Last updated: July 25th, 2026 at 14:31 UTC+02:00
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A truly evolved Ultra.
Reading time: 2 minutes
Max Jambor / SamMobile
Samsung announced its 2026 smartwatch lineup at Unpacked in London earlier this week. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is the top-of-the-line model, and you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the same Ultra as before. It's not.
Despite the familiar aesthetic, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a significant upgrade and refinement over the 2024 and 2025 Ultra models. Samsung didn't just re-release the same smartwatch with more storage as it did last year.
Apart from a new chip, we're looking at a brighter and slightly bigger screen surrounded by a thinner bezel, a significantly beefier battery, superior build quality with insane water resistance, and more.
The easiest way to paint the picture is by highlighting the main differences between the 2025 and 2026 models. Here they are.
Abhijeet Mishra / SamMobile
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 speakers – Source: Abhijeet Mishra / SamMobile
Naturally, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also ships with a newer OS version, namely Wear OS 7 with Samsung's One UI Watch 9 on top. The 2025 Ultra model will also get the One UI Watch 9 update over the air, but it likely won't receive five years of OS updates and may miss out on new Samsung Health features like Trail Run.
All in all, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 definitely sounds like a worthy upgrade, especially considering how alike the original 2024 and 2025 Ultra models were.
Samsung's new watch is tougher and boasts superior water resistance. It's more powerful and adopts even more state-of-the-art technologies.
Despite these upgrades and current market conditions, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 isn't dramatically more expensive than the 2025 model. It costs $50 more, which isn't insignificant, but it's relatively easy to justify considering everything Samsung has improved and the current economy.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is available in one size, 47mm, and one connectivity option, LTE. It entered the pre-order period on July 22 for $699 / €749 before trade-in and pre-order offers.
First Samsung device: SGH-A800
Mihai is a blogger and column writer at SamMobile. His first Samsung phone was an A800 which took a lot of beating, and a part of him still misses the novelty of the clamshell design. In his free time, he enjoys watching shows, documentaries, and stand-up comedy; listening to music, taking walks, and occasionally playing old(er) video games.
