Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Review - 3 Weeks Later

The Galaxy Watch Ultra has been out for a bit over three weeks now, and at first, there was a ton of excitement and noise around it. A lot of people were quick to call it a copycat without any original ideas. I’ve already discussed why that’s not true at all, but after wearing the watch every day for these three weeks, do I still feel the same? Let’s dive into this in-depth review of the Galaxy Watch Ultra. I'll share what annoys me most about it, how accurate the new sensors are, and the absolute positives you might not notice until you actually start using the watch.

First Impressions and the Design Debate

Let’s talk design. When I first saw the Galaxy Watch Ultra in the promo videos, I thought, "What were they even thinking?" The round display with a bezel on a square body looked weird, almost like they were trying too hard to stand out. I wasn't a fan at all. But I gotta say I was wrong—after wearing it for over two weeks, the design grew on me. This watch has character. It's bold, it's different, and it stands out. Sure, it's not for everyone, but I've received more compliments on this watch than any other smartwatch I've worn. It’s like that friend who’s initially off-putting but ends up being your favorite. People keep comparing it to the Apple Watch Ultra, but honestly, they’re not even close. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is more of an evolution of Samsung's Gear Sport, which came out way before the Apple Watch Ultra.

The Band: A Love-Hate Relationship

But let's talk about what I don't like. The stock band is a disaster. Oh man, this band is probably the ugliest thing I've ever had on my wrist. I mean, who thought this would complement a premium smartwatch? It’s like pairing socks with sandals. I get that it’s supposed to be for athletes, but let's be real—most of us using this watch are just regular folks who hit the gym or go for a run now and then. Thankfully, Samsung included the Peakform band, which is a slight improvement. But let's be real, neither band is doing this watch any favors. The new band connector means third-party options are limited right now. But hey, once more options roll out, and considering they're pretty cheap, this shouldn’t be a long-term problem.

What’s Up with the Features?

One big bummer for me was the removal of the rotating bezel. I loved that feature on the older models! The bezel is still there, but it doesn’t rotate anymore. Samsung probably did this to make the watch more durable for athletes, but like I've said, most people who buy this watch aren’t athletes. Luckily, the touch bezel works surprisingly well. It’s super responsive, and the circular bezel helps guide your finger, unlike older watches, so it’s not a deal-breaker for me. Speaking of the bezel, it serves a practical purpose too. It helps protect the display from scratches and dings. I've had smartwatches with and without a bezel, and the ones with a bezel always come out looking fresher. So, that's a win for durability!

Battery Life: A Game Changer

Let's talk battery life, because this is where the Galaxy Watch Ultra really shines. I hate having to charge my smartwatch every single day, and with this one, I don’t have to. We’re talking days of battery life here, even with the always-on display and all the tracking features turned on. As I’m recording this, it’s been over two days since I last charged it, and I've still got 20% left. And that’s with notifications going off all the time, tracking my activities, sleep, everything. If I switch to power-saving mode, I could probably stretch it to four or five days. But honestly, if I’m dropping $650 on a smartwatch, I want to use all its features, not limit myself by using power-saving mode unless I absolutely have to. The only downside? The charging speed. It takes almost two hours to go from 0% to 100% with the included magnetic charger. That's fine if you’re charging it overnight, but if you’re in a rush and need a quick boost, it’s a bit of a pain. I really wish Samsung had included fast charging, especially at this price point. Oh, and another thing—there’s no reverse wireless charging like on the older models because of the bigger sensors. That’s a bummer, but at least you can still connect the charger to your phone and charge it that way, which is kind of cool. But honestly, reverse wireless charging is more convenient, and it's a feature that should have been included in this watch.

Performance and User Experience

Performance is another area where the Galaxy Watch Ultra shines. It is snappy. Apps open quickly, animations are smooth, there’s no lag whatsoever, and I’ve not noticed any delays with receiving notifications from my phone. Samsung has done a great job optimizing the software for this hardware.

