Forget Ultra, go Pro: Why Samsung's older premium smartwatch is the better buy

Samsung can lay claim to some of the best smartwatches pushing the limits of design, packaging, and software. Its latest high water mark is the Galaxy Watch Ultra, an outdoor-orientated rugged wearable that hopes to accompany you on many an adventure or quarterly team meeting. However, at $649.99, purchasing one is no small consideration. If you want to stay within Samsung’s ecosystem and don’t want to drop so much cash on a tough, titanium smartwatch, I’d argue there’s a much better way to spend your money. Here’s why the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a much better buy right now.

Why the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro still makes sense

You’re probably wondering why I’m recommending a 2022 smartwatch in 2024, but the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s age doesn’t tell the whole story. At the time of its launch, the Pro was Samsung’s premier wearable. We also recognized its game and voted it the best smartwatch of 2022, an award that doesn’t come easily. However, it’s not until you view the Pro alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra and learn that you can get it for much cheaper that you’ll see it’s still a viable contender.

The most apparent positive is its friendlier design. While many find the Ultra’s aesthetics questionable, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro wears a classic circular face with raised bezels, unbroken lines, and a sleeker body. It’s the less obnoxious of the two and should suit more outfits and situations than the bulkier Ultra. It also trades a slightly smaller screen and dial size for a 15-gram weight loss. I’d happily take that trade-off, especially after a multi-day hike. More importantly, it also wears a titanium case and a Sapphire Crystal lens.

Despite its smaller footprint, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro packs the same battery capacity as the Ultra. While we can’t yet comment on how this battery performs in the Ultra, we do have benchmarks for the Pro. Our review found that its 590mAh battery lasted two days of reasonably vigorous use and can be stretched with power-saving modes. Samsung claims users can eke out 80 hours from the device, though. The Ultra, meanwhile, should last 60 hours with similarly enthusiastic use and 100 hours with power saving mode active. That sounds impressive, but I’d expect a little more for that extra $200.

While the Pro currently runs older software, it’s set to receive Wear OS 5 before the end of the year with its health and fitness tracking benefits. There are no new sensors on the Galaxy Watch Ultra, but some have received upgrades. The new watch boasts more than double the LEDs of the Pro, which should improve heart rate tracking, among other metrics. It also receives FDA-approved sleep apnea monitoring off the bat, something older Galaxy Watches will have to wait for. Beyond this, though, no new health metrics are exclusively tied to the Ultra’s hardware. Many of these are instead reliant on Samsung Health, which the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will also gain access to; this includes the Energy Score feature.

This suggests that despite its much cheaper price point, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will generally yield a core experience similar to the Galaxy Watch Ultra, even though they’re two generations removed.

Why you might want to get the Galaxy Watch Ultra

If you have plenty of disposable income and want the latest and greatest on your arm, you may still want to purchase the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Honestly, I wouldn’t judge you. Several readers upgrade their smartphones biannually, so why wouldn’t that extend to smartwatches? I still have a soft spot for its divisive design, even if it takes too many cues from the Apple Watch Ultra, and the new watch does offer plenty of positives.

Here’s a list of features that you’ll find on the Galaxy Watch Ultra but not the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro:

• Exynos W1000 chipset
• More sensor LEDs for health tracking
• Dual-frequency GPS
• Wear OS 5 and One UI 6 Watch at launch
• 25% more RAM and double the storage
• A third, programmable Quick Button
• The Dynamic Lug strap system
• 10ATM water pressure resistance
• Double Pinch gestures
• Emergency siren
• Sleep apnea monitoring at launch (requires a compatible Galaxy smartphone)
• A Titanium White colorway

That’s a long list, but are any of these features game-changing? I’d argue that none warrants the device’s lofty price tag.

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro vs Galaxy Watch Ultra: Which smartwatch should you buy?

At this point, I think you know where I stand on the matter. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will lag behind the Ultra in several departments, but the Ultra’s $649.99 sticker spooks me and will alarm many potential buyers.

The Quick Button is welcome and allows users quick access to a handful of commands, but it remains limited. Snorkelers will likely appreciate the 10ATM rating, but even the most experienced diving enthusiast won’t push the device to those depths. The improved chipset will likely offer better efficiency and performance, but these benefits will be subjective on the wrist. Additionally, buyers can probably forego the white colorway, Dynamic Lug straps, and the early availability of Wear OS 5 if it means spending a lot less.

That being said, these features and items may well be worth the investment for some buyers. The Galaxy Watch Ultra is also a newer watch with two more years of potential updates in the bank, making it the better long-term investment. You’ll benefit immediately from some features, from sleep apnea to Galaxy AI health perks.

I can’t justify Samsung’s Ultra demand, especially when the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro exists. The question is whether the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will receive all the Galaxy AI health features. If it ticks that box, there isn’t much the Ultra can do that this cheaper watch can’t.

The real kicker is that the Pro can be had for much less than its $449.99 2022 launch price, opening an opportunity for even deeper savings. If value for money is your priority, the Ultra looks like a silly investment when the Pro still exists.