Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: The best smartwatches of 2023
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Intro
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a very minor refresh to the already superb Apple Watch Ultra.
With a fresh new design and some exciting and very exclusive features, the Apple Watch Ultra was a milestone moment for Cupertino's smartwatch efforts, but the second-gen of the device doesn't bring a ton of new features on deck. In fact, place the first and second versions of the Apple Watch Ultra one next to the other, and you will have an impossible time telling the two apart.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is a very healthy return to form for Samsung as far as smartwatches go. It comes with the now signature circular hardware bezel that's oh-so useful in interface navigation, as well as a premium design that essentially makes it a posh dress smartwatch. Of course, an extensive features list is also part of the roster, so you get the best of Wear OS on your wrist.
Which one should you pick come the 2023 holidays shopping spree?
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: differences
- Squarish versus circular form factor
- Oversized digital crown vs hardware circular bezel
- High peak brightness (3,000 nits) on Apple Watch Ultra 2
- Apple S9 SiP versus Exynos W930 chip
- Watch OS 10 vs One UI 5 Watch
- 564mAh vs 425mAh/300mAh battery
- $799 vs $430/$400 price
Table of Contents:
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Design & Sizes
Samsung relies on a classical form factor, while Apple employs the signature squarish form factor
The Apple Watch 2 looks just the same as its predecessor, boasting that iconic and overly masculine design language that is often associated with traversing the great outdoors. This isn't a bad thing, as the Apple Watch Ultra still looks great and sufficiently different from the other cookie-cutter Apple Watch smartwatches thanks to its oversized titanium and sapphire build. The customizable button on the side also helps achieve this look.
It's a large device that definitely looks improper, even comical on thin wrists. Even on my fairly large arm, the Apple Watch Ultra surely makes a very bold statement. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is water-resistant up to 10 ATM, or 100 meters, recreational divers might be interested in that.
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, on the other hand, is a very classy and traditional wearable that's surprisingly hefty in its larger 47mm version. The new Samsung smartwatch is also available in 43mm. The stainless-steel case and sapphire glass both over the screen and at the bottom, protecting all the sensors, make for a rather premium build that stands out, especially in comparison with last year's rugged Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Colors-wise, things are bleak on both fronts. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is available in the traditional and conservative Black and Silver, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can only be had in the same Titanium shade as the first Apple Watch Ultra. Understated and unexciting, but that's just how it goes in the world of premium smartwatches these days.
Bands
Great selection of watch bands
The big change with the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is the use of a new one-click band mechanism, which allows for easier band switching. Although the mechanism is new, older watch bands and just about any standard 22mm watch band fits the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. With a proper watch band, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic easily passes as a dress watch.
Samsung released several new watch bands with the smartwatch, namely a Hybrid Leather band, a silicone sport one, an 'extreme' sports band with extra holes for improved perspiration, as well as a lightweight fabric band. Of course, if you have an extensive collection of older bands, you can use whichever you like.
Apple revealed three brand-new watch bands with the first Apple Watch Ultra: the rugged Alpine Loop, the lightweight Trail Loop, and the silicone Ocean Band. And, with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, we get new colors for all watch bands, which surely spice things up. Of course, you can still use any watch band fit for 44mm/45mm/49mm Apple Watches on the new Ultra.
Performance & Features
New chips for all
Apple has been essentially using the one and the same chipset on its past few smartwatch generations. The Apple S6 chip, which was based on the Apple A13 Bionic chipset, was essentially repackaged into the Apple S7 and Apple S8 chipsets, that powered the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8 devices. Although decent, performance and battery life are definitely in for an upgrade.
And that's precisely what we get out of the new Apple S9 SiP. Aside from being much faster than Apple's previous chip iterations, the new chipset also enables on-device Siri processing and a trove of other features. There's a new app library layout that makes more sense than the previous grid. There are also several new watch faces, most of which come to all Apple Watches, but a few remain exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 1 & 2. With widget support, a new UI layout, and a slew of other new features, watchOS 10 finally shakes things up and adds excitement to the Apple Watch.
That's precisely what's likely happening with the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which has the new Apple S9 chip, based on the same chip that powers the iPhone 13 series and iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus. This one will also power the Apple Watch Series 9 and will likely be faster and deliver better battery life in comparison with the Apple S6 chip and its derivatives.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic comes along with the Exynos W930 chipset, which is much faster than the previous W920 chip that Samsung used on most of its previous smartwatches, like the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and Galaxy Watch 5.
A big new deal for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the new Double Tap gesture, which lets you interact with the phone with a single hand. For example, you can reply to incoming phone calls, start an activity, and the main action of any app on screen. The feature arrived a month after the Apple Watch Ultra 2 arrived on the market; in real-life, it works superbly and delivers much more depth to the Apple Watch Ultra interface.
Both the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 support a plethora of health features, with the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic being better in terms of quantity. Thanks to its BioActive sensor, it can take your BMI index and break down your body structure, but this isn't a feature you'll use more than once.
What you're much likely to use every single night is sleep tracking on both watches. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is once again much better as far as features come and go: it has a ton of additional sleep tracking-related features, and would even track down your midday naps; at the same time, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, just like any other Apple Watch out there, would only track your sleep if you enable the smartwatch's dedicated Sleep Mode, and naps are out of the question.
Battery and Charging
Battery champs
Due to the little intergenerational differences, we are mostly certain that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 comes along with a 564mAh battery, which consistently delivers above two days and change of battery life, depending on how hard you push the rugged device.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic comes along with a 425mAh battery in the 47mm version and a 300mAh one in the 43mm one. Of course, the larger one delivers better battery endurance, but even the regular Galaxy Watch 6 should last you a day and some.
In our experience, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic can last up to a day and a half of usage between charges with the always-on display off, though this might vary.
Models and Prices
Just like the first generation of the Apple Watch Ultra, the second variation of the wearable is unlikely to come in any other shape or form apart from the 49mm one. It's a large one, but it's a great one.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is available in a 47mm version starting at $430 and a 43mm one available for $400. The case size and battery capacity are the only major differences between the two variants.
Summary
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is an excellent smartwatch that's a return to form for Samsung. With its functional hardware bezel and tons of features, both hardware and software ones, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is certainly a wearable that could sway tons of Android and Samsung Galaxy users.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 isn't a terribly different beast in comparison with the Apple Watch Ultra, so those using the first generation of the product shouldn't feel compelled to upgrade. Its brighter display and slightly better battery life are worth it, but you shouldn't feel compelled to upgrade if you're coming from the first Apple Watch Ultra.
Moreover, if you've been pondering between the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the Apple Watch Ultra and ultimately decided in favor of the former, the new Apple Watch Ultra is unlikely to sway you in the other direction.
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