Compare Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest points, repeatedly described as highly accurate, reliable, and often best-in-class.

Dual-band GPS is usually fast to lock and highly accurate, often matching Garmin or other reference devices closely on distance and route shape. Some tests still found corner cutting or small deviations, so it is excellent rather than perfect.

Heart-rate accuracy was generally strong and often close to chest straps, though high-intensity intervals could show lag or spotty readings.

Heart-rate tracking is often very strong during running and cardio, with several tests showing close agreement with Polar straps, Apple Watch and other references. Harder conditions such as strength work, swimming or cadence-heavy movement can still produce errors.

Sleep tracking was mixed: several reviewers found it excellent or improved, while others criticized sleep phases or felt results were off.

Sleep tracking is one of the most inconsistent areas: some testers found stages and duration closely matched other wearables, while others saw missed periods or implausible scores. The comfort improvements make overnight wear easier, but the data itself is not uniformly dependable.

Fitness tracking accuracy was broadly praised across distance, elevation, running dynamics, and sports metrics, with gym heart-rate caveats.

General exercise tracking is strong, with several controlled tests showing close agreement on distance, steps and body metrics. Accuracy is not flawless across every sport or metric, but the overall fitness-tracking performance is competitive.

Workout variety was a major strength, with reviewers praising the large sport-mode library and deep multisport functionality.

The Ultra 2 offers a very broad workout library plus new trail-running and diving tools, making it versatile for general fitness and outdoor use. Serious athletes still note missing modes and deeper sport-specific features, so breadth does not always equal depth.

Suggested workouts, interval tools, race guidance, and on-wrist coaching were repeatedly described as helpful for training.

Samsung’s running, fitness and health coaching can turn scores into personalized goals and suggested workouts, and several users found it genuinely helpful. Pacing errors, calibration requirements and some iFIT-linked workouts keep the experience from feeling universally polished.

Recovery insights were a standout, especially Training Readiness, which reviewers found actionable, digestible, and useful.

Energy Score, Cardio Load and related recovery tools can help decide whether to push harder or back off, and several users found the guidance useful. Some advice can feel generic, stale or less sophisticated than Garmin, Oura or Google alternatives.

Calorie usefulness was split between helpful fueling alerts and weak diet/caloric-consumption tracking.

Daily calorie-burn estimates were considered surprisingly believable and close enough to other calculations to be useful. This is limited to one detailed assessment, but it was strongly positive.

Step counting was tested as accurate, with a very low error rate in one review.

Step accuracy is sharply mixed. Manual walking tests can be nearly exact, but multiple sources reported phantom steps while driving and one test produced a dramatically inflated count.

Health tracking was praised for the breadth and quality of Garmin’s metrics, especially for active users.

Health measurements are broadly credible, with some metrics aligning closely with scales or other wearables. There are also reports of missed readings, questionable outliers and body-composition bias, so not every metric deserves equal confidence.

Wellness insights were valued for health, fitness, stress, body battery, and sleep context, though one reviewer ignored some metrics.

Samsung’s Vitals, Heart Health Score, Cardio Load and other wellness tools are widely praised for turning raw sensor data into understandable trends and prompts. Some features need a week or more of baseline data, but the overall health context is a major strength.

One reviewer found blood oxygen readings close to a pulse oximeter, supporting strong SpO2 tracking confidence.

Blood-oxygen tracking is described as working normally alongside the watch’s other core health sensors. There is little standalone testing of SpO2 accuracy, so confidence is more limited than for heart rate or GPS.

Stress tracking was included in useful readiness and health context rather than treated as a standalone killer feature.

Stress tracking is reported to work normally alongside Samsung’s other core health measurements. There is little dedicated testing of the stress metric itself, so the positive signal is limited.

Comfort was mostly positive because the watch is light and wearable 24/7, though some reviewers found it bulky or heavy at first.

The thinner case and softer bands make the Ultra 2 dramatically easier to wear than the first model, and many testers could comfortably keep it on overnight. Its 47mm body is still large and can feel cumbersome on smaller wrists or for sensitive sleepers.

Materials were mostly praised for high-quality straps and a premium titanium bezel, though not all durability concerns disappeared.

Titanium and sapphire give the Ultra 2 a distinctly premium, durable feel. The materials are tough and corrosion-resistant, though the titanium case can still pick up cosmetic marks over time.

Build quality was mixed: reviewers liked Garmin durability in general but noted the flatter screen and bezel can be easier to hit or scratch.

The titanium construction feels solid, premium and cohesive, with a case that looks and feels appropriate for a flagship outdoor watch. The hardware is repeatedly described as exceptionally well put together.

Durability was mixed: some reviewers saw scratch resistance and solid materials, while several reported scratches or durability concerns.

