- Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
- Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
In summary
The Galaxy Watch 7 is the direct successor to last year’s Watch 6. Samsung hasn’t tweaked the design, but under the hood the watch packs more memory, a new, faster processor, and an improved heart rate sensor and GPS tracking. It’s nice and fast, and works well as an all-round smartwatch. The downside is the somewhat limited battery life; we were hoping Samsung would have taken a (bigger) step here with the new, more economical processor. Still, the Watch 7 is excellent value for money, especially if you’re shopping for deals, making it highly recommended if you’re looking for a WearOS watch.
In summary
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is a WearOS watch that Samsung is targeting at outdoor athletes, people who spend a lot of time outdoors and want to record longer activities. The watch is fast, well-built, has a sharp, clear display, and offers good battery life for a WearOS watch, but compared to other outdoor watches it doesn’t hold up. The watch is quite thick and has a distinctive design that you’ll love, with its round display inside a square case. GPS tracking is good to very good, but the improved optical heart rate monitor still fails on a regular basis. However, the Watch Ultra’s main sore point is its price; this is important, especially when compared to the Galaxy Watch 7, which is built on the same technical foundation, while other sports watches at this price point offer better sports functionality.
Samsung launched two smartwatches last month, as it usually does at the end of the summer. In addition to the Galaxy Watch 7, which is a direct successor to last year’s Watch 6, there is now also the “Watch Ultra”, a high-end model that replaces the Pro and Classic models of recent years. With the Watch Ultra, Samsung is really taking a new path, both in terms of appearance and in terms of target group and functionality.
The regular Galaxy Watch 7 comes in two sizes, with and without LTE, and starting prices range from around €250 to €380 at the time of writing. The Galaxy Watch Ultra comes in one size with LTE, and you can choose from just three different colors. In terms of price, the Watch Ultra is much higher up the market; we currently see it on our Pricewatch starting at €580. Because of this huge price difference, we tested both the Watch 7 and the Ultra and found out whether the Ultra is worth the extra price.
Samsung is one of the biggest players in the smartwatch market and the absolute market leader in the WearOS segment. There are several reasons for this, starting with the quality and functionality of the watches. Samsung’s excellent track record with software updates and upgrades with the Galaxy Watches also stands in stark contrast to the lack of this among many other WearOS watch manufacturers. The final point is of course the price. Due to cashbacks, discount promotions, bundles and general price reductions, Galaxy watches are often priced competitively compared to the competition. With the Galaxy Watch 7, Samsung continues this tradition. Just a month after its launch, the watch is now on sale for well below the recommended retail price. Additionally, Samsung offers the opportunity to get a discount when trading in an old watch, and there are bundled promotions where you can buy the Watch 7 at a competitive price and it is possible to buy the watch at a discount through mobile service providers. Be sure to check the shipping and pricing thread on the forum for current promotions.