I wore Samsung's and Apple's Ultra smartwatches for 3 weeks - apps made all the difference

I wore Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Apple's Watch Ultra 3 for three weeks, examining how the two flagship smartwatches differed. Both devices boasted large displays, larger sizes for larger wrists, and rugged builds for outdoor activities. Both supported cellular connectivity, allowing use without a phone, and featured safety features such as loud sirens for emergency calls for help.

While the two smartwatches had similar designs, some differences emerged. Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 offered pricing at $699 for a 47mm size, while Apple's Watch Ultra 3 was priced at $799 for a 49mm size. Samsung's Watch Ultra 2 was available in Titanium Silver and Titanium Gray, whereas Apple's Watch Ultra 3 came in natural titanium and black, providing comparable options for both brands.

Both smartwatches came with enhanced health tracking features, including Samsung's daily energy score, sleep score, vital statistics, cardio load, heart health scores, and a custom running coach for fitness improvement. Samsung also introduced blood pressure measurement capability, requiring a blood pressure cuff calibrated every 30 days, offering users the ability to take readings any time throughout the day.

Apple and Google provided hypertension notifications, but lacked blood pressure reading features. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also included LTE connectivity, while the Watch Ultra 3 led with the latest 5G technology, potentially offering improved connectivity within the watch form factor. For those occasionally without cellular connections, such as during trail running, hiking, fishing, or camping, the Apple Watch Ultra 3's satellite connectivity proved beneficial, allowing for SOS notifications and communication with family and friends to ensure safety.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 also offered body composition measurements, tracking key details of wellness and fitness. After three weeks of wearing both smartwatches, the verdict on the most controversial model highlighted Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2's useful features, such as quick access to Google Gemini through a simple press-and-hold button, and its ability to launch Google Gemini on the wrist, which proved to be one of the most useful aspects of the device.