The critical athlete’s watch
For critical athletes and outside adventurers, there’s no higher watch than the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It’s ultra-rugged in design, assembly army requirements, so you need to use it nearly wherever. It affords superior options, from dual-frequency GPS to triathlon monitoring. And it has tons of helpful security options, too.
ForUltra-rugged design for any scenario and settingExtreme water resistanceDecent battery lifeUltra-bright screenAgainstExpensiveMight be greater than some folks needMuch larger on the wrist
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
For Android adventurers
If you’ve gotten an Android telephone, notably a Samsung Galaxy gadget, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is an efficient equal for athletes and outside adventurers. It has a equally rugged design, can observe greater than 90 exercises, and affords superior sleep monitoring. It’s not fairly as rugged, however it would do the trick.
ForSturdy designAdvanced sleep teachingUse Bespoke Studio to personalize the lookDecent battery lifeAgainstFeels heavy on the wristNot comfy to sleep withSensor makes it further thickNot an enormous improve from the Galaxy Watch 5
When evaluating the Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, each are designed for critical athletes and outside adventurers. They are among the many most premium smartwatches you should buy, with tons of added options and features for individuals who will make good use of them.If you fall into this class, you could be questioning which it is best to get. Naturally, it will largely rely in your telephone because the Apple Watch Ultra 2 solely works with iPhones, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro solely works with Android units (and is greatest suited with Samsung Galaxy telephones). But if in case you have each or are nonetheless contemplating which solution to go, we’re right here to assist.Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Their designsWhy you possibly can belief Android Central
Our knowledgeable reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you possibly can select one of the best for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Apple)First off, let’s take a look at the design of those two smartwatches. Since they’re each made for critical adventurers, sturdiness is of the utmost significance.The Apple Watch Ultra 2 definitely delivers in that division. It meets MIL-STD 810H requirements for water and dirt resistance. In reality, it may be used all the way down to a depth of 100 meters, which implies even divers can observe their underwater exploration (as much as 40 meters for leisure scuba diving). It additionally has an working temperature of -4°F to 131°F and might deal with altitudes from 500 meters to 9,000 meters, so there’s actually no place you possibly can’t use this watch.Constructed with a light-weight 49mm titanium case (word that is bigger than different Apple Watches, so it won’t be ultimate for thinner wrists), it additionally includes a rugged, corrosion-resistant sapphire crystal show. The 1.91-inch 502 x 410-pixel OLED sq. Retina show is simply concerning the brightest you’ll discover in a smartwatch: it will possibly attain as excessive as 3,000 nits in peak brightness, making it extra simply readable in brilliant daylight when you’re mountaineering up the mountains or operating on a path. But it will possibly additionally go as little as 1 nit in night time mode for simple studying in darkish settings and even robotically dims when you’re at midnight.The sq. face has a ton of actual property to view all of your pertinent stats in actual time, together with the power to point out extra data alongside the perimeters of the show. This is paired with new watch faces that may present dynamic data like altitude, depth, and seconds. There are tons of watch faces from which to decide on, so you possibly can really make the watch your personal. The watch solely is available in a single end, nevertheless: Natural Titanium.Alongside the display is the standard side-mounted Digital Crown that has a bigger diameter than the Crown on different Apple Watch fashions together with coarse grooves, so it’s simpler to control, even with ski gloves on, for instance. Additionally, it has a facet Action button. This Action button can be utilized to do issues like begin a exercise, mark a compass waypoint, or start a dive. The facet button prompts security options (we’ll talk about these a bit later).You can select from a carbon-neutral case and band (search for a label on the packaging), and there are a number of band sorts you may get the watch with from the get-go, relying on how and the place you’ll principally be utilizing it. The Trail Loop band, for instance, is right for runners and exercising, the Alpine Loop for trails, and the Ocean Loop for swimming and diving. As with different Apple Watches, there’s additionally a number of different bands to select from, together with choices from each Apple and third-party manufacturers.Get as much as 36 hours of battery life with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, as much as 72 hours in low energy mode, or as much as 17 hours in low energy mode whereas utilizing exercise monitoring, which is the longest ever in an Apple Watch (identical because the earlier era Ultra mannequin). It additionally helps quick charging, and you may go for a mobile model of the smartwatch if desired.