Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 lands for review – bigger battery, brighter screen, tougher build

After skipping a 2025 Ultra in favor of the Classic, Samsung has finally let the Ultra make its comeback. The new Galaxy Watch Ultra2 is essentially the same rugged timepiece we knew, but with a few upgrades that matter most to everyday wearers.

First and foremost, the battery has been bumped up to 800 mAh – a solid 35 % increase over the previous 590 mAh cell. Samsung claims this translates to roughly 60 hours of mixed‑usage stamina, which feels like a breath of fresh air for a Wear OS smartwatch, even if it doesn’t quite match the multi‑week endurance of some budget rivals.

Charging stays familiar: a USB‑C magnetic puck that now promises up to 40 % charge in a half‑hour, still capped at 10 W. It’s not lightning fast, but the improvement is noticeable enough that you won’t be tethered to a wall for long.

The display also got a modest size bump, nudging past the 1.5‑inch mark, and it can now hit a dazzling 5,000 nits at peak brightness. Pair that with a sapphire crystal protected by a titanium frame, and you’ve got a watch that can survive a dive and still look crisp on a sunny beach.

On the downside, the rotating bezel that some fans loved is still missing, leaving the touchscreen as the primary navigation method. The Ultra2 is also a hefty companion at just over 60 grams and a noticeable thickness, so it’s really built for people who like a substantial, wrist‑filling smartwatch rather than a discreet one.