Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 enhances outdoor durability, battery life, and display brightness, signalling a strategic shift with a new Qualcomm chip and improved endurance, targeting rugged users seeking multi-day use.
Samsung has made a clearer case for its top-end smartwatch than it did with the first Galaxy Watch Ultra. The new model keeps the rugged, outdoor-focused identity but addresses the most obvious weakness of the original: battery life. Samsung says the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 uses an 800mAh cell, up from 590mAh, while the case has been slimmed to 10.7mm. That combination is unusual in a device class where bigger batteries normally mean thicker hardware, and it is the main reason the watch now looks more credible as a multi-day wearable rather than a daily charging exercise.
The battery gains appear to be more than theoretical. In practical testing reported by PhoneArena, the watch held up for more than 72 hours with typical use, suggesting Samsung’s endurance claims are plausible rather than optimistic marketing. That puts the Ultra 2 closer to the expectations of outdoor-focused buyers, even if it still does not match the two-week stamina of some specialist fitness watches.
Samsung has also changed the silicon for the first time in Galaxy Watch history. The company moved from its own Exynos platform to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite, which it says improves speed and efficiency. In use, that should translate to faster app launches and smoother interaction, while the updated platform also gives Samsung more room to position the watch around AI-assisted features. It is a notable strategic shift, not just a parts swap.
The display is another major differentiator. Samsung says the watch reaches 5,000 nits of peak brightness, making it one of the most visible smartwatch screens available in direct sunlight. The 1.52-inch Sapphire Crystal Super AMOLED panel is designed for outdoor readability, and Samsung pairs that with IP69K durability and EN13319 dive certification to 40 metres. That makes the Ultra 2 unusually well specified for water sports, harsh weather and trail use.
Price remains a factor. Samsung has set the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 at $699, which undercuts Apple’s Ultra line, according to the review, while still placing it firmly in premium territory. Notebookcheck reported an EU price of €749 for the LTE version, reinforcing that this is not a mainstream smartwatch purchase. Even so, the spec sheet now looks more coherent: bigger battery, brighter screen, thinner body and a newer chip all point in the same direction.
The remaining trade-offs are familiar. Dive features still depend on the Mares app, with full functionality tied to a subscription once the service arrives later in 2026, and some of Samsung’s deeper health tools remain limited to users of Galaxy phones. That means the Ultra 2 is not a universal Android watch, even if it is a stronger one than its predecessor. For Galaxy owners who want a rugged smartwatch with better stamina and a far more usable display, Samsung has finally delivered the upgrade the original model needed.
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