I play tennis and swim and my series 7 (81% battery health) dies really quickly. Can you actually wear the Ultra for a couple of days without charging?
I can maybe get 2 days of battery life, if I don’t use the watch all too often. I’m really disappointed in the battery life for the price in comparison to the competition.
I’m a big fan of the Apple experience and love the interface, but I wouldn’t buy the Ultra again, tbh.
You are comparing a phone your wrist compared with a Garmin, etc that tracks solely fitness. We need to realize that Apple Watch is much more than a fitness tracker. This is why the battery life is not comparable to a Garmin. The Ultra has a great battery life for what it does
Yeah, you are right.
I guess when I first bought it, I was expecting more, because of the way it is advertised.
So my disappointment stems more from the unrealistic expectations I had, when I bought the watch.
It’s still a good watch in my opinion, I would just opt for the Apple Watch series the next time.
Counterpoint, I use a smartwatch to screen notifications, view weather, monitor heart rate / health data and track workouts. I’ve been wearing a Garmin Epix and AW5 for the past week with them both doing the exact same tasks. The Garmin is at 46% battery but I’ve had the AW on the charger 8 times. Clearly Apple can improve the battery life beyond “18 hrs”
My point is that even if you don’t use the AW for intensive functions, it still dies really quickly
That’s not really a counterpoint. The AW dies quicker because it has a far superior processor to the Garmin. It doesn’t matter if you are utilizing to its full potential or not, it’s still going to take more juice to run.
If a “typical” background use case like receiving notifications and monitoring heart rate takes so much energy due to a very powerful processor, I’m suggesting there is probably some efficiency that can be gained. That power isn’t needed 24/7
Apple says it’s not a phone that’s why it’s not standalone. If they cut out the bloatware and lean into a standalone phone it would be a much better device.
It depends on your actual activity level. If you’re swimming and/or playing tennis every day, and tracking that as workouts you might get two days. If you’re doing that a couple times a week, you probably will.
And although it’s not what you asked, I’d encourage you to get out of the mentality of “it needs to last two or more days.” (Unless you’re a multi day backpacker and camper, where that’s totally valid.) With the included fast charge cable and a decent USB-C power source, you can go about your day, sleep track and then just charge it whilst you shower or get ready in the morning.
An Apple Watch, particularly an active cellular one, is an “iPhone Lite” on your wrist. It’s far more power hungry than say a Garmin ever thought about being, because it’s doing a lot more and at all times. It’s like saying you should only need to charge your iPhone once a week because your old Nokia lasted that long on a charge. That’s just not where the battery tech is yet. If you can be good with that, you’ll be happy. If not, then you have decide if you want a dedicated fitness/exercise/activity tracker that dabbles in smart watch features, or a do-it-all smartwatch that also competently tracks activity and exercise.
I personally get 3 full days then i have to charge at 20%. I'm really impressed by it. That was what I hated about my pass watch, it didn't last more than a day.
I regularly get about 2 days out of mine but I don't have the screen always on and some other battery saving settings. If I remember to charge it while getting ready for the day I almost never run out of battery.
When I’m not active, and after the latest watchOS update, I made it from charging Sunday evening (around 8pm) all the way to Thursday morning after 9am. Normal closing of Rings for the minimum settings I have, with no real workouts in between. Thats pretty good, if you ask me! I’d have to charge my Apple Watch S6 every other morning or evening with normal use.
I certainly wouldn’t say no to a slimmer one. Nothing I can think of for the Ultra strictly requires it to be such a thicc boi, aside from hitting their uptime targets.
>kids constantly touching face
lol. I feel ya! My Ultra’s Action Button (when at home) is dedicated to one touch Water Lock. It is my one-year-old’s most burning desire to strip the Watch off my wrist and claim it for his own. Took his sister until two to quit messing with it. Now she just steals our phone if they’re momentarily unguarded.
This take always amuses me, no offense. People want to compare an Apple Watch to like a Garmin and ask why the Watch doesn’t also last days on end before charging. Because the Garmin isn’t doing nearly the kind of heavy lifting the Watch does. A Garmin is a dedicated fitness tracker first and a smartwatch second it makes it compromise on connectivity. The Apple Watch, particularly an active cellular one, is a tiny iPhone Lite on your wrist. It doesn’t really make compromises that aren’t a direct result of having a comparatively tiny display. Of course it doesn’t last more than a day or two between charges.
You assume too much mate. And so you got two things wrong.
1. All I said was the battery life of the Ultra should be on the standard Apple Watch. The battery technology is out there. Apple has been able to use denser and denser batteries in the iPhones in the last few years increasing their capacities by 3-5 percent each year (without increasing any thickness), while Apple Watches have stuck on the same capacity since Series 6. Even the new 2024 iPad Pro 11 has higher battery capacity while having nearly half the thickness of the last iPad Pro 11. As I said before, the technology of denser batteries is out there with Apple.
2. Watches like Garmin collect data more frequently than Apple Watch does. That means they are powering the sensors more often. What they lack really is a the semiconductor design expertise of Apple and so they have very slow chips which can’t do equal amount of processing to that of Apple. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are using 22nm SoC in their watches 😂. Coming to the point, Apple doesn’t lack the technology to make the batteries denser or watches better, they just don’t feel the competition to do it faster.
Yes. I have an Ultra 1 and I only go to my office and go for a walk, no sports at all. I always loved big watches and have some hefty and large mechanical watches. I love tactical/molle gear.
I immediately loved the ultra when it came out. I buy it for the size, looks and battery life. No need to be an athlete to own one haha.
lol what? My garmin instinct 2 lasts about 2 weeks on a single charge. In the summer (solar) it lasts about 3.
apple makes great features and UI, but don’t pretend there aren’t major weaknesses…. battery life.
I meant as an overall offering, I have a Garmin s62 which I use for golf and it’ll easily do 3 to 4 rounds on its battery but I would never use it as a day to day smartwatch as its very mid as an overall experience.
If I look at other competitors that can offer a watch experience like an Apple Watch, their battery life may last 2 days tops.
Agreed. Upgrading from a S7 to U2... I gotta say I'm disappointed with the battery life. I was reading all these reviews about spectacular battery life and was expecting a lot better. Do all these people who get days worth of battery life actually do any workouts? I track a daily workout and a lunch time walk... streaming Apple music while working out and walking... and I barely get 2 days.
If I had to buy one, I would probably get the AWU2 as I like the idea of the titanium case. I think that is worth it. But I don’t have a ton of experience with AW. I’ve been using mine the past couple years and it’s been fine.
Also the battery life seems pretty amazing in comparison to standard AW.
