Compare Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)

GPS accuracy drew strong agreement: multiple reviewers found routes, lock speed, and distance tracking accurate, with only some urban caveats.

GPS accuracy is praised by several mainstream reviewers, but scientific testing found visible deviations and placed it behind stronger sports watches.

Heart rate accuracy was good for many runs and workouts, but several reviews found sport-specific misses, especially cycling, rowing, or rough conditions.

Heart-rate accuracy is generally good for running and daily fitness, though scientific testing still found better wrist options and exercise-dependent limits.

Sleep tracking accuracy was mixed: some reviewers found sleep timing and stages accurate, while others saw gaps, inflated scores, or difficulty distinguishing waking from stillness.

Sleep tracking earns mixed marks: reviewers liked the score and some stage consistency, but noted low awake detection and second-tier sleep-stage performance.

Fitness tracking accuracy was mostly positive but not flawless, with reviewers finding valid or strong data while also flagging average or sport-specific weaknesses.

Fitness tracking is broadly positive for running and general activity, though scientific testing framed performance as good enough rather than best-in-class.

Recovery insights were useful when tied to Energy Score, Wellness Tips, sleep score factors, and physical recovery context, though reviewers did not treat them as perfect.

Recovery-style guidance is a weak spot in one long-term review, where the energy score felt redundant and unhelpful.

Coaching evidence was limited and mixed, with strength-training voice guidance seen as potentially useful but dependent on the user’s routine.

Coaching features are a standout, especially Running Coach, which reviewers found useful, personalized, or exceptionally effective.

Workout variety was good for mainstream exercise and multisport use, though one review noted the data-field depth still trails endurance-focused rivals.

Workout variety is a strength, with reviewers praising broad activity support, multisport-style capabilities, and Samsung’s wide exercise list.

Health tracking accuracy was mixed: some readings closely matched controls, but broader health metrics and fitness tracking drew caveats.

Health-tracking accuracy is mixed: reviewers praised some running-related readings, but questioned HRV, blood oxygen, antioxidant-style metrics, and scientific testing placed Samsung below top-tier rivals.

Step counting was acceptable but imperfect, with one reviewer tolerating discrepancies and another noting phantom steps while driving.

Step counting is strong during normal arm-swinging walks, with a caveat that carts or strollers reduce accuracy.

Wellness insights were mixed: Energy Score and tips sometimes felt useful or accurate, while AGEs and some readiness-style metrics were vague or inconsistent.

Wellness insights are useful when they explain metrics or provide coaching, though some newer metrics remain questionable.

Blood oxygen evidence was limited and negative, with one review finding the overnight readings unusually low versus other wearables.

Blood oxygen tracking drew a clear caveat, with one reviewer repeatedly seeing lower SPO2 results than expected from other sensors.

Comfort was highly wrist-dependent: several reviewers found it comfortable despite the size, while others said it disrupted sleep or remained hard to forget.

Comfort varies by reviewer: some found it comfortable, including for sleep, while others felt the weight and bulk.

Materials quality was praised for titanium and sapphire construction, with reviewers describing the casing and glass as premium or durable.

Materials quality is excellent, with praise for titanium, ruggedness, and corrosion-resistant construction.

Water resistance was useful for swimming and surf-style testing, but reviewers repeatedly cautioned that it is not a true dive-sports watch.

Water resistance is treated positively for pool, rain, snow, and diving-oriented use.

Fit evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer able to get a snug, usable fit from the supplied band setup.

Fit is context-dependent: one reviewer liked the big watch on their wrist, while another found it too large.

Design reactions were highly polarized: some reviewers loved the bold Ultra look, while others called it derivative, bulky, or aesthetically off.

Style is subjective: one reviewer loved the stylish look, while another disliked the rugged, masculine aesthetic.

Durability was generally strong, supported by scratch resistance and long-term wear, though one reviewer noted everyday case indentations.

Durability is excellent across reviews, from chassis feel to military-standard claims and real-world wear with little damage.

Size options were a common limitation because the watch only comes in one large 47mm case and several reviewers found it bulky.

Size options are limited by the single large case, and multiple reviewers describe the Ultra as very big.

Band feedback was split: several reviewers liked the ease, comfort, or redesigned mechanism, while others criticized the Marine or stock band design.

Band quality is mixed to positive, with easy swaps and a robust strap system offset by dirt buildup and a hit-or-miss release mechanism.

Build quality was a standout strength, with reviewers repeatedly calling it top-notch, excellent, solid, or tank-like.

Build quality is a major strength thanks to the rugged titanium case, robust design, and adventure-ready construction.

Battery life was one of the clearest improvements, usually landing around two to three days, though reviewers still noted it falls short of true outdoor-watch endurance.

Battery life is a strength relative to other Galaxy Watches, but real-world results vary widely with always-on display, GPS, and travel use.

Charging convenience was mixed: one reviewer liked infrequent charging, while others disliked losing reverse wireless charging.

Charging convenience is hurt by Samsung omitting the wall charger, which one reviewer called stingy.

Display quality was one of the strongest areas, with reviewers calling the AMOLED screen excellent, gorgeous, and among the best on Android watches.

Display quality is consistently praised as vibrant, large, detailed, scratch-resistant, and excellent overall.

Brightness was widely praised, especially the 3,000-nit display and strong automatic brightness behavior in direct sun.

Brightness is one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly noting bright output and easy readability.

Outdoor visibility was consistently strong thanks to the bright display, with reviewers reporting easy readability in sun and outdoor workouts.

Outdoor visibility is excellent, with multiple reviewers saying the display remains readable in direct sunlight.

