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samsung rugged watch
samsung galaxy watch ultra
$520 $650 Save $130
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra aims to be a rugged watch that you can take anywhere. Perfect for those with an adventurous spirit and who are serious about their fitness.
Strong Points- Durable construction suitable for outdoor activities
- Quick button on the side
- Extend battery life
Cons- Not suitable for water sports
- heavier and bulkier
- expensive
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apple rugged watch
apple watch ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2 is perfect for adventure, with a 3,000 nits peak brightness display and pro-grade specs. There are no fundamental changes from the previous version, but it does offer some upgrades along the way.
Strong Points- designed to deal with some form of punishment
- Secure activity tracking
- Perfect for water sports
Cons- large and bulky
- No longer the largest Apple Watch display
- Never works on Android smartphones
Samsung took a bit of a leap forward with the Galaxy Watch Ultra considering its wearable lineup doesn’t have a ton of rugged smartwatches, but this smartwatch is built to compete with the best in the industry. For some, that list also includes the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which also seeks to cater to those who take their fitness more seriously.
Apple’s Watch may not be the best smartwatch option for Android since it runs on different platforms, but when comparing the two, the phone you’re using has a lot to do with it. .
Read the ranking
Best smartwatches for Android in 2024
Favorite smartwatches for Android smartphones
Price, availability, specifications
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is the most expensive smartwatch Samsung currently offers at $650, which makes sense considering it has a sturdier body and additional features. It measures just 47mm and includes LTE connectivity with standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support.
Available in titanium gray, titanium white, or titanium silver, you can choose from matching marine, trail, or peak foam bands. Please note that due to the large size of the watch, the band is only available in medium/large size.
Samsung is offering decent trade-in deals to reduce upfront costs, and will accept both its own wearables and those from competing brands, including Apple. You can also try your luck with Google, Garmin, and Fitbit devices and see what kind of profits you can make.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 starts at $800, making it a more expensive product to begin with. Additionally, there are no trade-in offers for non-Apple branded products, so unless you have an Apple Watch or iPhone that’s considered consumable, there’s no other way to reduce costs. Available in natural (silver) or black colors, choose from Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, Ocean Band, or Titanium Milanese Loop.
In terms of specifications, you can see the differences between these two below.
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samsung galaxy watch ultra apple watch ultra 2 case size 47mm 49mm case material titanium titanium screen 1.5 inch AMOLED 502×410 1.92 inch OLED with LTPO and 3,000 nits CPU Samsung Exinos W1000 S9 SiP storage 32GB 64GB battery 590mAh 542mAh health sensor Optical biological signals; electrical signals of the heart. bioelectrical impedance; temperature Heart rate, blood oxygen, electrocardiogram, skin temperature size 47.4×47.4×12.1mm 49mm×44m×14.1mm weight 60.5g 61.4g price Starting from $650 800 dollars
Read reviews
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is great, but it’s not for everyone
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Review: Apple Watch Ultra 2 is big, bulky, and no longer special
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design
Ultra means getting tough
The overall purpose of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is to take all the features of Samsung’s standard smartwatch and add an extra layer of protection and functionality. An obvious good example is the customizable quick button that can be used to quickly start an exercise or launch a feature of your choice.
However, it leverages many of the Galaxy Watch 7’s internal components, including the processor, memory, storage, and BioActive sensors. And even though it’s Samsung’s biggest watch, it doesn’t have a bigger display, but it’s still very bright with a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits. This makes it easier to see even in sunlight.
Interestingly, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is water resistant to 10ATM, so you can swim while wearing it, but Samsung has also made it clear that it’s not ideal for water sports. In other words, forget about wearing them when diving or leaving them on if you plan on doing anything sports-related underwater. This is a significant drawback for water activities, and may limit durability.
However, the titanium body and sapphire crystal display make for a tough combination, durable enough to operate in temperatures as high as 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius).
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a sequel that almost feels like a carbon copy of its predecessor. Apple clearly didn’t intend to completely overhaul its comfortable design, so you get the same square-like display with buttons on either side and a rotating crown on the right. Although it looks thicker and larger than the standard model, there’s no mistaking it for anything other than an Apple Watch.
