I manually counted 4,000 steps to test the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — and Samsung wins the accuracy battle, with better elevation data too

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)

Which rugged smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, is the better device for tracking outdoor workouts and adventures? I decided to find out by manually counting 4,000 steps with one on either wrist.Aside from the obvious — the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is for iOS users, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is for the Android faithful — these two smartwatches are remarkably evenly matched. Of course, they also track a whole lot of other, more exciting activities, including scuba diving, but for the sake of our comparison, I’m going to stick with a good old-fashioned walk.With my manual count as the primary control for this comparison, as a control for distance, climb, and pace, we’ll rely on ol’ reliable, the Strava app.Read on to find out which smartwatch came out on top in this fitness tracking accuracy showdown with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple Watch Ultra 3

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)Before diving into the results, here are the biggest differences between the Apple Watch Ultra 3, one of the best smartwatches in 2026, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (review pending). For starters, the Apple Watch is $100 more than the Galaxy Watch, $799 vs $699.The Galaxy Watch, meanwhile, boasts a brighter display, better battery life, and a genuinely useful onboard AI assistant that's backed by Gemini and accessible via a wrist raise.Design-wise, I find the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to be a lot comfier than the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Not only is the Apple Watch thinner, but it's also narrower. That said, the two weigh roughly the same.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.When it comes to logging workouts, Apple and Samsung's best are evenly matched. They each boast dual-band GPS for location tracking, barometric altimeters for elevation monitoring, accelerometers and gyroscopes for motion tracking, and tons of health sensors to monitor your heart rate, body temperature, calories burned, and more.With that out of the way, on to the result of my 4,000-step walk test comparison with the Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2!Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 vs Apple Watch Ultra 3: Walk test results