I reviewed and loved the Galaxy Watch Ultra; it may be the best premium Android smartwatch of the year. But it's expensive as hell, even with this $215-off Black Friday deal. Unless you have a good watch to trade in — which can cut the price another $300 — $434 is more than most of you will be willing to pay.
Looking strictly at Wear OS watches that beat the Galaxy Watch Ultra's 72-hour battery life, you have two main options with major Black Friday discounts: The OnePlus Watch 2 for $199 ($100 off) or the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro for $209 ($140 off) with the Amazon coupon.
The OnePlus Watch 2 can last anywhere from 90 to 100 hours per charge thanks to some incredible hybrid efficiency, using its special OnePlus-brand coprocessor to power things while barely using battery life. With its RTOS-only mode, its battery jumps to a week while still showing calls and notifications, whereas other low-power modes only show the time.
Then you have the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, which starts at 90 hours per charge but can last at least a month using its secondary, low-res screen, a trick unique to Mobvoi watches. Like the OnePlus Watch 2, its Black Friday deal puts it at less than half of what the Ultra costs.
If you want a detailed breakdown on how these two watches compare to Samsung's flagship watch, I wrote a guide on the Galaxy Watch Ultra vs. TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, while another colleague wrote how the Watch Ultra and OnePlus Watch 2 compare.
By and large, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is better. It beats the Enduro for faster software updates, Google Assistant support, built-in LTE, and brighter display. But the Enduro is more comfortable to wear and (again) costs so much less while offering most of the same Play Store apps.
As for the OnePlus Watch 2, it matches the Ultra with dual-band GPS, performance, and durability, while falling a bit short for health accuracy and lacking an LTE option. Neither watch has a working crown, so the TicWatch is your choice if you need one.
Again, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is better than both of these watches; it's the best premium Android watch thanks to its stylish, rugged titanium frame, accurate fitness data backed by Samsung Health, and reliable battery life. The only question is whether you should pay another $250 for it, or if you can happily settle for a OnePlus or TicWatch. If I'm Black Friday deal-hunting, I'm choosing the cheaper option.
