Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review: The Ultimate Smartwatch for Adventurers

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review: The Ultimate Smartwatch for Adventurers. In 2024, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 made its debut, offering significant upgrades from its predecessor while keeping the rugged charm and features that make it the ultimate smartwatch for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts. With a starting price of $799, the Ultra 2 is as premium as ever, boasting a black titanium option, a more durable design, and a host of new features powered by watchOS 11. Let’s dive into a comprehensive review of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, its features, design, battery life, and more.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review: The Ultimate Smartwatch for Adventurers.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 stands out with a new black titanium finish, offering a sleeker look while maintaining the ruggedness that made its predecessor popular among outdoor adventurers. Priced at $799, it is significantly more expensive than the Apple Watch Series 10 ($399) but brings features such as water resistance up to 330 feet, a depth gauge for divers, and a stunning 3,000-nit display for better visibility under harsh sunlight. Whether you're diving, hiking, or simply navigating your everyday life, the Ultra 2 is engineered to be your ultimate companion.

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Design and Build Quality

The Ultra 2 comes in a 49mm case made of either natural or black titanium, with a matte finish that adds to its sleek, durable look. The design remains largely unchanged from its predecessor, featuring the same three-button configuration and customizable Action Button on the left side. The digital crown and right-side button are more tactile, making it easier to operate the watch while wearing gloves — a crucial feature for outdoor adventures.

At 1,185 square mm, the Ultra 2 offers a slightly smaller display area than the Apple Watch Series 10 (1,220 square mm), but it’s still the largest and most rugged Apple Watch available. The Ultra 2 is also equipped with MIL-STD 810H certification, ensuring it can survive extreme environmental stressors like high altitude, freezing temperatures, and blowing sand.

Black Titanium Option

The addition of the black titanium case is a significant aesthetic upgrade, offering a modern and stylish alternative to the natural titanium. The black titanium is not a deep, true black but rather a very dark gray, providing a more refined look while maintaining the ruggedness of the watch.

Display: Brighter Than Ever

The Ultra 2's 3,000-nit display is the brightest display Apple has ever put on a smartwatch, offering a 50% increase in brightness compared to the original Ultra. This brightness makes the display much easier to read in bright sunlight, making it ideal for outdoor adventures like hiking or running.

Even though the brightness has been significantly increased, the Ultra 2 manages to maintain excellent battery efficiency thanks to the S9 chip. The display automatically adjusts its brightness depending on the ambient light, helping to conserve battery life.

Flashlight Mode

One particularly useful feature of the Ultra 2 is the enhanced flashlight mode, which can double its brightness when you rotate the digital crown. This can be a lifesaver during nighttime excursions, offering an extra boost of light when needed.

WatchOS 11 Features

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 runs on watchOS 11, which brings new features and apps designed for adventurers and fitness enthusiasts. Key apps like Tides allow you to monitor the ocean conditions, making it easier to plan for water sports or a day of diving. Additionally, the Training Load insights provide detailed feedback on your fitness routine, helping you push your limits without overexerting yourself.

Sleep Apnea Notifications

One of the standout features of watchOS 11 is the sleep apnea notifications, a FDA-cleared feature that alerts you if there are signs of sleep apnea. This can be a game-changer for users who want to monitor their health more closely.

Performance and S9 Chip

Under the hood, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is powered by the S9 System in Package (SiP) chip, the same one found in the Series 9. This ensures fast performance, better energy efficiency, and an overall smooth user experience. The Ultra 2 excels at multitasking, allowing users to switch between apps effortlessly, track health metrics in real-time, and even handle dual-frequency GPS navigation without any lag.

No Blood Oxygen Measurements in the US

One downside to the Ultra 2 is the lack of blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurements in US models due to an ongoing patent dispute. While this feature is still available in international markets, US users will find it disabled on the Ultra 2, Series 10, and Series 9 models sold after January 2024.

Battery Life: More Power, No Compromises

The Ultra 2 impresses with 55 hours of battery life on a full charge, even with the always-on display enabled. This is nearly a full day longer than the Apple Watch Series 10. With Low Power Mode, the battery life can be extended to an impressive 72 hours. This feature reduces the display brightness and disables some background processes, making it perfect for long adventures where charging might not be possible.

For users engaging in GPS-intensive activities, the battery lasts for about 12 hours without battery-saving measures, and up to 35 hours with Low Power Mode and fewer GPS and heart rate readings.

Health and Fitness Tracking

As expected, the Ultra 2 delivers excellent health and fitness tracking capabilities. From heart rate monitoring to advanced metrics like VO2 Max and ECG, the Ultra 2 is packed with tools to help users keep tabs on their overall wellness. The Training Load insights are particularly helpful for athletes, offering recommendations on how to balance training and recovery for optimal performance.

The Ultra 2 also features FDA-cleared sleep apnea notifications, which can alert you to irregularities in your breathing during sleep.

Water Resistance and Scuba Diving Features

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is designed for water sports and scuba diving, offering WR100 water resistance and EN13319 certification for diving up to 130 feet. The built-in depth gauge is particularly useful for divers, displaying real-time data about your depth, underwater time, and water temperature.

The watchOS Oceanic+ app further enhances the diving experience with custom algorithms for target depth, max dive time, and surface intervals.

Testing in Real Conditions

During my tests, I took the Ultra 2 for a few dives in the Gulf of Mexico. The Depth app worked flawlessly, providing detailed logs of my dives, including the maximum depth, total underwater time, and water temperature. This data is also available in the Fitness app on your iPhone, offering a permanent record of your underwater adventures.

Environmental and Sustainability Focus

Apple has made significant strides in sustainability with the Ultra 2. The case is made from 95% recycled titanium, making it more environmentally friendly than the original Ultra. Additionally, both the natural and black titanium models are carbon-neutral when paired with specific bands like the Alpine Loop or Trail Loop.

Comparison: Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs. Series 10

While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is packed with features, it may not be the right choice for everyone. The Apple Watch Series 10 offers a similar user experience at half the price ($399), with a slightly larger screen and almost identical performance, thanks to its S10 SiP chip. However, the Ultra 2 is the better choice for users who need the added durability, water resistance, and battery life.

Pricing and Band Options

The Ultra 2 is priced at $799, with the Titanium Milanese Loop available for an additional $100. Apple offers a wide range of bands, including the Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band. For those who engage in water sports or high-speed activities, the Ocean Band is a great option, though it is not carbon-neutral.