Over the years, Samsung has consistently put the best Android smartwatches in its Galaxy Watch series. These watches have created a unique design identity for themselves while pushing the boundaries of health and fitness tracking. The tracking data from Galaxy Watches is generally considered the benchmark when testing other wearables. So where does Samsung go from here? Unlike its Apple counterpart, the Galaxy Watch has never had a rugged variant that’s designed for niche users who want that extra bit of power and durability. That changes this year. The new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is the new ‘everything’ smartwatch from Samsung, priced at a whopping Rs 60,000. Its similarities with the Apple Watch Ultra aren’t limited to the monicker. The square shell and tubular strap openly embrace the design language established by Apple’s rugged smartwatch. We’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy Ultra for the last week, here is our review of the smartwatch.
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In This Article
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra’s retail box.
- Watch dial
- Watch strap
- Charger
- Quick start guide
- Warranty card
The Galaxy Watch Ultra’s design is a stark departure from the identity that Samsung has created for its smartwatch over the years. While the tech outfit has stuck with the round display, it is now encased by a square shell. This shell isn’t small by any means. It is available in a single 47mm size and is certainly not meant for small wrists.
Ruggedness and durability have never been an issue on the Galaxy Watches of the past, but the Watch Ultra takes things up a notch. The Grade 4 Titanium frame feels solid and can absorb impact like nothing. The smartwatch is MIL-STD-810H compliant. It is rated IP68 for dust and water resistance and can withstand being submerged up to 100m for 10 minutes (10ATM).
Furthermore, the Watch Ultra can withstand temperatures ranging between -20°C and 55°C. It survives altitudes of up to 9,000m. These specs are overkill for the average user, but if you want a wearable that can withstand more challenging and extreme situations, the Watch Ultra is the one to get your hands on.
The right side of the titanium houses three physical buttons. The topmost button takes you to the home page and the round button opens the Exercise menu and acts as the SOS siren button. The button at the bottom takes you to the previous page. The left edge of the frame houses the speaker grille. This speaker produces a well-balanced output and can get quite loud (up to 86dB) while blaring the SOS. The Galaxy Watch Ultra does not have a digital crown, unlike its Apple rival.
Samsung’s tubular ‘Marine’ Band is inspired by Apple’s Ocean Band. Both bands have a ridge-like texture and tubes for easy water drainage. Samsung has gone for dual adjustment holes on its strap to improve drainage. There’s also a breathable Trail Band for hiking and adventure activities and a PeakForm Band for sports and triathlons. We used the Marine Band with our Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review unit and found it to be very comfortable for a wide variety of activities. It did not cause any itchiness or irritation on the skin. If swimming is a major part of your exercise routine, this is the strap you should go for. If you spend more hours in the gym and hiking trails, the Trail Band’s soft, breathable fabric will be up your alley.
Moving on, the 1.5-inch Super AMOLED on the Watch Ultra can hit a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The display is perfectly legible under direct sunlight. In a pitch-dark environment, the display automatically switches to night mode, using red accents to cause less strain to the eyes. The touch response of this AMOLED display is phenomenal. It registers even the more subtle touches with absolute ease. There is no rotating bezel around the display but you can slide your finger around its perimeter to scroll through its interface. This functionality is tuned nicely and we found ourselves using it more than we expected.
Turning the dial around, you will find the famous Samsung BioActive sensor at the base of the watch. Also present are the two buttons which are a part of the Watch Ultra’s dynamic lug system. A simple press of the button detaches the strap from the watch. Re-attaching the strap is just as easy. This mechanism is much simpler to use than the pin hook system found in generic smartwatches.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Review: Performance
Samsung’s 3nm W1000 Exynos processor lies at the heart of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. This processor also powers the Galaxy Watch7. There is 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage on the watch. The 3-in-1 BioActive sensor comprises the Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart Signal, and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensors. Also onboard is an accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, geomagnetic sensor, infrared temperature sensor, and a light sensor.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra’s health monitoring features are indistinguishable from the Watch7. This isn’t a bad thing at all since Samsung’s health metrics are very reliable. We measured Watch Ultra’s heart rate and blood oxygen numbers against medical-grade equipment and found them to be consistent on every occasion. The sleep-tracking function of the smartwatch continues to surprise us with its accuracy and is far ahead of its peers. The Samsung Health app assigns you a Sleep Score after every sleep cycle and breaks it down using factors like Sleep time, Physical recovery, Restfulness, and more. You can also get a detailed look at your sleep stages using this app.
