Got a Pixel, Motorola or OnePlus in your pocket? I'd start with the Pixel Watch 5, as it works with most Android 12 and newer phones. Google claims about half charge in 15 minutes on the 41mm, and its dual-frequency GPS held up in a blackout zone. The catch is battery: Google claims up to 30 hours with the screen on, close to the Watch 9's figure. Full Google Health features need a subscription.
Live for weekends on a trail? I'd look at the Ultra 2, the Wear OS watch that lasts days instead of a night. Samsung rates it at up to 60 hours with the always-on display, and Wareable saw about four days of use. The screen is rated up to 5,000 nits, and GPX routes come with turn-by-turn prompts. It weighs 61 grams and is large, so try it on before you commit to a trail season.
Done with nightly charging? I'd look hard at the Venu 4, which is rated for up to 12 days in smartwatch mode and about 4 days with the always-on screen. It works with iPhone or Android, and you still get ECG, a red-light flashlight and calls through the speaker. The catch is the heavy metal case, which can feel uncomfortable in bed. If sleep tracking is why you wear a watch, weigh that first.
Prefer turning a dial to tapping glass? I'd take a look at the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, Samsung's only current model with a rotating bezel, in a stainless steel case. A turn of the bezel scrolls messages without smudging the screen. Your trade is battery, about a day and a half with the screen on, and a full charge that takes 75 to 90 minutes. The 1.34-inch screen looks small on its 46mm case.
Samsung still sells the Watch 8 new, and it's slim enough for overnight wear. Gemini handles texts, reminders and calendar questions. ECG, blood pressure and sleep apnea checks run with a Galaxy phone. My catch is battery: about one to one and a half days on the 40mm. I'd protect the raised glass too, since it can scratch or crack. Check sizes and bands on Amazon.
Running is the main reason you're buying? Then start with the Amazfit Active 3 Premium, which puts running first, with beginner plans, deep run metrics and offline maps. It has sapphire glass and a steel frame, and pairs with iPhone or Android. Expect about 8 to 10 days per charge in real use. The weak spot is single-band GPS, which drifts near buildings and trees, and serious runners notice.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
What I looked at in best Galaxy Watch 9 alternatives
Most people who like the Galaxy Watch 9 end up looking elsewhere for one of two reasons: it needs a charge most nights, or it doesn't suit the phone in their pocket. I read the hands-on tests and the owner complaints, then compared where they agree and where they split. I'd rank the criteria like this: Battery Life, Works With Your Phone, Health Tracking, Design and Build, then Apps and Smart Features. Each entry answers one reason to leave: battery, phone, price, rugged use, the rotating bezel or running. Find your reason, read its entry, and check what that pick gives up before you buy.
Battery Life
Nightly charging is the complaint that comes up most for the Galaxy Watch 9, so it carries the most weight.
Works With Your Phone
Some Samsung health checks need a Galaxy phone, so the watch has to suit the phone you carry.
Health Tracking
You check heart rate, sleep and GPS every day, so those readings have to hold up.
Design and Build
Size, weight and comfort decide whether the watch stays on overnight and through a workout.
Apps and Smart Features
Maps, payments, replies and an assistant on the wrist are what set Wear OS apart from a fitness watch.
If your phone is a Pixel, Motorola or another Android model, I'd say this watch fits. It runs on most Android 12 and newer phones, so Wear OS and its domed screen come along without a Galaxy. Its AMOLED display is rated up to 3,000 nits, and the 41mm also suits a smaller wrist. This is the Wi-Fi model, so there is no carrier plan to set up.
Now think about a Thursday when you forget the charger overnight. About 15 minutes on the dock brings the 41mm to around half, which may be enough for a workday. That figure is Google's claim, and I couldn't find an independent Pixel Watch 5 battery test. Its heart rate also tracks close to a Polar H10 chest strap, which helps on hard intervals.
The flaw that matters most to me is battery. Google claims up to 30 hours with the always-on display on the 41mm, close to Samsung's figure for the Watch 9 with its display on. You give up the Samsung phone lock and get fast top-ups, not extra days. Full Google Health features need a subscription, and Gorilla Glass 5 scratches, with no sapphire option. If you want the head-to-head, read how the Pixel Watch 5 and the Watch 9 stack up before you pick.
Versus the Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm Bluetooth)It gives up the Galaxy-only health checks in return for working with most Android phones, and Google rates it at half charge in about 15 minutes.