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is fairly rugged, too, with a titanium case and difficult, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass. It meets the identical MIL-STD 810H army requirements for sturdiness. It’s additionally water resistant however solely has the usual 5ATM ranking, which implies you possibly can’t go fairly as deep or dive with this watch as you can with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. If you’re a diver, this will probably be an important differentiator for you.The watch is barely smaller at 45mm, which could make it a extra enticing choice for these with thinner and smaller wrists. It’s lighter than the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and has a spherical versus sq. face. Keep in thoughts that in his evaluation, Android Central’s Michael Hicks says he finds the watch too thick when the sensors are on. He additionally notes that the required weight doesn’t embrace the magnetic D-Buckle Sport band for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which really makes it heavier than the Apple Watch if you take this under consideration. He additionally finds the D-Buckle irritating to readjust and says it requires fixed readjustment based mostly on the duty at hand. The further thickness, he provides, makes it possible for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro to catch on issues like doorways. The rugged construct helps, however you may need to put money into a case or added display safety, simply in case.There are two facet buttons to enrich the touchscreen, and it is available in three end choices: Graphite, Sapphire, or Silver. You may use the Bespoke Studio to customise a one-of-a-kind watch look, a novel function Samsung affords throughout numerous product strains, from residence home equipment to smartwatches.The display is smaller at 1.36 inches and boasts a barely lesser decision at 450 x 450 pixels. Peak brightness is simply 1,000 nits, nevertheless, so it possible gained’t be as readable in direct daylight. You additionally gained’t get the automated adapting to darkness that you’d with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 both. It’s an always-on display as properly, and the bands are interchangeable, so you possibly can swap it out for various choices to satisfy your fashion and practical wants.The battery capability is 590mAh, and whereas Samsung doesn’t publish actual battery life, Hicks confirms that it’s about 2.5 days per cost with regular use, which places it in and across the identical ballpark because the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and a step up from the Galaxy Watch 5 (one of many causes to go for this mannequin as an alternative in the event you’re deciding between these two). It additionally helps quick charging, and there’s a mobile choice if desired.Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: A rundown of specsBefore we dive into the well being, wellness, and health options, let’s break down the specs to see how they appear in comparison with each other.Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0 Apple Watch Ultra 2Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 ProCompatibilityiOS 17 or greaterAndroid 8.0 or higherOSwatchOS 10Wear OS 3.5ColorsNatural TitaniumGraphite, Sapphire, silverSwappable BandsYesYesSizes49 mm45 mmBattery LifeUp to 36 Hours (72 Hours in Low Power Mode)Up to Approx. 2.5 DaysAppApple Watch, Apple Fitness, Apple HealthGalaxy Wearable, Samsung HealthHeartwork Rate MonitoringYesYesStress TrackingYesNoGPSBuilt-inBuilt-inSleep MonitoringYesYesSwimproof10ATM5ATMPhone NotificationsYesYesBlood OxygenYesYesHeartwork RateYesYesMobile PayYesYesStorage64GB16GBScreen Size1.91 inches1.36 inchesScreen KindRetina OLEDSuper AMOLEDScreen Decision502 x 410450 x 450Peak Brightness3,000 nits (all the way down to 1 nit)1,000 nitsDimensions1.9 x 1.7 x 0.56 inches1.79 x 1.79 x 0.41 inchesWeight61.4 grams46.5 grams (nearer to 73 grams with the D-Buckle)Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Sports, health, and extra(Image credit score: Apple)When it involves monitoring all sorts of sports activities and health actions, each the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro excel on this division.The Apple Watch Ultra 2 can observe all the standard stats, from coronary heart price to emphasize, numerous exercises and actions, ECG, blood oxygen, sleep, and extra. Everything is powered by the S9 SiP and dual-core CPU with 5.6 billion transistors and a quad-core neural engine. This makes the watch quicker, extra responsive, and general simpler to make use of.It has a GPS antenna and dual-frequency GPS system for precisely monitoring runs, cycles, and different actions without having your telephone, even in additional dense, rural environments. It may hook up with biking equipment like energy meters through Bluetooth and affords superior and detailed biking metrics. Track coronary heart price zones whereas figuring out, set multisport exercises, and there’s help for third-party health apps as properly. There are additionally superior operating metrics and observe detection.For swimmers, as famous, this mannequin is ultra-waterproof, so you possibly can swim longer and deeper. Divers will recognize which you can dive all the way down to a depth of 40 meters and even obtain water temperature readings. There’s additionally a depth gauge that gives real-time measurements of underwater depth so you possibly can hold observe. