4th May, 2024: Auckland, New Zealand. Blog posted by @davidlim
Apple in September 2023 introduced the second-generation Apple Watch Ultra, a follow-up to the original Apple Watch Ultra that came out in September 2022.
The general level of GPS accuracy of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 errs towards excellent but is let down in precisely the circumstances where dual-frequency reception is supposed to give accuracy – nearby tall buildings and valleys.
What is different between Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2?
Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Apple Watch Ultra: What's new and ...
A new processor, an improved ultra-wideband chip, double the storage and a brighter screen — that's what the differences between the Ultra and Ultra 2 distill down to.
There's no ignoring that the Ultra 2 is a large watch. Coupled with the chunkier digital crown and flat display, it stands out a lot more than the Series 9. My wrist measures 152mm and even though the Ultra 2 looks hefty, it's surprisingly comfortable on a small wrist and I wear it all the time.
Designed for every kind of outdoor adventure in and out of the water, Apple Watch is perfect for hiking, biking, running, swimming, surfing, and those occasional water balloon fights. And with Apple Watch Ultra 2, you can snorkel, scuba dive, and freedive down to 40 meters.
Does Ultra 2 have ECG?
Sensors: Electrical heart sensor and ECG app. Third-generation optical heart sensor. High and low heart rate notifications.
Why does the Ultra 2 turn red?
Apple Watch Ultra, built for the outdoors - Apple Support
To help preserve your night vision, the Modular Ultra and Wayfinder watch faces can automatically turn red after dark. Touch and hold either watch face, tap Edit, swipe to Night Mode, then choose Auto.
What cool things can the Apple Watch Ultra do?
Your Apple Watch Ultra - Apple Support
Activity. Track daily activity with Apple Watch Ultra. Share activity.
Alarms.
Audiobooks. Add audiobooks. Play audiobooks.
Blood Oxygen.
Calculator.
Calendar.
Camera Remote.
Compass. Compass. View and add compass waypoints on Apple Watch Ultra. Use Backtrack to retrace your steps on Apple Watch Ultra.
Can you sleep with an Apple Watch Ultra 2?
With the Sleep app on Apple Watch Ultra, you can create sleep schedules to help you meet your sleep goals. Wear your watch to bed, and Apple Watch Ultra can estimate the time you spent in each sleep stage—REM, Core, and Deep—as well as when you might have woken up.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review
This watch excels in accuracy, connectivity, and user-friendliness, though it's a modest upgrade over the first generation
Our Verdict
The Apple Ultra Watch 2 is our go-to recommendation for fitness enthusiasts seeking prolonged battery life and robust connectivity features in an Apple Watch. It's elevated by the user-friendly Apple Health app, which efficiently organizes exercise, sleep, and daily heart rate data. The watch's stylish design complements its vibrant display and a sizable 49mm case. However, the latest iteration offers minimal advancements, making an upgrade from an Apple Watch Ultra 1 largely unnecessary. Despite Apple's emphasis on ruggedness, its core strength continues to be in its smartwatch capabilities. Compare it to other top watches in our lineup of the best GPS watches.
The Apple Ultra Watch 2 continues to be the best smartwatch for athletes and those looking for longer battery runtimes in an Apple watch. If you appreciate connectivity and phone-like features on your wrist, we continue to recommend this model. Apple's Health app is also our favorite for viewing data and metrics associated with our runs, sleep, and daily HR tracking. We think it offers the cleanest design without feeling cluttered like the competition. The physical design is elegant and premium, offering a super bright display and 49mm case size. This updated model has little to offer over the previous version right now, but we expect this hardware to be more utilized in the future. We would not recommend upgrading if you already have a first gen Apple Watch Ultra.
While this is a great watch, it's not for everyone. Our priority in a GPS watch is battery tracking and on-screen data viewing while performing activities — both areas where the Ultra 2 falls flat. For less serious athletes, these qualms are likely overly critical, but we find this watch is often distracting and overly featured. Luckily, you can customize it to minimize features and distractions, but that would make us question purchasing this watch style in the first place. Apple's marketing emphasizes its rugged capabilities, but at the end of the day, it's an Apple Watch, and smartwatch features continue to be its strong suit.
Performance Comparison
Features
Receiving the highest rating for its feature set, there is little offered on the GPS watch market that you don't have access to with the Ultra 2. With an extensive set of both native and third-party apps, you can customize your experience to your liking. It's these features that make it possible to leave your phone behind, especially if you pay for a cellular data connection that will keep you connected. Regardless of your data connection, you can still access features like Apple Pay, downloadable music, SOS, and maps. The main change for this model over the first iteration is its updated chipset, which allows for new features like precision watch finding, on-device Siri, and a double tap gesture that activates the main function of any app you are in.
Red mode was previously one of our favorite additions to this watch, and now it automatically adjusts to changing light conditions. Recently, flashlights have been making their way onto GPS watches, which have quickly become one of our favorite features. While the Ultra 2 doesn't have an actual flashlight, the screen gets super bright and is the best screen-style flashlight we've tested, thanks to its peak 3000-nit brightness.
As mountain athletes, our feature priority continues to be based on the functionality of activity tracking. The Ultra 2, in our opinion, falls flat in technical terrain, with the greatest oversight being the lack of a descent elevation data field. We also prefer data fields that adjust based on the amount of available screen real estate. If you have a data screen with one field, that data should be oversized to fit the additional room, but the Ultra 2 keeps the field the same size regardless. The mapping/compass function is one of the better on-watch options, but we'd be hard-pressed to use this over our phone, especially considering the maps lack a lot of topographic terrain detail in most locations. The Ultra 2 continues to be the best option for those who desire features and performance in urban or less technical environments. For serious athletes in technical terrain, we'd opt for something a little more tailored to that environment.
Battery Life
This metric and its importance to you should make or break your decision surrounding the Apple Watch Ultra 2. With only roughly 12 hours of GPS tracking, ultra-endurance athletes may want to look elsewhere. Luckily, you can extend the life by turning on Low Power Mode, but still expect it to be limited over the competition. Pretty much every GPS watch we've tested has increased battery performance with a new generation, but not with this Ultra 2 upgrade. Users of other GPS watches will be surprised by the amount of charging that is needed to keep this watch alive.
Other watches, even cheap ones, can last weeks without charging, whereas the Ultra 2 can't even make it two full days without low-power mode. Compared to the premium models at this price point, the battery life found on this model is almost annoyingly short, and it seemingly requires constant attention to make sure the watch isn't going to die on you. Users that have Apple Watches won't see the problem as they are accustomed to the low battery times, but if you are looking to upgrade your GPS watch and haven't used an Apple Watch before, be sure to consider this. While low power mode is an option, don't let it influence your decision-making; if you decide this watch is for you, expect to charge the watch almost every day, especially if you plan on using GPS tracking in addition to all-day health tracking.
Read the rest of the article here:
https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/gps-watch/apple-watch-ultra-2