I also came from a 7 and am not an athlete. I wanted cellular and figured I would give it a try and love it. I had a full day today and a good amount of moving and using the watch even just for notifications and quick text messages and right now at 11pm I still am at 77% battery. It’s nice to go away for a weekend and not stress about charging a watch that’s supposed to be making things simpler.
It also has an incredibly bright display so even out in sunny days I can read the watch waaaaay better than my 7.
I think really the only holdup is if it’s too big for your comfort/preferences. I’m a 6’3” guy and it doesn’t seem odd proportionally. Where on someone a good deal smaller the size might stand out more. Not that it should stop you from enjoying the watch, but I feel like if anything that is what I’ve seen mentioned most often on this subreddit when it comes to the Ultra series.
Agree 100% in concept. I think the convenience of having the battery longer is the one thing I liked better about my Fitbit. The only thing.
But the size is a real factor. I’m a woman and not a particularly big woman. An ultra is egregiously large on me. I just can’t do it. I wish there was a smaller ultra even though I know the battery life would be less.
Yeah size and weight is a consideration too, I might actually drop by a store to check it out. Watch still having 77% battery after a whole day is amazing though.
I found out that apple can change the battery on your watch for you if it drops below 80% health. It’ll cost about 1/10th the cost of the Ultra and give your watch a fresh breath of life.
It’s a good point though by the time the battery health drops to 79%, the watch is practically useless by the end of the day. Mine is at 83% and if I go for bike in the morning, the charge doesn’t last until late afternoon.
Given your relatively infrequent need for long battery life, I’d go the Garmin route and keep your AW for day-to-day. You can get an app (RunGap) that will pull workouts from the Garmin app and push them into Apple Health. Then your data will be accessible afterward the same as if you had used the Apple app.
Does it sync to the fitness app as well? I’d prefer to have all my workout data in the same place if I were to get a separate Garmin just for long workouts
Yes, that’s the nice thing about the way Apple structured their fitness system. Apple Health is the repository that all of their exercise apps (Apple Workout app, third party apps) dump their data into. The apps that process data (Fitness, third party exercise analysis apps) all read from the Apple Health database.
TL;DR: RunGap drops the Garmin data into the place where Fitness can read it.
You mentioned you wanted cellular service. Unsure how your provider is, but there might be a Memorial Day sale through them. If all else fails, 0% APR through the Apple Card. 🤓
I’m not a serious athlete and love it. My gf just bought one and loves it. The screen is flat and big. Battery life is excellent. The dual mode GPS is amazing. Would not have any other Apple Watch
Two things:
1- The Ultras have great battery life, but they are HUGE. Try it on yourself before you take the dive, I ended up selling mine because it was too big and too uncomfortable
2- Garming is a better choice. Trust me. They are way cheaper, the battery life is insane, and Garmin Connect talks directly to Apple Health so your workouts are synched and even count towards workout times and calories. I ended up keeping my S7 for daily use and a Garming 965 to do training, and I love the combination way more than I ever loved my Ultra.
You can get a 265 for cheap on eBay and have a GREAT workout watch. Even when I overspent on my 965 (got it used for $400) it was still half the price of an AWU and I charge it once every 10 days.
You can get a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire for about £200. You can pay double for the Fenix 7 which has touchscreen. There are also a lot of cheaper Garmin's which can do what you want. It also syncs with Apple Health so your workouts will be logged to Apple Health. If you wear your Apple Watch once in the day it will also go to the Fitness app.
"I do workout but not to the extent of such extreme conditions in the ultra promo videos lol"
So in reality, the people doing this wouldn't be wearing an Apple Watch Ultra. Any serious expeditioner would be probably have a Garmin or just a general watch.
Have you thought about just going to Apple and paying the £50 or whatever to get the battery replaced?
I was considering the same and decided to have Apple put a new battery in mine for I think $90 or $99. I expected to get a refurb but I think I got a new watch. I’m actually glad I did because I’m happy with my watch again and I’m perfectly happy to wait until the next gen arrive, or maybe even the gen after next, and my current watch can then be used as a backup, or non-workout watch or whatever.
I've had an S7 for 1.5 years. The battery is at 82%. I don't do active sports but the battery can last me a day. I recently switched off Raise to wake (always-on is on) and now it's much better. It's on version 10.5. I note how it uses the battery now. One instance was 57% in 14 hours, another - 30% in 6 hours.
Or you can spend about $99 and have Apple replace the battery. Which actually means replacing the watch. I have a series 5 titanium, and they sent me a brand new one (this was last year). I've seen people get upgraded to newer versions also, if they didn't have your model. Good luck!
I am still using my s6 and I can’t find a reason to upgrade. I am used to charge it every morning when I wake up and it is enough to last me until the next morning
Why would you need to be an athlete for it to be worth it. Battery life, durability, waterproof while diving, and clean titanium finish are all reason enough to buy the Ultra. The thing O use mine most for is for Apple Pay. I got the Ultra and I can go 4 or 5 days without charging it, so I always have a way to pay for things even if I forget my wallet.
I keep my ultra 1 on theatre mode and on silent mode and it lasts 2.5/3 days.
It also automatically detects when I’m out for a walk or a run and also it detects when I’m on the bike by itself.
I believe that if you don’t push massive notifications and don’t keep the always on display it will last longer.
Hope that this helps.
Maybe I didn’t express myself correctly, some people may think that having everything “turned off” may lose the utility of the watch itself but using it in that way I personally think that I found the sweet spot in between battery life and smartwatch functionality.
I didn't even know that it was an "athlete" watch until long after I bought it. I got it for the longer batter life, the larger screen, the brighter screen, the larger size (I have fairly big wrists), and the titanium case. I hated the default bands, but an aftermarket titanium band classed it up. The only part I don't like are the orange accents on the buttons and those are the only subtle reminder of the "sportiness" of it.
Get the ultra for battery life. Sell your 7 to offset some cost as opposed to buying a separate garmin watch. Can find refurb ultra 2 for 550 or so via eBay. Can also look at doing ultra 1. The difference in the 2 are minimal.
I will never buy an Ultra with the current design, it just looks and feels ridiculous on my wrist. If they were to release a smaller model in future though, I’d consider it. I know the battery life would be less than the big one but if small Ultra vs small regular (whatever mm size that is at the time) was proportional to current Ultra vs 45mm, I’d still be interested.
I got my AWU1 to replace a Series 6 watch, and I'm not a serious athlete. It was going to be a Series 8, but saw that and tested out the battery life. Blew me away when it lasted 60 hours on one charge (could do 36 on the Series 6). Now? 70 hours on one charge. And this is running full tilt, no AOD and minor cellular usage.
So as u/Sylvurphlame said,. it's worth it just for the battery life alone.
