Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 Launch With Bigger Batteries—but There’s a Catch

Samsung has officially introduced the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Both smartwatches bring faster hardware, larger batteries and new AI-powered health features, but they also arrive with higher prices.

The Galaxy Watch 9 is designed for everyday users, while the Ultra 2 targets athletes, divers and outdoor enthusiasts. On paper, both watches look like meaningful upgrades. However, an early battery test suggests Samsung may not have solved one of Wear OS’s biggest problems.

Galaxy Watch 9 Looks Familiar but Gets Faster Hardware

The Galaxy Watch 9 keeps the cushion-style design introduced with the previous generation. It is available in 40mm and 44mm sizes, with an aluminum body and sapphire crystal protecting the display.

The smaller model has a 1.34-inch AMOLED display, while the 44mm version increases that to 1.47 inches. Both screens can reach up to 3,000 nits, which should make them easy to read outdoors.

The biggest upgrade is inside the watch. Samsung has replaced its Exynos processor with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon Wear Elite platform. Both Watch 9 models include 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and run Wear OS 7 with Samsung’s One UI 9 Watch interface.

Samsung offers the Watch 9 in the following colors:

1. 40mm: Graphite and Cream
2. 44mm: Graphite and Silver

Unfortunately for fans of Samsung’s rotating bezel, there is no Galaxy Watch 9 Classic this year.

Bigger Batteries Sound Promising

Samsung has installed a 390mAh battery in the 40mm Galaxy Watch 9, up from 325mAh in its predecessor. The 44mm model receives a smaller upgrade from 435mAh to 445mAh.

Samsung advertises up to 40 hours of battery life with the always-on display disabled. Combined with the more efficient 3nm Snapdragon processor, this should theoretically provide longer endurance.

However, an early laboratory test produced disappointing results. The 40mm Galaxy Watch 9 reportedly lasted only slightly longer than 24 hours—despite its 20% larger battery. The publication suspects that Wear OS 7 may currently be consuming more power than expected. Future software updates could improve this, but buyers should not assume that the larger battery automatically guarantees longer real-world use.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Is Brighter, Slimmer and More Durable

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is Samsung’s premium outdoor smartwatch. It uses a 47mm titanium case, weighs 61.5 grams and is approximately 12% thinner than the previous Ultra.

Its 1.52-inch AMOLED display reaches an impressive 5,000 nits, making it one of the brightest smartwatch screens available. Samsung has also included 64GB of storage, dual-frequency GPS, LTE, Bluetooth 6.0 and an 800mAh battery.

Samsung claims up to 80 hours of battery life with the always-on display disabled. The battery itself is 35% larger than the previous model.

The Ultra 2 is rated for 10ATM water resistance and carries IP69K, MIL-STD-810H and EN13319 certifications. It can automatically record information such as diving depth, water temperature and time underwater. A dedicated diving app developed with Mares is expected later.

Outdoor athletes also receive a new Trail Run mode, elevation tracking, hydration reminders and improved GPS accuracy. Samsung Global Newsroom

New AI Health and Fitness Features

Both watches use Samsung’s BioActive sensor to collect heart rate, temperature, electrical heart activity and body-composition information.

New software features include:

1. Vitals monitoring
2. Heart Health Score
3. Daily Cardio Load
4. Fitness Index
5. Sleep-apnea insights
6. Recovery recommendations
7. Unsafe-noise alerts

The Vitals dashboard combines measurements such as heart rate, heart-rate variability, blood oxygen, skin temperature and breathing rate. Samsung then uses AI to compare these readings with the user’s normal baseline and highlight unusual changes.

Some advanced health functions may depend on the country, regulatory approval and the connected smartphone. The watches require an Android phone running Android 13 or later and are not compatible with iPhones.

Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2 Prices

The Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379 in the United States. The larger 44mm model starts at $409, while LTE adds approximately $50.

European pricing begins at €409 for the 40mm Watch 9 and €439 for the 44mm model. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 starts at $699.99 in the US and €749 in Germany.

Pre-orders opened on July 22, 2026, with general availability scheduled for August 7. Samsung Newsroom Germany

Should You Upgrade?

The Galaxy Watch 9 offers faster performance, useful health tools and a substantially larger battery in the smaller model. However, its familiar design, higher price and questionable early battery performance make it a less convincing upgrade for Galaxy Watch 8 owners.

The Ultra 2 is the more exciting device. Its brighter display, larger battery, slimmer titanium body and diving features make it attractive to serious outdoor users. At €749, though, it competes directly with premium watches from Apple and Garmin.

For most Android users, the Galaxy Watch 9 should provide everything they need. The Ultra 2 makes more sense for people who regularly run trails, dive or want Samsung’s toughest and most capable smartwatch.

Which would you choose: the affordable Galaxy Watch 9 or the powerful Ultra 2?