The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung's attempt to compete with Apple's Watch Ultra with a collection of premium features and a rugged, premium design. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung's premium smartwatch this year and replaces the last-generation Classic model.
However, Samsung's naming scheme clearly distinguishes the two smartwatch lines, so the Ultra isn't exactly a successor to last year's Watch6 Classic and instead represents a new series.
Still, if we were to compare the Ultra to the Classic, the former is a huge improvement. The Galaxy Watch Ultra runs on a new, more powerful and efficient Exynos W1000 SoC with five cores instead of just two; it draws power from a larger 590mAh battery; and it has a more robust chassis design, incorporating sapphire, titanium, and ceramic. As a result, the Ultra has better protection against extreme outdoor environments, which is why Samsung is trying to appeal to outdoor users.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra specifications overview:
- Body: 47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1 mm, 61 g; Sapphire crystal front, ceramic/sapphire crystal back, titanium frame (grade 4); IP68/10 ATM certified, water resistant to 100 m (up to 10 min), MIL-STD 810H certified, ECG certified.
- Display: 1.50″ Super AMOLED display, 480 x 480 px resolution, 9:9 aspect ratio, 327 ppi; always-on display.
- Chipset: Exynos W1000 (3 nm): Penta-core; Mali-G68.
- Memory: 32GB + 2GB RAM.
- Operating System/Software: Android Wear 5 operating system, One UI 6 watch.
- Rear camera: No.
- Front camera: No.
- Video capture: Rear camera: No.
- Battery: 590 mAh; 10 W wireless (Qi).
- Connectivity: LTE; eSIM; Wi-Fi 4; BT 5.3; NFC.
- Miscellaneous : Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate, barometer, altimeter, compass, SpO2, temperature (body), temperature (water), BioActive.
Despite the extra features, hardware, and more robust design, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is surprisingly similar to its predecessor. We have the same screen, the same standard 47mm width, and the same weight.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy Watch Ultra doesn't have a rotating bezel this year, which is pretty expected given that Samsung has been putting the bezel on every other generation. Since the Watch6 Classic had the ring, the Ultra skips it. The “virtual bezel” should do the trick.
Let's see what else Samsung has in store for us, because smartwatches are arguably more personal gadgets than smartphones, so stick around to find out how much better Samsung's first Ultra smartwatch is in everyday use.
Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes in multiple retail boxes that fit inside each other, but you only get the default straps inside and the proper 10W wireless charger with the USB-C connector on the other end.
