The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 finally fixed the one thing that annoyed us

Samsung put an 800mAh battery into a watch that got slimmer, added a screen you can read in direct sun, and made it dive ready to 40 meters. Here is what changed on the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, and what it costs in the Philippines.

The battery was the complaint

The first Galaxy Watch Ultra was a good watch with a bad habit. Its 590mAh cell meant charging it more often than a watch this expensive should ask, and that was the single most common criticism in owner reviews.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 answers it with an 800mAh battery, a 35 percent jump, in a body that is actually slimmer than the model it replaces. Samsung rates it at 60 hours with the always on display running, and up to 80 hours without. GSMArena’s independent testing went further, recording 96 hours with heart rate logging every ten minutes, nightly sleep tracking, two gym sessions and two hour-long GPS rides. It also adds the first fast charging on a Galaxy Watch, hitting 40 percent in about 30 minutes.

That combination is the upgrade. Bigger cell, smaller case, faster top-up.

A screen that survives noon

The 1.52 inch OLED panel runs at 498 by 498 and Samsung rates it up to 5,000 nits. You can actually even use it as a flashflight with that much brightness! Obviously, this is a display you can read outdoors without cupping your hand over it.

Built for people who go outside

This is where the Ultra line separates from a standard Galaxy Watch. The Ultra 2 carries IP69K and 10ATM ratings with EN13319 diving instrument certification and MIL-STD-810H, and it tracks depth, dive time and water temperature in real time down to 40 meters.

Dedicated modes cover trail running, cycling and diving, including GPX route import from your phone so the watch can follow a course without a signal. Dual band GPS on L1 and L5 is aimed at exactly that. The Quick Button gets a raised, orange accented design that you can find and press with gloves on.

The chip is new, and the name is unexpected

For the first time, a Galaxy Watch runs on Qualcomm silicon. The Snapdragon Wear Elite is a five core design promising 32 percent more CPU performance and 19 percent more GPU, plus better GPS accuracy under tree cover. It ships with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, double the base storage of the original Ultra.

Software is WearOS 7, so the Google Play Store is there, alongside Samsung’s own health stack for blood pressure, ECG and body composition. With this installed with Google Play compatibility, I can wear my favorite watch faces using Facer app.

What it costs in the Philippines

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is available locally in Titanium Gray and Titanium Silver, LTE, at PhP44,990 from Samsung.

That is flagship watch money, and it is worth being clear about who this is for. If you want notifications and fitness basics, a standard Galaxy Watch does that for less. The Ultra 2 earns its price in battery endurance, brightness, and a durability rating that most people will never test and a few people genuinely need.

Try it at Samsung Stores at SM Cyberzone

A 47mm titanium case is a fit decision before it is a specification. It will look different on a wrist that usually wears a 41mm watch, and no photograph settles that question.

Samsung Stores at SM Cyberzone let you put it on, feel the weight, and see how the cushion design sits against your hand before you commit to a watch you will wear every day for years.

That is the thing about Cyberzone. It is the zone where tech stops being a spec sheet and becomes something you can hold, try, and decide on with your own hands. Tech we like, zone we love. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is exactly the kind of tech we like, and SM Cyberzone is exactly where you should go to meet it.