Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Built to go the distance & puts your health first

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra marks a bold step forward for the brand’s smartwatch lineup, offering a rugged, sport-focused device packed with features designed for endurance athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. With a titanium build, advanced tracking capabilities, and a design made to withstand the elements, the Watch Ultra goes head-to-head with high-end wearables like the Apple Watch Ultra—but with a Samsung twist.

Built for rugged conditions

The Galaxy Watch Ultra isn’t your typical smartwatch. At first glance, it’s clear this device was built to endure tough conditions. It’s 47.4mm titanium casing offers serious durability without weighing the wrist down—at just over 60 grams, it strikes a balance between strength and comfort. A raised bezel helps protect the 1.5-inch circular AMOLED display, which sits within a squarish cushion-style frame. This new “cushion” shape is a departure from Samsung’s usual round designs and gives the Ultra a distinctive, sportier look.

The display itself is bright and crisp, reaching up to 3,000 nits, making it easy to read even under direct sunlight. Covered by Sapphire Crystal glass, it holds up well against scratches from rocks or gear. It also meets MIL-STD-810H standards and is water-resistant up to 10ATM (roughly 100 meters), making it suitable for high-impact workouts, water sports, or hiking in rough weather.

Samsung has also added a new Quick Button to the side—finished in bright orange—that can be customized to launch workouts, activate features like the flashlight or siren, or even start a stopwatch.

Advanced tracking for serious athletes

At its core, the Ultra is also a training partner. Whether you’re preparing for a marathon or exploring remote trails, the watch offers a full suite of tracking features designed for performance. It includes dual-frequency GPS, which helps maintain signal accuracy even in dense urban areas or forested trails. It tracks VO2, heart rate zones, stride length, vertical oscillation, and more—ideal for runners, cyclists, and triathletes.

For those focused on recovery and long-term health, the watch also includes sleep tracking, stress measurement, body composition analysis, and an Energy Score. The Energy Score aggregates data from sleep, heart rate variability, and activity levels to give users an idea of how ready they are for physical exertion. It’s a practical way to measure whether you should push your limits or take it easy for the day.

The watch even has sleep apnea detection, using blood oxygen levels and heart rate to detect interruptions during sleep, one of the few wearables on the market with this capability.

Smart features that track your heart from your wrist

One of the standout features of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is its ability to monitor your heart with surprising detail. It includes an FDA-cleared electrocardiogram (ECG) that tracks your heart rhythm and can identify signs of irregular heartbeat, such as atrial fibrillation. The ECG data can be viewed in the Samsung Health Monitor app and shared with your doctor if needed.

Alongside the ECG, the watch also offers blood pressure tracking. This isn’t available out of the box, though—it requires an initial calibration with a traditional blood pressure cuff and needs to be recalibrated every few weeks. Once set up, it uses pulse wave analysis from the watch’s sensors to give you daily readings. It’s not a replacement for medical equipment, but it’s a helpful tool for spotting trends or unusual spikes before they become serious.

These tools put heart health front and center. They’re most useful for users managing hypertension or those at risk for heart problems.

Battery performance and real-world use

One of the most significant improvements Samsung brings with the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the battery life. The 590mAh battery provides up to 48 hours of regular use and up to 100 hours in power-saving mode. For a watch with such a bright screen and so many active sensors, this is a notable achievement.

Still, users looking for a full week of battery life, such as what Garmin offers with its solar models, may be disappointed. During testing, with GPS enabled and multiple workouts logged, most users reported needing a charge after two full days.

It’s better than past Galaxy models, but it may not meet expectations for ultra-endurance events unless used in a more conservative mode. Charging is done through Samsung’s magnetic charger and takes a little over an hour to reach full capacity.

Worth the price

At $649, the Galaxy Watch Ultra sits at the top of Samsung’s wearable range. While it’s more affordable than the Apple Watch Ultra and some Garmin models, it’s still a significant investment. What you get for the price, though, is a capable, durable, and highly detailed smartwatch built with active users in mind.

For Galaxy phone owners or Wear OS users, the integration and experience feel seamless. It’s a solid choice for people who want to take a more active role in managing their health, especially those who value early detection and prevention.

By helping you spot patterns in blood pressure, ECG readings, and sleep, the watch encourages users to address potential issues before they turn into larger problems. Combined with guidance from the Samsung Health app and access to professional care, it becomes part of a broader health routine.

It’s important to note this watch won’t replace your doctor or licensed medical devices. But it can give you a more complete view of your body’s signals, supporting smarter decisions around diet, rest, exercise, and stress.

Comfortable enough for everyday use

Even though the Galaxy Watch Ultra is built tough, it’s still comfortable to wear daily. The titanium case keeps it light, and the soft silicone band doesn’t irritate the skin, even after long hours.

The cushion-style frame adds to the size, which might feel too big for smaller wrists. But Samsung offers different strap options, so you can adjust it for a better fit.

While the design leans sporty, it’s polished enough to match different outfits. You can also change the watch face to match your style, whether you’re working out or heading to a meeting.

Galaxy Watch Ultra puts your health first

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a bold move from Samsung—it’s rugged enough for outdoor athletes, but packed with features meant for serious health monitoring. From tracking your heart rhythm to alerting you about poor sleep, it’s a device built with health-first thinking. For those who want more than just fitness stats and are ready to invest in better daily health habits, it’s one of the most complete smartwatches on the market today.