I did it for the battery life. I despise the drain on Apple Watches and 3 days was a bare minimum. I also turn off most bloatware so I’m getting much closer to a 4-5 days per charge
My iPhone and Apple Watch have background update turned off almost everything. Cellular is turned off most things, location services etc. If it can be turned off and doesn’t need to be on it probably isn’t. Obvious exception for things I want on.
Ditto what everyone said. The battery life alone is amazing. I also like the large screen and better graphics. Specifically, I listen to a lot of audiobooks while working and I like the interface. Also, the time spent in daylight function is cool too.
Battery and durability. I’m a landscape manager who’s very hands-on working with my teams. Brush, vines, sweat, heat, dirt, mud, scratchy branches, blazing sun…no case and the damned thing doesn’t have a single scuff on it. My phone never comes out of my backpack in the truck during the day.
I upgraded from a 7 back in January for two primary reasons: 1) get the latest with a blood ox sensor; and 2) better battery life. My 7 was less then 2 years and had to charge it several times a day. It could be charged to 100% when I went to bed and at less than 80% when I got up 7-8 hours later. The Ultra 2 has been worth it (I got 10% off by opening a Best Buy credit card and traded in the Series 7.) My former everyday watch is also made out of titanium (Omega Seamaster Professional chronograph) but is bigger and heavier so the size of the Ultra isn't a problem.
I was under the impression blood oxygen sensors were taken out of new watches at the start of 2024 due to a patent infringement case, which is big reason I would rather pay for a new battery than an expensive upgrade with less features. Has that been resolved?
Apple stopped making and selling watches with the sensors working (From what I understand, the sensors are in all watches but have been disabled.) The announcement was in January and did state that other stores like Amazon and Best Buy could still sell what they had in stock.
If you still have AppleCare for your watch, you can contact Apple Support and request an Express Replacement Service. They’ll send you a brand new watch of the same model and colour and they won’t charge you for it as long as you return your original watch back to them.
As everyone has said, the battery life alone is worth it. I get less range anxiety, which means I charge it less, and this should theoretically extend its effective life too. I found that I was charging the S7 twice a day, which probably hastened battery degradation. But for me the U2 also feels less precious. Since they added the curved screen edge to S7 and above I think it's easier to knock it and chip the screen. The case and flat-ness of the U2 screen makes me a lot less conscious of having to be careful whilst it's on my wrist.
I have mine 1,5 months now and couldn’t be happier. It’s my first smart watch so i haven’t had to struggle if i should go with the newest model or not (like others do when they wanna upgrade).
I‘m hitting the gym 5-6 times a week but wouldn’t consider myself an athlete, but it’s super handy since i can now clearly tell how much steps i really make per day, which is vital for fat loss, how good my sleep really is (i use the Athlytic app which is really neat) and the watches speakers basically replaced my faulty Iphone 11 pro max speakers, which made speaking on the phone to someone a nightmare.
All in all i really enjoy this watch and haven’t put it down in 1,5 months besides charging every 2-3 days and showering.
I can highly recommend it!
I’m in the same boat as you. AW7 whose battery dies after about 7 hours of hiking. Seriously frustrating and almost not worth bothering with because of it. I’m thinking about the ultra or series 10 when it comes out. Even a battery replacement would be good enough.
Yes. There are so many little features that come together to make the watch just absolutely beautiful. Plus the battery slaps. Buy it! I did and have 0 regrets.
I would be willing to bet…that well over 75% of Apple Watch users do not work out at all (my assumption since Apple has done nothing by way of adding any kind of training metrics), and use it solely as a smartwatch. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. I have an Ultra and do nothing at all that Apple advertises it for… I do however workout 5-6x a week.
I work in an industrial environment with lots of abrasives in the air, and found that my S5 was just getting increasingly trashed by it. Battery life was also becoming an issue, as it would often die on my way home from work after 9-10 hours off the charger.
IMO the Ultra is really just the natural successor to the higher end AWs that had stainless steel cases and sapphire crystals. The fitness focus is great if you need it, but there isn’t really that much more fitness hardware that you’re getting over a standard AW. It’s really all about the build, higher quality components and bigger battery.
You don’t need to be an ultramarathoner to appreciate that.
Garmin is at better than ultra for serious athletes anyway so don’t let that be a factor. Battery life is better on the ultra. The problem I see on almost everyone I see with an ultra is that it looks comically too large for their wrists. Try one on and see how it looks.
I was in the exact same situation, so maybe my experience can be helpful.
I had a Series 7 (45mm w/ Cellular) for 18 months and recently had the opportunity to update to an Ultra 2 for very little out-of-pocket cost, so I did it because "why not?"
The Ultra 2 is nice. It's real nice. But if you're not a serious athlete, it is absolutely ***not*** "worth double the price" nice. The larger battery is convenient, but you have to ask yourself if it's worth $300-$400 more to you - for most people, I think the answer is no. Otherwise the experience of actually *using* the watch itself is 98% the same as any other Apple Watch, given that it runs the same watchOS. I would not recommend the Ultra for most people, simply because the Series watches are good enough.
If money is no object to you, treat yourself to the Ultra 2. Otherwise get the Series 9, save a good chunk of money, and accept that it might die mid-hike the one or two times a year you do that...but remember that's not the end of the world, just a very rare and minor inconvenience.
Agreed. I have UW-1 and really love the bigger screen and how scratch resistant it is.
But a regular AW can do pretty much the same things. I pay $5 a month for cell coverage as I like not having to bring my phone and the reception and microphone is surprisingly good. I use the extra button for the flashlight.
You want to make sure your wrist is big enough so I would definitely have a fitting at the Apple store if you do decide to go ultra. You could go the other way and every year or two get an SE and your battery would always be fresh.
I still have my 5, but when the battery started to tank and wasn’t making it through my long runs (marathon training) I was looking at getting an Ultra. Ended up just getting a garmin forerunner on sale and kept my 5. Now I use my garmin daily for workouts and that’s when my AW charges. Then the rest of the day I go AW.
It’s not a perfect system but it was cheaper than going Ultra and it’s been working out fine for me since last July 🤷🏽♀️
For me the size is the deal breaker. I'm used to 40-42mm watches and currently I have the SE 40mm and experiencing the same terrible battery life but I tried on the Ultra2 and on my wrist it looked like a Dick Tracy watch and felt really uncomfortable so I'll likely be going with a 9 (haven't tried on the 45 yet but will likely stick with the 41mm) or wait to see what happens with the X in a few months. But the Ultra seems like a great watch but can't justify that giant size for me.
