This was the recurring criticism of the old Galaxy Watches: a decent GPS but not at the level of pure sports watches. On the Ultra, the dual frequency GPS combo (L1+L5) + new Exynos W1000 chip changes the situation: serious tests show clean tracks, stuck to the path, even in town and in narrow streets, with a precision comparable to a recent Garmin on the road.
On light trails, it also holds up well, even if, let's be honest, in very steep environments with a lot of difference in altitude, Garmin and Coros still maintain a slight advantage in track stability. Nothing dramatic for 95% of users, but for very long off-trails, it matters.
The BioActive sensor does the job: continuous heart rate, SpO₂, ECG, blood pressure (with the usual limits of this type of measurement), everything fits. The comparisons show very good cardio monitoring for an optical watch, provided you tighten the bracelet well (otherwise, logically, it stops a little in intervals or during the night).
On the sports side, you have real multisport, route import, an action button to start/manage sessions, a triathlon mode, advanced running metrics, and with One UI Watch 8, more in-depth cardio load data, Vascular Load type and related indicators. So, for a “serious but not obsessive sport” profile, this is more than sufficient.
Where the Galaxy Watch Ultra really stands out is in advanced health monitoring. Samsung has obtained FDA authorization for the detection of sleep apnea on its recent Galaxy Watches, including the Ultra: the watch detects disturbed breathing during the night and sends you a signal if moderate to severe apnea is suspected. It's a screening tool, not a medical diagnosis, but it's starting to change lives.
You add to that the energy score (a “readiness” indicator based on sleep, activity and heart rate) and theAGE index (Advanced Glycation End-products, an estimate of your metabolic state linked to your lifestyle), and you obtain much richer well-being monitoring than the average consumer watch.
Is it perfect? No. It's still an estimate, it depends on the regularity with which you wear the watch and the quality of the nights. But frankly, for a user who wants to understand their tendencies rather than reading a simple “you slept 6:32”, this is a huge plus.
If you are still hesitating between the different Galaxy Watches, I invite you to take a look at this guide to choosing the best Samsung Galaxy Watch, where I break down the typical profiles for each model.
On the official sheet, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has a 590 mAh battery and promises up to 100 hours in power saving mode, or up to 48 hours in Power Saving Exercise mode. On paper, it sounds like a dream. In real life, obviously, it's more nuanced.
The protocols of Frandroid, Nextpit, Les Numériques and a few others overlap: with always-on screen activated, complete health monitoring, notifications, a little GPS sport per day, we revolve around 2 to a little more than 2 dayssometimes 2.5 days by optimizing a little. In lighter use (AOD off, less sport), some users report 3 days, or even a little more, but it is clearly not a “one week without recharging” watch.
The take-home message is simple: for a Wear OS full of functions, the autonomy is goodbut if you come from a Garmin at 10–15 days, you will find it short. It depends where you come from, really.
Charging is not the fastest on the market. It takes around 1h45–1h55 to go from 0 to 100%, with a good third recovered in half an hour. It's not annoying if you have the reflex to put it on during the shower and breakfast, but it's not the “I plug it in for 20 minutes and I'm gone” watch either.
In practice, the most comfortable pattern remains: you charge it every two days, you keep sleep monitoring, you don't play around with activating/deactivating options every 5 minutes. You live with it, what?
Obvious comparison. Massive case, “outdoor premium” positioning, high launch price, very bright screen, emergency siren, advanced health monitoring… the Galaxy Watch Ultra is clearly aiming the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the rearview mirror. Except that they are not aimed at the same world: Apple for the iPhone, Samsung for Android.
In practice: if you're on an iPhone, Apple's Ultra remains the only logical option in this format. If you're on Android, the Galaxy Watch Ultra finally becomes a real credible alternative instead of forcing you to look at Garmin + smartphone.
Here, we must be clear: on ultra-endurance, committed mountains, long expeditions, Garmin and Coros remain ahead. Vastly superior autonomy, integrated advanced mapping, very mature training ecosystem. The Galaxy Watch Ultra, even with its 10 ATM, its MIL-STD-810H standard and its precise GPS, remains a sporty smartwatch, not a Fenix that lasts a week in intelligent GPS mode.
If your use is more 3–4 sessions per week, a few trails, hikes, a bit of swimming and a real urban life (notifications, payments, apps), the Galaxy Watch Ultra is more pleasant to live with on a daily basis than a “big” stylish sports watch. If you live outside all the time, Garmin maintains the advantage.
Within the Samsung range, the Ultra sits above the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Watch 8: same technical base, but titanium case, brighter screen, larger battery, increased resistance, action button, more “outdoor” profile. This is the version that totally embraces the adventurer side.
If you are simply hesitating between the brand's different models, I advise you to also read my complete detailed Galaxy Watch 8 vs 7 comparison, just to see if you really need to go up to the Ultra.
And if you are wondering more generally if a Galaxy Watch is worth it compared to the rest of the market, I have also dissected the question in this clear analysis to find out if Galaxy Watch is worth it.
For an overview of the connected watches that I follow closely (Samsung, Garmin, Apple, Amazfit…), you can take a look at the updated selection here: all our connected watches tested and compared.
We finish cleanly. Without lukewarmness.
So, is the Galaxy Watch Ultra there best high-end Android watch for sports in 2025? For the regular user who wants a real smartwatch, yes, clearly it is at the very top of the basket. For the ultra-endurance person obsessed with every percentage of autonomy, no, and that's fine. In short, it's up to you to see which side you really live on.
About the author
Article written for L’Swiss Made Watch by David Deteveindependent field editor & analyst, based on cross-tests (Frandroid, Montre-Cardio-GPS, Nextpit, PhoneArena, user feedback) and official Samsung technical sheets.
Last updated: November 15, 2025 – the information and prices mentioned may change with future software updates and promotions.
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