Titanium, sapphire crystal, IP69K protection, 10ATM water resistance and military-grade testing make the Ultra 2 exceptionally rugged. It handles daily knocks confidently, although exposed case edges can still collect cosmetic scratches.

Size options were a weakness because the 965 comes in only one size and can feel large on small wrists.

The single 47mm case is a repeated complaint. Even with the thinner design, buyers with smaller wrists have no compact Ultra option and may be better served by the standard Galaxy Watch line.

Fit was positive for users comfortable with Garmin sizing, but the larger case was not ideal for smaller wrists.

The slimmer body, flatter stance and secure band system improve how the Ultra 2 sits on the wrist. Fit is still highly wrist-dependent because the single 47mm case can overwhelm smaller wrists despite the comfort gains.

Style and design were praised as sporty, premium, modern, and among the better-looking Forerunner designs.

The squircle-and-circle design is polarizing in theory but wins over many users in practice, especially with the slimmer profile, engraved bezel and premium finishes. A few details, such as the orange center button or sheer size, still divide opinion.

The stock silicone/removable straps were generally praised as flexible, comfortable, good-looking, and easy to swap.

Samsung’s redesigned bands are generally softer, lighter, more flexible and more breathable than the first Ultra’s straps, making long wear and sleep easier. The proprietary attachment and high accessory pricing remain notable drawbacks, and one Marine Band was still found rough.

Water resistance was strong in swim/shower-style use, with no accidental toggles and 50m/5ATM confidence noted.

Water durability is exceptional, with 10ATM, IP69K and EN13319 diving certification giving the Ultra 2 much stronger aquatic credentials than a normal smartwatch. Several testers view it as legitimately dive-ready rather than merely swim-safe.

Battery life was broadly praised as strong for everyday training and most races, with caveats around always-on AMOLED, GPS-heavy use, and ultra-distance events.

Battery life is one of the Ultra 2’s biggest upgrades, commonly landing around two to three days and sometimes longer depending on settings and GPS use. Heavy navigation and workouts cut that endurance, but most users no longer need to plan around daily charging.

Charging speed was praised as fast or at least on the better side, with reviewers noting quick top-ups.

Charging speed is inconsistent across testing: some units reach useful top-ups or a full charge in roughly 90 minutes, while others take closer to two hours or initially far longer. Even positive testers often wish the large battery refilled faster.

Charging convenience was a repeated weakness due to Garmin’s proprietary connector, loose cable complaints, and lack of wireless charging.

Charging convenience is a recurring weakness because the Ultra 2 relies on Samsung-compatible magnetic charging and often refuses standard Qi or third-party multi-device stands. That makes travel and bedside setups less flexible than the watch’s premium price suggests.

The AMOLED display drew very strong praise for color, legibility, sharpness, maps, and overall upgrade value.

The Super AMOLED display is a standout strength, repeatedly praised for sharp text, vibrant color, excellent contrast and generous screen space. Several testers called it among the best smartwatch displays they have used.

Outdoor visibility was praised in sun, water, and all-light conditions, despite AMOLED battery tradeoffs.

Outdoor readability is close to unanimous praise. The 5,000-nit display remains clear in direct sun, on trails and even around water, making workout data and navigation easy to glance at without shading the screen.

Reviewers found the AMOLED display bright enough indoors and at low settings, with clear improvements over older displays.

The 5,000-nit panel is consistently praised as exceptionally bright, even if some consider that level more than most situations require. Its extra headroom becomes genuinely useful in harsh sun and for the screen-based flashlight.

Reliability was generally positive, with only minor bugs noted and one long-term reviewer saying it performed well in demanding use.

A small but important set of tests found intermittent gaps in heart-rate or sleep data even when the watch was worn consistently. Those misses make sensor reliability a concern for buyers who depend on uninterrupted health records.

Value was context-dependent: reviewers praised the feature set and later discounts, but questioned the price for casual users or 955/265 owners.

The $699 price produces the most divided opinions. The battery, display, durability and outdoor features can justify the premium for active users, but the Galaxy Watch 9 and discounted older Ultras deliver much of the everyday experience for less.

Voice assistant support was weak because the watch lacks true assistant, microphone, and call-smarts expected from fuller smartwatches.

Gemini is one of the Ultra 2’s most consistently praised smart features, especially for Raise to Talk, timers, questions and app actions without touching the screen. A few tests found the raise gesture inconsistent, but most found it fast and genuinely useful.

Garmin Pay was treated as useful in concept but limited by inconsistent bank support, especially outside the US.

Google Wallet and Samsung’s payment support make quick purchases from the wrist easy and genuinely phone-free. Testers who used it viewed payments as one of the practical everyday smartwatch benefits.

