Verdict
The Apple Watch Ultra is a big smartwatch that take everything you get from the Series 8 and gives it a intention and feature set update and greater battery biography to make it a much well familiar on boost and long runs as well as for more extreme enjoyment in the watery profundity .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Apple Watch Ultra is a smartwatch that Apple hopes will invoke to explorer , Internet Explorer , endurance athletes and to anyone who bonk the Apple Watch but wishes it was better suit to more rugged use .
Sitting above theApple Watch Series 8andApple Watch SE , the Ultra return the biggest display ever on an Apple Watch , a design that you may go diving with and a battery that does n’t require nightly charge .
The update design and the regalia of more outdoor - favorable feature come at a pretty steep Mary Leontyne Price , however , with the Ultra costing twice as much as the Series 8 .
So does Apple rescue the goods to justify that price jump ?
Design and Screen
pattern - wise , the Ultra still channels that Apple Watch search the reality is already very conversant with . But here , Apple has yield it a bragging typesetter’s case and a new set of shoulder strap pick and bolster things in the strong-arm controls department .
You ’ve now buzz off a 49 mm case , which is a large jump from the 41 mm and 45 mm options of Series 8 . There ’s a atomic number 22 case as opposed to the choice of aluminium or stainless steel you get on Apple ’s meretricious watches . Meanwhile , the removable watch strap is in reality compatible with straps that work with the 45 mm and 44 mm Apple Watches .
That said , it ’s a importantly bigger vigil to live with . If you really like the smaller size of previous sentinel , you might have a harder time getting on with just how much bigger the Ultra is .
gratefully , that extra volume does n’t entail it ’s heavy : the Ultra weighs 61.3 grand , which is about double the weight of even Apple Watches . I put on it for a battle of Marathon , long swims and hike , and that additional weight was n’t a major subject for me . The move to titanium seems to have done the magic trick – it ’s a firm metal that will still keep down the overall weighting .
What that larger case also have you is a bigger showing . It ’s an always - on Retina one , so it jibe the display tech found on the Series 8 , but you ’re start out a superior 410×502 - pixel resolution and more screenland estate of the realm to play with .
It ’s not just the bump up in resolution that ’s a big deal here . You ’re bring forth a screen door that offers a maximal brightness of 2,000nits , which is a major help in terms of bring home the bacon the form of profile you ’ll need in intense outside light . This is n’t a display that fight in typically challenging outdoor condition .
If you look around the screen , you ’ll notice that the case surround it has a different feel to the Apple Watches you know . There ’s that side button and larger sentry crown , but it sit further aside from the case . On the left - hand side , you have the twofold speaker unit band - up , with the primary one on top designed to give call caliber a cost increase and the one further down being a new siren speaker system , which , in an pinch , can let loose a siren sound that can be heard from 600 ft . I can sustain it ’s flashy .
The large addition here is the Action button – the first fresh forcible button Apple has introduced in its Watch series . This clitoris is orange to make it more visible , harmonise to Apple , and can be ascribe feature like quickly starting a workout , get to the novel Compass app , turn on the flashlight and set in motion the new Backtrack navigation feature . While it ’s great to have another forcible clit , take a crap the Ultra find more like other outdoor watches , it can be rather well-to-do to press by chance , which can be a nuisance at time . Thankfully , you’re able to incapacitate it in the Watch preferences on your iPhone , but it ’s perchance a bit too tender if you do want to have it activated .
Unlike its other watches , Apple has sought to make the Ultra a more rugged affair . It has done that by getting the watch tested to military - gradeMIL - STD-810Hstandard , to easily protect it against cushion and use in high and low temperatures , high altitudes and freezing experimental condition . This watch has a stronger water resistance certification that cause it suitable for being submerged in pee to a maximum of 100 m. There ’s also the add EN13319 credentials , making it safe for recreational diving to a maximum of 40 m.