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is an EN13319-certified diving accent with a full-featured dive pc included.Additionally, there’s an in depth compass app and superior mapping particulars. If you’re touring in darker environments, there’s even an choice to quickly double the flashlight brightness. The new double faucet function, in the meantime, makes it easy to set off a exercise, reply a name, or carry out different actions one-handed so you possibly can proceed doing all your exercise with out interruption.In phrases of exercises, you need to use your personal from a third-party app or subscribe to Apple Fitness+, which has tons of exercises from which to decide on, starting from HIIT to power coaching, biking, yoga, mindfulness, and extra. Once you provoke a exercise in Apple Fitness+, you possibly can seamlessly observe it on the Watch. You may use the Apple Fitness app to attach with buddies, compete, and share progress in the direction of objectives.Apple Watch Ultra 2, like different Apple Watches, focuses on Rings, together with Move (energy burned), Exercise (exercise time), and Stand hours. You can set objectives for every, regulate as wanted, and work in the direction of closing the rings every day. Use the Apple Health app, in the meantime, to view all of your each day stats in addition to tendencies over time, and the Apple Watch app to regulate settings on the watch out of your telephone.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Running on Wear OS 3.5, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can observe tons of exercises as properly, together with automated exercise monitoring for some, like swimming and operating (the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it needs to be famous, has automated exercise monitoring as properly). In all, the watch can observe greater than 90 workouts, which is definitely considerably greater than the Apple Watch (you’ll solely get about 20 and must select “Other” or the closest exercise kind you could find in the event you’re not doing one of the frequent ones).Hicks discovered utilizing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro a breeze, noting there’s no lag if you queue up a exercise or ask the watch to do one thing. There are exercises within the Samsung Health app, and no subscription is required, however the choices are extra restricted. There are totally different train modes and cute animations together with settings for exercise objectives. Hicks beloved utilizing the Running Coach and audio teaching that helps you thru. (Apple equally has its Time to Run workouts with audible teaching, although this requires a subscription to Apple Fitness+).There’s GPS route monitoring utilizing the built-in GPS, together with voice navigation, to assist information you alongside the way in which. Use the TrackAgain function to hint your steps again to the place you began, which is right for hikers and boaters. Voice and vibration, in the meantime, information you alongside the way in which through turn-by-turn instructions. This is right for cyclists as properly, particularly when exploring unfamiliar areas and trails.Along with monitoring all the standard suspects as properly, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a BioActive sensor that the corporate says gives extra correct wellness readings. This is mixed with the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensor (BIA) that gives extra insights into your physique composition, like your physique fats and skeletal muscle.In addition to fundamental sleep monitoring, you additionally get superior sleep teaching that gives suggestions, a guidelines, detailed reviews about your sleep habits and high quality, and recommendation on methods to enhance. This features a cute animal icon that compares your sleep patterns to all the things from an exhausted shark to a delicate hedgehog. However, Hicks discovered the watch uncomfortable to put on in a single day, each as a result of weight and the thickness that led to it digging into his pores and skin at occasions. So, if sleep monitoring is a precedence, you may desire the Apple Watch Ultra 2, though its sleep monitoring isn’t as sturdy, or contemplate the marginally thinner Galaxy Watch 5 mannequin as an alternative.Use the Galaxy Wearable app to trace your progress, view stats, replace the watch faces, and extra.Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Other options of word(Image credit score: Apple)Both smartwatches have a couple of different options price noting. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has twin audio system, the second of which helps to spice up audio quantity for calls and when utilizing Siri. There’s additionally a three-mic array that helps in windy environments, whereas machine studying additional filters noise to offer higher voice readability. Speaking of Siri, there’s on-device Siri for asking to begin a exercise, for instance. Coming later this yr, you’ll additionally be capable to ask Siri for well being particulars, like how properly you slept the night time earlier than.There are loads of security options, too. Tap the facet button to activate an 86dB siren in the event you need assistance, which may be heard from so far as 600 toes away. There are additionally options like crash detection, emergency SOS, fall detection, and, new this yr within the U.S., roadside help. These options can work even with out a Wi-Fi or mobile connection in the event you subscribe to the satellite tv for pc subscription, which comes as a free trial.Naturally, you can too settle for calls on the watch, get notifications from numerous apps, hearken to Apple Music (even obtain playlists for offline listening), pay for gadgets utilizing Apple Pay and the Wallet app, and luxuriate in precision discovering do you have to misplace your telephone. You can discover and obtain tons of different third-party apps to the watch as properly, with all the things from exercise apps to transportation, eating places, and extra.