Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra finally gives Android users the big, tough watch we’ve been waiting for. It’s got built-in LTE, runs the latest version of WearOS 5 and has a suite of health and fitness tools that set it apart from other Android smartwatches. But after almost two weeks of testing the Ultra, it’s the regular Galaxy Watch 7 that I’d recommend for most people.

 

Samsung Galaxy Watch

 

Judging by the renders published by insider Sudhanshu Ambhore, the Samsung Galaxy Watch FE will look similar to the Galaxy Watch4 and will receive a round 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 396×396 pixels, and there will be two physical buttons on the side.

That’s because the $650 Galaxy Watch Ultra and $300 Galaxy Watch 7 are using the same playbook as the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro from 2022. They’re almost the same watch under the hood, with the same sensors, dual-frequency GPS and health features. The Ultra offers a tougher, titanium construction and a few more workout tools, just like the older watch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch has used the Ultra name for its flagship products for a while, like the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It’s obvious that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 may have inspired certain features, like the Quick button, but there’s enough here that sets the watches apart to show that the Galaxy Watch Ultra isn’t a cut-and-paste job.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra size and fit

Initially, when I first saw the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s design, it wasn’t my cup of tea. But after almost two weeks of testing, the cushion case has grown on me. I’m now used to the circular screen inside the square-ish case.

But it is a large watch. Even though I frequently test similarly sized sports watches, like the Garmin Epix and Apple Watch Ultra, the Galaxy Watch Ultra feels even more bulky than these competitors. My wrist measures 152mm. Watch the video on this page to get an idea of how it might look on you.

According to the insider, the watch will be equipped with a dual-core Exynos W920 processor, 1.5 GB of RAM, built-in 16 GB of storage and a 247 mAh battery that provides up to 30 hours of battery life. The presence of magnetic wireless charging and water protection is also indicated. The watch will run Wear OS with the One UI Watch 5.0 interface.

I’m also annoyed that I can’t use earlier Galaxy Watch bands on the Ultra. That’s because it uses a new dynamic lug mechanism, and at the time of reviewing, there are only three compatible Samsung bands: a Marine band, Trail band and Peak Form band.

The Galaxy Watch 7 uses the same one-click band mechanism we saw on the Galaxy Watch 6 and Classic. It’s also compatible with third-party spring pin bands.

The Ultra’s bright screen somewhat makes up for the messy band situation. It hits a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, the same as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, so it’s very easy to see outdoors. Night mode is also a nice touch, but it only works on a selection of the Ultra-specific watch faces.

And just like the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s Action button, the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s Quick button is truly helpful. I love that I can long press to bring up the end workout page during an activity, or switch the workout type in multisport, and it also changes its action depending on context. So, if you have the stopwatch open, for example, the Quick button can record laps with a double press or start/stop the clock with a single press. This is similar to how the Action button works.

Samsung Galaxy Watch FE

Previously, we also saw renders of the flagship Galaxy Watch7 Ultra. It’s not clear if the watch will be unveiled together in July or if Samsung will hold a separate launch event for the FE devices even earlier.