Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review

The Apple Ultra Watch 2 continues to be the best smartwatch for athletes and those looking for longer battery runtimes in an Apple watch. If you appreciate connectivity and phone-like features on your wrist, we continue to recommend this model. Apple's Health app is also our favorite for viewing data and metrics associated with our runs, sleep, and daily HR tracking. We think it offers the cleanest design without feeling cluttered like the competition. The physical design is elegant and premium, offering a super bright display and 49mm case size. This updated model has little to offer over the previous version right now, but we expect this hardware to be more utilized in the future. We would not recommend upgrading if you already have a first gen Apple Watch Ultra.

While this is a great watch, it's not for everyone. Our priority in a GPS watch is battery tracking and on-screen data viewing while performing activities — both areas where the Ultra 2 falls flat. For less serious athletes, these qualms are likely overly critical, but we find this watch is often distracting and overly featured. Luckily, you can customize it to minimize features and distractions, but that would make us question purchasing this watch style in the first place. Apple's marketing emphasizes its rugged capabilities, but at the end of the day, it's an Apple Watch, and smartwatch features continue to be its strong suit.

Performance Comparison

Features

Receiving the highest rating for its feature set, there is little offered on the GPS watch market that you don't have access to with the Ultra 2. With an extensive set of both native and third-party apps, you can customize your experience to your liking. It's these features that make it possible to leave your phone behind, especially if you pay for a cellular data connection that will keep you connected. Regardless of your data connection, you can still access features like Apple Pay, downloadable music, SOS, and maps. The main change for this model over the first iteration is its updated chipset, which allows for new features like precision watch finding, on-device Siri, and a double tap gesture that activates the main function of any app you are in.

Red mode was previously one of our favorite additions to this watch, and now it automatically adjusts to changing light conditions. Recently, flashlights have been making their way onto GPS watches, which have quickly become one of our favorite features. While the Ultra 2 doesn't have an actual flashlight, the screen gets super bright and is the best screen-style flashlight we've tested, thanks to its peak 3000-nit brightness.

As mountain athletes, our feature priority continues to be based on the functionality of activity tracking. The Ultra 2, in our opinion, falls flat in technical terrain, with the greatest oversight being the lack of a descent elevation data field. We also prefer data fields that adjust based on the amount of available screen real estate. If you have a data screen with one field, that data should be oversized to fit the additional room, but the Ultra 2 keeps the field the same size regardless. The mapping/compass function is one of the better on-watch options, but we'd be hard-pressed to use this over our phone, especially considering the maps lack a lot of topographic terrain detail in most locations. The Ultra 2 continues to be the best option for those who desire features and performance in urban or less technical environments. For serious athletes in technical terrain, we'd opt for something a little more tailored to that environment.

Battery Life

This metric and its importance to you should make or break your decision surrounding the Apple Watch Ultra 2. With only roughly 12 hours of GPS tracking, ultra-endurance athletes may want to look elsewhere. Luckily, you can extend the life by turning on Low Power Mode, but still expect it to be limited over the competition. Pretty much every GPS watch we've tested has increased battery performance with a new generation, but not with this Ultra 2 upgrade. Users of other GPS watches will be surprised by the amount of charging that is needed to keep this watch alive.

Other watches, even cheap ones, can last weeks without charging, whereas the Ultra 2 can't even make it two full days without low-power mode. Compared to the premium models at this price point, the battery life found on this model is almost annoyingly short, and it seemingly requires constant attention to make sure the watch isn't going to die on you. Users that have Apple Watches won't see the problem as they are accustomed to the low battery times, but if you are looking to upgrade your GPS watch and haven't used an Apple Watch before, be sure to consider this. While low power mode is an option, don't let it influence your decision-making; if you decide this watch is for you, expect to charge the watch almost every day, especially if you plan on using GPS tracking in addition to all-day health tracking.

Ease of Use

With so many features, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by the Ultra 2, but rest assured, Apple has created a watch that is incredibly easy to use once you get the hang of it. iPhone users will be familiar with many of the applications as they seamlessly transfer between devices. If you can work an iPhone, you can easily understand the functions and UI elements on your wrist due to the many shared characteristics. We appreciate that many of the customizations and settings can be managed on your iPhone using the Watch app, which comes on all Apple phones.

