Samsung's galaxy watch ultra 2: three days of battery life comes with a frustrating tradeoff

Rumors swirled that Samsung's Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 was about to leapfrog the competition with a massive 35% battery boost. Indeed it did, packing an 800mAh power cell into a thinner frame. But as I've now used the watch for nearly a week, I've found the three-day battery life comes with a disappointing tradeoff: slow charging.

The slow charging conundrum

While the original Ultra's 600mAh battery was impressive, the Ultra 2's larger capacity should have led to even speedier replenishment. Instead, Samsung has managed to cram that bigger battery into a thinner body, but at the cost of charging efficiency.

In our testing, a standard charge using the Samsung magnetic puck and 25-watt charger took the Ultra 2 over four hours to fully top off. This is an eternity for a device meant to be a constant companion.

Modern smartwatches are designed to be 24/7 wearables, tracking every move and vital sign. Apple and Google have recognized this and prioritized faster charging times to suit that use case. With Samsung's Ultra 2, you can't easily squeeze in a quick 30-minute top-up before bed or during the day - the charging window is simply too long.

Comparing the Ultra 2's charging speeds to its rivals is stark. A 30-minute charge gives just 18% back, while the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sees a 55-60% refill in the same time. Even the Pixel Watch 4 manages 80% in 30 minutes.

Samsung has solved the battery anxiety problem, but created a new headache in the process. The ideal smartwatch experience should be all about short, frequent charging bursts. But the Ultra 2's massive battery demands a long, slow recharge that doesn't fit the 24/7 wear pattern.