Samsung’s new rugged smartwatch hasn’t changed much on the outside, but the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’s biggest improvements are all hidden on the inside.
It has a larger battery, a more powerful processor, and new adventure features to take you from the office to the trails without additional equipment. At $700 ($50 more than the original Galaxy Watch Ultra), it’s the most expensive watch in Samsung’s lineup, but it’s also the most durable – and arguably the most interesting.
I’ve spent the last week testing the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and while the verdict is still out on its long-term features, like health tracking and battery life, it’s clear that it can pull double duty as an adventure-ready companion and luxury smartwatch.
The justification for its $700 price tag depends on what you’re looking for. If you want Samsung’s toughest watch with the biggest battery, brightest screen, and most exterior features, it might be worth the price. But if the package matters less than the basic smartwatch features, you might be better off getting the standard Galaxy Watch 9 (or even older models) for almost half the price.
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: First impressions
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 looks identical to the original. It has the same premium titanium case, sapphire crystal display, iconic circle design, and three programmable physical buttons. But look closer and you’ll notice some subtle improvements.
The screen is slightly larger (1.52″ versus 1.5″ on the original), although the entire watch is smaller and lighter. Samsung also redesigned the bands, making them thinner and more breathable so the watch sits flatter against your wrist, which the company says improves contact with the sensor. The new clasp mechanism makes them easier to swap out than traditional watch straps, although it also locks you into Samsung’s proprietary system.
The fact that I slept a few nights without ripping it off in the middle of the night says a lot about a watch this size. I still wouldn’t choose to sleep with it long term, but it’s definitely more comfortable than I expected.
Samsung watches already have the best screens in the industry, and the Ultra 2 takes it a step further with an even brighter 5,000 nits screen (up from 3,000 nits on the original) that looks pristine even in the mid-morning summer sun.
The new trail and diving features of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
The Ultra 2 moves closer to sports watch territory with a dedicated trail running mode that displays real-time climb and elevation data, has offline access to the trail map, and hydration reminders. I live near a regional park with hundreds of trail options and have been frustrated by traditional smartwatches that don’t account for rugged terrain or give me enough credit for dealing with extreme elevation changes.
After a 5-mile ride through the hills of Northern California, I was impressed by two things: the turn-by-turn audio navigation and real-time altitude tracking. I don’t like wearing headphones when trail running because I prefer to stay aware of my surroundings, so hearing instructions through the watch’s speaker is the perfect solution. It should be noted that it was cumbersome to get directions on the watch for these directions. Samsung says you’ll eventually be able to search for nearby trails directly from Google Maps, but that feature wasn’t ready during my testing, so I had to load a route from a .gpx file on my phone.
With real-time altitude tracking, the watch automatically divided my route into individual climbs and showed my progress. Having a live progress bar when approaching a hill gives me a tangible goal, making it easier to progress through the steeper sections.
I was less enthusiastic about the hydration reminders. I had swapped my water bottle for my tripod that day, so the three reminders I received during my hour-long trail run mostly fell on deaf ears. Given the heat, I probably should have listened. But because the reminders are based on AI estimates of hydration loss rather than a dedicated sensor that directly measures sweat loss, I found myself trusting them less.
The Ultra 2 also debuts a recreational diving feature developed in partnership with Italian diving company Mares. Because it does not track gas or oxygen consumption, it is not intended to replace a dedicated dive computer. Instead, it seems aimed at casual recreational divers who want to get basic diving information on a device they already wear. The app won’t be available at launch, so I’ll reserve judgment until I can test it myself later this year.
Gemini to talk about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
However, my favorite feature has nothing to do with difficult adventure sports. It’s Gemini. I’ve already raved about how useful Google’s AI assistant is on your wrist in smartwatches like the Google Pixel 4, and the new raise-to-talk feature makes it even better.
No button presses or wake words required, just raise your wrist and start talking. This added layer of convenience made me much more likely to use it and helped me do things completely hands-free. At the risk of sounding like a traditional woman, I use it a lot in cooking. I had some meat in the fridge that was about to go bad, so I asked for a simple slow cooker carnitas recipe, and it delivered. I didn’t even need to smear juice on the screen to have the step-by-step instructions read aloud. It’s also handy for settling arguments with my ever-curious 9-year-old before he loses patience and I have to take my phone out of my pocket.
Better battery life in theory, in practice still to be determined
The Ultra 2 packs an 800mAh battery, up from 590mAh on the original, paired with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor, which should be more power efficient. In-device AI optimizes battery life by also learning your habits. Samsung rates it for up to 60 hours with the watch’s always-on display enabled.
It’s still too early to know if this 60 hour claim is realistic as my initial results haven’t been great. This 5-mile run consumed almost 30% of the battery, and I haven’t yet reached the 60-hour mark promised by the watch. However, I got closer to 48 hours before needing to recharge.
Regardless, don’t expect sports watch-level endurance. A Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, for example, can last over a week on a charge. The Ultra 2 powers a brighter display, Wear OS, and always-ready Gemini, all of which require significantly more power than a dedicated sports watch usually takes.
Additional health and recovery tools
Both watches also get a new suite of health features, which power the redesigned Samsung Health app on your phone.
Vital signs tracking can flag possible signs of illness by monitoring parameters such as heart rate variability, resting heart rate, respiratory rate, blood oxygen, and skin temperature. There’s also a new Heart Health Score, a daily cardio load to help guide recovery, and a Fitness Index assessment that uses AI to build you a personalized training plan.
Many of these features require at least seven nights of sleep before unlocking (which I haven’t logged yet), so I’m holding off on judging for now.
I appreciate that Samsung doesn’t put this health information behind a subscription like companies like Whoop and Oura do. Some guided workouts and iFit content still require separate subscriptions, but basic health features are included with the watch.
Samsung also hasn’t confirmed whether these software features will be available on older Galaxy Watches. So, for now, that’s another argument in favor of upgrading.
Should you upgrade to the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2?
After a week of testing, the Ultra 2 looks more like an upgrade than its familiar design suggests. If you’re coming from an older Galaxy Watch and want the latest hardware with the peace of mind that it will hold up to the elements, this is the one I’d look at.
But I still have a lot of things to try. Many health features are not yet unlocked and I need to spend more time with the battery before rendering a final verdict. Battery life, in particular, will make or break my recommendation – both on the Galaxy Watch 9 and for anyone considering upgrading from the original Ultra.
Vanessa Main Orellana
Main writer
Vanessa is a senior editor at CNET, reviewing and writing about the latest smartwatches and fitness trackers. She first joined the brand as an on-camera reporter for CNET’s Spanish-language site, then moved to the English side to host and produce some of CNET’s YouTube videos and series. When she’s not testing the latest health technologies, you can catch her hiking or trail running with her family. See full biography