapphire displays on both
Titanium case on both
Customizable extra button on both
IP68 + 10ATM water resistance on both
3,000 nits of peak display brightness on both
590mAh vs 564mAh battery

Table of Contents:

Design and Sizes
Bands
Software
Battery and Charging
Models and Prices
Voice Calls and Haptics
Specs
Summary

Design & Sizes

Smartwatch heavyweights

From a design perspective, the Galaxy Watch carries some resemblance and inherits design cues from the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Samsung has set its sights on a peculiar design that combines a circular display with a "squircle" case, essentially a lovechild of a Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the Apple Watch Ultra.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 boasts a titanium squircle case, which is quite similar to what the Galaxy Watch would look like, but the difference is that you get a much more screen real estate thanks to the more efficient use of space.

The case of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is made of titanium for a lightweight and premium experience, while sapphire protects the screen from scratches. The smartwatch is available in a single 47mm size, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in a slightly larger 49mm case.

Samsung has thrown in a third button between the traditional two. Called the "Quick Button", this one is customizable, allowing you to map different apps or shortcuts to it, just like the Apple Watch Ultra's Action Button.

Sadly, the Galaxy Watch Ultra doesn't have a hardware rotating bezel, which was one of the more iconic and useful features of previous Galaxy watches.

Both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra feature some serious endurance: IP68 dust and water resistance, as well as up to 10ATM water resistance support mean those two are as tough as they come.

The Apple Watch Ultra technically is an IP6X-rated device, meaning that it doesn't have official ingress protection, but this doesn't mean it's not waterproof: you can use it in up to 100 meters of water during your scuba activities for as long as you want.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra also matches the Apple Watch Ultra and features a screen with 3,000-nit peak brightness. This certainly boosts the legibility under bright daylight conditions, which is great news for avid enjoyers of the great outdoors.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes in two colors: Light and Dark Gray. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes in a single Natural Titanium color.

Bands

Little change

When it comes to bands, Samsung utilizes the same One-Click watch bands that debuted with the Galaxy Watch 6 generation last year. Unlike previous latch mechanisms, the new ones allow you to quickly detach the band by simply pressing a single button, which is quite user-friendly.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, on the other hand, relies on the same tried-and-tested band attaching mechanism that Apple has been using for a decade. A button on the bottom of the Apple Watch lets you quickly unbuckle the band.

The latter is available with three stock bands: Trail Loop, Alpine Loop, and Ocean Band.

Software & Features

Wear OS 5 vs watchOS 11

The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes with Google's upcoming Wear OS 5. There will be an optional new grid-based app launcher on deck. Users will be able to select media output device with Wear OS 5. Another round of improvements goes to watch faces, which will feature themes, updates to complications, new heart rate data source, and more.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, on the other hand, is currently available with watchOS 10, but will get watchOS 11 this fall. The upcoming software version will arrive with a new health-related metric, dubbed Vitals, which will provide you with a summary of overnight trends for your heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen, and sleep duration.

A new Training Load metric in the Activity app will let you explore the intensity of your workouts and make an informed decision on how to adjust your exercise routine. For the first time on the Apple Watch, you will be able to pause your activity rings in order to save your streak if you're forced to take a break.

You can also customize your activity goals for every day of the week. Enhanced watch face customization is also coming to watchOS 11.

Aside from those software differences, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has the same selection of health-related features as the previous Galaxy Watch 6 generation.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra will only work with Android devices, but you will have a limited functionality if you use with a non-Galaxy phone. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 also works with iPhones only.

Battery and Charging

The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes along with a large 590mAh battery and a new 3nm Exynos SiP (system in package). The latter will most certainly be a more efficient chip than the 5nm Exynos W930 that made the rounds on the Galaxy Watch 6 generation last year, but we will reserve that judgement for our final review.

With such a massive battery, there's a pretty big chance that the Galaxy Watch Ultra will achieve excellent battery life, surpassing previous Galaxy smartwatches, which is great news for potential buyers.

At the same time, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes with a slightly smaller 564mAh battery, as well as the 4nm Apple S9 SiP. This pairing turned out to be excellent as far as battery life goes, delivering at least two days and some change of mixed usage and even more with frugal use.

Charging-wise, the Galaxy Watch Ultra doesn't come with conventional Qi wireless charging support, so you need to use Samsung's proprietary charger. The Apple Watch Ultra 2, on the other hand, takes roughly an hour and a half for a full charge, but a one-hour charge nets you 80% of battery charge, which is plenty.

Models and Prices

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is available in a single 47mm versions, which supports LTE, GPS, and Bluetooth. It costs $649 right off the bat, which is significantly more affordable than the Apple Watch Ultra 2nd Gen.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is available in a single version, which supports cellular connectivity, and goes for $799 brand new.

Voice Calls and Haptics

You can make and take calls with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which also applies to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Haptics are traditionally a strong suit of Cupertino's smartwatches: this one comes with strong and precise vibrations that can be customized somewhat.

Specs

Specs	Galaxy Watch Ultra	Apple Watch Ultra 2
Models (Size, Weight, Prices)	47mm: 47.1 x 47.4 x 12.1mm, 60.5g, $649	49mm, 61.4gr, $799
Display	1.5-inch, 480x480 Super AMOLED, Sapphire Crystal, 3000 nits max brightness	1.92-inch, 502x410 LTPO2 OLED, Sapphire Crystal, 3000 nits max brightness
Processor, RAM, Storage	Exynos W1000 (3nm)	4nm Apple S9 SiP
Software	Wear OS 5/One UI 6 Watch	watchOS 10, watchOS 11 coming this fall
Battery and Charging	590mAh 15W charging	564mAh 15W MagSafe charging, 0-100% in 90 minu, 0-80% in 60 min
Sensors	Optical Bio-signal sensor, Electrical Heart Signal, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor	Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Altimeter, Compass, Heart rate, Thermometer, Barometer, ECG, Blood Oxygen
New features	IP68, 10ATM Dual-frequency GPS Customizable Quick Button Emergency Siren	IP6X, 10ATM, MIL-STD 810H Dual-frequency GPS Customizable Action Button 86db Emergency Siren Satellite connectivity

Summary

Samsung looks dead-set on rivaling the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with its next super-premium smartwatch. It surely appears as the latter will match Cupertino's best in pretty much any aspect.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has been around for some time, but truth be told, it fully rested on the laurels set by the first Apple Watch Ultra. While Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in 2022 didn't really take off and couldn't rival the first-gen Apple Watch Ultra, the new Galaxy Watch Ultra looks like it could be a giant step in the right direction.

Price-wise, both will dwell in that super-premium price niche that artificially inhibits a wider adoption, and the ecosystem lock means you wouldn't consider a Galaxy Watch Ultra if you're using an iPhone, or vice versa.