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has extra options price mentioning as properly. It can be utilized as a digicam controller with a appropriate Galaxy telephone (the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can do that, too). You can set a timer, and a novel function is the power to pinch to zoom in or use the rotating bezel earlier than snapping the photograph.You can entry tons of apps as properly when related to a Galaxy telephone and obtain loads of usability apps, together with Spotify for music, the HERE WeGo navigation app, Samsung Pay, and extra. There’s additionally Samsung SmartThings to regulate appropriate sensible residence units (once more, you possibly can management appropriate sensible residence units with Apple Watch Ultra 2 as properly). In addition to Google Assistant, there’s additionally the Samsung Bixby digital assistant. There’s a QWERTY keyboard you need to use to compose messages proper out of your wrist (Apple Watch Ultra 2 has this, too).In phrases of security options, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has fall detection and the power to arrange SOS requests. But it doesn’t have fairly as sturdy a range, nor satellite tv for pc subscription choices, because the Apple Watch Ultra 2.Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Which do you have to purchase?(Image credit score: Apple)When it’s time to resolve between the Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the choice actually hinges on which telephone you’ve gotten or plan to purchase. If you’re open to both, you’ll discover notable variations between these two.The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the costlier of the 2 watches, nevertheless it additionally comes with tons of superior options. This is worth it if you’ll make use of them, however you’ll be paying for greater than you want in the event you don’t. If you do loads of outside and adventurous and/or water sports activities, typically in inclement climate (sizzling or chilly), climb mountains to excessive elevations, and do different comparable actions, you’ll discover that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is right. There are distinctive options just like the built-in dive pc and delicate ones like the acute brightness and thicker Digital Crown that can make it easy to control and in a position to face up to absolutely anything you throw at it.However, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can also be a strong choice for outside adventurers and athletes, too. The GPS route monitoring and AgainTrack options are perfect for runners, path explorers, hikers, cyclists, and others. If you usually do easy (or complicated) exercises at residence or on the fitness center, it’s additionally price contemplating. But as Hicks factors out, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro isn’t an enormous leap up from the Galaxy Watch 5. So, if you wish to save a couple of dollars, you possibly can evaluate these two and decide.If you’re set on getting an Apple Watch however suppose the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is greater than you’ll want, contemplate the Apple Watch Series 9 and even the Apple Watch Series 8 (if you could find deal) as an alternative. If the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro even looks like an excessive amount of, you can too contemplate different smartwatches in Samsung’s lineup or any of one of the best Android smartwatches obtainable now. For critical athletes and adventurers, nevertheless, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is about one of the best you should buy proper now. It does all the things the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can do and extra. If you put money into Apple Fitness+, you’ll get much more out of it, albeit at a a lot greater complete price ticket. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is concerning the closest Android equal you’ll discover from the model inside the same worth vary. But if health, sleep monitoring, and all-day consolation are what you’re searching for, you may need to contemplate different fashions.
Serious adventurers solely
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 could be tempting however don’t spend greater than you must in the event you’re not going to make use of all of the added options. This contains issues like a compass, dive pc, and excessive elevation choices together with double the water-resistance. Otherwise, contemplate one other mannequin within the Apple lineup.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
A rugged Android choice for athletes
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro doesn’t have fairly as many options and spectacular specs because the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with regards to rugged construct and water resistance, for instance. But it’s a strong choice to think about for critical and informal athletes, albeit with some notable limitations.