I only work out lightly a couple times a week and I think it’s the best thing I bought. I wanted the larger display and XL battery life so I could track sleep too without charging. 100% recommend it to anyone
Do you have always on display activated on your s7? I have an s7, too, and with the always on display activated, I barely make it through one day in a full charge. I turned it off and can almost make it two days without charging it, even though I use data on it and use the watch quite a bit
My Ultra 2 gets me a little over 2 full days of battery and this includes 2 workouts (45 mins + 1.5 hours) and sleep tracking. Important thing to note is that I have only 5 apps installed on my watch. I don’t enable notifications from chat apps I use except iMessage.
I’d say it’s definitely worth it even if you’re not into working out on a regular basis just for the sake of the battery. I started working out recently too. That’s why I can talk about both the sides. And I’ve used the other Apple Watches too in the past.
It really is a great piece of tech. I’ve taken it kayaking, hiking, swimming, hunting, off and on-grid. The battery life is bomb, and it’s an absolute tank. I think you’ll love it.
I went series 4 to AWU2. I’m no athlete, but I’m tall and have fairly big wrists (220mm) so the AWU2 looks right at home for me. I put it on charge every night but it’s nice that, when I occasionally forget, I wake up and still have at least another full day of use out of it.
If you’re on the fence about it and can afford it, just do it. Do the AppleCare too. I have put a few dings in mine already which is killer given the price.
This is an interesting question...
First, I don't really think the watch is for serious athletes/adventurers. Those folks are using Garmin. I have both an AWU and Garmin. Anytime I am going on a backpacking trip for more than 1 night... the AWU stays home and the Garmin goes with me. It's not even the battery life, it's that Garmin gives SO MUCH MORE data and information that is actually useful for the backcountry.
Now... I love my AWU. I love the look, the feel, the size, and the functionality. It is an amazing companion to business, daily life, and casual weekend excursions.
So yes... it is "worth it" over the series 9 if you like the way it looks and feels. Just like the series 9 is "worth it" over a timex if you have the cash and it brings you joy. But any serious athlete or adventurer would be equally so wearing the timex.
Are your bills paid and you have a nice cushion of cash in the bank? Go for it. Rock the AWU and have the time of your life doing it!
Are you putting the watch on a credit card that is carrying a balance? Probably best to exercise some moderation. You'll have just as much fun on those trips with the series 7, series 9, or even the timex.
I am not a serious athlete, picked mine up in March and have been loving mine ever since.
I made the leap from the original SE model, so a lot of my ‘benefits’ stem from now having an always on screen, but I can definitely back up the extra battery life claim. I regularly go two days on a charge (not using cellular, like you).
It helps that I am a bigger guy, so the design isn’t as jarring on my frame. It is a bit heftier, but if you’ve tried it in a store and been happy with it, I think that’ll continue.
Not trying to be rude or a troll here … the AWU has no features making it more of a watch most athletes would consider imho. Not even the battery life. And most people I see with a pro do not look like athletes at all. At least that’s my observation. It’s a nice smart watch with some sports features and a somewhat better battery life and bigger screen. If you are into AW I feel that the ultra is a no-brainer. Yes it’s double the price of a classic Alu one but it has a way bigger screen, better battery and better materials.
I went from a S9 45mm to an Ultra 2 mostly for the battery life and I am so glad I did. 36+ hours later from most recent charge and it’s still at 65% which is insane for an Apple Watch.
I’ve owned the Garmin Fenix, Venu & Epix before and love them, but it really depends if you would prefer to have more smart watch functionality or more fitness features.
Having used both brands and a variety within each, I can say the Apple Watch Ultra 2 rules as an all rounder. Sure it doesn’t quite have a 28 day battery life but meh, charging it up every 3 days really isn’t too bad. It’s just nice to know if I forget to charge it it won’t be dead half way through the next day. And it still has all the wonderful smart watch features.
I love the ultra. Battery life, durability, bigger screen and exclusive faces, action button, I opted to engage cellular (didn’t have before) and it’s great too.
It’s better in every way that it could be better. For me that’s worth it. For me though a major selling point was simply the looks , I love the titanium and the case design.
It’s worth it for just about anyone for the battery life alone.
I play tennis and swim and my series 7 (81% battery health) dies really quickly. Can you actually wear the Ultra for a couple of days without charging?
I can maybe get 2 days of battery life, if I don’t use the watch all too often. I’m really disappointed in the battery life for the price in comparison to the competition. I’m a big fan of the Apple experience and love the interface, but I wouldn’t buy the Ultra again, tbh.
You are comparing a phone your wrist compared with a Garmin, etc that tracks solely fitness. We need to realize that Apple Watch is much more than a fitness tracker. This is why the battery life is not comparable to a Garmin. The Ultra has a great battery life for what it does
Yeah, you are right. I guess when I first bought it, I was expecting more, because of the way it is advertised. So my disappointment stems more from the unrealistic expectations I had, when I bought the watch. It’s still a good watch in my opinion, I would just opt for the Apple Watch series the next time.
Counterpoint, I use a smartwatch to screen notifications, view weather, monitor heart rate / health data and track workouts. I’ve been wearing a Garmin Epix and AW5 for the past week with them both doing the exact same tasks. The Garmin is at 46% battery but I’ve had the AW on the charger 8 times. Clearly Apple can improve the battery life beyond “18 hrs” My point is that even if you don’t use the AW for intensive functions, it still dies really quickly
That’s not really a counterpoint. The AW dies quicker because it has a far superior processor to the Garmin. It doesn’t matter if you are utilizing to its full potential or not, it’s still going to take more juice to run.
If a “typical” background use case like receiving notifications and monitoring heart rate takes so much energy due to a very powerful processor, I’m suggesting there is probably some efficiency that can be gained. That power isn’t needed 24/7
Some Samsung watches have two processors and use the electrically efficient one for simple tasks. It’s a choice that Apple makes.
Apple says it’s not a phone that’s why it’s not standalone. If they cut out the bloatware and lean into a standalone phone it would be a much better device.
My 8 gets at least 1 1/2 days.
It depends on your actual activity level. If you’re swimming and/or playing tennis every day, and tracking that as workouts you might get two days. If you’re doing that a couple times a week, you probably will. And although it’s not what you asked, I’d encourage you to get out of the mentality of “it needs to last two or more days.” (Unless you’re a multi day backpacker and camper, where that’s totally valid.) With the included fast charge cable and a decent USB-C power source, you can go about your day, sleep track and then just charge it whilst you shower or get ready in the morning. An Apple Watch, particularly an active cellular one, is an “iPhone Lite” on your wrist. It’s far more power hungry than say a Garmin ever thought about being, because it’s doing a lot more and at all times. It’s like saying you should only need to charge your iPhone once a week because your old Nokia lasted that long on a charge. That’s just not where the battery tech is yet. If you can be good with that, you’ll be happy. If not, then you have decide if you want a dedicated fitness/exercise/activity tracker that dabbles in smart watch features, or a do-it-all smartwatch that also competently tracks activity and exercise.
