Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Jul 14
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Needs 3 Upgrades to Challenge Apple Watch Ultra 3
Updated
Updated · Tom's Guide · Jul 14

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Needs 3 Upgrades to Challenge Apple Watch Ultra 3

1 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Jul 14

Summary

  • Three changes would make Samsung’s next Galaxy Watch Ultra more competitive: a slimmer case, battery life of 3 days or more, and true dive-ready water resistance.
  • Design is the biggest hardware gap in the comparison, with the current Galaxy Watch Ultra measuring about 16 mm at its center versus a little over 14 mm for Apple’s Ultra 3 and wearing wider on a 6.5-inch wrist.
  • Battery is one area where Samsung already leads, lasting roughly 2 days per charge in testing versus about 42 hours for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, but the recommendation is to widen that edge further.
  • Water use remains a clearer weakness: Samsung’s current model shares a 100-meter rating with Apple’s but is not meant for extended underwater use, leaving diving, snorkeling and some high-impact water sports off limits.
  • The suggestions come ahead of Samsung’s July 22 Unpacked event, where rumors point to a first look at the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 nearly 2 years after the original launched.

Insights

Will advanced on-device AI be enough to forgive the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2's potentially unchanged bulky design?
As watches promise multi-day battery life, must users accept a bulkier design as the necessary trade-off?