There are other new elements in the design , such as better security around the display sharpness and , also , the utilisation of sapphire - front crystal to guard against scratches . While the Ultra does n’t bet like a watch that ’s built for rugged use , I did n’t see any worrying signs of wear or damage in my few months of examine it .
last , have ’s get into the business of straps . Apple has become far-famed for making very good straps for its smartwatches . For the Ultra , the brand sought to make a new readiness that complements the ways in which the vigil can be put to tougher use . The orange Alpine Loop strap seems to be target at tramp . The nylon Trail Loop is the weak strap , establish for ball carrier and survival athlete , while the Ocean Band – surprise , surprisal – is plan for use in the water .
For something that Apple has done such a great line with , I ca n’t help thinking these new straps are n’t the full ones I ’ve used on an Apple Watch . The Trail Loop does n’t feel like the nice nylon strap , and the Alpine loop also has an left over feel to it . I ended up using the Ocean Band the most , as it offered a authentic burst – although it does feature quite an odd hold set - up .
The cardinal takeaway from the Apple Watch Ultra is that it ’s bigger but does n’t count heavy on the wrist . You get a lovely , gravid and bright display and an extra button that ’s a welcome but far from a revolutionary add-on in sports vigil terms . You ’re getting a mixed udder with the straps too , but largely , the design mold . It just take some purification in place .
Features and performance
The Apple Watch Ultra , like the Series 8 and SE watches , runs on the same three-fold - core S8 processor and also include the same W3 and U1 chip as the Series 8 .
Apple ’s latest version of watchOS is in place , so you could expect a software experience that feel familiar and also has that customary zip we ’ve come to have intercourse on Apple ’s smartwatches . filch through screens , opening apps , getting apps onto the sentinel – it ’s all very slick patronage on the Ultra .
The same companion apps are needed on your iPhone : the main Watch one and the Fitness app to insure in on your tracking stats . If you make use of Apple Health , it will of form work with that as well .
The experience of using the Ultra as a smartwatch feel as dear as it does using other Apple Watches – it ’s the best out there in terms of intuitiveness , ease of set it all up and quickly getting to know what this wearable is capable of .
Features , such as viewing and handling notifications , using Apple Pay , and exploit into music support for services like Apple Music and Spotify , experience effortless to use and forge really well . There ’s Siri , if you desire it to send messages or make interrogation via voice commands , and LTE connectivity is standard too . Apple ’s throng on three microphones and that big primary verbalizer , so it ’s well equipt to address voice control and extend a tatty utterer set - up when you require to make do with calls on the move .
You still have arguably the near app ecosystem in place to bolster just what the Ultra is capable of . The experience of searching and downloading apps like a shot from the watch palpate nicer to do on that bigger projection screen as well . Of course , doing this on your speech sound is even easier , but at long last , apps are in position and ready to use in a quick mode .
Fitness and health tracking
Now , I ’ll get into the nitty - gritty of why the Apple Watch Ultra exists , which is mainly for multitude who like the Apple Watch but want it to well handle more extreme physical exercise and activity clock time .
For runners , the big lineament here you do n’t get on other Apple Watches is dual - frequency GPS , which will also appeal to cyclists . It works via L1 and L5 relative frequency GPS band , along with Apple ’s new custom algorithms , to deliver more exact positioning data in areas where truth can be gainsay – think densely wooded areas or a metropolis with tall buildings . Fortunately , I had the chance to test this out at the Chicago Marathon , which is renowned for some of the most challenging GPS trailing term due to the issue of tall buildings .
I put it to the run against the very accurate multiband musical mode on theGarmin Epix 2and compared it with data from my timing chip . While the Ultra ’s tracking functioning was n’t spic-and-span , it really handle those conditions more reliably than theGarmin observe . In a poor 10k race in Loch Ness , the Ultra equalise the Epix for data point . Despite the left over bit of pacing data , I ’d say this is one of thebest - performing GPS watchesI’ve test .
forth from turn tail , you have features build for hikers , too – namely the newfangled Compass app and Backtrack way that can be access from the raw Action button . With the Compass app , you have the selection of three views , flux digital and analogue displays to aid you get a better estimate of your surroundings . There ’s an orienteering view , where you’re able to see any set grasp waypoints that can be done from the Action button . It ’s also where you ’ll find the Backtrack feature of speech , which earmark you to retrace your steps to your starting percentage point – as long as you localise up the precise location trailing modal value on the sentinel first .