That said, the titanium frame and sapphire crystal glass match the material arrangement Samsung has used to outfit its ultra smartwatches. The screen brightness is also exactly the same between these two. The action button also starts exercise tracking by default.
While the focus and general usability parameters are the same, the big difference is that you don’t have to worry about using the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for any water sports you have in mind. As long as you don’t go deeper than 100 meters, you’ll be fine.
Software and Health and Fitness
Same approach, different style
The Galaxy Watch Ultra may have a different body, but the software, which combines Samsung’s One UI and Google’s Wear OS, is the same as the standard Galaxy Watch model. This means that health and exercise tracking is primarily done through the BioActive sensor and compiled body composition data through the Samsung Health app. This watch is also made to track workouts for multiple activities, including marathon and triathlon training.
For cyclists, an estimate of functional threshold power can help them overcome more difficult points. However, to explore further, you’ll need a compatible Samsung smartphone. This may include an overall “energy score” and other dedicated features such as ECG (electrocardiogram) and blood pressure monitoring. The latter is not yet supported in all regions (not yet in the US).
Despite what Samsung keeps within the family, there are plenty of features in there and the Watch Ultra is still relevant for non-Samsung phones as well. That quick button acts as a reliable shortcut, whether you use it to start exercise tracking or launch another feature. Unfortunately, Samsung doesn’t allow you to map it to specific apps, but at least you can set it to sound an alarm, turn on the built-in flashlight, or use it as a stopwatch.
Apple is openly marketing the Watch Ultra 2 to people who feel they need the extra features Apple offers. Whether it’s extra buttons or adventurous features that Apple just carried over from previous models. Improved dual-band GPS helps you accurately track location, pace, and other relevant details of your outdoor activities.
Although both watches have a limited number of exercises, they also feature automatic workout detection, making it more convenient to get the data you need when you start walking or running.
The Depth app and Oceanic+ are great examples of how Apple’s watches diverge from Samsung’s when it comes to water-based stuff. This is especially true for diving, and the watch also supports it, allowing you to access logs related to each dive or simply freediving. Its double-tap feature is also interesting in that it allows you to control certain functions through gestures, rather than simply tapping the watch face.
None of that matters, since trying to use the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with an Android smartphone is impossible.
battery life
Bigger body means bigger battery
Making a bigger smartwatch will free up space for a bigger battery. This is what is happening in both models. The Galaxy Watch Ultra can last up to 24-36 hours on a single charge, which is better than other Samsung watches, but not enough to overtake what Apple can offer. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 can last up to three days depending on the features and settings you use, which feels like an eternity in comparison.
For both models, always-on tracking, GPS tracking, and always-on display typically drain the most battery, so your mileage will vary depending on how you use them. Even if you want to charge both watches, you will need a specific charger and charging station. You can’t drop either one onto a Qi charging pad and leave it there. Both require a suitable wireless charger.
Which one should I buy?
If you are already invested in either ecosystem, this is an easy choice. You can’t use Galaxy Watch Ultra with an iPhone, and you can’t pair Apple Watch Ultra 2 with an Android smartphone. This narrows down the purpose of each of these brands and products considerably.
However, it is possible to determine whether certain features or features are truly important, such as differences in water-related movements. It’s a mystery that Samsung could fail to make its most rugged watch a true water sports watch, when one of its competitors had already done it with the original Apple Watch Ultra.
Anyway, both watches are large and may not be the most comfortable for tracking your sleep, but they definitely offer the best battery life per their respective brands.
ready to go outside
samsung galaxy watch ultra
$520 $650 Save $130
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is Samsung’s latest attempt at a durable watch that competes with existing models that already have similar features.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 set the tone for a lot of what Samsung is doing with the Watch Ultra, and it continues to make its mark in this subcategory of rugged smartwatches. If you’re already deep into the Apple ecosystem and need a sturdy watch, this is a great choice.
tough sequel
apple watch ultra 2
Apple Watch Ultra 2 improves on its predecessor by offering a brighter screen, faster performance, and a host of fitness features.
