Samsung
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Living up to its name
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has all the upgrades you want in 2026. It has a bigger battery, brighter AMOLED, faster internals, and it is somehow thinner than its predecessor. The 47mm case is on the bigger end of the scale, but it is made out of titanium, and looks exquisite. If you’re ready to switch to a bigger smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is the obvious choice.
A great all-rounder
The Galaxy Watch 9 isn’t too different to what we got last year, but the biggest positive is that it uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite platform as the Ultra 2. You get a slightly bigger battery, and while the overall design hasn’t changed — it’s still available in 44mm and 40mm variants — it is just as thin and light as the Galaxy Watch 8. Samsung is instead focusing heavily on the software, rolling out a new health dashboard and fitness metrics — which you get on the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 as well.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs. Galaxy Watch 9: Pricing and availability
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9 at a launch event in London on June 22, 2026. Both smartwatches are now on pre-order globally, with sales starting shortly.
Like previous years, Samsung has two models of the Galaxy Watch 9: 40mm and 40mm. The 40mm model with Bluetooth costs $379, and if you need LTE, you’ll need to pay $429. The 44mm Bluetooth variant is $409, and the LTE model is $459. There’s a modest increase from last year, but the Galaxy Watch 9 is still an affordable choice.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, on the other hand, retails for $699, a $50 increase. You are getting an extensive feature-set, bigger battery, and titanium chassis, and that’s reflected in the cost.
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Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs. Galaxy Watch 9: Design and display
The Galaxy Watch 9 looks identical to its predecessor, and that’s a good thing. You still get a smartwatch that looks great, and it’s just as thin (8.6mm) and light (34g) as the Galaxy Watch 8.
Samsung didn’t change its choice of materials either, so you get an aluminum case with a plastic housing on the underside to accommodate the BioActive module. Like last year, the Galaxy Watch 9 is sold in 40mm and 44mm variants, and Samsung is even selling the same color models. There’s no rotating bezel on either device, but you get side-mounted buttons.
If you’re looking to get a watch that looks different to last year, you’ll need to pick up the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. It has a significantly thinner design that looks much better this time, and the 47mm case gives it a dominating presence that you just don’t get with the 44mm Galaxy Watch 9. It’s made out of titanium, and has better durability as well — 10ATM and IP69K versus 5ATM and IP68 of the Galaxy Watch 9.
Coming to the display, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 gets a 1.52-inch AMOLED that goes up to a ridiculous 5,000 nits. The 44mm Galaxy Watch 9 has the same 1.47-inch panel as last year, and the 40mm model retains the 1.34-inch screen, with both going up to 3,000 nits. Outside of that, you don’t see much of a difference between the two smartwatches.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs. Galaxy Watch 9: Features and specs
What’s good to see is that both smartwatches use the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite. Ahead of launch, it was unclear if the Galaxy Watch 9 would come with last year’s Exynos W100 instead of the new Qualcomm silicon, and Samsung did the right thing by using Qualcomm across the board.
|
Category |
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 |
|
Display |
47mm: 1.52-inch AMOLED, 498×498, 5,000 nits max |
44mm: 1.47-inch AMOLED, 480×480, 3,000 nits max 40mm: 1.34-inch AMOLED, 438×438, 3,000 nits max |
|
OS |
Wear OS 7 Powered by Samsung, One UI 9 Watch |
Wear OS 7 Powered by Samsung, One UI 9 Watch |
|
Chipset |
Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite, 3nm |
Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite, 3nm |
|
Memory & Storage |
2GB/64GB |
2GB/32GB |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth + LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC, dual-band GPS |
Bluetooth + LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC, dual-band GPS |
|
Durability |
10ATM, IP69K water resistance, MIL-STD-810H durability |
5ATM, IP68 water resistance, MIL-STD-810H durability |
|
Battery |
800mAh, 100% in 90 min (40% in 30 min) |
44mm : 445mAh, 100% in 90 min (45% in 30 min) 40mm: 390mAh, 100% in 80 min (50% in 30 min) |
|
Dimensions |
47.4 x 47.1 x 10mm |
44mm: 46.0 x 43.7x 8.6mm 40mm: 42.7 x 40.4x 8.6mm |
|
Weight |
61.5g |
44mm: 34.0g 40mm: 31.5g |
|
Colors |
Titanium Silver, Titanium Gray |
44mm: Silver, Grey 40mm: Cream, Grey |
|
Sensors |
Samsung BioActive, SpO2, heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyro, barometer, altimeter |
Samsung BioActive, SpO2, heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyro, barometer, altimeter |
While the hardware itself is exciting, Samsung turned its attention to the software this year, and both smartwatches have a ton of new health and fitness features. There’s Energy Tracking, Sleep Apnea Detection, a new running-focused feature, and Vitals, a dashboard that gives you a broad overview of your vitals in one area.
You also get a new Nutrition Alert feature alongside Trail Run that measures detailed elevation changes and climbing progress. And as for the software, both smartwatches run the latest Wear OS 7 with Samsung’s One UI 9 Watch. Samsung does a great job with the software in general, and One UI 9 Watch has the best feature-set of any Android smartwatch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs. Galaxy Watch 9: Which should you buy?
Choosing between the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9 is entirely down to what you need in a smartwatch. If you need a smaller watch that nails the basics and looks stylish, just get the Galaxy Watch 9. You’re not missing out on the essentials, and this is a proven design that has worked really well for Samsung in the last two years.
But if you want a bigger smartwatch that grabs attention, you should get the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Yes, it costs a lot more, but you also get a bigger screen that gets much brighter, much bigger battery that lasts nearly twice as long, better durability, and a titanium design that looks exquisite. If I had to choose a model between these two, I’m getting the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 anytime — it’s much more exciting.
Samsung
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Living up to its name
Samsung outdid itself with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, delivering what is possibly one of the best smartwatches ever made.
A great all-rounder
The Galaxy Watch 9 may not have as many upgrades as the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, but it still nails the basics. You’re getting a stylish smartwatch with standout software and health monitoring features, and it doesn’t cost as much.