The Apple Watch Ultra is theiPhone 14makers first attack to createTHEultimate smartwatch for hardcore athletes that enjoy taking part in the rum ultramarathon or two .

But with it still holding the same iconic , pebble mould Apple Watch design we ’ve come across for years , you may justifiably be marvel what specific feature and upgrade it has to differentiate it from its sib , the Apple Watch 8 .

To help clear up the confusion we ’ve created this early versus guide detailing the big differences between theApple Watch Ultraand theApple Watch 8 .

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

One costs a lot more than the other

The first difference you ’ll notice between the two is that the Ultra is a lot more expensive than the Watch 8 .

Apple has corroborate the Watch Ultra will retail for $ 799 in the US and £ 849 in the UK . By comparison the base Apple Watch 8 Bluetooth edition will retail for £ 419/$399 . The cellular rendering ( US only at the time of penning ) will cost $ 499 .

The UK Ultra pricing in particular is pretty aggressive , pushing the watch into the same territory as dedicated , top remnant trackers like the Epix 2 andFenix 7 Solar .

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

Both sentinel are available for pre - order now but the Ultra will launch a luck later than the Watch 8 . The Watch 8 is set to ship on 16 September while the Ultra will arrive on 23 September .

The Apple Watch Ultra has a very different design

The Apple Watch 8 depend very interchangeable to past Apple Watches , featuring a pebble form master chassis , summit control andvariable refresh rateOLEDscreen .

The Ultra has a somewhat different conception . Specifically , it ’s been contrive to be far more rugged featuring a expectant 49 millimetre sheath that ’s built of Titanium and can survive at extreme sub zero temperature and heats as high as 139 degree . The flesh has a turgid bezel that wrap up around the Ultra ’s 2-dimensional sapphire glass concealment . The broad bezel aims to aid protect the covert from damage when engaging in extreme sports , like mountain climbing . Apple claim it ’s “ twice as water resistant ” as the base Apple Watch 8 which has a 50ATM water ohmic resistance .

In proceed with this trend , the Ultra is the only one of the two that ’s been built to MIL - STD 810H military ruggedization standards and features IPX6 dust resistance . The Watch 8 only carries IPX6 certification , by comparison . The military ruggedisation means the Ultra should be much tougher and easily hold out the odd brush with a rock candy while climbing , based on our experience screen other devices that meet the measure .

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

The Ultra ’s larger chassis also features an extra loudspeaker system and 3 mic setup which Apple claims is louder and offer clear voice sound recording during calls than the base Apple Watch 8 . The screen door is also quote as being doubly as brilliant featuring a quote 2000 nit max brightness . To put that in context that makes it double as shining as some of the full TVs we test .

As a final major differentiator , the Ultra features an extra “ activity ” button that you wo n’t discover on the foundation Apple Watch 8 . Housed in the crown this is a customisable control that can be set up to ordain various action . At the event Apple showed it being used to modify sport when engaged in a multisport activeness and activate a custom Delilah , which Apple claims is gaudy enough to be heard 180 m away .

The Ultra features longer battery and a more advanced GPS

The Ultra also features “ the recollective assault and battery ” ever meet in an Apple Watch , with the firm quote it as bid 36 60 minutes regular use ( GPS ) and 60 hours if you take advantage of the wearable ’s new low power style . The Watch 8 by equivalence only sport a quote “ all day ” battery life .

GPS and sports tracking is also more sophisticated on the Ultra . For newcomer it sport more advanced distance tracking featuring an innovative compass with “ precision views ” for things like your camping site and a path back feature . The latter works like the feature we tested on theSamsung Galaxy Watch 5 Proand uses the more ripe GPS to automatically plat markers on your route that you could then espouse back if mislay .

The Ultra offers more advanced fitness and dive tracking

Apple ’s loaded the Ultra with a number of activity and dive tracking powers you wo n’t determine on the Watch 8 . Highlights include more sophisticated pith rate zone tracking , work Form and Running Power . The heart rate zona front similar to what you ’ll find out on late Garmin tracker and the Galaxy Watch 5 professional , offering tailored partitioning of how long you spent in each zone during your exercise and what benefits it brought .

Running Form is a similar feature of speech to the coaching service seen on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro that take aim to identify and help you set issue with your proficiency . Running Power aims to measure how much effort you are exert during each rivulet . The datum in hypothesis can then be used to spot when you ’re over strain .

For divers the Ultra has been design to pop the question feature equivalent services to an EN13319 dive computer standard . For divers the Oceanic Plus app is pre - installed which offers in - depth sixth sense on thing like profoundness , pressure , location and safety warnings as penury on things like decompression rate .

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

Outside of this they share the same core internals

Despite the plan departure , outside of its fitness trailing table service the Ultra and Watch 8 percentage the same pith DNA . Both run using the same Si andWatchOS 9software . This mean you ’ll get the same consumer app depository library and health features on both . Highlights include advanced heart rate monitoring , ECGand Blood Oxygen trailing , plus Apple ’s new woman ’s health / fecundity temperature tracking as well as fall and crash detection .

Apple Watch Ultra vs Apple Watch 8 specs

you could see a equipment failure of the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch 8 ’s confirmed specs and features in the table below .

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

Apple Watch Ultra (6)

Apple Watch Ultra (6)

Apple Watch Ultra (6)

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

Apple Watch Series 8 (5)

Apple Watch Ultra (6)

Apple Watch Ultra (6)