Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Taking Android Smartwatches to the Extreme 🚀

The Unique Design of Galaxy Watch Ultra 🎨

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a game-changer in the world of Android smartwatches, revered for its bold and durable design. Retailing at $650, it stands as Samsung’s most expensive watch to date. Featuring a familiar Samsung round screen nestled in a unique squirkle case, this watch has sparked quite a bit of conversation among tech enthusiasts. Let us know your thoughts on this eye-catching design in the comments below.

In person, the Galaxy Watch Ultra feels well-crafted and robust. After wearing it for just an hour, the design genuinely grows on you. The watch features a 47mm case size, and for reference, my wrist measures 152mm, allowing you to gauge how it might look on you. The watch comes in titanium gray, white, or silver finishes, providing a variety of options.

Say Goodbye to the Physical Rotating Bezel 😢

Bezel enthusiasts may shed a tear as the Galaxy Watch Ultra moves away from the much-loved physical rotating bezel available on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Instead, Samsung has opted for a touch bezel in the Ultra. This means users will need to move their fingers around the inside rim to navigate through settings. While less tactile than the physical bezel, it does offer additional means of navigation through buttons and a touchscreen.

Key Features of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 🔑

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is packed with advanced features, some of which may seem familiar when compared to another high-end Ultra watch:

• A customizable quick button to start and pause workouts, switch between sports in multi-sport mode, launch an 85dB siren, flashlight, or stopwatch.
• Dual frequency GPS using L1 and L5 bands.
• LTE onboard as standard.
• An exceptionally bright screen at 3000 nits.
• Three custom watch straps designed for water, trail, and everyday use.
• Heart rate, blood oxygen, and ECG measurements.

Advanced Bioactive Sensor and Health Monitoring 🧬

This is where the Galaxy Watch Ultra really starts to diverge from the competition. The redesigned bioactive sensor integrates multiple measurements: heart rate, electrical heart signal, and bio-impedance. These functionalities contribute to more accurate heart rate tracking and blood oxygen readings but also introduce a new measure: the AG index, an indicator of metabolic health and biological aging.

Samsung claims that the heart rate algorithm has been improved for higher intensity workouts like cycling and strength training. Another revolutionary feature is sleep apnea detection, enabled out-of-the-box on both the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra. After wearing it for at least two nights, if the watch detects signs of obstructive sleep apnea, you’ll get a notification on your phone. This is FDA-authorized and one of its kind in the U.S., a notable achievement indeed.

Additional Noteworthy Features 💬

The Galaxy Watch Ultra hasn’t forgotten about storage and speed. It doubles the internal storage from last year’s Galaxy Watch 6 line to 32GB and boasts a new processor that feels noticeably snappier, reducing lag experienced on previous models. As for battery life, the Ultra offers up to 60 hours with the always-on display turned on, and regular use can stretch that to 100 hours in power-saving mode. There’s also a workout power-saving mode extending battery life up to 48 hours.

However, both the Ultra and the regular Galaxy Watch 7 are set to use a new mechanism for watch bands, meaning older watch bands will not be compatible.

Galaxy Watch 7: A More Affordable Option 🤑

Priced at $300, the regular Galaxy Watch 7 offers excellent features at a lower price point. It comes in two sizes: a small 40mm case in green or cream and a large 44mm case in green or silver. Battery capacity differs with a 300mAh battery in the small model and a 420mAh one in the large model.

Integration of Galaxy AI 🤖

Both the Watch 7 and Ultra will heavily lean into Galaxy AI for analyzing sleep and health metrics, offering features like an energy score and wellness tips. The AI will also help analyze incoming messages and suggest replies that match the tone of the conversation, making interactions smoother and more intuitive.

Overall Verdict: Should You Buy It? 🤔

If you’re an Android user looking for a smartwatch that doesn’t compromise on health metrics, durability, and advanced AI features, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is an excellent investment. Its unique features such as the customizable quick button, dual-frequency GPS, advanced health monitoring, and extended battery life make it stand out from the crowd.

The regular Galaxy Watch 7 also offers plenty of features at a more accessible price, making it an excellent choice for those who want high-quality smartwatches without breaking the bank.

Both watches are available for pre-order now and will be officially released on July 24. Stay tuned for our full reviews, and let us know any questions you have about these watches in the comments below!