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As expected, Samsung unveils an updated Galaxy Watch 9 smartwatch, but we finally get the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 alongside it. The original Watch Ultra shipped with the Galaxy Watch 7 two years ago and provided a more durable, fitness-focused, and longer-lasting wearable, which was also Samsung’s answer to the Apple Watch Ultra. The Galaxy Watch Ultra will cost you $700 for its LTE-only model, while the Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379 and $50 more for the LTE version. Both of Samsung’s wearables are available for pre-order and go on sale on August 7th.
Both of Samsung’s new smartwatches are powered by the latest Snapdragon Wear Elite chip with 2GB of RAM, run Wear OS 7 with One UI 9 software, and are armed with dual-band GPS. Capturing your vitals and recovery metrics on both watches is Samsung’s BioActive Sensor, which includes an optical biosignal sensor, an electrical heart rate signal, and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Additionally, on-board sensors include temperature, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, and light. Both watches also offer three new software features, such as a vitals tracker, sleep apnea monitoring, and a running assistant.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 retains its titanium build and 47mm case, but with a 12% thinner profile. Samsung also equipped it with a brighter 1.5-inch AMOLED screen that can reach a maximum brightness of 5,000 nits, as opposed to its predecessor’s 3,000 nits. It also gets a larger 800 mAh battery with a quoted 60 hours with the Always-On Display feature turned on and is upgraded to IP69K dust- and water-resistance, which helps it survive in hotter temperatures and handle high-pressure water.
Samsung also doubled its storage, upgrading to 64GB from 32GB. Other than new features, it also retains the ability to withstand up to 330ft of water pressure. And lastly, the Watch Ultra 2 arrives in Titanium Silver and Titanium Gray. Don’t fret, as the Orange band is still an option.
The Galaxy Watch 9 offers a new Snapdragon chip and slightly larger batteries, while retaining the majority of specs and features from the Galaxy Watch 8. It has an IP68 dust and water-resistant rating and is rated 5 ATM, or can withstand up to 164 ft of water pressure. It arrives in Graphite for both sizes, Cream in the 40 mm size, and Silver for the 44 mm model.
It arrives in the same two size options of 40mm with a 1.34-inch AMOLED screen and 44mm with a 1.47-inch AMOLED screen; both have up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, 32GB of internal storage, a 390 mAh battery (40mm), and a 445 mAh battery (44mm). Both are quoted as providing up to 30 hours on a single charge with the Always-On Display feature turned on.
