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I skipped buying the Apple Watch Ultra 2 because of its cost and went with the Series 10 instead. However, when an irresistible offer came, I bit the bullet, and now I don’t want to go back.
1
The brightest display
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 display uses older technology than the Apple Watch Series 10 — LTPO2 versus LTPO3 — and lacks the better viewing angles unlocked by the wide-angle OLEDs we covered. our 10 Series review. However, in the sunny climate of the Indian subcontinent, there is nothing more useful than a brighter display.
The Ultra 2’s 3,000 nits OLED face makes all the difference when I’m out and about walking or running errands. Yes, my Series 10 hits a reasonable 2,000 nits, but most watch faces use a lot of black backgrounds and some colorful text and graphics. As such, the difference of 1000 nits has a huge impact on visibility.
2
Dedicated Night Mode on Watch Faces
Then there’s the dedicated night mode available on the Wayfinder and Modular Ultra dials. This feature turns the entire display red to protect your night vision. Yes, it is limited to the two faces of the specific Apple Watch Ultra, but it is useful if you often work in dark rooms or at night. Plus, it looks really cool.
It is possible to create a version of this night mode for other Apple Watch models with the App Shortcuts for iPhonebut having it integrated and activated automatically is a great added value.
3
Dedicated Button for Quick Actions
Complications on the Apple Watch help you quickly access functions and do things, whether to start a workout, manage a timer, control music, or something else; the list can be long. But you can only have a limited number of complications on a watch face.
This is where the action button on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 makes a big difference. But don’t confuse it with the Action Button on an iPhone. I no longer need to have a complication to start a workout. Simply press the Action Button, and I’m ready to go.
The Quick Switch function of the action button also adds a lot of value. I can swap the Action Button into a different function, like accessing the Translate app with a single press, without needing my phone or having to jump into the Settings app on my Apple Watch.
4
Longer gaps between loads
It was clear that switching to an Apple Watch Ultra would unlock a longer battery life. Apple says you’ll get 36 hours of continuous use — twice that of the Apple Watch Series 10 (18 hours). Yes, it takes longer to load, but it also lasts proportionally longer.
In my day-to-day use, which includes tracking a strength training workout, an hour-long walk, and having its Always On display, I’ve seen the Ultra 2 last for 48 hours before needing to charge – my Series 10 did 24 hours. Two days before you need a charge is a good advantage for Ultra. I went on a weekend trip – from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon – without my Apple Watch charger and came home with 5% left.
5
Better Haptics
Haptic feedback is a big part of the smartwatch experience. The little ping on your hand every time a new notification comes in is just much more satisfying on the Ultra 2. It has a satisfying thunk, thanks to which I don’t miss notifications on the bigger watch. This is something that I think the 10 Series fails to deliver.
Apple will not bring a hardware update to the Apple Watch Ultra line in 2024; instead, he just added a new color. However, even without new hardware, there are enough hardware differences here to allow for a different experience.
