Samsung debuts Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9; Watch 9 plays it too safe with unchanged design and battery
Samsung

Samsung debuts Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9; Watch 9 plays it too safe with unchanged design and battery

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 9, with the latter maintaining its design and battery life while introducing internal upgrades, including a new chip and AI health tools. Critics note the Watch 9's incremental changes may not justify an upgrade from its predecessor.

PCMag23 July 2026 · 20:18 UTC
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Samsung's Galaxy Watch 9 debuted alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, but the Watch 9's design remains unchanged, retaining the controversial squircle shape.14

The focus this year is on internal upgrades, including a new chip and enhanced AI-powered health tools that monitor fitness.

However, the battery capacity sees only a slight increase, with Samsung estimating a 30-hour battery life with the always-on display enabled, raising concerns that the battery performance may not improve compared to the previous generation.

Critics argue that the new wellness features, while potentially useful, do not break new ground, and the Galaxy Watch 8 might eventually receive similar updates.5

The Watch 9 maintains the same impressive durability ratings as its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 8, and reaches 3,000 nits of brightness, matching the previous model's display.

As Samsung has not confirmed whether these new features will be available for older models, users may feel hesitant to upgrade.

Overall, while the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 may attract attention, the Galaxy Watch 9's incremental changes could leave potential buyers wanting more.

Key Insight
“The Galaxy Watch 9 retains the same squircle design and 3,000-nit display as its predecessor, with only a small battery increase and estimated 30 hours with always-on display. New software features are modest and may eventually come to the Galaxy Watch 8, reducing the incentive to upgrade.”
CuriousCats studied:
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PCMag
“Samsung is keeping the exterior watch hardware the same this year, and focusing on internal upgrades instead, giving the Watch 9 a new chip and more AI-powered tools that monitor your health and fitness.”
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