Compare Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)

Activity auto-detection worked well in the evidence, with brisk walks automatically logged into the user’s activity rings.

Auto-detection works very well for walking and running, but one reviewer found it less reliable for cycling and strength training.

The antioxidant index is consistently weak, with several reviewers calling it low-value, inaccurate, gimmicky, or only marginally responsive.

The app ecosystem was framed as a major advantage of the Ultra 2 as part of Apple’s broader smartwatch platform.

The app ecosystem is strong, with reviewers citing many apps and plenty of smartwatch functionality.

Band quality was generally positive across Trail, Alpine, and Milanese-style bands, though sweat absorption and muted colors created caveats.

Band quality is mixed to positive, with easy swaps and a robust strap system offset by dirt buildup and a hit-or-miss release mechanism.

Battery life had the most evidence: excellent for an Apple Watch and anxiety-reducing for many reviewers, but still short versus Garmin-style endurance watches.

Battery life is a strength relative to other Galaxy Watches, but real-world results vary widely with always-on display, GPS, and travel use.

Blood oxygen tracking drew negative evidence in older reviews because patent-dispute availability issues frustrated users who wanted the feature.

Blood oxygen tracking drew a clear caveat, with one reviewer repeatedly seeing lower SPO2 results than expected from other sensors.

Bluetooth connectivity received limited but positive evidence around cycling accessory support, especially power meters.

Brightness was praised for the 3,000-nit upgrade and outdoor readability, though a few reviewers found the improvement subtle in practice.

Brightness is one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly noting bright output and easy readability.

Build quality was praised for the rugged titanium case, premium construction, and confidence in harsh environments.

Build quality is a major strength thanks to the rugged titanium case, robust design, and adventure-ready construction.

Button controls were mixed: the Action Button, crown, and Double Tap were often useful, but some reviewers forgot or underused them.

Button controls are polarized: reviewers like the programmable/quick button, but one long-term reviewer had repeated accidental presses and wanted better workout shortcuts.

Call handling was strong in the evidence, with a test call described as clear, loud, and phone-like to the person on the other end.

Calorie tracking appears within Apple’s rings system and was judged useful as part of the broader activity-motivation loop.

Charging convenience was helped by multi-day use and quick top-ups, though reviewers still noted the need to manage charging.

Charging convenience is hurt by Samsung omitting the wall charger, which one reviewer called stingy.

Charging speed was acceptable but not class-leading, with about 90 minutes to full and slower fast charging than Series 10.

Coaching features improved with Training Load, perceived effort, and structured workout support, though evidence suggests they still sit below specialist training platforms.

Coaching features are a standout, especially Running Coach, which reviewers found useful, personalized, or exceptionally effective.

Comfort was mixed: some found the Ultra 2 comfortable, while others noted crown irritation, tugging, or adjustment time from the large case.

Comfort varies by reviewer: some found it comfortable, including for sleep, while others felt the weight and bulk.

Companion app quality was split: Apple Health was praised by one reviewer, while another disliked fragmented data across apps.

Companion app quality is mixed because Samsung still splits settings and health data across separate apps.

Contactless payments were praised as part of Apple’s top-tier smartwatch services and general usability advantage.

Cross-platform compatibility was a clear drawback because reviewers called iPhone dependence a real disadvantage for Android users.

Cross-platform compatibility is limited: reviewers note Android support but no current iPhone compatibility.

Customization options were strong through Modular Ultra complications, widgets, and configurable watch layouts.

Customization is strong for widgets, dashboards, watch faces, and tiles, but workout data-screen customization drew a complaint.

Display quality was one of the strongest consensus areas, with reviewers repeatedly calling the screen excellent, impressive, and among the best on any smartwatch.

Display quality is consistently praised as vibrant, large, detailed, scratch-resistant, and excellent overall.

Durability was strong overall, with evidence of no scuffs, no visible wear, and confidence against daily abuse.

Durability is excellent across reviews, from chassis feel to military-standard claims and real-world wear with little damage.

ECG was treated as part of Apple Watch’s serious health-safety suite, with reviewers connecting it to potentially life-saving monitoring.

ECG is treated positively as part of Samsung Health Monitor’s useful health-tool set rather than as a deeply tested medical feature.

Fit was praised in one outdoor-focused review for staying secure during daily use and activity.

Fit is context-dependent: one reviewer liked the big watch on their wrist, while another found it too large.

Fitness tracking accuracy was praised, especially for workout pulse, path snapping, GPS syncing, and broad activity tracking.

Fitness tracking is broadly positive for running and general activity, though scientific testing framed performance as good enough rather than best-in-class.

GPS accuracy received strong agreement, with reviewers praising dual-frequency/multiband performance against Garmin watches, distance tests, and difficult environments.

GPS accuracy is praised by several mainstream reviewers, but scientific testing found visible deviations and placed it behind stronger sports watches.

Reviewers found the Ultra 2’s health tracking credible for sleep-related disturbances and general health metrics, with heart-rate-linked data repeatedly described as accurate.

Health-tracking accuracy is mixed: reviewers praised some running-related readings, but questioned HRV, blood oxygen, antioxidant-style metrics, and scientific testing placed Samsung below top-tier rivals.

Heart-rate tracking was one of the strongest areas, with multiple reviewers reporting close agreement with chest straps or other control devices.

Heart-rate accuracy is generally good for running and daily fitness, though scientific testing still found better wrist options and exercise-dependent limits.