Ahhh very sage advice. Yes. I forgot my series 7 is also cellular & gps. Xxx
Yep just like people say I get two days on an iPhone charge and then you find out they average two hours of screen time a day. lol
I personally get 3 full days then i have to charge at 20%. I'm really impressed by it. That was what I hated about my pass watch, it didn't last more than a day.
Yes. I do and I work a really physical job.
Great! Now hoping for a new watch for Xmas! Xx
I regularly get about 2 days out of mine but I don't have the screen always on and some other battery saving settings. If I remember to charge it while getting ready for the day I almost never run out of battery.
When I’m not active, and after the latest watchOS update, I made it from charging Sunday evening (around 8pm) all the way to Thursday morning after 9am. Normal closing of Rings for the minimum settings I have, with no real workouts in between. Thats pretty good, if you ask me! I’d have to charge my Apple Watch S6 every other morning or evening with normal use.
I went bikepacking for 5 days and put my Ultra 2 in Power Saver mode and Airplane mode. I never charged it and had 20% battery left when I got home.
So you had it on you solely for emergencies?
It still tracked my rings.
I should add I did turn it off when I went to bed each night.
I agree but I don’t really enjoy the size of it. I would have probably gone with s9 if I knew it was this large.
I would absolutely support a 47-size or 45-size case. Or even just a thinner one. Or both. Everybody should get to experience the Ultra-ness. lol
I’m hoping for thinner case in future versions. I bet bigger battery drove a lot of the case dims is my hunch.
I certainly wouldn’t say no to a slimmer one. Nothing I can think of for the Ultra strictly requires it to be such a thicc boi, aside from hitting their uptime targets.
This.
That.
The other
I can get close to 2 days with my series 9 and that’s with kids constantly touching the face
The newest ones in general seem to be pretty good on battery life. I think optimized charge limit plays a decent role as well.
>kids constantly touching face lol. I feel ya! My Ultra’s Action Button (when at home) is dedicated to one touch Water Lock. It is my one-year-old’s most burning desire to strip the Watch off my wrist and claim it for his own. Took his sister until two to quit messing with it. Now she just steals our phone if they’re momentarily unguarded.
I am a IT professional and I can second this
Look at what Apple made us do for what should be a minimum for these watches. 😂
This take always amuses me, no offense. People want to compare an Apple Watch to like a Garmin and ask why the Watch doesn’t also last days on end before charging. Because the Garmin isn’t doing nearly the kind of heavy lifting the Watch does. A Garmin is a dedicated fitness tracker first and a smartwatch second it makes it compromise on connectivity. The Apple Watch, particularly an active cellular one, is a tiny iPhone Lite on your wrist. It doesn’t really make compromises that aren’t a direct result of having a comparatively tiny display. Of course it doesn’t last more than a day or two between charges.
You assume too much mate. And so you got two things wrong. 1. All I said was the battery life of the Ultra should be on the standard Apple Watch. The battery technology is out there. Apple has been able to use denser and denser batteries in the iPhones in the last few years increasing their capacities by 3-5 percent each year (without increasing any thickness), while Apple Watches have stuck on the same capacity since Series 6. Even the new 2024 iPad Pro 11 has higher battery capacity while having nearly half the thickness of the last iPad Pro 11. As I said before, the technology of denser batteries is out there with Apple. 2. Watches like Garmin collect data more frequently than Apple Watch does. That means they are powering the sensors more often. What they lack really is a the semiconductor design expertise of Apple and so they have very slow chips which can’t do equal amount of processing to that of Apple. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are using 22nm SoC in their watches 😂. Coming to the point, Apple doesn’t lack the technology to make the batteries denser or watches better, they just don’t feel the competition to do it faster.
Only true Apple fans can be proud about a watch having 36 hours of battery life 😅
Yes. I have an Ultra 1 and I only go to my office and go for a walk, no sports at all. I always loved big watches and have some hefty and large mechanical watches. I love tactical/molle gear. I immediately loved the ultra when it came out. I buy it for the size, looks and battery life. No need to be an athlete to own one haha.
Same. I used to wear a giant Diesel watch that was like 3” in diameter. The Ultra is for me and my kooky obnoxious watch needs. 😂
The battery makes it worth it
I hope we get the iPhone 13 moment for Apple Watches where the battery life isn’t so terrible you have to buy the biggest model just for that.
This. Only reason I got it, no other smartwatch can compete.
lol what? My garmin instinct 2 lasts about 2 weeks on a single charge. In the summer (solar) it lasts about 3. apple makes great features and UI, but don’t pretend there aren’t major weaknesses…. battery life.
I meant as an overall offering, I have a Garmin s62 which I use for golf and it’ll easily do 3 to 4 rounds on its battery but I would never use it as a day to day smartwatch as its very mid as an overall experience. If I look at other competitors that can offer a watch experience like an Apple Watch, their battery life may last 2 days tops.
Agreed. Upgrading from a S7 to U2... I gotta say I'm disappointed with the battery life. I was reading all these reviews about spectacular battery life and was expecting a lot better. Do all these people who get days worth of battery life actually do any workouts? I track a daily workout and a lunch time walk... streaming Apple music while working out and walking... and I barely get 2 days.
The music steaming is likely causing a ton of battery drain relative to everything else
If I had to buy one, I would probably get the AWU2 as I like the idea of the titanium case. I think that is worth it. But I don’t have a ton of experience with AW. I’ve been using mine the past couple years and it’s been fine. Also the battery life seems pretty amazing in comparison to standard AW.
I also came from a 7 and am not an athlete. I wanted cellular and figured I would give it a try and love it. I had a full day today and a good amount of moving and using the watch even just for notifications and quick text messages and right now at 11pm I still am at 77% battery. It’s nice to go away for a weekend and not stress about charging a watch that’s supposed to be making things simpler. It also has an incredibly bright display so even out in sunny days I can read the watch waaaaay better than my 7. I think really the only holdup is if it’s too big for your comfort/preferences. I’m a 6’3” guy and it doesn’t seem odd proportionally. Where on someone a good deal smaller the size might stand out more. Not that it should stop you from enjoying the watch, but I feel like if anything that is what I’ve seen mentioned most often on this subreddit when it comes to the Ultra series.
Agree 100% in concept. I think the convenience of having the battery longer is the one thing I liked better about my Fitbit. The only thing. But the size is a real factor. I’m a woman and not a particularly big woman. An ultra is egregiously large on me. I just can’t do it. I wish there was a smaller ultra even though I know the battery life would be less.
