Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra vs Galaxy Watch 7: first look at Samsung's new wearables

Samsung has used a slightly different approach for the Galaxy Watch Ultra in comparison to the vanilla model when it comes to bands. The regular Watch 7 uses the same one-click strap mechanism we know from its predecessor, and the band release button is placed on the band itself. When pressed, this button retracts the pins that hold the band to the lugs. This means you can use third-party bands on the Galaxy Watch 7, and most 20 mm and 22 mm quick release bands should fit, along with bands from previous generations of Galaxy Watches.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra has the release buttons on the watch, similar to the Apple Watch in that regard, and it uses proprietary bands. That being said, there's a healthy number of band options on Samsung.com, so this shouldn't be viewed as a major disadvantage.

The overall look of the regular Galaxy Watch 7 is much more classic with the lugs and how the bands attach to the body, while the Ultra looks contemporary and the band looks like a part of the watch. It's a matter of personal preference but we like the regular Watch 7 a bit more for its classic look and potential for interchangeable watch bands.

The Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra are the first Android smartwatches to feature Wear OS 5, the most powerful version of Wear OS to date, and it's paired with Samsung's Exynos W1000, the first 3nm Exynos chip in a wearable. There's also a new BioActive Sensor system, encapsulating in itself a wide array of sensors (optical bio-signal sensor, electrical heart signal, and bioelectrical impedance analysis), alongside a temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, geomagnetic sensor, and light sensor.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch 7 use this array of sensors to offer holistic health and fitness tracking. Both watches can track over 100 workouts and build routines by combining various exercises with the Workout Routine feature, and the Body composition reading is back with body mass index, fat percentage, muscle mass, etc.

There are some new features on the AI front, of course, helping to detect things such as Sleep apnea, low heart rates, and irregular heart rhythm. Both watches can measure blood pressure (only in certain markets that have certified the system), and there's a new AGEs Index tracking advanced glycation end products, basically showing you another diet and lifestyle tied to metabolic health.

You can also answer notifications and messages with AI-infused suggested replies, and there's a double-pinch gesture for easy hands-free navigation. Samsung Wallet works on both models, and you can pay seamlessly (if the service is available in your country, of course).

The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes with some additional features on top of everything written above. The Watch Ultra is made of grade 4 titanium and has a wider operating range, from 500 meters below sea level, up to 9000 meters above sea. Which means you can climb mount Everest with the watch (and the help of some Sherpas, of course).

There's a new Functional Threshold Power (FTP) for cycling, a multi-sport tile feature, and advanced personalized heart rate zones. In addition to all this, the Watch Ultra has a Quick Button that you can map different features to, an Emergency Siren, and Night Mode for those nighttime trekking sessions. 

Battery and Charging

Can't outsmart physics

The Galaxy Watch Ultra has a pretty hefty 590mAh battery, and Samsung claims that it offers the longest battery life within the Galaxy Watch line-up, with up to 100 hours in Power Saving and 48 hours in Exercise Power Saving. This claim should be tested, and we expect a solid 24 hours to two days of normal use.

The regular Watch 7 comes with two different battery capacities, depending on the size. The smaller 40mm variant sports a 300mAh battery, while the 44mm Watch 7 has a 425mAh battery onboard. As it stands now, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has the upper hand when it comes to battery life, as it has a larger battery while relying on the same chipset and screen.

During our time with the Galaxy Watch Ultra we were able to extract two full days out (with some extra on top of that) off it with always-on activated all the time, and the heart rate sensor set to track constantly. 

Moving to the Galaxy Watch 7, things aren't looking as good - we were able to get barely 24 hours on a single charge, which is disappointing. Some say there's a software bug that drains the battery and we'll see if a patch would fix that, but as it stands, the Galaxy Watch Ultra wins this round by a mile.

Both models support WPC wireless charging, which means that you should be able to charge these smartwatches from Qi-certified wireless systems and also with reverse charging from your Galaxy phone (other brands and models should work too).

Voice Calls and Haptics

Both models come with microphones and loudspeakers onboard and support voice calls. You can use the LTE models independently, and the Bluetooth version acts like a proxy for your phone (or a Bluetooth headset). Both watches perform admirably in the voice department, you can hear the other end clearly even in loud environments.

In terms of haptics, Samsung watches have traditionally offered excellent feedback with precise and robust vibrations. This continues with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which provides strong yet precise vibrations. Additionally, you can adjust the haptic strength to tailor your experience.