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Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2: In summary
・Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches now officially announced
・A single 47mm model for the Ultra, and two options for the Watch 9, 40mm and 44mm
・Both watches are more expensive than their predecessors
・Battery life has been given a bump, but not for the 40mm Watch 9
・The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is thinner and more durable than before
・Lots of new fitness tracking metrics have been added in One UI Watch
After the most recent Samsung Unpacked, we’ve now had our first proper look at the next generation of Galaxy Watches, of which there are two new additions for 2026, the Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2.
Although yearly updates for Samsung’s mainline Galaxy Watch are a given, fans have had to wait quite some time for a successor to the brand’s Apple Watch Ultra competitor. The original Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra hit the market just over two years ago, and with the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the Garmin Venu X1 on the market, an update was very much overdue.
Despite plenty of rumours to the contrary, Samsung has not unveiled a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic, so unless it appears later this year, you can expect it to stick to its typical biennial schedule and launch during next year’s summer Samsung Unpacked. So with two new Galaxy Watches to choose from this year, to know exactly what upgrades the Watch Ultra 2 and the Watch 9 are packing, how much they cost and more, we’ve got you covered.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2: What’s new?
In summary
・Battery life has been increased, but the smaller Galaxy Watch 9 misses out
・Both watches carry a brighter display
・New fitness tracking metrics compete with the likes of Whoop and Fitbit
・The Watch Ultra 2 is thinner and more durable, while the Watch 9 has a slimmer watch band
・Exynos abandoned in favour of a Snapdragon chip
A much-needed battery upgrade
An issue that has plagued smartwatches at large, not just Samsung’s, has been battery life.
Things have started to move in the right direction as the Xiaomi Watch 5 can run for a total of six days on a single charge, and even Apple, which has been particularly stubborn in this area, finally gave the Apple Watch Series 11 the ability to run for two days at a time. Thankfully, Samsung has seen fit to ride the wave here, but there is one big caveat.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 sees the biggest uptick of the group, with a larger 800mAh cell that marks a 35% increase over its predecessor. Given that the original Watch Ultra could last for just over two days on a single charge, there’s a good chance that the newer watch might stretch to beyond three days under the right circumstances.
The Galaxy Watch 9, on the other hand, has a 20% increase in battery size, jumping up to 390mAh. The problem is that this uptick is only available for the 44mm version of the watch, as the 40mm model is staying exactly the same as before. Given that we struggled to get the 40mm Galaxy Watch 8 to last more than a day and a half under most use cases, this is a disappointing oversight and may steer some potential adopters towards the Pixel Watch 4 instead.
More expansive health tracking
Although Samsung Galaxy Watches have long been a great buy for fitness tracking, the market is starting to change thanks to the proliferation of screenless devices like the Fitbit Air and the Garmin Cirqa, all of which place a focus on overall exertion throughout the day, recommendations on sleep and recovery, as well as any signs that you might be coming down with something.
Looking to stay one step ahead of the game, Samsung has gone overboard with a plethora of new fitness metrics that go head to head with these screenless devices.
Both of these watches now boast Vitals, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index when looking at the fitness tab. Vitals is very similar to the same feature on Apple Watch, which lets you know if any of your core factors such as resting heart rate or body temperature are out of sync, while the Heart Health Score takes in a bunch of factors such as the last seven days of sleep and any rigorous activity within that time to understand if your heart might be under too much pressure.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Daily Cardio Load works very much like the Whoop Strap, calculating your total expended energy throughout the day so that you can better understand how much recovery you’ll need to get back to your best self. Finally, Fitness Index looks at several aspects such as your stretch and flexibility, and lets you know if you’re in better shape than most of the people in your age group, or if you’re at risk of falling behind.
It might sound like a lot of data, but for true fitness enthusiasts who love to pore over the details of their health, these additions alone could justify an upgrade.
Brighter displays across the board
Going hand in hand with their ability to work more efficiently as fitness trackers, Samsung has also upped the brightness of the Watch Ultra 2 and the Watch 9 so they’ll be easier to read when trying to beat your personal bests in the great outdoors.
While the Galaxy Watch 9 can now reach 3000 nits of peak brightness, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 absolutely floors the competition with a whopping 5000 nits. At the time of this launch, there isn’t another smartwatch out there with a screen that’s this bright, so if you’re someone who loves to run and hike, then this might be the watch for you, especially as trail running has now been added as a tracked workout on both devices.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Goodbye Exynos, hello Snapdragon
Any Samsung fans will know that when it comes to chipsets in the company’s smartphones, it’s always a bit of a guessing game as to whether or not you’ll see a Snapdragon or Exynos processor onboard. Well, this issue has never really materialised in the company’s wearable division as Galaxy Watches have long since stuck with using Samsung’s own-brand Exynos chips. That is, until now.
In both watches, Samsung is moving over to using the Snapdragon Wear Elite, which is currently the most advanced flagship processor available in the Wear OS space. What this should amount to is a noticeable uptick in everyday performance, with everything from jumping between apps to responding to messages feeling just that bit smoother.
Hardware refinements
Helping them to stand out a bit more from their predecessors, Samsung has tweaked the hardware for both the Watch Ultra 2 and the Watch 9, with the bulk of the changes reserved for the former.
For the pricier of the pair, the Ultra 2 now packs an official IP69K rating for improved overall durability, which is exactly what we like to see from a watch that’s designed around outdoor use. The casing itself is thinner too, slimming down 12% to just 10.7mm.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
The Galaxy Watch 9 has left the slimming down to the included watch band, which is 17% lighter than before to create a better seal.
When is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2 release date?
In summary
・Watches unveiled 22 July
・Pre-orders now live
Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 and were unveiled on 22 July at Galaxy Unpacked in Lonson, with pre-orders going live to purchase them shortly afterwards.
How much do the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 & Galaxy Watch 9 cost?
In summary
・Galaxy Watch 9 starts at £349/$379.99
・Galaxy Watch Ultra costs £649/$699.99
The Galaxy Watch 9 will be the more affordable option of the pair, as you’d expect, with the 40mm and 44mm models starting at £349/$379.99 and £379/$TBC respectively.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will cost £649/$699.99 at launch.
Any eagle-eyed fans may have already spotted that those prices are indeed more expensive than what we’ve become accustomed to. The new Watch Ultra is £50 more expensive than its predecessor, while the Galaxy Watch 9 has leapt up by £30.
Thomas Deehan / Foundry
Given the current state of the tech industry, and the precedent Samsung has already set up by increasing the prices of various handsets, however unwelcome these higher price tags are, they’re not unexpected.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2 FAQ
1.
What are the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 & Galaxy Watch 9 are Samsung’s new smartwatches for 2026, replacing the original Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Watch 8.
2.
What is the price of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2?
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is the more expensive option at £649/$699.99 while the Galaxy Watch 9 starts at £349/$379.99.
3.
When are the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2 coming out?
Both of these watches were unveiled 22 July, and pre-orders are now live to receive the phone shortly afterwards.
4.
How do the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2 differ?
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is designed to better withstand the outdoors, making it ideal for hikers and marathon runners, whilst the Galaxy Watch 9 is more compact and carries a more affordable price tag for most people.
5.
Can I use the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 & Ultra 2 with a non-Samsung phone?
Yes, both of these watches can be paired with eligible Android handsets, but there are a few features such as the Body Composition scan that will only work if you have a Samsung phone in tow.
