Updated

Updated · Women's Health · Aug 24

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Packs 5,000-Nit Screen at £649, Undercutting Apple Watch Ultra 3

Updated

Updated · Women's Health · Aug 24

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Packs 5,000-Nit Screen at £649, Undercutting Apple Watch Ultra 3

Q: Samsung's $700 smartwatch boasts advanced scuba-diving modes, but are they secretly locking these premium features behind a controversial paid subscription?

Yes — but only for the most advanced diving functions, not for all water features. At launch, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 includes basic dive-related tools without an extra fee: automatic depth, dive time, water temperature and alerts when submerged. The watch is EN13319-certified for recreational diving hardware and is rated for dives up to 40 meters, which supports Samsung’s claim that it is genuinely dive-ready. The controversy is that the features that turn it into a true dive computer are not fully included in the $699.99 purchase price. Those advanced tools — such as decompression limits, nitrogen saturation tracking, ascent and descent speed alerts, and safety-stop guidance — depend on Samsung’s Mares diving app partnership. That app was not available at launch and is expected later in 2026. Reports indicate Mares will charge for those premium modes. The cited pricing is about $7.99 per month or $59.99 per year for full scuba mode, with a lower-priced snorkel tier around $2.99 per month. Samsung has promoted the diving capability, but outside reporting makes clear that the headline “full dive computer” experience is tied to a subscription. So the answer is mixed: Samsung is not putting every scuba-related feature behind a paywall, but the most sophisticated dive functions are effectively locked behind a separate paid service that arrives after launch. For buyers wanting a replacement for a dedicated dive computer, that is a major caveat.

3 articles · Updated · Women's Health · Aug 24

Samsung’s £649 Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 emerges from testing as a stronger all-round Android rugged smartwatch, led by a 1.52-inch 5,000-nit display, bigger battery and thinner 10.7mm titanium case.
Battery life reached about three days with always-on display and roughly an hour of GPS training daily, broadly matching Samsung’s 60-hour claim while staying cheaper than Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED at £749.
Health and fitness upgrades include dual-band GPS, Daily Cardio Load, a Vitals early-warning feature, Heart Health scoring, trail-running and auto-launch scuba modes, plus 100+ sports profiles and broad sleep, ECG and blood-oxygen tracking.
The review found trade-offs: GPS was inconsistent in one half marathon, logging 20.36km versus 21.17km on a Garmin, and the watch still feels bulky, lacks a digital crown and requires too much setup.
The verdict says it narrows the gap with dedicated sports watches but still trails Garmin and COROS on deeper training insight, making it best suited to Samsung and Android users who want one device for smartwatch, health and fitness duties.

Sources

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8 Sources

Can the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’s record-breaking 5,000-nit display make up for its surprising GPS shortcomings against dedicated Garmin sports watches?

Samsung's $700 smartwatch boasts advanced scuba-diving modes, but are they secretly locking these premium features behind a controversial paid subscription?

With a bulky titanium frame, will users actually tolerate wearing this rugged $700 device to bed for its advanced sleep apnoea tracking?