Apple Watch Ultra 2 In-Depth Review: Worth the Upgrade?

Here's everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Ultra 2, how it's different, and whether it's worth the upgrade.

0:00 Quick Intro
0:23 Band Options & Pricing
0:36 Ultra 1 vs Ultra 2 Display Brightness
1:50 Is the new S9 chipset faster?
2:15 Double Tap hands-on
3:42 UWB FindMy on watch
4:06 Offline Siri
4:44 Siri and Apple Health
5:06 Daily Activity Tracking
5:30 Sleep Tracking Tests
6:20 Workout Tracking
7:13 Topographic Maps
8:33 Cycling Companion App (for iPhone)
9:17 Cycling Power Meters
10:08 Battery Life Tested
11:30 The Emergency Siren
12:21 GPS Accuracy Testing
13:53 HR Accuracy Testing
14:30 Is It Worth Upgrading?

•New Apple Silicon S9 chipset, which Apple says has 5.6 billion transistors and is 60% more than before
•New GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which Apple states is 30% faster, allowing for faster rendering
•New 4-core neural engine, which Apple states is twice as fast in machine learning applications
•New far brighter 3,000 nit display (previously the Apple Watch Ultra was 2,000 nits, and the previous Series 8 is 1,000 nits)
•New display can also go down to just 1 nit, versus the previous 2 nits. Apple says that in turn drives a big savings in battery consumption due to the always-on side of things (of course, that battery savings is then spent on the faster processor bits)
•New UWB 2 (Ultrawideband) chip, which increases finding of things (like your phone), including exact distance and direction, but also increased Homepod integration
•New watch bands
•Updated case made from 95% recycled aluminum (versus 0% prior)

Next, we’ve got the software features that are new to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and require/leverage the new S9 chipset:
•New Double tap: This allows you to double-tap your index and thumb together, acting as a virtual button. You can answer a call, hang-up a call, snooze an alarm, take a picture from the camera, or any number of other custom actions (more on this down below)
•New Flashlight boost: This leverages the brighter display for a brighter virtual flashlight option
•Siri now newly processes requests entirely offline (without cellular/WiFi) for things it can do locally
•Siri can now log Apple Health metrics (purely via voice), including weight, period information, as well as respond to Health requests (e.g., asking for last night’s sleep stats) – available later this year in English and Mandarin.

Some links Amazon affiliate links, for which I may earn a commission.

#AppleWatchUltra2 #Ultra2 #AppleWatchUltra

[anthonycraig]

This has to be the most complete Ultra review out there who actually does the sports as well as understanding the tech, which most couch tech’s reviewers fall short.

[sevendaysin]

Thank you for exercising like a madman to actually show us the accuracy of so many of these features as they're being added to Apple Watch! Big up!

[xander]

The Ultra 2 is probably not worth the upgrade from an Ultra 1, but it's definitely a sweeter deal for people who were interested in the Ultra 1 and were holding out.

[Owski]

We got the same watch with minor changes that no one asked for. The lack of significant improvement in battery life is a huge gift from Apple to Garmin, which has gained an extra year to introduce esim cards and further improvements to epix and fenix

[davidandhometech]

DC Rainmaker: the only person with watch tan lines on both wrists ;-) Great stuff as always, thank you!

[AlexGTech]

Thanks man, nice to see a review that doesn't feel like an Apple ad 👏

[hobblyjig]

I really hate the increasing number of features being marketed but not yet available year over year.

[runebinder]

Got a Series 4, battery is not great now and have been thinking of upgrading and just taken the plunge with a Ultra 2. Apart from walking the dog, not a major outdoors (or fitness in general type), but the battery, sapphire screen (lots of micro scratches on my current one) and larger screen has won it for me. Should feel like a very nice upgrade :)

Update, had the Ultra 2 for a couple of weeks now and it’s a huge upgrade. Love it :)

[seanhenretta]

Body temperature also helps to verify whether or not a patient is asleep as well as which sleep stage they may be in

[healthninja]

Thought about getting a Garmin to train for running but I went with the Ultra 2 and have no regrets! Honestly who needs a 20 day battery? I take my watch off when I sleep and charge my watch at night. I’m not doing a 5 day hike in the woods. I download music to it from Spotify, throw on my AirPods and off I run without the bulkiness of my iPhone..I absolutely love it!

[Tha-King-Arthur]

I charge the battery every four days. I have the brightness of the screen set to about 2000 nits and the AOD always on. All health functions are on and I cycle indoors twice a day. I also use the watch with Apple car play and to read messages and emails, and occasionally if I don't have the phone at hand I make calls with it. I bought the straps from Ali Express and the screen protectors too. This year I bought the Samsung 6 and the 6 Classic, the Huawei GT4 and the Huawei 4 Pro, the Garmin Venu 3, but the Apple watch Ultra 2 is really the best watch I have tested this year..

[JerryPena]

Great detailed review.
Why ppl don't wait for the Ultra 3 when features are yet to be available for Ultra 2 is beyond me. The Ultra should be a 2 hr cycle. Let the regular watch be yearly

[billmichaud]

Jumped from my Apple Watch Ultra to Garmin Epix Pro

Zero regrets.

[jasonfenech]

The apple watch is a very beautiful watch both aesthetically and its functionality. However, l still prefer the Garmin Epix or Fenix because in my eyes the apple watch looks more like a gadget rather than a sport instrument.

[ShaneOSullivanky]

Upgrading from a series 4 to Ultra 2 (arriving tomorrow). Thanks for the video. Wonder was radar support mentioned at the Wanderlust event?

[TechWiz]

Love how thorough & informative you are with what you presented. You got a new sub! I desperately want the AW Ultra 2, but I’m super disappointed they don’t offer it in black/space grey. If they did I would have pre-ordered. Fingers crossed they add some colour options ASAP.

[neliobetdejesus]

I went from a series 3 to the ultra 2. I know it’s a major jump but I absolutely love this watch

[drregmonster]

Outside of the fitness functions, the feature most important to me is the vibrating alarm. I’ve gotten used to auditory alarms and will sleep through them. I realized that vibrating alarms have existed for the deaf community. I could never go back now.

[Anakena]

I ordered it it arrives tomorrow, but I increasingly think that an aftermarket version 1 would be enough- thanks for the great work as usual!

[AnarchyThirtySeven]

Never had an Apple Watch before. I just purchased this one today.