The tramp experience is dependable but by no means perfect , and this is in spades an expanse where the Ultra could improve . Using the Compass app is okay for understanding whether you ’re lead in the right direction , but it really need some rich mapping to go with it to give you a sense of what ’s around you . The only way to get that type of mapping in this mode is by using a third - party app instead . Apps like Komoot and WorkOutDoors can give you that , but you ’ll want to give for them . It ’s a similar story with the navigation lineament : it ’s swell to have Backtrack , but you may get a better navigation experience with watches that cost less than the Ultra .
Another important lineament for the Ultra is the fact that it ’s suitable for dive and the form of watersports that previous Apple Watches just were n’t been build for . Along with the amend protection and lastingness for activities like kitesurfing and wakeboarding , the Ultra can also behave as a dive computer . It includes a profundity gauge and water temperature sensing element . A young deepness app springs into action when the watch is submerged to a depth of 1 K or more . The watch can send out warning signal about water depth and modest battery , while the new Oceanic+ app change by reversal it into a dive computer and also permit you to plan future amateur dives .
Outside of those features aimed at ball carrier , explorers and divers , pretty much everything you get on the Series 8 is here as well : the new smash detection mode , ECGapp , stemma oxygen trailing , and the same bully activity tracking with some slowly amend native sleep - tracking support . However , the Ultra is a noticeably bigger lookout to take to bed . You still get optical affection charge per unit monitoring , but unlike Apple ’s other recent watches , base on my testing , it ’s a bit more susceptible to deliver unusually high-pitched maximum heart rate readings during practice , when compared with a chest strap monitor .
There ’s certainly more honest than not - so - good here . Apple has area to work on to make this a better outdoor smartwatch , but the core sports and fitness tracking experience is very strong and give the brand something to build on . I trust the improvements will take the form of future watchOS software package updates rather than having to wait for new ironware .
Battery life
The Apple Watch Ultra last longer than previous Apple Watches , and that ’s a fact . Whether you set that silver screen to always - on or not , this watch can last a couplet of days even with some of the more power - hungry features in use .
To force thing a mo further , Apple also includes additional lowly power stage setting , one of which will help check that you get to the goal of the day by rick off features like irregular nub rate notification and the always - on display modality . The other is an arguably more useful low-down exponent mode , which establish you 60 hours of normal role . But that style will tighten the sample distribution of eye rate andGPSdata during workout tracking .
But I can confirm that the Ultra performs well in that tracking style . It well lasted a three - hour - and-30 - moment marathon , drop just under 20 % when used in the most accurate GPS mode and with tenderness rate monitoring enable .
The charging stage set - up has n’t modify : Apple use the same stylus cradle as with smaller watches , with a USB - C fast - charging magnetic cable letting an hour - long charge get you from zero to 80 % and a 1.5 - hour heraldic bearing get you from zero to 100 % .
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Should you buy it?
The Ultra lasts longer than premature Apple Watches even when it ’s put to more uttermost use , and it has a self-aggrandizing , bright screen to boot .
While Apple ’s first travail at extreme mutant is a good one , Garmin reigns supreme for feature of speech like chromosome mapping and navigation , if that ’s something you ’re bet for in an outdoor watch .
Final Thoughts
The Apple Watch Ultra might not be the perfect smartwatch for adventurers and endurance sports lovers just yet , but it will ferment well for serious runners and water sports lovers than any otherApple sentry models .
Apple ’s watchOS computer software stay on slick , sport tracking is solid overall – with arguably thebest smartwatchapp ecosystem to satisfy in the gaps in the experience . Plus , you ’ve got more battery life-time to work with : this watch will last a marathon with battery to spare .
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How we test
We good test every fitness tracker we reexamine . We use industry standard examination to compare characteristic properly and we expend the watch as our main gimmick over the revaluation period . We ’ll always tell you what we find and we never , ever , accept money to look back a product .
FAQs
The Apple Watch Ultra carries aWR100water resistance rating and an EN13319 certification , helping to make it worthy for amateur dive to a uttermost of 40 m.
Yes , you may pair external heart rate monitors with the Apple Watch Ultra as Health Devices in the Bluetooth options on the Watch .
