Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: a rugged Android option that trades some features for a lower price

Samsung's newest smartwatch is built to be knocked around. The Galaxy Watch Ultra, on sale in Ireland through Harvey Norman for €699, is aimed at the sports enthusiast rather than the everyday user, in the same territory as the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin's Fenix range. The Irish Times review frames its main selling point plainly: it costs €200 less than the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though that saving comes with some sacrifices.

The specifications set out the ambition. The watch is rated to withstand temperatures up to 55 degrees and carries a 10 ATM water resistance rating. Samsung says it works at altitudes up to 9,000m, which the reviewer did not test, and claims a battery life of up to 100 hours. It adds multisport tracking, activity and sleep monitoring, and Galaxy AI insights.

The design departs from the rest of the Galaxy line. Instead of a plain round watch, the round face sits inside a squarer titanium "cushion" meant to survive impacts. The glass is sapphire crystal, and there is an easy-to-grip action button alongside the touchscreen. A new 3nm processor makes it faster than earlier models. Despite the chunky look, the reviewer found it not too bulky on the wrist, reassuringly durable, and not hugely larger than last year's Classic.

Samsung also redesigned its bioactive sensor to improve measurement of body composition and heart rate. The heart rate readings held up: they stayed within a couple of beats of both an Apple Watch and a chest-worn monitor, even in strenuous workouts. The reviewer was sceptical about the body composition feature. Sports tracking is broad, distinguishing track running from treadmill running, with options from canoeing and horseback riding to skipping and martial arts, and custom workouts can be built on the watch or phone. At night the display switches to red digits on a black background, and a sleep mode stretches battery while still collecting sleep data.

The compromises are mostly about phones. The watch works with any Android phone running Android 11 or newer, but the more advanced features need a Galaxy handset. That covers Galaxy AI, which powers the energy score and suggested message replies, along with double pinch gestures for hands-free control, ECG and sleep apnoea monitoring. The sleep apnoea feature was unavailable at the time of writing. The review notes this is not unusual, since Apple's watch only works with Apple phones, and Samsung's watches have not worked with iOS for some time.

Other losses are practical. The redesigned biosensor eliminated reverse charging from Samsung Galaxy devices, so only the included charger will do. A new "dynamic lug" system means straps from older Galaxy Watches do not fit, limiting choice for now.

The water rating has limits too. Samsung says the watch can be submerged for 10 minutes at depths up to 100m, but the review judges it better suited to swimming and snorkelling than high-pressure watersports such as diving. The Apple Watch Ultra, by comparison, supports recreational diving to 40m, though it costs €200 more. There is only one size, 47mm, which is large for smaller wrists.

Battery life improves on last year's Watch 6 models, but turning on the always-on display, exercise tracking and blood oxygen monitoring cuts into it. Power-saving modes help, yet the reviewer would like not to worry about charging over a weekend. It comes in dark grey, silver and white.

The verdict: a more rugged option for Android Wear fans, best paired with a Galaxy phone. Buyers weighing it against Apple's rival will want to consider diving needs, wrist size and battery life.