Coupled with a bright display, it hits the sweet spot for smartwatch hardware.

Samsung's latest Ultra smartwatch hits all the notes of an 'ultra' wearable: a solidly designed timepiece with chunky detailing that puts activity tracking front and center. For the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 ($700), the company has made major improvements to battery longevity and performance, while still forging its own health-tracking path with a bunch of unique metrics (of varying utility). With 13 years of wearable launches behind it, can Samsung pry me away from my Apple Watch Ultra?

It's refreshing to see some major hardware upgrades on this second Galaxy Watch Ultra — perhaps a benefit from taking a year off from offering an upgrade. Starting with the (slightly bigger) 1.52-inch display, it now reaches up to 5,000 nits of brightness, a big leap from the original Watch Ultra's 3,500-nit max — and better than pretty much every other smartwatch out there. It's the same squircle design that most folks either love or loathe. I like it: It looks different from the circular smartwatches and won't be confused for an Apple Watch either.

5 grams). It comes in only one size, 47mm, and it looks chunky and outdoorsy on most folks' wrists. If you're looking for a more subtle, smaller Samsung smartwatch, the company's Watch 9 series might be a better fit, literally. The company has stuck with its proprietary Dynamic Lug System for its watch bands, so you'll be limited to Samsung-made options and a few niche third-party options.

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