Call handling was mixed to weak: one review listed calls among lifestyle features, while others noted missing wrist-call or hands-free functionality.

Calls are a strong everyday feature: audio is loud enough to hear, the speaker is clear, and callers reported good microphone quality. The watch works well for quick phone-free conversations.

Smartwatch features were the main compromise: useful basics exist, but reviewers repeatedly called the experience barebones or limited.

As an everyday smartwatch, the Ultra 2 is exceptionally capable, covering calls, messages, payments, apps, music, LTE, AI and health tools without constant phone use. Even critical sports-focused testers generally agree that its core smartwatch experience is excellent.

Third-party app support was mixed: Strava and Connect IQ are useful, but Garmin apps can feel clunky or less polished.

Third-party app support is excellent for a smartwatch, with useful Wear OS options such as Spotify, Strava and WhatsApp working directly on the watch. This breadth is a major advantage over more closed fitness-watch platforms.

Music controls were adequate for basic use, but one reviewer noted playback issues when skipping or changing playlists.

Music control works well from the wrist, including full YouTube Music browsing and playback management. It is a useful part of the watch’s ability to replace short phone interactions.

Pairing and syncing were positive, with quick phone pairing and seamless Strava syncing noted.

Initial Samsung-phone setup can be clean and automatic, but connectivity is not flawless. One real-world run lost the phone connection and interrupted media playback, leaving this a limited and mixed area.

Wi-Fi was a weak point for large map downloads because the watch-side transfer was described as slow.

Wi-Fi is useful as a fallback when the phone is absent, allowing messaging and other connected functions without LTE. There is little direct testing of Wi-Fi performance beyond that use case.

Menu navigation was generally easy once learned, with reviewers calling controls frictionless or easy to get used to.

Navigation is mixed: the digital bezel can feel intuitive and responsive, but several users still miss a physical rotating bezel for precision, gloves or wet hands. Touch-based scrolling can also obscure content or overshoot.

Watch faces benefited from AMOLED and were sometimes called stunning, though one reviewer noted fewer choices than before.

Samsung and the Play Store offer a large, attractive selection of watch faces with useful complications and strong customization. The bright, large display gives those faces plenty of room to work.

Reviewers liked Garmin’s cloud sync, Strava/Apple Health integration, Connect IQ options, and lack of a required subscription, though it remains sports-first.

Wear OS gives the Ultra 2 an unusually strong smartwatch app library, with Google Maps, Spotify, WhatsApp, Gmail, YouTube Music and other familiar tools working directly on the wrist. App availability is one of its clearest advantages over many dedicated sports watches.

Touch controls were useful and optional, with reviewers appreciating that buttons can replace touch during workouts.

Touch input is generally fast and responsive, including the improved touch bezel. Wet or sweaty workout conditions still make physical controls preferable, but the touchscreen itself earns strong marks.

The OS experience was viewed as effective and more fun with the refreshed AMOLED-era interface.

Wear OS 7 with One UI Watch 9 is powerful, polished and tightly integrated with Android, with a strong app library and long software-support promise. The overall OS experience is one of the watch’s strongest everyday advantages.

Onboard music was praised for Spotify/offline support and 32GB storage for music and maps.

The 64GB storage provides ample room for offline playlists, podcasts, maps and apps. It meaningfully improves phone-free runs because music can stay on the watch and play directly to Bluetooth earbuds.

Mapping and navigation were major strengths, with detailed AMOLED maps, turn prompts, trail help, and strong route-following support.

GPX routes, turn-by-turn guidance, off-route warnings and Google Maps make navigation genuinely useful for hikes and runs. Route loading, missing map labels, limited rerouting and the lack of a full always-available offline map system keep it behind dedicated outdoor watches.

Notifications were useful and more readable, but iOS limitations and limited message handling held them back.

Notification delivery has improved substantially and can be seamless once configured, with direct replies working well. Default app permissions and Samsung’s notification settings can still require manual cleanup and occasionally cause missed alerts.

Garmin Connect was viewed as powerful and data-rich, but some reviewers found its organization confusing or dated.

Samsung Health is generally praised for clearer organization, useful health cards and an approachable amount of detail. It can still feel fragmented across multiple Samsung apps, and occasional lag, freezes or awkward organization appear in heavier use.

Customization was a clear strength, from data screens and watch faces to app and watch settings.

Watch faces, tiles, complications, gestures, shortcuts and swappable bands give the Ultra 2 extensive room for personalization. Proprietary band hardware is the main constraint in an otherwise flexible setup.

Buttons were consistently praised as tactile, easy to use during workouts, and a dependable alternative to touch controls.