Buy it ifAndroid owners without a Galaxy who want a smooth Wear OS watch with fast top-ups
Skip it ifYou need days between charges. The Garmin Venu 4 is the better fit.
Reasons to buy
Works with most Android 12 and newer phones, so a Galaxy is not required.
Google claims about half charge in 15 minutes, handy on a busy day.
Dual-frequency GPS held up in a GPS blackout zone.
The battery and display can be replaced, so repairs are possible.
Reasons to avoid
Google's claimed battery is close to the Watch 9's, so don't expect days.
Full Google Health features need a subscription, and Gorilla Glass 5 scratches.
An iterative upgrade and the best Android watch yet for new buyers, accurate and well made, but battery is short, Gemini isn't truly agentic and Pixel Watch 3 or 4 owners can skip it.
A fantastic but small upgrade that justifies its higher price with faster offline Gemini and quick charging, though several features were missing at launch and 4 owners can wait.
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: Best Rugged Galaxy Watch for Trail Days
Has short battery kept you away from Wear OS watches? The Ultra 2 is built to change that. Samsung rates it at up to 60 hours with the always-on display, and Wareable saw about four days of use. Its 800mAh battery is nearly double the Watch 9's 445mAh in the 44mm, and I'd say that gap is where the extra days come from. Spec listings put charging at about 40 percent in 30 minutes, and about 90 minutes to full.
On day two of a three-day hike, you follow a GPX route you loaded before leaving. Turn-by-turn prompts show at each junction, and the screen stays readable at noon. The case is titanium and rated 10ATM, and LTE is built in, so a text from home can still reach your wrist with the phone at the bottom of the pack. This is the kind of trip I'd buy it for.
Size is the real flaw, to my mind. At 61 grams and large, it's bulky for the office or the gym. TechRadar calls it bulky and says Garmin does routes and battery better, and the dive app and trail route loading were unfinished at launch. Some health features also lock to Samsung phones. If a light everyday watch matters more to you, the Pixel Watch 5 41mm weighs about half as much.
Versus the Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm Bluetooth)It keeps Wear OS and Samsung's health tools, lasts days where the Watch 9 needs a nightly charge, and adds LTE and a dive rating.
Buy it ifHikers, trail runners and swimmers who want Wear OS apps and a watch that lasts days
Skip it ifA light watch for the office and gym is what you want. I'd reach for the Pixel Watch 5 41mm.
Reasons to buy
Wareable saw about four days of battery, which is rare for a Wear OS watch.
The screen is rated up to 5,000 nits and stays readable in direct sun.
GPX routes with turn-by-turn prompts keep you on the trail.
LTE is built in, so calls and messages work with your phone left behind.
Reasons to avoid
At 61 grams and large, it is too big for small wrists and bulky for sleep.
Some health features need a Galaxy phone, and the dive app was unfinished at launch.
A genuine four-day Wear OS watch with a stunning 5,000-nit screen and chest-strap-level heart rate. It misses a bezel or crown and locks some health tools to Samsung phones, but tops its class.
The best Galaxy Watch yet: fast, bright, packed with features and lasting its rated 60 hours. It's still bulky with early-workout heart rate drift, and Garmin does routes and battery better.
3. Garmin Venu 4 (45mm): Best Alternative for Multi-Day Battery
I'd jump to the Venu 4 if nightly charging is the thing you want gone. Garmin rates it at up to 12 days in smartwatch mode and up to 4 days with the always-on display, so a weekend away doesn't mean packing a cable. It works with iPhone and Android, which suits a household with mixed phones. It runs Garmin's own software rather than Wear OS, so Google apps and an on-wrist assistant are not on offer.
Say you finish a Sunday trail run under patchy tree cover. Multiband GPS gives clean tracks on paths like that, and the red mode on the flashlight helps on the walk back at dusk. Android owners can also read texts and send quick replies from the watch, which iPhone owners cannot do. Calls go through the watch speaker, so a short run can happen with the phone left at home.
But the catch bites hardest at night. The metal case is heavy, and it can feel uncomfortable in bed, which cuts into sleep tracking on the nights you want it. Wrist heart rate also struggles during weights and outdoor rides, and the watch has only two buttons. I couldn't find an independent battery test of the Venu 4, so the 12-day figure is Garmin's claim. If Wear OS apps matter more to you, I'd look at the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.