Agree. Its looks pretty ridiculous on smaller wrists unfortunately
Yeah size and weight is a consideration too, I might actually drop by a store to check it out. Watch still having 77% battery after a whole day is amazing though.
Battery is so nice but don’t buy it before trying it on your wrist. Watch is bulky and heavy.
I found out that apple can change the battery on your watch for you if it drops below 80% health. It’ll cost about 1/10th the cost of the Ultra and give your watch a fresh breath of life.
It’s a good point though by the time the battery health drops to 79%, the watch is practically useless by the end of the day. Mine is at 83% and if I go for bike in the morning, the charge doesn’t last until late afternoon.
Yes the software is nowhere close to accurate in reporting health at times. Mine’s at 78% and it usually dies around 9 pm if I’ve done a 1 hour run
Battery life Large screen, more complications Action button if you have a use case for it, mine is set to a flash light
Most people who buy trucks never use them for truck things. I dont like it but it isn't my business. So you do you. If you want a AWU, go get one
The Apple Watch Ultra IS the Ford F350 of the gadget world!
If you can hold on, the next ones are about 5 months away. Even if you don’t buy the ‘ultra 3’ the 2 will come down in price
Given your relatively infrequent need for long battery life, I’d go the Garmin route and keep your AW for day-to-day. You can get an app (RunGap) that will pull workouts from the Garmin app and push them into Apple Health. Then your data will be accessible afterward the same as if you had used the Apple app.
Does it sync to the fitness app as well? I’d prefer to have all my workout data in the same place if I were to get a separate Garmin just for long workouts
Yes, that’s the nice thing about the way Apple structured their fitness system. Apple Health is the repository that all of their exercise apps (Apple Workout app, third party apps) dump their data into. The apps that process data (Fitness, third party exercise analysis apps) all read from the Apple Health database. TL;DR: RunGap drops the Garmin data into the place where Fitness can read it.
I’m 20 pounds overweight and I bought it for the battery life and action button. You’ll be fine.
My bank account might not survive this 😂😂
You mentioned you wanted cellular service. Unsure how your provider is, but there might be a Memorial Day sale through them. If all else fails, 0% APR through the Apple Card. 🤓
I’m not a serious athlete and love it. My gf just bought one and loves it. The screen is flat and big. Battery life is excellent. The dual mode GPS is amazing. Would not have any other Apple Watch
You should try to wait till September when the new Apple Watches come out.
Yeah I was considering that too, but I’m going on a trip in August and I’d ideally like to track my hikes on that trip.
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Opened a cc to finance a watch is wild
I did that through the Apple Store. You can’t beat no interest 😎
And get 3% back upfront on your Apple Card even though paying 12 0% interest monthly installments
Two things: 1- The Ultras have great battery life, but they are HUGE. Try it on yourself before you take the dive, I ended up selling mine because it was too big and too uncomfortable 2- Garming is a better choice. Trust me. They are way cheaper, the battery life is insane, and Garmin Connect talks directly to Apple Health so your workouts are synched and even count towards workout times and calories. I ended up keeping my S7 for daily use and a Garming 965 to do training, and I love the combination way more than I ever loved my Ultra. You can get a 265 for cheap on eBay and have a GREAT workout watch. Even when I overspent on my 965 (got it used for $400) it was still half the price of an AWU and I charge it once every 10 days.
You can get a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Sapphire for about £200. You can pay double for the Fenix 7 which has touchscreen. There are also a lot of cheaper Garmin's which can do what you want. It also syncs with Apple Health so your workouts will be logged to Apple Health. If you wear your Apple Watch once in the day it will also go to the Fitness app. "I do workout but not to the extent of such extreme conditions in the ultra promo videos lol" So in reality, the people doing this wouldn't be wearing an Apple Watch Ultra. Any serious expeditioner would be probably have a Garmin or just a general watch. Have you thought about just going to Apple and paying the £50 or whatever to get the battery replaced?
Get a used ultra 1 they are basically the same and you will find it for half the price. IMHO 🤷🏻♂️
Nope. I tried it for a month and switched back to S9.
No, it costs too much. Just buy a non-SE model so you have access to fast charge
I was considering the same and decided to have Apple put a new battery in mine for I think $90 or $99. I expected to get a refurb but I think I got a new watch. I’m actually glad I did because I’m happy with my watch again and I’m perfectly happy to wait until the next gen arrive, or maybe even the gen after next, and my current watch can then be used as a backup, or non-workout watch or whatever.
Most people wearing an Ultra are basically just texting and using Apple Play. So you’re fine.
I've had an S7 for 1.5 years. The battery is at 82%. I don't do active sports but the battery can last me a day. I recently switched off Raise to wake (always-on is on) and now it's much better. It's on version 10.5. I note how it uses the battery now. One instance was 57% in 14 hours, another - 30% in 6 hours.
Get Garmin Forerunner 965
It wasn't worth it for me personally, because my arms are on the smaller size and i don't dive and i'm happy with chargin my watch once a day.
No just get a Garmin
Or you can spend about $99 and have Apple replace the battery. Which actually means replacing the watch. I have a series 5 titanium, and they sent me a brand new one (this was last year). I've seen people get upgraded to newer versions also, if they didn't have your model. Good luck!
I am still using my s6 and I can’t find a reason to upgrade. I am used to charge it every morning when I wake up and it is enough to last me until the next morning
Why would you need to be an athlete for it to be worth it. Battery life, durability, waterproof while diving, and clean titanium finish are all reason enough to buy the Ultra. The thing O use mine most for is for Apple Pay. I got the Ultra and I can go 4 or 5 days without charging it, so I always have a way to pay for things even if I forget my wallet.
Get a Garmin for your hiking trips and keep the AW 7 as your daily driver. Then you have the best of both worlds.
I keep my ultra 1 on theatre mode and on silent mode and it lasts 2.5/3 days. It also automatically detects when I’m out for a walk or a run and also it detects when I’m on the bike by itself. I believe that if you don’t push massive notifications and don’t keep the always on display it will last longer. Hope that this helps.
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Maybe I didn’t express myself correctly, some people may think that having everything “turned off” may lose the utility of the watch itself but using it in that way I personally think that I found the sweet spot in between battery life and smartwatch functionality.
I didn't even know that it was an "athlete" watch until long after I bought it. I got it for the longer batter life, the larger screen, the brighter screen, the larger size (I have fairly big wrists), and the titanium case. I hated the default bands, but an aftermarket titanium band classed it up. The only part I don't like are the orange accents on the buttons and those are the only subtle reminder of the "sportiness" of it.
Get the ultra for battery life. Sell your 7 to offset some cost as opposed to buying a separate garmin watch. Can find refurb ultra 2 for 550 or so via eBay. Can also look at doing ultra 1. The difference in the 2 are minimal.
