- Samsung has officially debuted the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9.
- The Ultra 2 features an 800mAh battery with an estimated 60 hours of life, while the Watch 9 has 390mAh (40mm) or 445mAh (44mm) with a 30-hour estimate.
- Both watches utilize a new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite processor for improved efficiency, but the Ultra 2 has double the storage (64GB vs 32GB).
- The Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379.99 for the Bluetooth-only 40mm model, while the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 costs $699.99, a $320 premium over the base model.
- Android Authority has questioned whether the Snapdragon Wear Elite chip has nuked battery gains on the Ultra 2.
- Samsung may have not updated its battery life figures despite larger batteries and new silicon; the article notes a chance Samsung took a "lazy route".
- Android Authority has reached out to Samsung for clarification on the battery life numbers.
Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9 have been unveiled, both equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite chip. The Ultra 2 boasts an 800mAh battery, a 35% increase from its predecessor, yet maintains the same 60-hour runtime as the original model.12367
Despite the larger battery, Samsung's official specifications remain unchanged, raising concerns about the chip's efficiency. The Galaxy Watch 9 models also feature increased battery sizes but continue to quote 40 hours of runtime without Always-On Display.
The discrepancy in battery performance may be attributed to factors such as the 5,000-nit display on the Ultra 2, which is significantly brighter than the previous model's 3,000 nits, and potential inefficiencies in the Snapdragon chip compared to the Exynos W1000.
Samsung has yet to clarify these runtime figures, and the lack of improvement despite advancements in Wear OS 7 raises questions about the accuracy of their marketing.
The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is priced at $699.99, while the Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379.99 for the Bluetooth-only model. Both watches feature enhanced performance capabilities, but the Ultra 2's battery life claims are under scrutiny.
As Samsung continues to innovate, the effectiveness of their new technology in real-world applications remains to be seen.
“The Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379.99 and also switches to the Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, but Samsung still quotes up to 40 hours without AOD – matching the previous generation. Android Authority has reached out to Samsung for clarification on the battery life numbers.”