Versus the Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm Bluetooth)It works with iPhone and still lists ECG, but it trades Wear OS apps for Garmin's own software and runs for days, not one night.
Buy it ifYou want days between charges more than Wear OS apps
Skip it ifWear OS apps and LTE matter to you. Choose the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 instead.
Reasons to buy
Up to 12 days in smartwatch mode, by Garmin's rating, so the charger can stay on the nightstand.
Works with iPhone and Android, so it suits a household with mixed phones.
ECG, a red-light flashlight and speaker calls, all on one watch.
Reasons to avoid
The heavy metal case can feel uncomfortable in bed, which cuts into sleep tracking.
No full onboard maps, and no Wear OS or standalone Google apps.
An everyman fitness watch: clean, bright, smooth and packed with health tools and a handy flashlight, but the heavy case is uncomfortable in bed and it costs more than the Venu 3 did.
A full sports watch hidden in a classic design, matching the Forerunner 570 and adding ECG and a flashlight; GPS, brightness and battery impress, but two buttons make some sports awkward.
4. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic: Best Galaxy Watch With a Rotating Bezel
Rather turn a dial than tap glass? This is the Galaxy watch for you. Samsung's Classic is the only current Galaxy watch with a physical rotating bezel, and I couldn't find a Watch 9 Classic at all. The stainless steel case and the lug system sit close to the wrist, so it looks right with a suit or a work shirt. It pairs with any Android 12 or newer phone, but the full health suite needs a Galaxy.
Imagine a wedding, where your fingers stay off the screen while you spin the bezel through messages. On a Galaxy phone you also get Samsung's full health suite, including Running Coach, and dual-frequency GPS for outdoor sessions. The Watch 9 has no rotating bezel at all, which I'd count as the real difference.
The real flaws are battery and screen size, and I'd weigh the battery first. Samsung claims up to 30 hours with the always-on display, yet reported use lands closer to a day and a half, and MrMobile's verdict calls the battery single-day. A full charge takes 75 to 90 minutes. The 1.34-inch screen looks small on a 46mm case, and older 20mm straps won't fit the proprietary bands. If the battery is your only issue, the Watch 8 costs less and runs the same Samsung health suite on a Galaxy phone. I weigh the ring against the new watch in Galaxy Watch 9 versus Watch 8 Classic bezel comparison.
Versus the Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm Bluetooth)It keeps a rotating bezel and steel case the Galaxy Watch 9 does not offer, but it runs about a day and a half, not the days some rivals manage.
Buy it ifAndroid owners, ideally with a Galaxy phone, who want a dressy watch with a physical bezel
Skip it ifYou need days between charges. The Garmin Venu 4 covers that.
Reasons to buy
The physical bezel is precise and keeps your fingers off the screen.
Stainless steel looks right with a suit or a work shirt.
Galaxy phone owners get the full health suite, including Running Coach.
The lug system sits close to the wrist for a settled fit.
Reasons to avoid
About a day and a half with the always-on display, and 75 to 90 minutes for a full charge.
Proprietary bands, so older 20mm straps won't fit.
One of the best Wear OS watches: a gorgeous design, a terrific rotating bezel and excellent One UI 8 software. Not the best value, but if looks and feel matter to you, it's the one to get.
A capable, fun and surprisingly attractive watch whose steel case and spinning bezel make it the pick of the lineup, but single-day battery and so-so software looks hold it back at its price.
First impressions: an Ultra-inspired squircle Classic that still feels like a Classic thanks to its pleasing bezel, with a brighter 3,000-nit screen, Gemini and a raft of new health features.
5. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm / 44mm): Best Lower-Cost Galaxy Watch Alternative
If you want to stay in Samsung's world for less, the Watch 8 is the cheaper route. It costs less than the Watch 9 at Samsung, and Digital Trends found the display, sensors, RAM and storage unchanged on the newer model. The real differences, as I read it, are the chip and the battery. The 40mm battery grows from 325mAh to 390mAh with the Watch 9, and the 44mm grows from 435mAh to 445mAh. The Galaxy Watch 9 succeeds it, so the two share most of the health suite and the same bands.
