Apple Watch Ultra 2

Overview

If you already own the first Apple Watch Ultra, this is a modest update and I'd recommend skipping the Ultra 2, especially since Apple's always good at delivering feature updates to older watches through software. If you're coming from an earlier Apple Watch Series, it's more compelling because you get a completely new design, a huge screen and better battery life.

-- As reviewed by cnet

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 5 expert reviews

Excellent:

2
Good:

3
Average:

0
Bad:

0

9.4

User Score

Based on 1,353 reviews
as rated by users

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Last revision on July 10, 2024

Reviewers Liked

Minor Siri and screen brightness improvements
64GB storage means more space for music and apps
WatchOS 10 brings great new cycling and hiking features
Helpful haptic features
Double-tap gesture is great

Reviewers Didn't Like

Need iPhone 15 for Precision Finding
No offline maps without the phone
Battery life still nowhere near industry standard for sports watches

Competitors and Related Products

Our editors hand-pick related products using a variety of criteria: direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.

Expert reviews and ratings

With so few user-perceptible upgrades over the original, it isn’t worth upgrading to the Ultra 2. However, for everyone else, it’s a phenomenal smartwatch with very decent battery life.

By TechAdvisor on November 30, 2023

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 strikes a great balance between powerful outdoor features and being an excellent smartwatch companion. It’s also just an Apple Watch power user’s dream, and offers all the latest gesture features, a gorgeous titanium build and, finally, an end to battery anxiety. For true adventurers and athletes Garmin still rules, but the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a top pick for everyone else.

By TrustedReviews on October 03, 2023

Apple did not make these watches for folks looking to upgrade. It made them for people who don’t have an Apple Watch already. And it’s still true that the majority of people buying Apple Watches each year are new to the platform. For those folks, these are the latest and greatest. Well, until next year.

By The Verge on September 20, 2023

The Watch Ultra 2's codependency with the iPhone skews the wearable's value proposition a bit. When you’re considering whether you should buy a Garmin Epix Pro or a Watch Ultra 2, it’s not one watch versus another. It’s one ecosystem versus another, one fragmented and one integrated. Do you want to buy a Garmin Edge and an InReach Mini and a Forerunner and a regular degular smartwatch? Or just one watch and an iPhone to do all the things, all the time. I consider that this equation now balances out in favor of the Watch Ultra 2...

By Wired on September 20, 2023

By cnet on September 20, 2023

Certainly there’s something to be said for the ability to interact with the device using a single hand when you’re out on a long run. The new S9 chip also offers increased speed and efficiency, due in part to the 4-core Neural Engine, which speeds up machine learning processing. If those sorts of things are worth a couple hundred extra bucks to you, by all means, pull the trigger on the Ultra 2.

By TechCrunch on September 20, 2023

If you own an Apple Watch Ultra, it's admittedly difficult to justify spending another $800 to upgrade to the Ultra 2 — they are just too damn similar. They look the same, work basically the same and have the same battery life. And unless you upgrade to the iPhone 15, you're not going to get Precision Finding, which is in my opinion the coolest new feature of Apple's two newest smartwatches, the Series 9 and Ultra 2.

By GearPatrol on September 20, 2023

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Overview

Pros & Cons

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Price: $779

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User Score

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Competitors and Related Products

Apple Watch Series 9

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Garmin Enduro

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

Garmin Fenix 7

Google Pixel Watch

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic

Expert reviews and ratings