Reliability was mixed: some reviewers saw software or wear-detection quirks, while another only complained about a missing low-battery warning.

Reliability is mostly good, but Notebookcheck reported brief display interruptions during always-on display use.

Value was one of the most contested areas because reviewers liked the watch but repeatedly compared its $649 price against cheaper Galaxy alternatives.

Value for money is the most contested attribute: reviewers like the watch itself but often question the 2025 refresh and launch price.

LTE connectivity evidence was opinionated around the forced LTE/cellular model, which one reviewer disliked because there was no cheaper Bluetooth-only version.

LTE is a meaningful advantage for users who want to run or stay reachable without carrying a phone.

ECG evidence was limited and lukewarm, with one reviewer finding it interesting but not personally necessary.

ECG is treated positively as part of Samsung Health Monitor’s useful health-tool set rather than as a deeply tested medical feature.

Only the one-year review gave opinionated evidence on antioxidant tracking, and it was lukewarm because the reviewer had barely used it and noted it was not passive.

The antioxidant index is consistently weak, with several reviewers calling it low-value, inaccurate, gimmicky, or only marginally responsive.

Safety features had limited positive evidence, with the emergency siren described as loud enough to be meaningful.

Safety features are helped by LTE, which one reviewer valued for safer phone-free running.

Reviewers generally praised automatic workout detection, saying it started or paused workouts reliably and often worked without asking for confirmation.

Auto-detection works very well for walking and running, but one reviewer found it less reliable for cycling and strength training.

Compatibility was a recurring concern: reviewers praised Samsung ecosystem integration but criticized Samsung-phone-only features and Android-only restrictions.

Cross-platform compatibility is limited: reviewers note Android support but no current iPhone compatibility.

Navigation was a weak spot: reviewers liked basic Track Back or GPX-style routing but criticized missing maps and bare-minimum routing.

Mapping and navigation benefit from larger storage for offline maps and route-related use, especially for outdoor users.

Pairing reliability was mixed: phone/GPS pairing could be easy or reliable, while power-meter pairing was strongly criticized.

Pairing reliability is excellent in the Notebookcheck test, where the watch was recognized and set up without issues.

Third-party app support was useful through Wear OS, but custom watch-face support created a notable limitation for one reviewer.

Third-party app support benefits from extra storage and useful fitness/media apps, giving users more room for services beyond Samsung’s own tools.

Menu navigation was one of the weaker usability areas, mainly because reviewers missed the rotating bezel and found Tile scrolling tedious.

Menu navigation is mixed: the digital bezel and haptics help, but reviewers miss a rotating bezel/crown and find usability reduced.

Companion app feedback was limited but negative because one reviewer disliked needing three separate Samsung apps to access full watch functionality.

Companion app quality is mixed because Samsung still splits settings and health data across separate apps.

Customization was praised for giving easy access to preferred health information and allowing users to tailor the home screen.

Customization is strong for widgets, dashboards, watch faces, and tiles, but workout data-screen customization drew a complaint.

Operating system feedback was mostly positive for Wear OS completeness, though the one-year review noted a One UI update skewed some running metrics.

The operating system experience is improved by One UI 8, with more functional UI elements and praised new software features.

The user interface was praised by the reviewers who scored it, especially for refinement, tiles, and intuitive operation.

The user interface is functional and approachable, though at least one reviewer found parts of the visual design odd.

Software smoothness was a strong point, with reviewers repeatedly describing the interface as snappy, glitch-free, or without lag.

Software smoothness is strong in direct testing, with smooth operation and quick app launches.

Wear OS app access was treated as a major strength, with reviewers citing useful mainstream apps and thriving third-party support, though not every customization app remained compatible.

The app ecosystem is strong, with reviewers citing many apps and plenty of smartwatch functionality.

Voice assistant evidence was limited but positive when using Google Assistant instead of Bixby.

Gemini makes the voice assistant experience notably useful and convenient, especially because the watch screen is small.

Watch faces were a highlight for several reviewers, with praise for aesthetics, data density, and wide selection.

Watch faces are a major strength, with reviewers praising Samsung’s selection, visual quality, and customization.

Notifications were generally useful and prompt in the scored evidence, helping the watch function as a less distracting phone extension.

Notification handling is positive, with one reviewer noting detailed, useful notifications from the watch.

Smartwatch features were praised overall, especially for Samsung users, though some reviewers stressed it is still a large, premium sports-style smartwatch.

Core smartwatch features are strong, but some reviews temper praise by noting the 2025 model adds few meaningful upgrades.

Button feedback was mixed: reviewers liked the Quick Button and tactile controls, but several missed a rotating bezel or crown-like navigation.

Button controls are polarized: reviewers like the programmable/quick button, but one long-term reviewer had repeated accidental presses and wanted better workout shortcuts.

Bluetooth-related sensor connectivity drew criticism in the FTP/power-meter context, where the connection was described as spotty.

Call handling had limited but positive evidence, with one long-term reviewer saying calls worked well enough to use more often.

Payments were useful and reliable in the positive evidence, though one reviewer found PIN friction annoying.

Music controls had limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer liking the ability to pause or skip audio from the watch.

Onboard music and storage are valuable for Spotify, podcasts, media, and offline use, especially now that storage is doubled.

Touch interaction was mixed: the touch bezel could be excellent, but wet or sweaty workout use remained a clear limitation.

Charging speed was a repeated weakness, with reviewers often reporting around two hours or saying faster charging should be expected at this tier.

Flashlight evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer naming the flashlight shortcut as their favorite Quick Button use.

Stress tracking was weak in the available evidence, with one review calling it an afterthought and another saying it made them more stressed.