If you own the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, the Ultra 2 is not worth the upgrade. Sure, it has a bigger battery, a brighter screen, a thinner case, and faster charging, and all of that is real. But Samsung claims both watches have the same real-world battery life, and the new health features will come to your watch as a free update.
The three things the Ultra 2 does that yours never will are
- connect to a cycling power meter,
- guide you on a trail run, and
- go diving.
If none of those is you, keep your watch. If you are buying new, the choice between a discounted original and the Ultra 2 is a closer call, and I set out why below.
Everything here comes from Samsung’s published figures. One note on which Ultra we are talking about. The original came out in July 2024, and Samsung refreshed it in July 2025 with twice the storage and a blue colour. Nothing else changed, so here we’re comparing the 2025 version.
The full figures are on the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 specifications page and in the Samsung specs index.
What changed and what did not
| Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 | Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cycling power meter on the watch | Yes | No |
| Trail run mode | Yes | No |
| Diving | Yes, to 40m | No |
| This year’s health features (Daily Cardio Load, Vitals, Fitness Index, Heart Health Score) | Yes, from day one | Coming by update. Samsung is testing it now |
| Running Coach, Energy Score, antioxidant reading | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (Samsung’s claim) | Up to 60 hours, or 80 with the always-on screen off | The same |
| Battery size | 800mAh, a third bigger | 590mAh |
| GPS recording (Samsung’s claim) | Up to 20 hours | Samsung gave no comparable figure |
| Quick top-up | About 40 per cent in half an hour | No fast charging |
| Full charge | 90 minutes with the right plug, 190 without | Samsung does not say |
| Screen | Slightly larger, and brighter in sunlight (5,000 nits) | 3,000 nits |
| Thickness | 10.7mm | 12.1mm |
| Weight | 61.5g | 60.5g |
| Chip | Qualcomm, new to Samsung | Samsung’s own |
| Storage | 64GB | 64GB (32GB on the 2024 watch) |
| Big software updates promised | Five | Four |
| Colours | Silver, Grey | Four, including Blue and White |
| Launch price | £649 / $699.99 | £599 / $649.99 |
The case is the same size, and so are the sapphire glass, memory, water rating, toughness rating, GPS, mobile connection, payments, and heart rate, ECG, and body composition sensors.
Battery life: bigger, but not longer
The Ultra 2’s battery is a third bigger, yet Samsung claims both watches offer the same 60 hours of everyday use. By Samsung’s numbers, the bigger battery doesn’t get you any further through the week.
Samsung does say the Ultra 2 records up to 20 hours of GPS, or 16 hours if you are following a route, which is enough for an Ironman. It gave no matching figure for the original, which it described instead in terms of its power-saving modes, so I cannot put the two side by side for a long race.
Charging is the clearer gain. The Ultra 2 reaches about 40 per cent in half an hour and a full charge in 90 minutes with the charger in the box, provided you plug it into a phone charger of at least 10 watts. Without one, a full charge takes over three hours. The original has no fast charging.
The new charger works with the original Ultra, but only at normal speed, and your old chargers don’t work with the Ultra 2 at all. I cover all of this in Galaxy Watch vs Apple Watch charging speed.
The screen
The display area is slightly larger inside the same case and considerably brighter, which you will notice running in full sun.
Size and weight
The Ultra 2 is about a tenth thinner and one gram heavier. It is exactly as wide as before, and there is still only one size, so if the original was too big for your wrist, this one is too. Samsung says the new strap is lighter, but you won’t notice the difference and will probably end up buying spare straps anyway.
Diving and toughness
The Ultra 2 is certified as a dive instrument to 40 metres, whereas the original is not suitable for diving, even though both carry the same water rating. For anyone who dives for fun, this is the change that matters.
At launch, the Ultra 2’s Depth app shows how deep you are, the water temperature and how long you have been down. It doesn’t yet show how long you can safely stay at depth. Samsung says fuller dive computer features will come later (date TBC) through an app made with Mares.
The Ultra 2 also shrugs off high-pressure water jets, which the original was not rated for. The rest of the toughness ratings are unchanged.
Chip and years of updates
The Ultra 2 uses a Qualcomm chip in place of Samsung’s own. Memory is the same, and Samsung hasn’t claimed any noticeable gains. The change was expected from the leaked designs. The Ultra 2 comes with Wear OS 7 and Strava preinstalled.
Samsung promises the Ultra 2 five big software updates and security fixes until July 2031. The original came with four, and Samsung hasn’t said whether it will extend that. An original bought in 2024 is already two years into its life.
This year’s health features are being tested on the original Ultra, and should arrive later.
Should you upgrade?
I would not replace an original Ultra. If you can comfortably afford it and want to pay for the improvements, that is a fair and only reason. A used smartwatch also fetches less than most owners expect, as a resale-value study showed for the Galaxy Watch, so if you were banking on getting half of what you originally paid for the first-gen model…think again.
The original Ultra still makes sense if
- You already own one, and it does what you need.
- You are buying new and can find the 2025 version well below the Ultra 2’s price.
- You don’t dive, and you don’t ride with a power meter.
- You are happy with four big updates rather than five.
- You want the blue or white finish, which the Ultra 2 does not come in.
The Ultra 2 makes more sense if
- You are buying new, and the discount on the original is small.
- You dive.
- You want a power meter on the watch, or the trail run mode.
- You often charge in a hurry before a session.
- You plan to keep the watch for five years.
- You found the original too thick.
If you own an older Galaxy Watch rather than an Ultra, the Galaxy Watch upgrade guide takes each one in turn. If you are choosing between this year’s two watches, see Galaxy Watch 9 vs Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and for the smaller watch’s own changes, see Galaxy Watch 9 vs Galaxy Watch 8. For Samsung’s rugged watch against Apple’s, see Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple Watch Ultra 4.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Rugged titanium sports watch, the original Ultra
+other retailersQuick answers
Is Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 worth upgrading to from Galaxy Watch Ultra?
For most owners, no. Samsung claims the same 60 hours of battery life for both. The Ultra 2 adds a bigger battery, faster charging, a brighter and slightly larger screen, a thinner case, a 40m dive rating, a trail run mode, and direct connection to a cycling power meter.
Does Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 have better battery life than Galaxy Watch Ultra?
Not on Samsung’s figures. The battery is a third bigger, but Samsung claims the same 60 hours of everyday use for both, or 80 hours with the always-on screen off. It also claims up to 20 hours of GPS recording for the Ultra 2.
How fast does Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 charge?
About 40 per cent in half an hour and a full charge in 90 minutes, using the charger in the box plugged into a phone charger of at least 10 watts. Without one, a full charge takes 190 minutes.
Can I use my old Galaxy Watch Ultra charger with Galaxy Watch Ultra 2?
No. Samsung says older Galaxy Watch chargers do not work with the Ultra 2. The new charger does work with the original Ultra, but only at normal speed.
Is Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 bigger or heavier than Galaxy Watch Ultra?
It has the same width and height, is about a tenth thinner at 10.7mm, and is one gram heavier at 61.5g. The screen is slightly larger.
Can you dive with Galaxy Watch Ultra 2?
Yes, to 40m. It is certified as a dive instrument and has a Depth app showing depth, water temperature and dive time, although it does not yet track safe time at depth. Samsung says the original Ultra is not suitable for diving.
What did the 2025 Galaxy Watch Ultra refresh change?
Storage doubled from 32GB to 64GB, and a blue colour was added. The case, screen, chip, battery and sensors were unchanged from the 2024 watch.
Last Updated on 2 October 2026 by tfk the5krunner
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