Consider a Monday on the train, with a few texts landing before you reach the office. Gemini handles texts, reminders and calendar questions, and Wareable found its answers for recipes and day planning helpful. Engadget called it the most comfortable watch it has tested. It is slim enough to wear overnight. Vitals and Heart Health Score were new on the Watch 9 at launch, and nothing I found puts them on the Watch 8.
But the battery problem is the same, just on a smaller cell. The 40mm lasted about one to one and a half days in Wareable's test. The raised glass also stands proud of the case, so a screen protector is worth buying. Cheaper is the right word for this watch, not longer lasting. So if multi-day battery is the goal, I'd skip it and look at the Garmin Venu 4.
Versus the Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm Bluetooth)It keeps Gemini and Samsung's health checks on a Galaxy phone, but its battery is smaller and its chip is older.
Buy it ifYou own a Galaxy, want Samsung's health suite for less, and don't need days of battery
Skip it ifMulti-day battery is the priority for you. I'd choose the Garmin Venu 4 instead.
Reasons to buy
Samsung still sells it new, and it costs less than the Watch 9.
Gemini on the wrist handles texts, reminders and calendar questions.
Very comfortable and slim enough to wear overnight.
ECG, blood pressure and sleep apnea checks on a Galaxy phone.
Reasons to avoid
The 40mm lasts one to one and a half days, so you still charge daily.
The raised glass can scratch or crack without a protector.
A redesigned, very comfortable watch with useful Gemini, new health metrics and better battery. Easy to recommend to Galaxy phone owners, with a fragile raised screen the main worry.
A memorable, better-looking Samsung with a big Gemini upgrade, but beta health features, barely improved battery on the 40mm and Samsung-phone-only key features keep it from a no-brainer pick.
6. Amazfit Active 3 Premium: Best Alternative for Running on a Budget
Training is what brings you here, so I'd put the Active 3 Premium near the top of your list. Amazfit's running plans and metrics are built for people who want a coach on the wrist, and the offline maps with turn-by-turn and rerouting work on a trail with no signal. It pairs with iPhone on iOS 14 or newer, or with Android 7.0 or newer through the Zepp app.
Say you run in the rain on a Tuesday, gloves on. The four buttons still respond, the 3,000-nit screen stays readable in direct sun, and the watch runs for days between charges. Heart rate lags for the first few minutes of a session, so give it time before you judge a tempo. There's no subscription for any data, so nothing is locked behind a fee. The steel frame and sapphire glass also look less like a budget watch than you'd expect.
The catches are signal and screen, and I'd be honest about both. Single-band GPS drifts near walls and trees, and Live Science says that holds back serious runners. The screen picks up fingerprints, the 1.32-inch face looks small on a big wrist, and no charging cable ships in the box. If multiband GPS and ECG checks matter to you, the Garmin Venu 4 is the one I'd pick.
Versus the Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm Bluetooth)It costs less and runs for days, while the Watch 9 has the richer health suite and needs a Galaxy phone to use it fully.
Buy it ifBudget buyers and new runners who want a light watch with offline maps and no subscription
Skip it ifMultiband GPS and ECG checks are on your list. I'd take the Garmin Venu 4 there.
Reasons to buy
Running plans and metrics for beginners, plus offline maps with rerouting.
About 8 to 10 days per charge in real use, with no subscription for any data.
Sapphire glass and a steel frame at a budget price.
Four buttons work with sweaty hands or gloves.
Reasons to avoid
Single-band GPS drifts near walls and trees, which serious runners will notice.
Heart rate lags at the start of a workout and on outdoor rides.
Outstanding value: it does nearly everything a far pricier Apple Watch does for fitness, tracks sleep superbly and runs for days. The only real gripe is a lack of stylish color choices.
One of the best entry-level running watches: tough, light and elegant with offline maps and real coaching. Single-band GPS and a smudge-prone screen hold it back from serious runners.
A compact, premium-feeling running watch with sapphire glass, four buttons and data that matched a Garmin closely on a test run. It lacks dual-band GPS and has a smaller screen than the Active Max.
Best Galaxy Watch 9 alternatives buying guide for 2027
Why do people leave the Galaxy Watch 9?
Four complaints keep coming up, and I'd say each one sends a buyer somewhere else. Battery comes first, and it's the loudest. We've all had a watch die at 3 p.m. Notebookcheck measured 60 to 70 percent used in 24 hours on the 44mm, with the always-on display, a GPS workout and sleep tracking on. Android Authority got 30 to 35 hours with the display off. Charging is second. Samsung lists about 80 to 90 minutes, and Android Authority says a full charge takes over 1.5 hours.
