I bought Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2025, but I’d recommend this model instead

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is on sale for $650 in four color options.
• Its display is vibrant and large, the battery lasts through a couple of days, and LTE is provided at no extra cost.
• It comes in a single 47mm size, gesture support is limited, and external sensor connections are not supported.

Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra was my favorite Google WearOS smartwatch, so when I saw the 2025 Watch Ultra with its new blue and orange color scheme that matches my USCG military service colors, I had to buy it. 

It turns out that the new color scheme (and twice the internal storage amount) are the only hardware differences between the 2024 and 2025 Watch Ultra models, so if you don’t have a burning desire for the color then look for the 2024 model that may be available at a discounted price.

Also: Why I recommend this Samsung Galaxy Watch over competing Androids

That being said, there are a handful of new software features with Samsung’s new One UI 8 update, including Running Coach, Google Gemini (available with a press and hold of a button), antioxidant measurements from the heart rate sensor, and vascular load support. 

Just note that none of these software features are limited to the 2025 Galaxy Watch Ultra, so there are not many compelling reasons to purchase the latest model.

Still, if you’re looking for more storage, expanding from 32GB to the new model’s 64GB may be important enough for some people to spring for the new watch.   

One reason I like the Watch Ultra is the integrated LTE service so I can run safely without my phone and I also use the watch to store downloaded Spotify music to enjoy with bone conduction headsets. With the 2025 Watch Ultra I can now load it up with a massive collection of media content to motivate me to move.  

With the addition of so many new apps for the Watch Ultra, that extra storage space might be more valuable than you’d first think. For example, media playback apps like Spotify are a must for many, while fitness tracking apps like Strava, Map My Run, or Hole19 are some of the most downloaded.

All of these take up space, and the benefit of that extra storage ultimately means more choices. This is especially useful with my new Z Fold 7 that serves as a mini tablet while the Watch Ultra serves as my communication triage device.

I enjoy running and after a couple of weeks, I found the Samsung Running Coach to meet my humble needs. I am not going to win any races, but I like the audible guidance and personalized coaching that this feature provides, especially when it takes me two weeks to complete a week of a training plan. The Running Coach doesn’t pressure me to run more often, but is there to fit in with my schedule and support my efforts to improve my performance and train with some variable routines.

Also: The best Android smartwatches in 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

While it is nice that both years of the Galaxy Watch Ultra support the antioxidant index, I have yet to see any result other than “Low”,  which leaves me to question the utility of this metric. Even when I spend a day eating salads and fruit, my index value doesn’t change, and I am not getting any value out of this test. 

Vascular load is interesting to me since I am now 56 and heart health is more important now than in the past. Samsung does a better job than others at providing you with information on what each metric means and ways in which you can improve for better health.

Also: My new favorite Android smartwatch rivals Google and Garmin models in features and design

When comparing this watch to others, I tried out the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for a couple of weeks and while I love the fluid rotating bezel, the small display and limited battery life did not satisfy me enough to give up the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Samsung made this big watch for people like me and the $650 price is still $150 less than the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

ZDNET’s buying advice

Thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, I am back to using an Android as my primary smartphone and with that move, the 2025 Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is the perfect companion. 

The long battery life, accurate GPS tracking and heart rate measurements while running, and big watch that fits my wrist well means that I have a combination to cover all of my adventures. I know that the color of something may not be a big deal to many people, but the fact that I can show off my college and military service colors leads to conversations about the USCG and wearable technology.