Review

Apple Watch Ultra 2: When Watches Stop Being Just Watches

A personal experience with the latest smartwatch pioneer

When Apple unveiled its Apple Watch Ultra last year, it was like throwing a rock into a calm lake where Garmin and other outdoor watch manufacturers had been swimming blithely until then. The model, primarily aimed at athletes, quickly won the hearts of even those who only know extreme sports from the TV screen. And no wonder. The Apple Watch Ultra outperforms its predecessors in many ways, especially in battery life, which lasts just one day on the base models. Now comes the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which follows in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, and at first glance, it doesn’t look any different.

Most of the innovation is hidden inside in the form of advanced hardware, something the average user can’t spot at first glance. This begs the question of how much of a leap forward the Apple Watch Ultra 2 represents over its predecessor and who should consider getting one. For owners of last year’s model, Apple may not have provided enticing enough reasons to upgrade. However, if you own an older version of the Apple Watch or are just considering buying one, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 brings many improvements that may appeal to you.

When Luxury Meets Durability

Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the most luxurious watch in Apple’s catalogue, and its premium craftsmanship reflects this. Made from titanium, this watch hides all the key components under its durable surface, including a display protected by sapphire crystal. Its water resistance to 100 metres and meeting MIL-STD 810H military standards are testaments to its incredible robustness.

While it may seem like an exaggeration, you can have a really rough adventure with this watch and it will last. Of course, extreme violence can damage them, but that falls into the category of emergencies. In terms of design and materials, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 stays true to its predecessor at first glance, which means you can’t tell the difference between generations without close examination.

From my perspective, the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s design has two dimensions. On the one hand, I admire them for their precision craftsmanship and functionality. A close examination reveals thoughtful features like the protected display edges, the specially shaped crown, or the sophisticated antenna system for better signal reception.

However, the outdoor design also has some drawbacks. The higher profile and sharp edges can cause the watch to catch on clothing. Another minus is that Apple only offers one case size, which seems odd in an age where gender balance is emphasized, especially when there is no smaller option for women’s wrists. Although the watch has a sleep tracking feature, its rugged design may be less comfortable when worn at night than the classic Apple Watch models.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 display: beats MacBook Pro in Clarity

Dimensionally, the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s display stays true to its predecessor, offering the same 410 x 502-pixel resolution for superior sharpness and image quality. What impresses, however, is the significant increase in maximum brightness, which now reaches up to 3,000 nits. That’s double what the MacBook Pro’s Liquid Retina XDR display can offer. While this brightness may seem unnecessary in typical climates, it is invaluable in extremely harsh sunlight conditions.

Features such as Always-On Display and Night Mode, which turn red when inactive for more gentle illumination in the dark, are retained from the previous generation, giving users continuity of use and eye protection.

S9 chip: the revolutionary heart of Apple Watch Ultra 2

Technology insiders will have noticed that processor development on the Apple Watch has long been stagnant, except for cosmetic changes and minor updates. However, with the arrival of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the tables are turning. Inside, this watch beats a new S9 chip that boasts 5.6 billion transistors.

Compared to the previous S8 model, the S9 offers a 60% increase in performance, which means a faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine. This leap forward translates into increased speed and smoothness of operations, including faster Siri response and more efficient data processing in the Home app. Apple Watch Ultra 2 delivers performance beyond the ordinary, making it an investment in the future.

Internal memory capacity has also doubled to 64GB, expanding users’ options. The UWB chip has also been improved, allowing for more accurate localisation of iPhones, similar to AirTag searches.

Thanks to the new chip’s advanced manufacturing process, Apple Watch Ultra 2 achieves better performance and energy efficiency. In power-saving mode, the watch can last up to 72 hours, 12 hours longer than the previous generation, representing a significant shift in battery life.

Revolution in Control: the Double Tap Gesture

Thanks to the more powerful processor in Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple has added an innovative feature — the Double Tap gesture — that lets you control your watch with just a tap of your fingers. This innovation lets you take calls, answer messages, pause music or stop the timer easily, all with one hand.

Speaking from personal experience, this gesture will become an invaluable tool, especially when you’re busy — literally, carrying groceries, or figuratively, trying to keep everything under control.

Although the gesture’s uses are limited to a few basic actions, its potential is unquestionable. The only thing I miss is its application during sporting activities, where it could add another dimension of convenience.

The Double Tap gesture has proven reliable in most cases, although it can occasionally be activated unintentionally, for example, when typing on the keyboard. It is important to mention that you can use any finger to activate this gesture, which adds to its versatility and ease of use.

Battery life: a key attraction of the Apple Watch Ultra 2

Before the arrival of the Apple Watch Ultra, the main criticism against Apple’s watches was focused on their limited battery life, usually only lasting a day. I’ve never joined these critics, as I’ve started charging my watch every night. However, I must admit that taking the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on a weekend trip to the outdoors and leaving the charger at home brings some convenience.

When I continuously wore the watch and usedit for sleep monitoring, I achieved a maximum of three days of use without recharging. It’s important to note that I had the Always-on display feature turned off.

With this feature active, the charging interval was reduced to about two days, depending on how heavily I use the watch. Sports activity measurements also greatly affect battery life, so if you play sports regularly, you can expect to need a charger after three days — all with Always-on mode turned off and no sleep tracking.

Competing watches offer longer battery life. Still, it’s important to remember that the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a miniature computer that can operate independently of an iPhone. From that perspective, the ability to last 3 to 4 days without charging is a decent result.

Verdict: Who is the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for?

If you already own the previous model, an upgrade may be optional. But if you’re considering upgrading from the classic Apple Watch or looking for your first smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers a combination of durability, performance, and style that’s hard to beat. And don’t forget, for the ultimate experience, check out our wide range of Apple Watch accessories to take your new watch one step further.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 isn’t just another watch. It’s proof that great power can be found even in a small package.

If you look at the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with a sober eye, the switch doesn’t make much sense if you have the previous model. The intergenerational changes are scarce here. Almost everything revolves solely around the new S9 chip, which is more powerful on paper. Still, due to the excellent optimisation of watchOS 10, you don’t have a chance to notice much of a difference. When you choose an Apple Watch Ultra 2 with an Alpine or Trail strap, it may at least warm your heart to know that you’ll be wearing a carbon-neutral product. While that’s commendable, it does not affect the user experience.

The brighter display and the tap gesture are more incremental improvements, which are fine, but nothing should make you switch from the original model. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is only worthwhile if you want to switch from the classic Apple Watch. In that scenario, you get a superbly crafted watch that’s very hard to fault for anything. Thanks to the oversized hardware, you get a product that will remain relevant for at least another three years. In terms of features, you get practically everything you can think of.

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