When you see the word ultra in the name of, well, anything, you attach a particular set of expectations. You expect whatever it is to go above and beyond an average threshold and enter into some form of rarified air. The Galaxy S24 Ultra, for example, packs more cameras than any other Samsung device, and it’s the only one to come with an integrated S Pen. Another, perhaps more fitting, example is the ultramarathon — a race that’s longer (sometimes much longer) and more grueling than your standard 26.2-mile marathon. It’s with that race in mind that the Ultra moniker made its way to top-end smartwatches from both Apple and Samsung, promising the ability to do more and last longer for the hardest of adventures.
And it’s true — the Apple Watch Ultra and Galaxy Watch Ultra are the biggest, longest-lasting wearables their respective companies have ever produced. They let you go days without charging and offer a mountain of features to keep you feeling connected. However, one watch embodies the Ultra spirit better than any other, and it does so without even mentioning the name. In my opinion, the best ultra watch that money can buy (because, yes, it’s quite pricey) is the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED.