Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review shows it’s the brand’s best watch

Trends in the consumer electronics industry are not much different from those in other industries. like food or fashion. If a brand succeeds in creating a product, it is normal that others want to join the trend in an attempt to make a profit. This is what happened when Samsung launched the first Galaxy Notea mobile phone with more than 5 inches of screen which, by today’s standards, would be small but which in 2011 was a risky bet.

The piece went so well for the brand This changed the trend of the entire sector and, little by little, even Apple had to back down and accept that consumers wanted larger models. This is what happened, to a lesser extent, with one of Apple’s latest bets on watches, the Apple Watch Ultra.

Advanced smartwatches, those from Apple or those that use WearOS, are not cheap, but we had not seen any model from a generalist and non-niche brand that approached 1000 dollars. The Apple Watch Ultra did it. And it was a success. So much so that Samsung decided to launch its own version, leaving aside the Galaxy Watch Pro family of other years. This model costs 699 dollars.

A controversial design

The Samsung Galaxy Ultra is a big device and better features that are expected to be an independent variant within the Samsung ecosystem. That’s why it’s not called the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Ultra, as we may not see an annual iteration like we see in other watches.

This device is large and very striking. And if, It is extraordinarily similar not only to the Apple Watch Ultra, but also to the Hermes H08.a classic watch that costs $5,600. In fact, the design controversy was one of the most talked about topics during the launch of this product. This issue has reached such a point that it seems that even the highest officials at Samsung have spoken out, and not exactly in the way one might expect.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Review

Alvarez del Vayo

Beyond the similarities, The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a well-built watchwith a titanium case and sapphire crystal that give it much greater resistance than other models. It has the IP68 and MIL-STD 810H certificationsin addition to being able to immerse itself at 10 atmospheres for several minutes. This watch is designed for the most extreme sports, within the limits of what one would expect from a consumer brand of the size of Samsung.

It’s not uncomfortable on the wrist, despite its size, but it is. It is striking that there is no smaller version.so people with very thin wrists may find it excessively large. We notice the rigidity of the bracelet and the anchor, necessary given the scenarios in which this watch is supposed to be used but which, in everyday life, is not the most practical. There is a big difference here with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 bracelet which, unlike this one, is compatible with standard bracelets.

Another difference is the action button between the two buttons that all Samsung watches have (Home and multitasking). This action watch opens the sports measurement by default, but it can be configured with other options, but not with any. Its position makes that, by default, we press it to go to the beginning, which is wrong and takes some time to get used to.

Features

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 review, this time We paired the watch with a mobile other than Samsungto check the differences. To start, I had to download two apps from the Play Store, Galaxy Wearable and a plugin of more than 150 MB for the watch. But that’s not the problem.

Samsung wants Your watches work optimally only if used with mobile phones of the same brand. So, we won’t be able to use hand control gestures to take pictures or perform electrocardiograms; Yes, we can use them to launch applications by moving our wrist or pause music by pinching our fingers. There are third-party modifications that allow access to all functions but, at least officially, it is not possible. It is understandable why Samsung does this, but it limits potential buyers and gives an advantage to the competition when someone wants to buy a watch for any mobile phone.

What can be used at any time is the new 13-diode BioSensor which, like the 7, allows The measurement of parameters is much faster and more accurate than in other watches. This is an improvement over other watches. In fact, the accuracy can be compared to that of chest straps used by professional athletes, making the target audience of this watch clear.

Among the improvements it shares with its little brother is also the screen. Maximum brightness has been increased to be more visible outdoors and GPS is now dual-bandwhich means more accuracy in areas with complex coverage, such as cities with tall buildings and narrow streets. It has an exclusive feature, Night Mode, which turns the screen red and black and allows for glare-free viewing. Yes, Apple’s Ultra offers this too.

One of the new features of these two watches, the Watch 7 and the Watch Ultra, is Energy Score, a score based on several parameters and using artificial intelligence to give you a simple picture of the state of your health. One of the measures he uses is AGE, a measure of blood flow in the cardiovascular system that gives an idea of ​​how diet affects health, although it is in no way a glucose measurement system or anything similar.

Of course, having Wear OS operating system, It is possible to install all types of applications from the Google Play Store, as well as pay with Samsung Wallet or Google Wallet. Apps like WhatsApp or Google Maps work perfectly, although it lacks the rotating crown of other Samsung watch models to control the interface.

Autonomy

The battery of this model is larger than that of the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7, so having the same screen and processor, it is normal that we have more autonomy. In normal daily use without using GPS or sports, if the Always-On screen is activated, we will have 3 days of autonomy.

In case of deactivation we spend 5 daysa more than respectable figure for a product of this type, although not far from what the OnePlus models offer, which are currently the benchmark in this segment of watches with WearOS. Where Samsung needs to improve is in terms of charging speed since it is quite normal to have to wait well over an hour, depending on the charger we use.

Should I buy it?

Like all premium high-end products, The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra isn’t a watch for everyone. It’s not about price, but it’s also not about design, features or function compatibility. It is a very interesting watch for those who practice adventure or risk sports.for those who train daily and appreciate wearing a solid, capable watch and have no problem paying the price.

For the average person, a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is a better option, but it is true that it does not offer everything that the Ultra has, especially because of its battery. Despite this, there are users who want to be able to boast of having the best watch of their brand, in this case Samsung. The Ultra is not a bad watch, it is a little expensive for what it offers, but it is a solid bet.