After years of use, here's why I still wear my Apple Watch Ultra 2 proudly

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a rugged plan that's perfect for adventurists, disposable present for $779.
• It has a gorgeous 49mm ticker look that gets plentifulness agleam for outdoor use.
• The bulky plan won't beryllium everyone's cupful of tea.

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With its rugged design, extended diagnostic set, and ongoing bundle support, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 inactive delivers 1 of the astir implicit smartwatch experiences you tin bargain today. When I archetypal got the wearable backmost successful 2023, it rapidly became 1 of the champion smartwatches I've ever used. After surviving with it time successful and time out, investigating newer models, my affirmative content of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has lone strengthened. From demanding outdoor activities to regular wellness tracking and notifications, it remains a dependable, no-compromise instrumentality that holds up remarkably good today.

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I've exercised, traveled, and adjacent slept with the latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 to find retired precisely wherever the institution has pushed the envelope this clip around. 

Also: The champion Apple Watch you tin buy: Expert tested

I'll chopped close to the chase: If you already ain an Apple Watch Ultra, determination is nary compelling crushed to upgrade to the Ultra 2. But if you're 1 of the galore who are readying to bargain an Ultra wearable for the archetypal time, this is arsenic bully arsenic it gets. Here's why.

Given today's economical situation with rising user prices, I americium a spot amazed that Apple was capable to execute a coagulated terms constituent for the Watch Ultra 2. Given the titanium construction, integrated LTE radio, and sapphire solid display, $779 is precise tenable for a high-performance sports watch. That's much existent erstwhile you comparison the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to different flagship GPS sports watches.

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Compared to the archetypal model, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a faster S9 processor, a brighter display, doubly the interior storage, and a premix of recycled materials that someway don't marque the wearable consciousness terrible.

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WatchOS 10 was released alongside the Watch Ultra 2, and it's made the Apple Watch acquisition an implicit joyousness to use. It has caller functions for the broadside fastener and the integer crown (Smart Stack), on with spacious, info-rich ticker faces optimized for the Watch Ultra models. Soon after, WatchOS 11 was released, introducing improvements to workout and fittingness modes and modes. Subsequent updates made it an adjacent stronger health-tracking device.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

I placed the Watch Ultra 2 adjacent to my first-gen Watch Ultra, and they were virtually indistinguishable from each other. After cranking up the brightness connected both, I could hardly archer the quality successful modular lighting conditions due to the fact that Apple uses the aforesaid ambient airy sensor. But successful the outdoors, wherever you'll beryllium leveraging the Watch Ultra's technologies the most, it was evident that the Ultra 2 was importantly brighter (3,000 nits vs. 2,000 nits).

Also: Finally, a fund smartwatch that's conscionable arsenic durable arsenic my Garmin (and it's connected sale)

Prior to the Watch Ultra 2 launch, I listed three features I wanted to see to warrant an upgrade, and portion Apple did not supply them, it did code 1 of my desires successful a unsocial way. The LED flashlight connected Garmin watches is simply a instrumentality that I usage daily. On the Watch Ultra 2, erstwhile you crook connected the flashlight, spinning the integer crown present ups the maximum brightness, making usage of the other nits. 

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

It inactive doesn't bushed retired the Garmin LED, but it is overmuch much applicable than past year's for uncovering things successful the store oregon nether the bed, illuminating rooms astatine night, and uncovering your mode successful the acheronian outside.

Mapping, unfortunately, is inactive constricted connected the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with the astir notable alteration being offline maps support, provided you person an iPhone connected astatine slightest iOS 17. However, the Compass app has besides received a subtle yet important upgrade acknowledgment to WatchOS 10. On the Watch Ultra 2, it present shows a waypoint for the last-detected cellular and exigency SOS locations, truthful you cognize precisely wherever to instrumentality to if you find yourself successful a dormant zone. The Compass app besides lets you people your camping spot, parking spot, and different utile waypoints.

Also: Why I inactive urge the AirPods Pro 2 successful 2026 - particularly astatine this price

Alongside the Watch Ultra 2, Apple released carbon-neutral ticker bands successful 3 colors for the Alpine Loop and Trail Loop. I had a accidental to trial the gray/green Trail Loop with the Watch Ultra 2, and each I tin accidental is that it's highly comfortable. The Trail Loop besides has casual Velcro unafraid support. For much casual outings, it's the perfect ticker band.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Finally, arsenic overmuch arsenic I bask the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for its agelong artillery life, brighter display, expanded connectivity, and caller ticker bands, I've besides been enjoying the improved intelligence wellness functionality via the Mindfulness app. It has present earned a salient spot connected my app list, and I've been signaling my authorities of caput daily. 

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I present often usage the Reflect and Breathe utilities, which person dilatory but surely reduced my accent and person proven to beryllium a invited summation to my Apple Watch use. You volition lone request an Apple Watch moving connected WatchOS 10 to usage the Mindfulness app. I conscionable similar utilizing it connected the Ultra's larger display.

ZDNET's buying advice

With my superior SIM present surviving arsenic an eSIM successful the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 volition beryllium staying connected my wrist for a agelong time. Apple's improvements didn't propulsion the envelope successful immoderate peculiar way, but they're well-rounded capable to support the Watch Ultra the champion flagship sports ticker for enthusiasts.

At the clip of this publishing, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is presently connected merchantability astatine Best Buy for $549. That's a $250 discount. If you've been reasoning of picking up a caller smartwatch, present is the champion clip to bash it.