One of our favorite aspects of this device group is the Apple Health app, which we find to be the most elegant and useful. Apple seems to put the most emphasis on daily health tracking, and they exceed the competition's apps and stats by doing so.

New software updates have changed some of the button actions — now, the side button opens up the quick action menu instead of having to swipe down on the screen. The orange action button continues to do a host of items that you can customize; we keep ours to easily open the flashlight. One benefit of more buttons is the ability to have multiple hotkeys. Refinements continue to be made with the new hardware, and we are confident that Apple will continue to offer benefits in the future with new watchOS updates.

Accuracy

No changes have been made to the optical heart rate sensor or dual-frequency GPS chip on the Ultra 2. Both have performed excellently in the past and after our extensive testing, we are once again confident that Apple is providing some of the most accurate metrics. The optical sensor is one of our favorites and rarely has spikes or dropouts, even on rough terrain like mountain biking. Even though it's a larger watch, the rectangular shape fits a wide variety of wrist types.

We tested the dual GNSS chipset in deep canyons where GPS tracking is notoriously bad, and we were impressed with the initial location and consistent tracking. You can expect dropouts on more vertical terrain, but this is common with all GPS watches. Connecting to a host of satellites allows for a superior connection that can ignore faulty signals. When deep in the canyons, our InReach was stuck waiting for a satellite to move into view over the canyon wall. Iridium, which is used on the InReach, contains 66 active satellites compared to the 100+ combined of GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou found on the Ultra 2, which connected instantly.

It's important to note that many factors can influence heart rate readings, such as skin color, tattoos, and watch fit. You should aim to keep the watch snug enough so that it limits movement, especially during bouncy activities like running or biking. One benefit of indexed style straps is you can achieve the same tightness day after day, whereas velcro straps are more ambiguous. Most of the data and insights gathered from your watch revolve around the heart rate monitor, so you must achieve a comfortable but snug fit. For watch bands with sizing such as the Ultra 2, we'd highly recommend using their size guides.

Design

While physical design is largely personal preference, it does play an essential role in how a watch feels on your wrist. At 49mm, the Ultra 2 is one of the larger screens, and its rectangular shape is unique among our test lineup. We've found this shape is less susceptible to moving when in rough terrain mountain biking, allowing us to wear it less tight than other watches. As a result, this watch feels the best on our wrist, providing the most secure fit for both daily use and activity. Skinny wrists or protruding ulna bumps can be particularly tricky for larger watches, and we find that this has the least interaction due to the rectangular design.

The full titanium bezel looks great and holds up to abuse; we've noticed no visible signs of wear from backpacking, running, and mountain biking. The glass has held up well to use, and we still have no visible scratches on the main face. Dedicated buttons and the larger scroll wheel allow for interaction even with gloved hands. The various strap designs allow for personalization, our favorite being the Alpine loop band. These bands are unchanged from the previous version and are easily changed without a tool. We found this band to be comfortable and durable and appreciate the subtle stretch and patina that the fabric takes on, becoming even more comfortable with use.

Apple continues to provide the best UI and screen resolution, offering an insanely bright 3000 nits of peak brightness. This is the best screen of any watch we've tested, and it works great in a wide variety of conditions due to the contrast. Colors easily look better than any other model in our lineup, and its always-on display provides a great aesthetic. While expensive, we think you could argue this is one of the best-looking watches on the market, and its premium materials provide confidence in both its performance and durability. We are excited to see what Apple offers for the Ultra lineup in the future.

Should You Buy the Apple Ultra Watch 2?

If you're in the market for a GPS watch but also want phone-like features on your wrist, there is simply no better smartwatch than the Apple Watch. Serious athletes can still benefit from the Ultra 2, but we'd analyze your battery needs and purchase based on those. Urban athletes or users who don't need all-day GPS tracking would benefit most from a product like this. We'd recommend mountain and endurance athletes continue to look at the options from Coros and Garmin.

What Other GPS Watches Should You Consider?

Our favorite GPS watch is the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro Solar. It's best for serious athletes who prioritize performance over smartwatch features like phone calls, messaging, and an extensive app store. If you're hoping to spend a bit less but still want a watch packed with performance, check out the Coros Pace 3, which is ultralight and offers great battery life and a screen that looks amazing even in direct sunlight.