Samsung's $700 Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 lasts three days on a charge

Samsung's new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 costs $700 and, in one reviewer's testing, lasted about three days on a single charge. Engadget gave it 9 out of 10. The reviewer called its battery life remarkable and its display the brightest smartwatch screen the outlet has seen. The catch is a chunky fit and an interface that takes time to learn.

What changed

The battery grew from 590mAh to 800mAh, which is more than a third larger than on the first Watch Ultra. A newer Snapdragon Wear Elite chip works alongside it. The screen is slightly bigger at 1.52 inches and reaches up to 5,000 nits of brightness, up from 3,500 nits before. Nits measure how bright a screen can get.

How the battery held up

With mid-to-light use and the always-on display switched on, the reviewer got three days before the battery fell below 20 percent. That included many notifications, an hour-long gym workout most days, music and podcast controls, and sleep tracking each night.

• Over a week, the reviewer would typically charge it only twice.
• A weekend trip on a full charge was no problem.
• With no tracked workouts or with the always-on display off, use stretched to four or five days.

What to know before buying

The watch comes in one size, 47mm. It is 10.7mm thick and weighs just under 2.2 ounces. The reviewer says it looks chunky on most wrists and points to Samsung's Watch 9 series for a smaller option. It has a titanium case and a 100-meter water rating. However, a dedicated diving app promised at launch has not arrived months later.

Bands use Samsung's own lug system, so choices are limited to Samsung-made bands and a few niche third-party ones. There is also no rotating bezel. The on-screen number pickers felt overly sensitive, and the reviewer found the swipe controls and plain app icons hard to navigate.

Who it is for

This watch suits people who dislike charging a watch every night and want strong fitness and health tracking. The reviewer, a longtime Apple Watch owner, said it is a serious rival to the Apple Watch Ultra. Anyone who wants a slim watch or an easy menu system may be happier elsewhere.