Apple Watch Ultra review

Cupertino introduced the first Apple Watch in 2014, which ushered in a new era of smart watches. Before that, similar devices had been difficult to use. The Apple Watch “Series 0” was described as beautiful, but in terms of functionality, the comments were not the most flattering. Because of their integration with the iPhone and familiar software design, they just worked.

Although future versions of watchOS have added many new features and slightly larger displays, the first Apple Watch looks the same as those offered today. That was until the Apple Watch Ultra was introduced. The Apple Watch Ultra is rumoured to be called the Apple Watch Pro, and is unlike any wearable device Apple has ever released.

With its rugged design and added features, the new product aims to compete with endurance devices from the likes of Garmin, Polar, Coros and Suunto. Still, having tested the Apple Watch Ultra for a few weeks, something controversial is noticeable, namely that it doesn’t seem as exclusive as you might have thought in Apple’s initial video presentation.

Despite the flaws, they’re still favoured by 99% of the world’s apple fans who don’t dive into the ocean, climb mountains or do anything else that avid athletes and other adventurers regularly do.

A brief profile

A few weeks before the Apple Watch Ultra was unveiled, there were rumours that Apple would price the model at $1,000 or slightly more. The sum ended up being $799. So while the Apple Watch Ultra is not a budget device, it is much cheaper than most users expected.

All the Apple Watch Ultra models on the market are the same and feature a 49mm display. However, you can choose the strap (and in some cases the strap size) that comes with your purchase. This choice determines when you receive your purchase, with some bands being more popular than others.

The Apple Watch Ultra has an exclusive aerospace grade titanium case, durable and extremely lightweight. It’s also the first smartwatch from the company with raised edges, which protect the flat sapphire front glass from edge-to-edge impact. These edges take some getting used to, as does the rectangular shape and larger size of the watch. This combination means the watch doesn’t sit flat on the wrist.

The 49mm dial measures 410 by 502 pixels, almost 27% more screen area than the Apple Watch SE. The bezels around the display are slightly wider than the Apple Watch Series 8. The display itself offers impressive performance. It offers 2,000 nits of brightness, compared to 1,000 nits on the Apple Watch Series 8. This level of brightness makes the display easier to read in direct sunlight.

Additional features

Impressive is the Always-On technology that makes the display easy to read regardless of conditions. The Apple Watch Ultra is IP6X certified dustproof and has been successfully tested in the following subsections:

• altitude;
• high temperature;
• low temperature;
• temperature shock;
• immersion in water;
• freezing/thawing;
• shock and vibration.

The watch weighs 61.3 grams. The Apple Watch Ultra also supports an 86 decibel siren function, accurate dual-frequency (L1 and L5) GPS, depth gauge and water temperature sensor, dive computer app, two speakers and an array of three beamforming microphones.