Editor’s note: Apple recentlyre-launched new versionsof the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 without blood oxygen tracking due to ongoing patent disputes around the feature. However, some third-party retailers still offer the older models with blood oxygen capabilities — keep an eye out for model numbers ending in “LW/A” to make sure you’re getting the original version.
It’s rare that Apple creates a quantum leap when it updates its products. You can only redefine a category so many times, like the Mac and the personal computer, or invent a new one, like the iPhone.
When Apple introduced its Apple Watch in 2015, it entered an already crowded market of fitness trackers, but its product stood out for its smooth integration with the Apple ecosystem and ease of use. It took a while for Apple to improve on that formula with the new style of the Apple Watch Ultra.
Back in January, when I reviewed it, I said it was the “best Apple Watch you can buy right now.” Today that applies to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. This is an iterative upgrade, with a few nice spec bumps and a couple of new features — and if you already have an Apple Watch Ultra, there is very little reason to upgrade.
However, if you’re looking for the best smartwatch that might inspire you to finally get more athletic while doing almost everything else, the Ultra 2 is the new ultimate smartwatch.
The second iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra is powered by the company’s lightning-fast S9 chip, which also allows for Double Tap, the newest feature available with watchOS 10.1 public beta. The Apple Watch Ultra 2’s case is also crafted from a whopping 95% recycled titanium. Other upgraded features include a brighter screen (especially outdoors), double the storage to 64GB and the ability to operate from 1,640 feet below sea level to 29,500 feet above.
What we liked about it
Design, build and the environment
The Ultra 2 is visually identical to the Ultra. Side by side, you can’t really spot the difference between them. But the Ultra 2 is part of Apple’s initiative to make the tech behemoth carbon neutral across its entire operations, including the lifecycle of all its products, by 2030. The Ultra 2 is one of Apple’s first products to do so, going from virgin titanium in last year’s Ultra case to 95% recycled titanium for the Ultra 2. It’s impressive that there seems to be no change in the already excellent build quality between the two models.
When paired with one of the new Alpine or Trail Loop bands, which are made up of more than 30% recycled materials, the Ultra 2 is already carbon neutral. Apple says 100% of the energy required to make the two bands is 100% “clean” energy. Across its product lines, Apple is also transitioning to lower-carbon ocean freight shipping and 100% fiber-based materials for the packaging of the Watch. This all adds up to what Apple says is an 81% decrease in the carbon footprint for the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with the remaining emissions — 12 kg — offset by carbon credits.
While none of this is visible from the outside — except for the carbon-neutral logo on the packaging – it’s comforting to know that a device Apple designed to help people enjoy the great outdoors is being made a little more friendly to Mother Nature.
Faster chip
The Ultra 2 and its little sibling, the Apple Watch Series 9, both offer the S9 chip, which seriously boosts the speed and processing power on the watch itself while keeping it cool and efficient. The chip has some 5.6 billion transistors — 60% more than the Apple Watch Series 8 chip — and a 30% faster graphics chip. That translates to smooth animations and one of the niftier new features, Double Tap.
This feature, available at the moment only in the watchOS 10.1 public beta that was released on Oct. 4, allows you to double-pinch your forefinger and thumb to operate your watch one-handed. It’s envisioned as an assistive aid when you have your hands full and you need to answer a call, pause or play music, but it takes some getting used to. Muscle memory is hard to shake, and I found myself instinctively using my other hand to tap “OK” to something that Double Tap would have handled more elegantly. I’m sure I’ll get used to it eventually, though.
The S9 chip also lets Siri process more requests on the watch without phoning home to the mothership. Things like setting a timer, starting a workout or controlling a smart home accessory happen lightning-fast, making Siri just a bit more useful and reliable. Apple says the new Neural Engine on the S9 makes dictation some 25% faster and uses a larger language model for more accuracy. In my testing, it certainly felt faster and more accurate, and controlling my smart home worked much better than it did with my HomePods.
Coming later this year, Apple says this improved on-device Siri processing will give you access to your health data on your watch and allow you to log changes to your health, like blood pressure, weight or medications. Apple doesn’t currently offer this capability because of privacy concerns of sending health data through online servers, so this could be a convenient way to monitor your health and activity data without pulling out your phone.