The Quick Button and side keys are generally tactile, responsive and useful for fast workout or shortcut access. Opinions are less positive about the missing rotating bezel, occasional button crowding and controls that can be awkward during sweaty workouts.

Software smoothness was praised, with the UI described as smoother, faster, and free of lag in normal use.

The Snapdragon Wear Elite platform makes the interface, apps and animations fast and fluid in most testing, a clear improvement over older Galaxy watches. A few users still noticed stutters or heavier-app hiccups, so it is not perfectly consistent.

The interface was widely praised as easier, cleaner, more modern, and dramatically improved by AMOLED.

One UI Watch is usually intuitive, customizable and easy to learn, especially for existing Samsung users. Feature density and a few interaction choices can make some menus busier or more awkward than necessary.

Sensor connectivity was viewed as a strength because the watch supports broad ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart pairing.

Bluetooth support is useful for phone-free audio and, notably, direct cycling power-meter connections. The connection options broaden the watch’s usefulness without requiring a phone for every activity.

ECG was a recurring missing feature and was called disappointing or expected by several reviewers.

ECG readings generally worked as expected and one comparison produced results similar to a dedicated Kardia device. It remains a wellness feature rather than a substitute for clinical diagnostic equipment.

The missing dedicated flashlight was repeatedly framed as a disappointment, especially compared with higher-end Garmin models.

The screen-based flashlight benefits directly from the very bright display and is surprisingly useful for dark rooms, nighttime checks and quick tasks. It cannot match a dedicated hardware flashlight, but it is far from a throwaway feature.

Exercise auto-detection was criticized because training features require manually starting activities.

Automatic workout recognition is usually quick and dependable, with several testers praising reliable starts and responsive pausing. A few sessions were split after longer stops, so manual starts are still safer when one continuous track matters.

LTE was a clear omission; reviewers called Garmin’s lack of cellular connectivity a shame or noted it was not added.

Built-in LTE can make the Ultra 2 genuinely independent for calls, messages and workouts without a phone, and cellular battery use has improved. The forced LTE configuration, lack of 5G, extra plan cost and battery drain make it unnecessary overhead for some buyers.

Cross-platform use was positive overall, with Android offering more watch interaction and Apple Health integration appreciated.

Compatibility is one of the Ultra 2’s clearest limitations: it is Android-only, and ECG, blood pressure, sleep-apnea features and some integrations can require a Galaxy phone. Other Android phones still get much of the experience, but not the complete feature set.

Safety-related features were praised through navigation alerts, LiveTrack, and situational-awareness benefits.

Emergency SOS, fall detection and the loud siren are repeatedly viewed as reassuring additions for outdoor use. They are features most owners hope never to need, but they strengthen the Ultra 2’s adventure credentials.

The Antioxidant Index attracts curiosity but little enthusiasm. It is repeatedly described as hard to act on or more of a gimmick than a genuinely useful health metric.

Samsung Health earns credit for allowing users to download their collected data, which supports data ownership. At the same time, AI-training settings may warrant an opt-out for users who are uncomfortable with that use of their data.

Several headline outdoor features arrived incomplete or unavailable, including parts of the diving experience and built-in trail discovery. Buyers interested in those specific capabilities should not assume every announced function is ready on day one.

Automatic pause and resume behavior works especially well during stops such as traffic lights, restarting quickly when movement resumes. This makes everyday activity tracking feel more hands-off and precise.

Haptics are a standout detail, with strong, precise feedback that can reliably signal calls and messages without sound. Several testers rank the vibration quality among the best they have used on a smartwatch.

Blood-pressure readings are a welcome addition and can be useful once configured, but setup requires cuff calibration and some phone restrictions still apply. Experiences range from readings that work fine to frustration with the setup burden.

Skin-temperature trends can feed Vitals and flag unusual overnight changes, giving the metric a practical role beyond simply showing a number. The usefulness comes mainly from baseline alerts rather than isolated temperature readings.

Climb and descent guidance is useful for trail runners and cyclists because it surfaces gradient, elevation and upcoming hill information. The concept is strong, but separate elevation-accuracy concerns mean serious athletes may still want a dedicated sports watch.

Fitness Index, Heart Health Score and related scores make large amounts of health data easier to digest and give users concrete targets. The best implementations point toward what to improve rather than simply reporting past activity.

Native external-sensor support is a major sports limitation. Several testers strongly criticized the lack of straightforward chest-strap and broader sensor pairing inside Samsung’s workout environment, forcing workarounds or third-party apps.

Native running-power support is still missing, which is a notable omission for performance-focused runners. Dedicated sports watches remain better equipped for this metric.

Voice notes become much more useful when recordings sync to a Galaxy phone for AI summaries and generated notes. The integration turns a basic recorder into a practical capture tool.