I’ve been using the Apple Ultra 2 for all my runs, and this is what I think so far...
The original Apple Ultra launched about a year ago to great fanfare: this rugged, hefty newcomer on the Apple Watch market was the beast that was going to beat the rest. Firmly ensconced in the Apple ecosystem, the Ultra boasted an impressive battery life and access to the sort of functionality that would appeal to athletes across the board. All of that, and it looked pretty cool too.
All that said, there were a few issues we found with it – namely, the cost and that battery life which, while markedly better than the series 8, didn’t bring it in line with the best running watches we’ve tested.
So I was super excited to try this upgrade – the Apple Ultra 2 – which promised a whole heap of fun new additions.
First impressions
Fresh out of the box, the biggest shocker is that it looks exactly the same – all the upgrades are under the bonnet, so don’t expect any radical design differences here.
Promised new bits from Apple are: a brighter screen (3000 nits, fact fans), access to new metrics by way of measured vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and stride length. All of this is great, and something that, unless you have a very high end running watch, you won’t have access to unless you’re wearing a wearable tracker on your shoes or chest.
The new Apple Ultra 2 compared to the original Apple Ultra
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New tech
So I loved all that, cos I’m a stats nerd, obviously. But the thing that I really loved was the ability to create a custom workout – this was almost the first thing I did with it, with a little help from the bods at Apple when I tried this out to begin with. While we were together, we created a workout from within the watch, which was really simple to do, that included intervals of work and recovery. Within those intervals, you can also set alerts to specific parts of your workout – like HR zones. Imagine how helpful that’s going to be when you’re doing those long, easy runs for marathon training and need to stay in zone 2, for instance? No constant watch checking! Even better, this all links to AirPods too, so you don’t need to look at your watch face once if you’re wearing them, as you’ll be alerted audibly.
And then there was the track thing – this is fab for runners who use track for training sessions on a regular basis, as the Ultra 2 automatically detects when you’re on a track, and will provide measurements based on that. And not only that, it can even detect which lane you’re running in. Bit of a mic drop, that, to be honest.
I also liked another feature it has, where after a couple of runs it detects if you’re running that regular route again and, if you so want, it can pit you against your previous self for a bit of solitary competition.
It links to Apple Fitness+ too – and while this is a subscription feature, it’s one that’s worth considering if you’ve already forked out for this and are currently paying for a third-party fitness app, either for running or for fitness, as you might find that Apple’s version could offer all of these bits in one place, with HIIT, yoga, strength training, cycling and meditation to enjoy all from your wrist.
Is it worth it?
But do I like it? Would I buy it? Look – the full review is coming asap, promise. But until I’m there, these are my thoughts. It looks gorgeous, but it’s a titchy bit disappointing there isn’t a facelift from last year. That said, I love the new stats, and the improved GPS is immediately impressive. My reservation is that battery life, which hasn’t greatly improved over the first version. That said, if you’re an Apple bod, you’ll be used to nightly charging in any case, so you guys won’t care about that. Multi-stage ultra runners won’t be flocking any time soon, I guess, but stylish marathoners might want to take a second look… More to come!
