Apple Watch Ultra Review: Is the $1,000 Smartwatch Worth It?

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October 14, 2022, 1:11 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

For the first time in eight years, the Apple Watch is also being offered in a completely new design–for adventurers and athletes. However, others can also benefit from the advantages of the Apple Watch Ultra.

With the new Apple Watch Ultra, the company now aims to win over athletes who want to test their limits in rugged environments. To achieve this, the designers have completely redesigned the titanium case of the new top model.

The Largest Apple Watch Yet

The Apple Watch Ultra has become more angular and bulkier–about half a centimeter longer and wider than previous models. The case grows to 49 millimeters in edge length, while the Apple Watch 8 is still available in 41-mm and 45-mm versions. It has also increased in height, by exactly 3.7 mm. On the wrist, however, it feels surprisingly compact and light. A look at the scale shows: The Ultra, at just over 61 grams, is only about 10 grams heavier than the stainless steel version of the Apple Watch 8.

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Two Nights Without a Charging Cable

The larger case also accommodates a larger battery. In tests, the Watch Ultra exceeded Apple’s stated runtime of 36 hours by another half day. In the Apple universe, these are outstanding values, especially since the display, at up to 2000 nits, is twice as bright as the Series 7 and 8 displays.

With the Ultra, you can embark on a short trip with two overnight stays without a charging cable. A new power-saving mode, which among other things deactivates the always-on display, doubles this runtime again.

However, the Ultra cannot compete with the best specialty smartwatches for athletes. For example, the Garmin Epix 2, with an always-on display, lasts six days and even 16 days with power-saving mode activated. However, the Garmin watch does not offer nearly as many features as the Apple Watch Ultra.

Unlike previous models, the display no longer seamlessly transitions into the outer case edge but is enclosed by a sturdy titanium frame. This allows the Ultra to withstand strong impacts, also because the crown and function button are protected by their own angular frame. The crown itself is larger than before, so it can be operated even with gloves.

The Apple Watch Ultra can withstand quite a bit due to its new construction. The YouTube channel “TechRax,” which specializes in the destruction of smartphones and gadgets, tested the smartwatch’s durability with a hammer, among other things. Remarkably, the display withstood several blows before ultimately shattering. Here you can see the entire video:

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Apple Watch Ultra Has a New Button

New on the left side of the case is an orange action button, which can be used to call up the stopwatch or certain training functions, for example. Unfortunately, the action button cannot be linked to arbitrary apps.

A long press on the “action button” opens a menu that allows you to make an emergency call or activate the built-in siren, among other things. The siren reaches a volume of 86 decibels, which is loud enough to alert to an emergency situation from up to 200 meters away in a quiet environment.

Not only in emergency situations does it pay off that the Apple Watch Ultra now receives GPS signals on two frequencies instead of just one. This allows for more accurate positioning not only in high mountains but also between skyscrapers or in narrow alleys.

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No Threat to Other Specialty Watches

Not only because of the better GPS reception can it be said without exaggeration that the Ultra is the best Apple Watch ever, especially because of the longer battery life. However, it will not sweep sports specialty watches from manufacturers like Pulsar and Garmin off the market. It lacks features that performance athletes swear by, such as recovery data tracking or the ability to transmit heart rate to training equipment via Bluetooth.

Whether the Apple Watch Ultra is the right smartwatch also depends on the budget. It costs 999 euros in Germany. For that, you also get cellular connectivity, which costs up to 120 euros extra on conventional Apple Watches. Thus, a current Series 8 with LTE cellular in a stainless steel case costs 899 euros. That’s not much of a difference from the price of the Ultra.

Source

Apple Support: Technical Specifications Apple Watch Ultra (accessed October 14, 2022)

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.