Like clockwork — sorry, sorry, I’m sorry — Samsung’s returned yet again to its Unpacked stage with a slate of new gadgets ready to beg for your wallet. Alongside a crop of three new foldables, both the standard Galaxy Watch series and the Galaxy Watch Active are getting new hardware, and while not a massive leap over last generation, it’s sounding like a pretty promising package.

Let’s get this out of the way from the jump: neither the Galaxy Watch 9 nor the Galaxy Watch Active 2 feature new designs (though both have their own respective minute changes, like a slimmer chassis on the Ultra). That makes sense, considering the Watch 8 received an Active-inspired redesign last year, but if you were hoping Samsung would ditch its current squircle obsession, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Aside from a revised (either new or upgraded) collection of bands — including Marine, PeakForm, and Trail, each sold separately — you’ve seen these watches before.

Both smartwatches make the jump to Snapdragon Wear Elite, leaving behind Exynos for the time being. It’s not entirely clear how this change will impact daily performance or battery life, but it’s not necessarily bad news. The Watch Ultra 2 has a slightly larger 1.52-inch display with an incredible 5,000 nits of max brightness, while the Watch 9 remains unchanged between both sizes. All three models are also getting larger batteries — 800mAh on the Ultra 2, 390mAh and 445mAh on the 40mm and 44mm Watch 9 sizes, respectively — though only the first two present any noticeable improvement compared to their predecessors.

Rather than building new sensors into its smartwatch lineup, Samsung is trying to get a little more creative with how it uses its current array of biometric readings. That includes a new “Vitals” feature that combines overnight metrics like your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and skin temperature to create a new baseline for your health, and “Daily Cardio Load” that attempts to estimate your recommended rest and recovery windows. Fitness Index, Heart Health Score, and a Hearing Health mode that examines ambient audio levels rounds out the package.

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The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 gets a couple of exclusive features to match its rugged aesthetic, including Trail Run for tracking elements like elevation and terrain impact, and Nutrition Alert, which builds on top of Sweat Loss to give you recommendations on restoring your hydration levels after running. The Ultra 2 is also coming with diving support up to 40m, including automatic dive detection to begin tracking metrics without you needing to lift a finger (or, you know, your wrist). Samsung is bringing a more fully-fledged diving app co-developed with Mares to Ultra 2 owners later this year.

As you’ve probably come to expect in 2026, all three models are getting price hikes, though none of them are as brutal as you might’ve feared. The Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $380 for its 40mm Bluetooth model, or $430 for the 40mm LTE model. Both of those prices are $30 increases over their respective Watch 8 predecessors. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 will run you $700, or $50 more than the original 2024 model. Preorders start today, with availability on store shelves beginning on August 7th.

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