Samsung's newest smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, represent a strategic evolution in the company's wearable technology. This generation focuses on refining existing features and enhancing key areas like battery longevity and health tracking. While maintaining a familiar aesthetic, Samsung has integrated a new chip, larger batteries, and several innovative health metrics, signaling a commitment to addressing user needs and staying competitive in the rapidly evolving smartwatch market. These advancements, however, come with a modest price adjustment.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, priced at $699.99, sees several significant hardware enhancements. Its 47mm chassis now houses an impressive 800mAh battery, marking a substantial 35 percent increase over its predecessor. This larger power cell is expected to provide extended usage time, addressing a common concern among smartwatch users. Despite the increased battery capacity, the Ultra 2 manages to be 12 percent thinner at 10.7mm, offering a more streamlined profile. The accompanying strap has also been refined, becoming slightly thinner and softer for enhanced comfort. Furthermore, the display on the Ultra 2 has been upgraded to a remarkable 5,000-nit brightness, improving outdoor visibility and making it one of the brightest smartwatch screens available. This, combined with thinner bezels, contributes to a more immersive viewing experience.
For outdoor adventurers, the Ultra 2 introduces a dedicated trail run tracking function. This feature, designed to rival offerings from brands like Garmin, enables users to upload GPX files for detailed GPS navigation, including real-time elevation guidance. It also provides estimated completion times and intelligent hydration alerts, which predict sweat loss based on activity intensity and user data. Divers will also benefit from enhanced durability, with IP69K, 10 ATM, and EN 13319 dust and water resistance ratings. A specialized diving application, developed in collaboration with Mares, will be available later this year, offering detailed monitoring of descent speed, time at depth, and ascent guidance.
The standard Galaxy Watch 9, now priced at $379.99, receives a price increase but retains many core features of its predecessor. A significant internal upgrade for both the Watch 9 and Ultra 2 is the transition from Samsung's proprietary Exynos chipset to Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite processor. This change is primarily aimed at improving power efficiency and bolstering AI processing capabilities. Qualcomm previously marketed this chip as an "AI-wearable first," suggesting potential enhancements to features like Gemini. Users will experience the ability to activate Gemini without a wake word by simply raising their wrist, though Samsung has fine-tuned it to prevent accidental triggers when checking the time. While initial hands-on observations noted minor latency in scrolling, Samsung anticipates optimal performance under regular use.
Battery improvements extend to the Galaxy Watch 9 as well. The 40mm model sees its battery capacity increase by approximately 20 percent to 390mAh, while the 44mm version receives a modest bump from 435mAh to 445mAh. The straps have also been redesigned to be 17 percent lighter and feature an "air pocket structure," promoting better breathability and a more comfortable fit on the wrist. Beyond hardware, a major focus for the Galaxy Watch 9 involves the introduction of four new preventive health metrics, which are also integrated into the Ultra 2. These include a Vitals feature that, after a week of continuous sleep tracking, generates a baseline for key health indicators like blood oxygen, heart rate, heart rate variability, skin temperature, and respiratory rate. Deviations from this baseline trigger proactive alerts and tips to help users maintain their well-being. This feature mirrors similar functionalities found in Apple's watchOS 11.
Further enhancing its health suite, Samsung has added a Heart Health Score and a Daily Cardio Load metric. The Heart Health Score provides a daily rating out of 100, calculated from an eight-day average of sleep duration, moderate to vigorous activity levels, BMI, and vascular load. The Daily Cardio Load assists users in optimizing their training and recovery by analyzing workout intensity, maximum training load, and real-time heart rate data. These metrics, while not entirely novel and having precedents in other wearable platforms like Oura, Whoop, and Fitbit, contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the user's physical condition. The most distinctive health metric introduced is the Fitness Index, presented as a radar chart. This visual tool illustrates a user's relative strengths and weaknesses across categories such as strength, flexibility, endurance, cardio, and body composition, utilizing data points like VO2 Max, heart rate, step counts, activity time, and bioimpedance analysis. This innovative approach allows users to easily identify areas for improvement in their fitness journey.
This generation of Samsung smartwatches reflects a dual strategy: integrating popular health features seen in competitor devices and refining the core functionalities that users appreciate. While the increased pricing for both models is a notable change, likely influenced by various market factors, the focus on enhancing battery life and introducing a suite of advanced health-tracking tools underscores Samsung's dedication to delivering a more robust and health-conscious wearable experience. These new devices are set to begin shipping on August 7th, following a pre-order period commencing today.