The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a bold and unique addition to the smartwatch market in 2024. Its striking design combines a circular display and bezel with a square body, creating a polarizing yet charming aesthetic. Despite its large 47mm titanium case, the watch is surprisingly lightweight and comfortable, even while sleeping.
One of the standout features of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is its new Quick button, positioned between the Home and Back buttons. This customizable button allows users to perform various actions in Samsung Health without using the touchscreen, making it particularly useful during workouts. The watch boasts impressive durability, with a wide operating temperature range, altitude resistance, and military-standard toughness.
However, it is not suitable for high-pressure water activities or diving; it is only suitable for shallow-water activities like swimming. The Galaxy Watch Ultra’s 1.5-inch AMOLED display is sharp, colorful, and bright, with a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits. The Exynos W1000 chip ensures smooth performance and quick app loading times, while the 590mAh battery delivers nearly two days of use with continuous notifications, activity tracking, and sleep monitoring.
Unique design but limited durability
However, the charging speed is slow, taking over 90 minutes to charge from 10% to 100%. The watch excels in activity and sleep tracking, with its Energy Score feature providing insightful feedback on daily energy levels and overall health.
Despite shortcomings, such as the lack of a physically rotating bezel or crown, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra stands out for its unique design, comfort, and functionality. It offers an exciting new option for Android users seeking a high-end wearable. However, some users have reported issues with the watch’s finish, particularly on the titanium gray colorway. A Redditor claimed that the paint on their pre-ordered Ultra peeled after only a few days of use despite being treated gently.
This problem seems to be specific to the titanium gray version, as the silver and white colorways allegedly do not have this issue due to having paint only on the bezel and sides. Dealing with Samsung support for a replacement or refund has proven to be a complex process, involving multiple steps such as returning the defective watch, waiting for a refund, purchasing a new watch at full price, and then calling again to price match the original preorder price. It remains unclear how widespread these manufacturing issues are or if they are isolated incidents garnering attention due to disappointed buyers posting about them online.
For those considering the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, it may be prudent to opt for the white or silver colorways or explore alternative models.