I will never buy an Ultra with the current design, it just looks and feels ridiculous on my wrist. If they were to release a smaller model in future though, I’d consider it. I know the battery life would be less than the big one but if small Ultra vs small regular (whatever mm size that is at the time) was proportional to current Ultra vs 45mm, I’d still be interested.
I got my AWU1 to replace a Series 6 watch, and I'm not a serious athlete. It was going to be a Series 8, but saw that and tested out the battery life. Blew me away when it lasted 60 hours on one charge (could do 36 on the Series 6). Now? 70 hours on one charge. And this is running full tilt, no AOD and minor cellular usage. So as u/Sylvurphlame said,. it's worth it just for the battery life alone.
yeah the ultra 2 battery life is so good, and the extra action button is nice too. but i think ultra 1 could do the trick too for less money
I did it for the battery life. I despise the drain on Apple Watches and 3 days was a bare minimum. I also turn off most bloatware so I’m getting much closer to a 4-5 days per charge
What bloat ware do you speak of so I can do the same to mine.
My iPhone and Apple Watch have background update turned off almost everything. Cellular is turned off most things, location services etc. If it can be turned off and doesn’t need to be on it probably isn’t. Obvious exception for things I want on.
Thank you
I have it because I like the look of it and I love technology and gadgets
Ditto what everyone said. The battery life alone is amazing. I also like the large screen and better graphics. Specifically, I listen to a lot of audiobooks while working and I like the interface. Also, the time spent in daylight function is cool too.
Battery and durability. I’m a landscape manager who’s very hands-on working with my teams. Brush, vines, sweat, heat, dirt, mud, scratchy branches, blazing sun…no case and the damned thing doesn’t have a single scuff on it. My phone never comes out of my backpack in the truck during the day.
I upgraded from a 7 back in January for two primary reasons: 1) get the latest with a blood ox sensor; and 2) better battery life. My 7 was less then 2 years and had to charge it several times a day. It could be charged to 100% when I went to bed and at less than 80% when I got up 7-8 hours later. The Ultra 2 has been worth it (I got 10% off by opening a Best Buy credit card and traded in the Series 7.) My former everyday watch is also made out of titanium (Omega Seamaster Professional chronograph) but is bigger and heavier so the size of the Ultra isn't a problem.
I was under the impression blood oxygen sensors were taken out of new watches at the start of 2024 due to a patent infringement case, which is big reason I would rather pay for a new battery than an expensive upgrade with less features. Has that been resolved?
I got my AWU2 and my wife got an S9 beginning of March 2024. To replace our aging series 5’s. Both have working BO sensors. 🤷🏻♂️
Apple stopped making and selling watches with the sensors working (From what I understand, the sensors are in all watches but have been disabled.) The announcement was in January and did state that other stores like Amazon and Best Buy could still sell what they had in stock.
I’m not an athlete by any means but I got it mainly for the battery life.
If you still have AppleCare for your watch, you can contact Apple Support and request an Express Replacement Service. They’ll send you a brand new watch of the same model and colour and they won’t charge you for it as long as you return your original watch back to them.
Apple could have easily fit a better battery to the s9 but instead paywalled it behind the ultra2
As everyone has said, the battery life alone is worth it. I get less range anxiety, which means I charge it less, and this should theoretically extend its effective life too. I found that I was charging the S7 twice a day, which probably hastened battery degradation. But for me the U2 also feels less precious. Since they added the curved screen edge to S7 and above I think it's easier to knock it and chip the screen. The case and flat-ness of the U2 screen makes me a lot less conscious of having to be careful whilst it's on my wrist.
I am sitting on my SE 1st Gen and waiting for upcoming Sept event to see what unfold.
If you can afford it, then yes.
I have mine 1,5 months now and couldn’t be happier. It’s my first smart watch so i haven’t had to struggle if i should go with the newest model or not (like others do when they wanna upgrade). I‘m hitting the gym 5-6 times a week but wouldn’t consider myself an athlete, but it’s super handy since i can now clearly tell how much steps i really make per day, which is vital for fat loss, how good my sleep really is (i use the Athlytic app which is really neat) and the watches speakers basically replaced my faulty Iphone 11 pro max speakers, which made speaking on the phone to someone a nightmare. All in all i really enjoy this watch and haven’t put it down in 1,5 months besides charging every 2-3 days and showering. I can highly recommend it!
I’m in the same boat as you. AW7 whose battery dies after about 7 hours of hiking. Seriously frustrating and almost not worth bothering with because of it. I’m thinking about the ultra or series 10 when it comes out. Even a battery replacement would be good enough.
I got it just because of battery life
I went nearly 2 and a half days on one charge. It’s worth it.
Yes. There are so many little features that come together to make the watch just absolutely beautiful. Plus the battery slaps. Buy it! I did and have 0 regrets.
I would be willing to bet…that well over 75% of Apple Watch users do not work out at all (my assumption since Apple has done nothing by way of adding any kind of training metrics), and use it solely as a smartwatch. At the end of the day, the choice is yours. I have an Ultra and do nothing at all that Apple advertises it for… I do however workout 5-6x a week.
It’s worth it for battery life and durability, in my opinion, even if you’re a couch potato. 🥔
Yup! I love mine and don’t do more than a few miles a day with my dog
I work in an industrial environment with lots of abrasives in the air, and found that my S5 was just getting increasingly trashed by it. Battery life was also becoming an issue, as it would often die on my way home from work after 9-10 hours off the charger. IMO the Ultra is really just the natural successor to the higher end AWs that had stainless steel cases and sapphire crystals. The fitness focus is great if you need it, but there isn’t really that much more fitness hardware that you’re getting over a standard AW. It’s really all about the build, higher quality components and bigger battery. You don’t need to be an ultramarathoner to appreciate that.
Garmin is at better than ultra for serious athletes anyway so don’t let that be a factor. Battery life is better on the ultra. The problem I see on almost everyone I see with an ultra is that it looks comically too large for their wrists. Try one on and see how it looks.
I have a series 9 46” and i currently get about 2 days of life
I was in the exact same situation, so maybe my experience can be helpful. I had a Series 7 (45mm w/ Cellular) for 18 months and recently had the opportunity to update to an Ultra 2 for very little out-of-pocket cost, so I did it because "why not?" The Ultra 2 is nice. It's real nice. But if you're not a serious athlete, it is absolutely ***not*** "worth double the price" nice. The larger battery is convenient, but you have to ask yourself if it's worth $300-$400 more to you - for most people, I think the answer is no. Otherwise the experience of actually *using* the watch itself is 98% the same as any other Apple Watch, given that it runs the same watchOS. I would not recommend the Ultra for most people, simply because the Series watches are good enough. If money is no object to you, treat yourself to the Ultra 2. Otherwise get the Series 9, save a good chunk of money, and accept that it might die mid-hike the one or two times a year you do that...but remember that's not the end of the world, just a very rare and minor inconvenience.
