This is Apple's latest and best product, the Apple Watch Ultra, and compare it to the Apple Watch Series 8 to see if it's worth upgrading.
The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple's largest watch to date, measuring 49 millimeters, a full 4 millimeters more than the 45-millimeter "Apple Watch Series 8". Depending on your wrist size, it may look large, and it's thicker than you expect. If you can comfortably wear the 45mm Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra may not feel too big, but it sits higher.
It's heavier than the 45mm Apple Watch Series 8, but not so much so that it's very eye-catching. From the 41mm Apple Watch, it may feel too big, but it depends on personal preference. Apple says the Ultra will fit wrists as small as 130 mm.
Apple designed a sturdy strap for the Apple Watch Ultra, and we chose the Alpine Loop and Ocean Band. The Alpine Loop is similar to the Sport Loop, but it has two layers and a texture similar to the now-defunct woven tape. Ocean Loop is an elastic ridged sports strap.
As for the feature set, Apple has designed the Apple Watch Ultra for "adventurers and explorers," so it has some semi-niche options that the average user might not need to access like the Depth dive app. The new Compass app has a more general appeal, and if you're at risk of getting lost, you can choose to set up waypoints and use Backtrack, even for casual hiking. Ultra's unique built-in siren sound is so loud that it can come in handy even in urban areas.
The WayFinder dial of the Apple Watch Ultra offers a wealth of information and room for eight complications, and the dark pattern that shows the dial in red is an option we wish we could have available for more dials.
Apple has added a large orange button on the side of the Apple Watch Ultra called the action button, which you can map to various Ultra features that you can quickly access even if you're wearing gloves. It can start workouts, set waypoints in the Compass app, activate shortcuts, turn on flashlights, and more.
Digital Crown is also easier to use with a larger ridge, easier to use when you put on gloves, and improves the quality of speakers by adding extra speakers.
In terms of the feature set it offers, the Apple Watch Ultra is surprisingly affordable, especially when rumors say the expected cost is close to $1,000. Even if you don't venture out often, the Apple Watch Ultra has some great options just in case, so if it fits your wrist and your lifestyle, it might be worth a try.
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