One of the new features this year is “Double Pinch.” You can tap your index finger and thumb together to do things like answer calls, dismiss alarms, control music, and take photos. It’s a cool idea and works most of the time, but it’s not as responsive as I’d like. Sometimes it feels a bit hit-or-miss. Samsung shows an icon on the screen when you can use the gesture, which is helpful, but it still feels limited. The good news is that Samsung is planning to support the watch with updates for four years, so there’s plenty of time to improve this feature.

The Display: Bright and Beautiful

The display on the Galaxy Watch Ultra is incredible. It’s super bright—up to 3,000 nits—which means you can see it clearly even in direct sunlight. The colors are vibrant, and everything looks sharp. The big display is not just nice to look at; it’s also practical, especially during workouts. You can see all your metrics at a glance without squinting. Plus, the sapphire crystal screen is tough. I’ve been pretty rough with it, and there’s not a scratch on it. Another neat addition is the ‘Quick’ button, which you can customize to open any app or function you want. It’s cleverly placed between the guards of the other two buttons, so you don’t accidentally press it. This is a small but thoughtful design choice that I really appreciate.

Health and Fitness: Packed with Features

The Galaxy Watch Ultra is loaded with health and fitness features. One of my favorites is the Energy Score. Every morning, the watch gives you a score out of 100 that tells you how ready you are for the day, based on things like your sleep consistency, activity level, and heart rate variability. It’s surprisingly accurate. For example, after a good night's sleep and a day of moderate activity, I got a score of 85. After a night of tossing and turning, my score dropped to 62. It’s a handy feature that helps you gauge how hard you can push yourself that day.

The watch also has sleep apnea monitoring and an AGEs index. Sleep apnea detection isn’t available everywhere yet, which is a bit of a letdown, especially since that was one of the reasons I bought the watch. The AGEs index, which is supposed to indicate your risk of diabetes and stroke, is a bit confusing. It gives you a position on a graph but doesn’t really explain what that means or how to improve it. I hope Samsung updates this feature soon because, right now, it’s not very useful.

That said, the rest of the health and fitness tracking is top-notch. The new sensors are more accurate than ever, and they measure everything from heart rate and ECG to blood pressure. I compared the watch’s readings with those of a standard blood pressure monitor, and they matched up perfectly. So, if you’re looking for accurate health tracking, this watch delivers.

When it comes to workouts, the Galaxy Watch Ultra automatically detects activities like strength training, walking, and more and provides detailed metrics. I’ve been using it for my gym sessions and treadmill walks, and it tracks everything accurately. Sleep tracking is another area where the watch excels. It gives you a breakdown of your sleep stages, restfulness, blood oxygen levels, and more. After a week of tracking, you can even get a personalized sleep coaching plan. It’s one of the best sleep tracking systems I’ve used on a smartwatch.

And the features don’t stop there. The Samsung Health app lets you track your stress levels, monitor your water and food intake, measure your body composition, and even follow guided workout routines. The best part? All these features are free—no subscription is needed.

Final Thoughts

So, what’s the bottom line? The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a fantastic smartwatch with a lot to offer. It’s got a unique design, great battery life, and tons of health and fitness features. But it’s not perfect. The slow charging, lack of attractive band options, and confusing AGEs index are definite downsides. Plus, at $650, it’s not the cheapest option out there. You could get the regular Galaxy Watch 7 for around $300 and still enjoy most of the same features. But despite that, there’s something special about the Galaxy Watch Ultra. It’s not just another smartwatch; it’s a statement piece. If you’ve got the budget and you’re looking for something that stands out, this watch is worth considering.

If you’re interested in picking one up, I’ve got some purchase links down in the description. And if you’re still on the fence, check out my video on why the Galaxy Watch Ultra is not a ripoff of the Apple Watch Ultra. Click right here, and I’ll see you there!