Choosing the Right Wrist Companion: Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra – A Comprehensive Guide
Unbeatable Deal Alert: Get 50% Off the Best Android Smartwatch - Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra This Labor Day![ZDNet Special]
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
What’s the deal?
- The 7mm Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is on sale ahead of Labor Day for $599 on Amazon in Titanium Gray.
- It’s a stylish-looking smartwatch housing a slew of safety features and a long-lasting battery.
- However it’s only available in a single size (47mm to be exact) meaning this may not be a good fit for folks with smaller wrists.
Why is this deal ZDNET recommended?
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is the company’s top-of-the-line wearable, sporting a tough exterior, an eye-catching design, and a metric ton of features.
A few years ago, I purchased the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro for its longer-than-average battery life and rugged design features. While I passed on the Watch 6 series due to the lack of similar capabilities, this year Samsung finally made a watch fit for my needs, active lifestyle, and next upgrade.
After testing the Galaxy Watch Ultra for the past two weeks, it has quickly become my favorite Android smartwatch. Here’s why.
To start, I paired my orange Galaxy Watch Ultra with my Galaxy S24 Ultra, a duo that Samsung probably wants everyone to be sporting. Since it had been a while since I used a Galaxy Watch, I didn’t particularly miss having to install and sync several apps, such as Samsung Health, Health Monitor, and Galaxy Wearables, for things to function adequately.
Also: The 75+ best Labor Day 2024 deals: Shop Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and more
To be clear, Apple requires a similar multi-app sync for its phone-watch combo to work best, so both ecosystems can be a bit burdensome compared to traditional sports watches that only require one dedicated app to function.
Still, the Galaxy Wearables app was especially useful to have. On it, you can adjust watch face complications, app screen organization, tile ordering, and even Quick Panel settings. It is great to be able to effortlessly customize the watch face from a larger phone display and have things synced almost immediately.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (left and middle) and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
As far as design goes, the squarish outer case with the round display has been polarizing to look at and use, but in the best way. I find the form factor more appealing than the Apple Watch Ultra or standard Galaxy Watch 7, even with this model no longer having the physical rotating bezel.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra vs. Apple Watch Ultra: Which one should you buy?
I’ll admit: I rarely used the rotating bezel on older Galaxy Watches, so I don’t necessarily miss the feature. I’m also satisfied with the virtual rotating bezel that works by swiping your finger around the edge of the watch face. The big, beautiful Watch Ultra looks more like a traditional analog watch, and it fits me perfectly.
The new watchband system makes it easier to swap them in and out.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
For testing, the GPS positioning on the Galaxy Watch Ultra has been very impressive, matching the accuracy of my other GPS sports watches . I also ran a series of custom workouts with the wearable and found the heart rate tracking and running dynamics measurements to be accurate. That’s to be expected, by the way, with Samsung embedding more sensors than ever on the Ultra model.
I’m also a fan of how easily customizable the workout screens are and how you can race yourself via timed laps. If you’re feeling bold, you can even enjoy music playing from the watch’s speaker.
Also: The best smartwatches you can buy: Expert tested
Unfortunately, you cannot connect external sensors such as heart rate straps, bike speed/cadence sensors, and other third-party devices to the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which is a significant limitation for serious athletes looking for the most accurate data sources. This is a misstep that Samsung could easily fix over time.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
Several utilities and features I’ve been using on the Apple Watch Ultra – such as the built-in calculator for quick math and siren functionality for safety during late-night runs – are now present on the Galaxy Watch, and that’s made my life more efficient.
With the new Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Ring , Samsung is pitching an Energy Score feature that rates your sleep time, daily activities, sleeping heart rate, HRV, and more. This summarization of my health has been more helpful and useful to me than competing consolidated figures such as Garmin’s Body Battery.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Oura Ring: Which wearable should you buy?
I love that you can view the specific measurement for each metric and see where to improve to raise your Energy Score. Two ways to confirm that metrics like Energy Score match reality are to check your performance and compare it to what other wearables detect. From what I’ve seen, Samsung’s Energy Score has given me reliable measures of my readiness.