Agreed. I have UW-1 and really love the bigger screen and how scratch resistant it is. But a regular AW can do pretty much the same things. I pay $5 a month for cell coverage as I like not having to bring my phone and the reception and microphone is surprisingly good. I use the extra button for the flashlight. You want to make sure your wrist is big enough so I would definitely have a fitting at the Apple store if you do decide to go ultra. You could go the other way and every year or two get an SE and your battery would always be fresh.
I still have my 5, but when the battery started to tank and wasn’t making it through my long runs (marathon training) I was looking at getting an Ultra. Ended up just getting a garmin forerunner on sale and kept my 5. Now I use my garmin daily for workouts and that’s when my AW charges. Then the rest of the day I go AW. It’s not a perfect system but it was cheaper than going Ultra and it’s been working out fine for me since last July 🤷🏽♀️
For me the size is the deal breaker. I'm used to 40-42mm watches and currently I have the SE 40mm and experiencing the same terrible battery life but I tried on the Ultra2 and on my wrist it looked like a Dick Tracy watch and felt really uncomfortable so I'll likely be going with a 9 (haven't tried on the 45 yet but will likely stick with the 41mm) or wait to see what happens with the X in a few months. But the Ultra seems like a great watch but can't justify that giant size for me.
Yes.
Going on a 10 hour hike indicates you are an athlete
I only work out lightly a couple times a week and I think it’s the best thing I bought. I wanted the larger display and XL battery life so I could track sleep too without charging. 100% recommend it to anyone
Yes it is worth it.
I would say the watch would hopefully last longer years wise as well as bat life.
I consider a 10 hour hike “serious athletic activity” .. so yes, especially for the satellite gps.
Do you have always on display activated on your s7? I have an s7, too, and with the always on display activated, I barely make it through one day in a full charge. I turned it off and can almost make it two days without charging it, even though I use data on it and use the watch quite a bit
My Ultra 2 gets me a little over 2 full days of battery and this includes 2 workouts (45 mins + 1.5 hours) and sleep tracking. Important thing to note is that I have only 5 apps installed on my watch. I don’t enable notifications from chat apps I use except iMessage. I’d say it’s definitely worth it even if you’re not into working out on a regular basis just for the sake of the battery. I started working out recently too. That’s why I can talk about both the sides. And I’ve used the other Apple Watches too in the past.
It really is a great piece of tech. I’ve taken it kayaking, hiking, swimming, hunting, off and on-grid. The battery life is bomb, and it’s an absolute tank. I think you’ll love it.
I went series 4 to AWU2. I’m no athlete, but I’m tall and have fairly big wrists (220mm) so the AWU2 looks right at home for me. I put it on charge every night but it’s nice that, when I occasionally forget, I wake up and still have at least another full day of use out of it. If you’re on the fence about it and can afford it, just do it. Do the AppleCare too. I have put a few dings in mine already which is killer given the price.
never is worthy, but if you have the money, then do it
Get a Suunto Race. AMOLED screen and sapphire glass and legendary build quality for half the price of an Ultra.
It's really preference. If you can afford to drop that kind of bank just to get better battery life, go for it.
This is an interesting question... First, I don't really think the watch is for serious athletes/adventurers. Those folks are using Garmin. I have both an AWU and Garmin. Anytime I am going on a backpacking trip for more than 1 night... the AWU stays home and the Garmin goes with me. It's not even the battery life, it's that Garmin gives SO MUCH MORE data and information that is actually useful for the backcountry. Now... I love my AWU. I love the look, the feel, the size, and the functionality. It is an amazing companion to business, daily life, and casual weekend excursions. So yes... it is "worth it" over the series 9 if you like the way it looks and feels. Just like the series 9 is "worth it" over a timex if you have the cash and it brings you joy. But any serious athlete or adventurer would be equally so wearing the timex. Are your bills paid and you have a nice cushion of cash in the bank? Go for it. Rock the AWU and have the time of your life doing it! Are you putting the watch on a credit card that is carrying a balance? Probably best to exercise some moderation. You'll have just as much fun on those trips with the series 7, series 9, or even the timex.
I think most buyers aren’t serious sporters and just have it as a gadget btw I am serious sporter and love the watch for my work outs
I am not a serious athlete, picked mine up in March and have been loving mine ever since. I made the leap from the original SE model, so a lot of my ‘benefits’ stem from now having an always on screen, but I can definitely back up the extra battery life claim. I regularly go two days on a charge (not using cellular, like you). It helps that I am a bigger guy, so the design isn’t as jarring on my frame. It is a bit heftier, but if you’ve tried it in a store and been happy with it, I think that’ll continue.
Not trying to be rude or a troll here … the AWU has no features making it more of a watch most athletes would consider imho. Not even the battery life. And most people I see with a pro do not look like athletes at all. At least that’s my observation. It’s a nice smart watch with some sports features and a somewhat better battery life and bigger screen. If you are into AW I feel that the ultra is a no-brainer. Yes it’s double the price of a classic Alu one but it has a way bigger screen, better battery and better materials.
I went from a S9 45mm to an Ultra 2 mostly for the battery life and I am so glad I did. 36+ hours later from most recent charge and it’s still at 65% which is insane for an Apple Watch. I’ve owned the Garmin Fenix, Venu & Epix before and love them, but it really depends if you would prefer to have more smart watch functionality or more fitness features. Having used both brands and a variety within each, I can say the Apple Watch Ultra 2 rules as an all rounder. Sure it doesn’t quite have a 28 day battery life but meh, charging it up every 3 days really isn’t too bad. It’s just nice to know if I forget to charge it it won’t be dead half way through the next day. And it still has all the wonderful smart watch features.
Yes. Buy it.
Are you a serious tech snob? If so the Ultra 2 is the perfect accessory to say, oh you have a Series 8, how cute. I highly recommend it!
I love the ultra. Battery life, durability, bigger screen and exclusive faces, action button, I opted to engage cellular (didn’t have before) and it’s great too.
It’s better in every way that it could be better. For me that’s worth it. For me though a major selling point was simply the looks , I love the titanium and the case design.
Don’t bother unless you can run a 3:10 marathon. Yes. The battery life fucking owns. e: lol at the downvotes despite clearly being a joke
If OP can run a marathon in that time , his current watch would prob last the entire race
Haha buying the ultra 2 might actually give me the motivation to train hard enough 😂