Head-to-head · Best Smartwatches

Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about iPhone owners who train or work outdoors and can charge every day. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Smartwatches

Apple Watch Ultra 2

4.4

4 sources$729.96as of Jul 31

The Ultra 2 is Apple's rugged watch: a titanium case to MIL-STD 810H, 100 meters of water resistance, dual-frequency GPS and a programmable Action Button with a siren. PCMag rated it 4 out of 5 and singled out the display, which peaks at 3,000 nits. OutdoorGearLab scored it 4.6 overall but 4.2 on battery — about 36 hours of ordinary use, and roughly 12 hours with GPS running.

Strengths

— MIL-STD 810H certified for rugged durability
— Flat display design for enhanced protection
— Action Button offers customizable functionality and emergency siren

Watch-outs

— Roughly 12 hours of battery with GPS running, far short of dedicated endurance watches
— Full navigation still depends on a paired iPhone
— The 49 mm titanium case is large and heavy on a small wrist

$729.96 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Smartwatches

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

4.2

4 sources$452.7as of Jul 31

PCMag's Andrew Gebhart liked the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for its elegant design and high-quality tactile elements, especially the rotating bezel and the smooth One UI Watch interface. Comfort is where it comes apart. Andy Boxall, a Reddit user, and other reviewers all described a disproportionate shape and an awkward fit; one said it failed to become part of the wrist and was practically impossible to wear comfortably all day. The large size and weight also rule out overnight sleep tracking. Battery life is solid, but comfort and ergonomics remain major drawbacks for many users.

Strengths

— Polished finishing with silver-and-white color scheme that is striking yet classy
— Rotating bezel provides tactile joy with perfectly dampened clicks
— One UI Watch is smooth, slick, and fast to respond

Watch-outs

— Uncomfortable fit due to short and low lugs, flat case back, and tall bezel making it feel like an obstinate wart on the wrist
— Large dimensions make it annoying under cuffs and difficult to wear overnight for sleep tracking

$452.7 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Against a Garmin Fenix 8 the Ultra 2 loses badly on endurance and wins on software, notifications and everything that follows from being an Apple Watch. Against the Series models it buys ruggedness, a brighter screen and the Action Button for a lot more money. It is only worth considering for someone already carrying an iPhone.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic stands out with its rotating bezel and elegant design, but it's significantly less comfortable than the OnePlus Watch 3, which offers a better fit despite similar size. Unlike the Apple Watch Ultra 2, it lacks ruggedization and outdoor-specific features, and while it has a polished UI, it doesn't match the Apple Watch Series 11 in terms of performance and health tracking capabilities.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Apple Watch Ultra 2	Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Display	Flat	1.9-inch Super AMOLED
Processor	S9 System in Package (SiP)	Exynos W940
Battery	Up to 36 hours of normal use	—
Water Resistance	100 meters	5ATM
Connectivity	LTE, UMTS, Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.3	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3
Health Features	ECG, heart rate monitoring, and blood oxygen saturation	heart rate, and temperature sensor
Weight	61.4g	49.7g
Dimensions	1.93 x 1.73 x 0.47 in	9.4 x 3 x 1.2 in

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