The third complaint is the phone. ECG, irregular rhythm alerts and sleep apnea need a Galaxy phone, so a Pixel or Motorola owner loses several checks. The fourth is the upgrade case. Android Authority says the Watch 8 delivers about 90 percent of the experience, and the Watch 9 costs more at launch than the model before it. I'd weigh that price gap before you pay extra.
So battery and charging matter most, and the other two depend on your phone and your budget. If one complaint is enough to make you switch, that's a fair reason, and the rest of this page shows what you give up. The short version: start with the phone and the battery, then read my full Galaxy Watch 9 review before you decide.
Does each alternative work with your phone?
Find the column that matches the handset you carry, because that decides most of this. Galaxy phones get the full set, Pixel and other Android phones lose the Samsung-only checks, and an iPhone rules out every Samsung and Pixel watch here.
Watch
Galaxy phone
Pixel phone
Other Android phone
iPhone
Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm)
Full Samsung health suite
Android 13 or newer; no ECG, irregular rhythm alerts, sleep apnea or Heart Health Score
Same as Pixel
No
Galaxy Watch 8
Full suite
No ECG, blood pressure or sleep apnea
Same as Pixel
No
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Full suite; Android 13 or newer
Works; some Samsung health features stay locked
Same as Pixel
No
Galaxy Watch 8 Classic
Full suite
Works; full health suite needs a Galaxy phone
Same as Pixel
No
Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi)
Works with most Android 12 and newer phones
Works, with the Pixel Watch app
Works
No
Garmin Venu 4 (45mm)
Works
Works
Works
Works; no quick text replies
Amazfit Active 3 Premium
Works
Works
Works
Works on iOS 14 or newer
Read across your row to see what you keep. Want a wider field across brands? I'd start with my ranked Android smartwatch list. If a Pixel is your phone, start with that row and decide from there.
Heads-upSamsung's ECG and sleep apnea checks need a Galaxy phone, so on a Pixel the Watch 9 is not a like-for-like swap.
If you're in that spot, I'd look hard at the older model, since it may cover the same ground for less. Digital Trends found the display, sensors, RAM and storage unchanged on the Watch 9, so the real gap is the chip, the battery and a few new health tools. Samsung claims up to 30 hours with the always-on display on both models.
Honestly, the battery gap is small. The 40mm grows from 325mAh to 390mAh, and the 44mm from 435mAh to 445mAh. Pickr, which put the 40mm Watch 9 through its paces, said it struggled to reach two days, while its Watch 8 struggled to reach one. That's a modest edge, and I wouldn't pay a premium for it alone.
What stands out to me is the health list. Android Authority lists Vitals, Heart Health Score, Fitness Index and Daily Cardio Load as new on the Watch 9. The5krunner reports Samsung plans to bring some of them to the Watch 8 by update, but Samsung has not dated it. I couldn't find a date, so I wouldn't wait on it.
Bottom lineI'd buy the Watch 8 if the newest chip and health tools leave you cold. I'd buy the Watch 9 if the newer software and the bigger 40mm battery matter to you.
Heads-upSamsung hasn't dated the Watch 8 update, so don't buy the older watch on the promise of those tools.
What does the evidence say about charging and battery?
Published figures disagree, and I'd say the gap between them is the useful part. The table lists each figure with its conditions, so you can see what each one rests on.
Watch
Source
Battery
Charging
Galaxy Watch 9, 44mm
Samsung claim
Up to 40 hours, or 30 with the display on
About 90 minutes
Galaxy Watch 9, 44mm
Android Authority
30 to 35 hours, display off
Over 1.5 hours
Galaxy Watch 9, 44mm
Notebookcheck
60 to 70 percent used in 24 hours, display on
Almost 1.5 hours
Galaxy Watch 9
Owner reports, cited by Notebookcheck
Not measured
2.5 to 4 hours
Galaxy Watch Ultra 2
Samsung claim
Up to 60 hours, display on
About 40 percent in 30 minutes
Garmin Venu 4
Garmin claim
Up to 12 days, 4 with the display on
Not stated
Pixel Watch 5, 41mm
Google claim
Up to 30 hours, display on
About 50 percent in 15 minutes
Independent tests on the 44mm land on roughly a day with sleep tracking on. Owners on r/GalaxyWatch keep reporting 2.5 to 4 hours to charge, according to Notebookcheck. No Samsung statement explains that, so I'd treat those as owner reports, not a spec.