Finally, a new Ultra Wideband chip allows the precision locating of iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Pro. Apple says you will be able to get directions and distance to your phone, even if it’s in a different room. It’s a shame this feature is limited to just the new phones. The Ultra Wideband chip also integrates with HomePod Minis or 2nd generation HomePods to light up the watch face with music suggestions if you come within about 16 feet of one of the smart speakers. You can then play that music straight from the watch — but, again, this is another feature coming later this year.
Brighter screen
The Ultra 2’s screen improves on the brightness of its already excellent bright screen on the Ultra. You probably won’t notice a difference indoors because the ambient light sensors are identical. But outdoors is where the newer screen really pops, offering 3,000 nits of brightness for the Ultra 2 compared to 2,000 for the Ultra.
This brighter screen also offers a small bump to a feature many people don’t use: the flashlight. You can really see the difference in the brightness there, and with the new watchOS 10 that was released in September, you can adjust the brightness of the light by rotating the digital crown, which is a thoughtful touch.
More storage
In a surprise, Apple doubled the onboard storage of the Ultra 2 to 64GB, which means those who like to sync music, podcasts and photos to their watches can expect even more space to hold those bits of personal media.
Battery life
Battery life remains excellent … for an Apple Watch. Even with the brighter screen and more processing being done on the watch, it still gets up to 36 hours of normal use on a single charge. This is not a lot compared to some other fitness watches on the market, which are often measured in weeks rather than hours. But again, you’re getting a whole lot more watch for the money. Apple says if you turn on Low Power Mode, you can get up to 72 hours, but you lose features like Double Tap, an always-on display, finding other devices and an always-on microphone.
For endurance athletes like marathon runners and hikers, you can get up to 12 hours with GPS with no loss of functions, up to 17 hours with limited functions and up to 35 hours with much less health monitoring and GPS updating.
Miscellaneous improvements
There are several other little improvements unique to the Ultra 2, including a new modular watch face, a new compass app that will tell you where the last cellular connection was so you can make your back there if you need to call for help and an extended operating altitude range. The Ultra 2 is spec’ed to operate from 1,640 feet below sea level to 29,500 feet above, which is lower than the Dead Sea and higher than Everest. The previous model was spec’ed from sea level to 9,842 feet, so that’s a big jump. Unfortunately, the temperature range stays from -4° Fahrenheit to 130°F. It gets a lot colder than 4 below zero in large parts of the country on any given winter’s day, so that’s a bit of a disappointment.
The Maps app got an upgrade as well. It’s always been geared towards users who thrive on outdoor adventures and those navigating urban landscapes. But now you can now download maps to your phone beforehand and then access them from your watch if you’re out of cellular range on a hike. Maps also get a topographic view for several national and regional parks across the US. These maps are rolling out across the country over the fall, and there weren’t any available that I could find near the DC area, but I was able to zoom in on some parks in California — and the option to find nearby campsites, trails and trailheads popped right up, so that function is location dependent. For city slickers like me, there’s a new walking radius feature that gives a rough estimate of walking times to nearby points of interest, such as restaurants and shops.
What we didn’t like about it
It’s expensive
I would say the $799 price,but considering what you get for that —a planet-friendly titanium case, LTE cellular, sapphire glass display, and all the bells and whistles of the Apple Watch platform — it’s actually a pretty reasonable price for a high-performance sports watch. And it’s a lot smarter than other high-end sports watches on the market.
No double tap at launch
I would have liked to see the operating temperature range expanded and maybe a choice of colors, but those are minor nits to pick. My biggest beef, which will be remedied soon enough, is the practice of announcing the most tantalizing features — Siri access to health and Double Tap — and then not having them available at launch. Again, a minor annoyance and not really a ding on the watch itself, so much as Apple’s software release calendar.
Bottom line
But should you buy it? I mean, it’s the best smartwatch on the market — with a price to match. If you already have an Apple Watch Ultra, then no. There’s no real compelling reason to step up to the Ultra 2. Double Tap and the new S9 chip just aren’t enough to shell out another $800 for a watch.
But if you’re looking to upgrade from a Series 8 Apple Watch or earlier, the Ultra 2 is a big upgrade and one worth considering. The build quality is top-notch, the new features enabled by the S9 chip seem genuinely useful (when they’re finally released), it’s brighter with more storage and its earth-friendly construction might make you feel a little better about your purchase.
