Real owners lean toward the Galaxy Watch Ultra: 75% of 16 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 64 for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
Most owners land firmly in the recommend camp, praising the Apple Watch Ultra 3's heart rate accuracy (several say it beats their old Garmin Epix or Fenix), its deep integration with the Apple ecosystem, and battery life that comfortably covers long runs and full days without complaint. It's also called comfortable enough to sleep in, which a few owners specifically call out as a pleasant surprise. But a meaningful minority disagree hard: a steady stream of comments describe owners ditching the Ultra 3 for a Garmin Fenix, Enduro, or Tactix once training gets serious, citing better dedicated sports tracking and multi-day battery life the Apple Watch can't match. Smaller gripes include occasional heart-rate drop-outs during runs (prompting chest-strap use), the watch's large/clunky size, and fiddly workout controls like the two-button pause.
Most owners are won over by the Galaxy Watch Ultra's premium, rugged design and its comfortable bands, and many describe it as a clear upgrade over older Galaxy Watches like the 6 Classic and 5 Pro, with a solid contingent reporting 2-5 days of battery life. But a large and vocal minority pushes back hard on battery performance, with dozens of owners getting only a day and a half to two days despite Samsung's multi-day claims. The missing rotating bezel is a recurring sore point that some say is a dealbreaker on its own, and health-tracking features -- sleep tracking especially, along with heart rate and step accuracy -- draw repeated skepticism. A smaller group also flags slow charging times and laggy software, and some owners directly compare it unfavorably to Garmin or Apple Watch for sports and overall polish.
“I love my AWU1, but please make a round one!”— samwcook21 on Reddit
“I have ultra 3 sleep with isuses very nice best”— WeekendTall7500 on Reddit
“This has convinced me that I probably need a garmin. I take my Ultra 3 off after training and I hate smart watch features.”— Few-Introduction5414 on Reddit
“I have been enjoying my watch very much although the battery drains pretty quickly”— @jesuscervantesj82 on YouTube
“I thought pictures of it were ugly, but when I saw it in the metal...wow!”— @myfakeguuglaccount on YouTube
“Had it for couple of a days and we just didnt clicked so I sold it.”— @0ISthisIT0 on YouTube
Real owners lean toward the Galaxy Watch Ultra: 75% of 16 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 64 for the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Owners point the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at apple ecosystem users who want a smartwatch first, fitness tracker second, and runners and swimmers satisfied with solid (not Garmin-grade) HR and GPS accuracy.
Owners point the Galaxy Watch Ultra at samsung/Android phone owners wanting a rugged, premium-feeling smartwatch with WearOS features, and outdoor and adventure users who value a bright always-on display and tough build over ultralight design.
The most-cited downside of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a recurring subset of owners end up switching to or preferring Garmin (Fenix 8, Enduro 3, Tactix 7) for serious training and fitness tracking, citing better dedicated sports features. For the Galaxy Watch Ultra, it's battery life is the most common complaint, with many owners getting only 1-2.5 days per charge (some as low as 20-30 hours) despite Samsung's 2-4 day claims.