Some watches are made for checking the time. Others? They’re made for surviving deserts, tracking your heartbeat on a mountain peak, or helping you navigate a trail you just invented. The Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro, Galaxy Watch Ultra, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are not playing in the casual corner of the market—they’re built for people who want serious tools on their wrist. But just because a watch looks tough doesn’t mean it lives up to the hype.
We’re looking at three of the most ambitious smartwatches of 2024—each promising titanium strength, sapphire glass resilience, and a feature set that seems to say, “You’ll never need another device again.” But, well, we’ve used them. We’ve pushed them. And trust us—what matters isn’t just what they say on the box, but how they feel and behave day after day.
Let’s dive into the things that matter: durability, fitness tracking, navigation, smarts, and the all-important battery life. Spoiler? There’s a very clear winner—but maybe not the one you’d expect.
Materials that survive the real world
Honestly, we’re past the phase where smartwatches felt plasticky or fragile. These three are full-blown premium timepieces. All of them use titanium for the case and sapphire crystal for the glass, which means you can knock them against a boulder or accidentally scrape them against a gym wall, and they’ll probably be just fine.
But they don’t all wear their toughness the same way. Huawei’s Watch GT 5 Pro feels like a luxury watch masquerading as a tech product. It’s polished, clean, and perfectly comfortable under a cuffed shirt—but don’t let the finish fool you. It’s built to withstand rough terrain and long trips without flinching.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra, on the other hand, feels like a tank. It’s bulkier, with bold lugs and a more rugged style. Think outdoor bootcamp instead of boardroom elegance.
Apple goes for tactical chic. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 looks like it was designed by engineers who camp with spreadsheets. The titanium is dark and serious, and while it’s unmistakably Apple, it doesn’t scream fashion—it screams function.
They’re all tough—but they each tell a different story when you wear them. Huawei says elegance. Samsung says adventure. Apple says precision.
Screens that shine, literally
Screens are where the magic happens—and when you’re outside under blazing sun, you want to see more than just your reflection.
Apple’s Ultra 2 leads in brightness. That Retina display is absurdly sharp and vibrant, and animations move like butter, thanks to the underlying silicon. It’s the kind of screen you can glance at from an angle and still read clearly.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra holds its own, with a crisp AMOLED panel that handles sunlight well and offers smooth interaction with Wear OS. Add in direct access to the Play Store and you’ve got a display that’s not just pretty—it’s practical too.
Huawei’s Watch GT 5 Pro doesn’t fall behind in brightness or color, but the interface is noticeably more restrained. You don’t get wild transitions or app-heavy menus. What you do get is clarity, excellent visibility, and a screen that seems optimized for endurance—not entertainment.
So while all three are gorgeous, Apple gives you the slickest animations, Samsung wins on interactivity and app variety, and Huawei keeps things clean, fast, and functional.
Fitness brains: different paths, same obsession
Let’s face it—if you’re buying one of these, you want fitness tracking that goes beyond step counts.
Apple’s Ultra 2 is loaded with sensors and connects seamlessly with iOS, offering detailed VO2 max, heart rate zones, and even Double Tap gesture control that’s surprisingly handy mid-workout. You can launch workouts, answer calls, or start timers without touching the screen—just by pinching your fingers. Very sci-fi, but it works, and it works fast.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra is a fitness multitasker. It uses Samsung Health to offer solid, detailed insights, and integrates third-party apps effortlessly. The layout is customizable, the metrics are extensive, and the fact that you can load apps like Strava or WhatsApp directly onto the watch without needing your phone nearby? That’s freedom.
Huawei goes hyper-specific. This isn’t a general fitness tracker—it’s a tool for adventurers and outdoor athletes. You get 3D golf maps for over 15,000 courses, topographic trail overlays, deviation alerts, and even a “Draw Your Route” feature that lets you sketch a heart (or a star) and have the watch map it out into a hiking path. Yes, it’s niche—but for outdoor lovers, it’s insane.
If you’re looking for all-around versatility, Samsung hits the sweet spot. Apple is unbeatable for iPhone users. But Huawei wins for people who train outdoors, off the grid, and off the beaten path.
Staying connected: ecosystems and independence
Here’s where the gloves come off. Because a smartwatch isn’t much use if it can’t keep you connected when your phone’s out of reach—or turned off.
Apple’s Ultra 2 is a connectivity beast. Full LTE support, phone calls, messaging, music streaming, Siri, iCloud, smart stacks—it’s all here. But only if you live in Apple’s world. Try pairing it with an Android? Forget it.
Samsung gives you the same independence—eSIM support, WhatsApp standalone (with voice notes, stickers, the works), image previews, and access to a proper app store. You can pair it with pretty much any Android, and the experience is slick.
Huawei plays it more conservatively. You get calls, basic messaging, and even a keyboard now (finally), but no Google services. That means no direct WhatsApp downloads, no Gmail, and fewer third-party integrations. It works fine as a companion, but if you live in the Googleverse or rely on niche apps, you’ll notice the gaps.
Apple is king in its kingdom. Samsung rules Android. Huawei stays independent—but limited.
Navigation: maps, trails, and getting un-lost
You might not think you need offline topographic maps until you’re halfway through a hike and your phone’s dead. This is where these watches start to reveal their true personality.
Huawei is the clear leader in land navigation. Topographic maps, rotating crowns for zooming in/out, trail deviation alerts, and the ability to draw and follow custom routes. That last one? Wildly underrated.
Samsung gives you GPS and decent offline guidance, good enough for biking or hiking in familiar areas. It’s accurate, reliable, and hooks into Google Maps. But it lacks Huawei’s creativity and rugged trail tools.
Apple aims deep—literally. Dual-frequency GPS for pinpoint accuracy, depth sensors, water temperature tracking, and even dive logs. This is a triathlete’s dream watch, especially if you’re into diving or open-water swimming.
So if you’re mostly on trails? Huawei wins. If you’re going underwater? Apple rules. If you’re doing a bit of everything? Samsung plays the all-rounder well.
Battery: one wins, and it’s not close
Let’s just rip the bandage off.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 lasts about 36 hours normally, maybe 72 in low-power mode if you’re really careful.
Samsung gives you up to 60 hours, stretching to 100 with power-saving tweaks.
Huawei casually strolls in with up to 9 days of real use, and up to 14 days if you’re not constantly pushing it. Yes, you read that right.
That’s not just a win—it’s a knockout. You can travel for a week, train every day, track your sleep, use GPS, and still not need to pack a charger. That’s freedom you don’t realize you need until you’ve had it.
The Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro destroys the competition in battery life.
Conclusion: Huawei wins on the things that actually matter
We didn’t expect to be saying this. We thought Apple’s Ultra 2 would be untouchable. We assumed Samsung’s Watch Ultra would be the perfect middle ground. But the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro just kept winning in places that made a real difference.
No, it doesn’t have the app depth of Wear OS or watchOS. No, you won’t be voice-dictating grocery lists to WhatsApp on your wrist. But if you care about long battery life, outdoor performance, smart features that don’t burn out your battery, and a finish that feels luxury without being fragile, then Huawei quietly builds the better watch.
It’s the one we kept wearing longer. It’s the one we didn’t have to charge. And it’s the one that felt like it was actually built for everyday use—not just to show off in ads.
We’re not saying it’s perfect. But when you line them up—the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro just makes more sense for more people more of the time.