LTE connectivity was treated as a practical strength, supporting calls, streaming, messaging, and phone-free smartwatch use.

LTE is a meaningful advantage for users who want to run or stay reachable without carrying a phone.

Mapping and navigation were the most mixed outdoor feature: useful for casual hikers, but limited by phone dependence, basic compass navigation, and uneven topo detail.

Mapping and navigation benefit from larger storage for offline maps and route-related use, especially for outdoor users.

Materials quality was strong, with reviewers praising titanium, premium feel, and classy finishes.

Materials quality is excellent, with praise for titanium, ruggedness, and corrosion-resistant construction.

Menu navigation evidence was positive around Smart Stack surfacing useful information at the right time.

Menu navigation is mixed: the digital bezel and haptics help, but reviewers miss a rotating bezel/crown and find usability reduced.

Music controls and playback improved, with reviewers liking speaker playback and using the watch for audio without a phone or headphones.

Onboard music storage was viewed positively because the increased storage helps offline media use.

Onboard music and storage are valuable for Spotify, podcasts, media, and offline use, especially now that storage is doubled.

The operating system experience was positive overall, with watchOS and Smart Stack improving everyday usability.

The operating system experience is improved by One UI 8, with more functional UI elements and praised new software features.

Outdoor visibility was excellent, with reviewers reporting easy screen reading in bright conditions.

Outdoor visibility is excellent, with multiple reviewers saying the display remains readable in direct sunlight.

Pairing reliability had one direct positive setup impression, with the watch pairing smoothly in the reviewer’s test.

Pairing reliability is excellent in the Notebookcheck test, where the watch was recognized and set up without issues.

Recovery insights were a repeated weakness; reviewers wanted Garmin/Whoop-style readiness, training effect, and recovery interpretation.

Recovery-style guidance is a weak spot in one long-term review, where the energy score felt redundant and unhelpful.

Reliability evidence was positive for specific features working well, but navigation/user-error risks kept it from being flawless.

Reliability is mostly good, but Notebookcheck reported brief display interruptions during always-on display use.

Safety features were a clear strength, with siren, waypoints, crash/fall detection, and personal-safety framing earning praise.

Safety features are helped by LTE, which one reviewer valued for safer phone-free running.

Size options were a repeated drawback because the Ultra 2 is only offered in a large 49mm case.

Size options are limited by the single large case, and multiple reviewers describe the Ultra as very big.

Sleep tracking was generally seen as accurate for sleep/wake timing and duration, though some reviewers still wanted richer guidance from the data.

Sleep tracking earns mixed marks: reviewers liked the score and some stage consistency, but noted low awake detection and second-tier sleep-stage performance.

Smartphone notifications were useful, especially with Double Tap and fast notification replies, and reviewers treated them as part of the watch’s everyday strength.

Notification handling is positive, with one reviewer noting detailed, useful notifications from the watch.

Smartwatch features were consistently praised, especially the Apple ecosystem, app support, connectivity, and day-to-day versatility.

Core smartwatch features are strong, but some reviews temper praise by noting the 2025 model adds few meaningful upgrades.

Software smoothness was consistently strong, with reviewers describing the watch as zippy, responsive, snappy, and lag-free.

Software smoothness is strong in direct testing, with smooth operation and quick app launches.

Step counting is strong during normal arm-swinging walks, with a caveat that carts or strollers reduce accuracy.

Mood and mindfulness tools were viewed positively when reviewers discussed clearing the mind or logging moods, though this evidence is more about mindfulness than advanced stress analytics.

Style and design were split by finish: reviewers liked the sleek black look, but some noticed scuffs more easily.

Style is subjective: one reviewer loved the stylish look, while another disliked the rugged, masculine aesthetic.

Third-party app support was a standout, with reviewers praising the selection and the ability to fill mapping or sports gaps with apps.

Third-party app support benefits from extra storage and useful fitness/media apps, giving users more room for services beyond Samsung’s own tools.

Touchscreen responsiveness was praised for accurate, hassle-free input and joy-to-use responsiveness.

The user interface was mostly easy to learn, but Apple Health organization drew criticism for feeling messy.

The user interface is functional and approachable, though at least one reviewer found parts of the visual design odd.

Value for money was mixed: some reviewers saw strong value for the feature set, while others said upgrades or the $799 price were hard to justify.

Value for money is the most contested attribute: reviewers like the watch itself but often question the 2025 refresh and launch price.

Voice assistant quality improved with on-device Siri and faster responses, but dictation and offline capabilities still had occasional limits.

Gemini makes the voice assistant experience notably useful and convenient, especially because the watch screen is small.

Watch face quality was praised, especially Modular Ultra and Night Mode presentation on the large display.

Watch faces are a major strength, with reviewers praising Samsung’s selection, visual quality, and customization.

Water resistance and dive support were viewed positively, especially for recreational diving and Apple Watch-leading water friendliness.

Water resistance is treated positively for pool, rain, snow, and diving-oriented use.

Wellness insights were mixed: Vitals and glanceable health context were useful, but Apple Health was criticized for weak interpretation and poor user-friendliness.

Wellness insights are useful when they explain metrics or provide coaching, though some newer metrics remain questionable.

Workout variety was viewed as strong for mainstream training, with varied sport modes and enough running coverage for most non-specialists.

Workout variety is a strength, with reviewers praising broad activity support, multisport-style capabilities, and Samsung’s wide exercise list.