Samsung unveils Galaxy Watch Ultra2 with 5,000-nit display and 800 mAh battery

Samsung officially introduced the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 at its July 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event in London. The updated wearable retains the signature 47mm titanium squircle chassis of its predecessor while achieving a 12 percent reduction in thickness, measuring 10.7mm. Despite the slimmer profile, the device maintains a weight of 61.5 grams and incorporates a redesigned band system featuring air-pocket construction, which Samsung claims reduces weight by 26 percent and improves moisture management.

The display hardware receives a substantial upgrade, with the 1.52-inch Super AMOLED panel now reaching a peak brightness of 5,000 nits. Protected by a sapphire crystal cover, the screen offers a resolution of 498 by 498 pixels. Samsung designed this high-brightness headroom to ensure readability under direct sunlight without requiring manual adjustments, while also supporting an always-on display mode.

Internally, the watch transitions to the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, a 3nm penta-core processor that replaces the previous Exynos architecture. This shift is intended to provide improved app performance, faster GPS acquisition, and enhanced on-device processing capabilities. The device retains 64 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM, running Wear OS 7 with Samsung’s One UI 9 Watch interface.

Battery capacity has increased by 35 percent to 800 mAh, which Samsung states can provide up to 60 hours of use with the always-on display enabled. The watch supports faster charging, reaching approximately 40 percent capacity in 30 minutes. For outdoor tracking, the device includes dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS, with battery life rated at 20 hours for continuous GPS usage or 16 hours for GPX route tracking in power-saving mode.

Durability remains a focus, with the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 earning an IP69K rating for dust and high-pressure water resistance, 10 ATM water resistance for depths up to 100 meters, and MIL-STD-810H military-grade certification. The watch is also EN13319 certified for diving, featuring an automatic mode that logs depth, elapsed time, and water temperature upon submersion.

Health and fitness tracking features include a BioActive sensor array for monitoring heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, and skin temperature. New software tools include a Nutrition Alert function for hydration reminders and a Trail Run mode that provides live elevation and terrain data. The device also includes FDA-approved sleep apnea risk detection and a safety siren rated at 86 decibels.