You can also measure your blood pressure and ECG using the Galaxy Watch Ultra, but only if you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. The former requires a fair bit of calibration using a home blood pressure machine. Once it is on track, the readings are generally reliable. Routine calibration helps the watch produce better readings. You can use the ECG monitor to look for signs of atrial fibrillation and set it up to send you irregular heart rhythm notifications.
Samsung has introduced a couple of AI and experimental features on its Galaxy Watches this year. When you wear the smartwatch to sleep, it automatically measures the Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) index. This index is a sign of your metabolic health. The Galaxy Watch uses its optical sensors to measure the AGEs accumulated on the skin. However, the Health app does not provide any information regarding the methodology it uses to calculate the index or predict the health metrics related to it. We wouldn’t recommend relying on this feature for any serious health analysis.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra uses its AI algorithms to analyse your sleep cycle, physical activity, and heart rate to assign you an energy score. Being physical throughout the day and getting a healthy sleep at night boosts this score. While we can’t speak to the accuracy of these numbers and the algorithm that Samsung uses to calculate them, we found them to be consistent with our daily routine. On lazier days that involved less movement, the energy score dropped down notably.
Talking about the fitness tracking features, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has a couple of features that make it favourable for high-performing athletes. Bicyclists can use this smartwatch to measure their Full Threshold Power (FTP) in just 4 minutes. This requires connecting a power meter to your smartphone. There’s also a nifty ‘multisports’ feature that tracks up to 3 activities at once. There are default presets for triathlon, duathlon, and aquathlon on the watch but you can also set up your own multisport workout. The Galaxy Watch Ultra can withstand up to 10ATM water pressure, which means you can take it scuba diving.
The smartwatch works like a charm for regular activities like running, walking, and hiking. It accurately records your steps throughout the day and detects your workouts. One of our favourite features of this smartwatch is dual-frequency GPS, which makes it easy to navigate through densely packed areas of the city with great precision. You can set up custom routes for your hikes and bike rides by importing the relevant GPX file.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a workhorse that leaves no room for complaint when it comes to health monitoring and fitness tracking. However, Samsung needs to work on its companion apps to make them more accessible to the average users. You need a minimum of two apps (Samsung Health and Galaxy Wearable) to tap into the basic functions of this smartwatch. Samsung Health is where you go for your health and fitness metrics and the Wearable app is meant to manage the smartwatch’s aesthetics and features. Calculating your blood pressure and ECG requires installing another app – Samsung Health Monitor. Some of the features (like FTP) are hard to find and confusing to operate.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra packs a massive 590mAh battery which Samsung claims can last up to 80 hours with the AOD turned off and 60 hours with the AOD enabled. During the review period, we used the Samsung Galaxy Watch with Bluetooth and Always On Display turned on at all times. On average, we clocked 2-hour workout sessions every day. We were able to get a steady 2-day battery life out of the device. With more conservative usage, it can be pushed close to 70 hours. Fast charging is not Samsung’s strongest suit, and it is increasingly obvious here. The Galaxy Watch Ultra takes over 2 hours to reach a 100% charge.
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Verdict
With the Galaxy Watch Ultra, Samsung has put a high-performing Android smartwatch that can finally match up to the Apple Watch Ultra. Sure, we’ve had several ‘Pro’ watches over the years, but this powerhouse wearable takes things to another level. This is a double-edged sword because its ridiculous specs are certainly overkill for the average user. However, adventure enthusiasts and high-performing athletes finally have an Android smartwatch that can survive challenging situations and break down complicated metrics. Looking at the Rs 60,000 pricetag we’d only recommend this smartwatch to high-endurance bicyclists, scuba divers, and mountaineering enthusiasts.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Pros
- Designed for rugged use
- Bright display
- Can survive challenging situations
- Dual-frequency GPS
- Multi-sport tracking
- Good battery life
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Cons
- No size options
- Blood pressure and ECG monitoring is only available for Samsung smartphone users
- Pricey
