Recently, Samsung launched three new Galaxy Watches, enticing tech enthusiasts with attractive pre-order offers. Despite the buzz surrounding the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic and the upcoming Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025), I opted for the original Galaxy Watch Ultra. While it's true that the Ultra has half the storage of its newer counterparts, this choice aligns perfectly with my personal needs.
My previous device, the Galaxy Watch 4, has served me well for four years, but it has begun to show its age. Occasionally, it struggles to keep up with swipes and app updates, and I was particularly dissatisfied with its GPS accuracy, even after various updates. Therefore, I felt it was time for an upgrade to a new Galaxy Watch.
Coincidentally, it was my birthday, and my wife wanted to gift me something special. I expressed my interest in a new smartwatch, emphasizing three essential features: faster performance, cellular connectivity, and improved GPS accuracy. Cellular connectivity was crucial for taking important calls during my walks without needing to carry my Galaxy S23 Ultra, while enhanced GPS accuracy would help with more precise workout tracking.
With many options available, I narrowed down my choices based on performance and features. The Galaxy Watch 6 boasts the advanced 3nm Exynos W1000 chip, making it a compelling option. My shortlist included:
Galaxy Watch 7 Galaxy Watch 8 Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)Although the Galaxy Watch 7 comes with the features I sought, reviews from fitness enthusiasts highlighted its less-than-stellar GPS accuracy compared to the Watch 8 and Ultra, leading me to eliminate it from consideration.
The Galaxy Watch 8, priced at INR 39,999 (~$463) for the 44mm LTE version, offers an instant discount bringing it down to INR 33,999 (~$292). This price tag surpasses that of last year’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, which features a larger screen, louder speaker, bigger battery, and a more durable frame.
While the newer Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025) boasts double the storage at 64GB, I recognized that I didn’t require that much space. My Galaxy Watch 4, with only 16GB of storage, still had 6GB available after I downloaded workout playlists on Spotify for offline music, apps, and watch faces. Therefore, the Galaxy Watch Ultra with 32GB of storage suffices for my needs.
The 2024 version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra is attractively priced at INR 33,499 (~$387), which drops to INR 31,827 (~$368) with a credit card discount. In contrast, the 64GB model is effectively priced at INR 53,999 (~$623) after a discount of INR 6,000 (~$70). Spending an additional $236 for storage I didn’t need simply didn’t make sense.
Ultimately, the Galaxy Watch Ultra encompasses nearly all the features of the Galaxy Watch 8, while being more cost-effective. This decision seemed prudent, especially considering the steep discounts currently available in India.
Upon receiving my Galaxy Watch Ultra on Friday, I immediately installed a screen protector and proceeded with the initial setup. Following that, I discovered the One UI 8 Watch update waiting for me. The improvements over the Galaxy Watch 4 are significant, particularly in display brightness and overall performance smoothness.
As I continue to explore my new device, I plan to use it for another week before sharing a comprehensive review of the transition from my four-year-old Galaxy Watch to the latest model.