Heads-upI couldn't find an independent battery test of the Venu 4 or the Pixel Watch 5, so their battery figures are maker claims.
My call: match the battery to how often you can plug in, not to the biggest number on the spec sheet.
What do you lose by leaving Samsung's health suite?
I'd say you lose less than the marketing suggests, but the trade-offs are specific. On a Galaxy Watch 9, ECG, irregular rhythm alerts, sleep apnea checks and the Heart Health Score need a Galaxy phone. The Samsung Health Monitor app that runs them comes from the Galaxy Store only. Those are the four features you give up on a Pixel or another Android phone.
Most of the daily tracking travels with you, though, and that's the part I'd focus on. Android Authority says basic Samsung Health works on any Android phone, and Vitals, Daily Cardio Load and Fitness Index run on any Android phone with Samsung Health 7.0 or newer. A Pixel owner keeps those and loses the heart-rhythm and apnea checks.
The other picks trade differently. The Venu 4 lists ECG and works with iPhone, so it's the one pick here that lists the check without a Galaxy phone. Blood pressure on the Watch 9 is unconfirmed, and I couldn't confirm it either, so check Samsung's own page before you count on it.
So who needs the Venu 4 here? If ECG matters and your phone is a Pixel, I'd check it first.
How do you choose in 60 seconds?
Run through these one at a time, and stop at the first match. I'd rather that than rereading six sets of specs.
Keep the Galaxy Watch 9 if ECG, irregular rhythm alerts or sleep apnea checks matter and you carry a Galaxy phone. You accept a nightly charge.
Pick the Garmin Venu 4 if a nightly charge is your problem and you want days between charges, on iPhone or Android.
Pick the Pixel Watch 5 41mm if your phone is a Pixel, Motorola or another Android model, and you want Wear OS apps and fast top-ups.
Pick the Galaxy Watch 8 if you want Samsung's health suite for less, and a day and a half of battery is fine.
Pick the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 if you spend weekends outdoors and can wear 61 grams.
Pick the Amazfit Active 3 Premium if running and a budget matter most, and single-band GPS is acceptable.
Before you order, I'd check sizes and bands on Amazon, since a band that doesn't fit is the quickest route to a return.
Best Galaxy Watch 9 alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best Galaxy Watch 9 alternative?
If you carry a Pixel, Motorola or another Android phone, I'd go with the Pixel Watch 5 41mm, since it's the easiest swap. It runs Wear OS on most Android 12 and newer phones, and Google rates it at about half charge in 15 minutes. Own a Galaxy and need days of battery? The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 keeps Samsung's health tools and lasts far longer between charges.
Which alternatives work with an iPhone?
Two of them, and I'd say only two are worth an iPhone owner's time. The Garmin Venu 4 and the Amazfit Active 3 Premium both pair with an iPhone as well as Android. The Pixel Watch 5 needs the Pixel Watch app, which doesn't run on iPhone. The Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic need an Android phone, so iPhone owners can skip them.
Will the Galaxy Watch 8 last as long as the Galaxy Watch 9?
Not quite, and not by much, is my read. The 40mm Watch 8 carries a 325mAh battery and the 40mm Watch 9 carries 390mAh. Samsung claims up to 30 hours with the always-on display on both. Pickr said its Watch 9 struggled to reach two days, while its Watch 8 struggled to reach one. I'd expect the Watch 9 to run a little longer, but not to change your nightly routine.
Which of these keeps ECG without a Galaxy phone?
Only the Garmin Venu 4 is confirmed here, as far as I could find. Its listing includes ECG, and it works with Android and iPhone. The Galaxy Watch 9, Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic need a Galaxy phone for ECG. The Pixel Watch 5 details I found don't list it, so check before you buy. I'd skip modified Samsung Health apps, since nothing confirms they are safe.
Does the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 need a Galaxy phone?
No, and that's the good news. It needs Android 13 or newer, and it works with Pixel and other Android phones. Some health features still lock to Samsung phones, so check which ones you use before you buy. LTE is built in, so calls and messages can reach the watch with your phone elsewhere, as long as the watch has a carrier plan.
Engadget9/10
Android Authority
Gadgets & Wearables