Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: bigger battery, brighter screen, same bold look
Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 at its Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22, 2026, replacing the Exynos chip with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite and fitting an 800 mAh battery — 35% larger than the original — into a case that's actually 12% thinner. At $699.99 in the US and £649 in the UK, it undercuts the Apple Watch Ultra 3 ($799/£749) by a meaningful margin, though Garmin's multi-day endurance watches still outrun it on battery life.
The hardware
The 47mm titanium case keeps the same cushion-shaped silhouette and the signature orange Quick Button from Gen 1. The 1.52-inch AMOLED display hits 5,000 nits peak brightness — Samsung claims no other smartwatch matches that figure. Under the hood, the Snapdragon Wear Elite delivers roughly 32% faster CPU and 19% faster GPU performance compared to the outgoing Exynos W1000, per SamMobile.
Samsung's new 1.52-inch AMOLED panel peaks at 5,000 nits — the brightest display on any smartwatch.
Durability specs are serious: IP69K and 10 ATM water resistance, EN13319 diving certification (the watch auto-switches to dive mode and logs depth, time, and water temperature), and MIL-STD-810H shock resistance for drops onto hard surfaces. Trail runners also get terrain assessment via Trail Run mode and a Nutrition Alert for hydration reminders.
Health and connectivity
The BioActive sensor and AI algorithms power a suite of health features. Sleep Apnea monitoring carries FDA clearance. New additions include Vitals alerts for unusual readings, a single Heart Health Score that summarises cardiovascular data, Daily Cardio Load for workout tracking, and a Hearing feature that warns when ambient noise reaches dangerous levels.
The BioActive sensor underpins FDA-cleared Sleep Apnea detection and a new Heart Health Score.
Connectivity covers Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi, LTE, NFC, and dual-band GPS. The watch ships in Titanium Silver and Titanium Gray — no orange colorway this time.
Availability
Pre-orders opened July 22. In the UK, retail starts August 7 via Samsung.co.uk, Currys, and John Lewis at £649; a trade-in scheme is available. In the US, the watch goes on sale in August at $699.99 — a 10% price increase over the Gen-1 price of $649.99 — through Samsung.com, Amazon, and Best Buy. The T3 UK review confirms the UK RRP and notes the watch holds its own against the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on display brightness and ruggedness, even if Apple's ecosystem integration remains tighter.