The Samsung Health app also displays drills to help improve your running dynamics.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
While I wouldn’t categorize the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s battery life with that of Garmin, Suunto, or Coros sports watches, I have been able to get just about the same two-day endurance as the Apple Watch Ultra. That’s a win in my book, even if it can only be achieved with the always-on display turned off.
ZDNET’s buying advice
After years of using Samsung watches, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the closest the company has come to producing a wearable fit for my needs and lifestyle.
There are, however, a couple of shortcomings that Samsung needs to address before the Galaxy Watch Ultra can truly replace a GPS sports watch, including external sensor support and longer battery life.
Also: The 43 best Amazon Labor Day deals you can shop now
Still, as a smartwatch with more capabilities than normal, Samsung’s Ultra wearable is a fantastic option for power users and enthusiasts like myself, with just enough new features like gesture controls, plenty of watch faces and useful complications, and the ability to dive deeper into all the details synced to Samsung Health.
When will this deal expire?
Deals are subject to sell-out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We’re sorry if you’ve missed out on this deal, but don’t fret – we’re constantly finding new chances to score savings and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com .
Featured reviews
Dyson’s latest headphones may look like heavy machinery, but they sound like a dream
Only two multitool brands are worth your money - here’s which one I carry
I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Pixel 9 Pro XL for two weeks - and can’t go back
One of the most premium Copilot+ PCs I’ve tested is also one of the most affordable
- Dyson’s latest headphones may look like heavy machinery, but they sound like a dream
- Only two multitool brands are worth your money - here’s which one I carry
- I replaced my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the Pixel 9 Pro XL for two weeks - and can’t go back
- One of the most premium Copilot+ PCs I’ve tested is also one of the most affordable
Also read:
- [New] Mastering IGTV Videos IPhone & Android Download Guide for 2024
- [Updated] 2024 Approved Effortless Energy Top 20 Calming Country Songs to Boogie Down and Release Stress (TikTok)
- [Updated] Sony A6400 Screen Blackout Mystery
- 2024 Approved How To Elevate Your TikTok Footage with Enhanced Heads A Guide (3 Steps)
- 2024 Approved Instagram Stardom Through Strategic Reel Making
- Apprendre À Visionner Des DVD Gratis - Pas Besoin D'un Décodeur Pour Votre Confort Cinémal
- Discover Cutting-Edge Gadgets & Innovations at Tom's Hardware
- Discover Top IT Products with Tom's Expert Hardware Analysis
- Essential Tweaks Required for Better GPT Plugin Management
- Experience Unmatched Endurance: Lenovo's ThinkPad T14s with Remarkable 29-Hour Battery Life
- Exploring Advanced Computing at Tom's Hardware Hub
- Exploring Advanced Gadgets and Systems - A Journey by Tom's Hardware Experts
- Exploring Gadgets with Tom - Comprehensive Hardware Insights
- Flying Lotus Unleashed: Experience the Next-Gen Battery-Powered All-in-One PC, Seamlessly Merging Laptop Foundations with Cutting-Edge 3D Print Components
- How Apple's Ecosystem Plays a Crucial Role in Boosting Mac Gaming Appeal
- How To Remove the Two Factor Authentication On iPhone 15 Pro
- In 2024, iPhone Is Disabled? Here Is The Way To Unlock Disabled iPhone 6s | Dr.fone
- In-Depth Analysis of the Gigabyte G6X: Reliable Gaming Power with Standard Offerings
- Troubleshooting Guide: Fixing the Non-Functional Night Light Feature in Windows 10 & 11
- Title: Choosing the Right Wrist Companion: Apple Watch Series 9 or Ultra – A Comprehensive Guide
- Author: George
- Created at : 2024-10-20 00:24:03
- Updated at : 2024-10-26 23:41:52
- Link: https://hardware-tips.techidaily.com/choosing-the-right-wrist-companion-apple-watch-series-9-or-ultra-a-comprehensive-guide/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.