Samsung’s second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year took the wraps off its latest foldables and smartwatches. This year, Samsung has put the Galaxy Watch Classic on hold and brought back the Watch Ultra instead. The Ultra model was first launched in 2024 and got a storage bump in 2025. The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 makes some key upgrades in important areas. Currently, it demands a premium of Rs 10,000 over its predecessor. If you’re wondering which model to buy, here’s an in-depth comparison of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 (2026) and Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024/2025).
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In This Article
Head to Head
| Parameter | Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 (2026) | Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) |
| Case Size | 47mm | 47mm |
| Weight | 61.5g | 60.5g |
| Dimensions | 47.4mm x 47.1mm x 10.7mm | 47.4mm x 47.4mm x 12.1mm |
| Display | 1.5-inch Super AMOLED Sapphire Crystal Display | 1.5-inch Super AMOLED Sapphire Crystal Display |
| Peak Brightness | 5,000 nits | 3,000 nits |
| Material | Titanium | Titanium |
| Durability | 10ATM/IP69K/MIL-STD-810H/EN13319 (40m swimproof and diving-proof) | 10ATM/IP68/MIL-STD-810H |
| Sensor Array | Heart rate, ECG, BIA, Blood oxygen, Temperature, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Alti-barometer, Ambient light, Compass | Heart rate, ECG, BIA, Blood oxygen, Temperature, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Alti-barometer, Ambient light, Compass |
| Processor | Snapdragon SW6100 Wear Elite (3nm) | Exynos W1000 (3nm) |
| OS | Android Wear OS 7 with Samsung One UI 9 | Android Wear OS 5 with Samsung One UI 7 |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB |
| Battery | 800mAh | 590mAh |
| Charging | 10W wireless | 10W wireless |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 6 | 4G LTE | Wi-Fi 6 2.4GHz/5GHz | Dual GPS (L1 + L5) | NFC | Bluetooth 5.3 | 4G LTE | Wi-Fi 4 2.4GHz/5GHz | Dual GPS (L1 + L5) | NFC |
| Colours | Titanium Grey, Titanium Silver | Titanium Grey, Titanium Silver, Titanium White, Titanium Blue |
| Price | Rs 69,999 (Rs 5,000 off on pre-orders) | Rs 59,999 |
New platform for a rejuvenated performance
Samsung’s switch from its in-house Exynos W1000 chipset to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite platform on the Galaxy Watch9 and Watch Ultra2 is a welcome move. The Snapdragon SW6100 SoC has 5 cores (1x 2.1 GHz and 4x 1.95 GHz) and is built on a 3nm process. There’s a clear shift in performance, especially when it comes to handling AI tasks. The new chipset is also smarter with battery management. If you’re a power user, this would be your cue to upgrade.
Sleeker body, bigger battery
There aren’t big changes on the design front. The ‘squircle’ design looks like it is here to stay for a while. It lends character to the device and gives it a unique flair. The 10.7mm body makes the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 visibly sleeker compared to its predecessor’s 12.1mm shell. The most impressive part about this is that despite shaving off a couple of millimetres of thickness, the smartwatch packs a significantly larger battery. The 800mAh unit towers over the 590mAh battery of the 2024/2025 model. Coupled with the smarter Snapdragon processor, this upgrade will certainly hand a boost to the watch’s battery life. Stay tuned for our Galaxy Watch Ultra2 review for real-world battery stats. In the meantime, check out our Galaxy Watch Ultra review.
Brighter display
The Watch Ultra2’s display is a smidge larger and considerably brighter. If you’re out a lot during the day, you will certainly enjoy having 5,000 nits of peak brightness on your wrist. Some may find it a bit overkill (it is the first smartwatch in the world to hit that level of brightness), but for many others that’s precisely the point of getting an Ultra model. Having said that, the 2024/2025 model leaves absolutely no room for complaints with its 3,000 nits of peak brightness. The two Super AMOLED displays are almost identical in size, but the new model gets sleeker bezels around the screen.
Ready for diving adventures
Ultra smartwatches are all about going the extra mile in terms of performance. Which is why some people were slightly put off by Samsung’s first Galaxy Watch Ultra not supporting diving activities. The brand has rectified this on the second model. This smartwatch is EN13319 certified. This means that it is dive-ready. If you’re planning on going scuba diving, you won’t need to take this watch off before you jump in the water.
Cool new features
Speaking of diving, Samsung is currently readying an exclusive Diving app, developed in partnership with Mares, for the Galaxy Watch Ultra2. Hikers and mountain climbers also have something to look forward to on this release. The new Trail Run feature tracks metrics like elevation, climbing progress, and terrain impact to help the user pace themselves better. This greatly reduces the chances of an injury. The Sweat Loss feature has received a Nutrition Alert tool. It gauges your sweat loss and tells you when and how much to hydrate.
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Our verdict
The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 makes some clear upgrades with its new platform, diving support, bigger battery, brighter display, and sleeker profile. These aren’t fringe upgrades; rather, you will see an immediate performance bump from the get-go. Ultra smartwatches are designed for pro-athletes, adventure enthusiasts, and users who love to test the limits of their body and don’t want their wearable to give up along the way. The Watch Ultra2 fills in the flaws of its predecessor perfectly. You can plunge into waters 40m deep with this watch around your wrist. If you’re a scuba diver/instructor, this is a no-brainer purchase. People who like long hikes on high trails will certainly enjoy the Trail Run feature.
The Rs 69,999 price tag is pretty steep, but you’re also getting the most spec-loaded device with state-of-the-art hardware for your money. The 2025 Watch Ultra isn’t a bad deal for Rs 59,999, but we highly recommend adding an extra Rs 5,000 to your fund and getting the Watch Ultra2 for the special offer amount of Rs 64,999.
