So-o-o, Samsung offered irresistible incentives that compelled me to preorder Galaxy Watch Ultra as a belated 65th birthday present. Among them: $350 trade-in credit for Watch6 Classic, which is considerably more than I paid in December 2023. Also: Free dark grey Trail Band. What’s not to like?
I can answer: Size. The 47mm watch is ginormous, and the band is eye-scorching fluorescent orange rather than the more subdued mango as appears on the manufacturer’s website and in every reviewer YouTube video that I watched before the thing shipped; strangely, my photos, too. The wristwear arrived late yesterday morning, and my out-of-box reaction was trepidation rather than excitement, opening hours later.
My immediate gut-feeling: Return it. Instead, I started pussyfooting around the Ultra, going at it in small steps—like someone might wading into cold-water lake or ocean. I pulled out the devices and compared to the other watch. Bigger! I eventually attached the band and wore the thing for about an hour but unpowered. My interest was look and feel.
Got to say: The wristband is incredibly comfortable, as is the actual device resting atop my puny wrist (circumference 15 cm; 6 inches). Balance is hallmark of great design, and the wear test succeeded. So I needlessly charged the wearable, which was at 89 percent already, and subsequently set up. Seamless. Easy-peasy.
The thing really is ultra, and that’s more a topic for future post(s), when I have a couple weeks usage for reference. But saying something right now: About 23 hours after full charge, battery is 63 percent. Outstanding. Display is bright and crisp. Overall functionality feels fast.
One more thing: Experience helped here. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra stunned for sheer size, when I pulled it from the box in December 2022. But within a few days, I adapted, and now smaller smartphones seem tiny.
Let’s talk Featured Image, quickly captured using the S24 Ultra. Vitals: f/2.2, ISO 1250, 1/60 sec, 13mm (film equivalent); 12:33 p.m. PDT, today. Composed as shot; not edited.